Video+and+ELL+Students

**Video and ELL Students - Lauren Hatch**
My goal as a teacher is to get all of my students engaged in their learning by having them be active participants in our classroom. Knowing how to pull other resources in to accompany technology, such as videos, will aide in engaging them when introducing or reviewing targeted standards. I know from personal experience that information is better retained when it can actually be “seen” and “experienced,” which proves to be truer for ELL students.

Videos can be an effective resource for ELL students for many reasons. First, videos help teachers provide exposure to vocabulary in more than one way. Videos give them the opportunity to see and hear things in the real world that they may have never seen before, making it easier to understand. Video also allows you to stop, start, and rewind while watching. This is a great tool for ELL students as the video can be used to further explain a topic or answer questions as they arise. I have found that [|United Streaming] is great to use, as it gives demonstrations that can be duplicated in my own classroom. [|BrainPopJr.] is another great site. Not only does it have videos for most content areas, it includes a word wall section where students can practice vocabulary by seeing and hearing the word and definition. There are also games and activities that further enhance vocabulary and content. Both of these sites are great- especially for students with language barriers!

While videos are a great resource for ELL students, they should not be used alone to teach a skill but as an extension to bring further incite to the topic and to make the information more interesting. There must be a point to watching the video, with desired outcomes. That way, students have a reason to watch attentively while building vocabulary.

There are a few barriers that I can foresee ELL students having with using video to enhance their learning. One is linked to technical difficulties. We all know that technology can be wonderful…when it works. There are times when the Internet may be down or the computer is not working properly. This could take away from valuable learning time. Also, when asked to work individually, ELL students may have a hard time understanding written directions on a website. They could get beyond this barrier by having a student buddy who can help them when needed.

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