This post is the first in a series of 11 different posts designed to help you better meet the needs of your English Language Learners during Social Studies. The posts are the framework for my Hip History Handbook for English Language Learners e-book. This introductory post is my why for the labor of love. I’m Andrea Runnels, aka “The Social Studies Whisperer”, a creative brain and American history nerd from metro Atlanta. I recently left teaching public school to go rogue to share the love of Social Studies and be a champion for ESOL kids and those with ADHD full time while working in the non-profit space! Throughout my 18+ years in the classroom I dabbled in Pre-K, traditional 1st and 2nd grade, Lower Elementary Montessori, and Upper Elementary Montessori, and traditional 5th grade. In fact, the bulk of my time, 11 of the 18 years, was spent working with “5thies.” I earned ESOL and Gifted Learner certification back in Georgia and also completed 21 hours of graduate training in Montessori education. I recently obtained certification in Marketing Education for 6th-12th grade. That being said I come to you with a wide range of experience which allows me to offer a unique point-of-view.

Why do I call myself “The Social Studies Whisperer?” My goal is to channel “The Dog Whisperer’s” approach of taking what seems like an impossible situation and flipping it! I feel like American History is becoming an endangered species in the midst of the STEM shuffle. We can’t do away with standardized testing but we can make some adjustments to our curriculum and mindset to fit in creative and engaging Social Studies lessons. I’m passionate about connecting the past to the present to help kids see that history can be hip. I also believe in connecting history to kids’ own lives so they feel connected to the content! That’s why I’m so passionate about modifying it for English Language Learners! I feel strongly about integrating literacy to maximize instructional time which eliminates the excuse of “no time for S.S.”It is my mission to make sure content is modified for all learners so that learning is relevant.

      Before we get started with this, think about your comfort level for modifying Social Studies for English Language Learners. Take a look at this scale and give yourself a rating. The goal is to have you move up 1-2 levels by the end of the blog series! Good news is there won’t be a standardized test. This is student-directed learning. And hey, if you end up a 5+, you better contact me so we can collaborate on Part 2! 

comfot level for working with ELLs

    Please note that in my posts, I will be using the terms English Language Learners, ELL‘s, and E.S.O.L. interchangeably. E.S.O.L., or English as a Second Language, which is actually a specific program name and the students are the ELLs. This book is about meeting the needs of the learners, not implementing a specific program; but to avoid repetition I’m using ESOL every now and then. Please feel free to adapt the strategies and suggestions to work for YOUR CLASS or situation. I will also reference the term WIDA level, which is a system of measuring English proficiency. Learn more at https://www.wida.us/index.aspx.

     Ok, the mama, teacher, and passionate advocate in me wants to give a few general guidelines for working with English Language Learners before I even get into modifying Social Studies. I know in the classroom you have a million things going on at once. I think meeting the needs of ELLs should be a priority. The dropout statistics are staggering, which is such a shame. Factoring in students with limited English proficiency may just seem like one more hassle. Well I always asked myself, “What if this were one of my two kids?” Enough said. It is crucial that you get to know about the child’s background immediately if they are a newcomer. They may be coming from a refugee situation. Then your primary responsibility is to make sure the child’s basic needs are taken care of and they feel safe before you push any kids of academics.

      I learned quite a bit about acclimation and assimilation when I took my Culture course for my endorsement. I have several helpful resources pinned on my Cultural Diversity/ELL Pinterest board. The link to this is included in the Extra Resources post.  Make sure you have realistic but high expectations. Don’t tell a child or mention in front of them they can’t do something or don’t have to “because they are ESOL.” Of course you have to make modifications for differentiated learners but be discreet about it. If you connect with the child and form that bond by showing that you believe in them, then you will see such growth!

      Let me let you in on a secret. Best practices for meeting the needs of your ESOL students are actually best practices for all students. This is also true with several gifted learner strategies. The most important thing is factoring in the entire little person and teaching to the whole child. It is so important to help build a strong foundation for learners when they are young! Make sure your ELLs know how smart they are for being bilingual or even sometimes multi-lingual! One day I had a discussion with my class to explain that being in ESOL does not mean they are in special ed. Many of them thought that. You know, I stink at paperwork but I think I was pretty good at inspiring kids. That is what matters most to me. And amen and hallelujah to that little sermon.

       Ok, let’s talk about how the posts in this series are structured. It’s a little different than your typical training manual because it’s a scrapbook of sorts. My goal is to show you what I did in my classroom in an effort to inspire you and empower you to set your English Language Learners up for success. Trust me, you won’t regret it!    The Guidebook itself is organized into 10 hacks, each of which have a semi-clever name. The posts will follow suit. I have included photos where applicable. Now, I realize that I was blessed with the gift of gab via mouth and pen (ok computer) and sometimes I may get a little too long-winded. My friend Heidi (@lifewithliteracy on Instagram) suggested I add a summary at the end of each section. So I have a included an Instant Replay with each post.

      You’ll see that I reference Social Studies, and especially the Civil War and World War II, often as examples. That’s because those are my absolute favorite topics to teach! And I do have a hidden agenda to show you that Social Studies can be awesome to teach. I realize that not everyone shares that opinion. The examples I use are from my last year in the classroom in Gwinnett, GA, a little bit from the long-term subbing job teaching 1st grade in 2017-2018 and also the 2018-2019 year teaching 5th in Asheville.    

      Ok, let’s get started leveling up our knowledge!! Obviously students whose families are new to America are going to face challenges when it comes to American history especially. But with a few simple tweaks to your curriculum, your ELLs of all levels can feel welcome and included! And see me after class if you need help with your specific content;).

Here is a link to each post in the blog series:

Want the whole e-book? Click the picture to check it out!

ebook cover image