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Adam Deyo

Educational Leadership:Supporting English Language Learners:From the Ballot Box to the ... - 0 views

  • Opponents of the anti-bilingual-education measures see bilingualism as a social, economic, cultural, and academic advantage for first- and second-generation immigrants. They do not see bilingualism as an obstacle to societal integration of new immigrant populations; on the contrary, they believe that students who study and learn in two languages and become fully proficient and literate in their home language and in English can enjoy the richness and values of two linguistic systems and two cultural traditions that complement and enhance each other.
  • In fact, sociological and educational research supports the notion that immigrant students who retain their bilingual skills and their ties to their parents' culture of origin are more academically successful and socially well-adapted in the long term than their peers who become English monolinguals (Portes & Rumbaut, 2001). These researchers concluded that "forced march assimilation" policies for educating immigrant youth are counterproductive.
  • It is left up to educators to sort out myth from reality.
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  • School administrators and teachers grappling with the often confusing and contradictory premises of these popular initiatives can draw on three useful sources of information: (1) meta-analyses of research studies regarding program effectiveness and instructional practices that support and enhance achievement, (2) studies of the initiatives' effect on English language learners' English language acquisition and academic achievement, and (3) databases that compile language assessments administered to large populations of English language learners over time and across grade levels. Several myths about the instruction of English language learners do not stand up to scrutiny when examined through the lens of this research base.
  • The "One-Size-Fits-All" Myth
  • Schools throughout the United States use a variety and range of theoretically sound programs to meet the needs of their specific populations of English language learners, who vary in demographic and linguistic characteristics.
  • For instance, bilingual programs are appropriate and effective in schools that serve concentrations of students who use a common native language
  • In many schools, however, English language learners speak a number of different native languages; such schools often use English as the common language of content-area instruction. Therefore, some state agencies and language-minority educators advocate a mix of services and program types in response to each school district's demographic mix—an approach that contradicts the state laws requiring a default model of sheltered English immersion
  • The "Language of Instruction" Myth
  • But according to Education Week, cumulative and comparative studies based on National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) scores suggest that statewide mandates limiting bilingual education in California, Arizona, and Massachusetts have produced "less-than-stellar" results (Zehr, 2008, p. 10).
  • Proponents of the ballot initiatives mandating sheltered English immersion argue that bilingual education is the reason for low levels of English proficiency among immigrant students—especially Latinos, the group served by the vast majority of the bilingual programs.
  • (Parrish, Pérez, Merickel, & Linquanti, 2006). The study found that students participating in English-only education programs had no statistically significant advantage in terms of academic achievement over those in bilingual education programs that parents chose through the waiver process under the law.
  • Thus, ballot initiatives have not realized their goal of improving English language learners' academic achievement.
  • In denying the injunction against the implementation of Proposition 227, the U.S. District Court in Valeria G. v. Wilson (1998) ruled that structured English immersion was based on delivery of English language and content instruction that was "sequential" rather than "simultaneous."
  • This focus is based on the belief that the "problem" facing these students is essentially a "language problem.
  • K-12 Program Continuity and Coherence Programs for English language learners must be proven models with a demonstrated track record. Programs must have long-term goals and continuity in the curriculum as students move up through the grade levels. As students' listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in English grow, the focus of instruction should shift, and instruction should be differentiated according to students' language levels (Mora, 2006). Differentiating the curriculum in this way requires monitoring students' progress toward performance benchmarks in English language proficiency, literacy, and content-area learning (Gottlieb & Nguyen, 2007)
  • Targeted Professional Development Educators must view the education of language-minority students as a shared responsibility. Teachers must have ample professional preparation in how to use appropriate curricular materials and teaching strategies to promote English language learners' achievement. Both new and experienced teachers need intensive professional development above and beyond the teacher education coursework required by the state credential and certificate programs. For example, teachers should be knowledgeable about second-language acquisition and cross-linguistic transfer so that students learning in their second language can capitalize on the commonalities in literacy with their native language, regardless of whether their instruction is in dual languages.
  • Local school districts must have the freedom and support to establish sheltered English immersion programs and/or bilingual education programs depending on community values, parental choice, and available resources. Policies must allow flexibility in use of students' native languages—especially for development of literacy skills. In states with anti-bilingual mandates, local jurisdictions should apply liberal and open interpretation of petition and waiver requirements to support parent empowerment and involvement in program selection.
  • Research-Based Policies to Replace Politically Based Policies
Nathan Gingras

