Sticking to your Goals with a Learning Plan

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We all imagine possible scenarios about what our life would look like if we achieved our dreams and goals. While plenty successfully reach their goals, many fail because they did not create a plan of action. Taking the necessary steps to reach goals require determination, persistence, desire, and a plan.

If you are interested in learning something new, increasing your skills, or just enhancing your life, you should develop a learning plan. Learning plans allow you to work towards goals according to your needs and schedule. Learning involves acquiring new knowledge, new skills and abilities. There is no one way to create a learning plan because it must fit your individual needs. Some plans are highly organized while others change according to your schedule and commitment.

The plan begins with answering, what dreams and goals do you want to reach?

The End Goal

To begin creating a plan, you must decide what you want to learn. Educators often use backwards design, where they begin with the main learning objective and then create a plan to meet that goal. You must also consider backwards design when you first begin to create your learning plan. What is your end goal?

If you are searching for a new profession, consider which career is your end goal. If you are looking to enhance your skills and want to learn a new language, picture yourself traveling to another country and using your skills. Envision the end goal first, and then begin creating the steps to reach your goal. Keep in mind that this vision is based on what you want. When you are thinking about all of the possibilities, consider getting out of your comfort zone and learning new skills rather than relying only on skills you already have.

Conduct Research

Now that you have a vision of what you want to learn or do, you need to conduct research. Do you need to attain a degree? Are certifications required? Of course, the internet will provide a multitude of articles and blogs dedicated to your new skill or desired profession. But, along with reading, try to find someone who is doing exactly what you want to do. Mentors offer invaluable knowledge and expertise. They can give you advice on possible pitfalls to avoid and opportunities to pursue. Finding a mentor is not as difficult as you might imagine; talk to friends who may know someone or reach out through social media. Many people relish the idea of becoming a mentor. Afterall, it is the ultimate compliment to someone who is living your dream.

Small Steps and Small Goals

Now that you have more knowledge about how to achieve your learning goal, you can begin creating small steps that need to be taken in order to reach your desired outcome. These steps should be measurable. For example, if you are trying to learn a new skill, require yourself to work on it for twenty minutes each day. Or, tell yourself you will attend every class and participate fully. The first step may be as small as finding a course and then signing up for it. If you are a procrastinator, set a date. The easiest way to actually reach the goals you set is to keep them simple and write them down.

Focus and Commitment

With the plan in place, you must create a lifestyle that allows you to focus on your plan. If part of your plan requires you to set aside time each day to learn something new, then you must create a schedule that encourages this new behavior. If you need to wake up 15 minutes earlier to work on your learning, make this part of your schedule. You must change your behavior to match your learning plan.

Changing behavior requires commitment and a motivation to succeed. You know yourself, so if you need to write down reminders and place them throughout your living space, do it. If you need to reward yourself as you reach specific milestones, then do it. Whatever it takes to encourage you to remain committed and focused will help you stay the course.

Stay on Top of It

Along with reminders and rewards, enlist family and friends to help you with your learning plan. Holding yourself accountable can be difficult, but if you enlist a friend or family member to help you stick with your plan, you will feel obligated to complete the task and guilty if you don’t.  In fact, the more people you tell, the more likely you will be asked about your progress. These simple inquiries may be just what you need to stay on top of your plan. Sticking to a learning plan and reaching your goals will only benefit you; however, getting through the rough patches, when you don’t feel like committing or working, is the hardest part.

Use What You Learn

True learning involves changing behavior. With each new skill you learn, use it. If you are learning a new language, find opportunities to practice your new skill. The more you practice and put your new skill to use, the more likely you own it. Find ways to share your knowledge; use it at work, create a digital portfolio, write a blog, or teach someone else.

Creating a learning plan is essential when you truly want to reach a goal. Remember, the plan and the dream are yours to create. Set yourself up for success and create a personal learning plan that works for you and meets your individual needs.

How to Finish the School Year Strong

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The weather is warmer, the days are longer, and the end of the school year is just around the

corner. Whether it is playing sports, working a job after school, or hanging out with friends, it seems

students are busier this time of year. Students can see the end of the school year as summer fever sets in, and it is

more difficult to remain focused on school responsibilities. How do students remain focused on

finishing the school year strong? Here are a few tips on how you can help your child get through the

rest of the school year without missing a step.

