As summer comes to an end, I thought it would be nice to hear an English learners' perspective on what it is like to be a new student in high school. In today's episode, I interview a former student of mine, Maja Pastuszka, about her experience coming to the United States from Poland and what it was like for her to be a new student and English learner simultaneously.

She explains some of the challenges she had to overcome while learning English, the things her teachers did to support her, and some things teachers did that were not so supportive. Maja also gives us insight on some of the cultural differences between attending high school in Poland and in the United States from her English learner's perspective. She explains several aspects of the new culture that she had to adjust to and how even minor cultural differences can be difficult to navigate. 

What you will hear from an English Learner’s Perspective

• What it feels like to be an English Learner and a new high school student in the United States
• Cultural differences that English Learners have to navigate
• Some challenges of feeling confident speaking from the perspective of an English Learner
• Things teachers did that were supportive and not so supportive

Resources

As mentioned in the episode, I am linking some useful resources!

• The ESL Teaching Roadmap – membership community for middle and high school ESL/ELL teachers. As a thank you for listening, use code ESLPODCAST for 10% off when you join. 
• 25 Authentic Speaking Activities for Your ESL Classroom
• Simply Ieva ESL Teachers Pay Teachers Store
• Teachable Platform - Courses and Workshops
• Follow me on Instagram 
• Join the Simply Ieva Facebook Group 

You may also be interested in

• Confident ESL Teacher Summit registration

Support the show

In today’s episode, I share some of the mistakes I made when I was a newer EL teacher. We all make mistakes when we are first starting out, and honestly, I don’t think that is a bad thing. After all, every mistake is an opportunity for growth. Even now, I regularly reflect on how my lesson or unit went and make plans to do it better next time. This is one of my favorite parts of teaching, the fact that we are always learning and growing as educators.

I want to share a few of the mistakes I made as a newer EL teacher and what I learned from them so that you can too! You will hear how I learned to communicate with the families of my students early and often. I will tell you about the ways I set expectation for my students to create a strong classroom culture. Finally, I will share about my lesson planning process as an EL teacher.

You will hear more about these mistakes I made as a newer teacher

• Not connecting with students’ families enough 
• Failing to set expectations of my students and myself
• Lack of planning ahead

Resources

• Confident ESL Teacher Summit registration is open NOW.  The summit is happening on August 9-11, 2022 so now is the perfect time to sign up!

As mentioned in the episode, I am linking some useful resources!

• The ESL Teaching Roadmap – membership community for middle and high school ESL/ELL teachers. As a thank you for listening, use code ESLPODCAST for 10% off when you join. 
• 25 Authentic Speaking Activities for Your ESL Classroom
• Simply Ieva ESL Teachers Pay Teachers Store
• Teachable Platform - Courses and Workshops
• Follow me on Instagram 
• Join the Simply Ieva Facebook Group 

Support the show

When you are teaching English Learners, making connections with students and families is one of the most important things you can do. When you are teaching English Learners, they need to know that they are seen and valued, that they are in the right place, and that there are people they can trust. In this episode, I share activities I use at the beginning and throughout the year to make sure my students know these things. I share beginning of the year activities I use to get to know students and let them get to know me and each other. I also share the best ways to reach and communicate with families of English Learners.

What you will hear about the most important thing to teach English Language Learners

• The basic things English Learners need when they enter school
• Activities to help students get to know you and each other
• Strategies for checking in with students each day and what to do with that information
• Ideas for communicating with parents and families who don’t speak English

Resources

• Register for The Confident ESL Teacher Summit! 

As mentioned in the episode, I am linking some useful resources!

• The ESL Teaching Roadmap – membership community for middle and high school ESL/ELL teachers. As a thank you for listening, use code ESLPODCAST for 10% off when you join. 
• 25 Authentic Speaking Activities for Your ESL Classroom
• Simply Ieva ESL Teachers Pay Teachers Store
• Teachable Platform - Courses and Workshops
• Follow me on Instagram 
• Join the Simply Ieva Facebook Group 

Support the show

I have gotten so many questions about curriculum guides and the resources included in them and I have decided to address those issues in this episode. The resources I found online when I searched for ESL Curriculum Guides lacked the specificity that I wanted. So, I created a newcomer curriculum guide myself. This is a done-for-you newcomer curriculum guide that you can purchase and download with the click of a button below. I also share the process I took to create it in case you would like to create a newcomer curriculum guide yourself. I know some teachers like to do things like this themselves because it helps them internalize their curriculum and tailor materials to their students.

What you will hear in this episode: 

• What a curriculum guide is and what it includes
• How a curriculum guide differs from a scope and sequence
• The ways  a curriculum guide provides both accountability and flexibility throughout the year
• The steps you can take to build your own curriculum guide
• Where you can find a template or a done-for-you curriculum guide to use

Resources

As mentioned in the episode, I am linking some useful resources!

