Midwinter and early spring is the season for state and language proficiency testing, and I am dedicating a couple of episodes to help you prepare your students for them so that they can show off all of the great things they've learned so far. Last week, I talked about peculiarities of listening and speaking tests and what activities you can incorporate in your classroom to practice for them. Today, I am sharing practical tips and ideas on how to prepare for reading and writing portions of the test. We will take a look at what skills are necessary to successfully take the test, as well as activities that will help your students practice and feel ready. I share practice examples for students at all grade levels.


Show Notes:

• Episode 139 - How to Prepare for State and Proficiency Tests Part 2: Reading and Writing Practice

Today’s episode:

• How to Write a Paragraph - lesson plan and practice

Free resources - sign up and keep in touch:

• 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

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
• Digital Masterclass Library “Light the Way to EL Teaching Success”
• My TpT store
• Record a comment for us - click HERE. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Related episodes and articles: 

• Preparing ELs for State and Language Proficiency Tests. Part 1: Listening and Speaking Practice

Let’s connect!

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

Support the show

The testing season is upon us. I wanted to talk about a topic that every teacher working with English learners faces each year, preparing your English learners for state testing and language proficiency tests like ACCESS, TELPAS, and others. These tests play a crucial role in measuring student progress and shaping future instruction. However, preparing for them doesn't have to be overwhelming or tedious. Many students dislike taking the tests and sometimes even dread them. So in the next two episodes, we'll explore practical tips for practicing each language domain. Listening, speaking, reading, and writing with actionable strategies you can implement into your classroom right away. I will share practice examples for students at all grade levels. Today, let's focus on communication. How to practice listening and speaking to get your students ready and to make them feel more confident. 

Show Notes:

• Episode 138: Preparing Your English Learners for State and Language Proficiency Tests. Part 1 - Listening and Speaking Practice

Simply Ieva Offers:
Season 1 Mastering the Art of Teaching EL Newcomers on The ESL Teaching Podcast PLUS - is LIVE! We are accepting new members until January 27, 2025 - check it out and join us

Free resources - sign up and keep in touch:

• 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

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
• Digital Masterclass Library “Light the Way to EL Teaching Success”
• My TpT store
• Record a comment for us - click HERE. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Related episodes and articles: 

• Episode 50 – Fun and Effective Test Prep Strategies with Laura Kebart
• VOA Learning English - listening practice

Let’s connect!

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

Support the show

Have you ever made an assumption about a person before truly getting to know them? As teachers, whether we like it or not, we tend to operate on a lot of assumptions which come from our education, practice, and experience. What I found though is that most of the time, many and any assumptions stem from lack of information. And sometimes it's difficult to get it, but I know I can work with this one. In today's episode, I wanted to tackle the topic of assumptions we might hold about English learners that we might not even realize and how those assumptions impact our students and families. I will share the most common misconceptions about English learners, explore their impact and importance of breaking them down, as well as strategies to challenge them.

Show Notes:

• Episode 137 -  Breaking Down Assumptions About English Language Learners

Today’s episode:
Season 1 Mastering the Art of Teaching EL Newcomers on The ESL Teaching Podcast PLUS - is LIVE! - Check it out and join us

Free resources - sign up and keep in touch:

• 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

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
• Digital Masterclass Library “Light the Way to EL Teaching Success”
• My TpT store
• Record a comment for us - click HERE. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Related episodes and articles: 

• Episode 97 - How Teachers Can Harness The Power of Second Language Acquisition Stages
• Episode 127 - When to Use Professional Interpreters vs. Bilingual Staff for Communicating with EL Families

Let’s connect!

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

Support the show

Teaching EL newcomers is by far one of the most popular subjects among all teachers at the beginning of the school year, middle of the school year, end of the school year, all the time. So much so that I have created quite a few episodes on what to teach them and how to help them in the regular education classroom. In today's episode, I am revisiting teaching EL newcomers again and diving into the critical importance of the first day with your EL students that are newcomers. My goal is to equip you with practical strategies and insights to ensure that these students feel welcome, supported, and ready to begin their language learning journey. We'll explore ways to build trust, establish routines, and create a classroom environment that sets the tone for success. Whether you've taught newcomers for years or this is your first experience, today's episode will equip you with practical tips to make the first day with newcomer EL students welcoming, structured and impactful.


