1 fm.docx · web viewbackground on chia: chia’s story is based on a real life ma ell student....

Massachusetts Sheltered English Instruction Teacher Endorsement Course

Session 1: Examining Data & Policies Relevant to English Language Learners (ELLs)

Facilitator Manual

Version 1.0

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148-4906Phone 781-338-3000 TTY: N.E.T. Relay 800-439-2370www.doe.mass.edu

This document was prepared by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D.Commissioner

Board of Elementary and Secondary Education MembersMs. Maura Banta, Chair, Melrose

Ms. Beverly Holmes, Vice Chair, SpringfieldDr. Vanessa Calderón-Rosado, MiltonMs. Harneen Chernow, Jamaica Plain

Mr. Gerald Chertavian, CambridgeMr. Matthew Gifford, Chair, Student Advisory Council, Brookline

Dr. Jeff Howard, ReadingMs. Ruth Kaplan, Brookline

Dr. Dana Mohler-Faria, BridgewaterMr. Paul Reville, Secretary of Education, Worcester

Mr. David Roach, Sutton

Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D., Commissioner and Secretary to the Board

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, an affirmative action employer, is committed to ensuring that all of its programs and facilities are accessible to all members of the public.

We do not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, national origin, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation.Inquiries regarding the Department’s compliance with Title IX and other civil rights laws may be directed to the

Human Resources Director, 75 Pleasant St., Malden, MA 02148-4906. Phone: 781-338-6105.

© 2013 Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary EducationPermission is hereby granted to copy any or all parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes. Please

credit the “Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.”

This document printed on recycled paper

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148-4906

Phone 781-338-3000 TTY: N.E.T. Relay 800-439-2370www.doe.mass.edu

Contents

Overview of the SEI Teacher Endorsement Course Sessions.........................................................1Introduction to Session 1..................................................................................................................1

Session Overview.................................................................................................................1

Regulatory Requirements Addressed in this Session...........................................................1

Preparing for Session 1....................................................................................................................2

Session 1 Objectives............................................................................................................2

Agenda..................................................................................................................................3

Equipment and Materials......................................................................................................3

Pre-session Preparation.......................................................................................................4

Additional Resources for Session 1......................................................................................4

Power Point Presentation Facilitator Guide......................................................................................5

I. Course and Session Introduction (50 min)................................................................5

II. Examining Data Relating to ELL Achievement and Demographics in MA (55 min). 9

III. Break (10 min)........................................................................................................15

IV. Shared Responsibility for ELL Instruction and Educational Success (50 min).......15

V. Wrap-Up (15 min)...................................................................................................22

Upcoming Assignments..................................................................................................................25

Assignments due by Session 2...........................................................................................25

Assignments due at next face-to-face session, Session 3.................................................25

Preparing for Session 2 (Online)........................................................................................26

Session 1 Participant Handouts.....................................................................................................27

Basic Guidelines for Classroom Discussion.......................................................................27

Anticipation Guide: True or False?.....................................................................................28

Who’s an English Language Learner?................................................................................29

Analyzing Massachusetts’ ELL Achievement and Demographic Data (Source: SIMS, 2011; Montano, 2012)...................................................................................................................31

Analyzing ELL District Data................................................................................................35

Laws and Regulations Related to the Education of ELLs...................................................36

2011 MA Curriculum Frameworks for ELA and Literacy.....................................................41

LMS Moodle Quick Start Guide to Log In and Change/Update Email................................42

Session 1 Notes.............................................................................................................................43

Instructor Resources......................................................................................................................45

Overview of the SEI Teacher Endorsement Course Sessions

Current Lesson

MODULE A: ELLs: Their World and Second Language Acquisition Process in the SEI Classroom(Sessions 1—4)

1: Examining Data & Policies Relevant to

ELLs

2: Diversity within ELL Populations

(ONLINE 3 HOURS)

3: Cultural & Social Aspects of Teaching in

the SEI Classroom

4. Second Language Acquisition in the SEI

Classroom

MODULE B: Academic Language and Literacy Development in the SEI Classroom(Sessions 5—16)

5. Sheltering Content(ONLINE 3 HOURS)

6: Vocabulary for ELLs I 7: Vocabulary for ELLs II8. Vocabulary for ELLs III

(ONLINE 2 HOURS)

9: Reading for ELLs I 10: Reading for ELLs II 11: Reading for ELLs III(ONLINE 2 HOURS)

12: Writing for ELLs I 13: Writing for ELLs II 14. Writing for ELLs III(ONLINE 2 HOURS)

15: Large-Scale Assessments for ELLs and Lesson Planning Presentations

16. Capstone Lesson Presentations,Course Evaluation

Introduction to Session 1

Session OverviewThis lesson is designed to provide participants with an overview of the SEI Teacher course, as well as an introduction to English Language Learners (ELLs) in Massachusetts, relevant laws and policies, and establish the need for sharing responsibility for the instruction and academic achievement of ELLs.

Regulatory Requirements Addressed in this Session603 CMR 7.14: Endorsements

(1) SEI Teacher Endorsement

(b) Subject Matter Knowledge:

Facilitator Manual for SEI Teacher Endorsement Course Session 1 Version 1.0 Page 1 of 48

1.The basic structure and functions of language. 2.Second language acquisition factors as they affect access to the Massachusetts standards. 3.Social-cultural, affective, political, and other salient factors in second language acquisition.4.Sheltered English immersion (SEI) principles and typologies:

i. General academic and domain-specific discourse practices relevant to the grade level (k-5 or secondary), English proficiency level, and content area (English language arts and history; science and mathematics; other content areas).

5.Implementation of strategies for coordinating SEI and English language development instruction for English language learners.

6.Federal and Massachusetts' laws and regulations pertaining to English language learners.

7.Understanding of diversity and background of English language learner populations, including family systems, and communities, and their impact on teaching and learning.

8.Theory, research, and practice of reading and writing for English language learners. i. Practices and approaches for developing reading and writing skills and

comprehension in English for English language learners who are at different levels of English language proficiency.

9.The role of oral language development in literacy development for English language learners.

10.Formative and summative assessments for English language learners. 11.Literacy and academic language development.

i. The role of vocabulary development in accessing academic language.

Preparing for Session 1

Session 1 Objectives At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Define participant’s responsibilities for completing the Sheltered English Instruction (SEI) Endorsement course and obtaining the SEI Teacher Endorsement (CMR 7.14)

Manage all course logistics, including: meeting attendance and assignment/participation expectations; employing Moodle tools (participants will have logged on prior to Session 1); applying for graduate credit; completing ELAR affidavit; staying abreast of course schedule changes

Understand and acknowledge the importance of sharing responsibility for the instruction and academic achievement of ELLs(SEIT 7)

Demonstrate a working knowledge of the demographics and academic achievement of ELLs in Massachusetts and their implications for ELL instruction (SEIT 7)

Identify relevant federal and state laws pertaining to ELLs and explain their implications for teaching and learning of ELLs (SEIT 6)


Research and evaluate school policies and ELL demographic data from one’s district (SEIT 6,7)

Agenda I. Course and Session Introduction (50 min)

Welcome, Housekeeping and Agenda ( 7 min) Warm up Activity (8 min) Why are we here? RETELL and the SEI Teacher Endorsement (8 min) SEI Teacher Course Syllabus Overview & Course Policy (12 min) Moodle (2 min) Class Norms (7 min) Roadmap & Session 1 Objectives Overview (6 min)

II. Examining Data Relating to ELL Achievement and Demographics in MA (45 min) Anticipation Guide (3 min) Who’s an ELL? Quick Write (2 min) ELL Definitions (6 min) State ELL Achievement and Demographic Data with Sentence Frames (20 min) District & School ELL Achievement and Demographic Data (15 min)

III. Break (10 min)

IV. Shared Responsibility for ELL Instruction and Educational Success (50 min) Civil Rights and English Language Learners Expert Group Jigsaw (20 min) ELL Achievement as a Community Effort Think Pair Share (30 min)

V. Wrap-Up (15 min) Session summary (2min) Assignments (4 min) Preparing for Session 2 (9 min)

Equipment and Materials Equipment:

Laptop and Projector Chart paper Colored Markers

Materials:

First day packet for registration


Participant Manuals Timer or clock (recommended)

Pre-session PreparationMake sure to complete these tasks before the face-to-face session.