Revisit Goals

When your child returned to school after the winter break, you probably discussed goals for the

school year. Maybe your child wanted to get an A in science or improve by a letter grade in English

class. Whatever the goals were, now is the time to remind your child of them.

If you did not set goals, you still have time to have this conversation. Help your child set goals for the

remainder of the year. These goals should come from your child with your guidance. Your child must

have buy-in, so make sure she comes up with the goals. Once the goals are set, begin a plan on

how to reach each one.

Stay Organized

Since this time of year tends to disrupt your regular winter schedule, create a new routine that works

with all of the new springtime activities. Sit down with your child and her planner. Students who are

typically really good about writing down their assignments in their planner tend to stop keeping track

during this time of year. Help them discover their planner again so they can get themselves

organized. Set a time aside each evening to ask about the planner and then check-off all of the

completed tasks. Also, you may want to model this behavior by keeping a family calendar to stay on

top up of all the extra activities.

Get Motivated

Remind your children what they’ve worked for during the school year. Now is not the time to give up

as the end is approaching. Explain to them that this is the time when they must get motivated to

finish strong. You can help them set-up some type of rewards and incentives program. You know

your child and what helps them stay motivated, so assist them with achieving their goals through

incentives. Your children should want to finish strong, so the incentives/rewards should be small

such as serving their favorite dinner or allowing extra time on a video game.

Take Advantage of the Weather

The weather this time of year is beautiful, so encourage your children to go outside and get fresh air.

You can set-up a place for them to do homework outside or use the outdoors for study breaks. After

studying for an hour, there’s no need to stay cooped up. Take a walk. Enjoy the weather, which can

be refreshing and motivating.

Check Your Own Motivation

Your kids aren’t the only ones ready for a break from the hectic school schedule. Make sure you

show your own motivation at the end of the school year. Ask your children if they need help studying.

Show them that you are still interested in their success. You don’t want them to know how excited

you are for the end of the year, at least not yet anyway.

Don’t Over Schedule Activities

The warmer weather seems to encourage a busier schedule, so try to be acutely aware of how many

activities your kids are involved in. Kids don’t want to miss out on the fun, so they tend to say yes to

any offer. If you have a child who is on the soccer travel team, volunteers at church twice each

week, and babysits most weekends, you need to step in and help her set limits and priorities. Each

activity in this list is worthy, but having an over-scheduled child hampers the focus she needs with

ending the school year strong.

The Importance of Reading as a Family

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Reading provides benefits throughout life. It improves vocabulary, cognitive skills, critical thinking, memory, confidence, concentration, writing skills, analysis skills, and the list goes on. Look up the importance of reading and you will find exhaustive lists supporting the benefits of reading and its role in academic success. Yet, millions of students do not have reading proficiency at the end of third grade. So, to build reading proficiency as well as a love for reading, spend time each day reading with your child.

Reading is a gift you can give your child every day. Yes, it is a gift that helps with academic success, but it is also a gift of yourself. As you read about characters and their struggles, you have the opportunity to share your values as you discuss empathy, compassion, respect and understanding. You can also share your love for reading or your favorite childhood book.

Those who love to read understand the pleasures and the benefits of reading; it is never a chore or arduous task. Reading transports us to different worlds and allows us to experience different perspectives. We become immersed in fictional characters’ lives, and we acquire skills and new knowledge. When we find a good book, we want to share it with others because we want them to experience the same joy and satisfaction we felt while reading it.

However, for children who do not experience reading as pleasurable, and cannot read proficiently, their success in academia looks tenuous. Since reading is so important to academic achievement and personal growth, parents must create an environment where children have every opportunity to experience the joy and benefits of reading.  

Reading will help improve vocabulary, grammar, and writing skills. When children encounter a new word they do not know, they will ask or try to decode it through context clues. Grammar improves since students see how the author constructs sentences, and they learn how to follow punctuation. Improved vocabulary and grammar naturally improve writing skills. They begin to understand how to create paragraphs and communicate ideas.

