In this powerful and practical episode of the Equipping ELLs Podcast, host Beth Vaucher welcomes Sarah Knigge, an independent consultant and co-author focused on bilingual literacy, to unpack the essential role native language plays in developing English literacy for Spanish-speaking students. With years of experience as a bilingual teacher and program leader, Sarah shares actionable strategies for educators navigating the complex dynamics of supporting multilingual learners.

Beth and Sarah begin by discussing the benefits of leveraging a student’s home language in the classroom and how it can foster deeper family engagement, boost student confidence, and reinforce cultural identity. Sarah emphasizes the importance of intentional native language use and explains why simply translating materials isn’t always the best support strategy. Instead, she encourages educators to adopt sheltered instruction practices and structured scaffolding techniques that promote true language development.

Listeners will learn about the key differences between Spanish and English literacy—such as phoneme systems, syllabic decoding, and metalinguistic awareness—and how recognizing these contrasts helps educators better support literacy transfer. Sarah highlights the role of cognates and contrastive analysis as bridges between the two languages, offering practical examples educators can apply immediately in their classrooms.

The conversation also dives into misconceptions about bilingual education, including the unintended consequences of concurrent translation. Sarah candidly shares her early missteps and how those experiences shaped her commitment to effective bilingual instruction and eventually led her to co-author a literacy curriculum designed specifically for emergent Spanish readers.

From enhancing vocabulary through oral language strategies like QSSSA to making writing accessible with sentence pattern charts and graphic organizers, this episode is filled with proven tools that help ELLs build confidence and fluency. Beth and Sarah also address the realities of time constraints in classrooms, offering ways teachers can support literacy without overwhelming students with redundant phonics drills.

For educators looking to strengthen their instruction and advocacy for bilingual learners, Sarah’s insights offer a clear and compassionate roadmap. Whether you're in a dual-language setting, ESL classroom, or simply want to better support your Spanish-speaking students, this episode is a must-listen.

Links and Resources:

• ReadInEspanol.com
• READ en espanol, Inc. on Linked In
• Purchase the Primary Skills Book for Spanish Reading
• Connect with Sarah on Linked In
• Connect with Sarah on Instagram
• Connect with Sarah on Facebook
• ⁠⁠⁠Join the Equipping ELLs Membership
• Shop our TpT Store

In this powerful episode of the Equipping ELLs podcast, host Beth Vaucher sits down with two leading voices in trauma-informed and restorative education, Marg Thorsborne and Joe Brummer, for a deeply transformative conversation on rethinking student behavior, discipline, and classroom culture.

Marg, a global pioneer in restorative practices, and Joe, a trauma survivor turned international peacebuilder, bring decades of lived experience and professional wisdom to the table. Together, they co-authored Becoming a Trauma-Informed Restorative Educator, a vital guide for educators ready to move beyond punitive systems and foster true healing and connection in schools.

This episode explores the critical differences between behaviorism and trauma-informed approaches, debunking the myth that all behavior is a choice. Joe explains how trauma shapes students' nervous systems, causing many to enter classrooms in survival mode rather than learning mode. Marg highlights the importance of adult self-regulation, reminding us that students need at least one regulated brain in the room — and that starts with the educator.

The discussion also dives into the invisible signs of trauma and the necessity of cultivating empathy through self-awareness. Educators are encouraged to start their journey by working on their own wellness, nervous system regulation, and childhood conditioning, especially as many default to the discipline patterns they experienced as children.

Listeners will learn why restorative practices aren’t a “soft” alternative but a structured, empathetic approach to accountability and healing. They’ll also hear the heartbreaking but eye-opening story of how misread facial expressions can trigger violence in culturally diverse classrooms — and how trauma-informed strategies could prevent such outcomes.

Whether you're teaching newcomers from war-torn countries or students experiencing daily chaos at home, this episode offers grounded, research-backed strategies to help every educator foster a safe, inclusive, and emotionally available learning environment. With actionable advice and heartfelt insight, this episode is a must-listen for teachers, administrators, and school counselors.

