Quick tips for

your
classroom

1. Know your students:

know their linguistic
skills and also about
their interests.
2. Label objects in your
classroom.
3. Learn key phrases from
your students
language.
4. Speak slowly and
clearly.
5. Use gestures to
emphasize the meaning
of what you are saying.
6. Maintain a set routine.
7. Introduce vocabulary in
meaningful ways.
8. Use graphic organizers.
9. Have students speak,
write, read, and listen in
every single class.

A guide to the
Acronyms:

ELL
Survival
Guide

ELL: English
Language Learner
ESL: English as a
Second Language
LEP: Limited
Language
Proficiency
BICS: Basic
Interpersonal
Communication
Skills
CALP: Cognitive
Academic Language
Proficiency
TPR: Total Physical

Response
Haley Ackerman
University of Scranton
haley.ackerman@scranton.edu

The quick guide

to everything you
need to know
about teaching in
an ELL classroom.

Commonly Asked
Questions
What qualifies a student as
ESL?

Using the SIOP Model

Lesson Preparation: Be sure to write
specific and measurable content and
language objectives. Create meaningful
activities that will allow students to link
their prior knowledge to new content.
Building Background: The concepts must
be directly related to students prior
experiences. Contextualize new
vocabulary by choosing meaningful
vocabulary words and by teaching
them simply and concretely.
Comprehensible Input: Teachers must use
language that is appropriate to the
students language proficiency level.
Speak slowly, and clearly with clear
language free of idioms or jargon. To
make it more meaningful for the
student, use gestures, body language,
and pictures to accompany spoken
words.
Strategies: Choose an appropriate
strategy based on the concepts being
taught and based upon the students in
your classroom. Be sure to challenge
your students to think critically.

Students are classified as LEP

based on their performance on
the states English language
proficiency test. This test
measures the students ability
to read, write, speak and listen
in the English language.
Students who do not meet the
proficiency standard for the
test and are classified as LEP
are then eligible to receive
services from the ESL
program.
Can I expect my ESL
students to do the same
work as my other students?
You can expect your ESL
students to learn the same
content as the other students.
However, you may need to
modify assignments and
instructions in order to make
them accessible to the
students.
How is ESL related to LEP?
English as a Second Language
(ESL) refers to the services
that are available to Limited