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Distance Learning with Common Sense: Equitable Distance Learning for English Learners

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English Learner Supports during COVID-19

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EEL is pleased to publish a fourth Communication focused on Education and Research Supports for ELs during COVID-19 based on our research-based Equitable Distance Learning for English Learners Design Principles .

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CBS Documentary pertinent to our Latino EL students' lives. As a population, Latinos are highly affected by the corona virus  essential workers on the front lines of the pandemic.  (48 mins.) 

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CBS Documentary pertinent to our Latino EL students' lives. As a population, Latinos are highly affected by the corona virus  essential workers on the front lines of the pandemic.  (48 mins.) 

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EL achievement planning through 3 lenses: Big Picture, School Systems, Whole Child

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EdPuzzle

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Easily create beautiful interactive video lessons for your students you can integrate right into your LMS. Track students' progress with hassle-free analytics as you flip your classroom!

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Online classroom dice that can be used in a number of different ways. Works great on tablets and on digital whiteboards. Works with all browsers.

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5 Essential Practices specific to the needs of ELs and supported by many practical distance learning instructional ideas tailored to EL academic language needs. 

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5 Essential Practices specific to the needs of ELs and supported by many practical distance learning instructional ideas tailored to EL academic language needs. 

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Supporting ELLs through Distance Learning Webinar

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Larry Ferlazzo Keynote @ VirtuEL addressing effective EL instruction  during the COVID crisis.  He provides not only the concepts but also the tools he has found useful. 

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Larry Ferlazzo Keynote @ VirtuEL addressing effective EL instruction  during the COVID crisis.  He provides not only the concepts but also the tools he has found useful. 

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One of my favorite annual virtual PD events. Free, amazing experts and this year timely advice for remote teaching for ELs

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VirtuEL 2020 begins with our keynote presenter, acclaimed author, blogger and educator, Larry Ferlazzo!

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The more we know about the identification of ELs with disabilities the less apt we are to over-identify or under-identify English Learners as needing Special Education services. 

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The more we know about the identification of ELs with disabilities the less apt we are to over-identify or under-identify English Learners as needing Special Education services. 

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Developing a shared understanding of Family Engagement in the COVID era is more important than ever.

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A focus on American Indian English Learners, including a discussion of translanguaging, and culturally relevant instruction that could apply to all ELs.

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A focus on American Indian English Learners, including a discussion of translanguaging, and culturally relevant instruction that could apply to all ELs.

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Holidays and Celebrations that our EL families may observe: A complete listing by month.

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Holidays and Celebrations that our EL families may observe: A complete listing by month.

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A helpful list of considerations and possible “to do’s” in preparation for online learning, or a hybrid of online and in-seat learning, as we look ahead to school reopening 😊

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A helpful list of considerations and possible “to do’s” in preparation for online learning, or a hybrid of online and in-seat learning, as we look ahead to school reopening 😊

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Sponsored by PowerSchool and ISTE U

It's a pretty safe bet that most teachers will be doing some form of online teaching in the coming year. Maybe you'll do it full-time, maybe it will be some kind of hybrid model, but one thing is for sure: This time around you won't be dropped into it without warning.

So with this chance to take a breath and do more thoughtful, intentional planning, the next question is What do we do differently? What shifts do we need to make in our face-to-face teaching practices to make the most of online learning?

To find out, I sought the help of Melanie Kitchen, a Coordinator of Instructional Technology and Staff Development serving 19 school districts in Western New York state. Melanie has years of experience working with teachers on developing blended learning and has now shifted to helping teachers develop best practices for remote learning.

Melanie Kitchen

I asked Melanie to share some ways online teaching should be different from face-to-face teaching. She came up with nine: three that are specific to community building and communication, and six that focus on instructional design. Along with these differences, she also shared a few things that should stay exactly the same.

Community Building & Communication

1. The first weeks of school should be devoted to community building and digital competency.

Resist the temptation to dive right into curriculum at the start of the school year. Things will go more smoothly if you devote the early weeks to building community so students feel connected. Social emotional skills can be woven in during this time. On top of that, students need practice with whatever digital tools you'll be using. So focus your lessons on those things, intertwining the two when possible.

"If you are explicitly teaching persistence," Kitchen says, "maybe I'm going to give you a challenge that's not content-related, but something that you might have to kind of grapple with. But when I assign that, if I'm using Google Classroom, then I'm going to assign that through Google Classroom and teach you how you're going to open an assignment, how you're going to submit it, how you'll be receiving feedback. So you are teaching these skills all at once, and it's not something separate or extra. It's just all done together."

Other good resources that can guide and inform the conversations you have in these early weeks are:

2. Communication with parents needs to be more thorough, streamlined, and predictable.

Parents are also adjusting to this new way of doing school. Because they are sometimes expected to play an even more prominent role in supporting student learning, they need more support from you. "We really need parents to be our partners in this learning community," Kitchen says.

Here are some guidelines:

Establish a consistent location and predictable schedule for sharing information. When parents know where and when to look for information from you, they'll do a better job of keeping up with it and following through on their end. Weekly updates are a good way to keep everyone informed about what's going on in your class. And rather than toggling around between emails, text alerts, blog posts, website announcements, and newsletters, choose one platform for outgoing information and stick to it; if your whole school can do the same you'll see even better results.

Set clear expectations and boundaries for communication. When can students and parents expect to hear from you? How and when can they get in touch with you when needed? If you don't set boundaries you'll end up feeling like you have to be available 24/7, which will quickly lead to burnout. Establish regular office hours and advertise them in an easy-to-find place so parents know when you'll be most accessible.

Create a backup plan for off-hours and tech support. If parents or students need help outside of your regular office hours or they need help with technology, who can they contact? Make this information clearly available.

Make communication multimodal. Although it's important to consistently post through one platform, it's also helpful to provide the information in more than one mode. For example, you might offer written announcements and record the same announcements in a short video each week so students and parents can choose the format that works best for them.

Provide parent tech training. Parents will be better able to support students if they understand how to use the technology, so provide them with tutorials on the tech you use, including whatever platform you use to disseminate information.

3. Community and connection need to be a priority for teachers, too.

"Teachers need to connect with each other now more than ever," Kitchen says. Your school leadership should be building in regular opportunities for you to stay connected to your colleagues during this time. If they are not, create those opportunities for yourself.

Staff meetings should still be held regularly-even if it's through a videoconferencing platform-to keep staff connected.

During these meetings, some time and attention should be given to teacher well-being and emotional health.

Smaller groups like teaching teams or content-area PLCs can offer even more support.

If you're not getting the support you need, seek it out through platforms like Twitter.

This article offers a more in-depth look at teacher well-being: How to Support Teachers' Emotional Needs Right Now.

Instructional Design

4. Teacher collaboration is even more important.

Meeting the challenges of online learning gets easier when we work together. "As we're all trying to get to know these students better," Kitchen says, "we need to be working together to do that." That means working more closely with specialists to make sure our lessons and materials meet the needs of all students, partnering with others in our content area to plan instruction, working together on cross-curricular projects, and dividing up the things all students need (like technology instruction) among teachers on a team or grade level so students aren't doing the same lessons over and over and our work isn't duplicated.

Fortunately, collaborating online can be even easier than trying to do it when we all teach in the same physical building. "This virtual environment has provided us the opportunity to break down those walls, to break down those silos," Kitchen says. "Our schedules and time constraints that we may have had before will come down. We may have more opportunity to partner with people that we didn't have the time or the space to be able to do that before."

5. "Face-to-face" time should be used for active learning.

Online instruction is made up largely of asynchronous instruction, which students can access at any time. This is ideal, because requiring attendance for synchronous instruction puts some students at an immediate disadvantage if they don't have the same access to technology, reliable internet, or a flexible home schedule.

But you're likely to offer "face-to-face" or synchronous opportunities at some point, and one way to make them happen more easily is to have students meet in small groups. While it's nearly impossible to arrange for 30 students to attend a meeting at once, assigning four students to meet is much more manageable. Kitchen likes "campfire groups," which are permanent groups of about four that stay together for long periods of time. This arrangement allows students to get to know each other better and establish more trust. Students might be rearranged for other activities to provide some variety, but the campfire groups would provide a stable base throughout the school term.

So what kind of instructional activities should be used for these different formats?

What works best, Kitchen says, is to keep direct instruction-things like brief video lectures and readings-in asynchronous form, using checks for understanding like embedded questions or exit slips.

You can then use synchronous meetings for more interactive, engaging work. "If we want students showing up, if we want them to know that this is worth their time," Kitchen explains, "it really needs to be something active and engaging for them. Any time they can work with the material, categorize it, organize it, share further thoughts on it, have a discussion, all of those are great things to do in small groups."

Small group strategies she strongly recommends:

6. Content needs to be simplified and slowed down.

Online instruction is not conducive to covering large amounts of content, so you have to choose wisely, teaching the most important things at a slower pace. To make those choices, Kitchen recommends asking some key questions:

What really holds leverage for the students? What has endurance? What knowledge is essential?

What knowledge and skills do students need to have before they move to the next grade level or the next class?

What practices can be emphasized that transfer across many content areas? Skills like analyzing, constructing arguments, building a strong knowledge base through texts, and speaking can all be taught through many different subjects.

What tools can serve multiple purposes? Teaching students to use something like Padlet gives them opportunities to use audio, drawing, writing, and video. Non-digital tools can also work: Students can use things they find around the house, like toilet paper rolls, to fulfill other assignments, and then submit their work with a photo.

7. Instructions should be easy to find, explicit, and multimodal.

Because you are not in the same room with students, your instructions have to work a lot harder than they do in a brick-and-mortar setting.

Provide instructions in a consistent location and at a consistent time. This advice was already given for parents, but it's worth repeating here through the lens of instructional design: Set up lessons so that students know where to find instructions every time.

Make instructions explicit. Read and re-read to make sure these are as clear as possible. Make dogfooding your lessons a regular practice to root out problem areas.

Offer multimodal instructions. If possible, provide both written and video instructions for assignments, so students can choose the format that works best for them. You might also offer a synchronous weekly or daily meeting; what's great about doing these online is that even if you teach several sections of the same class per day, students are no longer restricted to class times and can attend whatever meeting works best for them.

8. Traditional grading practices should take a backseat to feedback.

"We saw a transition during emergency remote teaching where each of us had different requirements about grades or no grades, pass and fail," Kitchen says. "This whole environment really needs to be supported by communication and connection. If I'm to receive an A or a 95 or a 65, that doesn't necessarily tell me as much as verbal feedback or print feedback to what I'm doing right, what I can improve on."

So when teaching remotely, put the emphasis on formative feedback as students work through assignments and tasks, rather than simply grading them at the end.

Most learning management platforms, like Google Classroom, have built-in features for giving feedback. Use these as your primary method.

Tools like Floop offer other ways to provide on-the-spot feedback and can be especially good for math.

Feedback should be frequent and specific. Consider some of the methods shared by Matthew Johnson in Flash Feedback.

Provide a pathway for students and parents to give YOU feedback on assignments as well.

9. Summative assessment should focus on creation.

In online learning, Kitchen says, "There are so many ways that students can cheat, so if we're giving them just the traditional quiz or test, it's really easy for them to be able to just look up that information."

A great solution to this problem is to have students create things. These can be videos, podcasts, digital or physical art, writing pieces, comics, and so on. "It's a lot more difficult to cheat when you have to make something or do something. And it also integrates all of the areas and it builds up, all of that learning builds up into this creation that they will do."

For assessment, use a detailed rubric that highlights the learning goals the end product will demonstrate. A single-point rubric works well for this.

To help students discover tools to work with, this list of tools is organized by the type of product each one creates. Another great source of ideas is the Teacher's Guide to Tech.

When developing the assignment, rather than focusing on the end product, start by getting clear on what you want students to DO with that product. This list from Bill Ferriter explores the difference:

Image Credit: Bill Ferriter (CC BY-NC-ND)

What Stays the Same

Not everything in online teaching is different. Some aspects of good teaching should definitely stay the same.

Clear and consistent communication

Creating explicit and consistent rituals and routines

Using research-based instructional strategies

Determining whether to use digital or non-digital tools for an assignment

A focus on authentic learning, where authentic products are created and students have voice and choice in assignments

The teaching environment may not be the same as we're used to, but it's important to remember that good teaching is still good teaching. "All of those things that we know are really good practices can still be done virtually," Kitchen says. "It just might look a little bit different."

You can find Melanie on her website, creativecuriosity.org, or on Twitter at @MelKitchenEDU.

Come back for more.
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9 Ways Online Teaching Should be Different from Face-to-Face

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What shifts do we need to make in our face-to-face teaching practices to make the most of online learning? What can stay exactly the same?

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Reminder! The Carson City School District website can be translated with one click to many other languages!

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Reminder! The Carson City School District website can be translated with one click to many other languages!

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Choosing Language on DIstrict Website.PNG

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Click on the flyer to get the full
schedule of free, 1-hr tech trainings offered by NWRPDP this summer. Excellent topics for making remote lessons as effective as possible!

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An NDE-sponsored one-stop resource for remote learning. Click on the box below, then click on Carson City.  The password is Teacher

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Technology Tuesday Trainings

Every third Tuesday of the month, Vegas PBS will host a one-hour session on how to use the new statewide service OnePlaceNV. This session will introduce you to how to access the multitude of databases, how to navigate these databases, ideas on incorporating into lesson plans, and more.

Sessions will be hosted via Google Meet (or similar web conferencing tool), run from 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. and are limited to public school educators within the state of Nevada.

The first 20 educators to register and complete the session will be sent a thank you package*, mailed to the address indicated upon registration. Sign-up quick and learn how to make the most of this new resource, available with support from the Nevada Department of Education.

* Thank you package limited to 1 per person. Includes OnePlaceNV branded wireless mouse and backpack, while supplies last.

