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

During the first weeks of school, teachers work hard to get to know their students personally and academically. They spend time talking with students, playing games, and providing opportunities for learners to

Dear Dr. Mooney,

I teach high school English learners who represent at least 10 different cultures and languages. Historically, many of the ELs in our school spoke Spanish and came from Mexico or Central

In June, I explained some of the common acronyms in the TESOL field. There are so many, and not knowing what they mean can make you feel left out of the conversation. In this article, I’ll explain a few more a

July is typically the time of the year that teachers think about school the least. Summer school is over. You’ve finally had a chance to catch up with your own life for a little while. You can drive past your s

Note:  If you’re joining us for the first time, July 2019 is the month we emphasize the value of discussion among our community of teachers here at Dear Dr. Mooney. This fourth article concludes our discussion se

Note:  Since July 2019 is the month for discussion, this is the third article in a set of four. Don’t let the month end without putting in your contribution to all the discussions among our community of te

Note:  Since July 2019 is the month for discussion, this is the second article in a set of four. With our month-long series, we are raising the bar on the value of community where teachers of English Learners

Note:  July 2019 is the month for discussion. This is the first article of four in a month-long series emphasizing the value of community where teachers of English Learners can give and receive support.

An

10 Languages You’ll Need Most in the Classroom: A Guide to Communicating with English Language Learners and Their FamiliesGarth Sundem, Jan Krieger, and Kristi PikiewiczISBN: 978-1629146867Amazon

10 L

Why Won’t My ELs Speak Up? Dear Dr. Mooney,About half of my third grade students are ELs. Their language abilities range from beginner to almost native-speaker like. Most are

Dear Dr. Mooney,

I am student teaching in a first grade classroom. We recently welcomed a new student from Africa who speaks French, but no English. His family members do not speak English either. My mentor

Like all professional fields, the literature and discussions about teaching English learners (ELs) are filled with acronyms. Not knowing what they refer to can make reading some articles, reference books, or

Note:  This is Dr. Mooney’s first article to review resources, with many more to come.You can also check out other Resources Recommended by Dr. Mooney.

Scaffolding Language, Scaffolding Learning:Teaching En