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Supporting Secondary Newcomer Success in Low Incidence Programs

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Resources are updated frequently. Please email afranco@chalesea.k12.mi.us if you have any you would like to add!

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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A collection of authentic, award winning read alouds in English and Spanish to raise awareness about the beauty of diversity.

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Copy of Multicultural Awareness Books in English & Spanish

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EmbraceRace supports parents to raise children who are brave, informed and thoughtful about race. Join the movement!

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Copy of MLK Day Events and Resources 2021

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Online Instructional Resources - Meeting the Needs of English Learners

​ Communicating with Families of ELs

​Families of ELs have a Civil Right to the same information that their native speaking English family counterparts can access in a format that is accessible for them. It is easy to head toward thinking that the best way to communicate with families of ELs is just to translate resources. However, educators can also consider a variety of other methods of communicating with families at this time. The following resources can be useful for creative thinking while engaging the community and using different media outlets:

There are several free resources that LEAs can utilize to ensure that families are receiving up to date communications. Below are a few suggestions that utilize software to translate. Keep in mind these products are not acceptable for the use of formal communication or when parents are asked to sign a document. However, they can be used for simple update, newsletters, and classroom communication.

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MDE - Online Instructional Resources - Meeting the Needs of English Learners

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​ Communicating with Families of ELs ​Families of ELs have a Civil Right to the same information that their native speaking English family counterparts can access in a format that is accessible for them. It is easy to head toward thinking that the best way to communicate with families of ELs is just to translate resources.

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How can schools best support English language learners (ELLs) and immigrant students through the COVID-19 pandemic? What lessons have we learned so far?

This section includes information on:

distance learning for ELLs

communicating and partnering with families

social-emotional supports for ELLs and immigrant students.

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How can schools best support English language learners (ELLs) and immigrant students through the COVID-19 pandemic? What lessons have we learned so far? This section includes information on: distance learning for ELLs communicating and partnering with families social-emotional supports for ELLs and immigrant students.

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Parent Communication in Multiple Languages

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Parent Communication in Multiple Languages

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Parent Communication in Multiple Languages

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With this extension, you can use Immersive Reader without an internet connection. Microsoft Immersive Reader is a free tool that supports literacy development for learners regardless of age or ability. Immersive Reader uses proven techniques to enhance: * Reading comprehension * Language learning * Decoding for readers with dyslexia Immersive Reader also powers Grammar Tools and Dictionary for Microsoft Edge.

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Get Immersive Reader Offline Extension - Microsoft Store

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With this extension, you can use Immersive Reader without an internet connection. Microsoft Immersive Reader is a free tool that supports literacy development for learners regardless of age or ability. Immersive Reader uses proven techniques to enhance: * Reading comprehension * Language learning * Decoding for readers with dyslexia Immersive Reader also powers Grammar Tools and Dictionary for Microsoft Edge.

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Practical Strategies & Resources to Teach K-12 ELs Online

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Practical Strategies & Resources to Teach K-12 ELs Online

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Practical Strategies & Resources to Teach K-12 ELs Online

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School districts have sought to create systemic plans for multilingual learners that move beyond compliance to insure coherence across their programs, policies and practices for their students and families. Understanding Language partners with districts to co-create, implement and refine their plans based on student evidence.

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Educators, Parents & Students

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Educational Programming designed and clustered for ages 2-8, 4th-8th grade and 8th-12th grade.

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It starts with taking care of yourself.

There is no doubt we are in a time of great uncertainty. That's one reason we are emphasizing self-care and taking time as an adult for your own needs during this period.

It's important to remember that we are not helpless in light of current news events. We can always choose our response. If you are struggling, here are some things you can do to take care of your mental health in the face of uncertainty:

1. Separate what is in your control from what is not.

2. Do what helps you feel a sense of safety.

3. Get outside in nature-even if you are avoiding crowds.

4. Challenge yourself to stay in the present.

5. Stay connected and reach out if you need more support.

Learn more at Taking Care of Your Mental Health in the Face of Uncertainty.
NON-TECH FAMILY ACTIVITIES
Want to play cards? If it's been a while, here's a refresher for playing Crazy 8s.

Looking for a new card game? The people who make Bicycle cards has games for all ages on their website - along with the rules (just in case an argument breaks out!).

A news story this week reported there has been a big run on jigsaw puzzles from online retailers. As an alternative, you could try a game of Balance Building. Pick uneven or unstable objects such as cards, paper cups, or rocks and challenge your kids to build as high as they can or in various shapes. The kids will be learning to solve problems, but you don't have to tell them that!

Need a variation on HopScotch? Try playing "Letter Hopscotch" and build some reading skills. A little bit of sidewalk chalk required.
BINGE-TIME
Is somebody in your household mourning the delay of the 2020 baseball season? So was Ken Burns, so he's released his multi-part history of "Baseball" for the sports fans in your family. All episodes can be viewed for free on the free DPTV App, the PBS Video App - also free - which is available for Roku, Apple, and other cord-cutting devices, as well as on your mobile phone or tablet.

Not to be outdone, Antiques Roadshow has a collection of baseball and sports memorabilia on their website, including a Joe DiMaggio bat valued at more than $80,000. Check out the vintage 1940 Michigan Wolverine football helmet!
COMMUNITY INFORMATION
On Thursday, a group of more than 20 community organizations in Detroit held a virtual town hall to help spread information about the coronavirus and resources in the city. Because of a simultaneous internet and Facebook outage, the event did not reach everyone who wanted to see it. DPTV recorded the COVID313 virtual town hall, and you can view it here.

