Drafting Performance Standards for Teachers of English Language Learners in Florida

1. Florida Education: The Next GenerationDRAFT March 13, 2008 Version 1.0 Performance Standards for Teachers of English Language Learners Lori Rodriguez and Mary Jane Tappen Carlos Alvarez, Facilitator August 12-14, 2009 Florida Department of Education Dr. Eric J. Smith, Commissioner

2. The Task • As highly qualified ESOL practitioners, researchers and trainers, it will be your responsibility to frame and write a draft of Professional ESOL Performance Standards for the Florida Department of Education. • These standards will be recommended to the Commissioner of Education for adoption as a rule by the State Board of Education.

3. Key Issues • On March 17, 2009, Rule 6A-4.02451 Performance Standards, Skills, and Competencies, for the Endorsement in English for Speakers of Other Languages was passed by the State Board of Education, and placed into Rule.

4. What Do ELLs in Florida Look Like? • The needs of ELLs in Florida are significant but surmountable. • 240,000 ELLs in Florida • 300 different languages spoken among these students. • 74% Spanish is native language • 11% Haitian-Creole is native language

5. English-Language Learners Percent by school district More than 20% 11%-20% 6% to 10% 1% to 5% Less than 1%

6. Student Performance on FCAT • Approximately 1,500,000 in grades 3-10 took FCAT reading and math in the spring of 2009. • Approximately 105,000 of those in grades 3-10 are current ELLs.

7. Student Achievement Among ELLs FCAT ‘2009 • In reading there was a 1% gain • In mathematics there was no gain, • In science, there was: = no increase for grade 5 -> 1% increase for grade 8 and <- 1% decrease for grade 11

8. What does this tell Florida about our ELLs? • They are NOT making significant gains in Reading, • Struggling in Mathematics, and • Drowning in Science In other words, part of our task this week is to remember that whatever we write in these standards will reflect the way our teachers teach our ELLs, and how this will effect the ultimate outcome – Student Performance.

9. Getting Started • Ground Rules : Look in your binder • Rulemaking: Once drafted, these Standards will have to go through the Rule Development Process. • Consent Decree: Even if the draft is perfect for this team, the Consent Decree will always be a factor. • Setting Goals for Framing and Writing: Without a goal there is no vision!

10. Smart Goals

11. SMART Goals • Specific – the expected outcome stated as simply, concisely and explicitly as possible. This answers the: how much, for whom, and for what? • Measurable – an outcome that can be assessed either on a sliding scale (1-10), or as a hit or miss, success or failure. • Achievable – an outcome that is realistic given the present situation, resources and available time. Goal achievement may be tight if the outcome is tough or there is a weak starting position. • Relevant – this goal should help with the mission or objective. • Time-bound – realistic timeframe (s).

12. List the Goals • Revise? • Infuse? • Provide? • Increase? Evaluate, Add, Change, Develop, Integrate and Cooperate, in order to bring RESULTS!

13. What does your ideal model look like? Focus on the “what” that needs to be achieved.

14. What is our goal? • Draft teacher ESOL performance standards for inservice and pre-service to prepare teachers for instruction of ELLs. • Later – issues that will need to be addressed • Reading cross walk • Recognized PD courses • Alignment with ESOL certification test

15. Consider All the Previous Factors and Then Some • According to A Recent Survey of California Teachers’ Challenges, Experiences, and Professional Development Needs – One of the findings: “Greater preparation for teaching English learners equaled greater teacher confidence in their skills for working with these students successfully.”

16. Other thoughts Prior toFraming • New Diversity Within the ELL Population • English language learners, including students with interrupted or limited formal schooling, literacy and English proficiency • All teachers need to become aware of the distinction between BICS (social language) and CALP (academic language) skills, as well as learning how to adapt instruction for the dual goals of content and language learning • Remember these statistics in your goal-making.

17. Florida Education: The Next GenerationDRAFT March 13, 2008 Version 1.0 Questions?

18. Applied Linguistics A. Knowledge of English B. First and Second language acquisition C. Language awareness Literacies A. Speaking/listening B. Reading Writing Assessment A. What B. How C Accommodations D. Action Plans E. Alternative assessments Culture A. Parental and Community Involvement – Communications B. Knowledge of student Methods and Curriculum A. Curriculum development B. Use of technology C. Differentiation – ESE, ELL, gifted, RTI….. D. Heterogeneity student achievement (period of induction) Legal issues A. knowledge of Florida, other states, and federal statutory and regulatory framework and case law Substantive Content

19. English Literacy DevelopmentIntroductionThe primary goal of literacy instruction, which includes: listening/speaking, reading/writing, numeracy, and visual literacy is the understanding and communication of meaning. Developing an awareness of the forms, functions and uses of literacy in different cultures and its impact on second language literacy development is critical for educators. (Colorin Colorado - 2007)(International Visual Literacy Association) 1. Demonstrate the effective use of a variety of instructional practices and materials to develop student listening, speaking, reading, writing, and visual literacy skills across different genres and content areas. 1.A.1 Speaking/Listening indicator 1.A.1. remark and example 1.B.1 Reading indicator 1.B.1. remark and example 1.C.1Writing indicator 1.C.1. remark and example (Identify glossary terms) (Citations)

20. Challenges • Where do we place the highest values (content of standards)? • Clarity of what is expected of a teacher of ELL students • Florida – the diversity of the state and the teacher and student population (density of ELLs and diversity of ELLs, culture of the teachers) • Broad audience – SUS, teacher prep, district professional development • The length of time these will be in place • Current requirements – 300 hours – how it has been subdivided to date? Relationship to requirements of the Consent Decree

21. National Board TESOL WIDA Florida’s Current ESOL standards Massachusetts Texas Florida’s Competencies and Skills Decisions: Use the term standards Structure - Form

22. Stems • Demonstrate the ability to • Apply the • Identify • Analyze • Produce - Create • Interpret • Propose • Connect • Select and adapt

23. Research • PISA – Where Immigrants Succeed • Teachers scaffold • Skeehan • Ron Ellis • Diane August • Pauline Gibbons - English Learners – • Jennifer Hammond • Second and third generation do not do well • Students plateau or regress • Teachers need to model academic use of language – routines • Re-segregation of schools

24. Content of Performance Standards Entire document • Preface – • Why the urgency of change? Specific to standards Standards introductions Literacy • Awareness of the functions and uses of literacy in different cultures and its impact on second language literacy development • Writing for communication • Glossary to terms • Remarks and examples

25. Assignments • Review/list of research documents • For content topics • Draft a standard • Provide backup research

26. Group Work • Preferred a secondary with a district level

27. Expert Groups Wednesday’s agenda: • Literacy – two working groups • Oralcy and writing • Research