Sometimes teachers are confused when they hear English learners chattering away in English during informal conversations, but stumbling to complete academic tasks. Knowing that students must learn a different type of language for school helps to clea...
The questions usually start the same way, “Dear Dr. Mooney”… “Dear Dr. Mooney… I was referred to you for a question about my students.” “Dear Dr. Mooney… I have three new students in my classroom that don’t speak...
Get-acquainted activities often get pushed aside as a waste of time in the current focus on mandated standards and high-stakes assessment. Perceptive educators know that getting to know students and their families is time well spent. Here are two way...
Culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms can be challenging to navigate, but they also provide environments for rich learning. Implement these ideas to provide a warm welcome for the English learners in your class this year.
The acronyms related to teaching English learners can be baffling, but they don’t have to be! In this follow-up to the June 4 article, you’ll gain insight into more of the most important TESOL terms.
The end of July signals the beginning of the end of summer. Most teachers look forward to the new school year with a mixture of emotions. They’re excited to reengage with colleagues and students, but the current pressures of teaching can be intense...
Assessing English learners appropriately is a challenging task for many teachers. However, by learning about your students’ academic English proficiency levels and investigating WIDA’s Can-Do Descriptors, you can begin designing effective assessm...
English learners who are hesitant to talk during large class discussions may be more willing to participate with small groups of their peers. There are many benefits to small group work, but it’s not the perfect solution. Share your thoughts in the...
Students’ cultural identities are central to who they are as people. Teachers can validate these cultural backgrounds by building bridges between students’ home cultures and the culture of school. Share your ideas about how to honor English Learn...
Join the Dear Dr. Mooney community Discussion Forums where you can interact with colleagues, share your ideas, and discover you are not alone in teaching English learners well.
Current Discussions
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Infographic
Thanks for the Phonology infographic! Very helpful info for me and my district!
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Artist’s/Writer’s Workshop
The Universal Language of Pictures: A Critical Tool for Advancing Student Writing by Beth Olshansky provides a strong rationale for leading students to begin their writing projects with artwork. You can read my article about a few of her ideas, but w...
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Enjoyed learning about this alternative to frontloading vocabulary. I think there are many teachers out there who teach using a discovery method like you shared in the magnetism lesson example, but they don’t realize the importance of connectin...
