Monthly Archives: November 2017

BAP011 Science for ELLs with Michele Cooper & Week 4 of the Book Study

Take a peek into an effective science classroom for newcomers. As always, the book study questions are at the bottom of this post.

You can listen to the show right here:

Listen to “BAP011 Teaching Science Successfully to Newcomers with Michele Cooper” on Spreaker.
This week we have Michele Cooper on the podcast to discuss how she teaches grade level science concepts to students who are new to the language!  Michele is a science teacher at a newcomer center at Cardiff Jr. High.  She shares what is working for her and we both talk about what we have seen that can propel the science and language of English learners (and all students).

During the show, we discuss the challenge of keeping up with grade level curriculum pace when you are teaching a class with many non-English speakers.  I explain how I keep my mini-lesson to 15 minutes as was taught to me by Leo Gomez when I became a Gomez & Gomez Dual Language Trainer.

I’m including this graphic to illustrate the small group seating arrangement I describe in the show.  If you have students seated thoughtfully for the guided activity, you should be able to keep the mini-lesson at the level of the top 25% of of your class (for language and background). If you are not able to seat students this way, it is still good to keep in mind as we offer students multiple opportunities to work with different partners.
Michele and I got into a great debate about the main focus of the Science teacher in a newcomer center.  My feeling is that the content teacher should be focused on teaching content.  I hope teachers are doing that the way Michele does.  She uses language to teach science.   She just wrote me and said that she feels that she teaches language with science.  I know that is true.  And she seems GREAT at it!

But I can tell that teachers are stressing how they are supposed to teach all of the English and all of the science our newcomers need.  This is where I recommend a solid language objective for every class period.  With a solid goal for language, over 180+ days, their English will absolutely move.  This #Booksnap from Boosting Achievement is a favorite of many. In Part III of the book, we use it to illustrate that everyone is a language teacher.

So how does this actually look in Michele’s classroom. She gave us a great tip on how she begins her units.  She uses Picture Talks by Meredith Alvaro.  She explains how she does this and sent along this powerpoint to further illustrate what she explains on the show.

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At the end of the show Michele comments that one of their newcomers passed the standardized assessment last year for science.  She also told me about a different student who passed the reading assessment despite the fact that their intake exams showed them at the beginning levels for reading.  We have students who did the same.  To me, this is important to highlight because it can change what teachers believe is possible.  It can change what students believe is possible.  We talk about balancing these stories of success with the fact that our standardized assessments are not the only measure of success.  Our ELs need to realize that they get closer to success on those exams every day.  They should realize that knowledge about these subjects grows, their English grows and they grow as critical thinkers every day.

Michele lifts up all of her students and reminds us that even students with limited formal education can learn quickly. She also gives examples of how they can contribute to the overall learning of the class.   She discusses the practice of sharing the student’s illustrations of grade level content learning.   Michele is in a newcomer center but the video above, of Katherine Stokes a Spring Forest Middle School illustrates the same practice in a regular middle school science classroom.  In the video, Ms. Stokes is showing anchor charts made by newcomers and students with limited formal education.  One of these students spent 14 years in a refugee camp with no running water or electricity.  We absolutely need to what we believe is possible for every child.

You can follow Michele Cooper on Twitter at @MsCooperELL.   You’ll be so inspired by what she shares:

Thank you for being on the show, Ms. Cooper!  You are an inspiration!

Where Can We Connect? Find me here:

WEEK FOUR of the BOOSTING ACHIEVEMENT BOOK STUDY 

Not too late to contribute to the Week 3 Flipgrid! Reflect on any part of the book, in fact.  If you’re feeling aprehensive, remember that we ask our ELs to take risks every single day.  It is easier than you think:

WEEK 4 QUESTIONS for those who like questions!  You can respond on twitter or on Flipgrid. The questions are only a guide. We welcome all ideas, reflections & insight on any part of the book. On social media, please use the hashtag #BoostingAchievement.

