What makes Bridges unique ?

1. Elaine Klein, PIAnnie Smith, Co-Director Curriculum and PDAika Swai, Program CoordinatorRebecca Curinga, PD Coordinator PD Session #1 August 26, 2013 What makes Bridges unique?

2. Agenda • 12:30 Introductions, Review Agenda + training Goals • 12:45 In our students’ shoes • 1:15 What do the students bring? • 1:30 What makes Bridges unique? • 2:00 Break • 2:15 Bridges Curricular Features • 2:30 Scaffolding • 3:00 Bridges Program Features • 3:30 Quick Break • 3:40 Brainstorm • 4:00 Scheduling & Evaluation

3. Participants will gain an initial understanding of the unique instructional needs of a Bridges student (distinguished from an ELL). Participants will understand the attributes of a Bridges teacher. Participants will understand how the Bridges curriculum and instruction serves the unique needs of these students. Participants will understand the elements of the Bridges Program. Participants will understand the considerations that inform the development and success of a Bridges team. Content Objectives - Goals

4. A walk in the shoes of a Bridges student

5. What was your experience like? What did you understand, not understand?

6. What do the students need? Use L1 in class Work together See familiar words: “coca-cola” and cognates Friendly, non-threatening teacher Feel good about something– to know I can put my name on the paper Say the words, introduction to vocab A culture where “not-knowing” is encouraged Using gestures Opportunities to reveal previous experiences What do the students bring? Background L1 knowledge and culture Multi-lingual ability Text exposure, some literacy (some don’t have any) Coping mechanisms / Personalities Risk-takers, (or more reserved) Value belief systems HL assessment Debrief: In the shoes of a Bridges student

7. Previous SIFE Research (Klein and Martohardjono, 2008) • SIFE show considerable delays in English academic skills when compared to regular ELLs, that have been in US for same time • Most have typical first language development • The majority are reading in the home language at 3rd grade level or below • Significant contribution of home language reading to English reading comprehension

8. The Building of Bridges Purpose: To prepare students for achievement in non-sheltered 9th grade by providing An additional, accelerated year of schooling Strong home language support in the curriculum and instructional practices Focus on foundational and text-level academic literacy through content A specialized curriculum integrating language, literacy, and content in Math, Social Studies, Science and ELA A safe, positive, respectful and communal classroom environment for optimal academic development 8

9. Other Models? • How do you currently serve ELLs and SIFE in your classrooms? • What has worked well? • What has been missing? • Which (other) programs are you familiar with for ELLs and/or SIFE? • SIOP • RIGOR

10. What makes Bridges unique? • Program Level • Target Population • Role of Home Language and Culture • Integration of Language and Literacy in Content

11. Program Level • Interdisciplinary team of teachers • Specialized Curriculum in four content areas (and a fifth to be added!) • ELA, Social Studies, Science, Math • (Language and Literacy) • Sheltered classes - students stay together all day • To build confidence • To build identity as a learner • Acclimate students to school environment and school culture

12. Target Population • Specific curriculum developed for low-literacy high school newcomers • Home language literacy from 0 - 4th grade • Students with diverse backgrounds, languages and cultures

13. Role of Home Language & Culture • Academic English proficiency and home language maintenance • Community of speakers-based learning: students rely on each other as a resource • Use of multi-lingual materials and other resources

14. Integration of Language and Literacy in Content • Training in Language and Literacy for all Bridges content teachers • All classes taught by content teachers • Focus on both foundational and text-level literacy through content instruction • Critical Thinking and other ‘core instructional elements’

16. Bridges Curriculum Goals Develop foundational reading skills (learning to read) so that students are able to read to learn. Build foundational world and conceptual knowledge to support student access to high school content. Integrate content knowledge, language and academic skills, so that students gain competence in each domain.

17. Bridges Curriculum Goals (continued) Foster academic habits such as persistence, organization and preparedness as well as an ability to reflect on one’s own learning.

18. The Bridges Curriculum Bridges curriculum framework: Four units each in Math, English, Social Studies and Science that integrate language, literacy and subject area-content. Thematic interdisciplinary connections across the units to promote deep conceptual knowledge. Project – based units developed around essential questions that engage and provoke inquiry.

19. The Curriculum (continued) Each Unit in Every Discipline (e.g. social studies, science, ELA): Builds and engages native language as a resource for learning and deepening literacy in L1 and L2; Emphasizes classroom routines and strategies that promote strong academic habits; Builds towards a final project with articulated outcomes and objectives in all four language domains; Aligns to common core and language development standards.

