How the ELL Brain Learns

David A. Sousa - International Educational Consultant
How the ELL Brain Learns
October 2010 | 288 pages | Corwin
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ISBN: 9781452237169
Available from January 0001
Paperback
ISBN: 9781412988346
Available from January 0001

Description

 "This book is one of the best I've read on how the brain functions in second language learners and is invaluable for understanding ELLs with learning disabilities."
—Irma Guadarrama, Professor
University of Texas-Pan American College of Education

"David Sousa brings together all of the research about the brain to show the process of learning multiple languages and offers ways to implement effective teaching strategies with quality instruction."
—Sharon Latimer, ESL Teacher
Plano ISD, TX

Raise your ELL success quotient and watch student achievement soar!

Teachers are more likely to succeed if they have a deeper understanding of the challenges students face in trying to learn English and course content simultaneously. How the ELL Brain Learns combines current research on how the brain learns language with strategies for teaching English language learners in K–12 classrooms. Award-winning author and brain research expert David A. Sousa describes the linguistic reorganization needed to acquire another language after the age of 5 years. He supplements this information with immediately applicable tools, including:

  • A self-assessment pretest for gauging your understanding of how the brain learns languages
  • Ready-to-use brain-compatible strategies for teaching English learners across the curriculum
  • An entire chapter about how to detect English language learning problems, with sections on the social, cultural, and physical causes

Each chapter features teaching tips that translate the research into step-by-step classroom applications. Also included are intervention strategies to use with struggling ELLs, including methods for working with older students.

Contents

List of Teaching Tips

List of Teaching Tips

About the Author

About the Author

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments

Introduction

  • Who are English Language Learners?
  • About This Book
  • What Do You Already Know?
  • 1. Learning the First Language(s)
  • Spoken Language Comes Naturally
  • Structure of Language
  • Levels of Language Comprehension
  • Learning Two First Languages
  • What's Coming
  • Key Points to Ponder
  • 2. Learning a New Language (English) Later
  • The Challenge of Acquiring a New Language Later
  • Learning English Is Not Easy
  • What’s Coming
  • Key Points to Ponder
  • 3. Teaching English Language Listening and Speaking
  • Searching for the Best Model
  • Listening
  • Speaking
  • What's Coming
  • Teaching Tips
  • Key Points to Ponder
  • 4. Teaching English Language Reading and Writing
  • Reading
  • Writing
  • What's Coming
  • Teaching Tips
  • Key Points to Ponder
  • 5. Teaching Language Arts and Social Studies
  • The Language Components of Learning Content in English
  • Teaching English Language Arts to ELLs
  • Teaching Social Studies to ELLs
  • What’s Coming
  • Teaching Tips
  • Key Points to Ponder
  • 6. Teaching Mathematics and Science
  • Teaching Mathematics to ELLs
  • Teaching Science to ELLs
  • What’s Coming
  • Teaching Tips
  • Key Points to Ponder
  • 7. Recognizing and Addressing Problems in Learning English
  • Learning Problem or Learning Disability?
  • Helping ELLs With Learning Disabilities
  • What’s Coming
  • Teaching Tips
  • Key Points to Ponder
  • 8. Putting It All Together
  • The Diversity of English Language Learners
  • Misconceptions About ELLs and English Language Acquisition
  • Basic Components for ELL Instruction
  • Gifted and Talented ELLs
  • Conclusion
  • Teaching Tips
  • Key Points to Ponder

Glossary

Glossary

References

References

Resources

Resources

Index

Index

Description

 "This book is one of the best I've read on how the brain functions in second language learners and is invaluable for understanding ELLs with learning disabilities."
—Irma Guadarrama, Professor
University of Texas-Pan American College of Education

"David Sousa brings together all of the research about the brain to show the process of learning multiple languages and offers ways to implement effective teaching strategies with quality instruction."
—Sharon Latimer, ESL Teacher
Plano ISD, TX

Raise your ELL success quotient and watch student achievement soar!

Teachers are more likely to succeed if they have a deeper understanding of the challenges students face in trying to learn English and course content simultaneously. How the ELL Brain Learns combines current research on how the brain learns language with strategies for teaching English language learners in K–12 classrooms. Award-winning author and brain research expert David A. Sousa describes the linguistic reorganization needed to acquire another language after the age of 5 years. He supplements this information with immediately applicable tools, including:

  • A self-assessment pretest for gauging your understanding of how the brain learns languages
  • Ready-to-use brain-compatible strategies for teaching English learners across the curriculum
  • An entire chapter about how to detect English language learning problems, with sections on the social, cultural, and physical causes

Each chapter features teaching tips that translate the research into step-by-step classroom applications. Also included are intervention strategies to use with struggling ELLs, including methods for working with older students.