This week is about second language acquisition. You may also be interested in the additional resources for Week 4 from the original book study. We have a TON of free PD opportunity there: bit.ly/WeekFourSIFE

4Q1) p. 48 – 49 Watch the video with the QR Code or here: bit.ly/ThematicUnit4ESL. Emmanuel was preliterate in any language but had a strong desire to communicate with the visitor.  What language standards for emergent readers were met in preparation for Dr. Babaloa? What else stands out about the video or the story on p. 48?

4Q2) p. 50 What is the difference between learning a language and acquiring a language?  Why is the distinction especially important for SIFE?

4Q3) p. 51 & 52 Read US History Experience with Paul Spellman on page 52 that describes how Carol’s Newcomer class prepared for an author visit. This video was made for Dr. Spellman: bit.ly/AuthorVisitPrep Many of the students were compelled to read Dr. Spellman’s book. Why? What else did you notice?

4Q4) p. 58 -59 The content teacher and the ESL teacher use language in different ways.  What are your take-aways from this?

4Q5) p. 60 – 61  How is the focus different for the sheltered science teacher vs the ESL teacher who decides to use science in a unit? What stands out to you on these pages?

4Q6) p. 62 Carol explains that English Learners should be assessed according to their level of English language  proficiency.  We must understand the proficiency descriptors to meet students where they are for language when assessing.  But what if that student has not been offered comprehensible input? What can schools do to help content teachers offer comprehensible input to ELs?

4Q7) p. 63 The reality for some learners who are SIFE is that they may not master courses like Algebra I if they do not have the foundational skills necessary for the class.  What hope is there for this student?  Read page 63 and respond with what the author suggests or other ideas you have for supporting these students.

BAP010 – Motivation and Student Sound Bites

Do you want motivated students?

Bad news is that you can’t motivate them.  The GREAT news is that we know how to help them motivate themselves.  This week we have some audio from my 2nd year students as they offer advice to newcomers.  I reflect on their ideas and what I am doing to support their motivation.

The week 3 book study questions are at the bottom of this post!

You can listen to this week’s show here

I mention that I strongly suggest you watch this video by Larry Ferlazzo to get a clear explanation of how we can help students motivate themselves.  Larry breaks down Autonomy, Competence, Relatedness and Relevance as they relate to what we can do in our classrooms:

 

In the podcast I promise to link to this QSSSA article by Valentina Gonzalez You’ll LOVE this questioning strategy!

 

I was thrilled to see a picture of Gerson Bermudez in the newcomer center at Cardiff Jr. High.  Their newcomer students had so many questions about him were very clear about their connections to this student.  I offer you the video as well: 

Hat’s off to Sergio Lemus, Michelle Cooper and the other newcomer teachers at Cardiff.  You’re doing great things with these young people!  I was only with them about 20 minutes and I was overwhelmed with their positive mindset!

Thanks to Cardiff Jr High in Katy ISD for having me this week!  I talk about their amazing teachers and scholars on the show.

Pam Broussard is the teacher in CyFair ISD who has English Learners who are putting on THEIR OWN conference for other English Learner students. You can join her facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/LELLsEd/

BIG THANKS to these teachers who connected with us for #MysterySkypes this week!

Jennifer Hernandez from Indiana

Lindsey Fortgang from California

Brenna Brownlee from Kansas

 Where Can We Connect?

WEEK 3 BOOK STUDY

Boosting Achievement Week Three Questions (Part II in the book)

A GREAT post for this part of the book is this one that I wrote last summer.  There are many folks in education who feel that we should not focus on grit narratives. And they have some good points.  I defend my recommendations in this post about grit for SIFE:  http://bit.ly/WeekThreeSIFE

3Q1)  p. 33 Watch the video with the QR Code or at bit.ly/Coding4Newcomers. Hamsa taught his teacher a lot that day. Did he teach you or reinforce anything for you?

3Q2) p. 34 references Angela Duckworth’s TED Talk on “grit”. In her talk, Duckworth describes grit as passion and perseverance for very long-term goals. Most SIFE have persevered through something. How can we help them realize the strength, the perspective and the advantages they already possess?

