5 Reasons Dual Language Learning Should Start Early
Among the many European countries, 70% of adults are bilingual, or know at least two languages. In the United States, the number of bilingual adults lags far behind at only 13%. There are many reasons for such a large gap in the number of bilingual individuals, but a primary reason trickles down to elementary students. […]
6 Struggles for ELL Students, and How We Can Help
According to an NEA Policy Brief, by 2025 nearly 25 percent of students in public schools will be English Language Learners, the fastest-growing student population group. With such a dramatic increase, it is imperative that the educational community understands and adequately addresses the struggles of ELL students, and ensures that ELL teachers receive the best training possible. ELL students […]
3 Fears About Screen Time for Kids- and Why They’re Not True
We check our phones upwards of 50 times per day — but when our kids play around with them, we get nervous. Are screens ruining childhood? Not according to children’s media expert Sara DeWitt. In a talk that may make you feel a bit less guilty about handing a tablet to a child while you […]
The Benefits of Summer School for Young Language Learners.
As the school year comes to an end, many teachers and school administrators are already thinking about how to help their young language learners continue to develop their language skills during the summer break. One option that is gaining popularity is summer school programs for dual language and ESL students. In this blog post, we […]
New Year Resolutions For DLL/ELL Teachers and Parents.
In this article, we recommend five specific and measurable actions you can implement to take your DLL/ELL program to the next level in 2023 1) Build background knowledge. The best way to teach new content and skills is by activating and building on students’ prior interests and background knowledge before instruction. Students absorb and remember new […]
Benefits of enrolling your child in a dual language program.
Enrolling your children in a bilingual or dual language program is an essential first step on their path to biliteracy. Parental involvement in education provides a unique opportunity for parents to grow in their roles as teachers and decision makers. Most parents have many questions about dual language programs. The most frequently asked questions are: […]
6 Keys to Successful EdTech Implementation in the Early DL and EL classrooms.
One of the biggest issues that many teachers are facing today is spending way too many hours preparing lessons and keeping up with technology in hopes of engaging students who are often times more tech-savvy than they are. Most administrators don’t realize the huge amount of time it takes to find all the resources to […]
Fun Activities to Keep Bilingual Kids Engaged and Learning Over the Summer
Your kids worked hard throughout the school year to learn and improve their language skills, don’t let summer get in the way! For most kids, summer means sunny days, road trips, or making sandcastles on the beach. While they may avoid actual academic assignments, it’s easy to find some creative ways to help them practice. […]
8 Strategies and Tools for Scaffolding Instruction
Scaffolding is a way of assisting students by breaking learning down into manageable chunks as they progress toward greater understanding and independence. Research shows that without scaffolding, ELLs and DLLs often struggle needlessly to access grade-level content and are less able to perform well academically. If you are conducting instruction using your native language, you […]