Welcome to today’s episode, where we’re diving into effective strategies for teaching close reading to ESL newcomers! Whether you’re a seasoned educator or just starting your journey, these actionable tips will help you empower your language learners and create meaningful learning experiences.

Episode Highlights:

1. Building Background Knowledge:

   • Learn why background knowledge is essential for newcomers to access and understand texts.

   • Practical ideas: Think-alouds, picture walks, vocabulary banks, videos, and virtual or in-person field trips.

2. Teaching Academic Vocabulary:

   • Discover the importance of explicitly teaching key vocabulary to boost comprehension.

   • Strategies include defining words, providing context, using visuals, and limiting daily vocabulary to 3-5 words.

3. Close Reading Process:

   • Breakdown of the three stages of close reading:

     • First Reading: Focus on comprehension with level 1 and level 2 text-dependent questions.

     • Second Reading: Explore text structures and purposes (e.g., cause and effect, compare and contrast).

     • Third Reading: Analyze meaning through inferences, connections, and personal interpretations.

4. Culminating Activities:

   • Ideas for creative projects: Writing assignments, comic strips, podcasts, and more.

Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

• Close Read Club: Access ready-made close reading lessons for all levels of language learners. Join today for just $5 at myadventuresinesl.com/closereadclub.

• Engaging ESL Resources: Find tools and lesson plans to enhance your teaching at myadventuresinesl.com/store.

Key Takeaways: Close reading is a transformative strategy that equips newcomers with critical language skills. By building background knowledge, teaching vocabulary, and guiding purposeful readings, you create a supportive environment where students thrive.

Action Steps:

• Start incorporating close reading into your lessons with the strategies shared today.

• Explore our ready-made resources to save time and elevate your teaching.

• Share this episode with fellow educators who would benefit from these strategies!

Thank you for joining today’s episode! Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and visit My Adventures in ESL for more tips and resources to support your teaching journey.

 Welcome back, educators! In this episode, I’m sharing insights and strategies inspired by my recent experience at the TNTESOL conference in Nashville. From innovative math strategies to utilizing library resources and understanding translanguaging, you’ll find actionable tips to enhance your teaching and support your language learners.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Math Strategies for Language Learners:

  • How picture books can introduce math concepts and build background knowledge.

  • The importance of making math tangible through real-life applications like schedules and word problems.

  • Techniques such as math talk and discussion protocols to encourage language-rich interactions.

• Language Learning in the Library:

  • Discover free state library resources like TNTEL.info that offer language learning apps, decodable books, and leveled texts in multiple languages.

  • Learn how to share these valuable tools with parents and students to support language development at home.

• Translanguaging in the Classroom:

  • Understand how translanguaging differs from translating and why it’s an essential tool for language learners.

  • Explore ways to intentionally incorporate translanguaging into your instruction to deepen student understanding.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Visit myadventuresinesl.com/store to download detailed lesson plans and engaging activities for your classroom.

• Check out TNTEL.info for free electronic library resources and see if similar resources are available in your state.

• Explore additional strategies on translanguaging by visiting the linked book and website in the episode.

Thank You, Educators! Your dedication to your students’ success is inspiring. I hope this episode gives you fresh ideas and tools to make your teaching even more impactful.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast and leave a review if you found value in today’s episode!

Connect with Me: Website: myadventuresinesl.com Store: myadventuresinesl.com/store

Are you tired of planning and looking for lessons for your Language Learners every week? If so, then I have the perfect option for you! Join my monthly lesson planning club “The Close Read Club”. Each month you will have access to lesson plans that are ready to print and go! Click here to learn more or go to myadventuresinesl.com/closereadclub.

Welcome to the My Adventures in ESL Podcast!

This week’s episode is all about making your November lesson planning efficient and engaging for you Language Learners. We’ll cover strategies and activity ideas for Veterans Day, Daylight Savings Time, Fall Festivals, and Hibernation.  Tune in to get inspired with hands-on, student-centered activities that save time while creating an impactful classroom experience.

In this episode, we discuss:

Veterans Day

• Lesson Ideas: Start with a KWL chart to let students share what they know and want to know.

• Activity: Follow up with a read- aloud for GetEpic and have students write thank- you notes or design cards for local veterans.

Daylight Savings Time 

• Discussion Starter: Introduce pros and cons of daylight savings and use this as an opportunity for opinion writing.

• Writing Activity: Guide students in writing their own opinion paragraphs with sentence frames and peer editing.

