This chapter, written by Larry Ferlazzo and Katie Hull Sypnieski, comes from their upcoming book, The ESL/ELL Teacher’s Survival Guide, 2nd Edition. The authors have made the chapter available early to support educators teaching in the age of COVID-19. Ferlazzo and Sypnieski address how to best support English learners (ELs) during distance learning and offer a number of instructional strategies and resources. Topics include building relationships with students, cooperative activities, feedback, equity, and supporting parents of ELs.

This webinar from the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) shares resources and activities that promote social-emotional wellness for students, their families, and communities. The webinar is presented by Jennifer Escue (Refugee Youth & Elders Services Supervisor at Catholic Charities of Tennessee) and Alice Prichard, Ph.D. (clinical psychologist). The presenters describe the impact of toxic stress on children, the importance of supporting social-emotional wellness, the domains of social-emotional wellness, and simple, at-home activities to support social-emotional wellbeing. 

This article, written by Lydia Breiseth for Colorín Colorado, includes tools, resources, and tips for maintaining connections with English learners and their families during school closures. Breiseth offers strategies for making communication a priority and determining contact information and preferred methods of communication. She also provides resources for translation and describes the importance of check-ins for learning and social-emotional health.

This fact sheet from the United States Department of Education outlines states’ responsibilities to English learners (ELs) and their families during extended school closures and remote learning. It provides specific guidance in a question and answer format on annual English language proficiency (ELP) assessment, entrance requirements, providing services to ELs, use of Title III funds, exit procedures, and communicating with parents of ELs. The fact sheet also provides additional resources from the U.S. Department of Education.  

The Center for Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) has developed a database of school district responses to COVID-19. Each district entry includes how the district supports special populations, including students with disabilities and English learners. The database currently includes 82 districts serving nine million students and will be updated continuously.