Modify slide #3 in the Session 1 PowerPoint to insert your information.

Review instructions for connecting to Moodle. If possible, email Moodle instructions to participants.

Create District specific handouts with ELL demographic and achievement data from the DART Detail: ELLs file. Instructors have to create a handout with information about ELL demographics and achievement data for the districts represented by their participants to guide the conversation during this section of the Session.

First, figure out which district/districts your participants teach in. Then, download the DART Detail: ELLs file from http://www.doe.mass.edu/apa/dart/.

Instructions for how to create this handout appear on the Resources for Instructors section of this Facilitator Guide.

Additional Resources for Session 1 Articles about laws and regulations related to the education of ELLs:

MA ESE. Guidelines for the Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) Teacher and SEI Administrator Endorsements – October 2012 (http://www.doe.mass.edu/retell/)

NCELA. What legal obligations do schools have to English language learners (ELLs)? (http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/faqs/view/6)

Colorin Colorado. Federal and State ELL Laws and Regulations. (http://www.colorincolorado.org/policy/legislation/)

MA ESE. Education of English Learners Regulations. (http://www.doe.mass.edu/lawsregs/603cmr14.html?section=07)

Information about the RETELL Initiative: http://www.doe.mass.edu/retell/


http://www.doe.mass.edu/retell/

http://www.doe.mass.edu/lawsregs/603cmr14.html?section=07

http://www.colorincolorado.org/policy/legislation/

http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/faqs/view/6

http://www.doe.mass.edu/retell/

http://www.doe.mass.edu/apa/dart/

Power Point Presentation Facilitator Guide

I. Course and Session Introduction (50 min)

Title SlideIntroduce the title for this session

Slide 1: Examining Data and Policies Relevant to ELLs

Explain how the first part of the lesson today will welcome participants, provide important background information, and overview of the course.

Slide 2: Welcome & Course Introduction

Purpose: To introduce the facilitatorTime: 2 minProcedure: Facilitator introduces him/herself and shares a few details about his/her background working with ELLs, teaching, and any other personal information that the facilitator would like to share.

Slide 3: Welcome!

Purpose: To explain important housekeeping details related to the classTime: 3 minProcedure: Facilitator provides information related to the topics on the slide: length of the session, break time, restroom location, internet login information – if available. Facilitator distributes Participant Manuals.

Slide 4: Housekeeping

Purpose: To describe the activities and pace of the session.Time: 2 minProcedure: Facilitator summarizes the main sections of the first course session. The agenda is in the Participant Manual as well.

Slide 5: Agenda

Purpose: To introduce participants to each otherTime: 8 minProcedure: Facilitator explains the purpose and instructions for the activity.Purpose– to provide an opportunity for participants to get to know each other and begin building a learning community.Instructions:1) Participants introduce themselves by saying their name, grade, and the school where they teach.2) The facilitator reads the statements on the slide. Each participant stands up when the statement refers to him/her and say “That’s me!”For example, if a participant went to Cancun last July for vacation, when the facilitator reads ‘Went away for a vacation this year’ he or she would stand up and say “That’s me!”

Slide 6: Warm-up: “Who’s Like Me?”

Purpose: To provide background on the RETELL initiativeTime: 3 minProcedure: Facilitator summarizes the slide focusing on talking points outlined below.Talking Points:

• The RETELL initiative is designed to provide ELLs access to effective instruction and close proficiency gaps.

Slide 7: Why are we here? RETELL


• The RETELL initiative is a comprehensive approach including three key components: adoption and implementation of the WIDA English Language Development Standards, monitoring student progress through the ACCESS for ELLs assessment, and professional development on effective instruction for ELLs through the SEI Teacher and Administrator Endorsements and corresponding courses.

Purpose: To provide background on the SEI Endorsement requirements and the SEI Endorsement Teacher CourseTime: 5 minProcedure: Facilitator summarizes the slide focusing on talking points outlined below.Talking Points:

1) Core academic teachers who work with ELLs (SEI Teachers) are required to obtain the SEI Teacher Endorsement in order to advance, extend, or renew their license(s).

Core academic teacher is defined as “early childhood and elementary teachers, teachers of students with moderate disabilities, teachers of students with severe disabilities, and teachers of the following academic subjects: English, reading or language arts, mathematics, science, civics and government, economics, history, and geography.” 603 CMR 7.02 and 603 CMR 14.07(5).2) The purpose of the SEI Endorsement Teacher Course is to equip educators who work with ELLs with strategies and tools for promoting academic language development and making instruction comprehensible for ELLs.3) Educators assigned to an SEI Course must earn the SEI Endorsement within a year. There are 4 ways to earn the SEI Endorsement: obtaining an ESL license, possessing an advanced degree in specified fields (i.e., Applied Linguistics), or passing the SEI MTEL (available Summer 2014).

Slide 8: Why are we here? The SEI Endorsement Teacher Course

Purpose: To provide an overview of the SEI Teacher Course syllabusTime: 6 minProcedure: Facilitator summarizes the slide focusing on talking points outlined below.Talking Points:1) The Participant Manual has the course syllabus and accompanying handouts for each session. Participants should bring their Manuals to every face-to-face session and should have it at hand while completing online sessions.2) The course has two parts or Modules:

Module A– introduces participants to the world of ELLs by analyzing demographic and academic achievement information, exploring social and cultural aspects related to the instruction of ELLs, and learning about the process of second language acquisition.

Module B– goes deeper into best practices for developing ELLs language and academic skills focusing on 3 key areas–Vocabulary Development, Reading, and Writing. Module B has a very specific approach: modeling of new strategies by the facilitator, opportunities for participants to practice the strategies, and opportunities for participants to communicate their experiences and discuss with other participants. The

Slide 9: SEI Teacher Course Syllabus


final two sessions provide opportunities for reflection and collaboration on the course capstone project.3) Embedded themes throughout the course: WIDA ELD and Common Core standards, differentiation of instruction based on language proficiency levels and other key factors, and assessment of ELLs.4) Course format: 11 face-to-face sessions (each 3 hours long) and 5 online sessions (each approx. 2-3 hours long).5) Required readings and additional resources are available on Moodle.

Purpose: To provide an overview of the SEI Teacher Course attendance policyTime: 2 minProcedure: Facilitator summarizes the slide focusing on talking points outlined below. Attendance policy is also included in the syllabus.Talking Points:

1) Attendance is very important. Tardiness and absences can affect whether a participant earns the SEI Endorsement at the end of the course.

2) If a participant is assigned to the course and is unable to complete the course due to serious illness or injury, or other circumstance beyond the educator’s control, he or she may ask the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for a hardship exception allowing additional time to meet requirements for the SEI Endorsement.

Slide 10: SEI Course Syllabus: Attendance Policy

Purpose: To provide an overview of the SEI Teacher Course grading and participation policyTime: 2 minProcedure: Facilitator summarizes the slide focusing on talking points outlined below. Grading and participation policy are also included in the syllabus.Talking Points:

1) Participants can take the course pass/fail or for credit. In order to pass, participants need a grade of C or above. Participants must pass course to earn the Endorsement.

2) Participation is worth 15% of final grade. Participation in online assignments and forums will also be factored into the final grade.

Slide 11: SEI Course Syllabus: Grading & Participation

Purpose: To provide an overview of PDP/graduate credit opportunitiesTime: 2 minProcedure: Facilitator summarizes the slide focusing on talking points outlined below.Talking Points:

1) Participants can earn 67.5 PDPs upon completing the course. PDP certificates are issued by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education once the Facilitator uploads information about which participants successfully completed/passed the course.

2) Graduate course credit is also available. The course is worth 3

Slide 12: Completing the SEI Course: PDPs, Graduate Credit, and ELAR


graduate credit points. Additional information about how to obtain graduate credit will be provided.

3) Course participants are responsible for completing licensure process for earning SEI Endorsement on ELAR. Instructions will be discussed later on in the course.

