Teaching the English Language Learner in the Social Studies Classroom

Environment Creating an environment in the classroom that accepts and utilizes students’ home languages and cultures eases some of the affective tension in learning new norms and new vocabulary.

Disadvantages ELLs may be at a disadvantage while learning Social Studies because of the following factors:

Lack of background knowledge For a student whose native culture is very different from U.S. culture, learning social studies can be difficult. Students learn new concepts by fitting them into pre- existing mental schema. The less experience a student has with a subject, the more difficult it is for the student to learn that subject. Cultural differences may inhibit the ELLs from asking questions of their teacher.

Difficulty learning from textbooks In social studies text, facts and details are often condensed, and authors often omit the kinds of concrete or anecdotal detail that can help ELLs relate unfamiliar concepts to their own experiences. ELLs' may have difficulties with reading comprehension when textbooks contain a high concentration of new vocabulary or sophisticated sentence patterns.

Difficulty learning from lectures Some ELLs who were taught English in countries other than the United States find it difficult to understand American teachers' accents and pronunciations. Other ELLs may have lived in the United States too short a time to develop a sufficient listening vocabulary or listening skills.

Teaching Strategies To facilitate the needs of ELL students in the classroom, it becomes necessary for teachers to create strategies that are democratic, equitable, but are also effective for students with different learning styles and needs.

Use role plays If ELLs lack the language skills to participate in a role play, other students can play the roles. ELLs will still benefit from watching and listening. Make abstract concepts concrete.

Create analogies Helps students link the unfamiliar with the familiar. For example, a teacher might help ELLs understand the concept of the U.S. cabinet by comparing it to a school in which each teacher has responsibility for a particular subject and group of students but reports to the principal.

Pre-teach The teacher should discuss a reading assignment with students before they read it. The teacher should model how to use textbook features such as chapter overviews and summaries to preview chapter content, objectives to set learning goals, and questions to self-monitor comprehension. The teacher also pre-teaches unfamiliar vocabulary and helps students activate prior knowledge through the use of KWL activities.

Jigsaw learning In this form of collaborative learning, the teacher divides a subject or a textbook chapter into five or six logical parts and makes each student responsible for learning and then teaching one of those parts.

Games Bingo Puzzles Memory game Jeopardy Pictionary Charades

Realia Globes Maps Posters Flags Artifacts

Help struggling listeners Pass out fill-in-the-blank lecture guides or graphic organizers before you lecture. As you lecture, tell students when to fill in each blank. Speak slowly and distinctly. Write key concepts and vocabulary on the board. Use simple, familiar language. Pause frequently to ask and answer questions.

Using technology in the classroom There are great interactives for Geography, U.S. History, U.S. Government, Ancient Civilizations, Environment, and current events at ELL students can also benefit from DVDs that deal with the subject matter.

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