Visuals are importing to the English Language Learner. Visuals are stepping stones when acquiring new language.
Although the do2learn website was designed initially for students with ASD; the site is a great tool for ELL learners as it is filled with visual picture cards and cues.
Visual tools that help ELL students:
Daily Greeting
Connecting with each student in the morning is a postive way to start the day. English Language Learners can use this chart and point to the way that they would like to be greeted by you.
Calm Down Corner
When English Language Learners are new to your class, they will need time to adjust to the classroom environment. If they become stressed or overwhelmed, this visual can give them some tools to regulate their behaviour without the need for language.
Thesaurus Wheels
Thesaurus wheel are a useful visual tool to help ELLs with new vocabulary. They will include the student’s first language, a visual, synonyms and antonyms.
Basic needs
At the beginning, students will need to access basic needs by pointing to simple visuals.
Behaviour visuals
Without using language, an educator can point to one of the visuals to demonstrate the expectation.