Questions?
Password Information: oneplacenvpwrequest@vegaspbs.org
All Other Questions: emsinfo@vegaspbs.org

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Every third Tuesday of the month, Vegas PBS will host a one-hour session on how to use the new statewide service OnePlaceNV. This session will introduce you to how to access the multitude of databases, how to navigate these databases, ideas on incorporating into lesson plans, and more.

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2-Day Virtual Summit on EL Students with Disabilities put on by West Ed. July 14-15  ($199.00) 

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2-Day Virtual Summit on EL Students with Disabilities put on by West Ed. July 14-15  ($199.00) 

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This two-day online institute is designed to help educators support English learners with disabilities. Participants will gain an understanding of how to implement evidence-based instructional strategies using supportive frameworks appropriate for online and site-based learning environments. Drawing on WestEd's longstanding expertise in this interdisciplinary area of work, participants will learn how to apply knowledge and skills needed to improve student outcomes.
You will learn:

Evidence-based instructional practices to support the language acquisition and learning needs of English learners and students with disabilities, including Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, the Six Principles of ELL Instruction, and structured academic discourse.

The role of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) in providing instruction and intervention for English learners and students who may have a disability, along with tools and processes for distinguishing between learning disabilities and challenges related to language acquisition.

Effective and culturally sensitive processes to support appropriate referrals of English learners for special education assessment.

Effective instructional lesson tuning protocols to support English learners and students with disabilities in classroom and distance learning contexts.

Who should attend?

English language teachers and specialists

Special educators and special education directors

General education teachers

Administrators

Related service providers

District or site teams of special educators, EL educators, and general education teachers

Dates & Times: July 14 & 15, 2020 (11:00 am-4:30 pm EDT, 10 am-3:30 pm CDT, 9:00 am- 2:30 pm MDT, 8:00 am-1:30 pm PDT)

Registration Fees: $199 for six content sessions, two virtual lunch discussion sessions, access to Padlet Wall resources, and free access to all ELSWD Summit 2020 session recordings.
Register for the English Learners with Disabilities Virtual Summit
If you have questions or would like more information about registration, please contact Silvia DeRuvo at sderuvo@wested.org.

ELSWD Summit 2020 Sessions
Register Now View More Events

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Register: English Learners with Disabilities Virtual Summit, July 14-15, 2020

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This two-day online institute is designed to help educators support English learners with disabilities. Participants will gain an understanding of how to implement evidence-based instructional strategies using supportive frameworks appropriate for online and site-based learning environments. Drawing on WestEd's longstanding expertise in this interdisciplinary area of work, participants will learn how to apply knowledge and [...]

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Strengthening Relationships with Students from Diverse Backgrounds

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How to Support ELL Students with Interrupted Formal Education (SIFEs)

