leading+class+discussions

**COMMUNICATING** //Leading Class Discussions// 

Speaking up in class can be incredibly intimidating for any student, but especially for ELLs. Fortunately, there are several techniques I have found useful for helping ELLs participate successfully in class discussions. 

I give my ELL students plenty of wait time between when I ask them a question and when I expect them to verbally respond. It may take them a little longer than other students to formulate an answer because they have to translate my question into their first language, then translate their response into English before they speak. Depending on their level of speaking ability, I may choose to ask them to respond to yes/no questions, or at the higher levels of proficiency, questions that require more explanation. This allows them to participate successfully in class discussions at their level.

Other techniques for helping ELLs participate in class discussions are "Think-Pair-Share" and quick writes. Think-Pair-Share asks students to think about their answer to a question, discuss it briefly with a partner, then share the pair's ideas with the whole class. This gives ELLs plenty of time to find the right words for their answer then practice saying it in a safe, one-on-one environment before speaking in front of the class. If an ELL is too shy for the share part, the other partner could present to the class instead. Quick writes work in a similar fashion. All students are given the opportunity to quickly write their answer to a question before being called on to answer in front of the class. Again, ELLs have the chance to find the words for their response before being called on. They could even read their answer instead of saying it extemporaneously.

Since many of my students and I understand Spanish, if that is their native language, I encourage them to respond in Spanish, if they are lacking the words in English.