ECAL: Enhancing Content-Area Learning for ELLs A Professional Development Model -- Lessons Learned

1. ECAL: Enhancing Content-Area Learning for ELLsA Professional Development Model -- Lessons Learned May 19, 2010 12:30-1:30 p.m. Facilitator: Mary Anne Mather Briefings for Education Leaders: A Webinar Series

2. Welcome Donalda Silva Equity Specialist The Education Alliance, Brown University Sara Smith Assistant Director of Equity & Diversity Programs The Education Alliance, Brown University Special participation: Edward Raff Math teacher/participant

3. Agenda Context of the Alliance’s Equity & Diversity program work ECAL - program description Lessons learned One teacher’s perspective

4. Education Alliance Equity and Diversity Programs: Theory of Change For teachers to become culturally responsive in their practice, they need to acquire knowledge, cross cultural understanding and insight, self-awareness, observation and analysis skills, reflective capacity, engagement in ongoing school-based inquiry, and willingness to address unexamined beliefs and prejudices.

5. Theory of Change (cont’d) They also need to operationalize their new knowledge and awareness in instructional decisions and actions and in speaking and writing about relevant issues and advocating for students, parents, and communities.

6. ECAL: A professional development project • The Education Alliance has initiated this project with three Massachusetts urban school districts • 5-year professional development grant

7. Purpose Alliance staff are working with secondary content-area teachers in the three districts to improve their teaching practice as it relates to English language learners.

8. ECAL Content • Category I (2 days) - Introduction to Second Language Learning and Teaching • Category IV (3 days) - Making the Connection: English Language Learners and Subject Matter Texts • Classroom Observation / feedback - after each session • Attend final event one evening(three districts together)

9. Category I - Introduction to Second Language Learning and Teaching • Key factors affecting second language acquisition • Implications of those factors on classroom organization and instruction • Implications of cultural differences for classroom organization and instruction • Organization, content, and performance levels in the English Language Proficiency Benchmarks and Outcomes for English Language Learners

10. Category IV - Making the Connection: English Language Learners and Subject Matter Texts Foundational knowledge for this category: • Approaches and practices for developing reading skills and reading comprehension in English for ELLs. • Strategies for developing English vocabulary for ELLs. • Approaches and practices for using writing in sheltered content classrooms.

11. Three Key Points:Share lessons learned during first 3 years • District - Getting into the door • School - Engaging teachers • Teachers - Applying knowledge and skills gained, from theory to practice

12. Getting into the door • Administration buy in / support • Clarification of roles and expectations • Follow up and follow through • Process transparency • Establishing a close relationship with a reliable, committed administrator

13. Providing engaging training • Principal leadership role • Timeline and consistency • Teachers recruitment / preparation • Relevant curriculum • Substitute teachers

14. From theory to practice: Applying knowledge and skills gained • Understanding ECAL Project and making the commitment • Creating and strengthening trust • Participation / reflection • Classroom observations

15. Questions?

16. From a teacher’s perspective Edward Raff

17. Key Points to Ponder • Building relationships at all levels • Engage educators / maintain momentum for change • Support teachers’ commitment for culturally responsive practice

18. Resource Massachusetts Requirement: Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) to be used to educate all ELL or LEP students June 2004 - memorandum from Massachusetts Commissioner of Education: http://www.doe.mass.edu/ell/sei/qualifications.pdf

19. Contact Info The Education Alliance at Brown University 4 Richmond Street, Suite 400, Providence, RI 02906 Phone: 401 867 8948 http://www.alliance.brown.edu donalda_silva@ brown.edu sara_smith@brown.edu Web Briefing Resources: http://www.alliance.brown.edu/webinars/20100519

20. Please fill out a short evaluation Click on the link below to go to the online evaluation form: http://www.alliance.brown.edu/forms/poll2.php?m=609 We will send you a follow-up email shortly with the link to the recording of this briefing and other resources referenced previously. Thank you!