How the ELL Brain Learns
- David A. Sousa - International Educational Consultant
ESL Methods
—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.
"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."
"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."
"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."
