Technique: Use non-verbal and verbal communication strategies when communicating with students.

1. Non-verbal strategies

ühand signals

üobject labels

üpictures

üactions

üfacial expressions

übilingual or picture dictionaries

2. Verbal Strategies

üface students

übe confident

üspeak at a slower rate

üpronounce words normally

üpause between sentences or phrases

üuse shorter and simpler sentences and questions

üestablish patterns in questions

üuse an appropriate tone of voice for what you want to say

üavoid slang and idiomatic phrases, asides and unclear pronouns

üuse high frequency, consistent words and phrases

üparaphrase often

Tip: ESL students’ language development is encouraged by communication.

Technique: Support ESL students’ efforts to communicate.

vbe a good listener

vbe patient

vencourage students to continue

vfocus on meaning, not grammar

vprovide difficult words when students struggle

vallow the students to decide when to speak aloud

vbuild on or scaffold what students say

vrestate what students say

vask for clarification or elaboration

vprovide peer interaction through cooperative learning

vgive ESL students time to rehearse what they want to say

vpraise, praise, praise when ESL students communicate

vlet students speak their language with each other

vlet students switch between languages if they don’t know words in English