When it comes to teaching English learners, there's no question that EL specialists are trained to meet their unique language and learning needs. But what about regular classroom teachers, the ones juggling 25 different needs in one room and suddenly faced with students who speak little or no English? It can feel overwhelming, confusing, and even a little bit lonely at times. That's why I wanted to share this episode with you, the key pillars of EL inclusion. Whether you are an EL teacher looking to support your colleagues or a general educator who wants to do right by the multilingual learners in your room. I've shared lots of strategies over time, but today, I'm boiling it all down into five non-negotiables, the core things that every teacher should keep in mind when integrating ELs into their regular classroom. These are practical, clear, and designed to make your teaching life easier while helping your EL students feel seen, included, and empowered to grow.

Show Notes:

• Episode 151 - The Big 5: Key Pillars of EL Inclusion in Mainstream Classrooms

Simply Ieva Offers:

• EL Newcomer Teaching Compass for grades 6-12 - curriculum guide created using backward design PLUS a year-long scope and sequence!
• EL Newcomer Compass: Little Learners’ Edition - a curriculum guide for grades k-2
• 1:1 EL Teacher Clarity Power-Up Session

If you find value in The ESL Teaching Podcast and want to support the time, effort, and costs that go into bringing you these episodes each week, consider making a small donation—whatever feels right for you. Your support helps keep this podcast going and means the world to me! You can find the donation link below. Thank you so much! https://www.paypal.biz/simplyieva 

Save time and build confidence in your EL teaching with these resources:

• Simply Ieva website
• EMBARK™ Newcomer Curriculum
• The ESL Teaching Roadmap – EL curriculum and coaching membership for middle and high school ESL/ELL teachers.
• Essential Lesson Plan Bundle
• My TpT store
• Accommodate and Modify Your Lessons for ELs with Less than 1 Hour of Planning a Week - classroom teacher and admin checklist 

Related episodes: 

• The Heart and Art of Teaching ELs in Regular Education Classrooms with Zach Camenker
• 3 Misconceptions About Teaching Newcomers in Regular Classrooms

Let’s connect!

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• Join the Simply Ieva Facebook Group 
• Record a comment for us - click

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Today's episode is all about building vocabulary in a powerful and lasting way. We're diving into something that often gets overlooked, Greek and Latin root words. I am so excited because we have a special guest joining us who's incredibly passionate about this topic. My dear friend, Laura Kebart from Language Arts Teachers is on the podcast today again and sharing with us five compelling reasons why it's absolutely worth your time and energy to teach root words and how this one strategy can open up a world of understanding for your students no matter their language background. 

Show Notes:

• Episode 150 - Rooted in Success: 5 Reasons to Teach Greek & Latin Roots in Any Classroom

Simply Ieva Offers:
Today’s episode:

• EL Newcomer Teaching Compass for grades 6-12 - curriculum guide created using backward design PLUS a year-long scope and sequence!
• 1:1 EL Teacher Clarity Power-Up Session
• The Root Explorer: Greek and Latin Root Words Google Slides Game

If you find value in The ESL Teaching Podcast and want to support the time, effort, and costs that go into bringing you these episodes each week, consider making a small donation—whatever feels right for you. Your support helps keep this podcast going and means the world to me! You can find the donation link below. Thank you so much! https://www.paypal.biz/simplyieva 

Save time and build confidence in your EL teaching with these resources:

• Simply Ieva website
• EMBARK™ Newcomer Curriculum
• The ESL Teaching Roadmap – EL curriculum and coaching membership for middle and high school ESL/ELL teachers.
• Essential Lesson Plan Bundle
• My TpT store
• Accommodate and Modify Your Lessons for ELs with Less than 1 Hour of Planning a Week - classroom teacher and admin checklist 

Related episodes: 

• Episode 50 – Fun and Effective Test Prep Strategies with Laura Kebart

Let’s connect!

• Follow me on Instagram
• Follow me on LinkedIn
• Join the Simply Ieva Facebook Group 
• Record a comment for us - click HERE. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Support the show

The world needs emotional intelligence. We need emotional intelligence. Our students need emotional intelligence. Intellectual knowledge is great, but by itself, it wreaks havoc, as without emotional depth and experiences, we're not able to engage in meaningful conversations, discussions, learning, and problem solving. In today's episode, I'm going to talk about why social-emotional learning matters just as much as academics. The intellectual intelligence and emotional intelligence, EQ and IQ, and how the two of them work together to help students learn and become well rounded adults who are able to communicate productively in any situation.