Educational Leadership:Supporting English Language Learners:Best Practices for Adolesce... - 0 views

  • Heck. As specialists in English language learning, we don't even agree on what to call ourselves, our students, or our programs. ELLs, ELs, LEP, ESL, ELD, ESOL, bilingual. With chaos in terminology, our communication with content-area teachers, school administrators, and student services staff is often garbled and filled with off-putting labels.
  • However, in many high schools across the United States, 16- to 20-year-old immigrants who seek to attend school are discouraged from enrolling and referred to adult literacy programs offering far fewer hours of schooling.
  • The lack of enthusiasm for serving these students is unfortunate, but understandable. Public schools may feel they have little to gain and much to lose by enrolling older adolescents who have little or no English.
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  • No Child Left Behind demands that after one year of enrollment, ELLs must take statewide assessments, and the results must be integrated into the school's accountability measures. Enrolling large numbers of adolescent ELLs can put the school at risk of failing to make adequate yearly progress.
  • In these times of increasingly meager resources in which schools are paring down to essential programs and making contingency plans to deal with statewide budget cuts and federal program funding reductions, adolescent ELLs are often viewed as an unwelcome presence in schools, a drain on the limited resources available. Increasing the challenge is the reality that many immigrant adolescents enter secondary schools with a triple whammy—little or no English, interrupted or limited formal schooling, and limited literacy in any language.
  • There is no more diverse learning cohort than that grouped under the term adolescent English language learner. Although many of these students are newcomers (immigrants who arrived within the past five years), others have always called the United States home.
  • now, for example, that 57 percent of adolescent learners classified as limited English proficient were born within U.S. borders and thus are second- or third-generation residents (Batalova, Fix, & Murray, 2007). These students have often achieved oral proficiency but lag behind in their ability to use English for literacy and content learning for reasons that may be only partly related to second-language status—for example, mobility and switching between language programs (Short & Fitzsimmons, 2007).
  • The particular life circumstances of any adolescent ELL will predict the individual needs that his or her school must address. Immigration status, quality of education background, native language, cultural distance from U.S. culture, expectation of remaining in the United States or reentering the country of origin, and economic resources are just a few of the variables (Lucas, 1997).
  • Some immigrant students arrive in the United States with fully developed academic literacy in their native language and a strong record of academic achievement in their home countries. Filip, for example, entered U.S. schools in 9th grade after having attended a high-level academic school in the Czech Republic. Within two years, he had gained a command of academic English and was performing above grade level. Contrast Filip with Ben, who emigrated from the Sudan at age 16 after experiencing the trauma of civil unrest and a severe interruption in formal schooling, which resulted in a limited foundation in literacy in any language. Rosaria, unlike either Filip or Ben, is a U.S.-born English language learner. Although her home language is Spanish, at 17, her social language outside the home is English. However, her writing exhibits many of the linguistic differences of an immigrant English learner, and she reads at the 5th grade level.
  • Such reforms must also take into account the particular context of each school—its demographic profile, existing program models, community culture, and so on. With this caveat in mind, a number of principles and practices support improved achievement for adolescent ELLs as well as for their native-English-speaking peers.
  • there is surprising agreement in what constitutes best practice for adolescent English language learners. It is up to school leaders to implement the school reforms that work and to think outside the traditional boxes that have restricted the achievement of these students.
lstormvt

Common-Core Testing Drives 'Tech Prep' Priorities - Education Week - 0 views

  • some feel "tech prep" is a waste of time, but far more view it as a crucial set of skills that does double duty.
  • SETDA advocates blending computer skills seamlessly into instruction, rather than teaching them in isolation.
    • lstormvt
       
