EL Happenings
Volume 2 Issue 1
This will be a monthly newsletter to showcase great teaching to our ELs throughout Perry Township; specifically the effective implementation of SIOP strategies and WIDA's Guiding Principles and use of Can Do's, and EL News at the district and state level. A few things different this year- information about EL news in every issue, inclusion of our elementary schools, and the issue will only come out once a month instead of twice! Please look for these on the first Friday of every month.
Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs)
Thank you very much to all the EL teams for your efforts in tracking down the necessary information for your students, parents, and teachers!
Lauren Toler- 7th grade Language Arts
Students in Mrs. Toler's class are preparing to read an article about teenagers and texting. To ensure that her students knew enough background knowledge on cell phones and their texting habits Mrs. Toler had students complete a KWL in a small group. The students brainstormed everything they knew about texting. They then asked questions they wanted to know about texting and about the article itself. Using a KWL to link concepts and content to background experiences is a great highlight of the SIOP component, Building Background! Building Background happens when you meet students where they are to take them to higher levels of understanding!
Erin Ancelet- High School EL Level 1
Ms. Ancelet's students are learning about the different seasons in EL 1. They spent some time reviewing the different ways to describe a season and then they moved on to new learning as to why there are different seasons based on where you are in the world by watching a video. The students had many different perspectives being from different parts of the world! To start their new learning the students used an anticipation guide to clarify what they already knew about the changing seasons and they previewed questions before watching the video. These cognitive and metacognitive strategies highlight the SIOP component, Strategies.
Kelly Harmon- High School EL Level 1
Students in Mrs. Harmon's EL 1 class are learning how to make an inference. Mrs. Harmon began with defining inferences and having students make guesses about pictures. Mrs. Harmon then explained how to use clues (text clues) to help them make an inference about the pictures. The students had some time to practice making inferences about pictures with partners before doing an inference carousel around the room. Mrs. Harmon's lesson allowed the students to quickly apply new content concepts into action. They did not just learn about what inferences were, but they were able to practice them on familiar pictures. This really highlights the SIOP component, Practice and Application. Something abstract like inferring needs to be put into a concrete experience for our students!
SIOP Training
We are offering a round of SIOP training this fall! Talk to your building administrators or other teachers in your building that may be interested. September 27th, 28th, and 29th!
Workshop Opportunities!
If any of these workshops sound interesting and valuable to you, your students, and your staff please talk to your building principal and Jane Pollard, EL Administrator, jpollard@perryschools.org
- September 11th- WVEC "Building Your EL Program from Scratch"
- September 19th- Smekens @ WVEC "Priority Skills that Honor the 4 Levels of EL Writing- Teaching Informative Writing to ELs"
- September 21st- WVEC "Making Content Accessible for the Secondary English Learner"
- October 4th or 5th- WVEC EL Conference "Building a Culture of Language. A Culture of Learning. A Culture of Love."
- November 11th- INTESOL "Advocacy and Action in the Age of Uncertainty"
Georgina Mayorga- District SIOP Coach
Thanks for letting me learn alongside you!
Email: gmayorga@perryschools.org
Website: http://www.perryschools.org/ell/
Location: 6548 Orinoco Avenue, Indianapolis, IN, United States
Phone: 317-789-3783
Twitter: @gschneidercoach