Use Anchor Charts for English Language Learners

A Strategy to Support ESL Students in the Regular Ed Classroom

May 30, 2009

Anchor charts provide visuals for ESL students to track their learning and serve as reference tools. Use this teaching strategy to help scaffold ELL learning.

English language learners of all ages, from kindergarten through high school, need scaffolding to help deal with the myriad concepts, content, and vocabulary they are exposed to on a daily basis. Anchor charts can provide one means of scaffolding for ESL students.

What is an Anchor Chart?

An anchor chart is a hand-made poster or graphic representation that serves as a visual reminder of strategies, vocabulary, or other content that students have learned. Basically, an anchor chart is a reference tool that “anchors” new and ongoing learning to key concepts previously introduced.

Students can refer to the anchor chart for a quick check, a reminder of how to approach a task, a way to think about a concept, or a visual aid to understand vocabulary. An anchor chart often serves as a way to make connections between previous learning and new concepts being covered.

Tips for Constructing Anchor Charts

What differentiates an "anchor chart" from a commercially constructed poster or visual aid is that the teacher and students create the chart together. With young children, the teacher may need to do the printing in order for the chart to be easily legible. With older children, a student or group of students could construct the chart. It is important that students take ownership of constructing the content of the chart. If students are co-creators of the chart they will be more inclined to refer to it when needed.

An anchor chart can take the form of a list, a graphic organizer such as a Venn diagram or concept web, or cards with a series of visual prompts. There is no set form that an anchor chart must look like. What is important is that the chart serves the purpose of anchoring the key concept or strategy being taught so that students can easily and independently refer to it.

Keep anchor charts simple. Vary the colors of the markers so the students can easily pick out words and phrases. Avoid making and posting too many lists.

Anchor charts should be posted where they will be easily accessible by students and teacher alike. Teachers should refer to individual anchor charts often, using them as a means to connect knowledge and modeling how students can use particular charts as reference tools.

Only chart key ideas or strategies. There is a tendency to want to chart every strategy or topic covered in class, but this can quickly become visually overwhelming, especially for young students just learning to read and for ELL students learning to read and think in a new language. (Remember to leave space on classroom walls or bulletin boards to display student work!)

Helpful Anchor Charts for English Language Learners

Anchor charts can serve a variety of purposes throughout the curriculum. For English language learners, consider constructing anchor charts in these curricular areas:

Using anchor charts to scaffold students’ learning is a strategy that will reap benefits for all students in all classrooms. But creating charts that are specifically tailored toward supporting English language learners will help those students to grow as independent learners and to feel confident and secure in their learning.

The copyright of the article Use Anchor Charts for English Language Learners in ESL Materials is owned by Margaret M. Williams. Permission to republish Use Anchor Charts for English Language Learners in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.