      Yes, but some skill lesson has to happen or poor habits will develop and their skills will bottom out way to soon.
  • asked her students to practice typing by using a free online program at home for 20 minutes, twice a week,
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  • Of course, some computer skills are valuable, like keyboarding, creating multimedia projects, manipulating programs they'd use in life and school,
  • "They can run an iPhone like a champ, or the iPads we have here at school. But they're not that exposed to keyboarding skills or using the mouse to move something up and down on a screen."
  • said her students have been honing their keyboarding skills while using an online curriculum for computer coding.
    • lstormvt
       
      Love this!
  • Using an online math program, they learn to move and click a mouse, and cut and paste text. As they move through the grades, they add more skills, integrated into their core-content study, Ms. Warr said.
  • "If we were trying to teach the tech skills in isolation, there would be a huge pushback [from teachers], but we integrate them into other subjects," Ms. Warr said.
    • lstormvt
       
      But this has to start young so it builds. Teachers need help in how to make this happen seamlessly.
  • But because the Smarter Balanced assessment expects more "writing in one shot" online, he's encouraging teachers to shift their "quick writes" to the computer, he said.
    • lstormvt
       
      A balance between the writing process (paper, revision) as we know it and quick writes on the computer
  • 1st graders are starting with a free online game called Dance Mat, where they pick out letters one at a time, and work up to typing their names, Mr. Decker said. In 2nd grade, students begin using an online program called Type To Learn three times a week. Third and 4th graders continue it twice a week, and by 5th grade, it's down to weekly.
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    In this article, teachers and administrators share their desire to differentiate between computer skills that are test-based only and those that are actually life skills, too, and then figure out how to work those into the school day in a constructive way.
stephanie karabaic

One-to-One or BYOD? Districts Explain Thinking Behind Student Computing Initiatives | E... - 0 views

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    "Bring your own device" programs have transformed the way schools are delivering technology services to students.
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    "Bring your own device" programs have transformed the way schools are delivering technology services to students.
Charlie MacFadyen

How To Create A Digital Badging Program In Your Classroom - Classcraft Blog - 0 views

  • Before you can implement your badging program, you need some practice with what the platforms look like and how they work. Here are some possibilities to check out depending on your budget, experience, and goals: Authoring platforms: Portfolium, OpenBadges.me, and CanvaBadge issuers: Badgr and CredlyPlatforms for Badge Portfolios: LRNG and Badgelist
    • Charlie MacFadyen
       
      Good list here.
jessvanorman

Empowering teachers to implement technology-driven educational programs | ISTE - 1 views

  • that everyone is working at the appropriate level of understanding, allowing students to construct learning and providing learning in easy-to-digest nuggets. Those principles will also help build effective professional development.
  • Start by assessing the basic technology and technology integration skills of the entire teaching staff. Include open-ended questions in your assessment tools to get richer responses than multiple choice would. Try to ascertain which members of your teaching staff need training on specific technology tools or techniques and determine which are comfortable using technology but need more help integrating it into instruction.
  • Make sure your in-person training sessions include ample time for teachers to use the technology
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  • Even more than selecting the right devices for the classroom, professional development is the key ingredient in successful 1:1 computing programs in K-12 classrooms.
  • that everyone is working at the appropriate level of understanding, allowing students to construct learning and providing learning in easy-to-digest nuggets. Those principles will also help build effective professional development.
    • jessvanorman
       
      Differentiate for your teachers!
  • wever, the nationwide survey of K-12 teachers revealed that while schools are putting more technology into classrooms, not enough is being done to ensure that teachers know how to integrate it into their lessons. Six in 10 teachers feel they are inadequately prepared to use technology in classrooms, according to the survey, and those over 43 express less confidence in their ability to harness technology effectively.
  • Next, design training to fill in gaps and give teachers what they want. Ensure that each session is designed to be self-contained so that teachers can choose to attend workshops only in the areas where they need extra learning.
    • jessvanorman
       
      This happens too often- where only a few need the training, but all need to attend. So important to make sure teachers get what the NEED not what is being forced.
  • This will help your teachers process information without overwhelming them. Follow-up materials, such as online tutorials, help sheets or short videos will allow them to review the training on their own if they do forget how to do something.
anonymous

