Beyond Fronteras
Celebrating our ESC1 Bilingual Community: October 2021
On the Spotlight
¡Y seguimos con las celebraciones musicales de nuestros maravillosos estudiantes de nuestra hermosa región! Now it's the turn to highlight McHi Mariachi Oro from McAllen ISD, who received straight Division 1 Ratings from all judges at the State UIL Contest in Austin this past summer, besides receiving the Sweepstakes Award, plus every member of the group was also awarded the Outstanding Performer State UIL Gold Medal! What an honor! Marvelous job, muchachos! ¡Felicidades a sus directores y enhorabuena!
We are way past the mid-point of this first semester. A semester like no other. Where our resilience as educators is being tested every step of the way. However, we are convinced that we will prevail. We will not only survive, but thrive this year and the years to come, thanks to our wonderful students, their incredible families, and the strong support systems that we have in our school systems and beyond!
Thank you so much for your willingness to keep going and keep offering the best educational opportunities for all our students, especially our emergent bilingual learners. ¡Qué sigan los éxitos para todos! ¡Juntos y adelante!
¡Mil gracias y esperamos que disfruten este boletín!
Karina E. Chapa, M.Ed.
Language Proficiency, Biliteracy, and Cultural Diversity Director
Center for Excellence in Education of Diverse Students
Region One Education Service Center
@esc1bilingual
~ Multicultural Book Spotlight ~
By Dr. Lileana Ríos-Ledezma, ESC1 Bilingual/ESL Specialist
“They tried to bury us. They didn’t know we were seeds.”
Efrén lives a humble, but happy life with his family: his twin siblings, Apá and Amá in California. Although his parents provide enough to make sure Efrén and his siblings do well in school, feel safe and loved, there is a cloud of worry over the family due to an influx of ICE deportation tactics around the neighborhood.
While Efrén and the twins are American-born, his parents are undocumented. The constant nightmare becomes a terrifying reality when his Amá does not return home from work one day. In an effort to care for and reunite his family, Efrén takes on additional responsibilities and ventures beyond borders! This novel is a great read for the classroom. It helps generate awareness, build empathy and understanding. Happy Reading!
~ ¿Sabías que...? ~
By Dr. Lileana Ríos-Ledezma, ESC1 Bilingual/ESL Specialist
(continued from September’s Newsletter)
Say it with me, “Accelerate, don’t remediate! Accelerate, don't remediate!” It is easier said than done; however, anything worth doing isn’t easy! Suzy Pepper Rollins knows this and luckily, she provides an Acceleration Framework to establish recovery efforts to ensure academic language learners (or ALL) students receive “just in time” instruction to help them be successful TODAY!
The first step, as explained in the September newsletter, is Generate Thinking, Purpose, Relevance, and Curiosity. Once interest and relevance on the topic is created and maintained, Rollins recommends to further establish the purpose for learning by Clearly Articulating the Learning Goals and Expectations. This goes beyond adding the content and language objectives (and cultural objectives) to the standard wall. Spending time to clearly articulate the learning goals and expectations clarify for students the progression of learning that will occur and helps their brain make meaningful connections for long-term memory and retrieval.
Skipping this crucial step in the acceleration framework may cause students to lose sight of the true purpose for learning and the teachers miss out on the opportunity to capitalize on the new learning.
(The next step to the implementation of acceleration methods will be addressed in the following newsletter.)
~ BILINGUAL DIRECTORS CORNER ~
LPAC MOY and RDA Reminders
- High Schools must hold a MOY LPAC before the December STAAR administration, even if EBs are not receiving designated supports;
- EB students in their first 3 years in the US who are enrolled in English I/ESOL I must take the English I EOC. However, if they pass the course and fail the EOC, they might qualify for the English I Provision, which allows them NOT to retest;
- All EB must have a MOY LPAC form on file with STAAR and/or TELPAS decisions, except students in K-2 who do not have an ARD or 504.
In RDA news: You should be able to find your 2021 RDA Report and Determination Levels on TEAL/Ascender. TEA will be offering a training session for ESCs on November 9th and ESC1 will be offering an RDA session for all districts on November 18th. To register for this session, please click here!
Please know we have a full team here at Region One to help you out with any question you might have! Don't hesitate to reach out if you need assistance. You are NEVER alone! We are in this together!
2021 Results Driven Accountability
The TEA, per its obligation under 20 USC §1416(a) and 34 CFR §300.600(a)(2), makes annual determinations on the performance of LEAs in SPED using four determination levels (DLs): Meets Requirements (DL 1), Needs Assistance (DL 2), Needs Intervention (DL 3), and Needs Substantial Intervention (DL 4). To learn more about the 2021 Determination Levels, click here!
Title III Parent and Family Newsletter
TELPAS Virtual Academy: Fall 2021
TITLE III COURSE: ESL TEXES PREPARATION SESSION
FREE! TITLE III COURSE: EFFECTIVE EARLY CHILDHOOD INSTRUCTION FOR THE YOUNG ENGLISH LEARNER
Literacy Academy for Emergent Bilingual Students
- Bi-Oracy Development and Native Language Literacy
- English Language and Literacy Development
- Metalanguaging and Comprehension Skills
- Emergent and Critical Writing
- Explicit Vocabulary and Content-Based Instruction
To register, please click here!
FREE! Online ESL Certification Training
~ UPCOMING EVENTS ~
- 2021-2022 Bilingual Exceptions and/or ESL Waivers: DUE November 1
- 2020-2021 Bilingual/ESL Program Evaluation to the Board: DUE November 1
- TELPAS Virtual Academy: November 1-2 & 8-9
- TIII Course: ESL TExES Certification Preparation: 11/3
- 11th Annual Assessment Conference: 12/1
- TIII Course: Effective Early Childhood Instruction for the Young English Learner: 12/9
Contact Us
Karina E. Zuno-Chapa, M.Ed.
Director of Language Proficiency, Biliteracy, and Cultural Diversity
956-984-6246
Leticia Sánchez, M.Ed.
Title III Coordinator
956-984-6158
Lileana Ríos-Ledezma, Ph.D
Bilingual/ESL Specialist
956-984-6153
Felicia Salinas, M.Ed.
Bilingual/ESL Specialist
956-984-6118
Diana Gonzalez
Program Assistant
956-984-6238
Email: kchapa@esc1.net
Website: www.esc1.net/bilingual
Location: 1900 West Schunior Street, Edinburg, TX, USA
Phone: 956-984-6246
Facebook: facebook.com/ESC1Bilingual
Twitter: @esc1bilingual