Show Notes:

• Episode 149 - Why Social-Emotional Learning Matters Just as Much as Academics

Simply Ieva Offers:

• EL Newcomer Teaching Compass for grades 6-12 - curriculum guide created using backward design PLUS a year-long scope and sequence!
• 1:1 EL Teacher Clarity Power-Up Session

If you find value in The ESL Teaching Podcast and want to support the time, effort, and costs that go into bringing you these episodes each week, consider making a small donation—whatever feels right for you. Your support helps keep this podcast going and means the world to me! You can find the donation link below. Thank you so much! https://www.paypal.biz/simplyieva 

Save time and build confidence in your EL teaching with these resources:

• Simply Ieva website
• EMBARK™ Newcomer Curriculum
• The ESL Teaching Roadmap – EL curriculum and coaching membership for middle and high school ESL/ELL teachers.
• Essential Lesson Plan Bundle
• My TpT store
• Accommodate and Modify Your Lessons for ELs with Less than 1 Hour of Planning a Week - classroom teacher and admin checklist 

Related episodes: 

• 5 SEL Components to Incorporate in Every ELL Lesson
• Common SEL Challenges ELs Face in the Classroom

Let’s connect!

• Follow me on Instagram
• Follow me on LinkedIn
• Join the Simply Ieva Facebook Group 
• Record a comment for us - click HERE. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Support the show

You just found out you have English learners in your classroom, but you don't speak their language. Now what? Should you Google translate your entire lesson? Mime your way through the day? Don't worry. You don't have to speak their language to be an effective and impactful teacher. In today's episode, we're going to talk about the mindset shift that will take some pressure off your shoulders, practical strategies that make your teaching more accessible, and even a few stories from my own classroom to prove that you really don't need to speak another language to be an amazing teacher for your English learners and especially those who are just starting to learn English.

Show Notes:

• Episode 148 - How to Teach ELs When You Don't Speak Their Language

Simply Ieva offers:
Today’s episode:

• EL Newcomer Teaching Compass for grades 6-12 - curriculum guide created using backward design PLUS a year-long scope and sequence!
• 1:1 EL Teacher Clarity Power-Up Session

If you find value in The ESL Teaching Podcast and want to support the time, effort, and costs that go into bringing you these episodes each week, consider making a small donation—whatever feels right for you. Your support helps keep this podcast going and means the world to me! You can find the donation link below. Thank you so much! https://www.paypal.biz/simplyieva 

Save time and build confidence in your EL teaching with these resources:

• Simply Ieva website
• EMBARK™ Newcomer Curriculum
• The ESL Teaching Roadmap – EL curriculum and coaching membership for middle and high school ESL/ELL teachers.
• Essential Lesson Plan Bundle
• My TpT store
• Accommodate and Modify Your Lessons for ELs with Less than 1 Hour of Planning a Week - classroom teacher and admin checklist 

Related episodes: 

• Seeing is Understanding: 5 Visual Strategies for Supporting ELs

Let’s connect!

• Follow me on Instagram
• Follow me on LinkedIn
• Join the Simply Ieva Facebook Group 
• Record a comment for us - click HERE. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Support the show

Reading is always a hot topic for good reason, and it's something every teacher thinks about no matter the grade level. But when it comes to teaching reading to English learners, there are extra layers to consider, especially around language proficiency and age. I'm excited to share something I've been trying out with my middle schoolers, something that has truly sparked their interest and motivation to read. I decided to take a different approach and launch a novel study with them. In this episode, I'll tell you about the way novels can supercharge EL vocabulary and thinking and the two books that have really hooked my students. How I weave in vocabulary instruction, and the ways we've been building higher order thinking skills along the way. It is still a work in progress, but I am seeing growth, and I can't wait to tell you all about it.

Show Notes:

• Episode 147 - Hooked on Books! How Novels Can Supercharge EL Vocabulary and Thinking

Simply Ieva Offers

• Novel Study Packet
• EL Newcomer Teaching Compass for grades 6-12 - curriculum guide created using backward design PLUS a year-long scope and sequence!
• 1:1 EL Teacher Clarity Power-Up Session

If you find value in The ESL Teaching Podcast and want to support the time, effort, and costs that go into bringing you these episodes each week, consider making a small donation—whatever feels right for you. Your support helps keep this podcast going and means the world to me! You can find the donation link below. Thank you so much! https://www.paypal.biz/simplyieva 

Save time and build confidence in your EL teaching with these resources:

• Simply Ieva website
• EMBARK™ Newcomer Curriculum
• The ESL Teaching Roadmap – EL curriculum and coaching membership for middle and high school ESL/ELL teachers.
• Essential Lesson Plan Bundle
• My TpT store
• Accommodate and Modify Your Lessons for ELs with Less than 1 Hour of Planning a Week - classroom teacher and admin checklist 

Related episodes: 

• Episode 22 Teaching reading with Kristen Vibas
• Episode 17 - a peek into my middle school classroom
• Episode 85 - a peek into my high school classroom

Let’s connect!

