Tech Tips for ELLs...

A colleague of mine sent me this article last month that covers how teachers can particularly help ELL students learn using technology. Keep in mind that many of the strategies listed can be used for students of all kinds. For instance, using small groups/pairs is an effective strategy for helping ELLs complete assignments with many steps because they can help each other and communicate/teach each other how to complete the tasks.

Many strategies are presented in the article. Here is a breakdown of helpful tips presented by this article when designing assignments that use technology:

• Short Tasks: For assignments that require technology use, it is helpful to organize direction as short tasks. This is a way of chunking text into small doses
• Steps: Along with using short tasks, it is also helpful to make assignments with numbered, step-by-step directions.
• Illustrations: Each short task should include a screen shot showing exactly what the student should be doing. 

As you create visual directions, it is a best practice to print them on paper so students can easily follow along and perform each step. This deters students from having to waste time going back and forth trying to follow directions. These tips have guided me for many years, however, it felt good reading that studies back up these practices. 

Here is an example of a handout I helped create for a Physical Education teacher:

If you need help learning how to make screenshots, check out this terrific site that shows how to take screenshots on any device!