Welcoming Newly Arrived High School ELLs
By Sarah Elia
The author provides a list of options for helping high school ELLs “thrive socially, emotionally, and academically.” Here are the three categories.
- Create an Inclusive Physical Environment to make newcomers feel safe and welcome. These might be decorating bulletin boards with flags of students’ home countries, welcome signs, or students’ photos with information about their home countries. Positive phrases in students’ languages and English may be included in morning announcements, emails, or posted in various places in the school.
- Increase Multicultural Awareness for the purpose of demonstrating to ELLs “… that their background knowledge is an asset to their community.” Help them meet others in the school, such as students, teachers, and staff who speak their home language. Set up opportunities for them to share their language and culture with interested students. Find documentaries about students’ home countries or give them the opportunity to share information about their home countries with other students.
- Provide Supplemental Supports – This includes staff who can communicate with the students in their languages, and if possible, offer extra help with English after school.
The author concludes that
The above recommendations are steps in supporting ELLs, while also promoting understanding, tolerance, and acceptance. Bilingualism, a tool in understanding multiculturalism, is common in much of the world and, with the help of our ELLs, perhaps will be increasingly valued in school communities across the United States.