Purpose: To introduce Moodle, the course’s online componentTime: 2 minProcedure: Facilitator summarizes the slide focusing on talking points outlined below.Other: Moodle help desk Office Hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, M-F

Phone: 781-338-3020Fax: 781-338-6850Email: [email protected]

Talking Points:1) The course’s 5 online sessions are on Moodle. Moodle also has

required readings and specific assignments to be completed online. Several assignments will also be submitted unto Moodle.

2) Instructions for Moodle login are available on the session 1 handouts in the Participant Manual.

3) The facilitator will provide additional time to train participants about how to log into Moodle during the last 10 minutes of the session.

Slide 13: Online Component- Moodle

Purpose: To set up common norms.Time: 7 minProcedure: Facilitator explores guidelines for discussion and sets up norms with participants.Other: The Basic Guidelines for Class Discussion are on p. 4 of the Participant ManualTalking Points:

1) Highlight how norms are important in order to develop a caring, reflecting learning community.

2) Ask participants for their ideas of useful norms.3) Discuss key ideas:• We all bring different experiences and backgrounds, so the

guidelines help clarify expectations for interaction in order to establish a positive/safe and respectful environment.

• Guidelines can be modified at any time during the course.• Participants can point to the guidelines instead of individual

preferences if any agreed upon behavior is being disregarded.

Slide 14: Course Expectations: Session Norms

Purpose: To highlight where Session 1 fits in the larger context of the course.Time: 1 minProcedure: Facilitator explains how session 1 sets the stage for understanding the ELL student population in MA, legal and curricular expectations for ELL instruction and the need to develop a collaborative approach for promoting ELL language development and academic achievement.

Slide 15: SEI Licensure Course- Course Overview


mailto:[email protected]

II. Examining Data Relating to ELL Achievement and Demographics in MA (55 min)

Slide 16: Examining Data and Policies Related to English Language Learners

Purpose: To explain Session 1 objectives.Time: 5 min, 2 slidesProcedure: Facilitator summarizes session objectives. These can also be found in the Participant Manual.Talking Points:

1) Session objectives are derived from the “subject matter knowledge ” required for the SEI Endorsement according to licensure regulations.

2) After session 1, participants will be able to• define responsibilities for completing the SEI Course and obtaining

Endorsement;• manage all course logistics, including: meeting attendance and

assignment/participation expectations; employing Moodle tools; applying for graduate credit; completing ELAR affidavit; staying abreast of course changes;

• understand and acknowledge the importance of sharing responsibility for the instruction and academic achievement of ELLs (SEIT 7);

• demonstrate a working knowledge of ELL demographics and academic achievement in MA, and implications for instruction (SEIT 7);

• identify relevant federal and state laws pertaining to ELLs and explain resulting implications for teaching and learning of ELLs. (SEIT 6)

• research and evaluate school policies with regard to ELLs (SEIT 6,7).

Highlight some of the activities of the lesson. In this lesson participants will:

• Analyze pre-conceptions about ELLs through an Anticipatory Guide

• Analyze demographic and achievement data at state, local and school level using the DART for ELLs ESE tool

• Evaluate multiple definitions of the term English Language Learner• Learn about current language policy in MA and how it has

impacted ELL programs across the state• Experience effective strategies for ELL instruction as modeled by

the instructor (present in every lesson)• Identify ways in which diverse stakeholders can support ELL

learning

Slide 17: Session 1 Objectives

Purpose: To explain Session 1 objectives.Time: 5 min, 2 slidesProcedure: Facilitator summarizes session objectives. These can also

Slide 18: Session 1 Objectives


be found in the Participant Manual.Talking Points (continued):2) After session 1, participants will be able to:

• Understand and acknowledge the importance of sharing responsibility for the instruction and academic achievement of ELLs (SEIT 7)

• Demonstrate a working knowledge of ELL demographics and academic achievement in MA, and implications for instruction (SEIT 7)

• Identify relevant federal and state laws pertaining to ELLs and explain resulting implications for teaching and learning of ELLs (SEIT 6)

• Research and evaluate school policies with regard to ELLs (SEIT 6,7)

Purpose: To activate prior knowledge about English Language LearnersTime: 3 minProcedure: Facilitator gives instructions for completing the Anticipation Guide found in the Participant Manual.Talking Points:

1) Answers to the Anticipation Guide will be discussed throughout the course. Participants can refer back to this Anticipation Guide as an indicator of their baseline knowledge of ELL instruction, and note progress.

Slide 19: What do you already know about English Language Learners (ELLs)?

This slide marks the next section of the session: Examining Data Related to ELL Achievement and Demographics in Massachusetts.

Slide 20: Examining Data Related to ELL Achievement and Demographics in Massachusetts

Purpose: To explore participants’ definitions of the term “English Language Learner” – ELLTime: 2 minProcedure: Facilitator asks participants to write their definitions of the term ELL in preparation for the data analysis activity of this section.Talking Points:

1) Participants can write their definitions on the notes section of their Participant Manuals

2) Explain how this strategy is known as a Quick Write. It’s a helpful strategy for activating students’ prior knowledge about a specific topic and gathering information about their thoughts and ideas.

Slide 21: Who is an ELL? Quick Write

Purpose: To establish a common definition for the term “English Language Learner” – ELLTime: 5 minProcedure: Facilitator reviews state, federal, and WIDA definitions for the term ELL. Definitions appear in the Participant Manual.

1) Ask participants to read state and federal definitions and compare

Slide 22: Who is an ELL?


and contrast them.2) Ask participants to read the WIDA Guiding Principles of Second

Language Acquisition. Ask participants to draw conclusions about a possible WIDA definition for the term ELL.

Talking Points:1) WIDA would have a different definition for ELLs: it does not define

ELLs as lacking skills or language, but rather recognizes what ELLs bring to the classroom as a resource.

2) Discuss instructional implications of these definitions, or how the different definitions influence teachers’ attitudes towards ELLs: thinking about ELLs as lacking could result in lowered expectations and watered down curricula instead of focusing on promoting what ELLs can accomplish.

Purpose: To continue highlighting the importance of an asset-based view of ELLs and instructional implicationsTime: 1 minProcedure: Facilitator reviews state, federal and WIDA definitions for the term ELL. Definitions appear in the Participant Manual.Talking Points:Discuss how different points of view about ELLs can have huge instructional implications.1) If ELLs are fundamentally lacking, then they must be “filled up.” ELLs are always instructionally poor, and in need, while the teacher is always rich, always giving, and never in need of learning.2) If ELLs bring assets to school, then teachers can use what ELLs bring and help them build new knowledge and skills. Teachers can always learn from what the students bring.

Slide 23: Who is an ELL?

Purpose: To introduce a data analysis activityTime: 2 minProcedure: Facilitator provides an overview of the data analysis activity and elicits predictions about ELL achievement and demographic data in MA.

Instructions for the data analysis activity: Participants will use sentence frames to analyze MA ELL data. First, they will make predictions about the data. Then the facilitator will model analyzing data. Finally, participants will work in groups to analyze data and present conclusions to the whole group.Talking Points:

1) Sentence frames are a useful strategy for ELLs because they provide linguistic forms that help ELLs negotiate meaning and express their ideas. This is a strategy that works with ELLs at various language proficiency levels because the complexity of the sentences can be modified to fit the linguistic expectations for each proficiency level.

2) Provide sentence frames for participants to use when making predictions: I think the data will show that ___ because ___.

Slide 24: MA ELL Achievement and Demographic Data with Sentence Frames

Purpose: To model how participants can use sentence frames to Slide 25: MA ELL


analyze MA ELL demographic dataTime: 5 minProcedure:

1) Facilitator asks participants guiding questions for analyzing data:• What do you see?• What inferences/conclusions can you draw from this data?• Do you have any questions? Is there anything else you

want to know about?2) Facilitator models potential answers to the questions and highlight

sentence frames participants can use for each type of question:• Observation: I see that the total number of districts with at

least 1 ELL increased more than the number of districts with 100 or more ELLs in the last 11 years. The total number of districts with at least 1 ELL increased by 137, while the number of districts with 100 ELLs or more increased by 13.

