ELL+Students+and+Visual+Aids

A few years ago I had dinner with the family of my good friend from Mexico. Her parents flew in for a visit with them and I was asked to join them. After a few minutes their family was in a deep discussion in Spanish, and I was absolutely lost! I smiled and nodded my head as if I understood every word they were saying. My friend looked over at my knowingly and said, “Now you know how I felt.” At that moment I did, and from that time I’ve tried to learn Spanish – well at least conversational Spanish.

ELL students are faced with similar challenges of not only acquiring English (conversational) as a second language, but academic English as well. Judy Haynes states that, “ELLs may be able to read the words but it doesn’t’ mean they will understand the text. They are not aware of information that the author left unsaid; the information that “everyone” knows”(Haynes, 2009). As teachers, we must work to find a balance between their language acquisition and content area language, and using Web 2.0 visual aids will assist them in crossing this barrier.

Any teacher working with ELL Students should also understand the idea of BICS and CALP. BICS stands for Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills and CALP stands for Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency. "BICS and CALP introduced by Dr. Jim Cummins (1979) is described as playground language and classroom language." (Louis-deWit) Dr Cummins used a visual analogy of an iceberg to top that we see from our students is the BICS and CALP as the bottom of the iceberg, the part we, as educators, don't see. When we see our student nod their heads in agreement to what we are teaching, it can easily be mistaken as they understand what we are teaching. This is why visual aids and vocabulary with images are important for teaching ELL students.

As a former teacher who had several ELL students in my classroom I found that they flourished more when they had image-rich content. Moreover, Web 2.0 sites have provided FREE visual aids which would have been costly ten years ago. I’ve found sites such as [|PicLits] great for using not only their images but word bank to assist students during the writing instruction.

To assist teachers with ELL students in the higher elementary grades, I’ve introduced them to [|Learn Zillion] and [|BrainGenie]. Learn Zillion is a website that has math and ELA lesson that are aligned with Common Core and state standards. Each module provides lesson plans for the teacher and practice modules for students. Each module has a video which can be replayed many times for understanding and an assessment. BrainGenie is similar to Learn Zillion in all aspects, but its emphasis is on math and science. During the assessment piece in this program students are prompted to go to the section of video that pertains to the question. In both programs, teachers can create classes and give assignments according to the student’s ability level.

Additionally, creating word clouds using sites like Wordle can help students visualize main takeaways from a class discussion, activity, or even a whole unit. Entering text, collected by student submissions of the "most important" or "most interesting" idea, for example, can be used to generate a cloud-like bundle of text that makes frequently used words larger and more prominent. While based in language, this tool incorporates visual elements, specifically size and color, to help students identify trends and patterns. This subtle, but useful, function, can help ELLs see important words and better conceptualize their significance.

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There are also visual aids that students can create to assist them during studying. Students can use [|Quizlet] to create flash cards for practice and self-quizzing. Students can also use [|Popplet] to post pictures along with text for better understanding and practice. [|Popplet] allows users to share galleries and collaborate. That also reminds me of the site [|Padlet]. Students or teachers can create walls and post photos, video links, and text. Teachers can create walls and make it private for their students. ======

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Another great resource for younger students is Duolingo. This program is offered in many different languages. It is great for younger age students to learn vocabulary words. The free website offers great images and clear pronunciation of the word. Another great way for ELL's to better understand language is to use opposites. Using visual pictures of opposites such as short/tall, inside/outside, hot/cold.======

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In addition to these great resources for teachers to integrate visual aids into the ELL classroom, social media can be used as a way to engage ELLs and get them viewing, sharing, and even creating visuals of their own to demonstrate learning. Taking or using photos from any of the activities above and posting them to a classroom Twitter and/or Instagram account can be a useful way to engage students in and outside of the classroom. These site become another platform to connect with students, specifically those in older grades who may already have their own accounts. ELL students can benefit when given the chance to immerse themselves in language and visuals via social media, as the experience is ongoing and fluid. Therefore, posting a picture associated with a vocabulary word on your class Instagram page, for example, can be that quick cue and moment of studying/learning for an ELL student using social media to connect with friends, family, and classmates in multiple languages. Also, encouraging ELL students to post their own photos of classroom events and experiences can get them creating and engaging in class without having to worry as much about language; taking images of the most important landmark in a field trip or the best exemplar of student work shows that they are actively thinking about and engaging in your class. ======

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There are a number of visual aids and methods of sharing that are available online and through apps, but the sites above are proven visual aids and social media tools that are included on every iPad that is issued to all ELL students in many school districts. ======

Resources:

http://www.witslanguageschool.com/NewsRoom/ArticleView/tabid/180/ArticleId/285/Teaching-tips-Understanding-BICS-and-CALP.aspx

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http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/ICT+and+the+Visual+Learner

Dunn, Katie. "10 Ways to Use Instagram in the Classroom." Daily Genius, 04 Aug. 2015. Web. 06 Aug. 2015. .