Equity & Language

Addressing Equity for students learning English

As we begin the new school year, Equity for all students is one topic that many educators want to address. In this newsletter, we present topics that address how Equity might be considered in our work with students who are culturally and linguistically diverse from the majority of students in our schools.

We introduce these topics and resources, knowing that the information provided here is not limitless. Both our learning and new ways to improve supports and access to students is constantly evolving as we learn how to engage in new learning, reflect, and possibly revise our thinking.

You may access personal letters from Heartland AEA's ESL/Diversity consultants below to read their personal perspectives on how equity relates to our work with students learning English.

Nappy graphics website

I just found out about this graphic-source website, but as a white person, the word "nappy" set off alarm bells for me. I wasn't sure this is a respectful term, and I certainly wasn't sure I should promote a website using this name.

Then I went to the site and read their "Why" - "to provide beautiful, high-res photos of black and brown people to startups, brands, agencies, and everyone else. Nappy makes it easy for companies to be purposeful about representation in their designs, presentations, and advertisements."

And then at the end of their page on "Why" they said this - "Share this with everyone (photographers and non-photographers) you know and let’s tackle diversity and representation one photo at a time."

And I am all about promoting equitable representation in all our websites, newsletters, slide decks; in every place and situation of learning, I want to do my part to promote equitable and positive representation of people of color. I hope you find that this inspired website with free graphics supports your work on equitable representation in your work!

Calendar of Observances 20-21

Calendar of Observances from ADL

2020 -2021

The increasingly pluralistic population of the United States is made up of many different ethnic, cultural, faith and religious communities. To enhance mutual understanding among groups and promote inclusive communities, the Anti-Defemation League (ADL) has created an Observances Calendar to increase awareness of and respect for religious obligations and ethnic and cultural festivities that may affect students, colleagues and neighbors in your community. For more information about ADL's work, click on the link in this paragraph to be directed to their current newsletter.

ADL Calendar of Observances 2020

ADL Calendar of Observances 2021

"candles" by rogerglenn is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

While this video does not provide all the answers on how to guarantee equity for our students learning English, it does highlight the rationale of why we need to strive to provide equitable learning opportunities for our students as they acquire their academic English language.

NEAPrioritySchools, (2012, January 12). English Language Learners: Culture, Equity and Language. [Video File] Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HU80AxmP-U

Books for Secondary Students

Middle School Chapter Books
- A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa More Remee
- **New Kid by Jerry Craft
- The Power Book: Who Has It, What Is It, and Why? by Claire Saunders
- This Book is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewell
Young Adult Books
- I Am Alfonso Jones by Tony Medina
- On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
- **Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
- The Day Tajon Got Shot by the Teen Writers of Beacon House
- **The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

"Library Reading Lounge" by Jeremy Levine Design is licensed under CC BY 2.0


Other People's Children by Lisa Delpit In a radical analysis of contemporary classrooms, MacArthur Award–winning author Lisa Delpit develops ideas about ways teachers can be better “cultural transmitters” in the classroom, where prejudice, stereotypes, and cultural assumptions breed ineffective education. Delpit suggests that many academic problems attributed to children of color are actually the result of miscommunication, as primarily white teachers and “other people’s children” struggle with the imbalance of power and the dynamics plaguing our system.	Equitable Access for English Learners: Strategies for Differentiating ELA Curriculum by Soto, Freeman, & Freeman Until our English learners have equitable access to the curriculum, they’ll continue to struggle with subject area content. And if you’re relying on add-ons to fit in from your language arts basal or a supplementary program, Mary Soto, David Freeman, and Yvonne Freeman are here to equip you with much more effective, efficient, and engaging strategies for helping your English learners read and write at grade level.tion of book	Teachers as Cultural Workers by Paulo Freire Freire speaks directly to teachers about the lessons learned from a lifetime of experience as an educator and social theorist. Freire's words challenge all who teach to reflect critically on the meaning of the act of teaching as well as the meaning of learning. By opening themselves to recognition of the different roads students take in order to learn, teachers will become involved in a continual reconstruction of their own paths of curiosity, opening the doors to habits of learning that will benefit everyone in the classroom. I

Other People's Children by Lisa Delpit

In a radical analysis of contemporary classrooms, MacArthur Award–winning author Lisa Delpit develops ideas about ways teachers can be better “cultural transmitters” in the classroom, where prejudice, stereotypes, and cultural assumptions breed ineffective education. Delpit suggests that many academic problems attributed to children of color are actually the result of miscommunication, as primarily white teachers and “other people’s children” struggle with the imbalance of power and the dynamics plaguing our system.

Equitable Access for English Learners: Strategies for Differentiating ELA Curriculum by Soto, Freeman, & Freeman

Until our English learners have equitable access to the curriculum, they’ll continue to struggle with subject area content. And if you’re relying on add-ons to fit in from your language arts basal or a supplementary program, Mary Soto, David Freeman, and Yvonne Freeman are here to equip you with much more effective, efficient, and engaging strategies for helping your English learners read and write at grade level.tion of book

Teachers as Cultural Workers by Paulo Freire

Freire speaks directly to teachers about the lessons learned from a lifetime of experience as an educator and social theorist. Freire's words challenge all who teach to reflect critically on the meaning of the act of teaching as well as the meaning of learning. By opening themselves to recognition of the different roads students take in order to learn, teachers will become involved in a continual reconstruction of their own paths of curiosity, opening the doors to habits of learning that will benefit everyone in the classroom. I

Accessibility

ESL/Diversity Heartland AEA

Equity & Language

September/October 2020

Equity & Language

September/October 2020

On the topic of Equity

Addressing Equity for students learning English

Equity and Equality - What is the difference?

Webinars: Supporting Students Learning English through Distance Learning

Nappy graphics website

Calendar of Observances 20-21

Equitable Access to AP Courses

Books that Promote Anti-Racism, Equity, and Social Justice

Books for Elementary Students

Books for Secondary Students

Other People's Children by Lisa Delpit

Equitable Access for English Learners: Strategies for Differentiating ELA Curriculum by Soto, Freeman, & Freeman

Teachers as Cultural Workers by Paulo Freire

Other People's Children by Lisa Delpit

Equitable Access for English Learners: Strategies for Differentiating ELA Curriculum by Soto, Freeman, & Freeman

Teachers as Cultural Workers by Paulo Freire

Podcasts

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