ELL News Headlines
Throughout the week, Colorín Colorado gathers news headlines related to English language learners from around the country. The ELL Headlines are posted Monday through Friday and are available for free!
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Indianapolis Public Schools plans new approach to teaching English learners
At Lew Wallace School 107, principal Arthur Hinton sees students come from all over the world. The sounds of Spanish, Swahili, Kinyarwanda, and Arabic can fill the halls of the K-6 school on the west side of Indianapolis, near the “international marketplace” neighborhood. In recent years, the school has attracted more students whose families hail from Haiti, speaking French or Creole.
The Lily Gladstone Effect: A Teacher Explains the Value of Indigenous Language Immersion
When Lily Gladstone accepted the Golden Globe for best actress in a motion picture drama earlier this year, she used Blackfeet language in her acceptance speech.
Los Angeles students get free instruments. An Oscar-nominated film shows who keeps them working.
In the opening scene of "The Last Repair Shop," a young girl with beads in her braids smiles at the camera. "I love the violin. … If I didn't have my violin from school, I would probably, I don't know what I’d do. Don't even jinx me with that." The Oscar-nominated short documentary, directed by Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers, tells the story of the technicians who clean and repair more than 100,000 instruments for the Los Angeles Unified School District.
The Science of Reading and English Learners: 3 Takeaways for Policy and Classroom Practice
Young English learners face a two-fold challenge in learning to read. They need to learn how to map spoken sounds to written letters, the phonics skills that allow them to decode words on the page, just as native English speakers do. But at the same time, they’re also developing new language skills in English—knowledge that’s essential to their ability to understand written text. How to address these dual priorities was the subject of an Education Week webinar on March 4. Two experts in the field discussed a joint statement, authored by advocates for the science of reading and advocates for English learners, that outlines guiding tenets for classroom practice.
Fasting and Feasting: 6 Picture Books About Ramadan
This selection of picture books features various traditions and ways to celebrate the holy month, showing young readers the diversity within the Muslim community while celebrating the shared principles.
Co-Teaching English Language Learners When You’re Short on Prep Time
An experienced educator offers practical tips to help English language learning specialists work effectively with classroom teachers.
When family tree projects frustrate students, community maps are an inclusive alternative
I imagine the objective of the original family tree exercise was never to fill in box after box in rote fashion but to foster curiosity among children and conversation with their elders around history, connection and contribution.
Where Did I Go Wrong? Teachers Learn From Their Mistakes
This post continues a series in which educators share what they have learned from their biggest teaching mistakes.
Using Comics and Graphic Novels to Teach Black History
Taking a break from textbooks or novels to read a comic is celebratory for students, even if the content of the book can be weighty. The use of artwork alongside text makes for a compelling reading experience that makes a story come alive. This is true for history and nonfiction, where words and images work together to invite students to participate in the narrative.
Strike a Pose: Yoga for Young People, from Babies to Teens
Of all the magical story time moments I’ve witnessed as a librarian, the most mesmerizing was watching a yoga instructor quiet a room of 20 rioting, rambunctious toddlers with a glitter calming jar.