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SIFEs and SLIFEsAnother related term that educators may see is “Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education” (SLIFEs).When immigrant students enroll in a new school, their prior educational experiences may vary widely. Students who have not had an opportunity to attend school or have had multiple interruptions in their education are commonly referred to as “Students with Interrupted Education” (SIFEs).While educating students with interrupted education may seem daunting, they bring numerous talents and strengths to their new schools and communities. And they can indeed obtain a high school diploma with the right kind of support and go on to future academic and professional success.In fact, each spring, we read about SIFEs who are at the top of their class or who have been chosen to give a commencement speech, such as Juliane Lukambo, who spent her early years in a refugee camp before coming to the U.S. and graduating as class valedictorian. And, in this video clip, Canadian ELL expert Paula Markus talks about a special Somali student who had also been in a refugee camp before arriving in her classroom. Today, the world knows him as the artist K’naan.This article provides a profile of SIFEs and their needs, recommendations of best practices, and examples of the kinds of quality support and resources that will accelerate their academic achievement.A warm welcome for immigrant families in the front officeNorieah Ahmed, the Child Accounting Secretary at Salina Elementary School in Dearborn, MI, talks about her role in welcoming newcomer immigrant families to the school from the moment they walk in the door. Who are SIFEs?While there are some general characteristics that SIFEs share, students’ situations will vary widely:Some SIFEs may be refugees fleeing violence or conflicts, while others may have had interrupted schooling due to poverty, migration, or crises such as natural disasters.Some SIFEs may have had no schooling, while others may have had some education or long gaps in their education.Many are English language learners (ELLs), but some may come from countries where English is a primary language.Students who come from the same country and speak the same language may have had vastly different experiences related to schooling.For this reason, it is crucial to learn about each individual student in order to identify their strengths and needs. You can learn more about specific characteristics in the articles below. And you read more about how different states define SIFEs from this data map.Related resources10 Things You Need to Learn About Your English Language LearnersStudents with Interrupted Formal Education: Understanding Who They Are (American Educator)Unaccompanied Children in Schools: What You Need to KnowIndigenous Students from Latin America in the United StatesPartnering with Indigenous Families from Latin America (Outreach videos in Spanish, English, and Mam)Where do SIFEs come from?SIFEs may come from countries where poverty, disaster, and civil unrest affect the development of literacy and opportunities for education. According to UNESCO, the number of children missing out on any schooling now numbers 250 million, according to figures released in 2023.Students may also come from countries where persecution or strict rules about gender, social class, or ethnicity prevented them from attending school. Girls in many nations still don’t have equal access to education, which is particularly concerning in nations where girls can only attend classes taught by women. UNICEF estimates that 129 million girls are out of school worldwide.In addition, SIFEs may have been born or raised in a developed nation but in impoverished circumstances that affect their family’s stability. For example, many migrant workers in the U.S. move frequently based on agricultural seasons, and as a result their children move from one to school to another, making it nearly impossible for children to stay caught up with their peers.What are SIFEs’ strengths?It’s critical to identify SIFEs’ strengths and talents, as well as the value of their unique perspectives and life experiences. These strengths make include resilience, resourcefulness and responsibility, as well as their multilingual skills, which they may be using to translate for their families. Starting with an asset-based perspective can make an important difference helping students get settled. In addition, it can provide more opportunities to connect content and learning opportunities to students’ background knowledge. You can find additional ideas in Using a Strengths-Based Approach with ELs: Supporting Students Living with Trauma, Violence and Chronic Stress.Principal Nathaniel Provencio: The gifts that ELLs bring to schoolPrincipal Nathaniel Provencio talks about some of the gifts that ELLs bring to schools, including multilingualism and emotional intelligence. Enrolling SIFEsIt’s important to ensure that all staff working with SIFEs understand the following:K-12 students in the United States have the legal right to enroll in a public school, regardless of their immigration status or that of their caretakers and family members.Families have a legal right to enroll their children in school in the maximum age set by each state even if they have recently arrived in the country and even if they do not have documents like birth certificates.Many families may be living in shelters or in unstable housing; these students may have additional rights under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. Educating SIFEs in Dearborn, MIThe Salina neighborhood in Dearborn, Michigan has long been home to diverse immigrant communities who came to work in Detroit’s factories. Today, many of the families who live in the neighborhood are from the war-torn country of Yemen, and as a result, students of all ages have experienced violence, hardship, and family separation. In addition, educators at Salina Elementary and Intermediate Schools have noticed that the longer the conflict has continued, the less schooling students have had by the time they arrive in Dearborn.Both schools have developed robust partnerships with families and wrap-around services and activities for students. They have also gone to great lengths to create and maintain calm, welcoming environments within the school and ensure that all staff are trained in culturally and linguistically responsive practice, as well as trauma-informed practice. Since the schools are serving the same families, they also work closely together to reach families more effectively. To learn more about Salina, see Colorín Colorado’s award-winning film, You Are Welcome Here.What do SIFEs need?When students who have grown up with little or no education experience enroll in U.S. schools, they have much more to learn than a new language; in order to be fully functional at school, they need to learn how to:read and writecomplete assignments and follow instructionsuse school suppliesfollow a school scheduletake the businteract with students from different culturesparticipate in school activitiesAll of this is happening while they adjust to a new country and new social norms and possibly take on family responsibilities such as working, caring for younger siblings, or doing a significant share of housework. They also may have experienced trauma and need mental health support or additional social and emotional support.Older siblings’ responsibilities during family separationTeacher Diana Alqadhi discusses the responsibilities her students have when caring for younger siblings during extended family separations. What makes SIFEs’ needs unique?While needs of the SIFE population may overlap with those of ELLs in some ways, SIFEs are likely to need additional support and instruction. In an article adapted from their book about SIFEs, Brenda Custodio and Judith B. O’Loughlin write, “Students with interrupted education need specialized programming and assistance, above and beyond what is normally provided to ELLs.“They continue, “This belief is supported in a recent statement from WIDA...about SIFE: ‘Students with this background often need their emotional, psychological, and physiological needs to be met before they are able to engage fully in the educational setting.‘“Social and emotional factors impacting SIFEs may include:1. Stress and trauma: SIFEs may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, may be under severe distress, or may be completely overwhelmed by the need to assimilate to a new school environment in a new language. In addition, some SIFEs may have traveled her as unaccompanied minors, alone or carrying for younger relatives, and may be reuniting with family members they have not seen for a long time or have never met.2. Frustration: A SIFE may be very excited to finally attend school regularly, and may have high hopes for his ability to work and support his family; however, the discovery that he is in fact far behind his peers can be a source of great frustration. Even as he makes great academic progress throughout the year, he is still chasing a moving target because English-speaking, grade-level peers are continuing to learn as well, and the realization that meeting his goals will be harder than expected may be devastating.3. High risk of dropping out: SIFEs are considered to have a high risk for dropping out of high school given the precarious nature of their relationship with school.While these reasons present numerous challenges to school educators and administrators, students with limited or interrupted schooling can succeed if their school makes a commitment to help them achieve that goal. The following lists of suggestions offer some ideas that educators can implement to support SIFEs throughout the school and in the classroom.Why creating a calm, safe environment matters for students and staffPrincipal Susan Stanley describes how creating a calm and safe environment helps students and staff alike, especially in a school where many students have experienced trauma. 10 Ideas for Teaching SIFEsHere are some things you can do in your classroom to support SIFEs:1. Activate prior knowledge.Once you know what prior information your students have, you can link new information to what they already understand. Not only can this stimulate student motivation, but it can also determine where to start instruction as well as lay out the next steps. Some strategies include: word associations, wordsplash relationships, KWL charts, and anticipation guides.2. Provide a print rich environment.Cover your walls with lots of visuals that correspond to text (maps, charts, signs, posters with motivational phrases, the alphabet in print and script, etc.). Include appropriate texts that are written at a basic reading level, high interest/low ability books, native language materials, and bilingual glossaries.3. Engage students in hands-on learning so students are physically involved.Have students write, illustrate, and record their own books, let them create their own picture dictionaries and flash cards, incorporate drama to act out events and stories, use interactive activities on a SMARTBoard, use manipulatives, reciprocal teaching, and teach to the multiple intelligences. In addition, look for ways to include and support SIFEs in project-based learning.4. Keep the amount of new vocabulary in control. When using new vocabulary or explaining new concepts, you may need to rephrase, define in context, and simplify your explanation so as not to confuse students. Limit your sentence length, but don’t patronize students by raising your voice as if they were hard of hearing. Instead, use intonation and pauses for emphasis.5. Give frequent checks for communication.Try to avoid Yes/No answers. Instead, ask that students summarize what they understood. Increase your wait time, because students will need extra time to process your question, think of the answer, they find the words they need in English.6. When assessing understanding, be open-minded. Provide multiple opportunities to demonstrate understanding (instead of writing: explain, act out, discuss, defend, draw, compare, predict, etc.). Emphasize formative assessment versus evaluative assessment and individualize what you ask students to do.7. Allow students to work in cooperative groups.There are a number of ways to support peer learning. Remember to teach the necessary social skills they need to interact productively with one another. Forming skills such as getting into groups, taking turns, and encouraging one another provide the foundation for higher-order thinking in collaborative groups.8. If possible, build the native language content and literacy instruction in order to build on English.Use of graphic organizers is very helpful to make learning visual and incorporate thinking skills, and can be done without any writing. Use reading logs and journals to incorporate reading and writing.9. Use teaching strategies that weave together language and content instruction, such as the SIOP model (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol).Often when SIFE student enroll in a U.S. school, the gaps in their educational record lead to them being placed in remedial courses. While this kind of instruction may be necessary or helpful for some students, native-language instruction and sheltered instruction may provide a viable alternative to remedial instruction (Spaulding, Carolino & Amen, p.13).Look for ways to relate material to students’ prior knowledge and experience, and start with the concrete before building up to the abstract. What they don’t have you can try to create for them through visuals or by using technology. In addition, teach students learning strategies that they can use in the future. These strategies may include how to recognize cognates, looking for the heading of a chapter in pre-reading exercises, using a dictionary, or how to take effective notes (p. 28). Remember that SIFEs haven’t learned the basic skills that many students have learned at a young age, and may have no background knowledge in the areas that you expect them to have learned.10. Provide intensive literacy/language instruction.SIFEs will need explicit instruction in literacy skills in an age-appropriate manner, access to literacy-rich environments and print materials, and unified language and content instruction (Spaulding, Carolino & Amen, p.30). SIFEs may also benefit from increased time in language development or ESL courses, particularly if the class sizes are small.11. Use culturally and linguistically responsive instruction. Consider how you might make your instruction more culturally and linguistically responsive to reflect students’ home cultures and languages. That might mean tying content to students’ background knowledge or prior experiences, posting some signs in students’ languages with welcoming or useful phrases, and inviting students’ to share their culture with the class.12. Keep your expectations realistic at the beginning of the year.Raise your expectations up as students reach them and keep them high enough that students will stretch to reach for them, but not too high that they give up. If you expect success from your students, supply them with the necessary tools, remain optimistic, and offer to help as they need it, they will gain the self-confidence to be successful.For additional ideas, see WIDA’s Focus Bulletin on SLIFEs.Why Collaboration MattersA collaborative instructional model reinforces student learning and accelerates SIFEs’ academic progress. For elementary-level teachers this may come more easily since classroom teachers are responsible for more than one subject, and they often work collaboratively in grade-level teams. For secondary-level teachers this may be more challenging and may require a review of the instructional system, curriculum and content, school resources, and teacher planning schedules (Office of English Language Learning & Migrant Education, p.1).In the National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition’s Interrupted Formal Schooling Toolkit, DiCerbo and Loop write,Schools that are prepared to meet the needs of students with interrupted formal education do not require classroom teachers or individual resource teachers to take on these responsibilities alone. Instead, administrators, counselors, classroom teachers and resource teachers need to work together to ensure that the students and their families have the necessary information needed to provide school supplies, documentation for meal programs, and other requisites for assimilation. Working together to create a climate of acceptance and accountability ensures that the student’s academic success is secured on many levels. (2003)Regardless of how the collaboration is done or at what grade level, the important thing for teachers to keep in mind is how to continually reinforce new concepts and language in academic instruction and integrate concepts across content areas and language/literacy classes. For example, if students are learning about aquatic life in science, the math teacher can teach mathematical examples that reinforce the scientific concepts while applying math skills, and the language arts teacher can review the language structures and vocabulary used in the math problems and science lessons being taught. Teachers who collaborate have the opportunity to be intentional about the academic language and skills they want students to learn and practice, and they will begin to make connections across content areas to reinforce learning.Eight Ideas for Providing School-Wide Support to SIFEsSchools can support SIFEs in a number of ways. The ability to implement these measures will vary greatly by school and district, as well as by the involvement and investment by administrators, teachers, counselors, and staff. Consider reviewing these ideas with your colleagues to see which suggestions may be viable options in your school.1. Ensure that all chool-wide staff understand SIFEs’ unique experiences and needs.An educational environment that is supportive of SIFEs will have staff members who are well-educated on the needs and backgrounds of their students, and highly attuned to the emotional strain these students may experience as they adjust to a new country, language, and customs. Students may be facing complex identity issues, culture shock, and a sense of loss of having left their home behind, particularly if they didn’t want to move to a new country (Spaulding, Carolino & Amen, 2004, p.12). It’s also important for staff to understand students’ legal rights access a public K-12 education, detailed in Immigrant Students’ Legal Rights: An Overview.A supportive environment is often created by one or more of the following:bilingual/bicultural staff from the students’ home countrya teaching staff highly trained in cross-cultural communication, the cultural and historical backgrounds of the students, and instructional methods that are designed to accelerate the academic achievement of SIFEs.student and parent access to support services (ideally in the family’s native language) provided by counselors, tutors, mentors, and parent coordinators. (Walsh, 1991, as cited in Office of English Language Learning & Migrant Education, p. 10)a buddy system with peers or classmates who can show students around and help them adjust to the daily schedule (p.4)2. Parter with community organizations to provide social and emotional support.Community resources can be a very powerful tool in meeting the needs of SIFEs. SIFEs will benefit greatly from contacts with community resources such as after-school tutoring, job programs, and ethnically/linguistically based community groups. In addition, schools can connect students and families with basic need and services related to health, wellness, housing, food and clothing security, employment services or other areas that can help with resettlement and acclimation in a new community.Isolation and discouragement can be two negative and powerful influences on a SIFE student’s education. The more SIFEs feel connected and supported, the more likely they will be to rebound from health, economic, or cultural challenges. A Newcomer Center is often well-connected with such community resources and likely offers community organization services on-site to the students.3. Look for ways to address students’ trauma and stress. SIFEs may have experienced (and may still be experiencing) trauma, stress, hardship, family separation and other daunting challenges. In order to maximize students’ access to mental health support:Make sure that students and families are aware of any counseling and mental health services that are available.If language access is a barrier, work with administrators to find ways to help families access support in their home languages.Work with family liaisons or community members to come up with some culturally responsive practices to support families’ well-being.If counseling itself isn’t something that families feel comfortable with, talk about other ideas that might be more effective, including supports that are available in group settings. In addition, talk with administrators about whether more staff need training in trauma-informed practice and how to accomplish that training if so.4. Keep in mind that students may have significant responsibilities outside of school.These responsibilities might include caretaking, jobs, or translating for family members. One way to help students manage multiple obligations is through flexible scheduling, which can help support the real needs and obligations of high school immigrants (Spaulding, Carolino & Amen, 2004, p.11). A flexible schedule allows students with interrupted schooling the opportunity to balance home and school responsibilities, a chance to spend extra time in school to accelerate learning, and the opportunity to keep working while attending school. Many SIFEs come to the U.S. with the goal of working and financially supporting their families (p.13). Without an education or fluency in English, students may not have a lot of choice as to what kind of job they find or the hours they work. It is common for SIFEs to have to work very late hours or two jobs, and this becomes a barrier to education due to fatigue and conflict with the school schedule.If there comes a point in which the students cannot both work and attend school, they may choose to drop out of school in favor of working without realizing that “the educational sacrifices made for short-term financial gain tend to lead to limited long-term financial success.” (p.13) Schools that can offer “non-traditional” school hours, such as afternoon, evening, or Saturday schedules, will help more SIFEs have access to education. Also, schools that offer longer school hours and a year-round school calendar ensure that there are many opportunities for students to make up for lost time (p.14).5. Consider developing a newcomer center or program within your setting. Newcomer centers and programs are very effective when a district needs to meet the needs of many SIFEs. A newcomer center may provide numerous services included in the newcomer program, such as academic support, language instruction, an introduction to basic school activities and skills, and community resources for immigrant families (Spaulding, Carolino & Amen, p.13). Enrollment in a newcomer program, which is often transitional, allows the student time to adjust to the U.S. educational system in a supportive environment with instructors who understand their needs and have been specially trained to assist in accelerating SIFEs’ academic achievement while monitoring cultural and emotional adjustments.And even as SIFEs learn the basics such as the alphabet or how to hold a pencil, they can also begin developing academic content concepts and language through bilingual or sheltered instruction content courses. When SIFEs leave an effective program at a newcomer center after 1-2 years and transition to a mainstream educational environment, they will be much better prepared to participate successfully.You can learn more about newcomer centers by reaching out to existing newcomer programs and visiting with a team of colleagues to see what they are doing. While some newcomer programs may be school-wide, others are house within traditional school settings as a focused support for newcomers or students with interrupted schooling. You may be able to identify some small steps your school community can take to move in that direction.6. Ensure that SIFEs have specialized guidance counseling.SIFEs need access to ongoing and personalized guidance support, particularly in middle and high school, to help them map out their coursework, the kinds of credits they need to graduate, and their opportunities beyond high school. This will take a very specialized kind of expertise. If there is not a dedicated counselor for newcomers or students with interrupted education in your setting, ensure that the counselors who are working with this population not only have appropriate training but have the persistence and inclination to support SIFEs navigate many kinds of obstacles.7. Provide information about extra-curricular activities. It’s important for SIFEs to become familiar with the extra-curricular activities that schools offer, understand how to sign up and participate, and understand that they are eligible to participate. Activities and sports can be an important bridge for students who can tap into their interests and make new friends.8. Build partnerships that will support students’ future options. It can be very helpful for schools to make a partnership with local businesses, adult basic education, or higher education programs in order to provide a seamless transition for SIFEs who will need more than four years to graduate or are older and will “age-out” before completing high school graduation requirements (p. 11, Office of English Language Learning & Migrant Education, p. 4). Students are allowed to attend high school until the age determined by their state, and if a connection exists with the adult basic education or local higher education institution, SIFEs are much more likely to continue their education and complete a high school degree. A connection with a local business may also boost students’ confidence and provide opportunities that might not have been available.Related resourcesUsing a Strengths-Based Approach with ELs: Supporting Students Living with Trauma, Violence and Chronic StressHow Schools Can Partner with ELL Families Who Resettle in Their Community: 10 Strategies for SuccessWorking with Community Organizations to Support ELL StudentsCo-Teaching ELLs: 8 Strategies for SuccessPartnering with Multilingual Families in Brockton, MAClosing ThoughtsAs you work with your students, keep in mind that many came to U.S. ready to get a good education, become successful citizens, and leave a troubled past behind. They may be discouraged and frightened when they find out exactly what is entailed in order to reach their goals.Don’t let frustration and the seemingly insurmountable barriers affect the instruction and support they receive from you or your school. It may take your students longer to achieve what they wanted; they can succeed, however, if they have quality support and continue to believe in themselves.Recommended ResourcesResources from Colorín ColoradoSupporting Newcomer Students: Resource GallerySpecial ELL Populations: Resources and RecommendationsColorín on the Go: 100+ Strategies for Working with ELLs (Colorín on the Go is free web app, and no app store download is needed!)Resources from SupportEdSLIFE Resource Collection: Tools, Courses, Webinars, and ArticlesArchived SLIFE Training and Resources (Maine Department of Education)Resources from Dr. Carol SalvaDr. Carol Salva is an ELL expert based in Texas with extensive experience in serving refugee students and students with interrupted schooling. She has also supported numerous schools in their efforts to partner more effectively with SIFEs and their families.Newcomers at Grade Level and Beyond (Blog)Videos, Interviews, Webinars, and More with Dr. Salva (YouTube)Boosting Achievement: The ESL PodcastSuccess for SLIFE (Padlet)Guides and ReportsWelcoming, Registering, and Supporting Newcomer Students: A Toolkit for Educators of Immigrant and Refugee Students in Secondary Schools (Institute of Education Sciences)Newcomer Toolkit (NCELA)English Learner Tool Kit (OELA)SLIFE: Focus Bulletin (WIDA)Immigrant Students and Secondary School Reform: A Compendium of Best Practices (Council of Chief State School Officers)Students with Interrupted/Inconsistent Formal Education (New York State Resources)ArticlesStudents with Interrupted Formal Education: Understanding Who They Are (American Federation of Teachers)“I Have”, “I Am,” & “I Can.”: Serving Students with Interrupted Formal Education (BRYCS)The Vancouver Sun: A Tough Beginning (featured in the original version of this article)BooksTeaching and Supporting English Learners: A Guide to Welcoming and Engaging NewcomersStudents With Interrupted Formal Education: Bridging Where They Are and What They NeedPowerful Practices for Supporting English Learners: Elevating Diverse Assets and IdentitiesThe New Kids: Big Dreams and Brave Journeys at a High School for Immigrant TeensThe School I Deserve: Six Young Refugees and Their Fight for Equality in AmericaMultimediaPodcasts from Teaching MLs with Tan HuynhCreating nurturing newcomer programs w/Lindsey BirdMaking Americans w/ Jessica LanderPamela Broussard: Believing in newcomersVoice of Newcomers w. Dr. Denise FurlongKris Jagasia: The language that older newcomers needEnglish and SLIFE w/ Dr.Luis Javier Pentón HerreraSLIFE: Bridging Where They Are and What They Need w/ Dr. Brenda CustodioFrom SLIFE to principal: Dr. Andrew XiongBridges to Academic Success for SLIFE w/ Dr. Lisa AuslanderSLIFE: What every teacher needs to know w/ Dr. Andrea DeCapuaFilmsI Learn AmericaOrganizations and InitiativesWelcoming Refugees (Office of Refugee Resettlement )Association of Farmworker Opportunity ProgramsBridging Refugee Youth and Children’s Services (BRYCS)

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As schools open their doors each fall, students from all walks of life enter. Each has the opportunity to share with other students in the amazing experience of education. Wide-eyed and anxious, children slowly lower their guard and allow themselves to get comfortable with their teachers, fellow students and surroundings. The hope is that this experience will be filled with joy and comfort for each and every student.

See more: Cyberbullying

For bilingual information about cyberbullying for teachers and parents, visit our Technology Safety section.

For many English Language Learners (ELLs), school is a place of laughter, fun and expansion. Bit by bit language and cultural elements are learned, shared and savored. For other ELLs it is a place of fear, humiliation and intimidation.

As we know from reports and studies which have been coming out over the past few years, bullying has become a serious issue in schools around the country. In addition, many educators across the country are reporting an increase in the bullying of immigrant students and ELLs, often with immigration-related taunts (Gándara & Ee, 2018a). What used to be limited to verbal attacks has turned into something more subtle and fierce - cyber-bullying being one clear example of how today's technology can be used to intimidate others in far-reaching ways.

Unfortunately, ELLs are often easy targets for bullies in the school setting. Foreign accents and different cultural mannerisms are often mimicked and made fun of in school, which can cause ELLs to question their most basic identity and heritage. Helping to prevent the bullying of ELLs can be a little more tricky than protecting again general bullying, primarily because attempts to be helpful can end up causing even more discomfort to ELLs.

Tips for Grown-Ups
Below are some tips for teachers and parents to utilize in the classroom and at home:
Set ground rules: Make sure that all students (and their parents) are clear of what your rules are on bullying. These should be general rules that apply to every student in the classroom/school. Post these rules on the door of the classroom and school so that students can see them when they enter and leave. Ask each student to take a look at it each day/week so that they will be reminded of what is expected of them. Make sure that the general rules include things that may apply specifically to ELLs, such as making fun of the way someone talks, dresses or acts.

Give clear examples: Share with students examples of what you consider bullying (without specifying anyone in particular or using actual events). Do give examples that specifically include ELLs being bullied! This can make things even worse for ELLs! Some excellent examples would be from your own life experiences or examples of children from American moving abroad and the difficulties of learning the language and culture. The point is to shed light on what it feels like to be in new surroundings without a solid base of support.