In addition to improving lifelong academic skills, reading proficiently will also help children develop cognitively. Cognitive development involves how we see and perceive the world around us. When parents read to children, it helps them imagine the world around them. They develop background knowledge, which helps them make sense of what they experience each day.

When children read on their own, their ability only deepens, and they begin to make connections about what they read to what they hear and see. They also begin understanding more about places that they’ve never visited. Reading takes children to cities and countries they’ve never been. They meet people who face challenges they’ve never experienced, so reading helps to create a deeper understanding of humanity. It helps children understand the world beyond their own bubble.

Reading also helps develop empathy and build relationships. When students read stories, they put themselves in the characters’ situations. They learn more about emotions and how to respond to the world around them. When a child experiences a regular routine of reading with a parent, their relationship deepens. They share ideas about the stories they read, and the decisions characters make. The attention is comforting and supports the child’s overall wellbeing. And, when children are able to read to the parent and no longer rely on being read to, they develop a sense of independence. This independence also helps with their self-confidence. They begin to see the world through their own perspective.

Questions to Ask when Finding a Quality Preschool

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Preschool is an important part of preparing your child to take her first steps into kindergarten. When searching for a preschool, every parent should look for a place where children experience a loving environment that is safe and where teachers create learning experiences that involve appropriate socialization as they prepare them for their induction into primary school.

Before you begin exploring various preschools, you should create a list of questions to ask when you tour each school. With this in mind, begin your search 9 to 12 months before you want your child to enroll. Some schools have a waiting list, or it may take you time to visit schools. Also, your child may need to be a certain age to begin preschool. Many begin at age two; however, some schools require that each child is potty trained. Typically, three-year-old’s benefit the most from group socialization.  Look at the schools in your area and make appointments to take tours. Find out about their requirements as well as their application deadlines. When you narrow your choices down to just two schools, you should return for a second visit.

What is your teaching philosophy?

Preschools have different philosophies about how to best prepare students for kindergarten and the primary grades. Some schools may drill students to memorize information while others take a more holistic approach. Consider the types of experiences you want your child to have while in school. You know your child best, so you also know what will help her feel safe, confident, and loved. The philosophy of the school must match your own philosophy.

What is your approach to discipline?

When your child misbehaves, only you know what works best to correct the behavior. All schools must deal with discipline, so you should ask how situations are handled. Consistency is so important for children learning appropriate behaviors, and children at this age are learning how to self-regulate and socialize. Therefore, it is important to find a school where teachers are actually teaching appropriate behaviors through positive discipline rather than punishing for misbehavior. Positive discipline helps children understand how to correct future behaviors rather than focusing on past negative behaviors. A preschool where teachers create consistent routines and correct behaviors through explanation, song, and games promote positive environments where children can thrive.

How much experience do your teachers have?

Preschool teachers often have various backgrounds; however, experience with early childhood learning is a plus when looking for a preschool. When visiting the preschool, observe how the teachers interact with the children. How often do they smile, touch, and interact with the children? When teachers can form trusting bonds with their students, more learning occurs because children feel safe and valued.

The teachers should not be yelling or standing over students; they should be at eye level where they can truly engage with each child. They know each child’s personality and provide a mix of active play with quiet time. It can be difficult to list all of the things a teacher must do to create trust, yet when visiting the classroom, you will clearly see the bond between teacher and students. This bond should be evident.

Teachers should appear happy. You want to know that the teachers are up to date with the latest teaching techniques, so you can ask the director about professional development. You may also ask about teacher turnover as well as wage and benefits. Some of the best schools have high teacher turnover because it is often difficult to make a living as a preschool teacher; however, it is important for you to know if your child will have consistency with the staff. Teachers make the difference between a quality preschool and a mediocre one, so spend the most time observing the classroom.

What is the classroom environment?

While observing the classroom, you should see a variety of activities and resources. Children should engage in active play and have opportunities to use their imaginations. Classrooms should be colorful and contain several learning centers where students learn math skills, reading skills, and social skills. Do you see children’s artwork on the walls? The artwork should be original rather than teacher generated.

You want to also see routines where students sing, interact, and manipulate toys. The classroom should not be one where students are drilled with flashcards and rote memorization. It should be a place where students can develop all aspects of their personality, and where they begin to discover their unique gifts. When students have a mix of self-directed and directed play, they bolster their imagination as well as their social skills.