• Inference: I think this means that many more of MA educators now teach at least 1 ELL than in 2000.

• Additional Questions: I wonder whether they have a map where I can see where the number of enrolled ELLs has increased in MA. Is there at least 1 ELL in each MA school district?

3) Ask Participants to share other observations, inferences, or additional questions about this data

Demographic Data: Changing District Demographics

Purpose: To explain how participants will finalize the data analysis activity and provide time for group workTime: 10 minProcedure:

1) Divide the class into 5 groups. The first four groups will take their corresponding section from the Analyzing Massachusetts’ ELL Achievement and Demographic Data handout in page ____ of the Participant Manual. The 5th group will analyze sections 5 and 6.

2) Encourage participants to use the sentence frames on the slide while they work in groups.

3) Give groups time to record observations, inferences, and questions on chart paper.

Slide 26: MA ELL Achievement and Demographic Data

Purpose: To finalize the data analysis activityTime: minProcedure: Explain how the groups will now present their observations, inferences, and additional questions.

1) Encourage participants to listen carefully and write notes about connections among data using new sentence frames.

2) After all groups have shared, ask participants to share any information that they found interesting, new, or puzzling.

Talking Points:• The ELL population in MA is rapidly growing. Certain urban

centers concentrate a large portion of the total state ELL population but many districts across the state now serve ELLs.

• ELL student achievement lags behind that of their native English

Slide 27: MA ELL Achievement and Demographic Data


speaking peers.• The majority of ELLs are in elementary school: pre-k and 5th

grade.• Spanish is the most common first language spoken by ELLs in

MA.• There is a capacity issue: many more teachers now work with

ELLs, but they are not necessarily equipped to work effectively with this population.

Purpose: To introduce the next data analysis activity – district and school dataTime: 2 minProcedure: Facilitator frames the discussion by asking three questions and allowing participants to share: How are ELLs doing in your district? If you don’t know much, but want to find out, where would you go? What type of data would you like to find out about?

Slide 28: District and School ELL Data

Purpose: To introduce the DART for ELLs ToolTime: 1 minProcedure: Facilitator summarizes key information on the slide.Other: DART stands for District Analysis and Review Tools. These files combine ELL data collected by ESE. They offers snapshots of district and school performance and allow users to track select data elements over time and make comparisons to the state or to "comparable" districts. DART for ELLs is an Excel file and can be downloaded from the ESE website – the link appears on p.12 of the Participant Manual.Talking Points:The DART for ELLs file has demographic data (% ELL, Former ELL, Special Ed) as well as information about common languages and country of origin, MCAS and MEPA results, and “Achievement Gaps” between ELLs and Native English speakers, at the district and school level.

Slide 29: DART for ELLs Tool

Purpose: To introduce and facilitate the district data analysis activity.Time: 15 minProcedure: Facilitator provides instruction for the activity.

1) Participants will look over the DART reports printed by the facilitator individually.

2) Participants will go over the guiding questions from their Participant Manual with a partner.

3) Participants will share salient points with the whole group.Other: The CPI is a Measure of improvement over the last four years. The Achievement Gaps report illustrate differences in Composite Performance Index (CPI) scores for ELA (at the top of the page) and mathematics (at the bottom of the page). The graphs allow comparisons of CPI trends in both subjects among three groups: ELL students, Formerly ELL (FELL) students, and non-ELL/non-FELL students in all tested grades. Six graphs allow users to view separately ELA and math for the target district, comparable district, and the state. For more information on CPI, see

http://www.doe.mass.edu/sda/ayp/2011/schleadersguide.pdf.

Slide 30: Analyzing ELL Data from Participants’ Districts


http://www.doe.mass.edu/sda/ayp/2011/schleadersguide.pdf

Talking Points:Participants from different districts will have different data so teachers will arrive at different conclusions. The role of the facilitator is to lead the discussion using the guiding questions.

III. Break (10 min)

Purpose: To introduce the breakTime: 10 minProcedure: Facilitator provides instruction for the break and what time participants should return to class.

Slide 31: Break (10 minutes)

IV. Shared Responsibility for ELL Instruction and Educational Success (50 min)

This slide marks the next section of the session: Shared Responsibility for ELL Instruction and Educational Success

Slide 32: Shared Responsibility for ELL Instruction and Educational Success

Purpose: To introduce laws and regulations in place to ensure ELLs have equal access to high quality educationTime: 2 minProcedure: Facilitator introduces the many laws and regulations established to ensure ELLs have equal educational opportunity /access to high quality education. Summarize key laws, guidance, and court cases on the slide.Talking Points:

1) American language policy changed as a result of the Civil Rights Movement. Today there are several laws and regulations to ensure ELLs have equal access to high quality education. Both the federal government and the state of MA have actively protected the educational rights of ELLs.

2) Federal level laws, guidance, and court cases protecting ELLs rights: Civil Rights Act, 1964 ; Equal Educational Opportunity Act (EEOA), 1974; Lau vs. Nichols, 1974; Castañeda v. Pickard, 1981; Office of Civil Rights Guidelines; NCLB Title III, 2002

Slide 33: Civil Rights and English Language Learners

Purpose: To introduce laws and regulations in place to ensure ELLs have equal access to high quality education and introduce the next activityTime: 2 minProcedure: Facilitator summarizes key state laws and regulations on the slide. Facilitator provides preliminary instructions for the jigsaw activity and designates each participant as a member of one of the two Expert Groups. Facilitator “numbers off” the participants: 1 = Federal Policy; 2 = State Policy

Slide 34: Civil Rights and English Language Learners


Talking Points:MA state laws and regulations pertaining to ELLs: MA Education Reform Act, 1993; Ballot Question 2; Title III priorities in MA; RETELL Regulations.

Purpose: To provide final instructions and facilitate the jigsaw activityTime: 16 minProcedure: Facilitator provides final instructions for the jigsaw

1) Participants will read and summarize key laws and regulations for ensuring ELLs have equal access to quality education with a partner from the SAME expert group for 5 minutes.

2) Participants will share with a partner from a DIFFERENT expert group for 5 minutes.

3) Participants will share ideas as a whole group for 5 minutes.

Talking Points:1) Use guiding questions from the slide.2) During the whole group discussion, facilitator asks: According to

federal and state law, who is responsible for the academic achievement and language development of ELLs?

3) Note: If participants need more time to share ideas in their expert groups or with a partner from a different expert group, feel free to give them more time. However, this means that the whole group discussion will be shorter.

Slide 35: Civil Rights and English Language Learners Jigsaw

Purpose: To introduce the section on shared responsibilityTime: 1 minTalking Point:The legal foundation for ELL instruction and state demographic and achievement data highlight the importance of collaboration in order to support ELLs’ success in school.

Slide 36: ELL Achievement as a Community Effort

Purpose: To introduce the current structure of ELL programs in MATime: 1 minProcedure: Facilitator summarizes key ideas in the slide.Talking Points:1) ESL classes provide explicit, direct instruction about the English language to promote language development. ESL classes can include content area objectives, but focus on developing linguistic and cultural competencies that ELLs require beyond what their Native-English speaking peers need. These classes are important for ELLs at all levels of language proficiency because language proficiency is necessary to access school curriculum and to achieve positive academic outcomes.2) SEI instruction includes approaches, strategies, and methodology that makes the content comprehensible to ELLs and promotes language development. ELLs traditionally receive SEI instruction in content area classes (Social Studies, science, math and ELA).3) There are no regulations regarding the type of program that districts have to have for ELLs. Under structured English immersion districts are

Slide 37: Two Required Components for Academic Program for ELLs in MA


able to choose which type of classes they offer ELLs. Districts are only required to demonstrate that ELLs receive rigorous content area and language instruction in ways appropriate for their level of English language proficiency.

Purpose: To introduce the idea of shared responsibilityTime: 5 minProcedure: Facilitator introduces the activity.

1) Facilitator asks: “Given the current ELL programs in MA, who is responsible for ELLs’ success in school?”

2) Facilitator gives participants some time to answer this question.3) Facilitator elicits responses from participants and makes a graphic

organizer on a chart paper to note responses. Facilitator prompts participants to elaborate on their answers (e.g., asking Why do you think so?)