Set consequences: Make sure that students understand that bullying, on any level, will not be tolerated and that the consequences will apply across the board. These consequences should be agreed upon throughout the school and be clearly posted. An ELL who knows that there are clear consequences for bullying can feel a sense of relief that his teachers and school are supporting him by creating a healthy environment.

Be informed: Make sure that you and the parents of your students know what the signs of bullying are. Keep an eye on changes in your ELLs' attitudes and personalities. Remember that subtle changes may or may not indicate big problems under the surface. It is important to not overreact to a given situation but instead to be cautious and to carefully flesh out possible issues.

Have you ever had to confront bullying in your classroom?

What are your tips on helping English Language Learners deal with bullying?

Where have you found the most support in helping to prevent bullying in your classroom?

Take them seriously: Anything that your students share about their own experiences with bullying or what they have witnessed when others were bullied is to be taken seriously. An ELL who sees other ELLs being bullied can become just as frightened as if it happened to him or her personally. Anytime an ELL opens up to a teacher or parent about such episodes should be taken seriously and be given the support needed.

Inform parents: Parents of ELLs need to be reminded to tell their children that bullying is something to be expected when living in a new country, even though the parents may believe this. Not only can this make a child feel even more frightened and helpless, it can cause a child to feel resentment and bitterness toward the country and its citizens in general. ELLs need to feel that they belong here, not part of a subset that is tolerated.

Inform administrators: It is important that teachers remind school administrators of the additional risk that ELLs face from bullying. Give administrators clear examples of what ELLs experience from bullies: mimicking their accents, making fun of their racial differences, laughing at their mannerisms and cultural idiosyncrasies, and more. Help administrators understand what it would feel like if they were to enter a school in another country without being able to communicate well, and then having other students making fun of their every effort.

Write down what you see: If you believe that a student in class is bullying an ELL but you aren't sure, write down what you see or believe is happening. This way you will have a record of incidents which all together may form a picture when seen over the long term. You will also have some examples to talk about one-on-one with students when the opportunity arises, or during parent-teacher meetings.

As we know, bullying can happen in any environment. It is not specifically tied to ELLs. However, being that they are seen as different, ELLs become easy targets for a bully. The hope is that the more we stand together against bullying the more ELLs will feel comfortable coming forward and reporting their experiences.

In a recent article in the Boston Globe titled, Schools Seeing Shift on Bullying, it was reported that bullying in Massachusetts has seen a shift due to students taking a more direct role in reporting bullying incidents and showing a united support against bullying. There is only so much a teacher and parent can do to help prevent the kind of physical and emotional attacks caused by bullying. Supporting students in their own efforts to stand up against bullying may be just the solution needed to help ELLs find a more comfortable atmosphere in school.

Discussion Questions

Recommended Resources

This video from Sesame Street features a conversation about bullying between Elmo and actor Chris Colfer.

These pamphlets from the Washington State Office of Education include information on how to address bullying problems and get help for children who are bullied and bully others. The pamphlets are available in 8 languages.

This resource section from Teaching Tolerance provides an overview of the connection between bullying and bias and answers frequently asked questions about school bullying.

Edutopia offers a guide for educators to online information about combatting bullying.

KidsHealth: Bullying Resources for Kids, Teens, Parents, and Educators

These toolkits from KidsHealth offer activities that will help students identify, understand, and deal with bullying and cyberbullying.

Additional bilingual articles are available from KidsHealth:

This federal website includes information on bullying and cyberbullying for parents, educators, community members, teens, and children. It is also available in Spanish. It includes:

Bullying and Bias

Videos: Bullying and Bias in Schools

Hena Khan Talks about what young American Muslims experience on a regular basis

What it felt like to be bullied

Principal Tam recalls his experiences being bullied as a young Chinese immigrant in the United States.

How school leaders can respond to anti-Asian bullying and violence

Principal Victor Tam urges school leaders to consider how the rise in anti-AAPI violence during COVID-19 impacts their students and families - and how to respond as a leader in the community.

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8 Tips to Protect ELLs from Bullying in Your Classroom and School

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As schools open their doors each fall, students from all walks of life enter. Each has the opportunity to share with other students in the amazing experience of education. Wide-eyed and anxious, children slowly lower their guard and allow themselves to get comfortable with their teachers, fellow students and surroundings.

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How School/District Leaders Can Provide Social and Emotional Support for Immigrant Students

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The following resources from Colorín Colorado were highlighted in our Share My Lesson webinar, which was recorded on March 14, 2018. You can still watch the webinar and register for an hour of free professional development. Feel free to send us questions about these resources or the webinar at info@colorincolorado.org!

Featured Resources

Articles & Tips

See related video clips with two of the co-authors of Teachers as Allies below:

Resource Sections

Videos

Featured videos

Featured Book: Teachers as Allies

Lori Dodson and Anne Marie Foerster Luu are co-editors of and contributors to Teachers as Allies: Transformative Practices for Teaching DREAMers & Undocumented Students (Teachers College Press, 2017). They eachdiscuss some highlights from the book in the following clips of their interviews with Colorín Colorado.

Stay connected with us via:

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Share My Lesson Webinar: How School/District Leaders Can Provide Social and Emotional Support for Immigrant Students

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The following resources from Colorín Colorado were highlighted in our Share My Lesson webinar, which was recorded on March 14, 2018. You can still watch the webinar and register for an hour of free professional development. Feel free to send us questions about these resources or the webinar at info@colorincolorado.org!

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From "Book Dragon" - Books for the Diverse Reader

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From "Book Dragon" - Books for the Diverse Reader

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A Muslim family prepares for the fasting holiday of the month of Ramadan. Noor and her two brothers especially look forward to Girgian, a three-day festival that marks the half-way point of the holy month. Because the festival includes the night of a full moon, it's also called the three 'white nights,' a time when children don traditional clothing and visit from neighbor to neighbor in search of special treats. Most importantly, they celebrate the bonds of family and remember to share with those less fortunate.

Review: "TBR's Editors' Favorites of 2008," The Bloomsbury Review, November/December 2008

Readers: Children

Published: 2008

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The White Nights of Ramadan by Maha Addasi, illustrated by Ned Gannon [in Bloomsbury Review] | BookDragon

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A Muslim family prepares for the fasting holiday of the month of Ramadan. Noor and her two brothers especially look forward to Girgian, a three-day festival that marks the half-way point of the holy month.

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By various lunar predictions, tonight should be the last night of Ramadan. Eid Mubarak!

In spite of all the good intentions expected of this holy month, world events haven't exactly played out quite that way, which only makes the first line of the preface here that much more resonating: "This work was born out of the desire to contribute to the advancement of knowledge, peace, tolerance, and understanding within the global community ... It is vitally important, especially in the age we live in, for both Muslims and non-Muslims to develop a factual understanding of Islam, devoid of any misconceptions." Indeed!

Last Night begins "in a peaceful desert valley," where a little boy lives with his parents and older brother. Too young to fast, he tells his mother over breakfast about an especially beautiful dream he had: "'I dreamed today was a special day, and everyone was joyful, grateful, and content. But just as I was about to find out why, I woke up from my dream.'" His mother confirms that this day is special, "'as it might be the last day of the Holy month of Ramadan.'"

That evening after prayers, the family joins their fellow villagers to joyously witness the rising of a new crescent moon. The little boy learns all the many ways that make the last night of Ramadan, and the Eid that follows, so spectacularly special - his dream indeed comes true.

Maissa Hamed, a former UNICEF staffer, and husband Mohamed El Wakil, an architect and artist, were initially inspired to write Last Night for the children, including their own, of the Rudolph Steiner School of New York City: "There is a need to educate our children in a way that inspires them to seek knowledge of the truths and core social values that connect them with their fellow human beings." Rather than highlight differences, Hamed and El Wakil emphasize overlaps: "Children of all faiths will notice or sense traditions and moral values that Islam shares with other religions." Perhaps the greatest significance of Ramadan is actually a timeless reminder for us all, to "not only fast from food and drink but from every bad thought, word, or deed."

Ramadan may be ending for another year, but being genuinely mindful of our actions - regardless of religion, ethnicity, country of origin, and any other defining affiliations - is surely something we can/should/try/will practice every single day.

Readers: Children

Published: 2007

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The Last Night of Ramadan by Maissa Hamed, illustrated by Mohamed El Wakil | BookDragon

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By various lunar predictions, tonight should be the last night of Ramadan. Eid Mubarak! In spite of all the good intentions expected of this holy month, world events haven't exactly played out quite that way, which only makes the first line of the preface here that much more resonating: "This work was born out of the desire to contribute to the advancement of knowledge, peace, tolerance, and understanding within the global community ...

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You Are Welcome Here (#DearbornWelcome) is a 20-minute film from Colorín Colorado highlighting how the Dearborn, MI public school district is helping its immigrant students succeed. The film features Salina Elementary School and Salina Intermediate School in the South End of Dearborn which serve large populations of families from Yemen. Extended interviews are available along with recommended resources below. The film is also available with Arabic subtitles.

This project is featured in the AFT's American Educator Spring 2020 edition.

Viewer note: The film includes references to traumatic topics such as violence and family separation.

Acknowledgements

This film was produced with the generous support of our founding partner, the American Federation of Teachers.

Featured Film

Video extras

You Are Welcome Here: Preview

This preview of You Are Welcome Her e was presented at AFT's TEACH 2019 conference.

A warm welcome for immigrant families in the front office

Norieah Ahmed, the Child Accounting Secretary at Salina Elementary School in Dearborn, MI, talks about her role in welcoming newcomer immigrant families to the school from the moment they walk in the door.

Looking at the whole child: Conversations with an award-winning social worker

Meet Dr. Rola Bazzi-Gates, a special education coordinator for Dearborn Public Schools and Michigan's 2016 Social Worker of the Year. Learn how her personal experience living through conflict helped prepare her to support students and families today.

Interviews with Featured Educators

Susan Stanley is the principal of Salina Elementary School in Dearborn, Michigan. In this interview, she discusses the ways her school is helping to address student trauma and creating a welcoming environment for all families.

Diana Alqadhi, English Language Development Specialist, Salina Intermediate School

Diana Alqadhi is an English Language Development Specialist at Salina Intermediate School in Dearborn, MI. As part of her work, she teachers newcomer immigrants. In this interview, she talks about the importance of building relationships with students and identifying their strengths.

Related Resources

Nadra Shami currently serves as a Language and Literacy SIOP Trainer in Dearborn, MI. The daughter of immigrants, Nadra grew up in Dearborn and her first job was at the school she attended as a child. In this article written for Colorín Colorado, Nadra explains how Dearborn is supporting its English language learners and immigrant students by developing staff capacity to serve a diverse student population.

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You Are Welcome Here: Support for Immigrant Students in Dearborn, Michigan

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You Are Welcome Here (#DearbornWelcome) is a 20-minute film from Colorín Colorado highlighting how the Dearborn, MI public school district is helping its immigrant students succeed. The film features Salina Elementary School and Salina Intermediate School in the South End of Dearborn which serve large populations of families from Yemen.

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Success for EL Students with disabilities in the Virtual Classroom

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Success for EL Students with disabilities in the Virtual Classroom

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New Resources for Families Help Multilingual Learners with Disabilities Thrive in Virtual Classrooms

New Resources for Families Help Multilingual Learners with Disabilities Thrive in Virtual Classrooms

Tools, tips around social stories, adaptive devices, understanding IEPs can help ensure due services

June 5, 2020 | By Karen Rivedal, WCER Communications
Careful use of computer tablets can help multilingual learners with disabilities adapt to remote learning, WIDA experts say.
As teachers, students and families wind down from months of in-home teaching and learning, they are beginning to reflect on what worked and what didn't and plan for the inevitable: more virtual class time.

But a team of researchers at WIDA, based at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a leader in the assessment of multilingual learners, believes an important gap remains ─ few resources are widely available to help multilingual students with disabilities adjust to remote learning.

That matters because as computer screens and web chats attempt to replace school-based supports, such as intensive one-on-one instruction and career programming, it's these students and their families who could suffer most, WIDA researchers say.

So WIDA has developed three new resources to cushion the shift to distance learning and help ensure multilingual students still receive all the language and other services they're due under federal law.

The tools include tips and resources designed to:

Help parents and caregivers create social stories, a visual aid to calm student anxieties with a short but engaging description of a new situation, process or event using personalized photos, pictures and text.

Explain everything parents or caregivers need to know about augmentative and alternative communications, a term referring to adaptive devices for students who struggle to communicate verbally, from low-tech approaches such as a picture board to high-tech devices such as a computer tablet.

Explain what special education services to expect from schools as mandated by students' Individualized Education Programs, or IEPs, while students are at home.

WIDA predicts the new tools will receive a warm and welcome reception from families and educators.
Laurene Christensen
"Parents and teachers have a lot that they're dealing with right now," says Laurene Christensen, a WIDA project director and principal investigator who focuses on the needs of multilingual learners with cognitive disabilities. "The shift to distance learning came on unexpectedly for most of us, and there are some real concerns that students with disabilities are being left behind in the move to distance learning."

Housed within the Wisconsin Center for Education Research in the university's School of Education, WIDA works to advance academic language development and academic achievement for culturally and linguistically diverse children and youth through high-quality standards, assessments, research and professional learning for educators. WIDA's resources are used by 42 domestic states, territories and federal agencies, and approximately 500 international schools throughout the world.

In the 2018-19 academic year, WIDA tested the English language proficiency of more than 2.1 million English Language Learners (ELLs) - equal to about 42 percent of the nation's 5 million ELLs overall - plus another 26,654 ELLs with the most severe cognitive learning disabilities using Alternate ACCESS for ELLs.

Multilingual learners with the most significant cognitive disabilities make up a student population uniquely vulnerable to losing ground socially, vocationally and academically in the shift to online learning, experts say.

