Working with second language learners : answers to teachers' top ten questions

I especially like the way Stephen Cary teaches. He invites you into the teaching laboratory of real schools and classrooms and presents rich case studies drawn from his three decades of working with multilingual students.

Woven throughout are invaluable field-tested strategies and resources for supporting and encouraging all children.

Stephen Cary is a wise and patient teacher. There's something here for every teacher who works with second language learners. - Donald H. Graves, author of A Fresh Look at WritingGood teaching starts with good questions. And when you're a regular classroom teacher with second language students, you're certain to have plenty of questions.

Stephen Cary, a second language learner specialist, has coached hundreds of teachers in public school districts, county offices of education, and university teacher preparation classes.

Working with Second Language Learners represents these teachers' top ten most frequently asked questions along with Cary's practical, research-informed answers.Each question on the Top Ten List is real, meaning a real teacher teaching real kids asked it.

Each was asked - and asked again - by teachers from several grade levels who were new to working with second language learners.

Every question targets one of the key instructional issues teachers must address to ensure success for their second language students.

Included among them are: How do I assess a student's English?How do I make my spoken language more understandable?

How do I get my reluctant speakers to speak English?

How do I make a difficult textbook more readable?How do I teach grade-level content to English beginners?Classroom-in-action stories let readers watch and listen in ona variety of K-12 teachers as they frame and implement workable answers to these questions.

Reflections following each classroom story pinpoint solid instructional practices and suggest additional strategies and techniques for building language and giving second language learners access to core curriculum.

A special references/resources section contains a wellspring of books, journals, websites, and professional organizations readers can tap for questions beyond the Top Ten.