Talking points:There are many important stakeholders who are responsible for ensuring ELLs succeed in school, some of which are technically outside the school.

Slide 38: Who’s Responsible for ELLs’ Success in School?

Purpose: To continue highlighting the idea of shared responsibilityTime: 3 minProcedure: Facilitator asks for a volunteer to read the quotes. Facilitator elicits comments from the participants about the quotes, asking: According to these quotes, who’s responsible for ELLs’ success in school? Do you agree or disagree with the quotes? How does our graphic organizer compare with what Clinton, O’Neill and Conzemius say?Talking points:

1) Highlight stakeholders in the quotes that other groups previously included in their posters.

2) Point out any groups mentioned in the quote that were left out of the graphic organizers.


Purpose: To continue highlighting the idea of shared responsibilityTime: 3 minProcedure:

1) Facilitator asks a volunteer to read Chia’s story.2) Facilitator directs participants to discuss with partners

using the prompt on the blue box: Imagine that Chia is in your school. What are some issues that you need to address in order to help her succeed in school?

3) Participants share their responses as a whole group.Talking points:Background on Chia: Chia’s story is based on a real life MA ELL student. Chia’s teachers worked with Chia to help her cope with her mother’s loss, the move to America, and learning English. Mrs. Tikas, her science teacher, brought her snacks and checked in with Chia even after Chia had passed on to the next grade. Mrs. Lowry, the special education/ESL teacher, and Mrs. Myrta, her ELL teacher, worked collaborativly to address Chia’s content area gaps. Even Mrs. Forland, the school principal, took Chia skiing and swimming with her family during school breaks. Two years

Slide 40: Who’s Responsible for Chia’s Success in School?


after arriving in the US, Chia enrolled in a vocational high school. She’s doing very well and says she loves school.

Purpose: To continue highlighting the idea of shared responsibilityTime: 3 minProcedure:

1) Facilitator asks a volunteer to read Ernesto’s story.2) Facilitator directs participants to discuss with partners

using the prompt on the blue box: Imagine that Ernesto is in your school. What can educators in your school do to support Ernesto?

3) Participants share their responses as a whole group.Talking points:Background on Ernesto’s story: Ernesto’s story is based on a real life MA ELL student. Although his math skills were excellent, he struggled to communicate his ideas in English and that frustrated him. Because of scheduling issues, Ernesto was not able to attend the advanced math class. Mr. Perkins, his math teacher, and Mrs. Khadka, his ESL teacher, collaborated a few times to provide rigorous math content at a language level appropriate for Ernesto. Eventually his parents had to close down their restaurant, so Ernesto had to go back to his home country to live with his nanny.

Slide 41: Who’s Responsible for Ernesto’s Success in School?

Purpose: To continue highlighting the idea of shared responsibilityTime: 1 minProcedure: Facilitator summarizes key points in the slide and talking points.Talking points:1) Laws and regulations promote shared responsibility for ELLs’ success.2) Research about effective schools highlights the impact of shared responsibility.3) In MA, the WIDA ELD standards and 2011 MA Curriculum Frameworks expect content area and ESL teachers to focus on promoting academic language development and academic achievement of ELLs.


Purpose: To show how the WIDA ELD standards promote shared responsibility for ELLs’ successTime: 1 minProcedure: Facilitator summarizes key points in the slide and talking points.Other: The 5 WIDA ELD standards are:

• English language learners communicate for Social and Instructional purposes within the school setting.

• English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Language Arts.

• English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for

Slide 43: WIDA ELD Standards Span Across Core Academic Areas


academic success in the content area of Mathematics.

• English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Science.

• English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Social Studies.

Talking points:1) The WIDA ELD standards span across core content areas. These

standards recognize the importance of promoting ELLs’ language development throughout the school day, and not just in ESL classrooms.

2) Full implementation of the standards will require ESL and content area teachers working together to bring the WIDA framework to life.

Purpose: To show how the 2011 MA ELA and Math Frameworks promote shared responsibility for ELLs’ successTime: 2 minProcedure: Facilitator asks participants to read aloud key underlined quotes from the 2011 ELA and Literacy Curriculum Frameworks handout in the Participant Manual.Talking points:

1) ELA standards promote development across all language domains: reading, listening, speaking, writing.

2) Standards for ELA include Literacy in History/Social Studies, Sciences, and Technical Subjects.

3) The Frameworks ”integrated Model of Literacy and Shared Responsibility for Students’ Literacy Development” sets a clear expectation that all teachers who interact with students will focus on developing literacy skills.

Slide 44: 2011 MA Frameworks Expectations

Purpose: To highlight the 2011 MA ELA and Math Frameworks’ expectations for ELL instructionTime: 2 minProcedure: Facilitator summarizes ideas in the slide and talking points. Facilitator encourages participants to discuss instructional implications of these expectations using the slide prompt: What does this mean for you as a teacher of ELLs?Talking points:1) The 2011 Frameworks also set expectations for ELL instruction that highlight the need for shared responsibility. ELLs are entitled to:

• Engagement with same Common Core standards as their Native English speaking peers

• Teachers and school /district staff are well prepared and qualified• Literacy-rich school environments• Coursework preparing ELLs for college and the workplace that is

comprehensible for students learning a second language• Opportunities for classroom discourse and interaction

2) This means that all teachers of ELLs are working together to provide

Slide 45: 2011 MA Frameworks: Expectations for ELL instruction


access to the content area standards and promote language development in ways that are comprehensible to ELLs – or in ways appropriate for ELLs’ language proficiency level.

Purpose: To emphasize how shared responsibility is a more efficient way to promote success for ALL studentsTime: 1 minProcedure: Facilitator asks participants to read the dialog bubbles. Facilitator asks: “What does this have to do with teaching ELLs?”Talking points:

1) Some of the expectations and practices that help ELLs also help Native English speakers and students with disabilities access rigorous content standards.

2) Research shows that when all teachers share best practices and ensure their instruction provides for diverse needs, all students benefit (these are the principles behind Universal Design for Learning – UDL)

Slide 46:

Purpose: To encourage participants to take action because of the current ELL achievement gapTime: 2 minProcedure: Facilitator presents the graph and summarizes key talking pointsTalking points:

1) The graph shows CPI of different populations: Non-Former ELL/Non-ELL in dark blue, Formerly ELL on light blue, and ELL in yellow. The CPI is a measure of how students are improving toward meeting targets set for specific populations on seven core indicators: narrowing proficiency gaps (English language arts (ELA), mathematics, and science); growth (ELA and mathematics); the annual dropout rate; and the cohort graduation rate.

2) The red line shows what it means to be “on target” toward meeting goals: a CPI of 75%.

3) Clearly ELLs lag behind on these very important indicators – not just test scores, but also drop out and graduation rates. We can do better!

Slide 47: We Can Do Better!

Purpose: To encourage participants to think about concrete actions to support ELLs’ success in schoolTime: 5 minProcedure:1) Facilitator provides instructions for the activity: Brainstorm concrete actions for each group individually. Pair with a friend and discuss. Share with the class.2) Facilitator moderates whole group discussion and updates graphic organizer from the beginning of the section.Talking points:

1) Make sure that educators recognize how they need to promote involvement with parents and also tap into

Slide 48: Who’s Responsible for ELLs’ Success in School? Think Pair Share


community resources in order to effectively support ELLs.2) Some community resources: mentoring clubs (such as the

Boys and Girls Club), sports clubs (such as YMCA), cultural groups, churches, public libraries and other services, etc.

V. Wrap-Up (15 min)

Purpose: To summarize key learning points and highlight upcoming assignments and sessionsTime: 2 minProcedure: Facilitator summarizes key learning points highlighted in the talking points.Talking points:

1) Participants are responsible for completing the SEI Teacher Endorsement course in order to earn the SEI Teacher Endorsement now required of teachers who work with ELLs. The Endorsement and course are part of the RETELL initiative, designed to help improve ELLs’ academic achievement.

2) The entire school community is responsible for the instruction and academic achievement of ELLs. Outside schools, families and community members also need to support ELL learning.

