Case
Just got a student who cannot speak English - what do I do?

I am only in my second year teaching and I’ve just received a student who has only been in the country for 5 days. He only speaks Spanish. How do I accommodate this student? I don’t know what materials to give or what aids to give them. There are three Spanish speakers in his class that I have him seated next to, but I know that can’t cover everything I have to do to help him. How do I even get grades for him if he can’t read or write in English? I know I can possibly get resources in Spanish. I just won’t know if they’re good or useful. I am in contact with the ELL teacher, but all she said is she can give my work to a translator. That just feels like a lot of extra steps and a long waiting game. I really want to make him feel welcome and not have him feel overwhelmed as much as possible. I know this is a scary change for a child. Any advice will be appreciated.

Solution #1
I would first off contact the school to see if the student, or your classroom, would qualify for any additional support staff such as an aid, translator, or one-on-one. I would also begin by utilizing pictures, images, and gestures to communicate with the student. Try to find out what their personal interests are and use that information to help them learn English in a comfortable setting.