Monthly Happenings: March 2019
Updates from IDOE's English Learner Team
A New Look...
The IDOE ELME Website
Next EL Leadership Meeting (in-person)
Wednesday, Apr 10, 2019, 10:00 AM
Forest Manor Middle School, East 32nd Street, Indianapolis, IN, USA
Congratulations to Hamilton Southeastern Schools, the 2018-2019 Title III Distinguished Indiana District!
“I applaud the dedicated work of the students, families, staff, and communities of Hamilton Southeastern Schools,” said Dr. Jennifer McCormick, Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction.“Under the leadership of Superintendent Dr. Allen Bourff and Director Danielle Riego, Hamilton Southeastern Schools represents the vision of working together for student success by ensuring English Learners, and all children, have opportunities to succeed.”
Hamilton Southeastern Schools was selected after a review of English Learner performance data from all public-school districts and charter schools, followed by a two-part interview process, including an on-site visit.
WIDA ACCESS Pre-Reporting Validation
The Pre-Reporting Data Validation Window for ACCESS for ELLs and Alternate ACCESS for ELLs opens on Monday, March 25, and closes on Friday, March 29. The data validation process is designed to identify student demographic, accommodation, and test result records that could potentially contain errors, as well as provide the opportunity for corrective action before reporting.
Reports are generated following the close of the Data Validation Window. After the close of your Data Validation Window, districts and schools WILL NOT have another opportunity to edit student data prior to reports being printed or posted to WIDA AMS.
New TransACT Features
If you have not yet set up an account in TransACT, an online library of parent notifications and forms in multiple languages to assist public schools in compliance with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), see our account set-up quick start guide.
RESOURCE: Ed. Dept. Toolkit Offers Guidance for English Learner, Immigrant Parents
Click here to read about a new resource released from the U.S. Department of Education. The first two chapters of the new English Learner Family Toolkit have been released. They cover enrolling students in school and a look at how schools in the United States might differ. Ensuing chapters will focus on key issues surround EL parents and families, such as helping students with schoolwork at home. Also included in the article is a link to Colorin Colorado's guide to supporting immigrant students and families. SOURCE: Education Week, "Learning the Language" series.
A Closer Look: Academic Conversations
Chapter 5 of Academic Conversations: Classroom Talk That Fosters Critical Thinking and Content Understandings by Jeff Zwiers and Marie Crawford is key to implementing meaningful academic conversations within the classroom. It discusses how to train students for in-depth conversations across subject and grade levels. The following list covers suggested areas in which to train students...
- Train students to take conversation to more academic levels.
- Train students to facilitate conversations in teacher-like ways.
- Train students in different types of academic conversation.
- Train students to perceive when their listeners don’t understand.
- Train students to ask useful questions.
- Train students to negotiate meaning.
- Train students to encourage and compliment.
- Train students to maintain logical flow, connections, and depth of thought.
- Train students to recognize that an abstract idea needs support, elaboration, and/or examples.
- Train students to be leaders and team players.
- Train students to think and talk like experts.
Chapter 5 also features a section that lists obstacles and possible solutions for students when an academic conversation deteriorates or gets off-track.
IDOE's English Learner Team
Valerie Beard
Assistant Director of English Learners and Migrant Education Programs
(317) 232-0558
vbeard@doe.in.gov
Nicole Leach
Dual Language Immersion and English Learner Specialist
(317) 232-0572
nleach@doe.in.gov
Adam Pitt
English Learner Specialist
(317) 234-7168
apitt@doe.in.gov
Georgina Schneider
English Learner Specialist
(317) 234-7785
gschneider@doe.in.gov