Enlightening English Language Learners

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Are you an ESL teacher looking for new ways to build relationships, increase student engagement and promote academic rigor? Join Megan Gschwender as she shares activities, classroom success stories and more along with innovative teacher guests. Subscribe to this podcast to get teaching tips and idea…

Megan Gschwender


    • Apr 18, 2022 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 15m AVG DURATION
    • 14 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Enlightening English Language Learners

    Hedbanz in the Classroom Game!

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2022 16:53


    Have you ever played the game Hedbanz during a family game night? It always is sure to get my family laughing and having fun in the moment. Hedbanz is great in the classroom too! One of my favorite ways to use Hedbanz in the classroom with my English learners is for vocabulary practice. Tune into this episode for how to make a DIY game as well as the different variations I like to play with my students to dig even deeper into truly learning the meanings of new words! To learn more, check out my blogpost on Hedbanz here: https://enlighteningells.blogspot.com/2022/04/homemade-hedbanz-game.html?m=1 Connect with me! Instagram- @enlighteningells Twitter- @enlightenells Email- meganlsyed@gmail.com Teaching Blog- https://enlighteningells.blogspot.com --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

    My EDventure in Egypt!

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2021 19:17


    In this episode, I share with you my experience traveling to Egypt this past summer and having the opportunity to visit the Sudanese Displaced Children's Learning Center. Enjoy! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

    WIDA Can Do Descriptors in Class Kick

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2021 20:32


    In this episode, I discuss the website Class Kick. With Class Kick, you can create interactive slides for your students to work through at their own pace aligned to the can-do descriptors. What’s great about Class Kick is teachers can see all of their students working at once and students can receive immediate feedback from not only their teachers but classmates as well! Connect with me! Instagram- @enlighteningells Twitter- @enlightenells Email- meganlsyed@gmail.com Teaching Blog- https://enlighteningells.blogspot.com --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

    Virtual Pictionary for Vocabulary Instruction

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2021 7:40


    In this episode I discuss a virtual Pictionary website that is completely free called- www.drawasaurus.org Drawasauraus is an AMAZING and easy to use website to help teach new vocabulary. Enjoy! Connect with me! Instagram- @enlighteningells Twitter- @enlightenells Email- meganlsyed@gmail.com Teaching Blog- https://enlighteningells.blogspot.com --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

    GIFs in the Classroom

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2021 10:24


    In this episode I discuss using GIFs to teach vocabulary and to increase student engagement! Enjoy! GIF Examples- https://instagram.com/p/CE-Qemjhiq-/ https://www.instagram.com/p/CI10A64hIJ6/?igshid=g9n27qf04tp8 Connect with me! Instagram- @enlighteningells Twitter- @enlightenells Email- meganlsyed@gmail.com Teaching Blog- https://enlighteningells.blogspot.com --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

    Student Talk in the Online Classroom

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2020 25:01


    Let’s talk student discussions during virtual learning! The interaction component from the SIOP model is so important! For those of you who may not be familiar with the SIOP model, the interaction component is when teachers provide students with consistent opportunities for interaction and discussion, group students to support content and language objectives, provide sufficient wait-time for student responses, and clarify concepts in student’s first language, if possible and necessary. As ESL teachers, we know students need to be talking as much as possible! However, it can be tricky during online lessons. What do you do when all students start talking at once? How can we share the talking time? In this episode I share tips and tricks for student talk in the Online classroom and share an example from one of my recent online lessons where my ELL students brainstorm ideas to divide the air time and share their thinking during our 3rd grade math lesson. It’s definitely not perfect by any means, but it’s real.☺️ How do you make sure your students are having meaningful conversations in your online classroom? Connect with me! Instagram- @enlighteningells Twitter- @enlightenells Email- meganlsyed@gmail.com Teaching Blog- https://enlighteningells.blogspot.com --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

    Room Transformations for ELLs

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2020 11:59


    In this episode I discuss room transformations for ELLs. A room transformation is a way to change up the learning environment with a theme to support the delivery of your instructional content in a unique way. Room Transformations are a great way to lower the affective filter and teach content to your students in a relaxed setting. Connect with me! Instagram- @enlighteningells Twitter- @enlightenells Email- meganlsyed@gmail.com Teaching Blog- https://enlighteningells.blogspot.com --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

