Teaching English Language Learners (ELLs) can sometimes feel overwhelming, but with the right strategies, you can create a classroom where every student feels seen or supported. Whether you're new to working with ELLs or looking to refresh your approach, these seven, simple, effective strategies will help you build a more inclusive and engaging learning environment.

1. Use Visuals

Visual aids, like anchor charts and labeled classroom items, help ELLs understand and retain information.

Quick Win: Try adding simple labels to classroom objects using both words and pictures. For example, label the door, windows, and supplies with visuals alongside the words in English (and students’ home languages if possible). This small change can make your classroom more language-friendly in minutes!

2. Offer Sentence Starters

Provide sentence starters that help guide ELLs to write more complete and detailed responses.

Quick Win: Print a list of sentence starters and keep them accessible for students during writing activities. Simple prompts like “I think that…” or “One reason is…” can help guide ELLs to build more complete responses. You can even personalize them to your lesson, like “The main idea of this story is…” for a reading response or “My experiment showed that…” for science.

3. Encourage Peer Interaction

Use methods like “turn and talk” or group discussions to give every student the opportunity to speak and engage with the content.

Quick Win: After introducing a new concept, try a “turn and talk” moment where students pair up and briefly discuss what they’ve learned. This gives ELLs a low-pressure chance to practice speaking in English. You can even assign discussion prompts, like “What is one thing you learned?” or “How would you explain this to a friend?”

4. Use Gestures and Actions

Incorporate gestures and physical actions to help convey meaning and reinforce language.

Quick Win: When introducing new vocabulary, pair the words with simple gestures or motions. For example, use hand movements to mimic the word “open” or “close.” This not only helps ELLs understand the meaning but also makes the lesson more engaging and memorable. Try adding a few gestures to your next lesson to see the difference!

5. Simplify Vocabulary Explanations

Provide quick, simple definitions of challenging vocabulary words in context, instead of lengthy explanations.

Quick Win: When introducing challenging vocabulary, give a simple, one-sentence definition using familiar words. For example, instead of saying, “photosynthesis is the process plants use to convert sunlight into energy,” try “photosynthesis means plants make food from sunlight.” This helps ELLs grasp the meaning faster without overwhelming them.

6. Pair Reading with Visuals

Display text prominently while reading aloud to help ELLs follow along and connect spoken words to written text.

Quick Win: While reading aloud, project the text on a smartboard or display so students can see the words as they hear them. This helps ELLs match spoken words to written ones and better follow the story or lesson. It's a simple way to enhance both listening and reading skills!

7. Create Fun and Engaging Routines

Use chants, songs, or other routines with actions to make learning fun and memorable.

Quick Win: Incorporate a short chant or song with matching actions into your daily routine. For example, use a days-of-the-week song with hand motions or a simple chant for new vocabulary. These fun, repetitive activities help ELLs remember key concepts and practice language in a playful, low-stress way!

By trying out these strategies, you'll help your English language learners feel more confident and connected in class, while creating a space where all students can thrive together.