Classrooms must also be safe. The furniture should be suitable for young children, so look to see that it is small in size and has rounded corners. Electrical sockets should be covered, and toilets should be an appropriate size for young children.  The toys must also be easily accessible and organized in a way that promotes different centers. The reading corner has a variety of books and bookshelves, just as the math corner has a variety of manipulatives where students can learn their numbers and how to count objects. The general environment must also appear clean. It is difficult to stay on top of cleaning every second of the day with young children; however, you should see that areas are wiped clean of food and dust.

While preschool is not mandatory in most areas, it is the best way to help children be successful in kindergarten and beyond.  A quality preschool will help your child feel confident as they start primary school. Remember, you know your child best, so choose a school that meets all of her needs. 

Activities you can do at Home to Help your Child with Learning

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Parents naturally want the best for their children. They want them to be healthy, successful, and happy. To achieve these goals, it is important to expose young children to different experiences, so they are ready to begin school. It is during early childhood when children’s brains reach 80% of their full adult volume, so it is vital to intentionally provide them with opportunities to participate in a variety of activities.

There are five overlapping domains that indicate a child’s readiness for school and learning: language and literacy, general knowledge, approaches to learning, motor development, and social emotional development. With a little creativity and a few ideas, parents can easily help their children learn while at home.

Language and Literacy

Spend time reading to your children. Of course, reading at bedtime is a common routine in many households; however, you should do more than just the nightly routine of a bedtime story. Read throughout the day. Read road signs, grocery lists, recipes, and birthday cards. Talk to your children often. Explain what you are doing, tell them a story, and ask them questions. Adding to their vocabulary through reading and asking questions positively impacts their emerging literacy.

Try to connect what you read with activities you do with your child. For example, if you read about rabbits or puppies, take a trip to a pet center where your child can see the real thing. Before you go to the grocery store, allow your child to help “write” the grocery list or separate coupons. Along with these experiences that help them connect books and words to real life, expose your preschooler to a variety of print. Let them “read” menus, greeting cards, postcards, and mail. The more exposure your child has to print, the more prepared she is for learning how to read.

General Knowledge

Helping children understand the world around them and how things work help boost their general knowledge.  Create an environment where children are encouraged to ask open-ended questions. When they are comfortable asking questions, they begin to understand how things work, and they develop a curiosity about things they are interested in. The learning they uncover gives them background knowledge that can be applied to reading comprehension and other essential academic skills. While at dinner, during bath time, and at bedtime, parents can begin asking questions. For example, if your stuffed animals could talk, what would they say? Or, where do you think the water goes after your bath? These questions will prompt the children to follow your lead and begin asking questions of their own.

Approaches to Learning

Provide children with toys that encourage exploration, and then allow them the time to explore and complete a task. Children need to understand the importance of completing tasks, so encourage them to finish what they start. Give them crayons and paper, so they can draw a picture. Give them blocks for stacking. Schedule play dates so they have plenty of opportunities to be with children of similar ages, which helps them better understand collaboration.  Allow them to help with recipes or picking up toys. Children love to create, so schedule regular sessions where they use their hands to create models with playdough or draw pictures with shaving cream. All of these activities help build persistence, creativity, and independence. 

Motor Development

Physical well-being and fine motor skills are important aspects of school readiness. Give children opportunities to run, hop, and walk. Let them throw and catch a ball. Teach them active games, so that physical activity is a positive experience for the entire family. Children love to explore, and the outdoors provides them the freedom to investigate nature. While outside, children will find acorns, insects, flowers, leaves, and birds. Their natural curiosity encourages them to discover and ask questions, so adults can explain how trees grow and insects eat. Playing outside creates opportunities for hands-on learning where children investigate the natural world. They can feel the mud and smell the flowers rather than remaining indoors and watching a television show about nature. It is imperative that our school aged children are given every opportunity to explore nature to ensure success in the classroom and in life.

Along with physical well-being, provide children experiences that help them with fine motor skills. One of the most difficult academic challenges for children in school is learning how to write. Holding a pencil and forming the letters can be frustrating, so begin working on fine motor skills early. From learning how to fasten a button, zip a zipper, and use scissors, children can practice and improve their fine motor skills beginning at an early age.

