Teaching Young ESL Learners

I’m walking into the “house” that holds my classroom on a rainy Monday afternoon. I slip off my worn black flats exposing my nude-colored slip-on socks, and watch as a small puddle begins to form beneath my right shoe. Thank God I brought my green, golf-sized umbrella. I may have gotten teased a few times by a co-worker because of its size, but during torrential pours, I am the envy of the office.

I step up and slide open the door into the classroom. Complete silence. I am early and the room feels a bit stuffy. I open the windows and turn on the fan. As the room slowly cools, I switch on the lights and plop down on the rubber mat made up of various multicolored animal shapes with removal rubber eyes. I scan the room. Everything is the same. An alphabet poster still on the wall nearest the…