Thing 35: Supporting English Language Learners
The ELLs at Edison High School are some of my favorite students with whom to work. Many of them view education as the privilege it truly is, reminding us all to be thankful for the opportunities we are given. A large portion of the articles I read seemed to be more focused on elementary suggestions. However, since some of the students have either not had formal education or have had their education interrupted, these strategies can work with the older students as well. I try to buy books that students request and also to have books about students' home countries in the library. They are very excited to show you where they have come from and I enjoy learning about their cultures. One thing that I have struggled with is deciding how much of my collection to purchase in languages other than English. At present I have very few books in Spanish... which is our largest contingency of ENL students. However, I have just found out (after my budget was largely spent) that we will be gett