Social Emotional Development

Create opportunities where children are exposed to people of all ages. They need to understand how to interact with both children and adults before school begins. Schedule play dates as well as participation in sports or other hobbies where an adult such as a coach is involved. When you invite other children to your home, create activities where the children can share and work together to construct or solve a problem. They can make puppets out of socks or paper bags and then perform a show. Construct a map and send the children on a scavenger hunt where they must follow clues and answer questions to find the objects.

You can help your children succeed in school by offering a variety of opportunities where they engage in creative play, build skills, and interact with others. Children are curious and want to spend time with you, so seize every moment and engage them in learning activities.

You Just Want to Teach

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Teachers crave to be in the classroom with their students teaching lessons they painstakingly created. Afterall, they chose the profession to work with kids and to share their passion for learning. They get excited about sharing a favorite book or demonstrating a science experiment. It is this passion that makes great teachers and great lessons.

However, standardized testing, administrative expectations, a lack of resources, and unnecessary professional development distract teachers from teaching.

Teaching to the Test

Unfortunately, you must put sharing your favorite book aside because it’s time to “teach to the test.” There’s no time for sharing your passion or digging deeper into a topic because the standardized test results and your reputation are on the line. Not only does testing take out the creativity and depth of many lessons, it also causes undue stress and anxiety for you and your students. Along with the stress, standardized testing schedules take students out of their normal routine, so learning decreases and the rush to cover the curriculum for the next test increases.

The Growing List of Administrative Expectations

The many administrative tasks and superfluous meetings take teachers away from what really matters: teaching. Often, administrators must demonstrate their teachers are following guidelines and meeting expectations. In order for administrators to check their boxes, teachers must document PLC meetings, parent communications, teacher observations, and training completion. All of these tasks are in addition to parent teacher conferences, faculty meetings, and fire drills. Although some tasks are a necessity, most cause teachers to have less time dedicated to what’s really important: teaching.

Having to be the Jack of all Trades

And yet another distraction from teaching is the lack of resources most schools experience. With this shortage, class sizes increase, and teachers must pitch in and become a jack of all trades. From monitoring recess, covering classes, checking-in visitors, and managing hallway traffic, teachers are taken away from planning, grading, and tutoring. Teachers do not resist helping colleagues or pitching in, but they do resist the consistent interference from what they were hired to do: teach.

Unnecessary Professional Development

Finally, the excessive and many times redundant professional development inhibits teachers from teaching. Teachers endure required training that is often unrelated to what they teach. Training on wastewater run-off, blood borne pathogens, and the latest tech tool are not necessary for all teachers in all subjects, yet they are all required. These additional requirements are usually met with resentment and/or apathy because, once again, teachers are being taken away from their actual job of teaching.

With all these distractions, it is even more important to remember why you got into the profession in the first place. The love of kids and learning will help you navigate the many meetings and tasks you must endure each day.  Recognize that you must take care of yourself and your colleagues. Maybe, together, you can relieve some stress and enjoy the next PLC meeting during happy hour.

Keeping Patience During Stressful Times

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Patience is a virtue we all could spend time practicing a little more. Both parents and kids experience stress, and when they experience it at the same time, knowing strategies to cope with the chaos will help the entire family. It is important to try to stay calm, but counting to 10 might only help for about 10 seconds. With warmer weather arriving soon, the routine you’ve created for your family will be disrupted, so you and your kids may struggle with the change.

Here are a few tips for how to keep your patience as you face all of the changes coming your way.

First, what is patience? For most, patience is the ability to remain calm in a stressful situation. Rather than yelling or cursing, patience allows you to respond appropriately and effectively to the situation.

Establish a Routine

Parents who like to keep an orderly household, the return to school will feel overwhelming at first because the routine you’ve established over the last several months is now very different. But, rather than feeling overwhelmed, try to establish a new routine that fits your family. The new routine will also help to settle your child. Your child needs to feel the security of a routine. He should know what you expect him to do when he gets home from school. Make sure he has some time outside for exercise and fresh air. Establish a regular routine before bed, and make sure your child (and yourself) gets to bed the same time each night.

