Labelling, Literacy Corners, and Multicultural Materials in the Classroom
Using both labels and pictures congruently will aid in the development of your students English language skills, as well as establish independence when navigating the classroom for necessary materials. Visual aids are an immense help to ELL students success in the classroom. The combination of both labels and pictures should be used for physical materials, students daily/weekly schedules to be posted on their desks, as well as using this combination to state a clear set of classroom expectations. E. Kottler, J. Kottler, and Street (2007) discuss how making time for new students to teach classmates the names of things in their own language can create an cultural exchange, and by creating space to display everyone's language in the classroom this creates a feeling of value for all students languages and cultures.
Literacy corners should ideally be a tucked away nook with comfortable and cushy seating providing versatile and labeled resources for students to explore. Bullard (2014) states that a quality learning centre consists of materials that are developmentally and culturally relevant to all children in the classroom. It is important to include reading materials in students’ L1 (first language) to show them the value in continuing to learn in their L1. This could |
also bring comfort to students if they are having a hard day and want the comfort and ease of reading in their L1. As their English language skills develop they could also use these books and describe what the stories are about to their classmates. Bullard (2014) goes onto explain the importance of having a non-stereotypical representation of children and families in your classroom provided through posters, books, and other materials. This can be brought through visual aids representing different items from student’s home countries.
The Ontario government's English as a Second Langauge (ESL)/ English Language Development (ELD) program guide (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2008) highlights important steps in ensuring a rich and positive classroom environment for ELL students:
The Ontario government's English as a Second Langauge (ESL)/ English Language Development (ELD) program guide (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2008) highlights important steps in ensuring a rich and positive classroom environment for ELL students:
- The classroom environment
- ELLs thrive in a welcoming environment in which teachers and peers:
- Value them as a positive presence in the classroom and school;
- encourage their efforts at learning English and sharing their knowledge of the world;
- encourage their use of their L1;
- provide books, visual representations, and concrete objects that reflect their backgrounds and interests.
- Value them as a positive presence in the classroom and school;
References
Bullard, J. (2014). Creating environments for learning birth to age eight (2nd ed.). New Jersey: Pearson.
Kottler, E., Kottler, J. A., & Street, C. (2007). English language learners in your classroom: Strategies that work. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press.
Ms. M. (2013). [Online image]. Retrieved October 6, 2016 from http://sewcraftymommy.blogspot.ca/
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2008). Supporting English language learners. Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/esleldprograms/guide.pdf
Bullard, J. (2014). Creating environments for learning birth to age eight (2nd ed.). New Jersey: Pearson.
Kottler, E., Kottler, J. A., & Street, C. (2007). English language learners in your classroom: Strategies that work. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press.
Ms. M. (2013). [Online image]. Retrieved October 6, 2016 from http://sewcraftymommy.blogspot.ca/
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2008). Supporting English language learners. Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/esleldprograms/guide.pdf