Are you in the interviewing process right now?
I am going to take a wild guess that:
- You are a teacher;
- You are trying to get a teaching job in ELL; and
- You are not sure how to prepare for it.
Well, please don’t freak out! The interview process is already super stressful and overwhelming as is. I am here to help you prepare for your interview. I have been teaching English Language Learners for 13 years now and have learned so many new ways to help my students succeed in school.
WIDA Can Do Descriptors
First and foremost, you really need to have an understanding of the WIDA Can Do Descriptors. This tool is how you can explain to other educators what your student CAN DO! It puts a positive spin on their abilities and doesn’t focus on what they can’t do. You are informing others about what your students CAN DO in the four domains of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Your students can be…
- Entering
- Beginning
- Developing
- Expanding
- Bridging
- Reaching
If a student is entering, this is most likely explaining a newcomer; someone who has just entered the country. If your student is reaching, this is most likely explaining a student who no longer needs ELL services and has a great grasp on the English Language.
Lesson Planning – SIOP
SIOP stands for Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol. This approach to lesson planning helps teachers make grade level content comprehensible or more understandable for ELLs while promoting language development.
When in an interview mentioning SIOP is a good idea as it is beneficial for all students, not just ELL. This approach helps you relate the lesson to the students and helps the students build their schema that they might not have yet.
Strategies for ELL Students
Make sure when you are talking about helping students that you are incorporating strategies that will make the content more accessible to your English Language Learners. The strategies can be found in my free Tool Kit when you join my emailing list. But don’t worry, I will give you a few suggestions here!
- Images – make sure that you always have a picture/image when teaching something new
- Sentences starters – an example of this is “My favorite color is ______.”
- Sentence frames – an example of this is “I like _____ because ______.”
Remember…
You are interviewing the district just as much as they are interviewing you. Make sure you are going to be a good fit for them as well. These next steps are just as important:
- Bring questions to ask them at the end of the your interview
- Research the district – know why you want to work their
- Dress professional – first impressions are still a thing
- Take a deep breath – you got this!