Are you an emergency worker looking for child care? The state has set up a referral and placement system for the young children of emergency workers. The information is available in multiple languages. Get more information and apply here.

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Education Resources List - Detroit Public TV

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It starts with taking care of yourself. There is no doubt we are in a time of great uncertainty. That's one reason we are emphasizing self-care and taking time as an adult for your own needs during this period. It's important to remember that we are not helpless in light of current news events.

# data[].attributes.body
Educational Programming designed and clustered for ages 2-8, 4th-8th grade and 8th-12th grade.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It starts with taking care of yourself.

There is no doubt we are in a time of great uncertainty. That's one reason we are emphasizing self-care and taking time as an adult for your own needs during this period.

It's important to remember that we are not helpless in light of current news events. We can always choose our response. If you are struggling, here are some things you can do to take care of your mental health in the face of uncertainty:

1. Separate what is in your control from what is not.

2. Do what helps you feel a sense of safety.

3. Get outside in nature-even if you are avoiding crowds.

4. Challenge yourself to stay in the present.

5. Stay connected and reach out if you need more support.

Learn more at Taking Care of Your Mental Health in the Face of Uncertainty.
NON-TECH FAMILY ACTIVITIES
Want to play cards? If it's been a while, here's a refresher for playing Crazy 8s.

Looking for a new card game? The people who make Bicycle cards has games for all ages on their website - along with the rules (just in case an argument breaks out!).

A news story this week reported there has been a big run on jigsaw puzzles from online retailers. As an alternative, you could try a game of Balance Building. Pick uneven or unstable objects such as cards, paper cups, or rocks and challenge your kids to build as high as they can or in various shapes. The kids will be learning to solve problems, but you don't have to tell them that!

Need a variation on HopScotch? Try playing "Letter Hopscotch" and build some reading skills. A little bit of sidewalk chalk required.
BINGE-TIME
Is somebody in your household mourning the delay of the 2020 baseball season? So was Ken Burns, so he's released his multi-part history of "Baseball" for the sports fans in your family. All episodes can be viewed for free on the free DPTV App, the PBS Video App - also free - which is available for Roku, Apple, and other cord-cutting devices, as well as on your mobile phone or tablet.

Not to be outdone, Antiques Roadshow has a collection of baseball and sports memorabilia on their website, including a Joe DiMaggio bat valued at more than $80,000. Check out the vintage 1940 Michigan Wolverine football helmet!
COMMUNITY INFORMATION
On Thursday, a group of more than 20 community organizations in Detroit held a virtual town hall to help spread information about the coronavirus and resources in the city. Because of a simultaneous internet and Facebook outage, the event did not reach everyone who wanted to see it. DPTV recorded the COVID313 virtual town hall, and you can view it here.

Are you an emergency worker looking for child care? The state has set up a referral and placement system for the young children of emergency workers. The information is available in multiple languages. Get more information and apply here.

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Education Resources List - Detroit Public TV

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It starts with taking care of yourself. There is no doubt we are in a time of great uncertainty. That's one reason we are emphasizing self-care and taking time as an adult for your own needs during this period. It's important to remember that we are not helpless in light of current news events.

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With online, interactive tools. By Pam Schwallier, ESL Consultant at Kent ISD

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With online, interactive tools. By Pam Schwallier, ESL Consultant at Kent ISD

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Great suggestions for districts!

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Schools across the nation are closing in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19 and in the scramble to provide at-home learning, a major problem has risen to the forefront: millions of American students don't have reliable access to the internet.

According to recent federal data , approximately 14 percent of U.S. families with school-age children lack high-speed internet. Most of those families are low-income or live in rural areas. While there are plenty of best practice guides available for online learning, strategies for bridging the digital divide are scarce.

We asked the MindShift community to share how they're addressing the issue and what strategies, tips or activities might they have to do distance learning with students who only have access to cellphones and limited data or internet.

Here's what they shared, plus a few more tips we've found that can even be implemented today. Comments have been edited for brevity, clarity and comprehension.

Call Regularly

During this time of distance learning, students may feel isolated or lonely. Contacting them as often as you can - by email, comments on their work or phone - can make a huge difference, especially for those students without internet access. When in doubt over-communicate, but also maintain boundaries to avoid burnout.

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14 Tips For Helping Students With Limited Internet Have Distance Learning | KQED

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As schools close because of the COVID-19 pandemic, education has gone online at many school districts. However, many students can't afford to connect to the internet with anything more than their phone. In order to help struggling students, teachers have some work-arounds to help students get what they need while staying within their data plan.

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Great suggestions for districts!

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Schools across the nation are closing in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19 and in the scramble to provide at-home learning, a major problem has risen to the forefront: millions of American students don't have reliable access to the internet.

According to recent federal data , approximately 14 percent of U.S. families with school-age children lack high-speed internet. Most of those families are low-income or live in rural areas. While there are plenty of best practice guides available for online learning, strategies for bridging the digital divide are scarce.

We asked the MindShift community to share how they're addressing the issue and what strategies, tips or activities might they have to do distance learning with students who only have access to cellphones and limited data or internet.

Here's what they shared, plus a few more tips we've found that can even be implemented today. Comments have been edited for brevity, clarity and comprehension.

Call Regularly

During this time of distance learning, students may feel isolated or lonely. Contacting them as often as you can - by email, comments on their work or phone - can make a huge difference, especially for those students without internet access. When in doubt over-communicate, but also maintain boundaries to avoid burnout.

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14 Tips For Helping Students With Limited Internet Have Distance Learning | KQED

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As schools close because of the COVID-19 pandemic, education has gone online at many school districts. However, many students can't afford to connect to the internet with anything more than their phone. In order to help struggling students, teachers have some work-arounds to help students get what they need while staying within their data plan.

