U. of Toronto Conf., 2008
What can beginning English language learners do
in regular academic subjects?
Beginning language learners can:
 Participate silently / actively listen; eyes, ears and hands on
teacher/peers/task
 Discuss academic topic with first language peers
 Respond to writing tasks in first language
 Copy simple notes
 Draw pictures
 Match pictures with labels
 Sequence pictures
 Learn simple, subject-specific vocabulary with visual supports
 Complete simple cloze activities on short familiar topics with word
banks
 Make simple graphs from a table
 Complete a simple graphic organizer
 Draw and label maps
 Create a subject-specific bilingual
picture dictionary (Oxford picture
dictionaries are helpful.)
 Write in first language in a journal
 Contribute first language vocabulary to subject/unit word wall
 Provide first language labels for the classroom
 Produce short pieces of writing by using simple sentence patterns and
sentence starters.
 Participate in non-verbal drama activities (eg. tableaux, pantomime)
 Make models
 Listen to peers, teachers, E.A. read English text
 Listen to bilingual books on tape