Create a learning environment

that is supportive and helps ELLs

feel accepted and comfortable
Affirm ELLs identity in the
classroom in order to increase
learner engagement and
accelerate learning
Vision Embrace ELLs interest, culture
and language in the classroom
for and school
Parents involvement is the key to

English success
Effective initial assessment

Langua practices and ongoing inquiry to

make decision about placement,
program and support
ge Give multiple opportunities to
ELLs to talk and process their
Learne thinking with peers and teachers
Learn English at the same time as
rs the Ontario curriculum
Effective learning where teachers
and peers value ELLs as equal and
positively contributing members
of the classroom.
 GOAL

1. Have a plan to welcome

the ELLs and their
families
2. The initial assessment
process to identify:

What initial STEP the ELLS

will be placed at?

What STEP they should be

working towards?
Welcome English Language Multilingual welcome signs in the languages of the
Learners and their Families community are posted in the school.
Ensure comfortable spaces for families and reception
teams to meet and share information.
Provide parent written information about the school
routines and have it translated into various community
languages.
Quality and professional learning for all staff members.
In order to become more knowledgeable in order to
support new families and students. It is important for
school staff to have ongoing professional learning.
Support equitable practices by having open dialogue
with students, parents and the community and listening
to what the needs are, and suggestions they have and
what they would like to see change.
Encourage families to get involved in school activities.
Inform newcomer families about the community
programs, supports and resources.
Provide Dual language and Multi-language material in
the office, library resource centre and in the
classrooms.
Involve staff and students in the orientation of the new
student to the school
 INITIAL ASSESSMENT
PROCESS
It is an opportunity to develop a profile
that includes students educational, cultural
and personal background.

Family interviews are conducted in the

presence of interpreter in their home
language, to gather information about
background, educational history,
previous schooling, early development,
health history etc.
Student oral interview, L1 writing and
reading samples are conducted by
asking simple questions, personal
interest, picture response to find out if
they have limited or good knowledge
about English

This assessment will help educators to

determine what STEP they are on. STEP
initial assessment determines ESL and
ELD programs to support students. These
support programs will help the students to
learn best and retain the most.
 Resources
Use visuals, sketches, gestures, intonation, and
other non-verbal cues to make both language
and content more accessible to ELLs.
Give ELLs access to literacy in both languages.
Cultural knowledge and language abilities are
important resource in enabling academic
engagement.
Ensure that the curriculum in the classroom
speaks to the lives of the ELLs
Display multilingual resources, art work,
textbooks, stories in the classrooms.
By doing this, ELLs will be more engaged and
willing to learn when the content is meaningful in
their lives.
Technological tools
Educators can use computers to
enhance listening skills and verbal
interaction, and to support a
variety of language functions.
There are various apps and
websites feature interactive
stories. These stories have built-in
visual and audio aids to support
comprehension and often feature
activities and assessments that
reinforce learning and assess
comprehension.
There are online literacy games
which are more engaging and can
promote students skills in
spelling, phonics, grammar, and
sight word vocabulary.
 Instructional
Strategies
Include the ELLs in all classroom activities, provide
lessons/instructions/correspondence in both languages where possible.
Use visuals along with written works to enhance the memory and to help
visualize words.
Educators can support oral language acquisition by providing ELLs an opportunity
to interact in small groups.
Encourage the use of first language through reading, writing and oral activities
during guided reading groups or literature circles. Incorporate texts that have
dual-language print.
Ask ELLs to work independently or in a pair to create their own Dual Language
Books. Student-created texts can then be translated into English by students,
parents, staff, volunteers or with some support of free online translation sites.
Help students create personalized dual-language dictionaries to support their
learning about a new topic.
Students that share the same L1 can sometimes be grouped together to support
deeper thinking on new topics introduced in the classroom. Such groupings can
also support students to check for understanding and invite opportunities to
 Feature a language every month throughout the school to
promote inquiry about languages spoken by students in the
school. Ways to shine a light on the students languages may
include displays containing information on various languages,
discussions, invitations to guests or volunteers who speak the
feature languages, and performances.
Inform parents/guardians of international/heritage language
classes for their children offered in the school district or
community
Offer extra-curricular activities that encourage students to
embrace their first languages. Meaningful first-language use could
be applied to storytelling circles, poster campaigns, playwriting
and theatre productions, and song selection for choirs.
Scaffold instruction for English language learners through the
use of graphic organizers, visuals, demonstrations, and other
strategies that make academic content more comprehensible to
students.
Affirm ELLs identity Display ELLs writing and creative project
work in their home language in the classroom is highly effective
in reinforcing students academic and cultural identities.
Using games, puzzles and songs will give ELLs great opportunity
to build their confidence.