Lack of Home Internet a Challenge for Students - Education Week - 0 views

  • Nationally, the Federal Communications Commission notes that 7 out of 10 teachers assign homework that requires high-speed Internet access, yet in some communities, only 1 in 3 students can access the Web at home.
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    edweek.org has a ton of articles about internet access and students. This particular article talked about a girl in high school who lived in a home without internet and how she struggled with doing online homework until the free Kajeet program gave her family free internet.
Eric Telfer

High school tries going paperless in pilot program : Sj - 0 views

  • "We spend approximately $330 per pupil per year on textbooks," he said. "Over four years, that's over $1,500. With the Android tablet, we'll issue it to a student when he's in the ninth grade. He will have that four years. So, that's under $150 compared to $1,500."
    • Eric Telfer
       
      This point should help to "make the pitch" as district leaders love the prospect of saving money. Going paperless saves not only on textbooks, though. Reams of paper won't need to be consumed, saving on toner cartridges, service repairs to copiers, less frequent need to replace copiers. One investment for the ninth grade student lasts four years. insurance policy costs? 
  • "The kids will have Internet access wherever they are in the building,"
    • Eric Telfer
       
      Okay, but will there be an equity issue for some students when they are at home? You can't flip a classroom if some kids have sketchy dial-up access from home, or no internet access.
  • the Androids are set up to contain graphing and science calculators, both of which can cost $75 to $100 if purchased as separate items in stores
    • Eric Telfer
       
      Buying in bulk saves the district cash.
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  • "If they lose it, they bought it, just like a textbook,"
    • Eric Telfer
       
      Get a contract out to parents over the summer. Fine kids too if they misplace their device (school bus, gym, at another school, athletic complex). 
  • "We're getting our students ready for college and the world of work
    • Eric Telfer
       
      Crux of this whole pitch/proposal.
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    Part of the pitch to go paperless, to some degree within the district, or just BFA. Good budgetary motivation for the Elephant. 
Nathan Gingras

Lessons for One-to-One Initiatives | Education Development Center, Inc. - 2 views

  • schools that are succeeding with technology have found a way to integrate tools into existing practices.
  • a whole system approach is a necessary component of success for one-to-one programs.
  • She explains that Maine’s program has been a success because project planners thought about issues of support and sustainability at the outset.
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  • “Where there’s strong leadership and support, there’s a lot more integration and use for transformational kinds of applications in the classroom.”
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    This article examines successful implementation of 1:1 initiatives around the world.
Kate Frisbie

Change Theories in Education | We Teach We Learn - 0 views

  • Ravitch (2004) described the existing failure of many reform efforts as, “… forgotten innovations [that] continue to live in schools where they were introduced with great fanfare . . . schools are like archeological sites; digging would reveal layer after layer of fossilized school reforms and obsolete programs” (as cited in Jones, 2007, p. 189).
  • The roundtable theory (RT) is a shared leadership theory for school change. Gabriele (2002) explained RT as distributing leadership and learning equally across participants. Involving stakeholders in the decision-making process through shared leadership can lead to higher levels of commitment.
  • Change will affect staff regardless of the change theory chosen or the changes proposed. Bueker (2005) stated, “One of the most difficult aspects of implementing a whole school reform is striking a balance between proper program implementation and individual teacher flexibility” (p. 411). Bueker noted that empowering teachers, treating teachers with professional respect, and providing structured and continuing support for staff, could minimize the negative effects of school change.
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    A basic explanation of three variants of change theory. The paragraphs on Roundtable Theory mirror how change is most often presented in my building.
Torey Olson

Can there be equal education without equal student access to computer technology? | A D... - 0 views

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    For computer technology to be an effective learning tool in the FCPS there must be adequate, equal student access to it. Adequate, reasonably equal student access is needed to: Allow students to le...
Torey Olson

