All PD is not created alike

I’ve just finished reading Work Simply by Carson Tate. (I found audio and print versions at my public library.)

Tate’s last two chapters (14 and 15), Lead a Meeting Revolution and Putting it All Together, respectively, offer some solid reminders for why all meetings should not be created alike.  She also offers profiles of how participants process information differently based on “personal productivity styles.”

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about how to up my game in the creation and delivery of PD versus trainings versus meetings – Tate’s insights on how to organize meetings toward a specific outcome aren’t 100% new, but she does offer some solid reminders that are all too easy to forget.

Work Simply: Embracing the Power of your Personal Productivity Style by Carson Tate, published 2015 by Portfolio/Penguin

ISBN: 978-1-59184-730-4

Resources for Citizenship

Recently an educator asked me about resources for helping a parent prepare for the U.S. Citizenship Interview and Exam.  The following resources are ones I recommend most frequently:

This video comes directly from US Immigration office and has been very helpful to my adult students:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDb9_CqPUTQ

Many free resources exist on the US Immigration site to help people prepare for the exam:  http://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/learners/study-test/study-materials-civics-test

For several years I taught a citizenship test prep course.    Students seem to enjoy the format of this book and CD.  Practicing with the CD is an essential component of being reading for the dictation portion of the actual exam and interview.  The book and CD can be purchased on Amazon:  http://www.newreaderspress.com/citizenship-passing-the-tes

If you host a local class to prepare individuals to take the exam, feel free to comment in a reply.

 

A Great Idea for Project Based Learning

 

New York Times Third Annual Student Editorial Contest: Write About an Issue That Matters to You

What can we learn from students who are migrant, immigrant, and refugee?  The unique perspectives of students can reach millions through the New York Times annual student editorial contest.  A perfect project for an ELA, Social Studies, or sheltered classroom.

Find all the deets here:  Student Writing Contest

Deadline:  March 29

 

Appropriateness of Online Discussions in the ELL Classroom

Last semester I posted a blog about multicultural youth literature.  A favorite book on my recommendation list is Sold.

Here’s how a National Writing Project  found that “Sold” fostered immigrant students’ abilities to participate in on-line discussion groups in meaningful ways.

How have you incorporated Sold in your classroom?

 

A framework for speaking and listening lessons

The link (below) takes you to a step-by-step guide for scaffolding speaking and listening.   I created and used this lesson successfully in my ELL classroom.  Of special note, the lesson includes pre- and post- formative assessments — an often over-looked part of listening and speaking tasks.

Watch the video here!

(Created in Adobe Voice.  In and of itself a highly useful tool for your speaking and listening tool box.)

How will you modify this lesson for your classroom?

 

 

Gifted ELs in Missouri

Dr. Robin E. Lady, NBCT and President of Gifted Association of Missouri (GAM) announced Gifted Education Week, February 22-26, 2016.

What is “Gifted Education Week” and how does it apply to English language learners? The week will culminate with Gifted Education Day February 24 when 500+ gifted students visit the Missouri state capitol. Teachers, parents, and leaders gather with gifted students to share what they and others are doing for gifted education all year long.

ELLs should not go unnoticed as part of this conversation and exhibition.

Of particular interest is the recently available “First Annual Report: Advisory Council on the Education of Gifted and Talented Children, 2015” prepared by the Gifted Advisory Council:

GAM report

Of particular interest to ELL educators will be the report’s references to a lack of ethnic, socio-economic or linguistic diversity of students in gifted program services. As well as the Missouri demographic subgroup comparison tables on page 59 of the report which provides two tables comparing demographics of students in Missouri gifted programs over-all to sub populations for 2013-2014.  The report reflects that of  all MO LEP students, only .14 percent also participate in gifted programming.  This is a staggeringly low percentage when compared to a 79.3 percent participation rate of White students in gifted programs, and even when compared to the subgroup category for FRL which shows a 20.2 percent participation rate in MO gifted programs.  ELL educators and administrators should be asking why such a discrepancy exists especially in light of research linking multilingualism and creativity.  How can identification of ELLs for gifted programming be increased?

You can participate locally and state-wide in the February activities.

Dr. Lady also supplied a PDF suggesting 54 ways students and educators can be involved with Gifted Education Week. 54 Ways to Participate in Gifted Ed Week

Idea number 17 could be a particularly compelling way for ELLs to shine the light on gifted individuals who are also bilingual:

“Study famous gifted people. Select a favorite. Depict that person in a vignette. Share interesting anecdotes with others. Dress up in period costume to be that person for a day.”

(GAM, Gifted Education Week, February 22-26, 2016, Suggested Activities)

If you want more information or to be included in future meetings, you can follow GAM on their website,
facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MissouriGifted/?fref=ts,
and
Twitter: Missouri @GAMgifted

Dr. Robin Lady can be reached at:robin.lady.gam@gmail.com
Phone:  314.203.1165

Gifted programming resources can also be found on the MO DESE website
and by contacting David Welch at:
David.welch@dese.mo.gov
Phone: (573) 751-7754

In doing my part to promote the inclusion of ELLs in Gifted programming, I’m suggesting some of the following research to support your efforts to see that ELLs are included in your district’s pool of gifted students:

Multilingualism and Creativity
by Anatoliy V. Kharkhurin  in  Bilingual Education and Bilingualism: 88
Includes bibliographical references and index. © 2012 Anatoliy V. Kharkhurin.

