Lesson Adaptation for ELL Writers

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How to Teach Writing to be ELL Friendly?

 Did you know the number of English Language Learners in public schools has increased by more than one million students? The number of ELLs has increased significantly over the years. There is a higher percentage of ELL students in elementary school compared to students in secondary school. It is important we have our students feel welcomed as well as build up their skills, since they are still at a young age. 

It is important to implement strategies as educators for our ELL students when they are writing. According to Brown University, when students are writing, they are drawing upon their experiences by listening, speaking, and writing. Here are some strategies/ideas for educators to implement in their classroom to help ELL students feel more confident and comfortable with their writing:

1. Using Visual Aids in Instruction

Visual aids are the one thing that students can understand in their native language. Imagine if you were a student at a new school and everyone around you was speaking a language you did not understand or were not that family with. It would be hard to do your schoolwork, wouldn't it? That is why visual aids are so important. They are one of the methods that can be used for communication from person to person. Not only does this help ELL students with their writing, it also helps visual learners. Visual aids help students increase their English proficiency while still practicing their target language. Ways to incorporate visual aids include:

• Pictures
• Pictures let students make personal connections and apply it to their writing.  
• Charts and graphs
• This allows students to better understand statistical and quantitative data by having it visually in front of them.
• Maps
• Let's students explain their identities and histories in their writing.

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2. Hands on Learning

According to an article by Laurah Jurca, we must get our students excited to write. If students are not native English speakers, they might not be as motivated to write. We have to use hands on, kinesthetic learning mechanisms to get our students engaged. One idea this article mentions is the use of digital cameras (Jurca 47). The use of cameras allows students to better tell their stories. Research shows that not only did their motivation increase with the use of digital cameras, but students showed improved writing proficiency. Students would take pictures on these digital cameras then wrote about what they captured. This lesson was adapted for all grade levels to match the content they were learning, but to also practice their writing in the process. 

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3. Collaboration

Collaboration and team work is important for both teachers and students when working with students. Additionally, it is important for ELL students to work together because they can learn from one another and end up helping each other learn, while also learning themselves. In this century, technology is a great way to have students collaborate with one another. According to an article from the Journal of information Technology Education, Google Docs are an easy and effective way to get students to collaborate with writing. Students are able to work at their own pace but also be in the presence of peers, whether that be in class together or online. 

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4. Consistency

Lastly, consistency is key for ELL students. It is important to give directions and feedback in the same format every time. Teachers sometimes blame students for not listening to directions, but our students might not understand the directions and be too afraid to ask for clarification. As educators, we should develop a pattern or routine for our students to follow. Additionally, directions should be given in the same format every time and repeated more than once so they have time to comprehend them. It is important we give our students time to think and respond rather than expecting them to have an answer immediately after we ask a question. 

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Sources: 

Jurca L. Capturing the Flash of Writing: Digital cameras encourage ELLs to tell their stories. Educational Leadership. 2018;75(7):47. Accessed November 8, 2021. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=129418893&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Take online courses. earn college credit. Research Schools, Degrees & Careers. Study.com | Take Online Courses. Earn College Credit. Research Schools, Degrees & Careers. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2021, from https://study.com/academy/lesson/using-visual-aids-with-ell-students.html.

Woodrich, M., & Fan, Y. (2017). Google docs as a tool for collaborative writing in the middle school classroom. Journal of Information Technology Education: Research, 16, 391–410.