Personalized Learning - 0 views

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    The term personalized learning, or personalization, refers to a diverse variety of educational programs, learning experiences, instructional approaches, and academic-support strategies that are intended to address the distinct learning needs, interests, aspirations, or cultural backgrounds of individual students. Personalized learning is generally seen as an alternative to so-called "one-size-fits-all" approaches to schooling in which teachers may, …
Jeffrey Badillo

5 Trends in Education Technology Leadership -- THE Journal - 4 views

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    The report identified five key trends that emerged in 2008 in the ways in which state leaders approached the use of EETT funds. These included: Read more at http://thejournal.com/articles/2010/04/23/5-trends-in-education-technology-leadership.aspx#GH8DfdtC1ElAMUrw.99 
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    Policy & Advocacy 5 Trends in Education Technology Leadership SETDA's "National Educational Technology Trends Report" spotlights state efforts to boost learning through the federal Enhancing Education Through Technology program. Federal ed tech funds are increasingly being used to boost teacher effectiveness, scale up successful programs, and increase academic achievement, according to a new report from the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA), a major education technology advocacy group.
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    I love the part about data and technology.
Joy Ray

The Monsters of Education - 0 views

  • “To transform education and education technology to more progressive and less programmed ends means we do have to address what exactly we think education should look like now and in the future. Do we want programmed instruction? Do we want teaching machines? Do we want videotaped lectures? Do we want content delivery systems? Or do we want education that is more student-centered, more networked-focused. [...] And instead of acting as though ed-tech is free of ideology, we need to recognize that it is very much enmeshed in it.”
  • When schools adopt new technologies there often isn’t much thought given to the pedagogical or social implications the new technologies bring to the classroom. Very little consideration is given to what the tools really add to the learning process over already existing tools (besides being shinier and newer), and even less consideration is given to how this might affect who we are as humans
  • We rarely ask, ‘Are we building and adopting tools that might harm us? That might destroy our humanity?’"
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  • Technologies that places students in control of their own learning
  • A digital portfolio for their academic work that can become a professional portfolio as well. A place to store their digital stuff in the cloud. Moreover, a lesson on the technologies that underpin the Web
  • students could be given a space somewhere online where 1) they are in control and 2) that can be taken with them once they’ve graduate
  • "Indeed humanity and learning are deeply intertwined. They are intertwined with love, not with algorithms." - Audrey Watters
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    " Linear data sets (for your enjoyment) » Book Review: The Monsters of Education Technology"
pjspurlock

The Hottest Chat App for Teens Is Google Docs - The Atlantic - 0 views

  • As more and more laptops find their way into middle and high schools, educators are using Google Docs to do collaborative exercises and help students follow along with the lesson plan. The students, however, are using it to organize running conversations behind teachers’ backs.
    • pjspurlock
       
      Interesting point! Maybe something we could address in the curriculum and also inform teachers?
  • As more and more laptops find their way into middle and high schools, educators are using Google Docs to do collaborative exercises and help students follow along with the lesson plan. The students, however, are using it to organize running conversations behind teachers’ backs.
lorcanackley

Leadership Drives Innovations: A Critical Element in Creating a Successful School | Edu... - 0 views

  • Why are some schools more successful at implementing new ideas, projects, or programs than others? While there are many factors responsible for successful schools, I've noticed that the critical ingredient for success is always leadership. By leadership, I mean the quality of someone who visibly champions and diffuses the innovation schoolwide or districtwide.
  • I've learned that the leader often is a teacher, a student, or someone else respected by others
  • At the districts and schools where I work, the meaningful and effective use of technology is usually the result of this leader's ability tocommunicate and share a common vision provide timely technical support provide relevant professional development comprehend and interpret standards assess programs.
Hannah Fjeld

Get Trained | Digital Passport - 1 views

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    Training materials for Common Sense Media's Digital Passport gameified learning program.
Hannah Fjeld

Be Internet Awesome - Resources - 0 views

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    Google's digital citizenship program.
Hannah Fjeld

Google_BeInternetAwesome_DigitalCitizenshipSafety_Curriculum_.pdf - 0 views

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    Google's digital citizenship program, full curriculum as PDF.
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