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Virtual Professional Learning

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miPLACE For Educators of ELs - Virtual Professional Learning Opportunities by Lyn Weber | This newsletter was created with Smore, an online tool for creating beautiful newsletters for educators, nonprofits, businesses and more

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Webinar Recording: Supporting Immigrant & Refugee Families during remote learning 

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Webinar Recording: Supporting Immigrant & Refugee Families during remote learning 

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Tips for distance learning & Communication with families

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Laura Gardner on Supporting Families of Immigrants & Refugees During Remote Learning

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Webinar recording with option to purchase 3 SCHECHs ($10)

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SIOP for Remote Learning: Recording & Resources

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As the nation shifts to online learning during the novel coronavirus outbreak, language and access barriers may shut many of the nation's nearly English-learner students out of the learning process.

A December 2019 report from the U.S. Department of Education found that few teachers reported assigning English-learners to use digital learning resources outside of class, in part because of concerns about students' lack of access to technology at home.

The same report also revealed that teachers who work with English-language learners are more apt to use general digital resources rather than tools designed specifically for English-learners and that English-learner educators reported fewer hours of professional development with digital learning resources than did mainstream teachers.

Those findings suggest the spread of outbreak-related school closures could have severe consequences for the millions of students with limited access to digital devices or the internet, limited understanding of English, and limited ability to work independently without support.

"This crisis has emphasized the inequities and gaps that exist in our [education] system," said Kristina Robertson, the English-learner program administrator for the Roseville, Minn., schools. "This is a wakeup call about the value of having technology for all."

English-learner educators often offer tailored support for their students in class, something that is not available in many of the online programs schools have implemented, said Joseph Luft, the executive director of the Internationals Network for Public Schools.

The New York City-based network operates 28 high school and middle school campuses in New York city, the San Francisco Bay Area, the Washington, D.C.-area, and Minneapolis that educate more than 10,000 English-learners and newly arrived immigrant students.

The widespread closures have left teachers and administrators scrambling for ways to connect with students they may not see face-to-face again for weeks or months. In New York City, schools are closed until at least April 20, and perhaps the rest of year, Mayor Bill de Blasio said this week.

Education Week has tracked school closures across the nation: At least 38 states have closed schools to help slow the spread of coronavirus; the closures have affected more than 38 million public school students.

In some of the International Network's New York schools, teachers spent the weekend printing paper packets for student pickup. The organization has also created a network-wide resource for teachers to share curriculum ideas and suggestions for connecting with families.

"This makes online learning a lot more difficult," Luft said. "We're trying to be very creative but it's very hard to transition so quickly."
Language Barriers
Across the country, public schools educate about 4.9 million English-learners from hundreds of different language backgrounds. While the numbers for several other languages are on the rise, 76 percent of the nation's English-learners speak Spanish.

Many of the nation's largest school districts have had significant English-learner populations for years, but communication challenges even exist for many of those school systems.

In Seattle, where schools will remain closed until April 24, the district offers translations for materials in six languages: Spanish, Somali, Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, Amharic, and Tagalog. That still leaves some families out of the loop. The district has nearly 7,000 English-learners and they speak a total of about 160 languages.

"[English-learners] who don't speak one of the major languages have much less support," Judie Haynes, an author and English-learner-educator consultant, wrote in an email to Education Week. "All distance learning will probably be in English or Spanish unless another language group has a big concentration."

The state of New Jersey, where Haynes in based, has a concentration of Portuguese students and teachers that would allow their needs to be met at school, she said.

Roughly 40 percent of the 7,000 students in Robertson's district, the Roseville schools, speak a language such as Spanish, Hmong, Karen, Somali, or Nepali at home.

The district employs 11 cultural liaisons, whose duties range from providing interpretation and translations, advising students, cultural navigation, and working to bridge the language and cultural gaps that emerge between district staff and families.

The district also plans to establish a multilingual Facebook page to communicate with families and send daily robocalls and emails in multiple languages to inform families about meals and other efforts to support families.

"Families need to have somebody they trust to communicate what they need from schools, Robertson said. "They want to their children to be safe and have learning opportunities just like everyone else."
Banding Together
Colorín Colorado, a site for English-learner educators, has compiled a list of resources and suggestions for school staff and English-learner families. The guide includes tips for ensuring that families have access to information about online learning and that their district or school online-learning plans account for English-learners.

In addition to providing links to COVID-19 information in several languages, the site also offers tips on staying connected with English-learner families during the extended shutdowns by communicating with families via phone calls, texts or video chats and providing translated information whenever possible.

"We want to ensure immigrant and English-learner families aren't left behind," said Giselle Lundy-Ponce, an English-learner advocate with the American Federation of Teachers. "It's going to require a monumental effort."

In an ongoing online survey of teachers conducted by the site, respondents have reported that many of their English-learners don't have laptops or tablets to access online lessons; in some cases, they don't have internet access.

"We would like not to lose anything [in terms of learning progress], but that's not very realistic," Robertson said. "Some families are going to be left behind."

A longtime English-as-a-second-language teacher, Haynes started #ellchat about a decade ago. On Monday, the Twitter chat focused on online learning for English-learners during the coronavirus outbreak. The exchange focused on tools that could help students access online lessons and remain in touch with teachers.

TESOL International Association, an organization for teachers who specialize in working with English-learners, has also collected resources that teachers and administrators can use to help guide their discussions with students about this pandemic.
'Losing Ground'
Luft is especially concerned about a particular subset of English-learners: older students who are nearing graduation.