• Grades 6-12 Curriculum Guide
• K-5 ESL Curriculum guide
• Curriculum guide template 

You may also be interested in

• The ESL Teaching Roadmap – membership community for middle and high school ESL/ELL teachers. As a thank you for listening, use code ESLPODCAST for 10% off when you join. 
• 25 Authentic Speaking Activities for Your ESL Classroom
• Simply Ieva ESL Teachers Pay Teachers Store
• Teachable Platform - Courses and Workshops
• Follow me on Instagram 
• Join the Simply Ieva Facebook Group 

Support the show

In this episode we discuss the importance of creating a scope and sequence for your EL students and how to get it done over the summer. I have a ton of flexibility in being an ESL teacher. This is great, but it can also be difficult to know that you are on track throughout the year. I have found that a scope and sequence can really help in making sure you have a plan to anchor your instruction and scaffold your teaching toward your goals. It can be as general or specific as you would like. It is a living document and can be tweaked throughout the year as you get to know your students and their specific needs. Listen to this episode to learn more about my process for creating a scope and sequence specifically for newcomers, even when you don’t have a curriculum to follow.

What you will hear about a scope and sequence for newcomers:

• What is included in a scope and sequence
• How to create a scope and sequence when you don’t have a curriculum or a team
• The best ways to incorporate Common Core State Standards, ELD standards, and WIDA standards into your scope and sequence
• TMy process for creating academic and social emotional goals for my students
• Using my grammar teaching sequence available for free on my website

Resources:

As mentioned in the episode, here is the 

• Free Year Long Scope and Sequence

Below you will find some useful resources!

• The ESL Teaching Roadmap – membership community for middle and high school ESL/ELL teachers. As a thank you for listening, use code ESLPODCAST for 10% off when you join. 
• 25 Authentic Speaking Activities for Your ESL Classroom
• Simply Ieva ESL Teachers Pay Teachers Store
• Teachable Platform - Courses and Workshops
• Follow me on Instagram 
• Join the Simply Ieva Facebook Group 

Support the show

In this episode I share 5 things you need to do to get ready for a successful school year. Summer is a time to rest and not think about anything school related. In fact, one of today’s tips is all about rest and relaxation. It is important for a number of reasons! But, there are a few things EL teachers can do over the summer that will make their lives so much easier come fall. Listen to today’s episode to hear my tips for preparing yourself for the school year during the summer months, without sacrificing too much break time.

You will hear more about how these tips can help EL teachers prepare for a successful school year:

• Rest and relax.
• Do professional development on your own time and terms.
• Prepare a scope and sequence for your EL students.
• Review goals for specific language domains.
• Create templates.

Resources

As mentioned in the episode, I am linking some useful resources!

• The ESL Teaching Roadmap – membership community for middle and high school ESL/ELL teachers. As a thank you for listening, use code ESLPODCAST for 10% off when you join. 
• 25 Authentic Speaking Activities for Your ESL Classroom
• Simply Ieva ESL Teachers Pay Teachers Store
• Teachable Platform - Courses and Workshops
• Follow me on Instagram 
• Join the Simply Ieva Facebook Group 

You may also be interested in

• Episode 25 - 5 Fantastic Virtual Events for EL Teachers
• Episode 26 - 5 Professional Development Books for EL Teachers

Support the show

I love books, especially historical fiction, but in this episode I focus on a different type of book, professional development books for EL teachers. There are plenty of great books out there for EL teachers. I have read many of them and have several more on my list to read next. I am excited to share some of them with you in this episode. During the school year, it can be hard to find the time or headspace to read a good professional development book, which is why summer break is a great time to read a book or two to inspire you for the upcoming school year.

Professional development books you will hear about (some of the links below are affiliate links, which only means that I might get a few pennies if you purchase the book using that link. No additional cost to you at all:)

• A short handbook for new EL teachers and for those who have EL students in their classrooms
• A book that includes practical tips on how to differentiate instruction for multi level classrooms and great activities that can be implemented right away 
• A book that helps teachers move beyond their current practices with EL students. It provides simplified “can do” descriptors that list what students can do at different proficiencies and suggested scaffolds
• A book about celebrating student strengths using the  translanguaging approach when teaching English Learners.
• A book to help you improve your ability to develop your colleagues in the best practices you learn and practice.

Resources

As mentioned in the episode, I am linking some useful resources!

• The ESL Teaching Roadmap – membership community for middle and high school ESL/ELL teachers. As a thank you for listening, use code ESLPODCAST for 10% off when you join. 
• 25 Authentic Speaking Activities for Your ESL Classroom
• Simply Ieva ESL Teachers Pay Teachers Store
• Teachable Platform - Courses and Workshops
• Follow me on Instagram 
• Join the Simply Ieva Facebook Group 

The books mentioned in today’s episode:

• Teaching Absolute Beginners: An ESL Teacher’s Handbook
• 7 Steps to a Language rich interactive classroom 
• Moving Beyond for Multilingual Learners
• Rooted in Strength: Using Translanguaging to Grow Multilingual Readers and Writers
• The PD Book: 7 Habits that Transform Professional Development

Support the show

I enjoy taking a break and recharging my batteries over the summer, but I also love to take some time to work on lesson ideas that I don’t have as much time to think about during the school year and take advantage of some professional development. 
In this episode, I share my suggestions for quality virtual professional development opportunities that you can participate in this summer. If you are anything like me, I know they will inspire you, boost your confidence, and help you get ready for the upcoming school year. Whether you are looking to plan out the beginning of the school year, hear from experts in the field of ESL education, or take a deep dive into strategies like the SIOP model, there is something for you in this episode.

