1. Building Background Using students’ backgrounds to access new content.
Content Objective: Demonstrate understanding of the importance of making connections between students’ funds of knowledge and new content.
Language Objective: Write a lesson that incorporates building background strategies.

2. How do English Learners contribute to your class?
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3. Concepts linked to students’ backgrounds (funds of knowledge)
Building background
Concepts linked to students’ backgrounds (funds of knowledge)
Links between past learning and new concepts
Develop new key vocabulary (consider native language as a tool)
THE ESOL OFFICE POLICY IS TO SUPPORT THE APPROPRIATE USE OF NATIVE LANGUAGE IN CONTENT CLASSES TO ENHANCE INSTRUCTION.  

4. Funds of knowledge

5. How can native language help students access the curriculum?
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Address how students have varying native language proficiencies.

6. Supporting Native language and background
Encourage students to use a bilingual dictionary (as appropriate)
Allow students to write in their first language
Pair students from similar language backgrounds but different proficiency levels
Supplement text with bilingual materials
Allow students to speak to each other in their first language
Identify cognates between the students’ first languages and English
Pre-assess students’ language knowledge
Use a second language during instruction
Use materials that reflect the diverse backgrounds of the students
Link concepts to students’ previous learning
Link concepts to students’ background experiences

7. Supporting Els in your class
Consider a lesson that you have recently taught.
What particular gaps in background knowledge were specific to your English Learners?
What funds of knowledge did ESOL students bring to the class regarding this content?
How could you have appropriately supported your EL students’ native language in this lesson?