Show Notes:

• Episode 136 - Your First Day with Newcomer EL Students

Today’s episode:

• Season 1 Mastering the Art of Teaching EL Newcomers on The ESL Teaching Podcast PLUS - join the waitlist

Free resources - sign up and keep in touch:

• 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

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
• Digital Masterclass Library “Light the Way to EL Teaching Success”
• My TpT store
• Record a comment for us - click HERE. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Related episodes and articles: 

• Episode 130 - Beyond Buddies: How Peer Pairing Empowers ELs 

Let’s connect!

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

Support the show

The holiday season can be hectic both at home and at school. Besides you being tired and over it, the students are tired and over it. And it shows. No matter the age group you teach, it can be an added stressor trying to figure out how to teach and manage everything around you. But just like we can restart a computer when it is glitching and somehow that seems to do the trick, we can restart and reset our classroom. And, of course, New Year is a great opportunity to do that because a) we all need it, and b) we all are starting the year with renewed energy. So in this episode, I will share with you 5 ways you can reset, refocus and recharge your classroom after the new year and, honestly, any time of year.


Show Notes:
Episode 135 - From Holiday Mode to Learning Mode: How to Reset, Refocus and Recharge

Simply Ieva Offers:

Today’s episode:

ESL goal setting worksheet

Free resources - sign up and keep in touch:

• 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

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
• Digital Masterclass Library “Light the Way to EL Teaching Success”
• My TpT store
• Record a comment for us - click HERE. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Related episodes and articles: 

• Episode 4 - Choice Boards for ESL Students: How to Use them in the Classroom
• Episode 133 - 5 SEL Components to Incorporate in Every ELL Lesson
• ESL goal setting worksheet

Let’s connect!

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

Support the show

As I'm looking back on 2024, there were challenges and opportunities as well as a lot of growth. And as we know, it doesn't happen in a calm and peaceful environment when everyone is content. It happens through storms and sometimes chaos and most of the time through pain, whether big or small. The good thing is, I wouldn't change any of it. Well, maybe except one thing. And I believe I learned valuable lessons. So today's episode is going to be a lot more personal and maybe even raw in some places, but I hope it resonates with those of you who need to hear it at this season in your life. I'm going to share my biggest takeaway from 2024, how I navigated it, and the lessons I learned that I am bringing into the new year.


Show Notes:

• Episode 134 - The Year of Growth: The Biggest Takeaway of 2024

Simply Ieva Offers:
Digital Masterclass Library “Light the Way to EL Teaching Success”

Enlightened EL Educator flyer

Free resources - sign up and keep in touch:

• Accommodate and Modify Your Lessons for ELs with Less than 1 Hour of Planning a Week - classroom teacher and admin checklist 
• Free Audio Training - 3 Mindset Shifts for Instilling and Living Out a Belief that All Teachers are Teachers of Language.
• ESL Newcomer Teaching Checklist

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!

Related episodes and articles: 

• Episode 109 - Rewriting the Script of Negative Self-Talk for Teachers
• Episode 96 - Lessons learned, impact made and the wisdom to bring into the new year (2023)

Let’s connect!

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

Support the show

What is social-emotional learning? And why it is crucial to address it daily with your students, including, if not especially, English learners. SEL or social-emotional learning is the buzzword nowadays, but it is very near and dear to my heart. As an educator, I, and I'm sure many of you, see firsthand how important it is for students to learn not only the content taught at school, but also how to discover and master certain life skills that will help them tackle life's challenges and, of course, access the academic in school. It takes a village to raise a child. Family plays an important role in one's emotional well-being and learning to exist in life, and so do the school and teachers. So today, I want to go back to the basics and give you 5 SEL components to incorporate into your ELL lessons.

Show Notes:

• Episode 133 - 5 SEL Components to Incorporate in Every ELL Lesson

Simply Ieva Offers:

Digital Masterclass Library “Light the Way to EL Teaching Success”

Free resources - sign up and keep in touch:

• Accommodate and Modify Your Lessons for ELs with Less than 1 Hour of Planning a Week - classroom teacher and admin checklist 
• Free Audio Training - 3 Mindset Shifts for Instilling and Living Out a Belief that All Teachers are Teachers of Language.
• ESL Newcomer Teaching Checklist

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!

