English Language Development
September 2016
Welcome to the ELD (English Language Development) Newsletter!!
In an effort to maintain communication, I will be sending out a monthly newsletter, which will include information related to ELD services, such as important dates, procedures, conferences, etc. I will also be providing updates about each grade-level's ELD focus during small groups and how those lessons will support academics within the classroom.
A little about me...
A native of Colorado, I've been teaching for seven years. For the first three years of my teaching career, I taught third and fourth grade in Aurora Public Schools. My class comprised of refugees from Rwanda, Bhutan, Burma, and other international countries. It was there that I developed my interest in English language development and working with bilingual learners.
In 2012, I ventured "across the pond" to earn my master's degree in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education at the University of London's Institute of Education. It was amazing to live and conduct research in such a multicultural and
multilingual city!!After completing my program, I returned to Colorado and my wonderful family! I now teach ELD at Timber Trail Elementary and Pine Grove Elementary. I could not ask for better schools!!
What ELD/ESL services will look like...
My services tend to vary depending on grade-level, classroom structure, and each student's English acquisition level. I typically try to meet with grade-level small groups or with students one-on-one for twenty to thirty minutes each day. During this time, I work with the students on very targeted skills related to both their classroom content units and their individual language needs. I work closely with the classroom teacher to ensure my schedule for these small groups do not interfere with important whole-class instruction.
I also try to embed at least a half hour of in-class support throughout the week for every grade-level. This gives me the opportunity to ensure that skills are transferring from the small group to the classroom.
English Language Learning Plans (ELLP)
My goal for this year was to have each ELLP created and finalized by the end of September; however, I'm not entirely sure this will happen. Douglas County School District's ELD Department is in the process of updating our ELLP system so I am not able to enter data into the system right now. Once it is up and running again, I'll contact you with tentative dates for ELLP conferences.
Language Focus for September
Introductions and Narratives
Because I spent the majority of August testing new students, I am using small group time this month to get to know the students and their language needs a bit better. All grade-levels will be working on oral language, which involves the students discussing images related to classroom content. This helps me gauge their ability to engage in academic conversations using more sophisticated vocabulary and sentence structure.
The students have also begun to write personal or fictional narratives. I've found that in addition to providing students a creative outlet to explore language, narratives also help students get to know one another better as they participate in the peer review process. I want to ensure that the students are comfortable with both me and their group members so that they feel free to experiment and take risks with language.
Going forward, the language focus for each month will start to coordinate with what the students are studying in class. This will ensure the students' work during ELD lessons transfers over to their classwork.
*Note*
Because the last official English assessment (ACCESS) was administered in January, I want to reassess students to get a better picture of where they are at right now. I will be using WIDA-Model, a district-approved English assessment, to measure speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The test will take place during the students' typical small group times in September. They don't need to prepare for it or worry about it. I just want to make sure I am meeting all the students' language needs, and updated data will help me do that. :)
How can I help my child at home?
My suggestion for this month is to simply have a conversation! Through conversations, students develop oral fluency, increase vocabulary, and build relationships. Occasionally, have your child describe different items you might see at home or outside. This could even work at the grocery store! Encourage your student to describe the objects using clear sentences and phrases. The sentences can be about anything they like (i.e. what something looks like or what they do with it), as long as they are providing in-depth responses. The quality and quantity of responses, of course, will vary depending on age. Just look for more than one-word responses.
Upcoming Dates!
August 29--September 2nd
September 5th--9th
September 5th--Labor Day No School
September 12th-16th
September 13th-16th--6th Grade Outdoor Ed.
September 19th--23rd
September 26th--30th
Contact Information
Email: rachel.gerfen@dcsdk12.org
Phone: (303) 387-5700 (303) 387-8090