3Q3) p. 33-34 Passion. Persistence. Motivation: many of us have activities that put us in “flow” just like Hamsa from the video. We can all lose track of time working toward a goal when we have a passion for it. Maybe it is running, or crafting, or blogging about education.  If you can relate to this, reflect on it.  Share your “flow” activity and why you think you show so much grit when working toward the goals of it.

3Q4)  p. 38 & 39: We often say that every child brings gifts.  These pages outline a few specific advantages of having newcomers in your classroom. How can you share this message with your staff, with your parents, with the world?

3Q5) How are you planning to leverage growth mindset?  Do you have ideas for  your students with limited education?  How can we leverage all of this to build the growth mindset of the rest of the class, school or community?

3Q6)  p. 40 -44: Breaking down the walls of your classroom: Our SIFE need more than grit and skill building if we want to grow leaders. How do global learning experiences level the playing field for SIFE? How do they propel them beyond grade level expectations?

3Q7) p. 45-47 The idea of a Social Contract (vs. “Rules for my Classroom”) is included in this part of the book. How does your classroom culture impact the mindset of the students.

3Q8) If we are trying to encourage a growth mindset, real SIFE, migrant or newcomer success stories are perfect resources. We can use them as mentor text, read-alouds or for units of study. Examples are bit.ly/FJimenez & bit.ly/EmilyFrancis.  Please share other success stories you know about to our padlet here: bit.ly/SuccessPadlet

BAP009 Kelly Rider of English Learner Portal

There is SO much in this week’s post! We have a great podcast on newcomer centers, we have information about online classes and if you scroll to the bottom, you’ll find this week’s questions for the online book study!  Whew! So much going on! I’m thrilled you’re along for the ride!

You can listen to Episode 9 Right Here


 

It is a real treat because Kelly Rider of English Learner Portal is my guest!  We talk about how she started English Learner Portal for teachers to be able to take advantage of self-directed PD on-demand. 

She is such an important member of my PLN, so be sure to follow her English Learner Portal twitter account if you don’t already. In addition to this fantastic service, she holds a position in her district where she is supporting new teachers and also helping to roll out a newcomer center.

In the process of setting up that center, Kelly has learned quite a lot!  She has a great program off the ground. To read more about it, you’ll want to visit this blogpost on the English Learner Portal website.

I loved the chat with Kelly because her perspective opened my eyes to some of the great advantages to having your newcomer center onsite at a comprehensive high school with flexible scheduling.  At the same time, we discussed some of the great advantages there are when you can create a completely separate school or program for your newcomers.  There will always be advantages to both, so it’s a great learning opportunity for us to hear from people like Kelly who help us see what others are doing that is working.

Big thanks to everyone who is sending in questions.  We use some of those newcomer center questions in this week’s episode so be sure to give the show a listen.

Another resource, if you are serving newcomers is about  to hit the field!   If you are able to come to Houston on December 1, 2017, I want to highly recommend a training that will be offered by my mentor, Dr. Michelle Yzquierdo.  She has a new book that will be released soon that will offer a lot of insight for people who  are setting up programs to serve newcomers.  You’ll be able to find all of that information at the Seidlitz Education website.

Thank you again, Kelly Rider!  We appreciate all you do for teachers and for ELLs!

 

Twitter Slow Chat Book Study on Boosting Achievement:

Below are the questions. If this is your first time doing this study, and you want more, please check out all the resources on the WEEK 2 page from our original study. The videos there are in alignment to our focus this week about “Who Are SIFE?”

WEEK TWO QUESTIONS  

(Answer some of these, all of these or none of these. We welcome all ideas, reflections & insight!)