Related episodes and articles: 

• Episode 106 - 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 

Support the show

Helping English learners access the curriculum of the Language Arts class, which is geared towards native speakers, is one of the challenges many teachers face. There are many linguistic demands that are not easy even for students for whom English is the mother tongue. And for English learners, those demands add extra layers, which require the teachers to, A) have at least the basic background knowledge of language acquisition, and B) understand how to adjust the material to the student's proficiency level. So in today's episode, I am talking about the 3 biggest challenges ELs face in the language arts classroom and provide ideas on how you can help them once you are aware of those challenges.

Show Notes:

• Episode 132 - From Struggle to Success: Helping ELs Thrive in Language Arts Classroom

Today’s episode:

Digital Masterclass Library “Light the Way to EL Teaching Success”

Free resources - sign up and keep in touch:

• Accommodate and Modify Your Lessons for ELs with Less than 1 Hour of Planning a Week - classroom teacher and admin checklist 
• Free Audio Training - 3 Mindset Shifts for Instilling and Living Out a Belief that All Teachers are Teachers of Language.
• ESL Newcomer Teaching Checklist

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!

Related episodes and articles: 

• Episode 64 - How to pre-teach vocabulary in the mainstream classroom
• Episode 130 - Beyond Buddies: How Peer Pairing Empowers ELs

Let’s connect!

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

Support the show

In order to learn something, we need tools that address the way we learn as people as well as help us develop ways of thinking. In recent years, terms like neuroscience and neuroplasticity have become very popular in all fields, including education. What do these terms mean exactly? Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system, including the brain and the neurons, and neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to change and adapt throughout life. Sounds simple enough. Right? And when you think about it, this is exactly where the idea of the growth mindset comes from. But in reality, to consciously notice our own behavior patterns and to adjust when something is not working takes effort and willingness to create new habits. And this is exactly what my guest, who also happens to be a repeat guest, Meeghan Carter and I talk about in today's episode.


Show Notes:
Episode 131 - How Neuroscience Can Transform Your ELL Teaching with Guest Meeghan Carter

Today’s episode:
Digital Masterclass Library “Light the Way to EL Teaching Success”

Free resources - sign up and keep in touch:

• Accommodate and Modify Your Lessons for ELs with Less than 1 Hour of Planning a Week - classroom teacher and admin checklist 
• Free Audio Training - 3 Mindset Shifts for Instilling and Living Out a Belief that All Teachers are Teachers of Language.
• ESL Newcomer Teaching Checklist

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!

Related episodes and articles: 

• Episode 130 - Beyond Buddies: How Peer Pairing Empowers ELs
• Episode 74 - Why Teachers Should Embrace Meditation as Part of Their Daily Routine

Guest info:
Meeghan Carter LinkedIn

Let’s connect!

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

Support the show

Over the past several weeks, I have been sharing with you three simple accommodations every classroom teacher can make to reach ELs, even newcomers. We talked about why using visuals is essential when working with ELs, as well as what types of visuals to include. We dove into simplifying our language for directions, lesson delivery, and feedback, and why it actually promotes higher order thinking and expression in English. You can listen to those episodes by clicking the links underneath this episode. And in today's episode, I want to talk about the 3rd component that can be confusing, but if executed properly can be a true game changer. I am talking about peer pairing, partnering ELs with supportive peers. You will hear 4 ways you can utilize partnering your English learners with peers, whether native speaking or not, as well as the benefits of this strategy.

Show Notes:

• Episode 130 - Beyond Buddies: How Peer Pairing Empowers ELs

Digital Masterclass Library “Light the Way to EL Teaching Success”

Free resources - sign up and keep in touch:

• Accommodate and Modify Your Lessons for ELs with Less than 1 Hour of Planning a Week - classroom teacher and admin checklist 
• Free Audio Training - 3 Mindset Shifts for Instilling and Living Out a Belief that All Teachers are Teachers of Language.
• ESL Newcomer Teaching Checklist

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.
• Book a $0 Consult Call - Lead ELs to Progress without Overwhelm
• Essential Lesson Plan Bundle
• My TpT store
• Record a comment for us - click HERE. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Related episodes and articles: 

• Episode 128 - Seeing is Understanding: 5 Visual Strategies for Supporting ELs
• Episode 129 - Why Simplifying Your Language for ELs Leads to Effective Higher Order Thinking

Let’s connect!

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

Support the show