Teaching ELA to Multilingual Learners: Strategy of the Week

Each week we share one strategy that you can use to meet the needs of your diverse multilingual learners in secondary content classes. This week’s writing strategy is specifically for secondary ELA teachers but could be adapted for use in many content areas.

Strategy: Signal Words Language Objective

I can select appropriate words for the kind of writing I will do. I can write using the words I selected.

Signal Words: How-To Before the Activity

1. Decide on a text structure that students will write in (compare/contrast, cause and effect, sequence, description, etc.).
2. Choose words specific to that text structure that you will explicitly teach to students. These are called signal words.

Examples of signal words include:

• Compare/contrast: also, similarly, however
• Cause and effect: because, as a result, if/then
• Sequence: first, meanwhile, finally
• Description: to illustrate, for example, furthermore

During the Activity:

1. Teach students 3-4 signal words in a lesson
2. Show students examples of the signal words being used in sentences
3. Give students a writing prompt and have them write using the signal words. You could have students highlight the signal words to help them visualize their use

Extra Support for MLs:

• Create posters that you can hang up for MLs to reference anytime
• Use less complex words for students with lower proficiency levels (first, second, and third instead of while, prior to, or eventually)

Example: Novel Studies

LT: I can compare and contrast the themes of two texts. Each novel study in StudySync includes comparative texts that students read along with the unit novel. Students then write a short response comparing aspects of the two texts. When teaching these comparative texts, first teach signal words for comparing and contrasting. Have students find them in the model essays that StudySync provides and then use them in their own writing.

Helpful Links to Learn More about Signal Words are Listed Below:

• Signal Words explanation video 
• Signal Words posters from Vogt and Echeverría