"Many services for students with cognitive disabilities depend on that in-person connection," says Christensen, whose work at WIDA revolves around research, resource-sharing and curriculum development. "In the distance-learning models that we're all using now, it's a lot more challenging for multilingual learners with disabilities. It's a lot harder for those students to receive some of the services at home in the same way."

For example, a child getting speech services most likely met individually with a teacher at school to learn and practice before the pandemic closed schools. Now, the student might be getting those services using an iPad or a video conference call, "and that can be a big adjustment for everyone," Christensen says.

The idea behind the three new resources developed by WIDA is to give educators who work with multilingual learners with disabilities new ways to use tools they already have in a home or virtual setting. Student caregivers and families can use the resources to learn more about what's possible and what's required, depending on how a student's IEP has been structured.

WIDA knows that educators and families are doing all they can in this challenging time.

"The distance-learning requirement came on pretty fast and schools were prepared for that to varying degrees," Christensen says. "WIDA is here to support educators and families, to help them maintain their students' language development while we're adapting to this ever-changing situation."

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New Resources for Families Help Multilingual Learners with Disabilities Thrive in Virtual Classrooms June 5, 2020 | By Karen Rivedal, WCER Communications Careful use of computer tablets can help multilingual learners with disabilities adapt to remote learning, WIDA experts say.

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Dual Designated Students in the Virtual Classroom

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New Resources for Families Help Multilingual Learners with Disabilities Thrive in Virtual Classrooms

New Resources for Families Help Multilingual Learners with Disabilities Thrive in Virtual Classrooms

Tools, tips around social stories, adaptive devices, understanding IEPs can help ensure due services

June 5, 2020 | By Karen Rivedal, WCER Communications
Careful use of computer tablets can help multilingual learners with disabilities adapt to remote learning, WIDA experts say.
As teachers, students and families wind down from months of in-home teaching and learning, they are beginning to reflect on what worked and what didn't and plan for the inevitable: more virtual class time.

But a team of researchers at WIDA, based at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a leader in the assessment of multilingual learners, believes an important gap remains ─ few resources are widely available to help multilingual students with disabilities adjust to remote learning.

That matters because as computer screens and web chats attempt to replace school-based supports, such as intensive one-on-one instruction and career programming, it's these students and their families who could suffer most, WIDA researchers say.

So WIDA has developed three new resources to cushion the shift to distance learning and help ensure multilingual students still receive all the language and other services they're due under federal law.

The tools include tips and resources designed to:

Help parents and caregivers create social stories, a visual aid to calm student anxieties with a short but engaging description of a new situation, process or event using personalized photos, pictures and text.

Explain everything parents or caregivers need to know about augmentative and alternative communications, a term referring to adaptive devices for students who struggle to communicate verbally, from low-tech approaches such as a picture board to high-tech devices such as a computer tablet.

Explain what special education services to expect from schools as mandated by students' Individualized Education Programs, or IEPs, while students are at home.

WIDA predicts the new tools will receive a warm and welcome reception from families and educators.
Laurene Christensen
"Parents and teachers have a lot that they're dealing with right now," says Laurene Christensen, a WIDA project director and principal investigator who focuses on the needs of multilingual learners with cognitive disabilities. "The shift to distance learning came on unexpectedly for most of us, and there are some real concerns that students with disabilities are being left behind in the move to distance learning."

Housed within the Wisconsin Center for Education Research in the university's School of Education, WIDA works to advance academic language development and academic achievement for culturally and linguistically diverse children and youth through high-quality standards, assessments, research and professional learning for educators. WIDA's resources are used by 42 domestic states, territories and federal agencies, and approximately 500 international schools throughout the world.

In the 2018-19 academic year, WIDA tested the English language proficiency of more than 2.1 million English Language Learners (ELLs) - equal to about 42 percent of the nation's 5 million ELLs overall - plus another 26,654 ELLs with the most severe cognitive learning disabilities using Alternate ACCESS for ELLs.

Multilingual learners with the most significant cognitive disabilities make up a student population uniquely vulnerable to losing ground socially, vocationally and academically in the shift to online learning, experts say.

"Many services for students with cognitive disabilities depend on that in-person connection," says Christensen, whose work at WIDA revolves around research, resource-sharing and curriculum development. "In the distance-learning models that we're all using now, it's a lot more challenging for multilingual learners with disabilities. It's a lot harder for those students to receive some of the services at home in the same way."

For example, a child getting speech services most likely met individually with a teacher at school to learn and practice before the pandemic closed schools. Now, the student might be getting those services using an iPad or a video conference call, "and that can be a big adjustment for everyone," Christensen says.

The idea behind the three new resources developed by WIDA is to give educators who work with multilingual learners with disabilities new ways to use tools they already have in a home or virtual setting. Student caregivers and families can use the resources to learn more about what's possible and what's required, depending on how a student's IEP has been structured.

WIDA knows that educators and families are doing all they can in this challenging time.

"The distance-learning requirement came on pretty fast and schools were prepared for that to varying degrees," Christensen says. "WIDA is here to support educators and families, to help them maintain their students' language development while we're adapting to this ever-changing situation."

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New Resources for Families Help Multilingual Learners with Disabilities Thrive in Virtual Classrooms June 5, 2020 | By Karen Rivedal, WCER Communications Careful use of computer tablets can help multilingual learners with disabilities adapt to remote learning, WIDA experts say.

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Thank you, CCSD teachers and paraprofessionals, for your non-stop dedication to successful remote learning for your students. 

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Thank you, CCSD teachers and paraprofessionals, for your non-stop dedication to successful remote learning for your students. 

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Here are self-guided ideas for professional growth around culturally responsive teaching.

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Hammond distinguishes the differences between culturally responsive education, multicultural education and social justice education. Each is important, but without a focus on building students' brain power, they will experience learning loss.

When it comes to distance learning, applying culturally responsive teaching requires "remixing" education by borrowing from the best practices in how kids learn (Montessori, project-based learning, etc.) in a way that repositions the student as the leader of his own learning. By giving students more agency, the idea is to disrupt old routines around teaching and learning that make the student dependent on the teacher for receiving knowledge.

"It's going to stretch us a little out of our own comfort zones, but it's worth it in the long run if we can get students to continue to do that thinking," said Hammond.

She advises three strategies to help students gain that independence:

1. Deepen background knowledge

Many educators are understandably wondering whether they should teach new content or review familiar material. Hammond encourages educators to do the latter because cognitively dependent learners often have gaps in their background knowledge . "A lot of our students are compliant learners," she said. "They're having a hard time shifting right now [because] they're used to the worksheet, but that doesn't mean they're always processing information."

She advises teachers to help students connect new things they're learning to their brain's existing schema - also known as background knowledge - that comes from home, their community, their interests. Teachers can then give them authentic tasks that help them make meaning and connections. This helps turn new inert information into usable knowledge. "You cannot give another person background knowledge," she explained. "They have to acquire it, but as teachers we can help guide the process." This can be done by building upon student interest.

"Survey your students if you don't know what they like," said Hammond. Ask them what books they enjoy reading or what topics get them super excited. She said It doesn't matter if their interests are broad or narrow; it's important to learn what interests them so that you can use that information to:

Assign non-fiction books that build on student interests.

Create a "Netflix" playlist of documentaries, nature shows, historical events, etc.

Encourage kids and parents to do a walk-about, if that's possible in their community, following social distancing guidelines. Encourage parents and students to seek out community curiosities (landmarks or interesting sights) relevant to students' interest.

With each of these activities, it's important to give the students direction so they know what to look out for. "You have to tell the brain what to pay attention to," Hammond explains. She suggested questions like, "What was your biggest surprise from this book/show?" or thinking routine sentences like "I Used to Think ___. But, now I think ____."

She said to always make sure that students do something with the knowledge as well. She suggested having them share interesting facts they learned either during video conferences or via an audio/video clip. For those students with limited internet access, encourage them to share what they learned with their parents.

2. Cultivate cognitive routines

Growing students' brain power during distance learning starts with building cognitive routines. These routines are essential to processing and hardwiring information in the brain.

"Be the personal trainer of their cognitive development," Hammond said. To do this, she suggested having a routine set of prompts in each packet that become a regular part of the way students think. That way, students begin to think that way even when you're not in the classroom to reinforce that way of thinking.

One example is to ask students to connect the "unknown to the known" or across concepts by asking questions like, " What's the relationship or connection between these things?" or "How does this part fit into the whole? What are the parts of this whole?" These may seem simple, but these questions are critical when it comes to processing information so that students internalize these prompts until they become almost instinctual.

She said students should also be encouraged to sketchnote or doodle to actively process what they're learning as an alternative to note-taking. Sketchnoting can encourage people to make deeper connections to what they're hearing.

3. Build word wealth

Building a student's vocabulary is a key tool in equity strategies for schools. "Kids have different interests in words so find out where their energy is. You can have a differentiated assignment around word collecting, but the idea is to get them actively involved in word consciousness," said Hammond. She said there are many small but high-leverage ways to do this, such as introducing robust word study. A teacher can help students engage in wordplay, word consciousness and word knowledge. This should not happen through a worksheet assignment, but rather begin with building word consciousness of words in their community, home and home language.

Word games like Scrabble, Heads Up, Taboo or even word searches are small familiar but high-leverage activities because they're fun but also require a high cognitive load. You can create your own versions of these games and have students do this in any language. Students can also do word collecting activities like scavenger hunts, or make poetry using magnetic poetry. Students can also do a contrastive analysis, by comparing words they might find in Urban Dictionary to those they might find in a standard dictionary.

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How to Develop Culturally Responsive Teaching for Distance Learning - MindShift

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Hammond distinguishes the differences between culturally responsive education, multicultural education and social justice education. Each is important, but without a focus on building students' brain power, they will experience learning loss. When it comes to distance learning, applying culturally responsive teaching requires "remixing" education by borrowing from the best practices in how kids learn (Montessori, project-based learning, etc.)

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There’s a lot of uncertainty about the 2020–21 school year, but planning for a mix of remote and in-person instruction will help educators be ready.

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The information and third-party links on this website are provided solely for reference and, therefore, should not be construed as an endorsement or recommendation by CABE of any product, service, or information.

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These are my TOP TIPS for how I'd set up and deliver instruction this coming year. These are for online, face-to-face or a hybrid situation. I've done SEVERAL webinars since we went on lockdown and they are all different. Below are all the webinars with a bit of info about each.

You can hear me talk about this on the latest episode of Boosting Achievement ESL Podcast right here or just scroll down to find the webinar that is most helpful to you. I hope you do get a chance to listen because I recorded highlights and thoughts for you.
Listen to "BAP075 ALL My Distance Learning Webinars" on Spreaker.
So here are the webinars:

Supporting SLIFE & Newcomers in Distance Learning with Authentic Experiences (34 min)

This is the backbone of my school year. Because newcomer curriculum is about basic English, you can teach it through thematic units.

As an added bonus, I teach a lot of this content through Kahoot. My goal was to show you the DDCR routine. It was a foundational routine I did all year long when I was able to see my students daily or only able to see my students every other day. Here is a blogpost I wrote about it in 2018.

Engaging English Learners from a Distance with Kahoot (60min)

I can't tell you how MUCH I used Kahoot in my classroom. I used it

to introduce vocabulary

to build background

to honor culture

to get to know students with Selfie Kahoots

to raise rigor by having students create Kahoots

and so much more.

Check out my ALL THINGS KAHOOT page to see more. And be sure to watch this webinar I just did for Kahoot that shows you how to apply all of this in a remote learning environment.

This 5 min video is handy for your students if they have a chromebook only:

And if they only have a cellphone, watch the webinar for ideas on how to engage them with asynchronous opportunities and even some non-tech Kahoot opportunities.

Engaging Language Learners with Choice Projects During Distance Learning #MADPD (17 min)

That #MADPD webinar is only 17 minutes but it is PACKED with high impact ideas for your remote learning classroom. I cover some foundations of motivating English Learners

You'll see that I reference the work of Noa Daniel and Larry Ferlazzo throughout this webinar. They have never failed me! Here is the link to the slide deck from this MADpd webinar. It is linked with resources I show in the webinar.

Success for SLIFE - A Literacy Focus (65 min)

This latest webinar was for TransACT. They asked me to cover Success for SLIFE and I was honored to give this talk with a focus on how we can support literacy development for SLIFE in remote learning. To view this webinar, you'll just need to sign in to the TransACT website (it is free to do so).

This padlet includes links to the slide deck and many other resources I mention in the webinar. It has links to many that I could not get to!

Not Your Grandma's Book Club (48 min)

This webinar for ERGO the ESL/ELD Resource Group of Ontario was VERY well received. I was honored to give it with Dr. Katie Toppel and Tan Huynh.

This webinar is important because we are explicitly showing you how to offer PD to educators in a distance learning space. The three of us have been doing synchronous and asynchronous book studies for a few years. I've learned a ton from the two of them and I'm honored to share how I use it with my clients and their staff. Slides are at bit.ly/BKCLUBSLIDES

Supporting ELs with Interruptions in Education (60min)

I've done a few other webinars that may be of interest. This one for Saddleback was the first one I did when we all went to remote learning. You'll see some of what I covered in the other webinars as this one is a general overview of how to support SLIFE and why they should be able to succeed. Check out other Saddleback webinars. they have a great series going on to support teachers of ELs.

Serving English Learners in a Distance Learning Environment (2 parts, 2 hours)

This webinar was specifically for NAESPA and it's membership but anyone is welcome to view the 2 hour event. NAESPA is an organization made up of State ESEA Program Administrators, and their staff from each of the states and territories, charged with managing their state federal education program. The webinar was in 2 parts. Part I covered the legal requirements related to providing services to ELs, in Title I, Title III, and Civil Rights that may be challenging to implement in a distance learning environment. I was in Part II, a facilitated panel discussion. Each panelist received one question for response related to best practices for supporting bilingual/multilingual/dual language education and educators in a distance learning environment. I was honored to represent NAELPA (the National Assn of English Learner Program Administrators)

Extra note: In the podcast I mention Esmeralda Alday from San Antonio ISD and their secondary dual language program. I also talk about NewsInLevels. Those are not in the webinars but worth checking out!