📘 Don’t miss the chance to dive deeper by reading Becoming a Trauma-Informed Restorative Educator — perfect for your summer professional development stack.

Links and Resources

Becoming a Trauma-Informed Restorative Educator

Connect with Marg:

• www.thorsborne.com.au
• X: @ThorsborneMarg
• Bluesky: Margie Thorsborne
• LinkedIn: Margaret Thorsborne
• FB: Margaret Thorsborne and Associates

Connect with Joe:

• Joebrummerjoebrummer.com

⁠⁠⁠Join the Equipping ELLs Membership

Shop our TpT Store

How can I effectively track and showcase the progress of multilingual learners across all language domains when traditional assessments often fail to capture their growth?

In this episode of Equipping ELLs, host Beth Vaucher is joined by Kelly Aldinger, a bilingual learning and development expert with a passion for fostering educational equity for multilingual learners. Kelly shares her expertise on the power of digital portfolios in showcasing language development, particularly in helping multilingual students see their progress over time.

A digital portfolio is more than just a collection of student work, it's a tool that brings together audio, video, and written samples to demonstrate real growth in all four language domains: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Kelly walks us through how teachers can use these portfolios to monitor language growth, identify skill gaps, and make data-driven decisions to inform instruction. She also shares insights into making the process more manageable for teachers and offers practical steps to get started with setting up digital portfolios in the classroom.

This conversation highlights the value of using data to drive decision-making and how digital portfolios give both teachers and families a clearer picture of student achievement. Kelly provides actionable tips on how to integrate these portfolios into your practice, including the importance of student reflection and how to connect with families through accessible and meaningful tools. Whether you're a teacher looking to enhance your classroom or someone seeking to learn more about fostering student progress, this episode is packed with valuable information that can make a big impact.

Key Topics Discussed:

• What digital portfolios are and how they differ from traditional student folders
• The benefits of using portfolios for tracking progress in all four language domains
• Practical steps for setting up digital portfolios and using them effectively in the classroom
• How to leverage student reflection for growth and goal-setting
• The power of data in driving educational decisions for multilingual learners

Listen to this episode and start planning how you can implement digital portfolios in your classroom to celebrate student growth and improve instructional strategies.

Links and Resources:

• In this Google Drive Folder, you will find a copy of presentation slides, NYSESLAT Targets of Measurement, K-5 Digital Portfolio Reference Guide, Google Site Template

**IMPORTANT** Right click on the file within the Google Drive folder --> "Make a copy" --> Be sure to store it outside of the shared folder in your OWN drive, otherwise it won't allow you to make the copy.

A copy of the site will be created, and you can rename it and make changes as needed.

• ⁠⁠⁠Join the Equipping ELLs Membership
• Shop our TpT Store
• Connect with Kelly on Linked In

How can educators overcome the challenge of engaging multilingual families in their child's literacy development, especially when language barriers or cultural differences exist?

In this enlightening episode of the Equipping ELLs Podcast, host Beth Vaucher is joined by Nawal Qarooni, an educator, writer, and adjunct professor who’s reshaping the approach to family engagement in education. With a holistic approach to literacy, Nawal dives deep into how families play a crucial role in literacy development, and how educators can leverage this valuable partnership to create more inclusive, authentic learning environments.

Nawal shares her journey from newspaper journalism to becoming a passionate advocate for integrating families into the educational process. She emphasizes the importance of celebrating the cultural richness families bring into the classroom and how we can use these connections to enrich students’ literacy practices. By reframing the conversation from “what can families do for us?” to “how can we celebrate and build on what families already bring?” Nawal highlights a transformative approach to student success.

In this episode, Nawal explores her philosophy on literacy, which goes beyond traditional book-based learning. She discusses funds of knowledge, the idea that literacy encompasses much more than reading and writing—it includes the storytelling, traditions, and rituals that families pass down through generations. By building stronger connections with families, educators can tap into this well of knowledge, creating more engaging and meaningful learning experiences for students, especially English language learners.

