Classroom Setup Essentials for ELD Teachers: 5 Expert Tips

The first weeks of school can be a little stressful, even more if it's your first year as an ELD teacher or you're transitioning from a different position. Figuring out how to set up your classroom doesn't have to add stress. Below are 5 things to consider when setting up your classroom as an ELD teacher. 

Don't feel like reading? Listen to it instead on Spotify on Episode 4 of my podcast "5 Minute ELD," where I talk about what the first weeks of school look like for me. 

One of the things I work on during my first weeks at work is setting up my classroom. 

1. I set up a horseshoe table for my ELD groups in the middle of my room and a smaller table for independent work in one of the corners. This table is essential for me because sometimes I have an ELD group, and at the same time, students are working independently on some of their classroom assignments. Sometimes students need a break from their classroom setting, and they work better in smaller settings with fewer distractions. I also use the smaller table when I progress monitor the students in my ELD groups, while the others wait for their turn, playing games or reading books. Having two clearly defined sections in my room sets the tone so students know what they can do in each table. If you share a room, you could still designate a smaller space for this or have a desk and chair in the hallway by your door.

2. Bilingual wall: Since I usually get several students with interrupted schooling every year, I decided to set up a wall and a section in my room to work on their first language literacy, Spanish in my case. I use a transparent adhesive whiteboard from Amazon, and when we meet, we write the date and what we will be working on in Spanish. Having this "whiteboard" has saved me because I don't have a lot of whiteboard or wall space in my room, and they know that when we work on that section of the room, we will be working and learning in Spanish. 

3. Number Chart: The number chart is great to have for my recently arrived students. It helps them learn numbers in English, play number guessing games, use words like more than, less than, in between, and count by 10s, 20s, etc. I usually designate a space on one of my walls for math. An additional idea for limited wall space is to hang this chart and other charts on a clothing rack. I love using the clothing rack because it has wheels, so I can take it to the classrooms I support when I need to use chart paper. It is small, so it doesn't require as much classroom space as a rolling cart, and it still has space on the bottom for other materials. Watch one of the ways I use my clothing rack to teach my literacy groups here. 

4. Interactive Word Wall: I have a pocket chart designated for vocabulary. We write any new vocabulary we are working on or vocabulary that we keep referring to during a unit on index cards and place them in the pocket chart. That way, when we need those words, we can pull out the cards. This is extremely helpful for multilingual learners, especially during writing activities and when using GLAD strategies, such as the cooperative strip paragraph.  

5. Calendar, Months of the Year, and Weather:  Having these resources up on my wall is essential for my recently arrived students and for my students with interrupted schooling. It helps them learn this information in English, and for my SLIFE students, it helps them learn how to use a calendar. When I meet with these groups of students, going over the calendar, months of the year, and weather is part of our group routine at the beginning of every lesson. 

I hope these tips are helpful for when you start setting up your classroom. I linked the materials in each section, but here you can check out other materials I use for teaching. 

Don't forget to check out these posts: First Weeks as an ELD Teacher and 3 Ways to Build Positive Relationships With Your Students. 

Check Out some more resources: 

• Visit my TpT Store here. 

• Listen to the "5 Minute ELD" podcast. 

• Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. 

• Learn about the courses on the website. 

• Read the All About ELD Blog here.