Albatul Albulayhi
University of the Incarnate Word English language learners: Effective Teaching strategies to Enhance Learning
"The hardest part of living in a different country is the language barrier. Because you know you have to learn the language in order to survive." – (Betina Johnson, n.d)
Schools across the United States are becoming diverse. A number of students whose mother tongues are not English are increasing in the classrooms. American society consists of different cultures, ethnicity, and religions. English Language Learners (ELLs), as known in our educational system, are one of the fastest growing groups of populations in US schools. According …show more content…
Pictures, posters, technology, charts, and devices help ELL teachers facilitate the learning for their students (Nguyen, Watanabe, 2013). Moreover, research results from interviewing teachers who work with ELL demonstrate how the usage of gestures and visual cues is an effective strategy in teaching ELLs, and these teachers have used this strategy for many years; it works very well ( Fcella, Rampino &Shea, 2005). Similar to this study which is about using visual support the ELLs, Nguyen and Watanabe, (2013) present the benefits of using visual representations, which are encouraging comprehension and prevent …show more content…
When ELL teachers link background knowledge and culture in the learning process, they will meet the need for those students and provide a conducive environment for them. Understanding the subject and learning the language at the same time are difficult skills, so by using these strategies, the teachers will help ELLs to adapt this skill successfully. Moreover, using visual supports in ELL classrooms will connect the language and the visual aid, and make the learning process easier. Also, storybooks are beneficial for ELLs, so by reading them, students will develop their vocabulary. Clearly, ELL teachers should seek appropriate strategies that can help their student to acquire the language, and support them in their academic