School districts have long struggled to meet the educational needs of these students, including refugee and immigrant students who often have gaps in their formal education. Laws allow students to enroll in traditional public schools until they reach age 21, but many times they're pressured to leave campuses or funneled into alternative programs.

Luft fears that, with extended school closures, some of these students may leave school without graduating, unless some districts waive exam requirements or amend state laws on how many days schools must be in session.

"It's just throwing another roadblock in their way," Luft said. "We don't know how long this is going to last. They're in real danger of losing ground."

Robertson has asked district staff, including the cultural liaisons, to monitor whether families have enough food and understand when to seek medical help during the coronavirus outbreak.

Staff in the district-which has a one-to-one computing initiative-were also pressing to get tablets to students as schools shut down Wednesday through at least March 27.

"You can digitize instruction, but education is about connections," Luft said. "We don't really know what this is going to look like over the next couple of weeks. I'm not looking for miracles; I'm just looking for people working to keep kids connected to school."
Photo Credit: Students Valerie Mejia-Terry, left, and Karina Medina, right, focusing during class at Spirit Lake Elementary School in Spirit Lake, Iowa, in 2017. -- Bryon Houlgrave /The Des Moines Register

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English-Learners May Be Left Behind as Remote Learning Becomes 'New Normal'

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UPDATED As the nation shifts to online learning during the novel coronavirus outbreak, language and access barriers may shut many of the nation's nearly English-learner students out of the learning process. A December 2019 report from the U.S.

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Fast Vocab

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You can set this page as a homework task for a group of students; doing so will give you a record of who has completed the task. Visit the teacher's section for more information.

In the teacher's section you can also alter the sets of content, so that only some of the images appear. Additionally, you can get embed code to add this game to a blog or web page and you can create direct links to the game with content pre-selected. As an example, the link below will start the game with the jobs content automatically loaded.

Alternatively, this link will start the game with the food content automatically selected and loaded.

For a list of direct links like this click here.

Or use the teacher's section to create more links or embed code.

This is a simple game for learning basic English vocabulary. You drag the images to match the words and then click on the words to match the images.

The aim of this game is provide learners with a quick and easy way to practice or review vocabulary items. The game rapidly presents images, text and audio. In this way, there is a lot of repetition and reinforcement of vocabulary. It is hoped that by being simple and quick, it can be engaging and more interesting. If students can stay engaged with the game, then they will continue to get the presentation and repetition of vocabulary items. While it is less effective if students just guess all the responses, the user does need to click on the correct word/image to progress.

There are 2 parts to this game. In the first part, you are show sets of 3 or 4 images. You then have to click and drag these images to the matching words. When the image is moved to the correct word, it will stick there and the audio plays. Once you have matched 10 images, you proceed to the next part. In the second part, you are presented with a big image and you are required to click on the corresponding word from a set of 3 below. You keep on clicking until you get the right word and when you do, the audio is played. When you have done this for 10 items, you go back to the first part and then this repeats 2 or 3 times.

There are about 30 sets of content available to use and each set have about 25 items. The sets are grouped as follows:

Animals, Animals 2, Bathroom, Body, Buildings, Clothes, Clothes 2, Colors, Computer, Countries, Food, Food 2, Food 3, Garden, Home, Home 2, Hospital, Jobs, Jobs 2, Kitchen, Letters, Music, Nature, Numbers, Personal, Places, Sports, Stationery, Subjects, Things, Transport.

You can email me with any problems or feedback by using the contact form that is linked at the bottom of the page

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A quick game to practice basic esl vocab. Match the pictures to the words and then click on the words to match the image. You can use this to learn English online for free.

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Books with audio in 46 languages for young children. Includes a new COVID-19/health collection for families.

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Unite for Literacy provides free digital access to picture books, narrated in many languages. Literacy is at the core of a healthy community, so we unite with partners to enable all families to read with their young children.

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Fast Vocab

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
You can set this page as a homework task for a group of students; doing so will give you a record of who has completed the task. Visit the teacher's section for more information.

In the teacher's section you can also alter the sets of content, so that only some of the images appear. Additionally, you can get embed code to add this game to a blog or web page and you can create direct links to the game with content pre-selected. As an example, the link below will start the game with the jobs content automatically loaded.

Alternatively, this link will start the game with the food content automatically selected and loaded.

For a list of direct links like this click here.

Or use the teacher's section to create more links or embed code.

This is a simple game for learning basic English vocabulary. You drag the images to match the words and then click on the words to match the images.

The aim of this game is provide learners with a quick and easy way to practice or review vocabulary items. The game rapidly presents images, text and audio. In this way, there is a lot of repetition and reinforcement of vocabulary. It is hoped that by being simple and quick, it can be engaging and more interesting. If students can stay engaged with the game, then they will continue to get the presentation and repetition of vocabulary items. While it is less effective if students just guess all the responses, the user does need to click on the correct word/image to progress.

There are 2 parts to this game. In the first part, you are show sets of 3 or 4 images. You then have to click and drag these images to the matching words. When the image is moved to the correct word, it will stick there and the audio plays. Once you have matched 10 images, you proceed to the next part. In the second part, you are presented with a big image and you are required to click on the corresponding word from a set of 3 below. You keep on clicking until you get the right word and when you do, the audio is played. When you have done this for 10 items, you go back to the first part and then this repeats 2 or 3 times.

There are about 30 sets of content available to use and each set have about 25 items. The sets are grouped as follows:

Animals, Animals 2, Bathroom, Body, Buildings, Clothes, Clothes 2, Colors, Computer, Countries, Food, Food 2, Food 3, Garden, Home, Home 2, Hospital, Jobs, Jobs 2, Kitchen, Letters, Music, Nature, Numbers, Personal, Places, Sports, Stationery, Subjects, Things, Transport.

