Tips and Resources for Teaching Teen ESL Students
Guest post by Language Lizard, 2023 Platinum Sponsor
Learning a new language can be daunting, especially for teenagers already facing numerous challenges in their personal and academic lives as they adjust to a new country, community, and school. In addition, teenagers have unique personalities and learning styles, making it challenging to keep them motivated and engaged in the classroom. Here are three tips to help educators create a positive learning environment and teach teen ESL students effectively:
- Understand Their Interests and Needs:
As an educator, it is important to understand the interests, needs, and goals of your teen ESL students. Building a personal rapport with them is essential to understand their background, learning style, and interests. This will allow you to create a customized learning experience for your students to ensure they are engaged and motivated to learn.
- Incorporate Technology:
Today’s teens grew up in an era of technology and smartphones, and incorporating technology in the classroom can be beneficial to both the educator and the student. Teaching English through videos, games, and online activities can help keep teens engaged and motivated to learn. Many teens enjoy using apps and digital resources, so including these elements in your lessons can be helpful.
- Make It Fun and Interactive:
Teenagers tend to get bored quickly, so making your lessons fun and interactive is essential. Use different teaching techniques, including group activities, games, and pair work. Encourage your students to participate actively in the lesson by asking open-ended questions and encouraging them to share their thoughts.
In addition, provide them with age-appropriate resources, such as bilingual books with more complex content and a higher text level, while still offering engaging illustrations to assist comprehension and provide visual support. Here are some suggestions:
For Sports Lovers
Amazing Sports from Around the World explores unusual and fascinating sports from diverse cultures and locations around the world. Readers will be transported across the globe to learn about Yukigassen in Japan, Tuna Toss in Australia, Elephant Polo in Thailand, and many other unique sports.
For Music Lovers
Discover unusual and fun instruments from all over the world in Musical Instruments from Around the World. Travel the globe from Scotland to Australia to Ecuador and beyond to learn about unique instruments that range in age from those invented thousands of years ago to those produced in the last century.
For Literature Lovers
Beowulf is an exciting and gripping tale based on the Old English classic about the Scandinavian hero Beowulf, who gained fame as a great warrior.
Pandora’s Box retells the famous Greek myth about the creation of life and the loss of innocence.
Isis and Osiris is a myth about the most popular Egyptian deities. This classic tale teaches about Egyptian burial rites and how the first mummy was created.
Ali Baba is a classic folktale well-known in Arab culture.
To learn more about this topic, visit Colorín Colorado’s article about Tips for Teaching Middle and High School ELLs.
