Dr. Mooney wraps up this look back at the year by highlighting resources she reviewed and the ways teachers can find support in the Discussion Forums.
Some teachers resist accommodating for English learners’ needs, and it can be challenging to work with them. They often appear to set themselves up as enemies of the students you care so much about. Developing an ally relationship with them seems c...
Students’ lives can be complex! Teachers who try to meet all of the needs before them can experience feelings of burnout, or worse. Sometimes teachers must listen to their teacher-friends and stop trying to be a super hero.
Spending years in classrooms where teachers do not provide comprehensible language input leads many students to become long-term English learners with high dropout rates. This doesn't have to be their reality. Share your experiences with LTELs in a n...
A well-known second language scholar claims there is only one way people acquire language. The good news is that there’s a lot you can do in your classroom to aid in this process!
Teachers need relationships with other teachers. They need to know they’re not alone. Join the Dear Dr. Mooney community Discussion Forums where you can interact with colleagues, share your ideas, and develop professional connections. A NEW Discuss...
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...
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...