Key Highlights:

• Nawal’s personal story and how her diverse cultural background informs her work.
• The significance of observational literacy and the role of talk in connecting ideas.
• Practical strategies for engaging multilingual families in literacy practices.
• The concept of translanguaging and how it enriches literacy development.
• Insights from Nawal’s book, Nourishing Caregiver Collaborations, on creating authentic school-family partnerships.

Whether you’re a teacher, administrator, or parent, this episode offers actionable insights to help foster authentic family engagement and ensure that every child thrives in a culturally inclusive learning environment.

Links and Resources:

• ⁠⁠⁠Join the Equipping ELLs Membership
• Shop our TpT Store
• Check out Nawal's book Nourishing Caregiver Collaborations
• Connect with Nawal on Instagram

In this episode of the Equipping ELLs podcast, host Beth Vaucher dives into one of the most transformative and practical frameworks for supporting English Language Learners (ELLs): Talk for Writing. Beth introduces listeners to this British-based strategy that builds students’ confidence in all four language domains - listening, speaking, reading, and writing - by starting with what students do best: talk.

Beth shares how her own children’s bilingual school introduced her to Talk for Writing and how it has fundamentally shifted her approach to language instruction. The method begins with oral storytelling, giving students the chance to internalize sentence structures and vocabulary in a fun, low-stakes environment. She walks us through how students can retell stories, use story maps, engage in shared writing, and eventually transition to independent writing, all while being supported through rich visuals, sentence frames, and vocabulary prompts.

This episode is packed with classroom-ready tips, including how to choose a rich, authentic text, like Goldilocks and the Three Bears or The King Who Was Afraid of the Dark, and how to use those stories to anchor a 4–6 week language unit. Beth emphasizes the power of modeling, repetition, and visuals, and how even reluctant writers can thrive under this framework. She also shares personal anecdotes of her daughters’ experiences, including how her second grader confidently wrote her own version of a class story.

Teachers will learn how to scaffold language practice, how to provide peer and teacher modeling, and how to build in interactive opportunities for collaboration and creativity. Beth also offers suggestions on how to incorporate native language support and how to involve parents through performance and presentation.

Whether you’re brand new to Talk for Writing or looking to deepen your instructional strategies, this episode offers both inspiration and practical steps for implementation. Tune in to discover how this framework fosters confidence, creativity, and language mastery among ELL students - and why it might be the missing link in your teaching toolkit.

Links and Resources:

• More Information on Talk for Writing
• ⁠⁠⁠Join the Equipping ELLs Membership
• Shop our TpT Store

Are you struggling to support your English Language Learners without sacrificing academic rigor or adding more to your already full plate?

In this powerful episode of the Equipping ELLs Podcast, host Beth Vaucher welcomes Bridget Dale, a Tier 4 OCDE Project GLAD trainer, educational consultant, and founder of Elevated Language Development, LLC. Bridget brings over 20 years of expertise in English language acquisition and inclusive education to the table, offering actionable insights for educators looking to support English Language Learners (ELLs) in meaningful, effective ways.

This conversation dives deep into the transformative potential of Project GLAD® (Guided Language Acquisition Design), a research-based instructional model packed with over 60 strategies designed to make academic content and language accessible to all learners. Bridget and Beth explore how GLAD isn’t “something new to add,” but rather a framework that enhances how teachers deliver required content, all while elevating outcomes for multilingual learners.

Listeners will learn how GLAD strategies help balance content mastery with language development, allowing students to engage in rigorous instruction without watering down academic standards. From observation charts to interactive journals and creating language-rich classroom environments, this episode offers a roadmap to making your classroom more inclusive, collaborative, and empowering for all students.

Bridget shares examples of how GLAD promotes equity and positive behavior through co-created resources, cooperative learning, and intentional scaffolding. She also explains how these strategies help build learner confidence, foster peer-to-peer engagement, and shift the teacher’s role from direct instructor to facilitator of discovery and voice.

Whether you’re just hearing about GLAD for the first time or looking to deepen your practice, this episode is filled with real classroom strategies, practical advice, and encouraging takeaways you can start using immediately—yes, even in April!