Understand Your Child’s Stress

Returning to school can be very stressful for your child. Even if he is excited about the possibility of being with his friends, he no longer has the comforts of being at home with you. He no longer has access to his bedroom, his stuff, or his daily routine. Keep in mind that your child can sense your stress, so it is important to keep it in check while everything abruptly changes for the entire family.

Additionally, your child may experience stress from not only the change in routine but academically. He may find himself struggling with specific subjects. Sitting in class with so many distractions may take its toll on his learning. You don’t want him to fall too far behind and continue down this path of stress and anxiety. If you don’t have time, patience or the knowledge to help, find a tutor that can take some of the stress away. Your child will receive one-on-one attention, and you can rest assured he will no longer fall further behind in school.

Know Your Own Triggers

As you try to practice patience, keep in mind your own triggers. With the change in the daily routine, you will more likely be tired. When people are tired, they are usually a little grumpier and their fuse is short. With the understanding that you are tired, also know that your child is tired. Everyone will probably overreact to silly occurrences, yet as the parent, you need to recognize the source.

Try to combat the tiredness by getting everyone, including you, to bed early.  If you allow yourself to have 7 or 8 hours of sleep, you will soon feel refreshed, and the routine will feel easy. Also, get outside for some fresh air and exercise. These simple strategies can help you stay calm even if your child is throwing a tantrum about cleaning his room.

If you do overreact, it’s okay. Once you’ve calmed down, give yourself some time to reflect. Then, have a discussion with your child and problem-solve his choices or apologize if you went too far.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

If after a few weeks, you still feel overwhelmed, ask other parents how they’re doing with the change in routine. They may be able to provide some of their own tips, or they may also need someone to talk to about the added stress.

Remember, everyone needs self-care. But, often it is the parent who neglects his or her own needs. Once your family’s routine has been established and your child is regularly attending school, take some time to do something you love. It may only be for an hour or two but allow yourself some time to reward yourself for getting to this point.

A Variety of Ways to do Online Learning

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A review of the research literature on online learning indicates k-12 students benefit from online models that include a set schedule, live teaching, a mix of synchronous and asynchronous communication, and individualized support and tutoring from mentors or coaches.  

Just as there are a variety of ways to construct and deliver face to face learning, there are as many in online education as well.  As students gear up for back to school, it is important to understand the options. 

Synchronous and Asynchronous Online Learning:

Synchronous classes are live and in real time.  Students must log on at a scheduled time to participate through live video chats. Asynchronous classes are delivered through recorded videos, discussion boards, and emails.   

Students in a synchronous online class might attend school at a certain time everyday.  A synchronous class will include some live instruction and time for both individual and group work.  In asynchronous classrooms, students log-on at any time to complete work and meet deadlines.  Teachers may offer live office hours to answer questions or to provide further explanation and instruction. 

The technology used in online coursework allows for students to work collaboratively in the virtual environment.  Teachers have the ability to create virtual groups and chat rooms for students in synchronous classes.  While in asynchronous classes, students may organize communication themselves through video chats, shared documents, and emails. 

Hybrid Learning: 

A hybrid approach to learning (also called blended learning)  includes both face to face and online instruction. For example, students may attend face to face classes one or two days a week and participate in virtual classes on other days of the week.  The face to face time could be used for direct instruction, group projects, or activities that require specialized equipment available at the school.  While virtual time is used for watching instructional videos, and completing assignments and other forms of assessments. 

Learning Pods: 

A learning pod is a small group of students who meet with one teacher.  Some school districts are using learning pods as a way to keep students and teachers safe in a face to face model.   Others are formed by parents who hire teachers to provide in-home instruction to a small number of students. Like the hybrid model, learning pods may use both face to face and online instruction. 

Individual Tutors: 

Students benefit from individualized attention whether they attend face to face or online schools.  An online tutor can focus on the individual needs of a student and provide real time support for those enrolled in asynchronous classes.  

No matter the format, online learning should be engaging, communicative and supportive.  The best online models include a mix of strategies to meet the needs of all students. 

Ways Teachers Can Connect with ELL Students at Home

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All students are more engaged when they feel connected, appreciated, and valued. They are more willing to take intellectual and emotional risks, so more learning is achieved. Teachers must work to accomplish this safe environment through consistent communication and messaging. Doing so takes time and patience but will create an atmosphere where students are excited about learning. To help with creating a safe classroom environment, teachers should also support ESL students when they are at home.  