Contents

List of Teaching Tips

List of Teaching Tips

About the Author

About the Author

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments

Introduction

  • Who are English Language Learners?
  • About This Book
  • What Do You Already Know?
  • 1. Learning the First Language(s)
  • Spoken Language Comes Naturally
  • Structure of Language
  • Levels of Language Comprehension
  • Learning Two First Languages
  • What's Coming
  • Key Points to Ponder
  • 2. Learning a New Language (English) Later
  • The Challenge of Acquiring a New Language Later
  • Learning English Is Not Easy
  • What’s Coming
  • Key Points to Ponder
  • 3. Teaching English Language Listening and Speaking
  • Searching for the Best Model
  • Listening
  • Speaking
  • What's Coming
  • Teaching Tips
  • Key Points to Ponder
  • 4. Teaching English Language Reading and Writing
  • Reading
  • Writing
  • What's Coming
  • Teaching Tips
  • Key Points to Ponder
  • 5. Teaching Language Arts and Social Studies
  • The Language Components of Learning Content in English
  • Teaching English Language Arts to ELLs
  • Teaching Social Studies to ELLs
  • What’s Coming
  • Teaching Tips
  • Key Points to Ponder
  • 6. Teaching Mathematics and Science
  • Teaching Mathematics to ELLs
  • Teaching Science to ELLs
  • What’s Coming
  • Teaching Tips
  • Key Points to Ponder
  • 7. Recognizing and Addressing Problems in Learning English
  • Learning Problem or Learning Disability?
  • Helping ELLs With Learning Disabilities
  • What’s Coming
  • Teaching Tips
  • Key Points to Ponder
  • 8. Putting It All Together
  • The Diversity of English Language Learners
  • Misconceptions About ELLs and English Language Acquisition
  • Basic Components for ELL Instruction
  • Gifted and Talented ELLs
  • Conclusion
  • Teaching Tips
  • Key Points to Ponder

Glossary

Glossary

References

References

Resources

Resources

Index

Index

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How the ELL Brain Learns


October 2010 | 288 pages | Corwin

Format Published Date ISBN Price
Paperback 01/01/2025 9781412988346 $46.95
Lifetime 01/02/2026 9781452237169 $43.00

 "This book is one of the best I've read on how the brain functions in second language learners and is invaluable for understanding ELLs with learning disabilities."
—Irma Guadarrama, Professor
University of Texas-Pan American College of Education

"David Sousa brings together all of the research about the brain to show the process of learning multiple languages and offers ways to implement effective teaching strategies with quality instruction."
—Sharon Latimer, ESL Teacher
Plano ISD, TX

Raise your ELL success quotient and watch student achievement soar!

Teachers are more likely to succeed if they have a deeper understanding of the challenges students face in trying to learn English and course content simultaneously. How the ELL Brain Learns combines current research on how the brain learns language with strategies for teaching English language learners in K–12 classrooms. Award-winning author and brain research expert David A. Sousa describes the linguistic reorganization needed to acquire another language after the age of 5 years. He supplements this information with immediately applicable tools, including:

  • A self-assessment pretest for gauging your understanding of how the brain learns languages
  • Ready-to-use brain-compatible strategies for teaching English learners across the curriculum
  • An entire chapter about how to detect English language learning problems, with sections on the social, cultural, and physical causes

Each chapter features teaching tips that translate the research into step-by-step classroom applications. Also included are intervention strategies to use with struggling ELLs, including methods for working with older students.


Table Of Contents:

  • List of Teaching Tips
  • About the Author
  • Acknowledgments
  • Introduction
  • Who are English Language Learners?
  • About This Book
  • What Do You Already Know?
  • 1. Learning the First Language(s)
  • Spoken Language Comes Naturally
  • Structure of Language
  • Levels of Language Comprehension
  • Learning Two First Languages
  • What's Coming
  • Key Points to Ponder
  • 2. Learning a New Language (English) Later
  • The Challenge of Acquiring a New Language Later
  • Learning English Is Not Easy
  • What’s Coming
  • Key Points to Ponder
  • 3. Teaching English Language Listening and Speaking
  • Searching for the Best Model
  • Listening
  • Speaking
  • What's Coming
  • Teaching Tips
  • Key Points to Ponder
  • 4. Teaching English Language Reading and Writing
  • Reading
  • Writing
  • What's Coming
  • Teaching Tips
  • Key Points to Ponder
  • 5. Teaching Language Arts and Social Studies
  • The Language Components of Learning Content in English
  • Teaching English Language Arts to ELLs
  • Teaching Social Studies to ELLs
  • What’s Coming
  • Teaching Tips
  • Key Points to Ponder
  • 6. Teaching Mathematics and Science
  • Teaching Mathematics to ELLs
  • Teaching Science to ELLs
  • What’s Coming
  • Teaching Tips
  • Key Points to Ponder
  • 7. Recognizing and Addressing Problems in Learning English
  • Learning Problem or Learning Disability?
  • Helping ELLs With Learning Disabilities
  • What’s Coming
  • Teaching Tips
  • Key Points to Ponder
  • 8. Putting It All Together
  • The Diversity of English Language Learners
  • Misconceptions About ELLs and English Language Acquisition
  • Basic Components for ELL Instruction
  • Gifted and Talented ELLs
  • Conclusion
  • Teaching Tips
  • Key Points to Ponder
  • Glossary
  • References
  • Resources
  • Index

Recent Product Reviews:

"David Sousa's books serve as manuals for the application of empirically-validated strategies, meeting the needs of hopeful teachers and parents alike in almost any instructional context: home-school, classroom, or higher education. I would be excited to use this text with my students who are unfamiliar with the issues involved in reaching ELL students in the classroom."
Gita Upreti, Assistant Professor of Special Education, University of Texas, El Paso
"This book puts all of the research about the brain together to show what is happening during the process of learning multiple languages. It is very informative in showing how to implement effective teaching strategies with quality instruction."
Sharon Latimer, ESL Teacher, Plano ISD, TX
"This book is one of the best I’ve read on how the brain functions in second language learners, and is invaluable for learning about ELLs with learning disabilities."
Irma Guadarrama, Professor, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education, University of Texas Pan American

Recommendations