Brand New Courses for YOU!
After the cold has (almost) left and the days get longer, the world begins to wake up and stretch a bit. Spring is about to come alive in education with these fantastic new offerings from Learners Edge!
This blog was originally published on November 6th, 2015, but it was so well received we wanted to share it again! We also added our Top Three Tips when working with students who are ELL.
As teachers we are constantly trying to improve ourselves, our teaching strategies, and our ways of interacting with each unique student. Learning is difficult in itself, but a language barrier makes things more complex. Below are 3 tips from Learners Edge about how to work with ELL students, along with some additional suggestions from Jennifer Marks, a teacher from Northborough, MA , who took Course 842: Achieving Success with English Language Learners.
Tip 1: Learn the culture.
On a recent trip overseas, I was delighted to sit down with a group of people who had emigrated from Africa to Norway. In talking about what leaving their country was like (they all spoke Arabic, Norwegian, and English)—they shared how helpful it was when teachers learned about their native culture. Understanding just some of the cultural norms helped the teacher, the students, and those who had emigrated transition to a new culture in a way that felt respectful and supportive. When teachers try their best to pronounce names or to honor cultural norms (i.e. food restrictions, social mores) it helps to alleviate micro-aggressions which can feel hurtful to those who are new.
Read MoreTopics: Special Populations, Teaching Excellence, diversity
The Windows and Mirrors Model
As a black girl growing up in a predominantly white community, I didn’t see much of myself in the books I was reading or the stories being told. I wanted to learn more about the people that looked like me and was hungry to explore the places my people came from. None of which was part of the standard district curriculum. Beginning in second grade I began making choices about who or what I studied, based on what was relevant to me. For a biography project, I chose a little known black historical figure, Marian Anderson. For my 5th grade geography project, I chose to study Kenya.
With an increasingly diverse school-age population, making school relevant to students is critical.
Topics: Teaching Excellence, diversity
Learners Edge is passionately committed to providing you with continuing education coursework, materials, and tools that will help you succeed in your classroom and in your career.
Offering more than 100 print-based or online courses for teachers, you can earn the graduate credit you need for salary advancement and meet your professional development needs. Contact us today to get started!
