Language & Cultural Services
LCS Bulletin - April 17, 2017
Introducing and Reading Poetry with English Learners
Poetry can range from simple and fun to complicated and abstract, which may be one reason it is daunting for many teachers and students alike. Start by choosing simple poems that aren't too abstract or complex — you'll get to Shakespeare eventually! Depending on the English level of the students, there are a variety of ways to start bringing poetry in the classroom.
- Talk about the differences between stories and poems. Provide students with a copy of a short story they've already read and a short poem. Ask them to work in groups and make a list of the differences between the two pieces, noting characteristics such as length or style. Have students share those differences with the class.
- Start with poems that are manageable. Make sure the poems you present first have simple and familiar language, images, and themes so that they are accessible to ELLs. One ESL teacher recommends using poetry with "predictable language patterns, repeated words, phrases, lines, and identifiable rhymes" so that they are easier for students to read (Alpha, 2009).
- Give students a chance to illustrate poems. Have students work in pairs to discuss and illustrate a short poem, or one or two lines of a longer poem. This will encourage them to think about meaning, and then express their interpretation in their own way. Ask students to share their illustrations with the class so that everyone has a chance to think about the different meanings that their classmates discovered.
Writing Poetry with English Learners
Writing poetry is a great exercise for English language learners. It gives them a chance to experiment with language and vocabulary, and to freely share their ideas without the confinement of perfect grammar or firm structures. Many ELLs have also had rich life experiences that range from memories of their home culture to saying good-bye to loved ones and adjusting to a new life in the U.S. They may very well welcome this opportunity to create heartfelt poems to share with their classmates and family. Here are some suggestions for getting started:
- Read a variety of poems first. I would recommend a couple of different kinds of poems before assigning any writing activities. For more ideas on how to start a unit on poetry, be sure to take a look at Introducing and Reading Poetry with English Language Learners. While the introduction doesn't have to be too in-depth, giving students time to read and think about poems will help them feel more comfortable when it's time to write.
- Introduce different poetry forms as models. Read some poems that fit the structure or format, discuss unique rhyming or line patterns, and then have students try writing on their own, using the poems read in class as a model. Focus on each form before moving on to the next one so that students have a chance to master it.
- Use poetry throughout the curriculum. You may also wish to use poetry writing as an activity in other content-area lessons, or trying having students write some of these poems as riddles that their classmates have to figure out.
Find more ideas for writing poetry with your English Learners here.
2017 ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 Score Changes
o meet language demands of college and career readiness standards, we are raising the bar for language proficiency. Students will need to showcase higher language skills in 2016–2017 to achieve the same proficiency level scores (1.0–6.0). This is the result of a process called standard setting. Standard setting determines the student performance required for each proficiency level through a series of decisions made for each grade level by expert panels of teachers as well as district and state English language learner administrators.
Standard setting is expected to impact ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 scores in 2017 in the following ways:
- Some students' scores may go down
- Fewer students may exit program support
Learn more: Standard Setting Overview Flyer
Find more resources to support the scoring change for educators, families and students here.
Professional Learning Event: Aspiring Americans
Time: 9:00am to 12:00pm
Location: Rogers College High School
Registration: Tulsa PS staff please register in MyLearningPlan
Have you heard about Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and the DREAM Act and wondered how they can help students?
The office of Language and Cultural Services is facilitating a session presented by Aspiring Americans for educators and community members to learn more about various immigration issues that may impact our students and families. We look forward to seeing you there!
English Learner Feedback Survey
We want your input on the master plan for English learner success in Tulsa Public Schools. We are beginning a process to review and examine the service, instruction, and supports for English learners across the district. An initial step is to collect survey data from school leaders, teachers, parents, students, and community stakeholders regarding the education and service of English learner students in our schools and in our district. Future steps in the plan development will include training opportunities, feedback sessions, student shadowing, and focus groups for plan development.
Please complete the survey appropriate to your role to provide feedback on improving our district services for English Learners by May 2, 2017.
English learner survey for school leaders
English learner survey for teachers
Please share the information below with community and parents of English learners to provide feedback on improving our district services for English Learners.
SLM/TC: Former English Learner Monitoring
Teachers of students currently identified as former English learners have recently received an email from Ellevation Education prompting them to login to InClass via Clever to complete the monitoring feedback. We monitor students following their attainment of English language proficiency via feedback from the classroom teacher, grades, and test scores to ensure that they are continuing to successfully achieve using academic language in English. Previously former English learners were monitored for two years. Beginning with the 2016-2017 year, former English learners are now monitored for four years as prescribed by Title III of the Every Student Succeeds Act.
The recommendations on the monitoring form are to continue in the monitoring process in the next school year or to be reassessed for English language proficiency in order to re-qualify as an English learner and receive the active English language development services necessary for continued language growth. The guidelines for reassessment of English language proficiency are attached. There is not an option to exit the monitoring process because former English learners are only in years one and two of the four year process. ELD coordinators and ELD teachers will follow up with classroom teachers on concerns or questions on the monitoring process.
The monitoring window for the spring semester closes April 28, 2017.
Please contact your school's ELD coordinator with any related questions.
LCS Summer Summit 2017: Call for Proposals
Call for Proposals – LCS Summer Summit 2017
From: Rachel Pogue, coordinator of English language development
Owner: All staff
Attachments: Language & Cultural Services Summer Summit 2017 Proposal Form
Tulsa Public Schools is hosting its annual Language & Cultural Services (LCS) Summer Summit, formerly known as the ELD Summer Summit, on Wednesday and Thursday, August 2-3, 2017. The LCS Summer Summit celebrates the linguistic and cultural diversity that exists not only within our district, but also across the state of Oklahoma. Proposals may focus on cultural competence, language development, effectively engaging community resources, best classroom practices for English Learners (ELs), or any variety of topics that support the educational achievement of ELs. Submit your proposal(s) here.
Proposal Guidelines:
- Proposals must be submitted no later than Friday, June 2, 2017.
- These 75-minute sessions will take place on Wednesday, August 2 and Thursday, August 3, 2017.
- Presenters will be notified by Friday, June 23rd via email whether or not their presentation has been accepted.
- TPS teachers presenting at the Summit will be compensated at the rate of $26 per presentation hour.
For questions, please email eldsummersummit@gmail.com
Tulsa Public Schools Immigration Frequently Asked Questions
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Elementary ELD Department Meetings
Language & Cultural Services Events
Week of April 17:
April 18, 3:45pm - ESL Certification Test Study Group (Elementary)
April 18, 4:45pm - ESL Certificationi Test Study Group (Secondary)
April 18, 4:00pm - Dual Language PLC (Pre-K - 1st Grade)
April 20, 4:00pm - Dual Language PLC (2nd - 5th Grade)
April 22, 9:00am - Aspiring Americans
Week of April 24:
April 27, 9:00am - Interpreter Skill Buildling (Edivate)
All events are listed in MyLearningPlan unless otherwise noted. Please pre-register and verify session location in MLP.
Check out the Language & Cultural Services events calendar for future events.
LCS Bulletins for SY 2016-2017
April 10, 2017 April 3, 2017 March 27, 2017 March 20, 2017 March 6, 2017 February 27, 2017 February 13, 2017 February 6, 2017 January 30, 2017 January 23, 2017 January 16, 2017 January 9, 2017 December 12, 2016 November 28, 2016 November 21, 2016 November 14, 2016 November 7, 2016 October 31, 2016 October 24, 2016 October 17, 2016 October 10, 2016 October 3, 2016 September 27, 2016 September 19, 2016 September 12, 2016 September 4, 2016