* Classroom Resources for ESL Teachers
* Reference Books for ESL Teachers
* Classroom Resources for ESL Students
* Self-Care Resources for ESL Teachers
20 items to help ESL teachers have a great year; graphic created by: The ESL Nexus |
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CLASSROOM RESOURCES FOR ESL TEACHERS
Wipe-Off Charts
If there was just one item I would have chosen for my classroom, it might very well have been this. I had one flipchart for each grade level I taught. On the top half, I wrote the content objectives and then the language objectives (I liked to separate them out) for the day’s lesson and on the bottom half, I wrote the agenda for the class and the homework assignment. I had additional flipcharts that students used when working in small groups or pairs to brainstorm ideas and write up information during activities they did.
Flipchart Pads
This would be tied with or a close second to the wipe-off charts. With all the grade levels I taught, it wasn’t always feasible to leave written stuff on my whiteboard for a long time so I used flipcharts instead. In the top right corner of each page, I wrote the grade level so it was easy to find which page I needed for a particular class. I didn’t usually tear out the pages because it was easier to just flip through to find the page I wanted.
Expo Markers
These I used to write on the wipe-off charts as well as on my whiteboard. I liked this package with lots of colors because I could color-code things on the whiteboard by grade level, which made it easier for ELLs to know what was relevant for them. I also used the different colors when explaining grammar points or teaching types of writing.
The Peace Corps International Calendar
I love this calendar! It lists secular and religious holidays for what
seems like every country in the world as well as all the world’s major
religions. Each monthly photo is from a country where Peace Corps
Volunteers have served and there is info about the country along with a
smaller photo from the same country in the date section. I submitted
photos for many years in hopes of having one accepted but, sadly, that
never happened. Nevertheless, it’s a great teaching tool and one year,
my school’s Cultural Committee (of which I was a member), bought one
calendar for every teacher in the building and it got rave reviews.
Cuisinaire Rods
I learned about cuisinaire rods in my TESL graduate program and had no idea they were also used for math instruction! They are very useful with lower proficiency level ELLs when teaching English Language Development. I’ve used them for teaching grammar, for descriptive speaking and writing tasks, and for listening practice by telling stories. This Busy Teacher article presents 15 ways of using cuisinaire rods in the language classroom.
Binder Clips
These large clips fit perfectly over the top of the cabinets in my classroom. I used them to hold posters and flipcharts when I needed to display things temporarily, such as unit objectives and posters about a particular civilization students were learning about. Being responsible for several grades, these clips made it easier for me to have a print-rich classroom environment.
REFERENCE BOOKS FOR ESL TEACHERS
Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary
Every ESL teacher needs this book! Regardless of the type of ESL class you have, your students will thank you for having this dictionary. It is comprehensive and thorough and explains academic concepts in ways that ELLs can comprehend. It also helped me define some Science and Math concepts to my students that I had a hard time explaining.
Longman Basic Dictionary of American English
What’s great about this dictionary is that it is aimed at ELLs at the lower end of language proficiency. Each entry gives a definition is simple English, tells how to pronounce the word, and offers an example sentence. The dictionary also explains how to use a dictionary and includes some brief notes on irregular verbs.
Webster’s New World Concise Spanish Dictionary
I found this Spanish-English/English-Spanish dictionary invaluable. Not only did I use it to help me communicate with my students’ families, I used it when my students just didn’t understand my explanation of something in English or when they didn’t know the English word for something.
Learner English — A Teacher’s Guide to Interference and Other Problems
Teaching American English Pronunciation
CLASSROOM RESOURCES FOR ESL STUDENTS
Mechanical Pencils
File Folders
Spiral Bound Notebooks
Composition Notebooks
I gave one of these notebooks to each 5th – 8th grader to use as a vocabulary notebook. I wanted a separate notebook from the one they used for note-taking and homework so it’d be easier for students to see all their vocab words in one place. As with the other notebooks, I usually bought them at Staples but Amazon is also an option.
Colored Pencils
These are especially helpful for ELLs at the beginning and lower intermediate levels of language proficiency because they can draw pictures instead of write about what they are learning. More proficient ELLs can use colored pencils for projects they may have. I liked having individual boxes to reduce the chance of students arguing about
using particular colors.
SELF-CARE RESOURCES FOR ESL TEACHERS
Tea
I brought a thermos of tea with me to school every day. Even though I didn’t lecture in my classes, I still needed something to soothe my throat throughout the day. Drinking tea also helped me avoid eating junk food snacks. And it warmed me up after doing lunch recess duty in the cold winter months. My favorite blends were Irish Breakfast Tea and Peppermint Tea.
Classical Music
After students went home, I listened to classical music while I was prepping for the following day. Classical music helped me focus because there were no words to sing along with. I kept a stash of CDs near my desk but nowadays, of course, you can easily find music on Spotify or YouTube as well as Amazon Prime Music.
Escapist Novels
After eating dinner and checking my email, I needed to decompress. My favorite way of relaxing was to read historical fiction and mysteries. Both books recommended below are the first in multi-volume series. Both are also major TV shows, which you may already know.
Outlander, Book 1
by Diana Gabaldon: About a time-traveling English nurse who inexplicably suddenly finds herself in 18th century Scotland.
You can also get a signed copy of Outlander from The Poisoned Pen Bookstore and they’ll ship it anywhere in the world. Note this blurb on the bookstore’s website: “If you want your new books to be signed by Diana, be sure that the “signed” option is indicated during the Pen’s online check-out procedure, or specify you would like it signed if ordering by telephone or email.”
by Winston Graham: About an Englishman from Cornwall who returns home from fighting in the American Revolutionary War, only to find he can’t resume the life he thought was waiting for him.
If you’d like to support PBS, which broadcasts the TV show, you can buy DVD and Blue-ray versions of the TV show on the PBS website.
Getting ready for a new school year is always hectic but I hope these suggestions for stocking your classroom and taking care of yourself will make the back to school experience a little easier for you. Have a great year!
Colored Pencils
using particular colors.
SELF-CARE RESOURCES FOR ESL TEACHERS
Tea
I brought a thermos of tea with me to school every day. Even though I didn’t lecture in my classes, I still needed something to soothe my throat throughout the day. Drinking tea also helped me avoid eating junk food snacks. And it warmed me up after doing lunch recess duty in the cold winter months. My favorite blends were Irish Breakfast Tea and Peppermint Tea.
Classical Music
After students went home, I listened to classical music while I was prepping for the following day. Classical music helped me focus because there were no words to sing along with. I kept a stash of CDs near my desk but nowadays, of course, you can easily find music on Spotify or YouTube as well as Amazon Prime Music.
Escapist Novels
After eating dinner and checking my email, I needed to decompress. My favorite way of relaxing was to read historical fiction and mysteries. Both books recommended below are the first in multi-volume series. Both are also major TV shows, which you may already know.
Outlander, Book 1
by Diana Gabaldon: About a time-traveling English nurse who inexplicably suddenly finds herself in 18th century Scotland.
Getting ready for a new school year is always hectic but I hope these suggestions for stocking your classroom and taking care of yourself will make the back to school experience a little easier for you. Have a great year!