You can email me with any problems or feedback by using the contact form that is linked at the bottom of the page

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A quick game to practice basic esl vocab. Match the pictures to the words and then click on the words to match the image. You can use this to learn English online for free.

# data[].attributes.body
Books with audio in 46 languages for young children. Includes a new COVID-19/health collection for families.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Unite for Literacy provides free digital access to picture books, narrated in many languages. Literacy is at the core of a healthy community, so we unite with partners to enable all families to read with their young children.

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Washtenaw Community College | College in Ann Arbor, MI

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Located in one of the most educated cities in country, Washtenaw Community College offers over 130 programs taught by top-notch instructors.

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Ongoing Response

WIDA continues to:

Resources

Tips for Parents and Families

To help educators promote the importance of home language with the students and families they serve, WIDA has developed a visual resource in English and Spanish.

To support families with young children at home, WIDA Early Years is happy to share free, downloadable activity booklets, in English , Spanish, Arabic and Simplified Chinese that are appropriate for young children ages 2-7 years.

WIDA's Dr. Lorena Mancilla provides parents and guardians with guidance on working at home with a young child in the following articles:

Educator Connection and Collaboration

A new Facebook Group, the WIDA Educator Exchange, has been established for educators to connect and share resources.

Teaching Multilingual Learners Online frames insights and resources from the global education community around the 2019 WIDA Guiding Principles of Language Development.

Two international educators share their insights and lessons learned in the April edition of the WIDA International Newsletter.

The April WIDA Featured Educator, Ryan Ariosa, included resources used by his team as they navigate how to best serve and support EL students in a virtual world.

Teacher Collaboration During a Global Pandemic, co-authored by WIDA's Jon Nordmeyer, outlines five key takeaways from educators around the world that are applicable to all learners.

WIDA Wallpaper for your computer, tablet or smartphone is available for download from the WIDA Resource Library in English or Spanish to brighten the virtual teaching and learning environment.

A Flipgrid for the WIDA global community of educators has been created as a space to stay connected and share ideas about teaching multilingual learners online.

WIDA Staff Recommended Resources

The WIDA Focus Bulletin: Technology in the Classroom provides educators with support as they think critically about the ways different sorts of media and tech tools can help facilitate language development in their contexts.

The National Science Teachers Association is offering a short-term free membership that provides opportunities for students to do science through distance and home learning with their Daily Do, and also offers interactive eBooks.

The Center for Applied Linguistics is offering a Learning from Home Series.

Ellevation Education Distance Learning is a new, free resource that includes K-12 research-based activities to support multilingual learning in a distance learning environment that includes videos and podcasts.

iCivics is a digital education organization with games and resources that are free for teachers, students, and parents. Six iCivics games have built-in supports for multilingual learners with the option to play in Spanish.

Lessons and guides by Teaching Tolerance help educators facilitate meaningful discussions around racism, bias, and stereotypes.  Teaching Tolerance also provides an excellent guide for educators and students alike to learn how to "Speak Up" when faced with xenophobic or racist remarks.

Draw me Safe: Coloring and Conversation help families and caregivers talk about how to stay safe and well during a pandemic.

Newsela provides accessible text available in five different reading levels.

Mental Health and Staying Well
WIDA as an organization does not advocate for or endorse any of these technologies for instruction. Schools, districts and states are responsible for making choices about appropriate and applicable technologies and products.

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WIDA continues to:  To help educators promote the importance of home language with the students and families they serve, WIDA has developed a visual resource in English and Spanish.

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Michigan's academic vigor offers excellence across disciplines and around the globe. We are recognized as a leader in higher education due to the outstanding quality of our 19 schools and colleges, internationally recognized faculty and departments with 250 degree programs.

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Michigan's academic vigor offers excellence across disciplines and around the globe. We are recognized as a leader in higher education due to the outstanding quality of our 19 schools and colleges, internationally recognized faculty and departments with 250 degree programs.

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English proficiency ensures international students have the opportunity to succeed in EMU classes, the ability to obtain personal living services on campus and in the community and the ability to engage in social and cultural events that promote overall well-being.
Request More Information
The ESL Program does not require an English Proficiency Test Score (IELTS, TOEFL, MELAB, PTE, etc.) for admission.

For more information on degree program admissions, please visit the International Admissions site.

For additional information on government regulations regarding English proficiency, please visit the Study in the States site.

Student Testimonials

Mohammed Alqahtani, Saudi Arabia

"When I came at the beginning, I was not able to build my sentences correctly. However, I believe that the ESL Program at EMU has provided a lot to help me to improve my English language and prepared me to be more successful in my classes." Visit Mohammed's ESL success story.

Dian Arika, Indonesia

"The tutors at the ISRC in the ESL Program helped me to improve my English skills such as reading, speaking, writing as well as pronunciation. They also helped me to adopt the American culture and teach me how to live in America. This program also helped me to overcome the culture shock and my homesickness." Visit Dian's ESL success story.

Tariq Mosawi, Saudi Arabia

"The ESL Program is one of the best programs in Michigan. The program will help you to become successful. In order to become successful, you have to work hard. Never be afraid to ask questions." Visit Tariq's ESL success story.

Selamawit Berhe, Ethiopia

"I highly credit the ESL Program for my improved presentation and speaking skills. I have used the presentation skills I acquired from ESL classes in my degree program and have received positive reactions from my professors. The ESL Program is also where I met extraordinary students from different countries, learned about different cultures, made lifetime friends, and expanded my writing and speaking skills."

