Instructional Strategies for ESL Students Checklist

Checking students’ comprehension of thecontent:o Use sentence stripso Set up dialogue journals between teacher and

studento Plan activities using role play and dramao Use student reading logso Use Cloze exerciseso Write summarieso Encourage students to write headlineso Write character diarieso Have students present information with

illustrations, comic strips, or other visualrepresentations

o Allow students to provide answers and explainprocesses instead of you telling them

Helping ESL students adjust to the classroom:o State / display language, content and

metacognitive objectiveso List instructions / process steps and review

orallyo Present information in varied ways (oral,

written, demonstrations, with tangibleobjects)

o Frequently summarize key pointso Repeat and paraphrase important termso Provide Word Wall with vocabulary for unit

/ chaptero Have students maintain notebooko Have student maintain learning log for

metacognitive strategieso Allow sufficient response time

o Adjusting teaching style:o Develop a student centered approacho Speak a little more slowly (not louder ),

use shorter sentences, and avoid idiomso Increase the percentage of inferential and

higher order thinking questionso Provide correction for language errors by

modeling, not overt correction

@ B. Lewis-Moreno, 2002

o Teaching a multi level class:o Use cooperative learningo Incorporate peer tutoringo Use the Writing Processo Explicitly connect learning to students’

knowledge and experienceo Take time to preview and explain new

concepts and vocabulary before startinginstruction

o Use questionnaires / interviews

o Motivating students and providingbackground knowledge:

o Use Semantic Webbing and graphicorganizers

o Use Anticipation Reaction Guideso Have students brainstorm, then record

responses on overhead before startinglessons

o Use KWL chartso Use realia, maps, photos, and manipulativeso Do activities where students can interact

and move around

o Adapting ESL techniques to the contentclassroom:

o Have students do hands-on activitieso Do demonstrationso Use CDs, cassettes and videotapes with

bookso Use a variety of groupings so that ESL

students can interact with differentclassmates (not only the Spanish speakingones!)

o Provide students with outline of lesson andquestions that will be asked beforehand sothey have an opportunity to processinformation and participate more readily

o The overhead projector is your best friend– use it every day to model highlightingtext, identifying main ideas or newvocabulary or to show pictures.