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When it comes to the experts, there’s no mistaking the power of vocabulary in a person’s life. According to the language website, The Linguist, the reason is obvious: the size of a person’s vocabulary is often a telltale sign for a range of educational achievements and capabilities. That’s not just in writing, reading, listening and speaking, … Read More

When you’re an English Language Learner (ELL), the upcoming school year can’t help but feel daunting, especially if you’re new to the US school system, states the Language Lizard Blog, so here are five tips for bilingual teachers that can help. According to the Blog, don’t make the assumption that ELLs need attention to be … Read More

Creating a literacy-rich environment can help greatly in bringing the classroom alive for your ELL students, says the article “Supporting ELLs in the Mainstream Classroom: Language Tips.” One terrific tool, for instance, is to make a “word wall” and fill it with common writing and conversational phrases, grammar rules, sight words, new … Read More

Like peanut butter and jelly or salt and pepper, art and literacy just go together, and here are five ways educators can support literacy with art in the early years. Concordia University says educators can promote literacy in various ways in nearly every subject. For instance, to encourage reading, … Read More

A myriad of studies on the power of a mother’s voice reveal that it can dramatically increase levels of oxytocin, the social-bonding hormone, lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, and can soothe children in stressful situations, says the article “How Babies Know Their Mother’s Voice — Even in the Womb.” One study in … Read More

Knowing that the principal is the most influential and important individual at a school, here are four terrific ways principals can support English Language Learner (ELL) students, says a white paper on the role that school principals play. The principal’s leadership is what sets the tone of a school, … Read More

To kick-off this fun holiday that runs from September 15 through October 15, here are some awesome activities for Hispanic Heritage Month for communities, schools and families! The Scholastic literary resource organization suggests growing a heritage garden common to a lot of Spanish-speaking countries. Some of the staple crops can include peppers, squash, corn and beans. … Read More

Since the approval of Proposition 58, people are wondering about bilingual education in California—now what is the big question. CABE, the California Association for Bilingual Education, says that CA sites and school districts now have a lot more things to take into consideration when implementing a biliteracy program. Starting in July 2017, if the parents … Read More

Dual Language Schools in CA Dual Language Schools in CA are like seeds in a watermelon, they’re popping up everywhere in the state, these days. As California evolves into the notion that kids who know one or more languages is a big plus, it’s likely that dual immersion programs will only continue to grow. Many high school students are reaping … Read More

Do Electronic Toys Foster Language? Though convenient for parents, researchers are asking the question if electronic toys foster language. What many are finding is that electronic toys and devices are coming up short compared to traditional books. According to the article “When It Comes to Infant Language Development, Not All Toys Are Created Equal, with electronic toys, experts are seeing … Read More