Resources for new ESOL teacher

Post date: 2018-04-26 16:44:47

This Fall I will start my first year of teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages to highschoolers. Could you recommend your go-to TESOL bible?

I have spent over a decade teaching high school and community college German as well as a year of teaching EFL abroad. I got the ESOL endorsement by passing the Praxis II exam because it is an in-demand area. I know I'm a good teacher overall -- in fact, I'm currently a cooperating teacher in world languages-- but I have very little experience teaching this new subject. Therefore, I don't feel very confident yet and would like to spend this summer reading ESOL pedagogy books to prepare. Ideally, they would be part theory, part strategy with a focus on the different stages of language learning. I will likely be teaching sheltered classes focused on reading and writing but it is possible that I will be co-teaching classes like earth science or world history. I know I'll have a lot of support once I start but I want to see what you recommend now.

Additionally, FWIW, the vast majority of ELLs in my area speak Spanish as their L1; I am working on my fluency in Argentina this summer to better communicate with students' families back home. I'm still going to teach a half-day of German so I'll have time for this transition. Finally, I hope to eventually move from the East Coast to California to teach so this will be an important year for gaining experience.

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