COME SPEND A DAY WITH A FEW OF US!

Lasts but not least, I'm back at work and offering this for-a-fee opportunity. You can join me for this 5 hour online Boosting Achievement workshop for June 12th. Think 5 hours is too long?? Think again! I have a full day of interactive, online and offline activities. You'll leave with tools for how to support SLIFE (Students with Interrupted or Limited Education) but you know me...the techniques should boost learning for ALL your students.
AND... you'll experience techniques that work for teaching in a face-to-face or remote learning classrooms.

This opportunity has a fee of $125 and I'm limiting this day to just 30 participants. We only scheduled it and it is already filling up! So please register if this is of interest to you.

I'm planning a day that should help you feel more prepared if you teach online or a blend of on and offline. We need to have tools for any circumstance. So let's spend a day considering how to help these learners... in a way that will help ALL learners. You can sign up on Event Bright or by printing & faxing the form with your P.O.

If you are unable to join us on June 12, the information in this post and around my blog is quite a lot of support but also, please stay connected on Facebook or Twitter. Consider checking out the many videos on my Video page or read through the Boosting Achievement Book Study posts. They are extra content for the book!

THANK YOU for all your interest in the resources and for how you support your students.

They need you and I'm grateful you're there for them.

Stay strong and healthy,

Carol

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BAP075 All My Distance Learning Webinars in One Place

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These are my TOP TIPS for how I'd set up and deliver instruction this coming year. These are for online, face-to-face or a hybrid situation. I've done SEVERAL webinars since we went on lockdown and they are all different. Below are all the webinars with a bit of info about each.

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Why Take the Pledge

What does your name mean to you, your family, and the rest of the world?

Since each of us is unique, our name is tied to our identity. We would not wish to have our names changed or mispronounced. If you believe that all students have the right to be called by the names that represent their identity and culture, begin by asking them how they would like their names to be pronounced. Agree to respect students' names.

What does your name mean to you? We receive our names from beloved family members or special people who are close to our family. We may be named after a family member, a saint, or a positive personality characteristic. Our name may recall an event, tell where the stars were at our birth, or state an aspiration of our future.

Since each of us is unique, so is our name. Because our name is tied to our identity, we would not wish to have our names changed or mispronounced. When our name is changed or unintentionally mispronounced, it is a misrepresentation of who we are -- because our name represents our identity.

As our world becomes increasingly connected, cross-cultural communication increases. We interact with more people from diverse backgrounds and experiences, many with different languages and ethnicities. Having the ability to effectively communicate with others who are different from ourselves opens up possibilities for deeper understanding and friendship based on mutual respect. It is also an essential skill in the 21st century.

School is a community, which prepares our students to succeed in the global world. To be an effective member of this global world, we can model respect for each other in the school community by learning about each other's stories, our unique names, and their proper pronunciations.

Objectives of this Campaign

1. Bring awareness to the importance of respecting one's name and identity in schools as measured by the number of community members making a pledge to pronounce students' names correctly

2. Build a respectful and caring culture in school communities that values diversity as measured by my name stories posted on social media

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Our names are our identity and having them changed or mispronounced denies us that identity. This campaign hopes to raise awareness and to support diverse cultures and languages.

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All In! How Educators Can Advocate for English Language Learners

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Colorín Colorado is a national multimedia project that offers a wealth of bilingual, research-based information, activities, and advice for educators and families of English language learners (ELLs). Colorín Colorado is an educational service of WETA, the flagship public broadcasting station in the nation’s capital, and receives major funding from the American Federation of Teachers and National Education Association. © Copyright 2023 WETA Public Broadcasting.

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During the school year, teachers will invite you to come to parent-teacher meetings (also called conferences). This is very common in the United States. You can also ask for a conference any time.

This tip sheet is also available as a PDF handout in English or Spanish.

Getting Started

What

The conference is a meeting between you and your child's teacher.

When

Your child's teacher will contact you to set up a meeting time.

Why

The conference gives you a chance to talk with your child's teacher.

Questions

What if I work during the day?

Let the teacher know you can only go to conferences at night.

What if I don't speak English?

You have the right to request that an interpreter attend the conference. You can also bring a friend or relative to interpret. It is important that your child does not translate for you.

What will we talk about?

Your child's teacher will probably talk about your child's grades, classwork, homework, and behavior.

What will I learn?

You will learn more about your child's classes, and find out if your child is having any problems.

What will the teacher ask me?

Teachers like to learn about students from their parents. No one knows your child better than you do. You can help the teacher by talking about:

What your child likes to do

Events that may affect your child (such as a new baby, divorce or death)

Special medical or learning needs

Things to Remember

If you are invited to a conference, it doesn't mean your child is in trouble! Teachers try to meet with all parents.

You and the teacher both want the very best for your child. You can help your child by working together as a team.

Parent-Teacher Conference Checklists

Before the conference

Ask your child how she feels about school.

Ask your child if there is anything that he wants you to talk about with his teacher.

Tell your child that you and the teacher are meeting to help her.

Make a list of topics that you want to talk about with the teacher.

Prepare a list of questions such as:

1. What are my child's strongest and weakest subjects?
2. Does my child hand homework in on time?
3. Does my child participate in class?
4. Does my child seem happy at school?
5. What can I do at home to help?

During the conference

Be on time (or early) for the meeting.

End the meeting on time. Other parents will probably have a conference after yours.

Relax and be yourself.

Stay calm during the conference.

Ask the most important questions first.

If your child receives special services such as English classes, ask about your child's progress in those classes.

Ask for explanations of anything you don't understand

Ask your child's teacher for ways that you can help your child at home.

Thank the teacher.

After the conference

Talk about the conference with your child.

Talk about the positive points, and be direct about problems.

Tell your child about any plans you and the teacher created.

Keep in touch with the teacher during the school year.

Recommended Resources

For more information, take a look at the following articles:

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Tips for Parents: Parent-Teacher Conferences

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During the school year, teachers will invite you to come to parent-teacher meetings (also called conferences). This is very common in the United States. You can also ask for a conference any time. This tip sheet is also available as a PDF handout in English or Spanish.

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When English language learners (ELLs) experience challenges in school, it can be hard to figure out why. There are a lot of myths and misconceptions about services and supports for students who are learning English. Knowing the facts behind these myths can help you not only debunk them, but also make changes that can result in better outcomes for your students.

Myth #1: The ability to speak English (or not) is a measure of intelligence.

Fact: It can be easy to focus on what students can't do instead of what they can do. But consider this: English language learners are not only on the path to learning English, they're also on their way to becoming multilingual. It's not as unusual as you may think. Research shows that 20 percent of school-age children in the United States are bilingual.

ELLs bring unique skills, gifts, and talents to the classroom. They often have rich background experiences, different perspectives, and the ability to navigate between multiple languages and cultures. They may also have sophisticated social-emotional skills (such as being tuned in to body language and tone of voice).

In fact, when some of these kids were asked what they wished their teachers knew about them, they said they wanted teachers to remember that they're intelligent. They also wanted to build meaningful relationships with their teachers.

Strategies for successfully addressing this myth in the classroom:

Myth #2: Students who rarely speak have a speech delay or auditory processing disorder.

Fact: Many students who are starting the process of learning a new language go through a nonverbal or "silent period." It's not unlike when toddlers and preschoolers first acquire language. They typically understand what they hear before they learn how to speak.

The length of the silent period when learning a new language depends on several factors. The richness of the student's language instruction and interaction in the classroom both matter. Students' confidence and whether they're being encouraged to take risks are key, too.

Even students who understand much of what they hear may still speak in short phrases or remain silent if they are not specifically engaged or don't feel welcome to participate in the classroom.

Strategies for successfully addressing this myth in the classroom:

Learn more about the stages of language acquisition and ways to support oral language development.

Look for ways to increase students' speaking time in class. Expert Claudia Rinaldi, PhD, suggests timing the amount of "teacher talk time" vs. "student talk time." She also suggests setting a goal for increasing the student talk time each week. For example, provide more "turn and talk" opportunities so students can interact with peers.

Give your English language learners questions they can answer ahead of time, and tell them they can try to answer during the classroom instruction. Also allow for ample time between when you ask questions and when you call on students.

Look at data from the student's most recent English language proficiency exams. Things to look for include: How do speaking and listening compare to reading and writing? Do the scores match what you've noticed in class?

Partner with your school's ESL teacher to learn strategies to increase student talk time, and to get support in interpreting student data.

Myth #3: Students who don't understand spoken directions have a learning disability.

Fact: In many situations, students are actually succeeding, even though it doesn't look like success to their teacher. Consider this scenario:
A kindergarten teacher is concerned that despite her engaging, rich use of literacy and language in the classroom, she has an English language learner who continues to struggle to tell the difference between initial consonant sounds. The teacher asks a bilingual colleague to observe a lesson. When she asks students for words that begin with the The student she's concerned about raises his hand and says confidently, "Maestra." The teacher gently tells him that this word begins with the /m/ sound. He looks down at the carpet, confused. /t/ sound, the native English-speaking students give examples like "tooth," "treat," and "tower."

Invite a bilingual colleague to observe your class or to review some student work.

Learn more about making your teaching more student-friendly and easier to understand. ELL-friendly strategies can help, including things like using visuals, graphic organizers, and concrete, everyday objects.

Use visuals to support written instructions or have students repeat the instructions to each other.

After class, the bilingual colleague explains to the kindergarten teacher that " maestra" is the Spanish word for "teacher."

This scenario is a clear example in which a student is succeeding, even though it doesn't look like success to the teacher. At first, it looked as though the student was struggling with phonemic awareness, which can be a sign of a learning disability.

With the support of her colleague, the teacher was able to recognize that the student understood what was being asked of him, but didn't know enough English yet to say all the words he understood.

Strategies for successfully addressing this myth in the classroom:

Myth #4: ELLs will get the kinds of support they need in special education classes.

Fact: A special education placement in and of itself is not an appropriate strategy to help English language learners succeed.

However, some schools may provide special education services to these students with the assumption that it will provide at least some help. This is often because special education services are designed to meet an individual student's needs and provide supports that may not be available in the general education classroom. It can also happen because there are certain strategies that support both students who need specially designed instruction and English language learners.

Learn more about the differences between the goals of special education services and ESL services to better understand what each is addressing and the support they are providing students.

Keep in mind that sometimes this kind of policy reflects a bigger, systemic issue at the school or district level. Nevertheless, small steps on behalf of individual students can add up to systemic change over time because you can use these small successes to advocate for bigger changes.

Know the services your school provides for ESL students. Talk with an ESL teacher about how the programming works and whether the response to intervention (RTI)/multi-tier system of supports (MTSS) takes the needs of these learners into account.

Start to identify some small areas you might like to focus on together in collaboration with the ESL teacher in order to improve outcomes for ELLs. You can also identify some bigger aspirational goals to work on over time.

ELLs have specific language, literacy, and academic needs. They need exposure to a rich language environment and scaffolded support that matches their level of language proficiency. Like all students, they also need access to the same rigorous curriculum as their peers. (Ideally, they will also have some level of academic support in their native language in order to tap into existing content knowledge and prior experiences.)

This is not to say that when an English language learner experiences academic challenges, it is always only a question of language. But special education placement without careful consideration is not likely to help.

Researchers note that more traditional interventions that help students with language-based learning disabilities often do not help students acquire proficiency in a second language. In fact, it can sometimes present additional challenges by limiting access to core curriculum and focusing on discrete skills taught out of context. This constricts language usage and can make it more difficult for ELLs to understand and retain information.

Strategies for successfully addressing this myth in the classroom:

Myth #5: Schools should wait a certain amount of time before assessing an ELL for special education services.

Fact: Providing special education services to English language learners when they don't need them focuses on overidentification. But the challenge of underidentification is also widespread. That's when schools don't identify students as needing special education services when they do need them.

Ask yourself if the policies and practices at your school serve the needs of the students in front of you. If you see some areas that might need to be revisited, talk with the ESL teacher, special education staff, and other colleagues. Making even small changes can build momentum for bigger change down the road.

Continue to closely monitor progress and determine the most appropriate course of action for students about whom you or a parent has ongoing concerns.

Advocate on behalf of the students about whom you have concerns by speaking with your school's teacher assistance team or by making a referral for special education evaluation.

Learn about the students' native language and educational background. And ask parents if their child is showing similar challenges in the native language. Share that information with the ESL teacher, and work closely together to corroborate that this is what is happening at school as well.

One of the most common reasons for underidentification is the use of subjective policies that determine when to test an ELL student for special education services. Many of these policies are put in place to avoid overidentification. But one expert notes that this can result in overcorrection, leading to students not getting the help they need in a timely manner.

For example, some schools decide to wait anywhere from one to seven years before assessing an English language learner for special education. That's because students generally take five to seven years to acquire an academic language.

Those policies don't consider the needs of students who may be struggling all of that time. Researchers point out that students have a better opportunity to be successful in school when they're identified sooner rather than later, and supported in culturally and linguistically responsive ways.

Strategies for success in the classroom:

What You Can Do Next

Becoming better informed about the needs of your English language learners is a great first step to helping them succeed. It also can help you begin to identify what's working (or not) in your setting. Don't be afraid to ask questions, try new things, develop new collaborative relationships, and share what works with your colleagues.

As you learn about your students' family background, learn more about the educational system they come from and cultural interactions as well. It allows you to interact with families in ways that respect their culture and cultural perspectives on education and learning challenges. You might just find the opportunity you've been looking for to make a difference for your students.

