March 9, 2026 – ESOL students at Greenfield Elementary School are growing leaps and bounds in their ability to speak, read, and understand English. Thanks to a strategy known as Be GLAD — which stands for Guided Language Acquisition Design — students are strengthening their English-language skills every day, together.
Teachers trained in Be GLAD use specialized lessons and interactive activities designed to empower students. In one first-grade classroom, students drew pictures based on prompts given in English. In one kindergarten classroom, students practiced storytelling through images to build comprehension and confidence.
“I feel like this is a great opportunity for students. It gives them a purpose,” said Yadielys Zayas, a first-grade ESOL teacher at Greenfield Elementary.
Zayas, who was once an ESOL student herself, said learning a new language can feel vulnerable.
Watch this video to see how strategies like Be GLAD motivate and empower students to grow more comfortable and confident each day.