Head Start English Language Learners Project: HELLP Community Useful Links

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Just Added (March 8, 2007)

*Boardmaker software is the premiere software among educators for creating printed symbol-based communication and educational materials. A drawing program combined with a graphics database, Boardmaker features more than 4,500 Picture Communication Symbols (PCS) in both black-and-white and color, all in 44 languages. It is ideal tool for creating symbol-based materials such as communication displays for AAC users, worksheets and flash cards for English language learners.

*Greg & Steve are the top-selling music duo in the United States; their music makes for great movement activity. Find music and videos; listen to sample clips; and more on their interactive website.

*Languages of the World is a comprehensive resource for information on world languages and cultures. Resources are presented by the National Virtual Translation Center.

*Modern Language Association has a wealth or resources, including a census map indicating the languages spoken across the United States.

*Intrepreters Network of Colorado

*Developing Literacy in Second-Language Learners: Report of the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and Youth (Adobe PDF Reader required to view file)
edited by Diane August and Timothy Shanahan

*Toilet Training
presented by Center for Effective Parenting

*Balkatha
list of childrens books from India in Hindi

Websites

The BUENO Center for Multicultural Education is an integral part of the School of Education at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Through a comprehensive range of research, training, and service projects, the Center strongly promotes quality education with an emphasis on cultural pluralism. The Center's website shares program information and other resources.

Center for Applied Linguistics provides answers to some of the most frequently asked questions related to working with English language learners.

Center for Improving the Readiness for Children for Learning and Education (CIRCLE) at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHSC-H) is actively involved in numerous researches, community programs and training activities related to the goal of promoting quality learning environments for young children. Examples presented on this web site are very appropriate to implement with English language learners. Find resources and strategies related to developmentally appropriate environments and literacy.

Colorin Colorado presents strategies for ways in which you can provide ELLs with additional support in learning content areas such as math, science, social studies and language arts. Topics include oral language development for beginners, introducing a text before reading, cooperative learning strategies, how to develop a lesson plan that includes ELLs, reading comprehension strategies for content learning and how to se lect vocabulary words for teaching ELLs.

Colorin Colorado's professional development webcast series includes a session, Assessment of English Language Learners. The session lasts 45 minutes and includes effective strategies to use when assessing ELLs. The webcast is best viewed on a computer with a high-speed connection (cable, DSL vs. dial-up).

The Cultural Orientation Project’s website provides basic facts about new refugee groups arriving in the U.S.

The Early Childhood Research Institute on Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) is a federally-funded collaborative effort of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, The Council for Exceptional Children, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education, and the ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education.

The EFL Playhouse is a website with a variety of activities appropriate for English language learners — and other children — including finger plays, songs, games, recipes, teaching tips and tongue twisters.

English Language Learners Toolkit was created by the Head Start Publication and Information Center. It provides valuable tools for working with young ELLs and their families.

The "Environments" Inc. website offers some free resources (as well as items to purchase) if you register with them. There is no charge to register but you do have to provide a username, password and an email address. The FREE label-maker allows you to add colorful pictures and borders to create your own individualized labels. They could be used to enter words in any language as well as children's names but you do have to add the text. It might be helpful to have someone on staff or in the community that speaks the languages represented in your class assist you in creating the labels if you are unsure of the words.

Introduction to Language Instructional Educational Programs is presented by the Department of Education. The website provides many resources including a summary of the different methodologies to use with English Language learners.

Language Development, Including English Language Learners, was presented by Patton O. Tabors at the National Head Start Child Development Institute. Tabors is a research associate at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Metropolitan Policy Program Selected Immigration Resources by The Brookings Institution includes program studies documenting key aspects of incorporating immigrants, with particular emphasis on policies to promote upward economic mobility.

The Minnesota Humanities Commission’s Family Literacy Initiatives project provides assistance to families by working with those who serve them: teachers, parent educators, early childhood educators, librarians, social service providers and other family literacy professionals. The Commission’s bilingual projects, resources and programs develop the English literacy skills of refugee and immigrant families while recognizing and developing heritage languages in Minnesota.