  • 2Q1)  p. 12 “…not all refugee students are SIFE.” Do you think this is a common misconception? How can we help change that perception?
  • 2Q2)  p. 13 “…teachers need to be prepared to teach language, in addition to content, to maximize English language development.”  What is your best advice for content teachers who are new to SIFE?   
  • 2Q3)  p. 15 Every Student Has a Story: These are just some examples of a newcomer backgrounds. Are your students’ backgrounds similar or different than these?
  • 2Q4)  p. 16-p.18 What are additional ideas for making students feel instantly welcome? Or why do you like some that are mentioned here?
  • 2Q5)  Use the QR Code on p. 18 or visit bit.ly/deskolympics to analyze the 2-minute video of Carol’s newcomer classes. There are brand-new classmates, SIFE and also students with special needs in these classes.  That said, it took only 15 minutes for the class to be able to rearrange desks in under 30 seconds.   Why is this video important? (ie: implications for cooperative learning, classroom culture, expectations for diverse learners, or anything that is significant to you.)
  • 2Q6) p. 19-21 only scratch the surface of Culturally Responsive Teaching, a very hot topic in education right now. What would you add to this? Or what part resonated with you and why?
  • 2Q7) p. 22-23 Osama is a refugee in his 1st year in US schools. He was not SIFE but he appeared delayed in math, initially scoring at a 7th grade level in placement tests. Update: His math teachers used sheltered instruction, he finished the year passing Pre-Calculus, graduating, and he received scholarships to attend college this fall.    How can you use Osama’s story? Could it guide you in your role as you work with ELs, other professionals or any type of learner?
  • 2Q8) p. 25 – 31 offer examples of different methods a district, a school or a teacher might use to gather information about newcomers and learners who are SIFE. Are any of these realistic in your role?  If not, what other means can you share?

Have you posted to the flipgrid yet?  Posts again!  We’d love to see you there every week!  We can always use that grid to reflect on questions or any thoughts we have about the book or our students.  I love how many of us are participating this way.  It can seem a little scary but it helps me model exactly what I am asking of my newcomers:  Take a risk… it will help your learning! 

Also! This is where you can find me in the next few months:

#TxTESOL4 ChatQuestion Sneak Peek by Carol Salva
Stay curious, you awesome EduHeroes!!

Carol

Teaching Holidays and Week 2 of the Book Study

It is about to be Thanksgiving in The USA.  I offer you these ideas with Thanksgiving as the example but you could adapt them to any holiday coming up in your part of the world.  ** The Week 2 Book Study Questions are at the bottom of this post.  Please look at the links for more resources for week 2!

Holidays are a great opportunity to help students build background for history and culture of their new countries.

 

I found great Thanksgiving resources where I always find good resources.  I look to Larry Ferlazzo because I know he will have a “Best of” list going. Sure enough, here it is !

One of my goals for this lesson was to help students understand why we celebrate with a feast.  I also wanted them to be familiar with what modern day traditions are, and I also wanted to give them some background for US history in terms of how and why our country was founded.

Like some folks, I am conflicted about how we teach this history.  I appreciate that Larry offers resources for the uncricital version but offers many resources that help us teach the perspective of the Native Americans at this link: Larry Ferlazzo, larryferlazzo.edublogs.org

So from the resources, I took information to create a Kahoot: https://play.kahoot.it/#/k/b7e993c8-9cab-44c8-8a77-46ff9fd06494

We watched the video below first.  Also, when I play the Kahoot, I am teaching and explaining through the Kahoot.  Then we play again quickly to see what they remember.  It was very successful and allowed us to do some great shared writing I show below.

My reading class is more advanced with English and most have been here through one Thanksgiving.  We used the following video and this Kahoot for the Intermediate class:

We also discussed some of the idioms and phrases in the video.  Mostly, I wanted to be sure they knew about this youtube channel and how to use it for self study.  I love the closed-captioning and the scrolling vocabulary and pictures.

Larry’s list pointed me to http://www.elcivics.com/ which I know I will use to help preteach other social studies concepts.  I printed the writing page but offered the students some English sentence frames.

