"The authors embrace the constructivist paradigm as a natural teaching and learning response to the specific needs of ELLs. A unique and remarkable contribution to the theoretical and research-based literature." -Karen C. Evans, Principal David Walker Elementary School, Evanston, IL "Reyes and Vallone invite readers on an exciting journey inside classrooms where knowledgeable, caring, advocacy-oriented teachers effectively engage English Language Learners through culturally and linguistically responsive pedagogy." -Carlos J. Ovando, Professor Arizona State University Combine constructivist methods and culturally responsive instruction to improve educational equity. As the population of English Language Learners (ELLs) grows, educators need new strategies to effectively promote second language acquisition and literacy development in all content areas. By linking constructivist pedagogies to ELL instruction, Constructivist Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners provides a culturally responsive approach that builds on students' experiences and strengths. Sharon Adelman Reyes and Trina Lynn Vallone supply in-depth classroom examples and grade-level connections to help readers apply constructivist methods in teaching ELLs. Designed for inclusive classrooms with diverse student backgrounds and abilities, this hands-on guide examines: Perspectives on second language acquisition and learning Program models for ELLs Instructional practices informed by critical pedagogy Examples of constructivist classroom programs Mainstream and bilingual teachers, ESL specialists, principals, and teacher leaders will find the conceptual foundation and practical methods needed to promote academic success for ELLs.

Language proficiency is multidimensional. While conversational skills are essential for social interaction, they are insufficient for most academic purposes. To be successful, teachers and students must acquire a firm and accurate command of subject-area vocabulary. Even though a growing number of Americans speak Spanish at home, the United States has a severe shortage of professionals with fully developed academic skills in Spanish. This poses a special challenge for bilingual classrooms. Educators must be able to identify "la palabra justa" - the right word - in preparing or presenting a lesson, especially when providing content instruction and second-language input at the same time. Recognizing an acute need, the editors of this volume brought together an international team of language teachers, teacher educators, and other bilingual professionals to create an English-Spanish / Espanol-Ingles glossary. "La Palabra Justa" features more than 24,000 entries covering the academic vocabulary needed in K-12 education. Unlike a dictionary, the glossary offers a quick, user-friendly way to find translations of key terms in context. Sections include: Language Arts (Grammar & Composition, Literature, and Languages); Mathematics (Arithmetic & Algebra, Geometry, Probability & Data Analysis, Numbers & Measures); Science (Earth Sciences, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Inquiry & Process); Social Studies (Civics & Government, Economics & Finance, Geography, and History); Fine Arts (Performing Arts and Visual Arts); Technology; and School Life (Holidays & Celebrations, School Routines & Activities, Field Trips & Transportation, School Library, Playground & Sports, Student Health, Special Needs, Conduct & Discipline).

Meeting the needs of English language learners is one of the biggest challenges facing American schools today. Practical classroom strategies are essential, but it is also critical for educators to understand the rationale behind them: why a technique or methodology is working or not working for their students. Engage the Creative Arts is designed to build that understanding while also stimulating teachers' imagination to help them invent new strategies of their own. The book introduces the ENGAGE Framework for Sheltering and Scaffolding Language the Natural Way, an approach developed by Sharon Adelman Reyes based on more than 30 years of experience working with English language learners. It emphasizes methodologies that are grounded in a constructivist educational philosophy and a comprehensive theory of language acquisition. Rather than prescriptive, step-by-step recipes for instruction, it features strategies that are open-ended, creative, and best of all, engaging for students. Engage the Creative Arts is full of hands-on, ready-to-use activities in dramatic arts, creative writing, music and rhythm, dance and movement, and visual arts, along with ideas for developing many more. But the ENGAGE Framework can be applied to any academic content area. And it is designed for all teachers who work with second language learners, whether in bilingual, English as a second language, dual immersion, heritage language, or world language classrooms.

Dual immersion, a popular new way to foster bilingualism, is capturing the attention of parents and educators alike. By bringing together children from diverse backgrounds to learn each other's languages in a natural setting, it has proved far more effective at cultivating fluency than traditional approaches. But how do these programs actually work? What goes on in dual immersion classrooms? And what is it that makes them so effective? Diary of a Bilingual School answers these questions with a unique mix of narratives and analysis. Depicting a year in the life of a second-grade classroom, it demonstrates what can happen when the instruction is bilingual and the curriculum is constructivist. The book focuses on Chicago's Inter-American Magnet School, one of the nation's most acclaimed dual immersion programs, where children thrive in an environment that unlocks their intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm for learning. Simultaneously, without conscious effort, they become proficient in two languages and at home in a culture that differs from their own. For those who want to discover the benefits of dual immersion for their children or for their students -- or who want to learn more about child-centered approaches to teaching -- Diary of a Bilingual School is a must.

Teaching in Two Languages is a hands-on practitioner's guide to the challenges of teaching bilingually to the ever-growing population of English Language Learners (ELLs) in today's schools. This invaluable resource addresses emerging models of bilingual education such as two-way immersion and heritage language programmes, in addition to programme models that are limited to serving ELLs. Sharon Adelman Reyes and Tatyana Kleyn have organized the book around essential questions asked by practicing teachers and backed up by compelling vignettes based on actual schools and teachers across the U.S.

"The authors embrace the constructivist paradigm as a natural teaching and learning response to the specific needs of ELLs. A unique and remarkable contribution to the theoretical and research-based literature." -Karen C. Evans, Principal David Walker Elementary School, Evanston, IL "Reyes and Vallone invite readers on an exciting journey inside classrooms where knowledgeable, caring, advocacy-oriented teachers effectively engage English Language Learners through culturally and linguistically responsive pedagogy." -Carlos J. Ovando, Professor Arizona State University Combine constructivist methods and culturally responsive instruction to improve educational equity. As the population of English Language Learners (ELLs) grows, educators need new strategies to effectively promote second language acquisition and literacy development in all content areas. By linking constructivist pedagogies to ELL instruction, Constructivist Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners provides a culturally responsive approach that builds on students' experiences and strengths. Sharon Adelman Reyes and Trina Lynn Vallone supply in-depth classroom examples and grade-level connections to help readers apply constructivist methods in teaching ELLs. Designed for inclusive classrooms with diverse student backgrounds and abilities, this hands-on guide examines: Perspectives on second language acquisition and learning Program models for ELLs Instructional practices informed by critical pedagogy Examples of constructivist classroom programs Mainstream and bilingual teachers, ESL specialists, principals, and teacher leaders will find the conceptual foundation and practical methods needed to promote academic success for ELLs.