“…multilingualism appears as influential but not sufficient requirement for creative endeavors. This conclusion might explain a contradiction between laboratory research and real-life observations: despite a tendency of multilingual individuals to outperform their monolingual counterparts on creativity tests, the former do not necessarily reveal exceptional creative achievements. However, the mere presence of creativity-fostering factors in multilingual development suggests that a combination of foreign language learning with creativity training might provide fruitful outcomes..” (Kharkhurin, p 174)

Additional research on ELLs and gifted education:

Aguirre, N. (2003) ESL students in gifted education. In J.A. Castellano (ed.) Special Populations in Gifted Education: Working with Diverse Gifted Learners (pp. 17–28). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Bernal, E.M. (1998) Could gifted English-language learners save gifted and talented programs in the age of reform and inclusion. TAGT Tempo 18(1), 11–14.

Bernal, E.M. (2007) Educating culturally and linguistically diverse gifted and talented students through a dual-language, multicultural curriculum. In G.B.

Esquivel, E.C. Lopez and S.G. Nahari (eds) Handbook of Multicultural School Psychology: An Interdisciplinary Perspective (pp. 479–495). Mahwah, NJ:

Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.
Granada, J. (2003) Casting a wider net: Linking bilingual and gifted education. In

J.A. Castellano (ed.) Special Populations in Gifted education: Working with Diverse Gifted Learners (pp. 1–16). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

What steps does your district take to ensure identification and inclusion of ELLs in its gifted programming?  I’d love to hear from you.

 

 

 

Global immersion teachers – a solution to ELL teacher shortages?

Perhaps you’re already encountering this phenomenon in the field…global immersion teachers in U.S. K-12 schools? If so, I’d be interested in your experience supervising an international teacher. If not, it’s something I’ve been keeping my eye on for a couple of years.

It’s interesting to me because I wonder how administrators learn the cultural aspects of onboarding and supervising teachers who have little (no?) concept of how education is delivered in the U.S. (assessments, parent-teacher conferences, PLCs, matters of discipline, SpED, RTI, etc) I mean, if we’re still teaching cultural competency to U.S. teachers about international students, how likely is it that U.S. administrators are culturally competent about supervising international teachers?

Learn more about international educators here.

 

Resources for supporting dual needs students – EL and SpED

A challenge of finding and organizing advice, best practices, and resources in the digital age is the sheer volume of resources and guidance available, and the scope of it – local, state, national, international.  I know I’m guilty of tapping on the keys that spell “G-O-O-G-L-E” because it seems easier and faster than “wasting time” filtering through old emails, downloaded PDFs, Word documents, and PowerPoints for information I’ve already stored.

Such was my experience recently while gathering resources for a presentation about SpED /  EL concerns.   I started down the Google road before coming to my senses and remembering the MO DESE webinars and support materials explaining the identification and service of students who require SpED and ELL supports.

The two webinars are still available and highly useful to learn the technical aspects and flow of the determination process in Missouri:

This link takes you to the MO DESE recorded webinar:  Guidance for LEA Staff

This links you to the second MO DESE webinar:  Issues and implications in the identification process

Other recently (re)discovered resources include:

 

  • why book

Why do English Language Learners Struggle with  Reading?

 

 

Special Education Considerations English Language Learners

 

  •  cloud 2

Literacy Instruction for English Language Learners

Please add your recommended resources with a reply.

 

 

 

Strengthening vocabulary through text sets

Some days you stumble on something that reminds you there are plenty of resources out there from folks just dreaming up ways to make your lesson planning easier.  This morning I was delighted and intrigued to find such an email from ReadWorks.org

If you’re at all like me, I often want to reinforce a specific vocabulary word through multiple texts but finding all those texts can be hugely time consuming.  Not to mention being able to find texts with the same vocabulary word AND in the same reading lexile.  Thank you ReadWorks for your free Vocabulary Text Sets!

If you’re a ReadWorks fan, or have some other favorite resources for reinforcing vocabulary through text sets please share with a reply.

Thanks for reading!

 

2016 Grants for Personalized Learning

A research report from The Center for Digital Education, Funding and Professional Development, lists five grant opportunities for developing personalized learning programs. Some grants have rolling funding dates, others don’t close until November 2016 and December 2016 which would give you plenty of time to plan and create co-writing teams of key staff members.  Specific grant information and guidelines can be found on pages 2-3 of the report.

While the grants don’t appear to focus solely on personalized learning plans for ELLs, the advent of ESSA with its shift of ELL funding from Title III to Title I increases the urgency for ELL Coordinators and Directors to work more closely with their district’s Federal Program Directors to advocate for tools that impact the education of all students.

Personalized learning can’t be found in a single program or initiative — it requires a complete shift in the way education is structured from kindergarten to college.  (p 2, Funding and Professional Development)

The report was produced by the Center for Digital Education (CDE) which also maintains a blog, and other news and event feeds focusing on what’s happening in education today for both K-12 and Higher Ed.  On the CDE site you can also find contests and awards for district and classroom level content and curriculum initiatives.  If you’re looking for ways to showcase the great things folks in your district are doing, some of these opportunities might fit the bill.  Let’s put more Missouri educators and districts on the map!

What steps has your district taken toward developing or implementing personalized learning plans for students?  How do you see personalized learning plans impacting teacher’s abilities to serve ELLs?  What PD do you foresee teachers needing in order to effectively use personal learning systems?