The Meeting Students' Needs column in each lesson contains support for both ELLs and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and some supports can serve a wide range of student needs. However, ELLs have unique needs that cannot always be met with UDL support. According to federal guidelines, ELLs must be given access to the curriculum with appropriate supports, such as those that are specifically identified as "For ELLs" in the Meeting Students' Needs column.

• Prioritizing lessons for classrooms with many ELLs: To prepare for the Unit 3 assessments, consider prioritizing and expanding instruction in Lessons 2-5, which introduce internet research, include a whole class Language Dive, and focus on writing an essay; and in Lessons 8-10, which focus on analyzing, creating, and practicing a presentation, and also include a whole class Language Dive. If necessary, consider placing less focus on and condensing instruction in Lesson 1 and the combined Lessons 12 and 13, all of which provide helpful background, practice, and repetition but don't introduce as many new concepts.
• Language Dives: All students participate in Language Dives in Lessons 4 and 9. These Language Dives support ELLs and all students in deconstructing, reconstructing, and practicing the meaning and structures of sentences from "Jim Abbott," the Model Essay: Comparing and Contrasting Jacking Robinson and Jim Abbott, and the model presentation. Many lessons in the first half of the unit also include optional Mini Language Dives for ELLs. The Language Dive goals remain the same as in previous modules; however, the new format goes beyond those goals by encouraging students to take more of a lead in the conversations and to build greater independence by taking an inquiry-based approach to language in general, and the selected sentence in particular. See the Tools page for additional information.
• Conversation Cues: Encourage productive and equitable conversation with Goals 1-4 Conversation Cues, which are questions teachers can ask students to help achieve four goals: (Goal 1) encourage all students to talk and be understood; (Goal 2) listen carefully to one another and seek to understand; (Goal 3) deepen thinking; and (Goal 4) think with others to expand the conversation (adapted from Michaels, Sarah and O'Connor, Cathy. Talk Science Primer. Cambridge, MA: TERC, 2012. Based on Chapin, S., O'Connor, C., and Anderson, N. [2009]. Classroom Discussions: Using Math Talk to Help Students Learn, Grades K-6. Second Edition. Sausalito, CA: Math Solutions Publications). See the Tools page for the complete set of cues.
• Diversity and inclusion: Investigate the routines, practices, rituals, beliefs, norms, and experiences that are important to ELLs and their families. Integrate this background into the classroom as students discuss texts that raise issues of discrimination against people with disabilities as well as women. Be sensitive to students' experiences and perspectives on these topics, and foster inclusive action by creating space for students to express their feelings about issues embedded in the texts and videos, while being aware that these discussions may unearth trauma or social stigma. Consult with a guidance counselor, school social worker, or ESL teacher for further investigation of diversity and inclusion.
• Internet research: Students receive explicit instruction in how to conduct internet research, including how to choose and use reliable internet sources. Students work in groups to research, so they may share information that they gather. Consider modeling and thinking aloud conducting research and choosing reliable sources before inviting students to do so. Additionally, remind students of the importance of citing sources, ensuring that they are telling the reader where they found the information they are gathering.
• Correlative conjunctions: In the first half of the unit, students are introduced to correlative conjunctions, which are words that are used together to connect words, phrases, or sentences. Additionally, students continue to use linking words and phrases learned in the previous modules to connect their ideas. This instruction will benefit ELLs by preparing them with language to connect ideas when they write informational essays in the first half of the unit, as well as to connect their ideas in their presentations in the second half of the unit. Support students by providing additional practice with correlative conjunctions throughout the unit, encouraging them to use them in their speaking as well as in their writing.
• Formal and informal English: In the second half of the unit, students examine how language use varies depending on the situation and the task. They discuss the characteristics of formal and informal English, and a hybrid of both, and in which contexts each version can and should be used. This instruction will benefit ELLs by preparing them to vary their language when creating and delivering their presentations. Invite students to notice language often, both written and spoken, and challenge them to categorize the examples as formal, informal, or a hybrid, encouraging them to consider how they might vary language in a different situation or to complete a different task.
• Celebration: Celebrate the courage, enthusiasm, diversity, and bilingual assets that ELLs bring to the classroom.