Ways to Address Linguistic Challenges
- use language and content objectives in your instruction
- use standards for language and content
- find out prior knowledge of the students to make connections between content and students' previous experiences
- provide authentic, grade level reading material in students' L1 (first language/primary language) and L2 (second language/secondary language). Materials can be adapted, or linguistically simplified, to match proficiency levels (high-low texts)
- write interactively with students
- encourage free writes in L1 and L2
- teach key vocabulary using visual cues
- avoid over-correcting by modeling correct ways of speaking
- allow students to demonstrate what they understanding in multiple ways
- teach to develop all four language domains: listening, speaking, reading, and writing
- understand the stages of second language acquisition: pro-production/silent period, early production/early speech emergence, speech emergence/early intermediate, intermediate fluency, advanced fluency