I agree with the thread around respect. The students who speak English as a second or third language have a lot of processing to do before they are able to respond or produce any work. They need to process the incoming English, translate, determine an appropriate response, then translate the response into English. I’m sure some students are nervous to do so and may even get lost in the process. And then, there are even outside distractions/stimuli that could cause this process to slow. They are trying. They are trying hard. We just can’t see it.
A strategy that I consistently use in order to support ELLs is to allow them choice of how to respond. When appropriate, I allow them to choose between their home language and English. I let them use Google Translate, or sometimes even draw to show their answer. Another strategy consistently used is to match new vocabulary or concepts with pictures or videos. A lot of times, students may know a concept or idea, but don’t know the words to connect them to in their own language. We also use sentence frames across subjects. I feel like this helps to eliminate the problem of how to start. Then the students can focus on the details and answering the questions to show their understanding. This can be done verbally or in writing.
A strategy that I consistently use in order to support ELLs is to allow them choice of how to respond. When appropriate, I allow them to choose between their home language and English. I let them use Google Translate, or sometimes even draw to show their answer. Another strategy consistently used is to match new vocabulary or concepts with pictures or videos. A lot of times, students may know a concept or idea, but don’t know the words to connect them to in their own language. We also use sentence frames across subjects. I feel like this helps to eliminate the problem of how to start. Then the students can focus on the details and answering the questions to show their understanding. This can be done verbally or in writing.