20. Bridges Unit Structure

21. Curriculum Materials • Interdisciplinary Overview • Unit Plan(s) • Weekly Lesson Outline(s) • Sample lessons • Sample student materials • Teacher’s Guide to the Curriculum • Bridges Website

22. Social Studies Unit 2, Week 1 Guiding question: How do people today get what they want and need?

30. What supported your understanding in this lesson? • Visuals, word wall • Essential Question, context • Repetition • Role playing • Using words in context • (home language partnering, could be used more) Ideas: • Bring in worksheets after talking (oral development first) • Students build their own word walls in different languages

31. Core Instructional Elements • Classroom Environment as a Resource for Learning • Oral Language Development • Foundational Literacy • Integration of Language, Literacy and Content • Home Language as a Resource for Learning • Academic Literacy • Critical Thinking

32. Brainstorm What will it take to implement the Bridges program at your school? • Consider: • Admin roles and responsibilities • Organization and structure of Bridges Team • Team Leader responsibilities • What are some strengths you will have? • What are going to be some challenges? • What do you anticipate needing help with? • What are some resources you can call upon?

33. Proposed PD Schedule

34. Assignment Review and Practice • Everyone: Check out the Bridges website • http://bridges.ws.gc.cuny.edu/ • Skim through the Bridges Curriculum and Teacher’s Guide • Teachers: Read Unit 1 across all subject areas • Study Unit 1 in your subject area focusing on Week 1 To Do • Administrators: How will you select your Bridges team? • Come back with an organizational chart for who will be on the team • Teachers: Try out one scaffolding technique that you learned today • Report on what you did, and how it worked

35. ProgrammaticFeatures

36. ELA Math Social Studies Science

38. Language & Literacy Class • Foundational literacy is currently embedded in curriculum, with emphasis on fluency, sight words, word families and language patterns. • Work on the “Language & Literacy Curriculum” is scheduled to complete by September 2014. • This “Language & Literacy Curriculum” is designed for 0-2nd grade home language literacy; students who read/write higher than 2nd grade home language should be placed in a Home Language Class (if available). • In terms of programing, schools need to plan for a teacher, who ideally is either is a reading and/ or literacy specialist, or someone who has elementary ESL experience. • This 5th class would probably be integrated as an intervention class.

39. Home Language Language + Literacy ELA Math Social Studies Science 5th class

40. Music P.E. / Dance Art Drama Home Language Language + Literacy ELA Math Social Studies Science 5th class

41. Advisory Service Learning Drama HL L+L Music Art ELA M SS S P.E./ Dance 5th class

42. Team Leading Advisory Service Learning Drama HL Music L+L Art ELA M SS S P.E./ Dance

43. The Team Leading Spectrum Minimum Hours /week (including team meeting)

44. Tiers of Team Leading *Excluding beginning of year (intake/assessment time and ordering of materials)

45. Parent Coordination + Community Outreach Social Work + Health Counseling Services Language Support Team Leading Advisory Service Learning Drama HL Music L+L Art ELA M SS S P.E./ Dance

46. Activity Examples • Parent Coordination + Community Outreach • Organizing special parent meeting time for Bridges parents • Organizing/ supporting after school activities in HL/ community-based programming • Follow up on frequent absences or behavior issues • Organize language support • Counseling Services • Be aware of our students’ specific needs • Monitor self-esteem and students’ disposition towards “repeating” 9th grade • Spot “at-risk” behaviors/ circumstances early • Interpreters& Language Support • Assist with translanguaging and interdisciplinary “word banks” • Check on word walls and student work that is produced in HL • Assist teachers in-class (join team meetings to become aware of Bridges approach towards use of home language ) • Social Work + Health Care • Monitor students health care needs, especially re sight and oral health • Provide information on resources/ referrals to immigration services • Adapt sex ed, nutrition ed and other basic health education to students’ abilities and cultural paradigms

47. Parent Coordination + Community Outreach Programmatic PD Social Work + Health Counseling Services Service Learning Language Support Team Leading Advisory Drama HL L+L Art E M Music SS S PE/Dance

48. Parent Coordination + Community Outreach Programmatic PD Social Work + Health Counseling Services Service Learning Language Support Team Leading Advisory Drama HL L+L Art E M Music SS S PE/Dance Instructional + Curriculum PD

49. Parent Coordination + Community Outreach Your school’s administration Programmatic PD Social Work + Health Counseling Services Service Learning Language Support Team Leading Advisory Drama HL L+L Art E M Music SS S PE/Dance Instructional + Curriculum PD

50. Parent Coordination + Community Outreach Your school’s administration Programmatic PD Social Work + Health Counseling Services Service Learning Language Support Team Leading Advisory Drama HL L+L Art Students’ next year’s teachers E M Music SS S PE/Dance Instructional + Curriculum PD