Fall Festivals and Activities

• Leaf Observations: Have students observe, color and describe leaves using new vocabulary.

• Corn Maze Design: A creative math-based activity where students design their own corn maze on grid paper.

Hibernation 

• Engaging Read- Aloud: Use “Over and Under” from GetEpic to explore animal hibernation.

• Crafts: Make hibernation-themed crafts to bring the lesson to life.

Check out this episode and others on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, & Adventures in ESL! 

Links & Resources Mentioned in this Episode

Visit myadenturesinesl.com/store to access detailed lesson plans, including two full weeks of November activities for your Language Learners.

Announcements

If you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! You can also join our weekly newsletter for more tips, freebies,and resources. Find the link in our show notes or visit myadventuresinesl.com.  

If you are looking for a community of dedicated and motivated educators, who support Language Learners, join us here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/adventuresinesl

In this episode, we’re diving into practical strategies for educators to find more time in their day to support students effectively. From analyzing how you spend your time to planning ahead, this episode is packed with tips to help you maximize your productivity.

We discuss:

Analyze Your Time

• Track everything you do during the school day to get a clear picture of where your time is going. This exercise is eye-opening and helps reveal areas where you can save valuable minutes. For example, something as simple as streamlining student transitions can free up time for planning and prep.

Balance Your Caseload

• Managing a large caseload? We’ll cover strategies to help balance the load by combining levels and grouping students strategically. Additionally, we’ll discuss ways to reduce the frequency of sessions for advanced students, freeing up time to focus on students with greater needs.

 Plan Ahead

• Planning ahead can make a huge difference in how smoothly your week goes. From setting a lesson plan a week in advance to scheduling blocks for specific tasks, having a clear plan makes it easier to prioritize and stay focused.

 Fight Back Against Procrastination

• Procrastination can derail even the best plans. Learn practical ways to overcome procrastination, like breaking tasks into manageable steps and prioritizing the most important ones first.

Check out this episode and others on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, & Adventures in ESL! 

Links & Resources Mentioned in this Episode

• Prioritizing Planning with Trey

• myadventuresinesl.com/store

Announcements

If you are looking for a community of dedicated and motivated educators, who support Language Learners, join us here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/adventuresinesl 

Welcome to the My Adventures in ESL Podcast!

In this week’s episode, we’re sharing practical and effective strategies to help you transform your planning period and optimize your productivity.

In This Episode:

• Introduction to Trey Browder: A licensed therapist and impact coach dedicated to helping educators achieve work-life balance and manage stress effectively. 

• The Importance of Understanding the “Why”: Trey explains why understanding the root of our challenges is crucial for personal and professional growth.

• Procrastination and Its Impact: Our host shares personal experiences with procrastination, revealing how it affected their work and personal life.

• Simple Strategies for Success: Trey shares actionable strategies that can help you overcome procrastination and enhance your planning process.

Resources and Extras:

• Don’t forget to visit myadventuresinesl.com/store for engaging resources!

• A link to the PD certificate for 2 hours of professional development will be available at the end of this episode.

• Overcoming Overwhelm with Trey

• Trey Email: [email protected]

• Curriculum Guide

• Prioritization Grid

Join us as we explore how to maximize your planning period and cultivate a healthier work-life balance. Thank you for your dedication to your students and for tuning in!

Subscribe and Listen:

Don’t miss out on future episodes where we explore more ways to enhance your teaching and elevate student engagement.

Check out this episode and others on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, & Adventures in ESL!

Announcements

If you are looking for a community of dedicated and motivated educators, who support Language Learners, join us here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/adventuresinesl

Welcome to the My Adventures in ESL Podcast!

In this week’s episode, we’re diving into speaking and writing activities that you can easily incorporate into your lessons to help your students express themselves more effectively. These activities are designed to boost both listening and speaking skills while enhancing students’ writing abilities.

In This Episode, You’ll  Learn:

•  Simple and effective speaking activities to improve student communication skills and build confidence in group discussions and presentations.

• Writing prompts and exercises that promote creativity, structure, and fluency in student writing.

• How to blend listening and speaking activities to create more engaging, interactive lessons for students of all grade levels.

• Tips for managing these activities in the classroom to ensure every student has the opportunity to participate and improve.

Why These Activities Matter:

Developing strong speaking and writing skills is crucial for students to succeed both in and out of the classroom. This episode gives you practical strategies that will not only enhance your students’ communication skills but also help them become more confident, critical thinkers.