Gelareh Raoufi, Iran

"The professors in the ESL Program were willing to teach, guide, help, and show me all the techniques of learning the English language. The ESL Program also helped me to learn the American culture as well as other international cultures...The university is very welcoming to students from all kids of different backgrounds. EMU also has very friendly staff who are always happy to offer help where and when you need it." Visit Gelareh's success story.

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English as a second Language - Eastern Michigan University

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English proficiency ensures international students have the opportunity to succeed in EMU classes, the ability to obtain personal living services on campus and in the community and the ability to engage in social and cultural events that promote overall well-being. Request More Information The ESL Program does not require an English Proficiency Test Score (IELTS, TOEFL, MELAB, PTE, etc.)

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Library Highlights In response to Governor Whitmer's Executive Order 2020-77, Director Lori Coryell provided an update to the library closure and reopening plans.

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As a parent, there are many ways that you can help your child succeed every single day! These bilingual parent resources offer tips on helping your child learn to read, succeed in school, and learn a new language. They also provide information about the U.S. school system and share ideas on how to build a relationship with your child's teacher and school.

In addition, you can find fun reading tips and games, bilingual booklists, ideas for using the public library, and videos of children's authors, illustrators, and musicians. Resources are organized by topic.

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As a parent, there are many ways that you can help your child succeed every single day! These bilingual parent resources offer tips on helping your child learn to read, succeed in school, and learn a new language. They also provide information about the U.S.

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Black Lives Matter: Addressing Anti-Black Racism in Our Community new & ongoing initiatives >

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Always free! Over 2,000 English/Spanish, high-quality free reading passages for grades 3-12, complemented by  expert-led teacher lessons and activities.

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For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your web browser.

World-class content

Access thousands of reading lessons and our comprehensive ELA curriculum, CommonLit 360.

Accessible for all learners

Tailor instruction to students' needs with text-to-speech, translation, and digital note-taking.

Actionable data

Track students' reading performance, set goals, and plan instructional next steps.

CommonLit
Digital Library

Discover thousands of free, supplemental lessons and quizzes in English and Spanish - all featuring great authors.

CommonLit
Assessment Series

Measure growth in reading comprehension with three benchmark assessments when you unlock our premium packages.

CommonLit 360 &
Professional Development

Support a successful rollout of our research-backed ELA curriculum with personalized webinars and on-demand trainings.

"

CommonLit has made a tremendously positive impact on my teaching practice. I'm very proud to teach CommonLit!

Jennifer Lane ELA Teacher

"

CommonLit definitely keeps me organized. It's easy for me to grade and it's easy for me to see students' reading growth increase throughout the year.

"

The CommonLit assessment questions are aligned to our ELA standards, which is extremely helpful when prepping for the state exam.

Teachers trust CommonLit to foster students' reading comprehension

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CommonLit | Free Online Reading Passages and Literacy Resources

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CommonLit is a comprehensive literacy program with thousands of reading lessons, full-year ELA curriculum, benchmark assessments, and standards-based data for teachers.

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Videos and articles with the ability to have text and audio translated into multiple languages. Settings/tool icon includes translation options.  Michigan eLibrary.

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The Board of Education will meet for their regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, May 26, 2020 at 5:00 pm. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting will be held virtually via Zoom in order to promote social distancing. The public is welcome to join the meeting virtually, and instructions on how to join will be posted closer to the meeting date.

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The Board of Education will meet for their regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, May 26, 2020 at 5:00 pm. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting will be held virtually via Zoom in order to promote social distancing. The public is welcome to join the meeting virtually, and instructions on how to join will be posted closer to the meeting date.

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FREE Bilingual English/Spanish books and resources

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Reading is the most important skill a child can acquire to succeed in school. Help your child become a stronger reader by encouraging daily reading with free children's books from Read Conmigo. Our mission is to promote bilingual literacy, one family at a time.

What is Read Conmigo?

Read Conmigo is an award-winning program that encourages parents to read to their children in English and Spanish. The program provides free bilingual children's books and literacy resources for children in preschool through fifth grade. Read Conmigo was created to provide parents and teachers free tools and resources to help them foster a love of reading among their children and students.

Read Conmigo has donated over one million Spanish-English children's books to families, schools and libraries nationwide since 2010. Today over 160,000 families and educators are part of Read Conmigo. Join our FREE reading program today!

As a Read Conmigo member, you can:

Access our online library of award-winning children's books featuring original and culturally diverse children's stories in both English and Spanish. Each children's eBook includes an activity to guide reading comprehension and vocabulary acquisition.

Access and download a new eBook every two months.

Access reading tips and other online resources for parents and teachers.

How do I subscribe?

Click the Sign Up button at the bottom of this page and fill out the registration form. The program is completely free. To access our online book library, click Books on the top menu. All eBooks are compatible with most Apple iOS, Amazon Kindle, and Android devices as well as laptop and desktop computers.

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Free Children's Books in English and Spanish | Read Conmigo by Infinity Insurance

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Reading is the most important skill a child can acquire to succeed in school. Help your child become a stronger reader by encouraging daily reading with free children's books from Read Conmigo. Our mission is to promote bilingual literacy, one family at a time.

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FREE PRO accounts for 19/20! Translated articles in Spanish; leveled for grades 2-12. Quizzes, annotation, written response & vocabulary support

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It's time to improve literacy skills during social studies instruction and ensure that readers of all abilities have what they need to access grade-level social studies concepts.

Join us on Thursday, December 7 for a look at scaffolded materials that provide extra literacy support while building key social studies concepts and skills.

