Strategies for Teaching Close Reading to Newcomers: A Guide for ESL Educators
Adventures in ESL: A Podcast for K-12 ESL Teachers
Release Date: 01/13/2025
EP 160 Mistakes When Writing Language Objectives
Adventures in ESL: A Podcast for K-12 ESL Teachers
📘 Episode Summary: In this episode of My Adventures in ESL, we're diving into one of the most foundational (yet often overlooked) aspects of ESL instruction: language objectives. If you’ve ever felt unsure about whether your objectives are truly effective—or you’re just looking to sharpen your approach—this episode is for you. I’m sharing the three most common mistakes teachers make when writing language objectives and giving you simple, actionable strategies to fix them. These are the lessons I wish I had when I first started teaching. Trust me, once you understand how to write...
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EP 159 Student Needs Assessments
Adventures in ESL: A Podcast for K-12 ESL Teachers
In this week’s episode of My Adventures in ESL, we’re exploring one of the most powerful tools you can use to support your English Language Learners: the student needs assessment. You'll learn what a needs assessment is, why it’s crucial in an ESL setting, and how to effectively implement one in your own classroom. Whether you teach newcomers or long-term English learners, this episode will give you practical steps to better understand and serve your students’ academic, emotional, and language development needs. 🎧 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: What a student needs assessment...
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EP 158 My Go-to Engaging Lessons
Adventures in ESL: A Podcast for K-12 ESL Teachers
Welcome to the My Adventures in ESL Podcast! In this episode, we’re diving into engaging ESL lesson ideas that will captivate your students and enhance their language skills. Teaching English as a second language is more than just lessons—it's about empowering students to express themselves, connect with others, and build confidence. Today, I’m sharing four dynamic teaching strategies to make your lessons more interactive and impactful. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✅ Magic Write: A fun, hands-on vocabulary activity that excites students. ✅ Close Read with Interesting...
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EP 157 Celebrating Your Newcomer's Success
Adventures in ESL: A Podcast for K-12 ESL Teachers
Welcome to the My Adventures in ESL Podcast! In this episode, we’re diving into meaningful ways to celebrate the achievements of your newcomer students—helping them build confidence, stay motivated, and feel valued in the classroom. As educators, we know the importance of encouragement, and today, I’ll be sharing simple yet powerful strategies to uplift your students. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✅ Why celebrating newcomers is essential for their growth and motivation ✅ How to use positive phone calls home to strengthen student-teacher relationships ✅ The importance...
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Ep 156 Lesson Ideas for March
Adventures in ESL: A Podcast for K-12 ESL Teachers
Welcome to this episode, where we dive into engaging lesson ideas for March! This month offers a wealth of opportunities to create meaningful learning experiences for your students. From celebrating Women’s History Month and Poetry Month to exploring the arrival of spring, we’ve got you covered with creative ideas and actionable lesson plans. Episode Highlights: 🎉 Women’s History Month: Celebrate and Inspire The significance of Women’s History Month and why it’s important to recognize the contributions of women in history. Lesson Idea: Biography and Research Projects – a...
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EP 155 My thoughts and experiences about Gifted ELLs
Adventures in ESL: A Podcast for K-12 ESL Teachers
Welcome to the My Adventures in ESL Podcast! In this episode, we explore an important and often overlooked issue—identifying and supporting gifted English Language Learners (ELLs). Many multilingual students go unnoticed in gifted programs simply because traditional assessments don’t account for their unique skills and potential. Join me as I share my personal experiences, insights, and actionable strategies to ensure that gifted ELs receive the recognition and support they deserve. What You'll Learn in This Episode: ✅ Why ELLs are often overlooked in gifted identification ✅ The...
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Empowering Educators: Engaging Lesson Plans for Black History Month
Adventures in ESL: A Podcast for K-12 ESL Teachers
Welcome, educators! In today’s episode, we’re diving into impactful and engaging lesson ideas to help you plan for Black History Month. These lessons are designed to build background knowledge, strengthen reading comprehension, and encourage thoughtful discussions among your students. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✅ How to introduce Black History Month with engaging videos and read-alouds ✅ A simple Gallery Walk activity to encourage student interaction ✅ A Cause & Effect mini-lesson using historical events ✅ A Close Read strategy to develop listening and reading...
