5I) Write in each language
Practice developmentally appropriate writing activities (e.g., pre-writing in preschool) in each language
Video: Language Function Wall—1st Grade
This video shows a first grade class engaged in the creation of a "Language Function Wall." This strategy helps students develop powerful academic language over the course of a thematic unit.Read More
Video: Super Duper Sentence Builder—PK
This video showcases the strategy, Super Duper Sentence Builder, that engages PreK students in the fun and wonder of constructing complex sentences.Read More
Strategy Overview: Conducting a Family Oral History—K-3rd
Everyone has stories that are worth sharing! This strategy deepens a child's knowledge about their heritage, makes use of their home language, and opens opportunities to share their stories with their peers.Read More
Planning Template: El Dictado
The Dictado is a routine in which the teacher dictates a series of phrases or sentences, and the teacher and students collaboratively correct them. The Dictado serves to teach and reinforce basic writing skills within each language, and to highlight cross-language transfer. This template helps teachers analyze their Dictados.Read More
Video: El Dictado
In this video, the teacher dictates a series of phrases or sentences, and the teacher and students collaboratively correct them. The Dictado serves to teach and reinforce basic writing skills within each language, and to highlight cross-language transfer and reinforce the teaching points presented over the three days of implementation.Read More
Video: My Pumpkin Story—Metalinguistic Awareness
A teacher works with Wendy to orally discuss and write a story about a recent pumpkin project. When the teacher asks Wendy to take her writing home, the interaction changes to Spanish so Wendy can talk to her Spanish-speaking mother about her project.Read More
Video: Engaging with Text and Narrative
This video begins by highlighting chants, songs, and intentional conversation that teachers facilitate to help young Multilingual Learners (MLs) to develop oral language. Further examples demonstrate how oral language can then transfer to written language and early reading opportunities. It is important for MLs to use developing literacy skills in authentic, print-rich learning contexts, where they feel ownership for their learning and knowledge.Read More
Video: Model Curriculum for English Learners – Historical Perspectives (3rd grade)
An ELD teacher shares how she uses language objectives to design instruction for intermediate-level Multilingual Learners.Read More
Blog: Equity Measures in Dual Language Education – Separation of Language
This blog makes the research-based case that language separation is a "non-negotiable" in a dual language program. Giving students access to content in their native language is a key component of accelerating achievement for Multilingual Learners.Read More
Strategy Overview: Helping Emergent Bilinguals Become Confident Writers
When sufficient supports and intentional instruction are in place, Multilingual Learners can develop into confident writers. In these resources, teachers can read about the dos and don'ts of writing instruction for Multilingual Learners.Read More
Checklist: Supporting Emergent Bilingual Children in Early Learning
This checklist provides teachers with several strategies to support Multilingual Learners by providing students with a rich classroom environment that builds their home language and English skills. This resource encourages teachers to consider how to add labels, images, culturally relevant materials to the classroom for children to engage with. This checklist also provides a list of extra resources to learn more about supporting bilingualism, and is available in Spanish and Chinese.Read More
Website: Teacher Interactions and Strategies to Support Writing for Dual Language Learners
This resource provides a list of strategies that teachers can use to support Multilingual Learners’ early writing skills. Strategies include providing developmentally appropriate writing activities in each language.Read More
Video: Transfer and Integrated ELD in a Bilingual Classroom
The teacher in this bilingual classroom makes an intentional plan to develop literacy and oral language skills in two languages. She begins content instruction in Spanish to strengthen Multilingual Learners' understanding of key concepts, and then purposefully transitions to an integrated ELD block to offer speaking and writing practice in English.Read More
Strategy Overview: Super Duper Sentence Builder
This resource describes the purpose and implementation process of the Super Duper Sentence Builder strategy with Multilingual Learners. Teachers provide developmentally appropriate writing activities and language-based supports by creating and writing increasingly complex sentences with children.Read More
Strategy Overview: Draw and Dictate
In this strategy, a child draws a picture of their observation or idea, and then the teacher writes down the child's verbal explanation. This supports children's understanding of sound-text correspondence, helps them see themselves as authors, and can be used as a formative assessment.Read More
Video: Super Duper Sentence Builder
This video provides guidance on how to use the Super Duper Sentence Builder strategy with Multilingual Learners. Teachers provide developmentally appropriate writing activities and language-based supports by creating and writing increasingly complex sentences with children.Read More