During the Kahoot, my students had questions about how Squanto spoke English. (If your students don’t ask, you can lead them to consider this interesting fact)  This is a great lead-in to the next part of this lesson where we discuss the Native Americans’ perspective. We use this worksheet from www.elcivics.com which helps me explain how Squanto speaks English and his life as a slave:  

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There are several more links and ideas for teaching this perspective at Larry Ferlazzo’s blog post of resources.

My intermediate students did a roving paragraph at the end of class.  This is a picture of what a SIFE student who only spoke Arabic last year created quickly during the roving paragraph activity. Of course, there was a lot of oral language practice as they changed partners multiple times.Here is a great blogpost by Kirsten Foti on Roving Paragraph!

I hope you and your students have a wonderful holiday break!  Thanks for reading and please reach out with any feedback! Also, feel free to join us for the book study below.  You can jump in any time!

Stay awesome,

Carol

 

Twitter Slow Chat Book Study on Boosting Achievement:

I’m a day late, but below are the questions! If this is your first time doing this study, and you want more, please check out all the resources on the WEEK 2 page from our original study. The videos there are in alignment to our focus this week about “Who Are SIFE?”

WEEK TWO QUESTIONS  

(Answer some of these, all of these or none of these. We welcome all ideas, reflections & insight!)

  • 2Q1)  p. 12 “…not all refugee students are SIFE.” Do you think this is a common misconception? How can we help change that perception?
  • 2Q2)  p. 13 “…teachers need to be prepared to teach language, in addition to content, to maximize English language development.”  What is your best advice for content teachers who are new to SIFE?   
  • 2Q3)  p. 15 Every Student Has a Story: These are just some examples of a newcomer backgrounds. Are your students’ backgrounds similar or different than these?
  • 2Q4)  p. 16-p.18 What are additional ideas for making students feel instantly welcome? Or why do you like some that are mentioned here?
  • 2Q5)  Use the QR Code on p. 18 or visit bit.ly/deskolympics to analyze the 2-minute video of Carol’s newcomer classes. There are brand-new classmates, SIFE and also students with special needs in these classes.  That said, it took only 15 minutes for the class to be able to rearrange desks in under 30 seconds.   Why is this video important? (ie: implications for cooperative learning, classroom culture, expectations for diverse learners, or anything that is significant to you.)
  • 2Q6) p. 19-21 only scratch the surface of Culturally Responsive Teaching, a very hot topic in education right now. What would you add to this? Or what part resonated with you and why?
  • 2Q7) p. 22-23 Osama is a refugee in his 1st year in US schools. He was not SIFE but he appeared delayed in math, initially scoring at a 7th grade level in placement tests. Update: His math teachers used sheltered instruction, he finished the year passing Pre-Calculus, graduating, and he received scholarships to attend college this fall.    How can you use Osama’s story? Could it guide you in your role as you work with ELs, other professionals or any type of learner?
  • 2Q8) p. 25 – 31 offer examples of different methods a district, a school or a teacher might use to gather information about newcomers and learners who are SIFE. Are any of these realistic in your role?  If not, what other means can you share?

Have you posted to the flipgrid yet?  Posts again!  We’d love to see you there every week!  We can always use that grid to reflect on questions or any thoughts we have about the book or our students.  I love how many of us are participating this way.  It can seem a little scary but it helps me model exactly what I am asking of my newcomers:  Take a risk… it will help your learning! 

C J had a great Flipgrid reflection about the different labels and how we need to understand them and then get to know the students!

Here is that video:

And he reminded me that we all liked this video on different labels shared by @RCOeducate:

So glad to be sharing with you guys this week!

Also! This is where you can find me in the next few months:

See you at the Nov 14 th chat!  here is a sneak peek at the questions:

#TxTESOL4 ChatQuestion Sneak Peek by Carol Salva
Happy Reading and Reflecting!

Carol

BAP008 Extending TxTESOL

Our state conference isn’t over and you can still participate! Check out the twitter chat questions at the bottom of this post and bring your voice. We need you more than ever. I was swept away by the awesomeness of the #TxTESOL2017 conference but I managed to get you some great audio.