Links and Resources:

• Connect with Bridget on Instagram
• Connect with Bridget on Linked In
• ⁠⁠⁠Join the Equipping ELLs Membership
• Shop our TpT Store

In this episode of the Equipping ELLs Podcast, host Beth Vaucher is joined by Shelley Love de Feliú, an experienced educator and math instructional coach with over 18 years of experience in the field. Shelley is the founder of Raising Thinkers and Raising Mathematicians, where she focuses on helping parents and educators nurture curiosity and critical thinking, especially in math. Together, they dive into the powerful concept of visible thinking, an educational framework that makes students' thinking processes visible and accessible.

Shelley shares valuable insights into how visible thinking strategies can support multilingual learners, making learning more inclusive and engaging for students of all language levels. Through routines such as “What makes you say that?” and “Think-Pair-Share,” educators can foster deeper thinking, problem-solving, and student collaboration in their classrooms. Whether you're teaching first graders or middle school students, visible thinking strategies are effective tools to enhance communication and comprehension across all subjects and grade levels.

In this episode, Shelley also emphasizes the importance of scaffolding language skills and how visual supports and peer interactions can empower multilingual learners to contribute meaningfully to class discussions. These simple yet impactful routines not only encourage student participation but also allow teachers to better understand students’ thought processes, ensuring that learning is meaningful and impactful.

Tune in to hear about the benefits of using visible thinking routines to create a learning environment where all students, regardless of their language proficiency, can engage, contribute, and thrive. Plus, find out how to integrate these strategies into your own classroom with minimal preparation. Resources and links to Project Zero’s Visible Thinking routines are included in the show notes.

Key Takeaways:

• Discover practical visible thinking routines that enhance student engagement.
• Learn how to support multilingual learners through scaffolding and peer interaction.
• Find out how to use simple strategies to deepen student thinking in any subject.
• Get tips for implementing visible thinking routines in your classroom.

Call to Action:

Want to bring visible thinking into your classroom? Check out Project Zero’s Visible Thinking Toolkit and start experimenting with routines like “What makes you say that?” or “Think-Pair-Share” today! Don’t forget to visit Shelley’s podcast Raising Thinkers for more insights and resources on supporting student thinking.

Links and Resources

• Project Zero's Visible Thinking Toolkit
• Raising Thinkers Podcast
• Episode 20 on Gifted and Exceptional ELLs with Shelley
• ⁠⁠⁠Join the Equipping ELLs Membership
• Shop our TpT Store

Do you feel like instruction for your ELLs is overwhelming and complicated?

Welcome to a brand-new series from the Equipping ELLs podcast! In this exciting kickoff episode, host Beth Vaucher sets the stage for a transformative journey designed to empower educators of multilingual learners. Whether you're teaching kindergarten or high school, this series will equip you with cutting-edge frameworks and actionable strategies to support English language learners (ELLs) more effectively than ever before.

Beth opens by addressing the challenges educators face when working with ELLs, and introduces the concept of having a roadmap, a set of proven teaching frameworks that streamline lesson planning, differentiate instruction, and provide structured, scaffolded support. From Harvard's Project Zero to Project GLAD, Visible Thinking, and Talk for Writing, these are not just buzzwords, they're game-changing methodologies that make content accessible and engaging for all learners.

You’ll hear why now, even at the end of the school year, is the perfect time to begin experimenting with these tools. Starting today means you'll walk into the next school year more confident and prepared with a full toolkit ready to go.

Listeners can expect future episodes to feature real classroom examples, expert interviews, and practical tips that are easy to implement immediately. Plus, if you're tuning in on YouTube, you'll gain exclusive visual access to classroom demonstrations of these frameworks in action, an invaluable addition for any visual learner or hands-on educator.

This episode is a call to action for teachers who want to go beyond the textbook and truly meet the needs of their ELL students. Subscribe now so you don’t miss a single tip, resource, or expert insight in this powerful new series.

Links and Resources:

• ⁠⁠⁠Join the Equipping ELLs Membership
• Shop our TpT Store