3) The ELL population in MA has grown rapidly in the last few years. However, there are persistent proficiency gaps between ELLs and their native English speaking peers.

4) Several federal and state laws protect the rights of ELLs to have equal access to quality education in the US and MA. In MA, current laws have resulted in a model of language programming that provides ELL services through ESL and SEI classes.

Slide 49: Assignments & Preparing for Upcoming Sessions

Purpose: To explain upcoming assignmentsTime: 2 minProcedure: Facilitator summarizes key ideas in the slide and talking points. Assignments are also listed on the syllabus and Participants Manual.Talking points:

1) There are 2 journal assignments due at the beginning of session 2 and one paper due the beginning of session 3.

2) Participants are also encouraged to finish reading pages from the 2011 MA Curriculum Frameworks for ELA & Literacy referenced today (p. 5, 83).

Slide 50: Assignments due by Session 2

Purpose: To explain upcoming assignmentsTime: 2 minProcedure: Facilitator summarizes key ideas in the slide and talking points. Assignments are also listed on the syllabus and Participant Manual.

Slide 51: Assignments due by Session 3: Paper


Talking points:1) Participants can work in groups to gather research about ELLs in

their schools. However, the final two-page paper is to be completed by each individual participant.

2) Paper format: double-spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font; due date: date of session 3

Purpose: To explain upcoming assignmentsTime: 9 minProcedure:

1) Facilitator summarizes key ideas in the slide and talking points. Assignments are also listed on the syllabus and Participant Manual.

2) Facilitator offers additional help to participants who want to learn about logging in to Moodle using a computer with internet – if available, or the Moodle login handout.

Talking points:1) Required readings are on Moodle.2) Login instructions for Moodle appear in the Participant Manual,

including MassOne help desk contact information.

Slide 52: Preparing for Session 2 (Online)


Upcoming Assignments

Assignments due by Session 2A. Journal Entries due at the beginning of Session 2 Consider one of the instructional strategies that were modeled in class today: Think-Pair-

Share, Sentence Frames, and Quick-Write. For the strategy, respond to a or b, and c. a. If you haven’t used this strategy with ELLs, would you use this strategy with ELLs

in your classroom in the future? If yes, why might this strategy be helpful for ELLs? If not, why do you think it might be counter-productive? OR

b. If you have in fact already used the strategy with ELLs: What about this strategy has worked well for ELLs? What has been challenging?

c. Whether you have used the strategy in the past or not, what adjustments might you make to the activity so your ELLs can be successful – and why? How might you best prepare your ELLs for this activity – and why?

Write a two-paragraph journal entry summarizing three key ideas about working with ELLs that you learned during today’s session and why they were significant to you.

B. Session 2 Required Readings

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. 2011. Massachusetts curriculum framework for English language arts and literacy, 5 and 83, Malden, MA: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Trumbull, E. and M. Pacheco. 2005. Culture, families, communities, and schools. In The Teacher’s Guide to Diversity: Building a Knowledge Base, Volume I: Human Development, Culture, and Cognition, 123–131, 134–136. Providence, RI: Brown University.

Assignments due at next face-to-face session, Session 3Paper

During Session 1 we learned how English Language programs in Massachusetts incorporate both Sheltered English Instruction (SEI) classes as well as ESL. We also analyzed some demographic and achievement data from your district. However, there are additional demographic information and district policies that would be useful for participants to know as teachers of ELLs.

Read the guiding questions below. Gather information to answer these questions by interviewing relevant school and district staff (e.g., ESL specialist, ELL Coordinator, Principal, ELL students) or doing research online (your school, district or state website, DART Detail: ELLs, etc.). Then, summarize the answers in a two-page paper.


Guiding Questions

How many ELL students are enrolled in your school and what percentage of the total school population to they represent? Is our ELL population growing, shrinking, or is it stable?

What countries are your school’s students from? Include ELLs born in the US to immigrant families.

What languages do ELLs in your school speak at home?

Why did the families of ELLs in your school come to the US? How many fled traumatic situations like war, poverty, or violence? What implications do you think this may have on student learning?

What is known about the parents of your school’s ELLs (information about socio-economic level, educational attainment, parents’ occupations)?

What strengths do the families of your school’s ELLs bring with them (strengths such as cultural values, linguistic abilities, family support, literacy, etc.)?

How does your school or district assess English proficiency levels? What other criteria are used to make decisions such as placement and exit from the ELL program?

Do teachers in your school feel well prepared to address the diverse needs of ELLs in your school? If so, to what extent? If not, why?

Format: double-spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font.

Preparing for Session 2 (Online)See Instructions for Moodle Login on the Participants’ Handouts section.


Session 1 Participant Handouts

Basic Guidelines for Classroom Discussion

Basic Guidelines for Class Discussion

1. Respect individual confidentiality.2. Everyone participates equally when working in teams or groups.3. If for any reason you can't contribute your share to a team project, be honest about it with

yourself, your teammates, and the instructor. Don't expect anyone to cover for you.4. Get to class on time and be prepared.5. Keep in mind that your personal experiences may be different from those of others. Be

open.6. Let others finish what they are saying without being interrupted.7. Give everyone a chance to speak. If you feel that you are not being heard, let the class

know.8. Speak for yourself, and don’t assume you can speak for others.9. Be brief and to the point when speaking.10. No putdowns, stereotyping, assumptions, etc. Take others at their word.11. Agree to disagree.12. Engage in facilitation strategies during group work.13. Take talking points seriously.

Source: Ryan English, Lauren Fradella, Bill Norris, Cheryl Pierce, Heidi Schmid, Marlene Valera, Jessica VanLiere. (http://gray.intrasun.tcnj.edu/Archive/DiscussionF04.htm)


http://gray.intrasun.tcnj.edu/Archive/DiscussionF04.htm

Anticipation Guide: True or False? Write T or F next to each statement about English Language Learners (ELLs)

1. Learning a new language means knowing how to say what you are thinking using the right words.___

2. Students who are beginners or who are at lower proficiency levels cannot engage with the MA Curriculum Frameworks in the same way that native English speakers can OR ELL students can’t be expected to achieve to the same level as fluent English-speaking students, and teachers need to lower their expectations for ELLs. ____

3. After 2-3 years of English language instruction, ELLs should be ready to be in mainstream classes full time. ____

4. Most ELLs are born outside of the U.S. or are recent arrivals. ____

5. Younger children are more effective language learners than older learners.___

6. In order to teach ELLs effectively all you need to do is make sure you use “good teaching practices” or “teaching best practices” and strategies. ____

7. Content area teachers should focus on teaching their content knowledge and skills while ESL teachers should be responsible for helping ELLs learn English. ____

8. Massachusetts laws and regulations are somewhat extreme when compared to other states’ expectations for ELLs. ____

9. Parents of ELLs are not as engaged or interested in the education of their children as American parents are. ____

10. Learning to read and write in a second language is fundamentally different from learning to read and write in one’s native language. _____


Who’s an English Language Learner?MA State Definition

(d) “English learner” means a child who does not speak English or whose native language is not English, and who is not currently able to perform ordinary classroom work in English.

MA General Law Part I, Title XII, Chapter 71A, Section 2 (b)

Federal Definition - No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

(25) LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT— The term limited English proficient', when used with respect to an individual, means an individual —

(A) who is aged 3 through 21;

(B) who is enrolled or preparing to enroll in an elementary school or secondary school;

(C)(i) who was not born in the United States or whose native language is a language other than English;

(ii)(I) who is a Native American or Alaska Native, or a native resident of the outlying areas; and

(II) who comes from an environment where a language other than English has had a significant impact on the individual's level of English language proficiency; or

(iii) who is migratory, whose native language is a language other than English, and who comes from an environment where a language other than English is dominant; and

(D) whose difficulties in speaking, reading, writing, or understanding the English language may be sufficient to deny the individual —

(i) the ability to meet the State's proficient level of achievement on State assessments…(ii) the ability to successfully achieve in classrooms where the language of instruction is English; or (iii) the opportunity to participate fully in society.

