ELD Weekly Bulletin
Title III/ELD Listserv - Week of August 10, 2015
Create a Welcoming Classroom Environment for ELLs
by ColorĂnColorado
Chances are that your English language learners (ELLs) come from a culture with traditions and family values that differ from mainstream American culture. These young children not only have the challenge of learning a new language, but also of adjusting to an unfamiliar cultural setting and school system. Imagine what it would be like to step into a foreign classroom where you didn't understand the language, rules, routines, or expected behavior.
On a daily basis, ELLs are adjusting to new ways of saying and doing things. As their teacher, you are an important bridge to this unknown culture and school system. There are a number of things you can do to help make ELLs' transitions as smooth as possible.
Click here to read more about how to welcome and support ELLs in your classroom.
Preparing all teachers to support ELLs
ACCESS for ELLs 2015 Scores have arrived!
Over the summer, the OSDE held two meetings of Title III district leaders to revise and update the Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives which, as you know, expired in 2014. During the last two meetings, the AMAO working group has drafted a recommendation on AMAO1/Progress and is in discussion on a recommendation for AMAO2/Proficiency. The pending recommendations will not only impact the percentage benchmarks for the AMAOs but also the growth increments in AMAO1/Progress and the proficiency score in AMAO2/Proficiency. There will be a third meeting at the OSDE in the upcoming weeks to finalize these recommendations and submit them for approval to the USDE.
Until these recommendations are finalized, we are holding the release of the score reports and parent letters. As soon as we have updated information to share we will notify you and release a pick up schedule for ACCESS score reports. If you would like an electronic file of ACCESS scores, we can email those to you. We just can't determine growth or proficiency until these recommendations are finalized.
You can view a draft of the pending AMAO recommendations here. If you have any feedback or input regarding these recommendations, please let me know so that I can share that at the next AMAO Working Group meeting at the OSDE.
Language Learning for All
The Tulsa City County Library offers Mango Languages through the TCCL website with your TCCL membership card. Click here for more information.
A growing number of apps offer great language learning tools on the go. Check out this article to learn about the pros & cons of a number of online language learning tools.
Check out the infograph below about bilingualism and language learning across the United States.
Title III/ELD Upcoming Events
August 10th - 12th: ELD Teacher Bootcamp (New Teacher Orientation)
August 10th - 12th: Dual Language Training Institute
August 13th, 8:30am: Calle de Lectura SLA Curriculum Training
Click here to view the Title III/ELD Calendar.