Additional Resources to Explore

Acknowledgements

This article originally appeared on Understood as part of a partnership between Colorín Colorado and Understood. ©2019 Understood For All, Inc.

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5 Myths About English Language Learners (ELLs) and Special Education

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When English language learners (ELLs) experience challenges in school, it can be hard to figure out why. There are a lot of myths and misconceptions about services and supports for students who are learning English. Knowing the facts behind these myths can help you not only debunk them, but also make changes that can result in better outcomes for your students.

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Earlier this fall, I found myself in the middle of a huge textile factory and museum in the Andes Mountains of northern Ecuador, my husband's home country and a country where I lived for a year. We were taking a day trip with friends by train along a dramatic route that would pass through countryside, mountainous tunnels, and then down into lush fields at lower elevations, and this stop was early on our trip. We were visiting the Fábrica Imbabura, an immense factory covering more than two acres that had recently been renovated into a museum. (You can get a sense of the site in this video.)

As we walked into the factory, I was awestruck by the size of the building and long rows of old machinery. I felt the strange sensation of having been transported to another time and place, as well as a tingle of recognition as I thought of the photos I had seen of girls working at textile factories in New York. It felt as though I had entered a world I had only seen in photographs or read about in novels, although it happened to be just north of the Equator. I also was excited by the prospect of a museum tour, one of my favorite activities.

We met our guide and began a tour that I soon realized would only be a brief walkthrough. There wouldn't be time for any questions or for reading the signs, which were bilingual. Our small group moved closer to the tour guide and I listened as attentively as I could to the tour, confident that by staying at the front of the group and listening carefully, my fluent Spanish would carry me through the tour.

It started off well. I learned that the factory had been built by two brothers from Spain during the Industrial Revolution who chose the site because of its proximity to the railway line. They imported machines from England (which maybe explained why images of the BBC's North and South were running through my mind) and were known for their high-quality fabrics, remaining in operation until the 1980s. Who had worked here, I wondered? What had the conditions been like? What were the differences between what men and women did on the factory floor, if any?

In black and white photos, serious and tired Ecuadorian faces under newsboy caps stared back from the midst of a busy and dusty factory floor and I tried to conjure up their presence as I looked around the building. (Perhaps I needn't have tried so hard since the guide later said that the factory was haunted.)

I was lost in thought when I soon realized I had tuned out the guide's tour and made an effort to catch up with his narration, but it was too late. I had missed an important transition, and he was now talking about the actual production of the fabric and operation of the machinery. The descriptions were too technical for me to understand and full of words I didn't know. Even as I caught words I recognized here and there, like "workers" and "cloth", I didn't have enough of a toehold to jump back in.

My attention began to wander again, and I soon left the group to start taking photographs. I was still mesmerized by the machines, even though my hopes for learning much more about the factory itself were fading. I heard the group laugh a few times and looked over to try to catch the joke, but to no avail. I noticed more bilingual signs and began to read the descriptions to glean a little more information on my own, comparing the descriptions to see if that would prove more fruitful than listening to the guide's tour. But even the signs were too technical to understand in Spanish. One word in particular jumped out at me when I read the translation in English - "bobbin." It was central to the operation being described, and without knowing its translation, I wouldn't have had any chance to understand the process described in Spanish. "Thread" was a word I knew, but "bobbin" wasn't. I finally gave up and decided to take as many photos as I could before we left.

Later that day, I reflected back on my experience from the point of view of a language learner and particularly what I felt throughout my visit to the museum. At the beginning, I was so excited and motivated to learn as much as I could about something connected to a prior interest of mine - the Industrial Revolution. Since I had taken tours in Spanish before, I also felt confident that I could hold my own and follow the tour with the same engagement and enjoyment that I usually feel on museum tours. Yet as my ability to comprehend what was being said diminished, so did my attention - as well as my positive feelings about the experience. I felt frustrated that I couldn't understand what was happening, and I also felt frustrated that there wasn't enough time to access what I knew would have helped me understand more - the signs in English, or a slower walk-through with my husband and our friends.

I thought about how students who can't yet express themselves in a new language have reservoirs of interest, motivation, prior knowledge, and intelligence that aren't tapped when they feel frustrated or ignored. I also thought about how lucky I was that there wasn't a test on all we had learned - and if there had been, how I would have preferred to put together a visual arts project with my photos! The whole excursion made me think again about the challenge students must meet to learn content and language at the same time and, most importantly, how they feel throughout that process - particularly with the pressure of demonstrating what they have learned in a different language on a test.

I also thought about all of the strategies that would have made the visit feel more successful to me: connecting to and building upon my background knowledge, previewing academic and technical vocabulary, accessing the same information in a variety of ways, connecting with a topic in a personal way, and taking a little extra time when needed.

I learned that evening that my mother-in-law had bought fabric from the factory to have dresses made as a young woman. The quality was excellent, she said. My interest again piqued, I set my frustrations aside and decided that one day, should we have the opportunity, my husband and I would return to the factory and take our time to go through it together, room by room. Until then, I would just have to enjoy my photos and do a little more research on my own in order to prepare for our next visit to la Fábrica Imbabura.

Yet I was also reminded that in my case, the stakes were very low. For English language learners, the stakes couldn't be higher. When students feel supported and confident, it makes all the difference in how willing they are to take risks and try new challenges that will take them farther in the future - a future in which they have the opportunity to succeed.

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Taking a Museum Tour in Spanish: What It Feels Like to Be a Language Learner

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Earlier this fall, I found myself in the middle of a huge textile factory and museum in the Andes Mountains of northern Ecuador, my husband's home country and a country where I lived for a year.

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With many summer camps and vacations canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, books can still give children a sense of adventure.

The new Rising Voices Library is a collection of books from Scholastic that feature underrepresented communities in children's literature. Dedicated to black and Latino boys, the collection contains 300 nonfiction, fiction and biographical titles.

Scholastic Vice President and Executive Editor Andrea Davis Pinkney says there's a "dearth of diversity" in children's literature. As a mother with a black son, she says the books in the collection have relevant themes: family, culture, heroes and role models.

"I always say kids see what they see and they don't see what they don't see," she says. "So when I see a face on the cover of a book that looks like my face, I feel good about myself. I have agency and I want to read more books."

Davis Pinkney says 85% of the books in the collection were written by authors and illustrated by artists who share the same ethnic origin as the characters.

Rising Voices is unlike any other collection in the country, curator David C. Banks says.

Some of his favorite titles include "Granddaddy's Turn: A Journey to the Ballot Box" by Eric Stein and Michael S. Bandy - which tells the story of a young boy in the rural South watching his grandfather try to vote for the first time. The grandfather gets turned away at the polls because of barriers put in place like literary tests, he says.

In "Bippity Bop Barbershop" by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley, a little boy fears his first haircut as he heads to a local barbershop with his father - a rite of passage, Banks says. Another favorite of his is "La Frontera: El Viaje Con Papa" by Deborah Mills, which tells a "powerful" story of a young man migrating with his father from Mexico to Texas.

"As an African American, when I was a little boy growing up, it was extremely rare to find books that had young men that look like me as the protagonists in the books," he says.

The collection also features one of Davis Pinkney's books, "Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up By Sitting Down." The book celebrates the 50th anniversary of the staged sit-in at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina.

The book's themes speak to the core ideas of the collection, she says. When she presented the book in schools, these themes resonated with students.

"I think whether it's 2020 or 1960, the bottom line is feeling good about your actions and doing the right thing," she says.

The lack of diversity in children's literature also hinders white children because education and literature should help students garner a better understanding of all people, Banks says.

"A collection like Rising Voices really does help all children have a deeper respect and a deeper understanding," he says. "That's what helps us to be better Americans because we know each other just that much better."

Along with the books, the collection comes with storage bins, book stickers, teachers' guides and teaching cards. Teachers around the country are excited for the unique collection, says Banks, who also serves as principal of the Eagle Academy Foundation in New York City.

Teachers are looking for resources to help students engage with these powerful stories, he says.

For parents, Davis Pinkney says buying a few books from the collection can help prevent what's known as the summer slide - the tendency for kids' reading ability to decline over the summer.

"Now that we're home, we can read together and keep those skills strong," she says.
Marcelle Hutchins produced and edited this interview for broadcast with Peter O'Dowd. Allison Hagan adapted it for the web.

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Rising Voices Library Highlights Stories Of Black And Latino Boys

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With many summer camps and vacations canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, books can still give children a sense of adventure. The new Rising Voices Library is a collection of books from Scholastic that feature underrepresented communities in children's literature. Dedicated to black and Latino boys, the collection contains 300 nonfiction, fiction and biographical titles.

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COVID-19 Updates - 2020 WIDA Annual Conference

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2020 WIDA Annual Conference. Online registration by Cvent

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The information and third-party links on this website are provided solely for reference and, therefore, should not be construed as an endorsement or recommendation by CABE of any product, service, or information.

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Source: V Gonzalez https://elementaryenglishlanguagelearners.weebly.com/

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These are my TOP TIPS for how I'd set up and deliver instruction this coming year. These are for online, face-to-face or a hybrid situation. I've done SEVERAL webinars since we went on lockdown and they are all different. Below are all the webinars with a bit of info about each.

You can hear me talk about this on the latest episode of Boosting Achievement ESL Podcast right here or just scroll down to find the webinar that is most helpful to you. I hope you do get a chance to listen because I recorded highlights and thoughts for you.
Listen to "BAP075 ALL My Distance Learning Webinars" on Spreaker.
So here are the webinars:

Supporting SLIFE & Newcomers in Distance Learning with Authentic Experiences (34 min)

This is the backbone of my school year. Because newcomer curriculum is about basic English, you can teach it through thematic units.

As an added bonus, I teach a lot of this content through Kahoot. My goal was to show you the DDCR routine. It was a foundational routine I did all year long when I was able to see my students daily or only able to see my students every other day. Here is a blogpost I wrote about it in 2018.

Engaging English Learners from a Distance with Kahoot (60min)

I can't tell you how MUCH I used Kahoot in my classroom. I used it

to introduce vocabulary

to build background

to honor culture

to get to know students with Selfie Kahoots

to raise rigor by having students create Kahoots

and so much more.

Check out my ALL THINGS KAHOOT page to see more. And be sure to watch this webinar I just did for Kahoot that shows you how to apply all of this in a remote learning environment.

This 5 min video is handy for your students if they have a chromebook only:

And if they only have a cellphone, watch the webinar for ideas on how to engage them with asynchronous opportunities and even some non-tech Kahoot opportunities.

Engaging Language Learners with Choice Projects During Distance Learning #MADPD (17 min)

That #MADPD webinar is only 17 minutes but it is PACKED with high impact ideas for your remote learning classroom. I cover some foundations of motivating English Learners

You'll see that I reference the work of Noa Daniel and Larry Ferlazzo throughout this webinar. They have never failed me! Here is the link to the slide deck from this MADpd webinar. It is linked with resources I show in the webinar.

Success for SLIFE - A Literacy Focus (65 min)

This latest webinar was for TransACT. They asked me to cover Success for SLIFE and I was honored to give this talk with a focus on how we can support literacy development for SLIFE in remote learning. To view this webinar, you'll just need to sign in to the TransACT website (it is free to do so).

This padlet includes links to the slide deck and many other resources I mention in the webinar. It has links to many that I could not get to!

Not Your Grandma's Book Club (48 min)

This webinar for ERGO the ESL/ELD Resource Group of Ontario was VERY well received. I was honored to give it with Dr. Katie Toppel and Tan Huynh.

This webinar is important because we are explicitly showing you how to offer PD to educators in a distance learning space. The three of us have been doing synchronous and asynchronous book studies for a few years. I've learned a ton from the two of them and I'm honored to share how I use it with my clients and their staff. Slides are at bit.ly/BKCLUBSLIDES

Supporting ELs with Interruptions in Education (60min)

I've done a few other webinars that may be of interest. This one for Saddleback was the first one I did when we all went to remote learning. You'll see some of what I covered in the other webinars as this one is a general overview of how to support SLIFE and why they should be able to succeed. Check out other Saddleback webinars. they have a great series going on to support teachers of ELs.

Serving English Learners in a Distance Learning Environment (2 parts, 2 hours)

This webinar was specifically for NAESPA and it's membership but anyone is welcome to view the 2 hour event. NAESPA is an organization made up of State ESEA Program Administrators, and their staff from each of the states and territories, charged with managing their state federal education program. The webinar was in 2 parts. Part I covered the legal requirements related to providing services to ELs, in Title I, Title III, and Civil Rights that may be challenging to implement in a distance learning environment. I was in Part II, a facilitated panel discussion. Each panelist received one question for response related to best practices for supporting bilingual/multilingual/dual language education and educators in a distance learning environment. I was honored to represent NAELPA (the National Assn of English Learner Program Administrators)

Extra note: In the podcast I mention Esmeralda Alday from San Antonio ISD and their secondary dual language program. I also talk about NewsInLevels. Those are not in the webinars but worth checking out!

COME SPEND A DAY WITH A FEW OF US!

Lasts but not least, I'm back at work and offering this for-a-fee opportunity. You can join me for this 5 hour online Boosting Achievement workshop for June 12th. Think 5 hours is too long?? Think again! I have a full day of interactive, online and offline activities. You'll leave with tools for how to support SLIFE (Students with Interrupted or Limited Education) but you know me...the techniques should boost learning for ALL your students.
AND... you'll experience techniques that work for teaching in a face-to-face or remote learning classrooms.

This opportunity has a fee of $125 and I'm limiting this day to just 30 participants. We only scheduled it and it is already filling up! So please register if this is of interest to you.

I'm planning a day that should help you feel more prepared if you teach online or a blend of on and offline. We need to have tools for any circumstance. So let's spend a day considering how to help these learners... in a way that will help ALL learners. You can sign up on Event Bright or by printing & faxing the form with your P.O.

