Beyond Fronteras
Celebrating our ESC1 Bilingual Community: Fall 2022
On the Spotlight: Hispanic Heritage Month and Texas Bilingual Teacher of the Year!
By Karina Chapa, ESC1 Language Proficiency, Biliteracy, and Cultural Diversity Director
¡Feliz mes de la herencia hispana! We hope you are still enjoying and celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month! In our beautiful region, more than 95% of our student population is Hispanic, with more than half of them speaking Spanish as a native language! Let's celebrate juntos our beautiful culture, traditions, language, and people, just like our youngest students from Weslaco ISD did at Margo Elementary! Click here to watch their celebrations!
Also, congratulations are in order to Mrs. Michelle Cavazos from Blanca Sánchez Elementary in McAllen ISD for being the recipient of this year's Bilingual Teacher of the Year Award from the Texas Association of Bilingual Educators! She will be receiving her award during the 50th Anniversary conference to take place in Houston in mid-October. ¡Mil felicidades, maestra Cavazos! ¡Muy bien merecido reconocimiento por su labor en el programa dual! ¡Enhorabuena!
¡Muchísimas gracias a todos los maestros, administradores, personal, estudiantes y padres de familia que han hecho este inicio del ciclo escolar 2022-2023 una gran experiencia! We are convinced that Region One is the #1 region in the state and the whole nation! Keep pushing forward and continue offering the best equitable services for ALL our students!
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
Virtual Learning Tips
Think, Write, Record, & Share with Padlet!
By Felicia Salinas, ESC1 Bilingual/ESL Specialist
Padlet is an interactive online bulletin board where students can post an array of different types of content and see what their classmates are doing in real time. This great and easy to use tool allows students to practice and develop their academic English proficiency in all language domains! When students engage with Padlet they utilize the four language domains by:
Listening: Students will demonstrate listening comprehension of increasingly complex spoken English by following directions, retelling or summarizing spoken messages both written or spoken, responding to questions and requests, through the use of Posts or speaking through Video or Audio recording in Padlet. (ELPS 2.I)
Writing: Students write and publish a Post using the newly acquired content -based vocabulary, narrate, describe, or explain with increasing specificity and detail. As they write they use a variety of grade-appropriate sentence lengths, patterns, and also have the opportunity to connect words to combine phrases, clauses and sentences in increasingly accurate ways. (ELPS 5.B,5.F, 5.G)
Speaking: Padlet allows students to create and publish an Audio or Video recording of their response to a question or task. The Audio/Video recording provides students with the opportunity to speak using grade-level content area vocabulary in context to narrate, describe, and explain with increasing specificity and detail. In doing so, students internalize new English words and build academic language proficiency. Students also use a variety of grammatical structures, sentence lengths, sentence types, and connecting words with increasing accuracy and ease. (ELPS 3.C, 3.D, 3.H)
Reading: Students will engage in reading by reviewing and reading their peers’ written Posts. They can provide and receive feedback from their peers too.
Learning Strategies: As students engage in writing their Post or recording via Audio/Video, students will not only internalize new basic and academic language by using and reusing it in meaningful ways in speaking and writing activities that build concept and language attainment but also also monitor both their oral and written language production and employ self-corrective techniques. (ELPS 1.B, 1.E)
For an overview of how to get started with Padlet, use the video link below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLdZJAc3bGQ
La esquina bilingüe
By Pedro García, ESC1 Bilingual/ESL Specialist
Los estudiantes bilingües en nuestras escuelas pertenecen a una generación muy distinta a las anteriores. La llamada generación Z, también llamada centenials o postmillenials consiste en estudiantes que nacieron a finales de la década de los 90s hasta inicio del presente milenio. La generación anterior es conocida como los millennials; se les distingue por ser muy distintos en sus características y fueron quienes tuvieron el mayor reto en la historia al tratar de tener acceso al mercado laboral.
Esta nueva generación Z tiene como distinción el hecho que son nativos digitales. Para estos estudiantes el uso de computadoras, tabletas digitales, internet y teléfonos móviles es de consumo natural. Como consecuencia a la rápida disponibilidad y acceso a esas herramientas digitales, los estudiantes requieren que los métodos de enseñanza incorporen su uso en el aula.