(Public Law 107-110, Title IX, Part A, Sec. 9101 (25))

WIDA English Language Development Standards Guiding Principles

1. Students’ languages and cultures are valuable resources to be tapped and incorporated into schooling.

2. Students’ home, school, and community experiences influence their language development.


3. Students draw on their metacognitive, metalinguistic, and metacultural awareness to develop proficiency in additional languages.

4. Students' academic language development in their native language facilitates their academic language development in English. Conversely, students' academic language development in English informs their academic language development in their native language.

5. Students learn language and culture through meaningful use and interaction.

6. Students use language in functional and communicative ways that vary according to context.

7. Students develop language proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing interdependently, but at different rates and in different ways.

8. Students’ development of academic language and academic content knowledge are inter-related processes.

9. Students' development of social, instructional, and academic language, which is a complex and long-term process, is the foundation for their success in school.

10. Students’ access to instructional tasks requiring complex thinking is enhanced when linguistic complexity and instructional support match their levels of language proficiency.


Analyzing Massachusetts’ ELL Achievement and Demographic Data (Source: SIMS, 2011; Montano, 2012)

1. Total ELL Enrollment


2. ELL Enrollment by District

ELLs are enrolled in 324 out of approximately 400 districts. This means that close to 81% of all MA districts have at least 1 ELL student.

ELLs are enrolled in 1,499 out of approximately 1,824 schools. This means that close to 82% of all MA schools have at least 1 ELL student.


*In Worcester and Lowell, 1 out of 3 students is an ELL

3. ELL Demographic Information


4. ELL Achievement Data

In 2010, 58% of LEP students made progress toward acquiring English proficiency.

In 2011, only 7 out of 57 (12.2%) of Massachusetts’ Title III districts made AYP in English or Math in the LEP subgroup:

AYP in English & Math: Arlington, Barnstable, Brookline, Lawrence Family Development Charter, Lexington, Lowell Community Charter Public

AYP in English only: Clinton AYP in Math only: Westborough

5. Teachers of ELLs

Approximately 31,595 MA teachers work with ELLs. Out of this total number, 26,888 teach Core Academic Subjects. Only 8% (2,045) of these teachers hold an ESL license.

MA has about 89 teacher preparation programs. On a survey of 38 preparation programs across the state, only 11 indicated that they offer courses dedicated to the instruction of ELLs (29%). Eighty five percent of the preparation programs that do not offer ELL-dedicated courses reported spending less than 25% of total course time on ELL related content.


Analyzing ELL District Data Look at the DART Detail: ELLs Reports. Discuss the following guiding questions:

District Overview Report:

1. What are the most common languages spoken?

2. What percent of students are ELLs?

3. Look at the ELL student to ELL teacher ratio. What do you notice? What are instructional implications?

School Overview Report :

1. Find the school in which you teach. What percentage of ELLs in your school are beginners. What are the instructional implications?

2. What percentage of ELLs in your school are making progress on the MEPA? On MCAS? Are these percentages from different assessments related?

Achievement Gap: (rely on numbers if the copies are in black and white)

Note: The CPI is a measure of improvement over the last four years. The Achievement Gaps report illustrates differences in Composite Performance Index (CPI) scores for ELA (at the top of the page) and mathematics (at the bottom of the page). The graphs allow comparisons of CPI trends in both subjects among three groups: ELL students, Formerly ELL (FELL) students, and non-ELL/non-FELL students in all tested grades. Six graphs allow users to view separately ELA and math for the target district, comparable district, and the state.

1. How are ELLs doing in comparison to non-ELLs and former ELLs in ELA?

2. How are ELLs doing in comparison to non-ELLs and former ELLs in Math?

3. How does your district compare to the state in ELA and math?


Laws and Regulations Related to the Education of ELLsThere are several laws and regulations to ensure ELLs have equal access to high quality education in the United States.

Federal Policy

Until the 1960s, federal policy towards ELLs could be mostly described as "sink-or-swim". ELLs were offered few or no remedial services, and were generally held back in the same grade level until they had mastered enough English to advance in subject areas. However, since the Civil Rights Movement the federal government has clearly delineated a more responsive language minority policy.

In 1964, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, prohibited discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in federally funded programs. Title IV paved the way for the U.S. Department of Education Memorandum of May 25, 1970 in which schools districts were asked to:

Take steps to help Limited English Proficient (LEP) students overcome language barriers

Ensure ELLs could participate meaningfully in school districts’ educational programs

In 1970, the U.S. Office of Civil Rights also issued Guidelines for School Districts Serving ELLs. This memo described how schools had responsibilities under civil rights law to provide an equal educational opportunity to ELLs. It states that each school district “must take affirmative steps to rectify the language deficiency in order to open its instructional program to these students.”1 It also explains that “federal law is violated if:

students are excluded from effective participation in school because of their inability to speak and understand the language of instruction;

national origin minority students are inappropriately assigned to special education classes because of their lack of English skills;

programs for students whose English is less than proficient are not designed to teach them English as soon as possible, or if these programs operate as a dead end track; or

parents whose English is limited do not receive school notices or other information in a language they can understand.”2

In 1974, a major court case tested the provisions of the Civil Rights Act and the 1970 memo. In Lau vs. Nichols, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld language minority students’ rights to equal education. It also described how equality under the law for ELLs implied much more than mere participation in the same schools as their Native-English speaking

1 http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/faqs/view/6 2 Ibid


http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/faqs/view/6

peers : “There is no equality of treatment merely by providing students with the same facilities, textbooks, teachers, and curriculum; for students who do not understand English are effectively foreclosed from any meaningful education.”3

Lau vs. Nichols established that equality of opportunity means not just the same education for every student, but the same opportunity to receive an education. This court case then clarified that equal education could only exist in an instructional setting where ELLs can understand the language of instruction.

Lau vs. Nichols paved the way for Congress to pass the Equal Educational Opportunity Act (EEOA) just a few weeks later. This law prohibits discrimination against faculty, staff, and students, including racial segregation of students, and requires school district to take action to overcome barriers to students' equal participation.

The EEOA gave ELL students the right to file civil suits in federal court if they are denied equal educational opportunities. In 1981, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld claims that the language remediation programs in a Texan school district violated the EEOA. In Castañeda v. Pickard the courts set a 3-pronged test to determine whether school programs complied with the provisions of EEOA:

o Theory: The school must pursue a program based on an educational theory recognized as sound or, at least, as a legitimate experimental strategy

o Practice: The school must actually implement the program with instructional practices, resources, and personnel necessary to transfer theory to reality

o Results: The school must not persist in a program that fails to produce results.

These criteria established by Castañeda v. Pickard were also recognized in the 1991 U.S. Department of Education Policy Update on Schools' Obligations Toward National Origin Minority Students with Limited English Proficiency.

The U.S Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights (OCR) oversees whether school districts ensure equal educational opportunity for ELLs. According to OCR, districts must:

identify students as potential ELLs; assess student's need for ELL services; develop a program which, in the view of experts in the field, has a reasonable

chance for success; ensure that necessary staff, curricular materials, and facilities are in place and used

properly; develop appropriate evaluation standards, including program exit criteria, for

measuring the progress of students; and assess the success of the program and modify it where needed.

3 Ibid


Finally, in 2002, Title III of No Child Left Behind created a grant program to support ELL instruction. In order to receive federal funding, school districts must meet Title III’s requirements:

Teachers of ELLs must be certified as English language proficient. ELL instruction must be based on sound research and demonstrated to be effective. English language proficiency benchmarks must be established, and ELLs’ academic

achievement and progress in attaining language proficiency must be assessed and monitored annually.

State English Language Proficiency standards must be established; content area standards must be aligned with state language proficiency standards.

Parents must be notified about program placement, academic achievement, and language proficiency progress.

As with other federal grants, Title III funds must be used so as to supplement the level of local, state, and federal funds that, in the absence of Title III funds, would otherwise be expended for programs for LEP students and immigrant children and youth, and in no case supplant such federal, state, and local funds.4

Massachusetts State Policy

Current ELL policy in Massachusetts is grounded on state education reform laws and federal policy.