    Enlightening English Language Learners (Trailer)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2019 0:33


    Connect Your Classroom with the World

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2019 8:03


    Connect your classroom with the world by using Empatico! Empatico is a free tool that connects classrooms & empowers teachers and students to explore the world through experiences that spark curiosity, kindness, and empathy. Empatico incorporates live video and activities designed to foster meaningful connections among students ages 6-11. Go to h​ttps://kindness.empatico.org​ to sign up. Connect with me! Instagram- @enlighteningells Twitter- @enlightenells Email- meganlsyed@gmail.com Teaching Blog- https://enlighteningells.blogspot.com --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

    Data Chats

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2019 10:15


    In this episode I share my tips and tricks for communicating data to students. You will learn about how to keep your students organized, make data chats super quick and most importantly how to reach your ELL students! Any ideas that you would like to share, please reach out to me on my social media! Instagram: @enlighteningells Twitter: @enlightenells Email: meganlsyed@gmail.com Teaching Blog- https://enlighteningells.blogspot.com Additionally, if you are interested in any of my TeachersPayTeachers resources, check out my store Enlightening Ells --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

    Bring Your Parent To School Day!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2019 28:52


    In this episode I discuss- Bring Your Parent to School Day! This was a day where parents were able to see their child’s routine and participate in student hat with all kids throughout the day. Visit this link to checkout my planning kit! https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Bring-Your-Parent-to-School-Day-Preparation-Kit-4607152 Any ideas that you would like to share, please reach out to me on my social media or by emailing me! Instagram: @enlighteningells Twitter: @enlightenells Email: meganlsyed@gmail.com Teaching Blog- https://enlighteningells.blogspot.com Additionally, if you are interested in any of my TeachersPayTeachers resources, check out my store Enlightening Ells and select English Language Learners (ESL tools). --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

    Creating Online Portfolios to Capture Student Progress

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2019 31:03


    In this episode, you will learn how to use innovative ways to engage students in the four domains; reading, writing, speaking and listening by using Seesaw. Seesaw is a free student-driven digital portfolio that is easy to use and captures learning throughout the year. Teachers can empower students to create, reflect, share, and collaborate. Students accelerate communication skills by “showing what they know” using photos, videos, voice recordings, drawings, text, PDFs, and links. It’s simple to get student work in one place and share with families, and nothing is shared without teacher approval. Any ideas that you would like to share, please reach out to me on my social media or by emailing me! Instagram: @enlighteningells Twitter: @enlightenells Email: meganlsyed@gmail.com Teaching Blog- https://enlighteningells.blogspot.com Additionally, if you are interested in any of my TeachersPayTeachers resources, check out my store Enlightening Ells and select English Language Learners (ESL tools). --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

    Art Start- Visual Thinking Strategies

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2019 10:57


    In this episode you will learn about Art Start Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS). Art Start is a way to help students develop critical thinking, communication, and visual literacy skills tied to their culture and personal background. It only takes a few minutes per day, incorporates all 4 domains of reading, writing, speaking and listening while promoting the development from oral to written ability. Any ideas that you would like to share, please reach out to me on my social media or by emailing me! Instagram: @enlighteningells Twitter: @enlightenells Email: meganlsyed@gmail.com Teaching Blog- https://enlighteningells.blogspot.com Additionally, if you are interested in any of my TeachersPayTeachers resources, check out my store Enlightening Ells and select English Language Learners (ESL tools). --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

    5 Ways to Welcome Newcomers

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2019 21:13


    In this episode, I share 5 Ways to Welcome Newcomers into your classroom. If you have not read Boosting Achievement by Carol Salva with Anna Matis, please do! It is truly an amazing read filled with so many engaging and rigorous ideas! Any ideas that you would like to share, please reach out to me on my social media! Instagram: @enlighteningells Twitter: @enlightenells Email: meganlsyed@gmail.com Teaching Blog- https://enlighteningells.blogspot.com Additionally, if you are interested in any of my TeachersPayTeachers resources, check out my store Enlightening Ells and select English Language Learners (ESL tools). --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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