Announce the lesson’s

objectives and activities

It is important to write the objectives on the board and review them orally before class begins. It is also helpful to place the lesson in the context of its broader theme and preview upcoming lessons.

Develop and maintain routines

Routines will help LEP students anticipate what will happen (e.g., types of assignments, ways of giving instructions) without relying solely on language cues.

List and review instructions step by step

Before students begin an activity, teachers should familiarize them with the entire list of instructions. Then, teachers should have students work on each step individually before moving on to the next step. This procedure is ideal for teaching students to solve math and science word problems.

Write legibly

Teachers need to remember that some students have low levels of literacy or are unaccustomed to the Roman alphabet.

Present frequent summations

 of the salient points of the lesson

Teachers should (1) try to use visual reviews with lists and charts, (2) paraphrase the salient points where appropriate, and (3) have students provide oral summaries.

Present information in varied ways

By using multiple media in the classroom, teachers reduce reliance on language and place the information in a context that is more comprehensible to the students.

Use of a bilingual dictionary

Students, especially upper elementary, middle and HS, should each have a personal copy to carry with them to all classes. There is useful information explaining English grammar, customs, weights, measures and coinage.