National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition and Language Instructional Educational Programs (NCELA) is funded by the Department of Education. Check out their section on selected Spanish Language and Hispanic, Latino and Chicano Culture resources as well as a number of other languages and cultures.

The Olive Press has been providing the educational community with multicultural and multilingual books and teaching resources for over 16 years. For the past ten years we have carried books that support the "Reggio Emilia" approach to early education. Their selection includes books from independent as well as major publishers. They also carry books for children in several foreign languages.

Rebus Charts and Graphic Organizers are great instructional tools to use with English Language Learners. The HELLP staff has compiled a sampling of charts: management charts, charts to introduce a topic, introducing ideas using charts; a sense chart; and an observation chart.

Scholastic's Many Languages, Many Cultures website section features strategies for working with ELL families and children.

Shelby County Schools ESL Resources provides ideas related to integrating the classroom for English language learners. Some ideas are geared towards older children but you will find great strategies related to pre-school children.

Sounds of the World's Animals is a resource website offered by a linguistics professor at Georgetown University. Animals make much the same sounds around the world, but each language expresses them differently. Explore the sounds of the world's languages through the sounds of the world's animals.

STEP-Net is a web-based communication network intended to help you share information about early literacy and learning. You can access resources or participate in online discussions with other members of the Head Start community. STEP-Net helps local staff to connect, share information and implement emerging knowledge.

Webbing into Literacy (WIL) presents strategies appropriate to implement with English language learners. Some strategies are for classroom use in the area of literacy development. In addition, it provides examples of rhymes that can be integrated into the weekly lesson plans. Find concrete examples to integrate rhymes in the classroom on an ongoing basis and rhyme activities children and families can do at home.

The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) review focuses on interventions designed to improve the English language literacy and/or academic achievement of elementary school students who are English language learners. English language learners (ELLs) are among the most academically at-risk groups in our schools today and their numbers will rise steadily in the near future. On average, ELL students receive lower grades, score below their classmates on standardized reading and mathematics tests, and are often judged by their teachers as academic "underachievers."

Translation Websites

A Bridge Between Nations

International Conference Systems

Language Services Associates

Multilingual Experts

Publications

Bilingual Babies
by Kellie B. Gormly for the Pittsburgh Tribune Review

Cultural and Linguistic Competency in Family Supports (Adobe PDF Reader required to view file)
by S. Bronheim, T. Good and W. Jones

Early Childhood Education Brief, Second Language Development 10 Essesntial Practices (Adobe PDF Reader required to view file)
by Bueno Center at the University of Colorado at Boulder

From 'There' to 'Here': Refugee Resettlement in Metropolitan America
by Audrey Singer and Jill H. Wilson

Glossary of Head Start Terms in English and in Spanish (Adobe PDF Reader required to view file)
by Veronica N. Coon, for the Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Quality Improvement Center

Head Start Bulletin on English Language Learners (Bulletin 78) also available as a PDF. Adobe PDF Reader required to view file.
bulletin published by the Head Start Bureau, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Help Your Newcomers Develop Pride in Their Heritage
by Judie Haynes

Is it Wrong to Speak to My Babies in Their Home Language? The answer is “no.” In fact, the home language needs to be maintained in early care settings.
by Sylvia Y. Sánchez

Language Access: Helping Non-English Speakers Navigate Health and Human Services (Adobe PDF Reader required to view file)
by Ann Morse

Literacy Rich Environments (Adobe PDF Reader required to view file)
information brief presented by The Access Center (11 pages)

Raising Bilingual Children: Common Parental Concerns and Current Research
by Kendall King and Lyn Fogle

Reaching All Children? Understanding Early Care and Education
Participation Among Immigrant Families (Adobe PDF Reader required to view file)
by Hannah Matthews and Danielle Ewen

Study Sheds Light on How Young Adult Children of Immigrants Assimilate
by University of California at Irvine

Working With Young English Language Learners: Some Considerations
by Bronwyn Coltrane