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Newsela | Content and assessment platform

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Content Aligned To National & State Standard, Flexible To Support Relevant Curriculum. Find the Perfect Piece Of Content For Lessons. Go beyond the book.

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Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes an entire school community to help English language learners (ELLs) succeed. These resource sections offer guidance on the necessary elements and feature a number of related videos, guides, and tip sheets. Additional ideas are available in our By Audience section.

For an overview of educational services for immigrant children, including FAQs, enrollment guidelines, and related policies, see this fact sheet from the U.S. Department of Education (also available in Spanish).

For additional guidance on the laws and regulations relating to ELLs, see our Policy & Research section.

All students have a right to a public K-12 education regardless of immigration status. Learn more about registration and enrollment policies for ELLs and immigrant students in U.S. public schools from the following resources.
Photo credit: Becoming Bilingual (PBS Launching Young Readers).

This section addresses the critical questions of how to properly assess and place English language learners (ELLs) at the school-wide and classroom level.

Bilingual and dual-language education programs are becoming more common throughout the country. Learn about bilingual and dual-language instruction and policy, considerations for special education, and tips for parents on raising bilingual children!
Photo credit: Courtesy of Allison Shelley/The Verbatim Agency for American Education: Images of Teachers and Students in Action.

Learn how you can help English language learners (ELLs) and their families feel welcome at the school library with these ideas! Visit our Books and Authors section for book recommendations, as well as our Multicultural Literature section for additional ideas.

The first step in building a partnership with the families of English language learners (ELLs) is to make sure that they feel welcome at their child's school. This resource section includes ideas that all members of the school community can try!

Administrators play a crucial role in creating an environment in which ELLs can succeed. This section offers school leaders - particularly those with growing ELL populations - ideas and strategies to make that happen. Resources include articles, recommended reports, professional books, and expert interviews.

We encourage you to share these resources with colleagues and use them for professional development activities.

Paraprofessionals who work alongside ELLs may do so in a variety of settings with a variety of roles. Whatever the case may be, there are some tips that will help paraprofessionals succeed in supporting ELLs.

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Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes an entire school community to help English language learners (ELLs) succeed. These resource sections offer guidance on the necessary elements and feature a number of related videos, guides, and tip sheets. Additional ideas are available in our By Audience section.

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As of the 2012-13 school year, Michigan's schools were home to more than 80,000 English language learners (ELLs), which marks a 47% increase from the 2002-2003 school year (Migration Policy Institute, 2015). Currently, the most common five languages spoken by ELLs in Michigan are Spanish, Arabic, Bengali, Albanian, and Vietnamese.

State ELL Resources

State Agency: Michigan Department of Education (MDE)

ELL Website: Title III -- English Learner and Immigrant Education Programs

Professional Development: Professional Learning & State Continuing Education Hours (including ESL courses)

ELP Standards & Assessment
Overview: Michigan WIDA Website
ELP Standards: WIDA English Language Proficiency Standards

ELP Assessment: WIDA-ACCESS for ELLs

Statewide Standards-Based Assessment

Assessment: Michigan Student Assessment Website

ELL Accommodations: Information is available from the M-STEP website.

Additional Information

NCELA: Title III Information
ESSA: AFT Michigan Michigan ESSA State Plan Michigan Education Association
Common Core State Standards: Yes
Michigan Alliance for Families
The mission of AFT Michigan, the statewide affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers, is to advance the interests of our members and the institutions in which they work.
Michigan TESOL
Michigan Education Association is a National Education Association State Affiliate that regularly lobbies legislators for the resources schools need, campaigns for higher professional standards for the teaching profession, and files legal actions to protect academic freedom and the rights of school employees.
Seal of Biliteracy Update: Michigan
Michigan Alliance for Familiesis a statewide resource to connect families of children with disabilities to resources to help improve their children's education. We help facilitate parent involvement as a means of improving educational services and outcomes for students with disabilities.
Dearborn Public Schools: EL & Compensatory Education Department
MITESOL is an organization composed of a diverse group of administrators, educators, materials writers, researchers, and teacher trainers primarily from the state of Michigan involved in teaching students whose first language is not English.

Michigan has a Seal of Biliteracy. The Seal of Biliteracy is an award given by a school, district, or state in recognition of students who have studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation. If you are aware of schools or districts that have adopted the Seal of Biliteracy in the state, send an update to the official Seal of Biliteracy site!

Dearborn Public Schools is committed to interventions that provide language support allowing students to achieve academic success on state standards in all content areas while attaining English Language proficiency and preparing all our students for college and career readiness. The Dearborn EL team has provided professional development for colleagues throughout the state of Michigan.

References

Ruiz Soto, Ariel G., Sarah Hooker, and Jeanne Batalova. 2015. States and Districts with the Highest Number and Share of English Language Learners. Washington, DC: Migration Policy Institute. http://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/states-and-districts-highest-number-and-share-english-language-learners

Ruiz Soto, Ariel G., Sarah Hooker, and Jeanne Batalova. 2015. Top Languages Spoken by English Language Learners Nationally and by State. Washington, DC: Migration Policy Institute. http://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/number-and-growth-students-us-schools-need-english-instruction-2009

Office of English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement for Limited English Proficient Students. Michigan Rate of EL Growth (1997/98-2007/08). Compiled July 2010 and retrieved from http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/t3sis/state/michigan/.

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As of the 2012-13 school year, Michigan's schools were home to more than 80,000 English language learners (ELLs), which marks a 47% increase from the 2002-2003 school year (Migration Policy Institute, 2015). Currently, the most common five languages spoken by ELLs in Michigan are Spanish, Arabic, Bengali, Albanian, and Vietnamese.