• Follow me on Instagram
• Follow me on LinkedIn
• Join the Simply Ieva Facebook Group 
• Record a comment for us - click

Support the show

Have you ever felt like you're constantly putting out fires in your classroom? Redirecting behavior, reteaching concepts, or dealing with burnout without really solving the root problem? Sometimes it feels like we are running around in circles and nothing changes our lives, in our classrooms, in our professional development even though we seem to do our best. Now, why is that? Well, we will ask why five times today. In this episode, we're going to talk about the “five whys method” and how it can be a powerful tool for you in teaching, creating work life balance, and professional growth. 

Show Notes:

• Episode 146 - Digging Deeper: How the 5 Whys Can Transform Your Teaching and Life

Today’s Episode:

• EL Newcomer Teaching Compass for grades 6-12 - curriculum guide created using backward design PLUS a year-long scope and sequence!
• 1:1 EL Teacher Clarity Power-Up Session
• Light The Way to EL Teaching Success On-Demand Digital Masterclass Library
• The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins

If you find value in The ESL Teaching Podcast and want to support the time, effort, and costs that go into bringing you these episodes each week, consider making a small donation—whatever feels right for you. Your support helps keep this podcast going and means the world to me! You can find the donation link below. Thank you so much! https://www.paypal.biz/simplyieva 

Save time and build confidence in your EL teaching with these resources:

• Simply Ieva website
• EMBARK™ Newcomer Curriculum
• The ESL Teaching Roadmap – EL curriculum and coaching membership for middle and high school ESL/ELL teachers.
• Essential Lesson Plan Bundle
• My TpT store
• Accommodate and Modify Your Lessons for ELs with Less than 1 Hour of Planning a Week - classroom teacher and admin checklist 

Related episodes and articles: 

• The Secret to Effective EL Lessons? Backward Lesson Design!
• How to beat the midyear slump in the EL classroom 
• The Less is More Philosophy When Teaching EL Newcomers

Let’s connect!

• Follow me on Instagram
• Follow me on LinkedIn
• Join the Simply Ieva Facebook Group 
• Record a comment for us - click HERE. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Support the show

In education, we often focus on the hard skills, the academic knowledge of our subject, the instructional strategies, the assessment methods, and the pedagogy that shape effective teaching. These are the measurable, tangible aspects of our profession, and they are absolutely essential. But today, I want to shift the focus to something just as important yet often overlooked, soft skills. So in today’s episode, I will explore two key aspects of these soft skills, communications and cultural awareness, and unpack why they are essential when working with English learners.

Show Notes: Episode 145 - It’s Not Just About Language! The 2 Soft Skills Every EL Teacher Should Have

Simply Ieva Offers:

• EL Newcomer Teaching Compass for grades 6-12 - curriculum guide created using backward design PLUS a year-long scope and sequence!
• 1:1 EL Teacher Clarity Power-Up Session

If you find value in The ESL Teaching Podcast and want to support the time, effort, and costs that go into bringing you these episodes each week, consider making a small donation—whatever feels right for you. Your support helps keep this podcast going and means the world to me! You can find the donation HERE. Thank you so much!

Save time and build confidence in your EL teaching with these resources:

• Simply Ieva website
• EMBARK™ Newcomer Curriculum
• The ESL Teaching Roadmap – EL curriculum and coaching membership for middle and high school ESL/ELL teachers.
• Essential Lesson Plan Bundle
• My TpT store
• Accommodate and Modify Your Lessons for ELs with Less than 1 Hour of Planning a Week - classroom teacher and admin checklist 

Related/Previous Episodes:

• The Secret to Effective EL Lessons? Backward Lesson Design!
• How to beat the midyear slump in the EL classroom 
• The Less is More Philosophy When Teaching EL Newcomers

Let’s Connect!

• Follow me on Instagram
• Follow me on LinkedIn
• Join the Simply Ieva Facebook Group
• Record a comment for us - click HERE. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Support the show

Let’s talk about three common myths about teaching newcomers. Teaching English learners is really not as complicated as many think, yet I hear from so many overwhelmed teachers who have lost sight of the forest for the trees. Schools are notorious for grasping onto the newest programs and ideas for teaching English learners, which sometimes work out but frequently puts a lot of unnecessary pressure on all teachers. There are so many misconceptions about teaching ELs, and I'm going to address three of them in this episode. Plus, share a way on how you can begin including ELs in your lessons without spending hours of extra planning.

