February | 2019 | Newcomers at Grade Level and Beyond

I have a podcast for you that underscores what can happen when we collaborate globally.

In 2015 I found Derek Rhodenizer’s podcast! I often say that Derek Rhodenizer is one of the most innovative people you can follow. So I was honored to come on his show. His podcast was new at the time and I didn’t have mine yet.

I love that this show started a friendship with Derek that has lasted years. He inspired me to have my own show so if you like the podcast, we can thank Derek!

I was still in the classroom at this time. I was teaching High School. I love the time because we were really starting to figure out how to capitalize on an asset mindset and the SIFE and Newcomers students were learning so much.

In the show, Derek and I discuss the following:

What to keep in mind in any classroom that has SIFE and/or ESL students.
Proficiency Levels for English Learners – keeping the thinking high on Blooms.
A Safe Environment with a Social Contract
The new show OnEdMentors that Derek was starting (which I became a regular on)
Teachers (new and veteran) Asking for Help
#ObserveMe
Tape-recording Yourself
Joseph Maurer – a Math Teacher Who Was Boosting Achievement of Secondary Math Students
How Language Learners are the answer for quality classroom instruction.
Larry Ferlazzo (I had just started following him and wasn’t sure how to pronounce his hame. Ha!)
Tan Huyhn – So glad I had started following him!
#ELLchat – the chat and the hashtag
Realize first priority for the Content Teacher vs. the ESL Teacher

Hope you enjoyed this look back.

Be sure to follow Derek! You’ll love his shows including A Word in Progress that will soon be his new book!

Here is where I will be in the near future if you’re reading this in early 2019:

TexTESOL IV Saturday, Feb 23.

NABE March 7-9 in Orlando. I have Breakout Sessions

NAELPA, formerly NCSTIIID, is having our annual meeting on March 6 in Orlando. Come! I’m the keynote & on a panel that day.

Michigan Association of Bilingual Educators (MABEMI) May 9 & 10. I’m a keynote and I have break out sessions

Awesome $129 rate for Rapid Literacy pre-conference May 8 through MABEMI.($99 if you go as a group!)

Long Island ESOL March 23rd. I’m on a panel and I have sessions.

Andrea Honigsfeld will be the Keynote Speaker for #VirtuEL19! – Let’s get some IRL watch parties together!

This show was recorded as part of the VoicEDRadio all-day anniversary marathon that was broadcasted on February 2nd.

Listen to “BAP046 – Radiothon 2019” on Spreaker.

My plan for this show was to talk about the value of academic discourse in content area classrooms. And I DO talk about that if you tune in around the 12 minute mark.

From 12:34 – 31:00 minute mark I am talking directly to content teachers about why and how you would facilitate structured conversations in your classroom.

You’ll hear me talk about why you want this for every child. I give some practical examples using sentence starters, wait time, exit tickets and more. I bring it back around to the language learner who would not only be supported… they would thrive in a language-rich classroom.

During the show I give a shout out to Adrienne Johnson @TeachLearnAct! She is out there presenting and we are asking her to present at #MADPD. And we are asking YOU to share at #MADPD!

In this show, our fearless VoicEd leader, Stephen Hurley mentions An Urgency for Teachers by Jesse Stommel and Sean Michael Morris.

Thanks to JaanaT, Maureen Wehmeier, Ramona Maharg for tweeting out in the moment!

“Who is using all the academic language in the classroom? Teacher or students?” Great questions and even more wisdom from @MsSalvac via https://t.co/8LDGhItv8n #BoostingAchievement #ELL #ELs

— JaanaT (@esljaana) February 2, 2019

In the show, we get to hear from Derek Rhodenizer who spoke to us even though he was on vacation. Derek is someone I recommend everyone follow. Rolland Chidiac, Chris Cluff, Leann Hanson are also mentioned as folks who have great shows and are worth following.

We discuss the #ELLCHAT PLN on twitter and I give a lot of credit to Judie Haynes and Karen Nemeth who run our Monday night Twitter chats (9pm ET). Join us for that chat and definitely follow Judie and Karen for lots of great info on working with English learners.

This show went longer than expected which was fine with me! I got to have a great conversation with Stephen Hurley (the VoicEd Radio Founder and Chief Catalyst). If you have ANY interest in becoming part of the Voiced Radio family, reach out to him. You can blog for us, podcast or get involved in other ways. We talk about this and Stephen quotes a great line by author, Chris Kutarna. In his book, Kutarna makes the case that we are living in a new renaissance.

“In a renaissance, the line between audience and creator is blurred.”

– Chris Kutarna, Age of Discovery

I, for one, am very grateful that this quote got Stephen out of his chair to start the VoicED Radio Network. We are at a time where you can easily self-direct your learning and I am so glad you’re joining me on that journey! Hope you’re also taking advantage of all that is available through VoicEd Radio.

The Smartest Person in the Room is the Room.

– David Weinberger in Too Big to Know

In the show, as always, I thank my PLN for making me better. You are adding so much to my work and I’m grateful.

Hey, did you miss our last twitter chat on serving newcomers? No! You didn’t! Here is the moment. Check my Twitter Moments for all the past shows. It is at the bottom of this post!

THANK YOU for tuning in! I hope you enjoyed this post and show. Bitmoji Image