We’ve all been there. You’re grooving with your newcomers when October rolls around and, all the sudden, another newcomer arrives with zero English. Here are my tips for getting this student on the path of success quickly and stress-free!
Welcome Them! Besides testing their language proficiency, make them feel welcome by having students trained and ready to show them around school, introduce them to teachers, and answer any questions they have.
Get to Know Them! Have a cultural biography ready for the newcomer to fill out! I offer this resource for FREE here. A portion is filled out by the teacher with important information that’s pertinent for teachers to know. The student fills out the next portion, so you get to know the student. I make copies of these and give them to every classroom teacher. The final portion includes information that the student needs to have on hand. This portion has their schedule, lunch time, friends they can sit with, computer log-in and password, and so forth. Taking time to fill out a cultural biography helps everyone on the student’s team get on the same page.
Help Them Survive & Thrive!
Have lots of pictures around the classroom to help students around.
Make sure students know how to communicate with teachers when they need to use the restroom! This could be a picture they show teachers, or they could use a hand sign, like signing the letter “R.” Make sure teachers are informed of the plan.
Have survival vocabulary words and phrases printed out and ready to go. I sell a newcomer curriculum with 11 units to pull activities from. Each unit is color-coded, filed, and ready for the next student with speaking, listening, reading, and writing activities. It’s easy to pull out the first flashcard set and get students started. To read more about this curriculum, please visit this blog.
Bookmark important websites for students. My newcomer curriculum includes digital flashcards with word pronunciation, so students can be learning new words on their computer any time. I always “favorite” this for students on their computers. Also, make sure to bookmark Google Translate!
Many students don’t know how to type, and computers have become an essential part of school. They can make free accounts at typingclub.com and start learning how to type!
Connect with Their Families! Use bilingual staff to call home and provide updates for parents or guardians. Make sure they are aware of future days off of school, how to call attendance, and that you are here to support their student.
I have had many students arrive late in the school year, and the best part is when they eventually catch up to the others! Typically, they are motivated to move quickly because they want to catch up. Additionally, you can move on when you see they have mastered the concepts in each unit. This means you may be moving faster than you would with a larger group who moves through the curriculum at the same pace.
Did I miss anything? What’s your secret to catching up late-arriving newcomers?
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