Factors That Have a Positive Influence on English Language Acquisition:

Listen to teacher, Amber Prentice, as she describes several strategies she uses to welcome English language learners!     http://bcove.me/jm5g8fsu

Facilitate Morning Meetings - daily gatherings where adults and students join together.  There are 4 components:  

Greeting Students and teachers greet one other by name.
Sharing Students share information about important events in their lives. Listeners offer empathetic comments or ask clarifying questions.
Group Activity Everyone participates in a brief, lively activity that fosters group cohesion (for example, reciting a poem, dancing, singing, or playing a game that reinforces social or academic skills).
Morning Message Students read a short message written by their teacher. The message is crafted to help students focus on the work they'll do in school that day.

Create a WELCOMING school community:

• All staff is aware of and understands the process for receiving English language learners and their families.
• There is a school reception team (e.g., administrator, office administrative assistant, ESL/ELD teacher, interpreter, and settlement worker, where available).
• Families are informed about the necessary documentation for school registration. 
•  There is a designated, comfortable place for the family and reception team to meet and share information.
• Ample time is dedicated for the intake interview and for orientation information about school and basic routines. 
•  There is access to competent adult interpreters who can assist parents and help them fill out forms.
• Multilingual signs, in the languages of the community, are visible in the school.
• There are efforts to build cross-cultural understandings. 
•  Information is available in a variety of languages about community resources (e.g., libraries, community centres, adult ESL classes, places of worship, cultural organizations).
• Parents are regularly invited into the classrooms and the school to celebrate student work.
• Space is provided for families to gather if possible (e.g., a room to sit, drink coffee or tea, and read announcements in home languages or meet fellow parents).
• Create a student ambassador program to orient the new students to the school.

Supporting English Language Learners in Grades 1 to 8