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Communication wise, another helpful tip is giving extra wait time to these students when asking questions, and then asking for non-verbal responses when appropriate, like a thumbs up or thumbs down. Asking the appropriate level of question is also a good practice to have. This means asking questions that fit the level of their knowledge of English. This could look like asking, “Could you show me the circle?” at a beginning level, asking, “How did you know that was a circle?” at an intermediate level, and “Describe to me the steps you used to decide that this was a circle.” at an advanced level. Pointing to a circle is a simple concept, but the levels of questions reflect this strategy. Another useful skill involving communication is using partner talk with students. It takes the stress of ELL students that the entire class is listening to them, and it encourages collaboration among students. Teachers can also use choral responses with their class to expose ELL students to new vocabulary and also serves as an example for correct syntax, pronunciations, and grammar.

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Introducing new vocabulary to ELL students is very important. It is also important for teachers to demonstrate the many possible meanings that different vocabulary words can have, and then the correct context to use them in. For example, “table” and “quarter”, and when to use them in everyday life, but also in math terms. Provide lots of visuals in the form of pictures, graphs, tables, or anything that will help support the new vocabulary words being instructed.

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With ELL students, using their prior and background knowledge is going to be very important to build new knowledge on top of this. Use lots of real world examples, so students can continue to connect new knowledge, concepts, and vocabulary to things they already know and build more and more connections.

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With all of this in mind, it is just as important to ensure that ELL students that are bilingual stay fluent in their first language, for the sake of their identity and culture. Teachers and students should engage ELL students in English conversations as much as possible, but always keep in mind their background and primary language. There are many great strategies to use to aid ELL students that can and should be implemented, but it is essential to remember that their first language will always be part of who they are and their identity, and it is very important to respect this always.