If you are unable to join us on June 12, the information in this post and around my blog is quite a lot of support but also, please stay connected on Facebook or Twitter. Consider checking out the many videos on my Video page or read through the Boosting Achievement Book Study posts. They are extra content for the book!

THANK YOU for all your interest in the resources and for how you support your students.

They need you and I'm grateful you're there for them.

Stay strong and healthy,

Carol

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
BAP075 All My Distance Learning Webinars in One Place

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
These are my TOP TIPS for how I'd set up and deliver instruction this coming year. These are for online, face-to-face or a hybrid situation. I've done SEVERAL webinars since we went on lockdown and they are all different. Below are all the webinars with a bit of info about each.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
These are my TOP TIPS for how I'd set up and deliver instruction this coming year. These are for online, face-to-face or a hybrid situation. I've done SEVERAL webinars since we went on lockdown and they are all different. Below are all the webinars with a bit of info about each.

You can hear me talk about this on the latest episode of Boosting Achievement ESL Podcast right here or just scroll down to find the webinar that is most helpful to you. I hope you do get a chance to listen because I recorded highlights and thoughts for you.
Listen to "BAP075 ALL My Distance Learning Webinars" on Spreaker.
So here are the webinars:

Supporting SLIFE & Newcomers in Distance Learning with Authentic Experiences (34 min)

This is the backbone of my school year. Because newcomer curriculum is about basic English, you can teach it through thematic units.

As an added bonus, I teach a lot of this content through Kahoot. My goal was to show you the DDCR routine. It was a foundational routine I did all year long when I was able to see my students daily or only able to see my students every other day. Here is a blogpost I wrote about it in 2018.

Engaging English Learners from a Distance with Kahoot (60min)

I can't tell you how MUCH I used Kahoot in my classroom. I used it

to introduce vocabulary

to build background

to honor culture

to get to know students with Selfie Kahoots

to raise rigor by having students create Kahoots

and so much more.

Check out my ALL THINGS KAHOOT page to see more. And be sure to watch this webinar I just did for Kahoot that shows you how to apply all of this in a remote learning environment.

This 5 min video is handy for your students if they have a chromebook only:

And if they only have a cellphone, watch the webinar for ideas on how to engage them with asynchronous opportunities and even some non-tech Kahoot opportunities.

Engaging Language Learners with Choice Projects During Distance Learning #MADPD (17 min)

That #MADPD webinar is only 17 minutes but it is PACKED with high impact ideas for your remote learning classroom. I cover some foundations of motivating English Learners

You'll see that I reference the work of Noa Daniel and Larry Ferlazzo throughout this webinar. They have never failed me! Here is the link to the slide deck from this MADpd webinar. It is linked with resources I show in the webinar.

Success for SLIFE - A Literacy Focus (65 min)

This latest webinar was for TransACT. They asked me to cover Success for SLIFE and I was honored to give this talk with a focus on how we can support literacy development for SLIFE in remote learning. To view this webinar, you'll just need to sign in to the TransACT website (it is free to do so).

This padlet includes links to the slide deck and many other resources I mention in the webinar. It has links to many that I could not get to!

Not Your Grandma's Book Club (48 min)

This webinar for ERGO the ESL/ELD Resource Group of Ontario was VERY well received. I was honored to give it with Dr. Katie Toppel and Tan Huynh.

This webinar is important because we are explicitly showing you how to offer PD to educators in a distance learning space. The three of us have been doing synchronous and asynchronous book studies for a few years. I've learned a ton from the two of them and I'm honored to share how I use it with my clients and their staff. Slides are at bit.ly/BKCLUBSLIDES

Supporting ELs with Interruptions in Education (60min)

I've done a few other webinars that may be of interest. This one for Saddleback was the first one I did when we all went to remote learning. You'll see some of what I covered in the other webinars as this one is a general overview of how to support SLIFE and why they should be able to succeed. Check out other Saddleback webinars. they have a great series going on to support teachers of ELs.

Serving English Learners in a Distance Learning Environment (2 parts, 2 hours)

This webinar was specifically for NAESPA and it's membership but anyone is welcome to view the 2 hour event. NAESPA is an organization made up of State ESEA Program Administrators, and their staff from each of the states and territories, charged with managing their state federal education program. The webinar was in 2 parts. Part I covered the legal requirements related to providing services to ELs, in Title I, Title III, and Civil Rights that may be challenging to implement in a distance learning environment. I was in Part II, a facilitated panel discussion. Each panelist received one question for response related to best practices for supporting bilingual/multilingual/dual language education and educators in a distance learning environment. I was honored to represent NAELPA (the National Assn of English Learner Program Administrators)

Extra note: In the podcast I mention Esmeralda Alday from San Antonio ISD and their secondary dual language program. I also talk about NewsInLevels. Those are not in the webinars but worth checking out!

COME SPEND A DAY WITH A FEW OF US!

Lasts but not least, I'm back at work and offering this for-a-fee opportunity. You can join me for this 5 hour online Boosting Achievement workshop for June 12th. Think 5 hours is too long?? Think again! I have a full day of interactive, online and offline activities. You'll leave with tools for how to support SLIFE (Students with Interrupted or Limited Education) but you know me...the techniques should boost learning for ALL your students.
AND... you'll experience techniques that work for teaching in a face-to-face or remote learning classrooms.

This opportunity has a fee of $125 and I'm limiting this day to just 30 participants. We only scheduled it and it is already filling up! So please register if this is of interest to you.

I'm planning a day that should help you feel more prepared if you teach online or a blend of on and offline. We need to have tools for any circumstance. So let's spend a day considering how to help these learners... in a way that will help ALL learners. You can sign up on Event Bright or by printing & faxing the form with your P.O.

If you are unable to join us on June 12, the information in this post and around my blog is quite a lot of support but also, please stay connected on Facebook or Twitter. Consider checking out the many videos on my Video page or read through the Boosting Achievement Book Study posts. They are extra content for the book!

THANK YOU for all your interest in the resources and for how you support your students.

They need you and I'm grateful you're there for them.

Stay strong and healthy,

Carol

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
BAP075 All My Distance Learning Webinars in One Place

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
These are my TOP TIPS for how I'd set up and deliver instruction this coming year. These are for online, face-to-face or a hybrid situation. I've done SEVERAL webinars since we went on lockdown and they are all different. Below are all the webinars with a bit of info about each.

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Home page for teachers of English Learners/Multilingual Learners

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This is a website designed to support teachers of English Learners/Multilingual Learners.

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Increasing EL Student Engagement during Remote Learning

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As university professors and researchers who work closely with K-12 online teachers and learners, we've heard from many newly remote educators who are struggling. Recent class discussions have focused on the difficulties of getting through to students without in-person contact, especially during a time of enormous stress. Some teachers report that their students lack interest and in the worst cases, that students are dropping from classes entirely.

From our experience both in the online classroom and in training teachers to teach online, this is familiar territory and typically happens about six weeks into a new school session. The newness has worn off, the excitement around technology wanes and teachers often struggle finding ways to engage with their students.

The crucial question that has emerged is: how do we engage learners when we are not together physically? It's a complicated question, even in the best of times-one that has been at the forefront of our daily online teaching practice and our research into the online behaviors and interactions that can have the greatest impact on successful learner outcomes. Thankfully, research into online learning can provide us with a starting point to make sure our students continue to be engaged in the process of learning.

There isn't one solution for increasing learner engagement and motivation. Online teachers need to combine multiple strategies to reach learners, such as strengthening relationships with learners, engaging families and helping learners connect with their peers. But building strong relationships online is difficult.

What Is Engagement and Why Is It So Important to the Learning Process?

In its simplest form, engagement is a measure of how much we are attending to a purpose, task or activity. When it comes to learning, engagement is influenced by a learner's level of motivation, focus and cognitive ability as well as online course design and a teacher's decisions regarding facilitation style.

Grounded in the learning sciences, engagement is deepest in environments that support fostering relationships, productive instructional strategies, and social and emotional development. Engaged learners demonstrate stronger satisfaction with learning experiences, stronger achievement in courses and increased graduation rates.

Researchers identify three primary components of learner engagement for in-person and online settings: behavioral, cognitive and emotional. In other words, we know that learners are engaged if they exhibit behaviors, thinking processes or emotions that indicate they are connecting with course materials, with the teacher and with each other.

Measuring these types of engagement is easier said than done, though researchers have settled on some common approaches in traditional classrooms that can easily be translated to the online classroom, where research isn't as far along. Some of these measures will be more difficult for teachers to assess, and some may require teachers to understand and use the analytics capabilities of online tools. Teachers needn't collect data on every single measure, but having familiarity with the following common measurements will allow teachers to determine which factors they can reasonably assess according to the type of engagement they hope to spur.

Types of engagement with common measurements for virtual settings

How can we make the leap from this research to practical application in the remote classroom? The Adolescent Community of Engagement Framework proposed by Jered Borup, Richard West, Charles Graham and Randall Davies gives us one approach. These researchers argue that student engagement is created and enhanced by the involvement of three key players in any K-12 online learning experience: teachers, parents and peers.

Adolescent Community of Engagement Framework: A Lens for Research in K-12 Online Learning Environments hypothesizes that as parent, teacher, and peer engagement increase, student engagement will likely increase until it fills the area indicated by the dotted line. Image credit: Jered Borup, Richard West, Charles Graham and Randall Davies. Used with permission.

How Teachers Can Increase Learner Engagement in a Remote Classroom

One of the most consistent findings in engagement research is that a teacher has an enormous impact on the student's experience, influencing everything from students' perceived learning and self efficacy to their motivation. Being an engaged teacher online means being visible in the class, whether that's through discussion posts, announcements or assignment feedback. Teachers can emphasize their visibility and overall engagement in a remote classroom by implementing these practices:

Post regular announcements: A funny video or meme along with a hello and a weekly reminder of due dates can go a long way in reconnecting learners.

Reply early and often: Students need to feel that teachers are immediately available to help and may feel isolated when educators take a full business day to respond to a request for help. Quick communication builds connection.

Vary communication tools: Teachers should consider the communication preferences of individual students and make sure that their tools are best positioned to respond to students' questions. Phone calls, synchronous video tools, instant messaging or texting are all good options to use in combination, depending on the district's communication policies and student preferences.

Use feedback to build relationships: Providing personalized feedback to let students know their work has been reviewed can strengthen relations. Video feedback is also effective in building a connection with learners.

Physical connections under social distancing: Teacher parades and chalk messages on students' sidewalks are a great example of recent efforts teachers have taken to demonstrate their level of commitment to maintain high levels of engagement with their students. Similar online approaches such as recorded or live book readings and virtual office hours can be just as effective.

How Teachers Can Increase Parent Engagement in a Remote Classroom

Research has shown that the involvement of a responsible adult, typically a parent, is critical to the success of online learners. K-12 learners need the support of a caring adult to build executive functioning, manage their workload and maintain motivation. Teachers can support parents in this role by implementing a few key practices:

Connect with parents: Phone calls, texts and friendly emails help parents feel connected, realizing that the teacher is there to support the entire family.

Provide a schedule: Parents can use a schedule that shows the days and times of synchronous classes and includes what activities students should be working on each day to help keep students on task.

Offer tech support: Teachers can create short videos to help parents understand how to access their online content.

Less is more: Parents can quickly become inundated with well-intentioned emails from various teachers. Keeping emails short and focused is best.

Survey parents: Periodic, brief surveys can help teachers understand what support parents need.

How Teachers Can Facilitate Connections Between Students in a Remote Classroom

Research shows that students who feel connected to other learners are more engaged. In connecting with other learners, students feel that they are part of a classroom community. When motivation for the content itself is lacking, the desire to socialize with other learners can keep a student coming back to the work of a remote classroom. Teachers can improve peer engagement in a virtual setting by implementing these practices:

Use prompts to spark discussion: Discussion boards can be a great space for conversations, especially when teachers use prompts that are open-ended, stir debate or force deeper learning. Prompts can also be used to generate video discussions using a social learning tool like Flipgrid or an online debate tool such as Tricider.

Student talk during synchronous learning: Lectures and focused learning can happen through recorded videos but synchronous sessions offer an opportunity to share and talk to each other as a community. Sessions hosted through Zoom or Google Meet can incorporate traditional classroom activities like jigsaws, small group activities in breakout rooms or discussion protocols.

Group assignments: Learners can create collaborative group projects through a shared Google doc or Google site. For instance, students can collaborate on the creation of an Editor's Toolbox website with grammar tips by assigning groups of students to each page within the site.

Student-led tech support: Students who are exceptionally gifted in technology might troubleshoot or a teacher can create a "Tech Help" forum that students can moderate. Teachers should take care to set up structured guidelines for classroom use.

Carving out time to share: Teachers can allow time and space for students to showcase their expertise, hobbies or projects using a Padlet or Pinterest board.

Figuring out how to effectively engage learners has always been a complex challenge for educators like the ones that we instruct. Identifying ways to motivate students, help them maintain focus and get the most out of learning was difficult when we had physical classrooms and it remains a challenge now that our learning environments are entirely virtual. A savvy educator will employ a variety of strategies to build engagement. By recognizing the critical importance of engaging learners, parents and peers, and selecting the strategies that work for them and their contexts, educators can move toward deeper engagement in online environments.

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How Can Educators Tap Into Research to Increase Engagement During Remote Learning? - EdSurge News

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As university professors and researchers who work closely with K-12 online teachers and learners, we've heard from many newly remote educators who are ...

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CCSD English Learners will work in partnership with their teachers each day and will be empowered to reach their highest academic and social potential, setting themselves on a journey to success and personal fulfillment.

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CCSD English Learners will work in partnership with their teachers each day and will be empowered to reach their highest academic and social potential, setting themselves on a journey to success and personal fulfillment.