Bonus Tips:

Be sure to listen for bonus tips on how to seamlessly integrate these activities into your daily lessons, ensuring that they’re effective and easy to manage, regardless of your students’ skill levels.

Resources and Extras:

Looking for more resources? Visit my website for additional lesson plans and activities to support your teaching goals: myadventuresinesl.com/store.

Subscribe and Listen:

Don’t miss out on future episodes where we explore more ways to enhance your teaching and elevate student engagement.

Check out this episode and others on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, & Adventures in ESL! 

Announcements

If you are looking for a community of dedicated and motivated educators, who support Language Learners, join us here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/adventuresinesl

Welcome to the My Adventures in ESL Podcast!

Welcome, educators! In this week’s episode, we are exploring practical tips and strategies for setting up effective literacy stations in your classroom. Literacy stations can make a huge difference in your students’ learning experience by promoting independence, responsibility, and a variety of learning styles.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The advantages of using literacy stations, including:

1. Reducing the time and effort needed for setup

2. Encouraging student ownership of their learning environment

3. Freeing up time for teachers to focus on more challenging concepts with individual students

• Different types of literacy stations you can incorporate, such as listening, reading, vocabulary, writing, speaking, and teacher-led stations.

• Tips for setting up literacy stations to ensure they run smoothly:

1. Pre-plan your station activities for easy setup and flexibility

2. Offer 3-5 choices at each station to cater to different learning styles

3. Organize your stations thoughtfully using carts, folders, or other systems

We also discuss funding options for gathering supplies, from grants to gently used items, and how to stock your literacy stations effectively.

Check out this episode and others on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, & Adventures in ESL! 

Links & Resources Mentioned in this Episode

Visit myadventuresinesl.com/store to download engaging resources and access the full lesson plan bundle, which includes two weeks’ worth of activities designed to make literacy stations a seamless part of your teaching.

Be sure to tune in for more strategies on empowering your students and streamlining your classroom routines!

Announcements

If you are looking for a community of dedicated and motivated educators, who support Language Learners, join us here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/adventuresinesl 

Welcome to the My Adventures in ESL Podcast!

Today’s podcast aims to provide you with simple and effective strategies you can use in your classroom to increase student engagement among your students. These may surprise you because we often think that adding some games increases student engagement. Let’s dive into strategies you can use to improve student engagement among your Language Learners. 

Check out this episode and others on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, & Adventures in ESL! 

Links & Resources Mentioned in this Episode

- myadventuresinesl.com/store

Announcements

If you are looking for a community of dedicated and motivated educators, who support Language Learners, join us here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/adventuresinesl 

Welcome to the My Adventures in ESL Podcast! I want to encourage you to take the time to explore the podcast and my website My Adventures in ESL. 

Today’s podcast aims to provide you with lesson ideas for September. This will help your planning and make things easier when you start brainstorming what to do for the upcoming month.

This podcast will provide you with 4 engaging ideas that you can use in your classroom this month.

Check out this episode and others on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, & Adventures in ESL!

Links & Resources Mentioned in this Episode

• My Adventures in ESL Store

• Close Read Club (Monthly Curriculum)

• Language Objective Guide

Announcements

If you are looking for a community of dedicated and motivated educators, who support Language Learners, join us here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/adventuresinesl

Welcome to the My Adventures in ESL Podcast! I want to encourage you to take the time to explore the podcast and my website My Adventures in ESL. 

It’s the beginning of the school year and you are running out of lesson ideas.

In this week's episode, I will share a 5-day lesson plan that you can use during the beginning of the school year to help you learn more about your students.

Check out this episode and others on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, & Adventures in ESL!

Links & Resources Mentioned in this Episode

• My Adventures in ESL Store

• Close Read Club (Monthly Curriculum)

• Language Objective Guide

If you are looking for a community of dedicated and motivated educators, who support Language Learners, join us here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/adventuresinesl

Welcome to the My Adventures in ESL Podcast! I want to encourage you to take the time to explore the podcast and my website My Adventures in ESL. 

Imagine it is the beginning of the school year and you are getting question after question about the ESL students at your school. The general education teachers also wonder how they can support the language learners.

In this week's episode, I will share the structure you need to design a back-to-school presentation that will support general education teachers on how to support language learners.

Check out this episode and others on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, & Adventures in ESL!

Links & Resources Mentioned in this Episode

• My Adventures in ESL Store

• Close Read Club (Monthly Curriculum)

• Language Objective Guide

Announcements

If you are looking for a community of dedicated and motivated educators, who support Language Learners, join us here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/adventuresinesl