Virtual Events you will learn about in today’s episode:

• An overview of my Virtual Summit and what you can look forward to each day
• A virtual lesson planning masterclass to help you map out you first month with ESL students
• A large summit featuring amazing speakers with a wealth of knowledge
• One of my favorite webinar series for finding literature for your EL students
• A virtual conference where you can learn  everything you need to know about the SIOP model

Resources

As mentioned in the episode, I am linking some useful resources!

• The ESL Teaching Roadmap – membership community for middle and high school ESL/ELL teachers. As a thank you for listening, use code ESLPODCAST for 10% off when you join. 
• 25 Authentic Speaking Activities for Your ESL Classroom
• Simply Ieva ESL Teachers Pay Teachers Store
• Teachable Platform - Courses and Workshops
• Follow me on Instagram 
• Join the Simply Ieva Facebook Group 

You may also be interested in:

• The Confident ESL Teacher Summit 
• Map Out Your First Month with ESL Beginners Masterclass 
• The Multilingual Learner Summit
• Saddleback Educational Publishing:
  • Webinar series
  • Youtube 
  • Resources 
• The SIOP Virtual Conference

Support the show

In this episode, I share 6 elements of an effective EL lesson plan that I have learned in my years as a teacher. Planning for English Learners is not the same as planning for other contents because many EL teachers do not have a set curriculum and will need to plan for different proficiency levels and different sized groups of students. I go into the essential components of an EL lesson plans - an objective, background building, presentation, practice, assessment, and extension. 

I discuss the preparation to do ahead of tim, how to choose strategies that will work best for the objective you’re working toward and give examples of how to follow the research based, SIOP protocol to write both language and content objectives. You will walk away inspired to make the most of the planning time you have over the Summer or any time of year.

What you will learn about EL Lesson Planning

• How to lesson plan for your EL students
• What information to include in your EL lesson plans
• How to figure out the right goals to plan for
• Why Summer is the best time to get started on your lesson plans for next year
• What makes planning for EL students unique
• Components of an effective EL  lesson plan

Join The Waitlist for the ESL Lesson Planning Masterclass

Resources

As mentioned in the episode, I am linking some useful resources!

• The ESL Teaching Roadmap – membership community for middle and high school ESL/ELL teachers. As a thank you for listening, use code ESLPODCAST for 10% off when you join. 
• 25 Authentic Speaking Activities for Your ESL Classroom
• Simply Ieva ESL Teachers Pay Teachers Store
• Teachable Platform - Courses and Workshops
• Follow me on Instagram 
• Join the Simply Ieva Facebook Group 

You may also be interested in:

• Blog Post: 6 Elements of an Effective ESL Lesson Plan
• Lesson Planning Masterclass for ESL Teachers

Support the show

In today’s episode, I am chatting with Molly Badrawy all about lesson planning for ELs and the realities of working in a low incidence district. Molly Badrawy is a full-time ESOL teacher in  New Hampshire, and a freelance consultant at FaCES, Fair Culture and English Services, providing customized cultural guidance and language instruction for and individual adult language learners and organizations, alike.  A national and international career that spans public, private, higher education as well as the business sector, Molly has presented her work at many conferences, serves on the NH English Language Advisory Committee, and facilitates the NH Low-incidence Community of Practice cohort, which is where we met!  She lives in Peterborough, NH with her husband, two daughters, two cats, and a dog and believes she has the best job in the world. It was wonderful to speak with Molly and to get to know her. 

What you will learn about lesson planning for ELs:

• Different ways to collaborate with content teachers while planning lessons
• What co-teaching can look like in different classrooms
• Tips for making the most of your limited time with small groups
• Ideas for creating lessons that are responsive to student needs based on observations
• How journaling about students can support lesson planning for ELs
• Strategies for reviewing content for your ELs in fun and engaging ways

Resources

As mentioned in the episode, I am linking some useful resources!

• The ESL Teaching Roadmap – membership community for middle and high school ESL/ELL teachers. As a thank you for listening, use code ESLPODCAST for 10% off when you join. 
• 25 Authentic Speaking Activities for Your ESL Classroom
• Simply Ieva ESL Teachers Pay Teachers Store
• Teachable Platform - Courses and Workshops
• Follow me on Instagram 
• Join the Simply Ieva Facebook Group 

You may also be interested in:

• WIDA Resource Library
• Episode 17 - A Peek Into My Middle School EL Classroom
• Episode 18 - Collaboration with Teachers, Families, and Students with Beth Mailley

Support the show