Los maestros hoy en día están atestiguando este cambio y hacen los ajustes adecuados en las escuelas. No es novedad ya el ver el uso eficaz de productos digitales como parte de los requisitos para aprobar clases. İEsta generación no conoce el mundo sin pantallas!
La generación Z tienen una perspectiva global en la que entienden y aceptan la diversidad y buscan comunicarse. Esta posición impacta el criterio de los estudiantes. En el salón de clase esta generación requiere comunicar su punto de vista. Es muy importante que los maestros incorporen modalidades en las que incluyan actividades en las cuales los estudiantes puedan expresar sus puntos de vista, expectativas e ideas. Los estudiantes de esta generación demuestran también una conciencia social y ambiental muy distinta a los estudiantes de la generación pasada.
Algunas estrategias para motivar a los estudiantes a participar activamente en clase son las siguientes:
· Considerar a cada estudiante mediante un inventario individualizado de intereses
· Hacer conexiones a temas que los estudiantes consideren relevantes
· Entablar charlas en las que ellos puedan considerar impactos globales
· Escribir acerca de su personalidad e identidad
· Utilizar las modalidades de los medios sociales al formular respuestas en clase
ESL CORNER
Total Physical Response: Totally Worth It!
By Felicia Salinas, ESC1 Bilingual/ESL Specialist
Have you ever played "Caras y gestos" or "Charades"? The game consists of a person reading a word and acting the word out while the rest of the players try to guess what the word is. Total Physical Response follows the same process. Students can make connections and build long-term learning by connecting physical movement to key vocabulary words or concepts!
As educators we pour our mind and heart into our lessons, only to see that sometimes key vocabulary words and concepts are not retained by students. What can we do? Total Physical Response is the answer! This method of language teaching supports listening comprehension and long-term vocabulary retention . Created by Dr. James J. Asher, Total Physical Response is based upon the way that children learn their mother tongue. Parents have, as Dr. Asher refers to, ‘language-body conversations’ with their children. Before the child can speak, the child responds to the physical and gesture conversation from the parents that later on as they grow, the child replicates.
Same can be applied in the classroom. TPR connects language with physical movement allowing students to engage and connect with the learning. TPR is simple.
First, select key vocabulary for the lesson or unit that is essential for comprehension.
Second, introduce the words.
Third, have the students repeat the word.
Fourth, you have two options. You can as the teacher create a physical movement, physical response, for the word or you can have the students create their own physical response for the word.
Lastly, have the students practice the vocabulary using TPR signals and in authentic ways. TPR is a simple and effective way to support all students, especially our emergent bilinguals.
¿Sabías que...?
By Pedro García, ESC1 Bilingual/ESL Specialist
There are duties a teacher must carry out at the beginning of each class period: take attendance, ensure students arrive safely, manage homework assignments, etc. During this time, students are expected to prepare for class, take out materials needed and typically the first minutes are spent on trivial, managerial tasks. At best, students are prompted to recall a concept or lesson from the prior day or spend some time reviewing previously learned tasks.
In her book, Learning in the Fast Lane, S. Rollings notes that the opening minutes of a lesson possess a salient potential for all students to engage productively in the academic content for the day. The author proposes Success Starters as a routine that should be conducted at the very beginning of each class/lesson. Success Starters are quick, engagement activities that aim to connect students to prior knowledge, have real world relevance, employ concrete representations, and are fast-paced and time conscious. Some examples of Success Starters are role playing, surveys, concrete representations, making predictions, brainstorming as a class, etc.
According to John Hattie, students' perceived value regarding the task they are to perform has a desired impact, equivalent to a year’s academic growth. Engaging students in relevant routines at the beginning of each class should be the goal. If the information, curriculum, or lesson is valuable to students, they are more likely to process and store it. In return, this builds self-efficacy more than superficial positive-thinking activities.
