Laura Alvarez

From Laura Alvarez, one of the authors of Supporting Newcomer Students, a guide on how to continue to support multilingual students’ language development and rigorous learning in a remote environment. In this QRG in the new set of Strategies for Distance Learning Guides, Alvarez provides questions to guide instructional planning and key teaching moves for English learners, within a framework of 4 principles for distance learning: Facilitate meaningful interactionsBuild relationshipsUse technology purposefullyHold an inquiry stance With extensive tips for how to maintain these goals in both synchronous and asynchronous learning activities, this guide will be a go-to resource for teachers of newcomers and English learners. Each 8.5" x 11" multi-panel guide is laminated for extra durability and 3-hole-punched for binder storage.

In this much-needed book, the authors marshal research and several decades of their own experience to provide instructional practices and activities that will help teachers develop newcomers as readers and writers of English and engage them in content learning across the curriculum. Equally important, they show how teachers can advocate for these vulnerable students, many of whom have experienced multiple challenges in their home countries or in the United States, including poverty, violence and political persecution. With chapters on assessment and second-language acquisition as well as reading, writing, speaking and content learning, their book is a timely and comprehensive guide for any K–8 educator whose classroom or school includes newcomer students.

This timely and incisive book examines the ways in which English language proficiencies develop in newly arrived immigrant students. Beginning by describing the challenges faced by children who currently attend segregated schools in many parts of the country, the authors offer a detailed account of the developing English language proficiencies of K–3 children from one after-school intervention program. Using the experiences of these children as a lens, the authors debunk commonly held views of young children as rapid and effortless learners of new languages. Essential reading for classroom teachers, students, researchers, and policymakers, this authoritative book: Offers principles for designing an integrated practice for educating English language learners. Describes interactions between volunteer “English Buddies” and ELL children to highlight ways in which children begin to comprehend and produce English. Includes examples of materials and activities that can be used with young ELL children to engage them in new-language interactions. Analyzes the effectiveness of current practices designed to accelerate the second language acquisition process.