The 1993 Massachusetts Education Reform Act serves as the background for standards reform in the Commonwealth. The Act aimed to:

Equalize funding among districts to level the playing field Increase state spending on education Create curriculum frameworks for all content areas and set high expectations for

academic achievement Create means for assessing student performance aligned with the MA Curriculum

Frameworks

In 2002, Ballot Question #2: English in Public Schools, replaced previous state law that provided for transitional bilingual education for ELLs. The ballot question was codified into state law as Chapter 71 A of the MA General Laws. Chapter 71A requires, with limited exception, that all public school children be taught in English and be placed in English language classrooms.

The law also stipulates that ELLs “shall be educated through sheltered English immersion during a temporary transition period not normally intended to exceed one

4 Title III in Massachusetts (http://www.doe.mass.edu/ell/titleIII.html)


http://www.doe.mass.edu/ell/titleIII.html

school year.” 5 It also provides certain recommendations: placing ELLs of different grade levels but similar language fluency in the same classroom, reclassifying ELLs with a “good working knowledge of English… able to do regular school work” as former ELLs and transferring them to “English language mainstream classes.”

Parents and guardians of ELLs are granted several rights under Chapter 71A. They may apply for an annual waiver from the sheltered English immersion program to place their child in mainstream English or bilingual classrooms. Schools in which 20 or more children request a waiver for bilingual education are required to offer the class. Finally, the law explains that parents and guardians can apply for the waivers if:

The child already knows English, The child is at least 10 years old, and/or The child has special education needs. Parents and guardians are also able to file civil suits to enforce this law.

Massachusetts participates in No Child Left Behind’s Title III grant program. Currently, MA priorities for Title III are to:

Increase English proficiency and academic achievement in core academic subjects of limited English proficient students by providing high-quality language instruction programs and content area teaching;

Provide high-quality professional development to enable classroom teachers to deliver effective sheltered content and English language instruction; and develop, implement, and provide extended day, weekend, and summer opportunities for English language and academic content instruction for limited English proficient students; and

Promote parental, family, and community participation in programs for limited English proficient children, including immigrant children and youth.6

In 2012, the Massachusetts Board of Education established additional regulations related to the teaching and learning of ELLs. The Rethinking Equity and Teaching for English Language Learners (RETELL) Initiative included a host of regulations related to teaching ELLs:

Starting in 2016, or a year after teachers are placed in a RETELL cohort, teachers of ELLs and their administrators must earn the Sheltered English Instruction

5 MGL Chapter 71A, section 4 (http://www.malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXII/Chapter71A/Section4) 6 Title III in Massachusetts (http://www.doe.mass.edu/ell/titleIII.html) Other sources: http://lawhighereducation.com/52-equal-educational-opportunities-act-eeoa.html and http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/50856/


http://www.doe.mass.edu/ell/titleIII.html

http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/50856/

http://lawhighereducation.com/52-equal-educational-opportunities-act-eeoa.html

http://www.malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXII/Chapter71A/Section4

Endorsement. Educators who possess an ESL license or graduate degree in the field are exempted.

In order to renew or advance their license, Massachusetts educators must obtain at least 15 PDPs in professional development related to the teaching and learning of ELLs.

Candidates seeking to obtain an ESL license must pass the ESL MTEL and also complete a 150 hour practicum.

2011 MA Curriculum Frameworks for ELA and LiteracyKey Design Considerations for the Standards (selected sections, emphasis added)

College and Career Readiness (CCR) and Grade-Specific Standards


The CCR standards anchor the document and define general, cross-disciplinary literacy expectations that must be met for students to be prepared to enter college and workforce training programs ready to succeed.

An Integrated Model of LiteracyAlthough the standards are divided into Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening, and Language strands for conceptual clarity, the processes of communication are closely connected, as reflected throughout this document.

Shared Responsibility for Students’ Literacy DevelopmentThe standards insist that instruction in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language be a shared responsibility within the school. This division reflects the unique, time-honored place of ELA teachers in developing students’ literacy skills while at the same time recognizing that teachers in other areas must have a role in this development as well.

Part of the motivation behind the interdisciplinary approach to literacy promulgated by the standards is extensive research establishing the need for students who wish to be college and career ready to be proficient in reading complex informational text independently in a variety of content areas. Most of the required reading in college and workforce training programs is informational in structure and challenging in content; postsecondary education programs typically provide students with both a higher volume of such reading than is generally required in K–12 schools and comparatively little scaffolding.

In accord with NAEP’s growing emphasis on informational texts in the higher grades, the standards demand that a significant amount of reading of informational texts take place in and outside the ELA classroom…Because the ELA classroom must focus on literature (stories, drama, and poetry) as well as literary nonfiction, a great deal of informational reading in grades 6–12 must take place in other classes if the NAEP assessment framework is to be matched instructionally.

Source: 2011 MA ELA Curriculum Framework (http://www.doe.mass.edu/frameworks/ela/0311.pdf)

LMS Moodle Quick Start Guide to Log In and Change/Update EmailPlease find below the login directions to Moodle LMS for accessing your Sheltered English Immersion course. We recommend that you read the entire directions before you log in.


http://www.doe.mass.edu/frameworks/ela/0311.pdf

Enter the Web address of LMS Moodle into your Internet browser’s address bar. https://lms.edu.state.ma.us

1. Select the “Login” link and type your ELAR* username and the password “changeme” a. Note: If you use the “Forgotten your username or password” tool, it will send an

email confirmation to the email address provided when your ELAR account was setup. This address may not be active. An email update can be managed after logging into LMS Moodle

2. Update your password by completing the password reset requirement3. A “Site policy agreement” will be prompted, scroll down and choose “Yes” 4. Next update your “Profile” by selecting “Edit profile” under My profile settings. Please

update any incorrect information. You must select “Update profile” at the bottom of the screen for changes to take effect.

5. Select “Home”6. Select the “SEI Cohort 1” category7. Navigate to your course, i.e. “SEI District Name (Org Code) Section”

Technical Support: 781.338.3020 or [email protected]

*Participants that do not know their ELAR user name can retrieve it using the “Forgot User Name/Password” located at: https://www4.doemass.org/auth/Login . For additional assistance with your ELAR account, participants can contact their Directory Administrator at: http://www.doe.mass.edu/infoservices/data/diradmin/list.aspx

Session 1 Notes

____________________________________________________________________________


http://www.doe.mass.edu/infoservices/data/diradmin/list.aspx

https://www4.doemass.org/auth/Login

https://www4.doemass.org/loginhelp.asp?mode=find

https://www4.doemass.org/loginhelp.asp?mode=find

mailto:[email protected]?subject=Moodle%20Login

https://lms.edu.state.ma.us/

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________


____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Instructor Resources


Analyzing ELL Demographic and Achievement Data Activity

Instructors will be expected to provide information about ELL demographics and achievement data for the districts represented by their participants to guide the conversation during this section of the session.

Instructors will need to fill in template slides with information from the DART Detail: ELLs tool prior to the first session.

Instructions for Creating the DART Tool Handout

1. Download the DART Detail: ELLs file from http://www.doe.mass.edu/apa/dart/.

2. Note for Mac users: the DARTs for Districts and Schools and the DART Detail: English Language Learners all provide separate files for the Mac. In all cases, Mac users must download before opening the files because they may not open directly from the website or, if they do open, will work slowly.

3. You will be printing certain pages of the DART tool to share with participants. Reports are formatted to print on 8.5” x 11” paper.If you want to create a file from a report to share with others, print the report to Adobe Acrobat to create a pdf file. The DART file itself is too large to email.

Open the file. You will are now on the District Overview workbook. Select the desired district.

You can navigate the different reports by clicking on the Table of Content links or clicking on the bottom tabs.


http://www.doe.mass.edu/apa/dart/

Go to the Annual Snapshot worksheet. Print this page and make copies for participants.

Select the School Overview worksheet from among the bottom tabs. Print this page and bring copies for participants.


Select the Achievement Gap worksheet from among the bottom tabs. Print this page and bring copies for participants.

Select the MCAS and MEPA worksheet from among the bottom tabs. Print this page and bring copies for participants.


Use the guiding questions on the appropriate slide to facilitate the conversation.


1 fm.docx · web viewbackground on chia: chia’s story is based on a real life ma ell student....

Documents