How can teachers best help ELL students make connections to prior knowledge?

Relating the lesson to something students are familiar with is a highly effective approach for helping English Language Learner (ELL) students make connections to prior knowledge. This strategy taps into what students already know and understand within their own cultural and personal contexts, allowing them to build on their existing knowledge as they learn new concepts. When teachers connect new material to familiar experiences, concepts, or topics, it creates a bridge for ELL students, making the content more accessible and relevant.

Additionally, familiar references can enhance comprehension and retention by fostering a sense of belonging and engagement in the learning environment. When students see the relevance of what they are being taught, they are more likely to participate actively and invest in their learning process, which is particularly crucial for ELL students as they navigate both language acquisition and academic content simultaneously.

While visuals, written instructions, and role-playing activities can also support ELL students, they might not directly enhance the connection to prior knowledge as effectively as relating new information to familiar concepts. Visuals can help clarify meaning, written instructions can provide structure, and role-playing can engage students in experiential learning, but the strongest connection to prior knowledge is established when something new is directly linked to what students already understand.