Approaches to Teaching Linguistic Minority Students
Do you have EAL students in your class? Would you like guidance on teaching your subject to EAL students? With linguistic diversity on the increase, teachers from all subject areas and levels of school education are working with students for whom English is an additional language, helping them to develop their English for learning purposes. This book provides an invaluable and accessible resource for working with EAL students. It brings together the international experiences and expertise of a team of distinguished language educators who explore a range of teaching approaches and provide professionally-grounded practical advice. The chapters cover themes, references and pedagogic concerns common to teachers across the globe. This book will be of use to individual teachers who want to extend their knowledge and practice, and also as a set text for professional development programmes. Professor Constant Leung is Deputy Head of Department of Education and Professional Studies at King's College London. Angela Creese is Professor of Educational Linguistics in the School of Education at the University of Birmingham
The growing numbers of English language learners (ELLs) in our schools pose increasing challenges and opportunities for U.S. educators and policy makers. A generation or two ago, the achievement of children who came to school knowing little or no English was not a prominent national issue. Today it is. This comprehensive resource explores the research on promoting academic success among ELLs. It provides educators with a firm basis for making decisions related to adopting or developing effective policies and programmes for ELLs. Promoting Academic Achievement Among English Learners provides illustrative scenarios throughout to accompany research-based discussions about: - What we know about using ELLs' home language in their academic programme and findings about bilingual education - ELLs learning to speak English and simultaneously learning academic content, a vital aspect of their educational agenda - School- and district-level factors that affect ELLs' achievement - Sociocultural factors, including the influence of parents and families - A broad framework for improving the academic achievement of students who come to school not speaking English well or not speaking English at all.
Confronting Inequities Through Collaborative Curiosity
"Cultural proficiency challenges learning communities to go even deeper when inquiring about student barriers to success. This perspective is necessary to truly address the achievement and expectation gaps in our schools. Before we ask ourselves why our students are not succeeding, we must understand and examine our own perceptions and assumptions about them." -Timothy A. Bias, Administrator Pomona Unified School District, CA Close the achievement gap with equity-focused professional learning communities! Professional learning communities (PLCs) can be a powerful force for creating equitable, inclusive schools where all students succeed. Integrating the four Tools of Cultural Proficiency with the PLC framework, this relevant guide offers school leaders, district administrators, and staff developers a collaborative approach to address bias and inequity. Culturally Proficient Learning Communities discusses the impact of our history on cultural understanding and provides a wealth of practical PLC-building strategies-including assessment and inquiry-driven planning, instructional design, curriculum development, coaching, leadership, and shared decision making. The authors examine the goals, purpose, and process of creating and sustaining equity-focused PLCs through: Templates, protocols, activities, and rubrics for deconstructing inequity in student achievement Stories, tools, and thinking prompts to guide an inside-out transformation toward cultural proficiency An extended example of one school district's journey in becoming a culturally proficient learning community Schools that view diversity and differences as assets and opportunities will experience stronger holistic growth and increased academic achievement!
Confronting Inequities Through Collaborative Curiosity
'Cultural proficiency challenges learning communities to go even deeper when inquiring about student barriers to success. This perspective is necessary to truly address the achievement and expectation gaps in our schools. Before we ask ourselves why our students are not succeeding, we must understand and examine our own perceptions and assumptions about them'-Timothy A. Bias, Administrator, Pomona Unified School District, CA Close the achievement gap with equity-focused professional learning communities! Professional learning communities (PLCs) can be a powerful force for creating equitable, inclusive schools where all students succeed. Integrating the four Tools of Cultural Proficiency with the PLC framework, this relevant guide offers school leaders, district administrators, and staff developers a collaborative approach to address bias and inequity. Culturally Proficient Learning Communities discusses the impact of our history on cultural understanding and provides a wealth of practical PLC-building strategies-including assessment and inquiry-driven planning, instructional design, curriculum development, coaching, leadership, and shared decision making. The authors examine the goals, purpose, and process of creating and sustaining equity-focused PLCs through: - Templates, protocols, activities, and rubrics for deconstructing inequity in student achievement - Stories, tools, and thinking prompts to guide an inside-out transformation toward cultural proficiency - An extended example of one school district's journey in becoming a culturally proficient learning community Schools that view diversity and differences as assets and opportunities will experience stronger holistic growth and increased academic achievement!
"A comprehensive and important examination of the education of immigrant students in the U.S. Rong and Preissle's focus on cultural and linguistic transformation across four generations is truly unique." -Stacey J. Lee, Professor of Educational Policy Studies University of Wisconsin-Madison "Rong and Preissle's first edition has become a standard reference for the education of immigrant students. The evolution and expansion of their research to encompass transnational and transcultural theoretical frameworks is cutting edge and absolutely timely given the changing, almost discursive nature of immigration within an increasingly complicated and shifting world context." -A. Lin Goodwin, Associate Dean and Professor of Education Teachers College, Columbia University Clear guidelines for making informed instructional decisions for immigrant students. Between 1990 and 2005, the number of immigrants and their children in the United States reached more than 70 million, or more than 20% of the nation's population. Today, educators face significant shifts in the educational landscape. This revised sourcebook supplies educational policy makers and administrators with the information they need to address new challenges in providing children of diverse backgrounds with a quality education. This new edition of Educating Immigrant Children gives educators contemporary perspectives on immigration by clarifying the current demographic data and its significance for schools. The authors present updated information on the unique needs of immigrant students, including children from the Middle East and students of white non-Hispanic backgrounds, and help educators explore evidence-based practices and policies for adapting and improving the learning environment. The second edition examines: Factors that influence linguistic transition and educational achievement Strategies for working with immigrant families Equitable assessment approaches and accountability measures Data-based management methods for informed decision making Wide-ranging and illuminating, this book should be on the shelf of every educator and anyone who plays an active role in the education of immigrant children.