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Resource Library

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Our Colorín Colorado resource library is filled with tools and materials that you can use in the classroom, with parents, and for your own professional development!

These resources include tip sheets, research reports, recommended websites, resources organized by state, and much more.

What You'll Find in This Section

How can we help English language learners successfully meet the Common Core State Standards? This resource section offers ideas and materials including classroom videos, teacher interviews, and bilingual parent tips.

How can we help English language learners successfully meet the Common Core State Standards? This resource section offers ideas and materials including classroom videos, teacher interviews, and bilingual parent tips.

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Our Colorín Colorado resource library is filled with tools and materials that you can use in the classroom, with parents, and for your own professional development! These resources include tip sheets, research reports, recommended websites, resources organized by state, and much more. How can we help English language learners successfully meet the Common Core State Standards?

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Across the country, teachers and other educators share the exciting but sometimes difficult challenge of teaching English, literacy skills, and academic content to a growing number of English language learners (ELLs).

This is a rich section filled with strategies, ideas, recommendations, resources, videos, and news from the ELL field. Resources are organized by the topics below and additional Resources by Grade are also available in our ELL Basics section.

What You'll Find in This Section

The first year of working with ELLs can be full of challenges. Fortunately, there are a number of resources to help! Colorín Colorado has compiled this list to help new ELL teachers navigate their experiences in the classroom. These resources may also be helpful for veteran teachers who are new to teaching ELLs.

How can we help English language learners successfully meet the Common Core State Standards? This resource section offers ideas and materials including classroom videos, teacher interviews, and bilingual parent tips.

Learn more about how schools and families can collaborate to ensure that ELLs, including those with special needs, have the appropriate support and services to meet their unique needs.

Resource Library

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Across the country, teachers and other educators share the exciting but sometimes difficult challenge of teaching English, literacy skills, and academic content to a growing number of English language learners (ELLs). This is a rich section filled with strategies, ideas, recommendations, resources, videos, and news from the ELL field.

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Instantly access over 40,000 of the best books & videos for kids on Epic

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Chicken Little

A modern adaptation of the classic tale: What happens when a completely normal chicken believes everything he reads on the internet? This story is written in the present tense, because it's a good thing to learn.

The Bird and the Whale

Our first ever original story, about a bird and a whale and their shared love of little fish. Inspired by a song by Tom Waits, and an episode of Adventure Time.

The Three Little Pigs

The classic tale of shoddy building materials, DIY folly, and the perils of emparedados de tocino (a.k.a bacon sandwiches). No pigs or wolves were harmed in the making of this story.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Why you should probably lock your door when you go out for a walk, even if you live en medio de un gran bosque. Why are the three bowls of sopa different temperatures when they were poured at the same time? Science, is why.

Little Red Riding Hood

A deeply troubling investigation into what happens when you let your children walk somewhere alone: Caperucita Roja eats fresas, picks margaritas and talks to el Gran Lobo Feroz on the way to Grandma's house. (Warning: Contains highly improbable medical scenes.)

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Spanish Children's Stories - The Spanish Experiment

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Well-known childrens stories translated into Spanish and spoken by a native Spanish speaker. Read along in Spanish or English. Great for adults too!

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Free read-alouds by famous actors and actresses.

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The SAG-AFTRA Foundation's Daytime Emmy-nominated, Storyline Online, features celebrated actors reading children's books to inspire a love of reading in millions of children worldwide.

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K-5 Culturally Conscious Recommended Book List

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6-12 Culturally Conscious Recommended Book List

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May: Bilingual Literacy and Asian Pacific American History Month

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May: Bilingual Literacy and Asian Pacific American History Month

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FREE Bilingual English/Spanish books and resources

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Reading is the most important skill a child can acquire to succeed in school. Help your child become a stronger reader by encouraging daily reading with free children's books from Read Conmigo. Our mission is to promote bilingual literacy, one family at a time.

What is Read Conmigo?

Read Conmigo is an award-winning program that encourages parents to read to their children in English and Spanish. The program provides free bilingual children's books and literacy resources for children in preschool through fifth grade. Read Conmigo was created to provide parents and teachers free tools and resources to help them foster a love of reading among their children and students.

Read Conmigo has donated over one million Spanish-English children's books to families, schools and libraries nationwide since 2010. Today over 160,000 families and educators are part of Read Conmigo. Join our FREE reading program today!

As a Read Conmigo member, you can:

Access our online library of award-winning children's books featuring original and culturally diverse children's stories in both English and Spanish. Each children's eBook includes an activity to guide reading comprehension and vocabulary acquisition.

Access and download a new eBook every two months.

Access reading tips and other online resources for parents and teachers.

How do I subscribe?

Click the Sign Up button at the bottom of this page and fill out the registration form. The program is completely free. To access our online book library, click Books on the top menu. All eBooks are compatible with most Apple iOS, Amazon Kindle, and Android devices as well as laptop and desktop computers.

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Free Children's Books in English and Spanish | Read Conmigo by Infinity Insurance

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Reading is the most important skill a child can acquire to succeed in school. Help your child become a stronger reader by encouraging daily reading with free children's books from Read Conmigo. Our mission is to promote bilingual literacy, one family at a time.

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The Global Storybooks Portal is designed specifically for teachers, parents, and community members around the world. It makes 40 selected stories from the African Storybook available in major national, immigrant and refugee languages of individual countries, regions, and groups.

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Duolingo is the world's most popular way to learn a language. It's 100% free, fun and science-based. Practice online on duolingo.com or on the apps!