Learn with Mel Hern

Newcomer students—recent arrivals to the United States—often face a whirlwind of challenges as they adjust to a new country, culture, and school system. For educators, the responsibility of supporting these amazing students extends beyond academics. It requires empathy, cultural responsiveness, and a commitment to creating equitable learning opportunities. This blog explores the journey newcomers face, practical strategies for supporting them, and how we can embrace bilingual instruction to help students thrive academically and socially. Please know that this post is not an exhaustive list of the struggles Newcomers face and the strategies that educational institutions must take. Instead, this is a very basic springboard to ongoing work that should most definitely continue as educators receive more diverse students from around the world in their classrooms. Understanding the Newcomer Experience Newcomers arrive with a variety of backgrounds, languages, and educational experiences. Some...

English language learners (ELLs) form a diverse group within the United States education system, bringing unique perspectives and backgrounds to the classroom. However, they also encounter distinct challenges that can impact their academic experience. In this blog post, we'll explore the hurdles faced by English language learners and delve into important strategies that teachers can employ to create an inclusive and supportive learning environment. Challenges Faced by English Language Learners:  Language Barrier: ELLs often face the immediate hurdle of a language barrier, impacting their ability to comprehend lessons, participate in class discussions, and complete assignments effectively. It is imperative that teachers find student native language level so that further instruction in English can take place. One tool that I have found useful is ENIL from the American Reading Company. It is a very self explanatory evaluation tool that looks at Spanish language independence level, fro...

  This teacher is ready for summer break! How about you?  Do not act like I am the only one ready to get wild and hang from a chandelier. 😂  I think we can all agree it has been a year for the books, well, maybe a digital book. :)  I know many of us had to become online educators at the drop of a hat! Wow, are we amazing. We were definitely dealt our fair share of craziness this past school year but somehow we soldiered on and are ending it like the champs we are. It never ceases to amaze me how resilient, how flexible, supportive, intelligent, and strong that we all are as educators. Whatever is thrown at us, we always manage to pivot until we find success. Yes!👏 That being said, it is almost that time... to stop the caregiving that is innately found in us teachers and start finding the care for ourselves. The time is now to do whatever it is we want to do, no holding back.  As I get older, I start to see my time on earth quickly passing and I keep thin...