ELL students look to the future in New Year's Resolution project

JE ELL students across all grade levels are sharpening their speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills through a new project inspired by New Year’s Resolutions.

“It helps them set up goals for the near and far future, be consistent, integrate with daily routines, reflect, and focus on ways to achieve and improve plans,” explained ELL teacher Danuta Goldmann.

High school students were asked to create vision boards and write a short essay to go along with their board. Students picked one word to focus their energy on, which ranged from Improvement, Research, Be Happy, Reading, Health, and Responsibility. Goldmann said she was inspired by students’ enthusiasm for the project and joined in on the assignment, using the key word “health,” to focus on a healthier lifestyle this year.

Elementary school students in second and third grade aimed for future goals: to be a fashion designer, forest ranger, language specialist, graphic designer, and vacation in a sunny place! For the youngest students, in kindergarten and first grade, they picked: making more friends, helping others, and learning more at school.

“They need to have more room for fun and realizing their dreams, while at the same time being in the present and improving in daily activities,” added Goldmann. “After all, learning another language is more than just work, it is a lifetime of experiencing life with a different perception!”

ELL students continue to write back and forth with Polish students, for the second year in a row. The handwritten letters help students in both countries discover a variety of cultures, and work on their language skills.