Scenario:
You currently have five English Language Learners(ELL) in your class or one of your classes.

Two of the ELL students understand most of the things you say but are unable to communicate with you. They are easily frustrated when trying to speak in front of their peers. How would you assist them?

Two more of the ELL students can speak and understand English but can not read and write in English. How would you assist them?

The fifth ELL student amazes you with her reading and writing but when you speak to her she says she does not understand and will not speak to you in English. How would you assist her?

You have a student named Paola who is fourteen years old and in the eighth grade. She is from Brazil but has been in the United States for six years. She was an ESOL student when she arrived at Sugarloaf School in the second grade but is now proficient in English. Paola only spoke Portuguese when she arrived but now speaks broken Portuguese. She does not read or write Portuguese very well. Her primary language is now English and remembers very little about her life in Brazil.

Paola's parents have decided to move back to Brazil in December. They want to be close to their family and have never really been able to adapt to life outside of their native Brazil. They will be moving at winter break.

Paola does not want to go back to Brazil. She loves Sugarloaf School, her friends, and her life. She does not feel comfortable in Portuguese anymore, she loves everything about the U.S.

As Paola's teacher, she comes to talk to you. She is devastated. What do you say? What would you recommend or not recommend?

Scenario: You are a fifth grade teacher and a new student arrives in your class. The student is from Lithuania. The student's name is Juozas. The only language the student speaks is Lithuanian. There is no one in your class or school that speaks this language. How do you communicate with this student? Where do you begin? What strategies do you use to teach this student?

~ You need to speak to Juozas' parents but they only speak Lithuanian. What do you do?