Show Notes:

• Episode 144 - 3 Myths About Teaching Newcomers - And What Actually Works

Simply Ieva Offers:

• EL Newcomer Teaching Compass for grades 6-12 - curriculum guide created using backward design PLUS a year-long scope and sequence!
• 1:1 EL Teacher Clarity Power-Up Session

If you find value in The ESL Teaching Podcast and want to support the time, effort, and costs that go into bringing you these episodes each week, consider making a small donation—whatever feels right for you. Your support helps keep this podcast going and means the world to me! You can find the donation HERE. Thank you so much!

Save time and build confidence in your EL teaching with these resources:

• Simply Ieva website
• EMBARK™ Newcomer Curriculum
• The ESL Teaching Roadmap – EL curriculum and coaching membership for middle and high school ESL/ELL teachers.
• Essential Lesson Plan Bundle
• My TpT store

Related/Previous Episodes:

Let’s Connect!

• Follow me on Instagram
• Follow me on LinkedIn
• Join the Simply Ieva Facebook Group

Support the show

Welcome to the mid-year slump. Whether you live in a colder climate like I do or anywhere else, the middle of the school year can get hard for so many reasons. February and March in particular can be especially tough months in the school year. Students and teachers are tired, motivation is dipping, and standardized testing is looming. If you are feeling dragged down and your ELs seem disengaged, you're not alone. In today's episode, I will share fun interactive engagement strategies along with mindfulness and social emotional techniques to support both you and your students.

Show Notes:

• Episode 143 - How to Beat the Mid-Year Slump in the EL Classroom for Both Students and Teachers

Simply Ieva Offers:

• EL Newcomer Teaching Compass for grades 6-12 - curriculum guide created using backward design PLUS a year-long scope and sequence!
• 1:1 EL Teacher Clarity Power-Up Session

If you find value in The ESL Teaching Podcast and want to support the time, effort, and costs that go into bringing you these episodes each week, consider making a small donation—whatever feels right for you. Your support helps keep this podcast going and means the world to me! You can find the donation HERE. Thank you so much!

Save time and build confidence in your EL teaching with these resources:

• Simply Ieva website
• EMBARK™ Newcomer Curriculum
• The ESL Teaching Roadmap – EL curriculum and coaching membership for middle and high school ESL/ELL teachers.
• Essential Lesson Plan Bundle
• My TpT store

Related/Previous Episodes:

• 5 SEL Components to Incorporate in Every ELL Lesson
• Rewriting the Script of Negative Self-Talk for Teachers

Let’s Connect!

• Follow me on Instagram
• Follow me on LinkedIn
• Join the Simply Ieva Facebook Group

Support the show

I am very excited about today's episode because I know it will bring so much value to you. I've talked about lesson planning before, but today, I wanted to share a process that has been very helpful and, honestly, is truly a great way to plan for our EL students. So in today's episode, I will be sharing all about backward design and lesson planning, how it is different from traditional lesson planning, what are the pros and cons of each type of planning, as well as provide real life example of how I updated our EL newcomer curriculum guide to reflect this type of planning and how it actually takes your newcomer on the language acquisition journey.

Show Notes:

• Episode 142 - The Secret to Effective EL Lessons? Start at the End!

Simply Ieva Offers:

• EL newcomer curriculum guide for grades 6-12 - created using backward design!
• 1:1 EL Teacher Clarity Power-Up Session

Save time and build confidence in your EL teaching with these resources:

• EMBARK™ Newcomer Curriculum
• The ESL Teaching Roadmap – EL curriculum and coaching membership for middle and high school ESL/ELL teachers.
• Essential Lesson Plan Bundle
• My TpT store
• Record a comment for us - click HERE. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Free resources - sign up and keep in touch:

• Simply Ieva website
• Accommodate and Modify Your Lessons for ELs with Less than 1 Hour of Planning a Week - classroom teacher and admin checklist 
• ESL Newcomer Teaching Checklist

Related/Previous Episodes:

• 6 Elements of an Effective EL Lesson Plan
• 3 Lesson Planning Mistakes That Can Keep You in the Rut

Let’s Connect!

• Follow me on Instagram
• Follow me on LinkedIn
• Join the Simply Ieva Facebook Group

Support the show