Seven Tips for Teachers of Newcomer Emergent Bilingual Students

When a newcomer arrives, classroom teachers may wonder what to do. This article provides seven practical tips for getting started with a newcomer, nurturing healthy relationships, and facilitating learning experiences. Teachers can ease the transition for newcomers by attempting to perceive situations from the student's perspective. Awareness of students' first language(s), background experiences, and funds of knowledge nurtures interculturality in the classroom and promotes a climate of mutual respect. Specific suggestions for preparing a newcomer kit provide ways to assess newcomers and to begin to develop their spoken and written vocabulary in English. Using the kit allows newcomers to make connections between English and their first language, develop confidence, and build on background knowledge and prior experiences. The tips in this article may reduce stress for classroom teachers and newcomers.