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EP 153 Supporting You & Your Students This Testing Season
Adventures in ESL: A Podcast for K-12 ESL Teachers
Welcome to the My Adventures in ESL Podcast! I want to encourage you to take the time to explore the podcast and my website . Testing season can be overwhelming for both ESL teachers and students, with multiple required assessments in a short period. In this episode, we’re diving into strategies to help your students feel confident and prepared while ensuring you stay effective and energized. From test-taking strategies to self-care tips, you’ll walk away with actionable steps to make this season smoother for everyone. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✔️ How to...
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Breaking Myths About Newcomer Students: Insights for Educators
Adventures in ESL: A Podcast for K-12 ESL Teachers
Welcome to today’s episode of the My Adventures in ESL Podcast! We’re tackling some of the most common misconceptions about working with newcomer students and sharing practical strategies to help educators support their success. Episode Highlights: 1. Myth: Students Must Acquire Oral Language Before Literacy Misconception: "Students need to speak English fluently before engaging in literacy activities." Truth: Literacy-rich classrooms are key to helping students develop the academic language they need. Strategies: Teach text structures to help students understand academic...
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EP 151 Celebrate Lunar New Year in Your ESL Classroom with Engaging Lessons and Activities
Adventures in ESL: A Podcast for K-12 ESL Teachers
Welcome, educators! In this episode, we’re sharing exciting ways to bring the Lunar New Year into your ESL classroom. From close reading strategies to hands-on activities, you’ll find creative ideas to spark curiosity, foster cultural appreciation, and build essential language skills. What’s Inside This Episode: 1. Lunar New Year Close Read Discover how close reading can help ESL students unpack key vocabulary and phrases like "red envelopes," "lanterns," and "spring festival." Learn how to identify main ideas, analyze details, and draw inferences while exploring Lunar New...
info_outlineWelcome to today’s episode, where we’re diving into effective strategies for teaching close reading to ESL newcomers! Whether you’re a seasoned educator or just starting your journey, these actionable tips will help you empower your language learners and create meaningful learning experiences.
Episode Highlights:
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Building Background Knowledge:
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Learn why background knowledge is essential for newcomers to access and understand texts.
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Practical ideas: Think-alouds, picture walks, vocabulary banks, videos, and virtual or in-person field trips.
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Teaching Academic Vocabulary:
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Discover the importance of explicitly teaching key vocabulary to boost comprehension.
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Strategies include defining words, providing context, using visuals, and limiting daily vocabulary to 3-5 words.
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Close Reading Process:
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Breakdown of the three stages of close reading:
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First Reading: Focus on comprehension with level 1 and level 2 text-dependent questions.
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Second Reading: Explore text structures and purposes (e.g., cause and effect, compare and contrast).
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Third Reading: Analyze meaning through inferences, connections, and personal interpretations.
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Culminating Activities:
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Ideas for creative projects: Writing assignments, comic strips, podcasts, and more.
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Resources Mentioned in the Episode:
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Close Read Club: Access ready-made close reading lessons for all levels of language learners. Join today for just $5 at myadventuresinesl.com/closereadclub.
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Engaging ESL Resources: Find tools and lesson plans to enhance your teaching at myadventuresinesl.com/store.
Key Takeaways:
Close reading is a transformative strategy that equips newcomers with critical language skills. By building background knowledge, teaching vocabulary, and guiding purposeful readings, you create a supportive environment where students thrive.
Action Steps:
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Start incorporating close reading into your lessons with the strategies shared today.
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Explore our ready-made resources to save time and elevate your teaching.
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Share this episode with fellow educators who would benefit from these strategies!
Thank you for joining today’s episode! Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and visit My Adventures in ESL for more tips and resources to support your teaching journey.