"A comprehensive and important examination of the education of immigrant students in the U.S. Rong and Preissle's focus on cultural and linguistic transformation across four generations is truly unique." -Stacey J. Lee, Professor of Educational Policy Studies University of Wisconsin-Madison "Rong and Preissle's first edition has become a standard reference for the education of immigrant students. The evolution and expansion of their research to encompass transnational and transcultural theoretical frameworks is cutting edge and absolutely timely given the changing, almost discursive nature of immigration within an increasingly complicated and shifting world context." -A. Lin Goodwin, Associate Dean and Professor of Education Teachers College, Columbia University Clear guidelines for making informed instructional decisions for immigrant students. Between 1990 and 2005, the number of immigrants and their children in the United States reached more than 70 million, or more than 20% of the nation's population. Today, educators face significant shifts in the educational landscape. This revised sourcebook supplies educational policy makers and administrators with the information they need to address new challenges in providing children of diverse backgrounds with a quality education. This new edition of Educating Immigrant Children gives educators contemporary perspectives on immigration by clarifying the current demographic data and its significance for schools. The authors present updated information on the unique needs of immigrant students, including children from the Middle East and students of white non-Hispanic backgrounds, and help educators explore evidence-based practices and policies for adapting and improving the learning environment. The second edition examines: Factors that influence linguistic transition and educational achievement Strategies for working with immigrant families Equitable assessment approaches and accountability measures Data-based management methods for informed decision making Wide-ranging and illuminating, this book should be on the shelf of every educator and anyone who plays an active role in the education of immigrant children.
A Guide to Communicating With English Language Learners and Their Families
"The authors have created a must-have resource for any teacher who works with ELL students. This book may be the difference between success and failure, for both the teacher and the student." -Patrick F. Sheedy III, Executive Director Rochester Montessori School, MN "Finally, a book that gets at the heart of communicating with ESL/ELL students. This book hits home by focusing interactions with students on a cultural level within each language group, and then takes it a step further with ideas for parental communication. A must-have for teachers trying to break down communication barriers." -Andrew Pontius, Middle School Teacher Overseas Family School, Singapore Break through language barriers and put ELL students at ease in your classroom! More than ever before, K-12 educators in today's classrooms teach students from diverse language backgrounds. This handy reference guide to the ten most common languages of students who do not speak English-Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Arabic, Tagalog, Haitian Creole, Navajo, Hmong, Cantonese, and Korean-offers practical guidance for communicating with ELL students and their families. With a chapter dedicated to each language, this book provides a wealth of resources to help you make meaningful connections with ELL students, including: Information about the traditions, religions, and celebrations of the family's country of origin Guides to common words and phrases in the student's native language Picture dictionaries that can be reproduced for use with students Sample parent letters that include both English and native language translations Basic reading tests in ten languages Help ensure that English Language Learners successfully transition into the school community and participate fully in the classroom learning environment!
`A definite must-have for all teachers of English confronted with early multilingualism' - Times Educational Supplement The activities and guidance in this book will help teachers to develop the confidence and meet the individual needs of young children with English as an additional language across different settings. There are also practical and varied language teaching strategies to promote learning for children working individually or in small groups. The first part of the book focuses on the introduction and development of oral language skills and the particular needs of young "additional English language learners" settling into a new environment. It provides an introduction to the Foundation Stage curriculum and the ways in which links can be made with English as an additional language activity. The second part of the book presents practical activities grouped under the six areas of learning forming the early years curriculum. Each activity includes an appropriate objective, materials and preparation, key vocabulary to focus on and extension suggestions, as well as full guidance on how to manage the activity effectively. The book will be a valuable resource for all teachers, teaching assistants and other early years staff in day nurseries, nursery schools and other early years settings. Kay Crosse is a freelance early years consultant and was formerly head of Norland College.
"Obiakor poignantly bestows upon us the infinite wisdom of culturally diverse peoples that has been passed down from generation to generation. At the same time, he provides interpretations that challenge us to rethink traditional school leadership and teaching styles in ways that lead to transformed educational practices for all learners-adults and children alike-in an age of accountability and reform." -Stanley C. Trent, Associate Professor of Special Education University of Virginia Traditional wisdom to inspire and enrich your teaching and leadership! This thought-provoking book presents wise sayings from different continents, countries, tribes, and religions-proverbs that have had a historical impact on the building of communities and that continue to influence present-day events. Believing that the complexity of the world's problems calls for new ways of thinking, discussing, sharing, teaching, and learning, the author focuses on the implications that these proverbs have for interpersonal communication and cooperation in today's society. Ideal for teachers and administrators, this illuminating text offers thoughtful reflection about: Self-responsibility Collaboration and consultation Spirituality General life lessons