You can listen to the show right here

This podcast has some incredible take-aways from Katie Toppel, Katie Gardner, Jenny Vo and our president, Karen Lewis.  The show is a great listen so you can get a feel of the power of people who are passionate.  Teachers, administrators, education partners and students alike!

I didn’t get reflections from enough people but that’s okay because now we have our Wrap Up #TxTESOL4 Twitter chat on Nov 14 @ 8pm. My challenge for you is this: At the bottom of this podcast post we have released the questions. Participate. Collaborate. Advocate.

Our ELLs need us!   If you didn’t attend #TxTESOL2017, your challenge is to look at the hashtag now and come ready to participate in the Wrap Up Twitter chat on Nov 14. Bring your questions based on what you’ve seen and heard.

If you DID attend, I challenge you to pick high impact pieces of learning with links to share and bring those to the chat. Our chats are at #TxTESOL4.  It’s time for us all to step up and be more intentional about how we advocate and how we share what we are learning.  We can change things. We CAN do this!

Here is a video of the conference opening. Karen Lewis, outgoing TxTESOL4 president, opened the event with an inspiring speech and you can watch that here.

#TXTESOL4 Twitter Chat on Nov 14 @ 8pm CT

Here is a head’s up on the questions:

#TxTESOL4 ChatQuestion Sneak Peek by Carol Salva

Also! This is where you can find me in the next few months:

See you at the Nov 14 chat!  If you are finding this site after Nov 14th, no worries.   There’s always great learning in our PLN.

Stay awesome, Rock Stars!!

Carol

 

 

  

What SIFE are Teaching Us and Book Study Week One

Look at what these scholars can do!  They helped about 600 educators understand the journey of a newcomer and helped us all raise our expectations for students with interrupted or limited education.

(BTW: This week we kick off another round of the book study so the questions for week one are at the bottom of this post. I know some of you are not here for the book study so I appreciate your grace for the next 5 weeks.  We might reference the book study a lot but I will make sure the beginning of each post has new content for you.)

So for this post, I want to highlight something my students taught us this week:

We need to give them more voice.

Several of my 2nd year newcomers offered a panel discussion at TxTESOL2017.   A few of my 3rd year students came as well because they were from the original class of students in our middle school group and wanted to share about being in high school when you have not had formal education for several years.  These are some photos from the event and if you’re reading Boosting Achievement or if you’ve seen any of my videos, you may recognize these scholars. 

The audience was riveted by their comments.  I am processing video from the event and it will be shared here as soon as possible.  My reflection on this was how profound the event was for the participants AND the students.  It convinced me that we need to do this more.  Because several of the students had interruptions in education or were limited in formal education, their testimony was a big win for English learners and the teachers who teach them. They show that every child can achieve success with support and the right mindset.

One interesting thing is that one of the students told me that maybe he should not participate because he is failing some classes.  This is a young person who only became literate 2 years ago.  I asked him if he was trying his very best.  He said yes.  I asked him if he could read better than last year.  He said yes.  Then I asked him if he was learning in those classes.  Yes. We had a talk about how some people don’t think a person can learn to read in the 2nd language if he can’t read in his native language.  He laughed at that.  That is when I told him that he had a chance to tell teachers that anything is possible… if you believe and don’t give up.  He was energized to go and you should have seen him get all his courage to talk in front of a few hundred people.  The bravery of these scholars brought me to tears. They brought many of the participants to tears and they received a standing ovation.

You see… we don’t expect him to pass all of his classes.  Not yet. But he CAN and he WILL if he doesn’t give up.  Our system is designed to help all students who want to achieve.  It doesn’t feel that way but we can show him how to take advantage of the support.  He just needs to want it.

The voices of these young people were more powerful than anything that any of us could have said at a conference.  They are clear about what helps them.  They are clear about being able to learn quickly.  They are clear about wanting to be challenged but supported.

