Passport to Learning:
Teaching Social Studies to
ESL Students
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Part one: Getting to know the ELL student

Part Two: Teaching the Social Studies:
Challenges and Prospects
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Part Three: Internet resources
Overview
Getting to know the ELL student
What can I expect?
 Increasing presence of ELL’s in the United
States.
 Familiarize yourself with the jargon
 Become familiar with the background and
level of English proficiency of each ELL
student.
 Lau vs. Nichols

Getting to know the ELL student

Focus on language
 Provide
comprehensible instruction
 Promote
 Stages
English language development
of Second Language Acquisition
Getting to know the ELL student
 Modified
input- altering the way that
information is conveyed, including
simplifying language, gesturing, or
providing visual cues.
 Modified interaction- altering the way that
information is exchanged, including
checking for comprehension, re-stating
and paraphrasing each other’s utterance,
or asking for clarification
Teaching ELL students: Effective
Communication
Where do I begin?
 Understand the second language acquisition
process and effective communication

 Scaffolding
 Contextual
 Build
support in primary grades
cognitive academic proficiency
 Cooperative
learning: “jigsaw” technique
Teaching ELL students

V: voice- quality and pitch

I: intonation- proper enunciation

P: pausing- for comprehension and
response

S: speed- giving time to process the
language
Teaching ELL students:
Questioning and Discussion

Strategies to make ELL students feel
welcome and included in your classroom:
1. Learn to pronounce their name correctly.
2. Invite student to make a presentation about
their culture to entire class.
3. Labeling items in the language of ELL
students and in English.
4. Setting high expectations
5. Provide visuals for class routines
Celebrating Cultural and Linguistic
Diversity
Teaching the Social Studies:
Challenges and Prospects

United States History

World History

Geography

Government and Civics

Economics
Teaching the Social Studies

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Provides professional resources and
Internet websites.
Lesson Planning, Learning Activities, and
Printable Materials:
Boggles' World: http://bogglesworld.com/
ESL lounge: www.esl-lounge.com
ESL Party land:
http://www.eslpartyland.com
English Learning Fun Site:
http://www.elfs.com
Internet Resources
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Format of book: Question/Answer
Clear and provided examples
Resources
Incorporates the stages of language
proficiency
Really organized and helpful!
Critique/Recommendation
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Background knowledge
Cultural background of ELL
CALP
BICS
Use of visuals in classroom
Individual needs
Correlation to class

Cruz, B. C., Nutta, J., & O’Brien, J. (2003).
Passport to learning: Teaching social studies to
ESL students. Silver Spring, MD: National
Council for the Social Studies.
Reference: