Language Proficiency Instructional Strategies for ELLs:

Language Proficiency in Speaking1. Have students partnered

2. Discuss answers together with partners before sharing with whole class
3. Read the targets out loud (know targets and work on oral language)
4. Circle the desks in small groups for discussions
5. Heterogeneous grouping
6. Have no individual desks, instead circle tables to help group discussion
7. Video and transcribe students so they can see and work on their speaking skills
8. Positive reinforcement and understand/acknowledge struggles for students
9. Discussion prompts- help get more complex answers
10. Read objectives then have students agree with excitement (keep the class upbeat while
understanding objectives)
Language Proficiency in Writing1. Sentence frames- set up sentences with information missing
2. Sit in circle on floor for discussion
3. Provide language in frames that students should use in discussion
4. Require examples; prove to instructor why answers are correct
5. Read examples out loud to group from book
6. Use frames to give students a place to start if they dont know where to begin
7. Verb is highlighted in frames
8. Use hand gestures so students can understand better
9. Speak slowly so that students can understand better
10. Allow students to talk with peers to find answers before discussing with group
Language Proficiency in Reading
1. Heterogeneous groups
2. Split into small groups
3. Read numerous times to understand and analyze
4. Use jigsaw vocabulary- break up vocabulary into 1st and last letter, syllables, and
definition then have students guess which word it is from reading
5. Call on students to read out loud
6. Every student has to talk before students can guess the vocabulary word
7. Share findings with small group with the entire class
8. Students make their own jigsaw vocabulary by looking for their own terms and breaking
word up
9. Teacher writes on board as students talk for the example problem so that it is visual as
well as auditory learning
10. Students do not have a copy of the reading, they have to think on their own after having
read the reading numerous times
Language Proficiency in Listening1. Use hand gestures and speak slowly so that students can understand better
2. Make eye contact when speaking to a person

3. Have students listen to numbers and have them follow specific directions when their
number is called
4. Heterogeneous grouping
5. Small group discussions
6. Students look at pictures and analyze
7. Each group shares ideas with the whole class
8. Vocabulary charts (students that are overwhelmed with 8 words at a time can break it up
and just do 4 at a time)
9. Teaching new vocabulary when explaining other words; demonstrate what words mean
with movement
10.
Give student friendly targets, success early on