BILINGUAL DIRECTORS CORNER
2022-2023 Exceptions and Waivers Instructions
YOU ARE INVITED! Exceptions and Waivers Soft Launch Work Group
NEW TxEDLIF Rubrics and Documents
Middle of the Year LPAC Checklist
TEA EL Support Division Remote Internships
Upcoming Events
Nationwide Call for Student Performing Artists
In Title III News
By Leticia Sánchez, ESC1 Title III Coordinator
We hope you had a wonderful start to the 2022-23 school year! Don’t forget to take a look at TEA’s August 2022 Parents and Families Newsletter. It is filled with important announcements, resources and activities to help your children at home. In this edition, you will find websites like PBS Kids and Teen Kids News to keep your child engaged in learning in a fun way. These sites are always free and always awesome! You will also read about helpful tips on self-care routines and at-home activities to get the day off to a great start. TEA is always looking for ways to better serve our students and families so feel free to give them any feedback by completing this survey. You might see your idea in the next newsletter! Y como siempre, este boletín también está disponible en español!
The TEA English Learner Support Division will be hosting three virtual statewide events to increase parent, family and community engagement and empowerment. You can join individually or you can contact your child’s school to see if they will be hosting watch parties. More details and registration coming soon! For now, save the dates and get the popcorn ready!
Event #1: Understanding Educational Equity- November 11, 2022, 9:00- 11:00 am
The U.S. Department of Education also has resources for parents and families, including a back-to-school checklist that will help parents, caregivers, and families engage with local school and district leaders about how they are supporting students as they recover from the impacts of the pandemic. It includes evidence-based practices for supporting students’ learning and mental health, and ensuring the safety of students and staff. Click here for the English checklist y la lista en español.
Para los papás
Comenzar un nuevo año escolar puede significar comprar útiles escolares, preparar uniformes/ropa escolar y ayudar a nuestros hijos con la tarea. Como padre de familia, eso puede parecer abrumador. Pero no se preocupe, ¡no estamos solos! Nuestros amigos de TEA han desarrollado un sitio web que apoya a los estudiantes bilingües emergentes y sus familias con una gran cantidad de información. Visite https://www.txel.org/Parents-And-Families y seleccione “Spanish” en el menú desplegable de Google Translate para obtener recursos sobre cómo ayudar a su hijo con la tarea en los niveles de primaria, secundaria y preparatoria. También tendrá acceso a enlaces a apoyos familiares, como clases de educación para adultos. En la sección Recursos para estudiantes, encontrará información sobre FAFSA, becas y servicios de apoyo laboral para ayudar a su estudiante de preparatoria a prepararse para el futuro.
Otra parte importante del inicio del año escolar es conocer el proceso de identificación y qué servicios se le brindarán a su hijo(a). Estos videos desarrollados por TEA explican el proceso y lo que puede esperar como padre. Siempre puede comunicarse con el maestro(a) de su hijo(a) o el administrador de LPAC para obtener información específica sobre los servicios que puede recibir. Haga clic en la imagen para ver el video. Como padre, usted es un socio clave en la educación de su hijo(a). ¡El conocimiento es poder!
For Parents
Starting a new school year might mean buying school supplies, getting uniforms/school clothes ready and helping our children with homework. As a parent, that can seem overwhelming. But don’t worry, we are not alone! Our friends at TEA have developed a website that supports emergent bilingual students and their families with a wealth of information. Visit https://www.txel.org/Parents-And-Families for resources on helping your child with homework at the elementary, middle and high school levels.
You will also have access to links to family supports such as adult education classes. In the Student Resources section, you will find information on FAFSA, scholarships and workforce support services to help your high school student prepare for the future.
Another important part of the beginning of the school year is knowing the identification process and what services will be provided to your child. These videos developed by TEA explain the process and what you can expect as a parent. You can always contact your child’s teacher or the LPAC administrator for specific information on the services your child can receive. Click on the picture to see the video. As a parent, you are a key partner in your child’s schooling. Knowledge is power!
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
FREE! Online Bilingual, BTLPT, and ESL Certification Training
OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS
- TABE Hybrid Conference: 10/13-16
- ACET Fall 2022 Conference: 10/19-21
- Texas Assessment Conference: 11/07-09
- RGV-TABE Conference: 01/13-14
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
956-984-6193
Felicia Salinas, M.Ed.
Bilingual/ESL Specialist
956-984-6118
Pedro García, M.Ed.
Bilingual/ESL Specialist
956-984-6158
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: 956-984-6238
Facebook: facebook.com/ESC1Bilingual
Twitter: @esc1bilingual