Great "After-the-Election" Resources for Teachers of English Language Learners from Colorín Colorado

After the Election: Ideas for Teachers of ELLs

As they have been throughout the entire presidential campaign, teachers are on the front lines when it comes to answering students’ questions about the election and its results, giving them an opportunity to discuss what they see in the news, helping them think about how big decisions may affect their lives, and managing interactions among students representing different points of view and backgrounds.
We have collected some helpful lesson plans as well as discussion guides for talking about the results of the 2016 election. For more ideas, see the message below from Colorín Colorado contributor Kristina Robertson. To see related resources, visit our Election 2016 section.

A Special Message for ELL Teachers

From Kristina Robertson (sent to her staff following the election):
This election included a difficult conversation about immigrants and immigration. Today our students may be worried that some of the plans discussed will be enacted and cause harm in their lives. Please be sensitive this week as students bring up election results, wish to vent, or may act out in some way. Listen and acknowledge their feelings, but redirect them to focus on the positive things in their lives that will continue to be there — supportive family, educators and a school community that will keep them safe. Be careful with your own words and discussions that students may overhear and cause more anxiety.
Depending on the student's age and ability to understand the U.S. democratic process, you can offer reassurance that while candidates say many things while campaigning, these campaign promises don’t represent the wishes of all the people of the U.S. and there are many Americans who welcome immigrants and want to help them. This is a good day to remember that no matter for whom one voted in this election, there will be strong feelings on both sides, and a need for all of us to be our best selves and work for unity and peace. If you have students who need further assistance, check in with bilingual liaisons who are available to help.

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Current Events for Students

ELL Resources

• Newsela: Bilingual news articles at different reading levels and Common Core-aligned quizzes
• Listenwise: Current Events & Election Podcasts

Discussing the Election Results

• PBS NewsHour: How Schools Are Dealing with Post-Election Fallout
• Education Week: The Election Is Over, But for Teachers, Hard Conversations Are Just Beginning
• The New York Times: Teaching Ideas for After the Votes Are Tallied
• PBS Learning Media: Election Central
• PBS NewsHour Extra: Election Videos and Lessons for Grades 7-12
• Scholastic: Election 2016
• Share My Lesson: Post-Election Collection
• Teaching Tolerance: The Day After
• Larry Ferlazzo: Immigrant Students Write Letters to the Next President

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Recommended Resources

Educational Services for Immigrant Children: What Schools Need to Know

The U.S. Departments of Education and Justice released fact sheets, FAQs, and enrollment guidance related to the educational services for immigrant children and families in January 2015. These fact sheets (also available in Spanish) and the Civil Rights information below provide a summary of what schools need to know.

Serving ELLs & Immigrant Students Tookits

• U.S. Department of Education: English Learner Tool Kit
• All In! How Educators Can Advocate for English Language Learners
• Unaccompanied Children in Schools: What You Need to Know
• Immigrant and Refugee Children: Tools and Resources to Help Protect and Prepare Youth and Families in Event of an Immigration Raid

Making Students Feel Welcome

• Supporting Special Populations such as Refugees and Unaccompanied Children
• 8 Tips to Protect ELLs from Bullying in Your Classroom and School
• Creating a Welcoming Classroom for ELLs
• Education Week: A Primer on Helping Immigrant Students Feel Welcome in School
• Welcoming America Network: Resources and Ideas

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Share your ideas!

Education Week reporter Kavitha Cardoza (@KavithaCardoza) posted the following on Twitter:
Looking for #educators who will talk about how they are talking about the #election in their classrooms. Email kcardoza@epe.org

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A few words of wisdom

And finally, some closing thoughts from Christopher Breiseth, a lifelong educator, professor of history, former college president — and the father of Colorín Colorado manager Lydia Breiseth.
"It is important that all of us work hard to treat each other with respect, as members of the same national family. Through it all, we must demonstrate how to treat each other and hold to what we most believe in.  There will be ample opportunities to demonstrate how to behave well, how to address our common challenges, and how to make our civic lives more vibrant."