Language & Cultural Services
LCS Bulletin - November 7, 2016
Do's and Don'ts for Teaching English Learners
The number of English-Language Learners in the United States is growing rapidly, including many states that have not previously had large immigrant populations. As teachers try to respond to the needs of these students, here are a few basic best practices that might help. We have found that consistently using these practices makes our lessons more efficient and effective. We also feel it is important to include a few "worst" practices in the hope that they will not be repeated!
Find out the Do's and Don'ts to support English Learners in your classroom.
Ten Assumptions to Rethink about English Learners
by Anabel Gonzalez
The percentage of English-language learners (ELLs) in U.S. schools is steadily increasing, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. While much of the growth is in urban areas that have traditionally attracted immigrants, significant increases in ELL populations can be found all across the nation. Since new and veteran teachers often feel inadequate when teaching ELLs, it’s crucial that we acquaint ourselves with them as individuals and avoid stereotypes or misconceptions about these learners.
After numerous conversations with other educators, including some fellow English-as-a-second-language teachers, I’ve compiled a list of common assumptions that might affect our ability to relate to our ELLs.
Read more here to check common assumptions to rethink about English Learners.
Recommend Activities for Your Students
By now, your classroom teachers may have encountered certain challenges with their English Language Learners, perhaps related to student interactions or class discussions. Of course, you know that increased proficiency with oral language boosts literacy development. If only there were an easy way to help your teachers build capacity for ELL instruction while addressing these challenges.
Ellevation can help. Now you can recommend activities by language strategy for teachers to use with particular students. Here’s how it works:
- Think about a language strategy that would benefit some of your ELLs.
- Visit an activity in Ellevation within that language strategy.
- Recommend the activity for one or more students that may benefit by clicking the Recommend button above My ELLs, then selecting the appropriate students.
Hispanic Affairs Commission’s International Committee to Host Forum on Nov. 30: ‘Immigration after the Presidential Election’
The Greater Tulsa Area Hispanic Affairs Commission’s International Committee will host a free, public forum on the “State of U.S. Immigration after the Presidential Election” on Wednesday, Nov. 30, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Church of the Resurrection, 4804 S. Fulton Ave.
The forum will be conducted in English and Spanish. Discussion will include the following topics:
● New policy by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services on the Unlawful Presence Waiver;
● Updates on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals including travel outside the United States and future options for permanent residence;
● Updates relating to the Executive Order on Deferred Action for Parents of U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents;
● Detention of asylum seekers and unaccompanied minors from Central America; and
● Potential for comprehensive immigration reform in 2017
Speakers at the forum will include Laura Bachman, attorney and immigration program manager at YWCA Tulsa; Mimi Marton, clinical professor at the University of Tulsa College of Law and director of Tulsa Immigrant Resource Network; Jordan Mazariegos, president of Dream Act Oklahoma – Tulsa; and Robert Messerli, attorney and immigration program coordinator with Catholic Charities.
Team Member Spotlight
David Troutman, ELD Teacher at Lewis and Clark Elementary
1. Where is your favorite place? I have lived overseas and out of state over the years and have enjoyed living in those cities but my favorite place is here in Tulsa, OK where we sometimes have four seasons. I was born and raised here in T-town and call it home.
2. What is your favorite thing about your job? My favorite part of my career is being blessed with working with so many different people of the world not just Americans but overseas as well. Enjoying their foods and their unique culture and being a part of their lives.
3. If you could hire someone to help you, what would they do? If I would hire someone to help me it would be to cut down a tall tree which I have done several times.
Sweet treats for Teacher Insitute
We are looking forward to another awesome day of ELD learning with you during the next ELD Teacher Institute day on December 2nd. During the ELD Summit and the first ELD Teacher Institute we enjoyed some yummy treats like cookies, sopapillas, and fruit trays provided by generous donors. All of these fun treats are totally donor provided. Many of you asked about enjoying more of those awesome treats during our next learning day together. If you have community partners that would be interested in donating fun treats for our next learning day, please reach out to your ELD Coordinator and make the connection so that we can partner with you on those arrangements for fun treats to make the learning sweet.
Thanks for everything you do,
Laura
Let's Stay Connected
Find us on Facebook at TPS Language & Cultural Services or @tpsmultilingual and on Twitter at TPSLanguage&Cultural or @TPSMultilingual. We want to connect with you!
Missed a Department Meeting?
Elementary ELD Department Meetings
Language & Cultural Services Events
Week of November 7, 2016
Former EL Monitoring via InClass
November 9, 4:00pm - Spanish for Educators (Edivate)
November 10, 3:45pm - ELD Department Meeting (Elementary)
November 10, 4:45pm - ELD Department Meeting (Secondary)
November 12, 8:00am - SIOP Saturday: Comprehensible Input
Week of November 14, 2016
November 15, 3:45pm - ESL Certification Study Group (Elementary)
November 15, 4:45pm - ESL Certification Study Group (Secondary)
November 16, 4:00pm - Spanish for Educators (Edivate)
November 17, 3:30pm - SIOP Seminar: Anchor charts, visuals, and realia
November 17, 4:30pm - SIOP Seminar: Anchor charts, visuals, and realia (Repeat)
November 17, 5:30pm - SIOP Seminar: Anchor charts, visuals, and realia (Repeat)
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.