Help for Classrooms

Settling the Bilingual Education Debate on BAM! Radio

Tune in to this streaming media presentation of Karen’s discussion with Ellen Bialystok and Rae Pica on BAMRadio here: Settling the Great Bilingual Education Debate!  Be sure to spend time at BAM Radio’s excellent website as...

Professional Development Secret Weapons – Early Childhood Language and Cultural Diversity

Professional Development Secret Weapons – Early Childhood Language and Cultural Diversity By Karen Nemeth, Ed.M. These professional development resources are so useful – I’m starting to feel a little guilty about keeping them to myself! ...

Sources of Help for Pre-K Dual Language Learners

10. Start by getting to know the language environment of the family. Who speaks which language? What is their country of origin? What are some of their holidays and cultural traditions? Be responsive in your...

Parents Partnering with Teachers to Bring Up Multilingual Children

“Parents Partnering with Teachers to Bring Up Multilingual Children” is Karen’s guest post on the Multilingual Living website.  Check it out. Parents Partnering with Teachers to Bring Up Multilingual Children Be sure to spend time...

Settling The Great Bilingual Education Debate on BAm! Radio

Hear Karen’s guest appearance on BAM! Radio from June 2010 here: Settling The Great Bilingual Education Debate Click the download button and an .mp3 file that can be played in most any media players, including iTunes,...

Message for Parents of DLLs: Success in English Starts with Supporting the Home Language!

Time after time teachers ask, “we believe in supporting the home language, but what should we do when parents ask us NOT to use anything other than English?” Parents who speak another language often enroll...

Ways Teachers Can Learn Children’s Home Languages

10. Make a list of 10-20 survival words like eat, nap, bathroom, hurt, help, stop, and ‘mommy will be here soon’. Print on a card and send home with a mini-recorder so parents can write...

Must-Have Multicultural Items to Place on Your Order List

10. Books in all the languages you expect to encounter – at least 10 books per language. • 9. Digital camera and supplies for making books/games/magnets/posters that connect with real world experience and can be...

Teaching English Language Learners in Preschool

Helping Young Children Who Speak Different Languages Become Friends

Ideas for Sending DLLs Off for Holiday Break

10. Amidst all the holiday hubbub, don’t forget to prepare children that the holidays mean time off from school – but it’s only temporary. 9. Work with the children to practice reading and writing a...

Ideas for Celebrating Diverse Holidays

10. Ask parents for suggestions about what they celebrate at home and what’s important for them.  Don’t assume. 9. Go online to download news pictures of celebrations in other countries to post throughout the classroom....