So, Yes! #TxTESOL2017 was rather amazing.  I’m producing a podcast with some reflections and you’ll see the link for that coming out in just a day or two.  Hat’s off to Karen Lewis and the TexTESOL4 board.

Stay tuned for other events where you can meet these students and others that might want to participate.  Kids CAN teach us!

***************WEEK ONE of the Boosting Achievement Book Study*****************************

 

Yes, we are starting the book study!  If you are just cracking the book open this week – you’re still in great shape! The first week of the book study is the Forward by Tan Huynh and the Introduction.  This is a quick read but they are very important parts of the book.  Please take time to read these pages so you can comment with the hashtag #BoostingAchievement on Twitter.

For the next 5 weeks, I will do my best to share a weekly post by Sunday evening.   You may choose to answer some of the questions below or just comment on your reading. Please use the #BoostingAchievement hashtag.  You can use the 1A2 format (Week 1/Answer #2) or just use the hashtag and write in complete sentences so people understand your comment.

WEEK ONE: Where we Are, Forward and Introduction

Feel free to use the Flipgrid for responding as well. Here is the Week 1 grid: https://flipgrid.com/ba0b63

1Q1) Roll call: introduce yourself, name, role, grade levels, country/state etc. Anything you want to say about why you’re participating.  (Welcome!)

1Q2) What makes you interested in this book/topic?

1Q3) How is your school addressing the needs of SIFE (students with interrupted formal education)?

What are your desires for systemic solutions. What are your concerns? What are some things that you are proud of in terms of supporting SIFE?

1Q4) Please reflect on the forward by Tan Huynh (@TanELLclassroom). Tan is a leader in ESL education. What are your reactions to his story? His thoughts on the book? How does his story inform what we do as teachers?

1Q5) Carol writes a reflection about her first experience with a large group of refugees. She has several years of experience as a specialist with a background in ELA, Bilingual Education, ESL and Special Education. She was still worried that she would fail these learners. How can teachers overcome self-doubt?

1Q6) Without romanticizing the situations of SIFE, every circumstance has something that can be used in a productive way. One example is brain research showing that there are possible cognitive advantages when a person is not immersed in technology for years. What are your take-aways from the work of Nicholas Carr & Jane Healy (found on p. 11)?

1Q7) As you flip through the Table of Contents, what section are you most looking forward to discussing? Why?

You may also be interested in supplemental materials for WEEK ONE.    At that link you will find the first post I did on part of the book. That post includes videos and the story of a very impressive English learner, Emily Francis.  She was once a SIFE learner herself and has risen above so much challenge to help us see what is possible.  Follow Emily here!

Hope to see you on the Flipgrid, the Twitterverse or both!

Carol Salva

@MsSalvaC

TexTESOL2017 Plenary Session on SIFE

If you came to the state TxTESOL conference, I hope I got a hug from you.  If you ware unable to attend, you will find so many resources by following the hashtag #TxTESOL2017.

How-To Videos for making Booksnaps.  Tara Martin has some great ideas if you don’t have Snapchat.  And look at all these #BoostingAchievement booksnaps on the padlet created by Emily Francis! https://padlet.com/astrid_francis/ytawrws68zqj

These are the resources on my session about SIFE thriving at a secondary campus.  The following videos are paired with reflective questions about our beliefs.   We hope you can use them in your own PD! Please help change the mindset about what is possible:

How much does growth mindset matter when we are teaching older students to read?

Do you believe that every child can succeed?

Personal connections and a draft.

And remember to find Emily’s blog on her website: http://inspiringenglishlanguagelearners.weebly.com/

 

I hope to see you at the Region IV Bil/ESL conference on Dec 15th!

Save the date for our tech conference on March 1st in Houston!  I’ll be presenting with John Seidltiz on the 5 Keys to Using Tech with ELLs.  See http://www.seidlitzeducation.com/ for more coming soon!

And please follow me on twitter so we can be connected and learn more from each other.

Thanks to all who came and all who are sharing virtually!  You’re helping us change what’s possible for ELLS!

Hugs,
Carol