Get to Know Your Families

Make a point to know who is in your class. Before communicating with families, find out about their culture. How long have they been in your school district? Who lives in the household? You want to have some background information before you talk to parents and learn their wishes for their children. 

Communication

Communicating often with your students and parents is vital. This communication can take many forms including email, phone calls, text messages, video messages, and even postcards in the mail. Making an effort to communicate with each family will take more time, but you want to establish trust with them. You want to show parents that you respect them and that you only want the best for their children. Communicating shows you value your students and families, so you are helping everyone feel more comfortable, so in a sense, you become part of the family. 

Cultural Competence

Show your curiosity about your students’ cultures. Ask questions and cultivate an appreciation for all cultures with your students. While your students are at home, you can have them create ways to share their culture. They may write out a recipe, or share a holiday tradition. Having your students talk and share their culture helps to get the entire family involved with learning. If you are conducting online classes, students can create videos showing them making a traditional meal, or performing a cultural dance. Students love sharing their culture and other students will learn so much.

Also, keep in mind that students are becoming bilingual, so it is okay for them to continue to speak their native language. You can get the families involved in learning by providing bilingual books when possible. Often, the entire family is learning English, so you can support them by offering opportunities to read together in both their native language and in English. 

Multiple Learning Opportunities

All students learn better when they can interact with the material in multiple ways. This may include reading, writing, speaking, drawing, and listening. Students will understand the new concept more in-depth if they can engage in at least two modalities (more is even better). So, if you have students in class, have them begin by listening to a story and then discussing it with a partner. When students are home, you can have them draw a picture connected to the story or create a treasure box filled with artifacts connected to the story. When you return to class, students can explain to the class how their drawing or each artifact connects to the story.

How to Differentiate Online for ELL Students

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Online learning can be difficult for any student. It requires motivation, patience, and responsibility. Students must be motivated to log on each day, patient with being seated in one place with little contact with friends, and responsible to complete all assignments on time. The ELL student will need extra services to differentiate learning to meet each student’s individual needs.

Communication

It is imperative that students have constant and consistent communication. You must send text messages, emails, phone calls, and video calls to stay in contact with your students. It is only through consistent communication that you understand how to differentiate lessons so the needs of students in their particular situation are met. And, students need to understand your expectations as well as the knowledge that you care about their learning. 

Online Tools and Ideas

Students need as much help as possible when learning a new language online, so use the many tools available. Post videos of you explaining difficult concepts to your students. You can also create cooking videos where you show students how to make a particular recipe connected to their new culture. Use the many videos on YouTube with instructors giving lessons, reading stories, and translating. You can also create a playlist of YouTube Education where you choose the lessons you want for your students. Most of these resources are free and easily accessible to you and your students. 

If your school does not use a Learning Management System (LMS) such as Canvas or Bright Space, Google Classroom is free and a very easy method for posting and organizing assignments, videos, and announcements. If not Google Classroom, you can create a Google folder to share with all of your students. You can populate the folder with videos, assignments, and directions. 

Students can also post videos of themselves teaching a lesson. Assign each student a word to define for the class. They can draw pictures, write stories, or create a poem to help explain the word. Classmates enjoy learning from each other, so get them involved. At the end of the online vocabulary lessons, you can create a Quizlet for students to show what they learned. 

Other online tools that allow you to create and share with students include: Quizlet, Flip, Kahoot, Tik-Tok, Twitter, WEvideo, and Instagram. You can also have students participate in a discussion post. Find a topic that is interesting to your students and have them respond in writing, with videos, or however they want to express themselves.  Also, a low stakes activity is to have students create a message using specific guidelines. For example, they can write a message about their plans for the weekend in 240 characters. 

Learning online can be difficult, so it is important for teachers to use modeling as much as possible. With modeling, teachers regularly explain their expectations with examples. Along with modeling, repetition of daily routines is also important. Begin each class by reviewing their newest vocabulary, discussing the day’s weather, and the day’s date and day of the week. Maintaining routine and consistency is less stressful for students because they can predict what is going to happen next.