{"id":148279,"date":"2022-05-25T12:00:58","date_gmt":"2022-05-25T17:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/?p=148279"},"modified":"2022-09-27T22:00:29","modified_gmt":"2022-09-28T03:00:29","slug":"4-ways-to-welcome-esl-students-who-are-new-to-the-country","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/4-ways-to-welcome-esl-students-who-are-new-to-the-country\/","title":{"rendered":"4 ways to welcome students who are new to the country and learning English for the first time"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many families and children are taking and seeking refuge in new places daily.<\/h2>\n

So, it might not be surprising when you suddenly get a new student in your classroom. When you have a newly arrived newcomer student, the impact you have on welcoming them on day one is so important.<\/p>\n

Who is considered a newcomer student?<\/p>\n

A newcomer student is someone who is new to the country and possibly has had little to no English language. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Newcomers might have an immigrant or refugee background. An immigrant is someone who leaves their country to move to another, whereas a refugee is someone who is forced out of their country due to a danger in their life. There is a lot to unpack when working with newcomers. These are a few things I have learned over the years to welcome newcomers into our schools and classrooms.<\/p>\n

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1. Go beyond the classroom.<\/h3>\n

If possible, allow the family and student to come visit the classroom and school beforehand. Have a team or a point person (i.e. ESL teacher, guidance counselor, etc.) as a school-to-home communication liaison. Here is a starter checklist of things to ask or do with the student and families:<\/p>\n

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Video links: Welcome to School<\/a>; Arabic<\/a>: Burmese<\/a>: Dari<\/a>: English<\/a>: Karen<\/a>: Rohingya<\/a>: Pashto<\/a>: Somali<\/a>: Spanish<\/a>: Swahili<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

When I have a newcomer student and family, I would create a welcome packet or folder for families with this information for parents to take home. Another thing I\u2019ve done, if possible, is do a home visit. This really bridged the connection with families. When families feel a sense of ease about school, the transition and trust will come.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

2. Take time to learn about their language and culture.<\/h3>\n

It is so important to know the background of your student and their families. Don\u2019t assume that because the family doesn\u2019t speak English, they are incompetent to support their child\u2019s education journey. Some ways to learn about your student family:<\/p>\n