Elementary Teaching + LearningApril 14, 2015

Agenda

I. English Language Learner Services

II. Refining our Framework for Blended Learning

III. Organizational Updates

Beyond a Strong Core

How to implement MTSS with English

Learners

Review of Previous Learning

• ELL instruction is part of Tier 1 Instruction

• ELL is not a reading group

• ELL is not an intervention

• ELL instruction is meant to be aligned to both the content classroom and the CCSS

• ELL instruction is organized by grade-level

Today’s Objectives

• Define and describe a rich language learning environment–What it is –What it is not

• Identify factors that will guide decisions for scheduling future ELL instruction in your school

Language Instruction Educational Program (LIEP)

• Time and Materials

• Basic guidance for spectrum of English proficiency language levels.

• Goal – Create a rich language learning environment that will empower English learners to become academically proficient in the English language.

Beyond Time and Materials

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

Level 5

Level 6

On Grade Level

Current Challenges

Mandates to serve 100% of ELL roster

Highly Effective Instruction

UNDERSTANDING ELL RESEARCH

The changing face of ELL Education

• The influence of the CCSS

• Mandates to provide service to 100% of ELLs

• Former ESL instruction – TESOL standards

• Focus on language acquisition, form and function

• Support in cultural acculturation factors

• Changing immigrant demographic influences by region

Geographic Influence of ELL Education

Lack of adequate or appropriate research

• ELL is a newcomer in the field of education–Lack of researchers with degrees in ESL Education–Research done by monolingual researchers on monolingual students applied to work with ELs

• Initial research on ESL education originated from researchers in gateway areas of the US

• This research focused on Spanish bilingual education issues

Considerations for applying research

• Majority of research focuses on Spanish bilingual education–DMPS has 100+ languages

• Demographic student factors –2nd and 3rd generation students–Native language literacy of your student population

Rich Language Learning EnvironmentWhat do students need?

• Physical factors–Adequate instructional time–Equitable teaching space as defined by the OCR• “The district will assess the extent to which

alternative language program classrooms are comparable to classrooms in the regular education program including size, noise level, and number of teachers per room, and will provide additional space identified by the assessment”.

–Visual supports and labels–Access to technology

Rich Language Learning Environment

What do ELL teachers need?• Adequate time to teach a complete lesson

• Planning time for ELL teachero Many ELL teachers are teaching 5 grade levels, and

next year will teach 6 levels

• Opportunities for ELL teacher to access literacy data and collaborate with classroom teachers on weekly objectives and assessment.

• Communication and an equal voice about the sequencing of instructional topics

CREATING A RICH LANGUAGE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Push-in or Pull-out

Defining Push-in and Pull-out

• Push-in – Co-teaching

• Pull-out – separate classroom

Benefits to Push-In (Co-teaching) for ELs

• Decrease of marginalized status in the schools (Theoharis, 2007).

• Increase of social language as they interact with native English peers (Abdallah, 2009).

• Don’t miss out on valuable instruction (Dove & Honigsfeld, 2010).

• Classroom teachers can gain professional development in ways to scaffold learning for ELs (Pawan, 2008)

Challenges to Push-In (Co-teaching) for ELs

• Very little research exists on co-teaching for ELL instruction (Bell & Baecher, 2012).

• Co-teaching does not allow support for lower level ELs (McClure & Taylor, 2010).

• Lack of knowledge of English learners among content area teachers (Bell & Baecher, 2012)

• Effective co-teaching is dependent on time for collaboration with each grade level, teacher personality factors, similar pedagogical approach, mutual respect and equity during instruction, equal understanding of language acquisition stages (Friend, 2008; Friend & Cook, 2010).

• Instructional time is not shared equally (Arkoudis, 2006; Creese, 2006).

• In many studies, specific language-learning strategies were lost in general classroom instruction (Bell & Baecher, 2012).

Benefits to Pull-Out model

• Els more likely to find a sense of safety and lower affective filter, resulting in greater risk-taking and language production (Goldenberg, 2008).

• Receive instruction targeted to their language level (Harklau, 1999).

• Promotes greater oral discourse opportunities for newcomers and low-level students (Honigsfeld, 2009).

• Acclimate to home school culture while affirmed in maintaining aspects of their native culture (Olsen, 2008).

• ELs benefit from instruction in a smaller group that the content classroom, with unique adaptations to the curriculum, which ELL teachers are able to offer (Honigsfeld, 2009).

• Better model in schools with high number of English Learners and limited number of ELL teachers (Council of Great City Schools, 2014).

Challenges to Pull-out with ELs

• Time needed to travel to ELL classroom

• Lack of access to content area information (Dove & Honigsfeld, 2010).

• Inadequate opportunities to interact in English with native English speaking peers (Theoharis, 2007).

• Marginalization of students (Theoharis, 2007).

Pull-out classrooms

What research says about language level and environment

ELL Classroo

m

General Classroo

m

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Low Level 4s High Level 4s Level 5 Level 6

Language Proficiency Levels

Call for new ways of thinking

• DMPS is growing, and challenges are increasing

• Requires creative, flexible ways of finding solutions

• Imperative that we do not sacrifice quality of education to fit a mandate or schedule

Discussion

• In the session hand-out, refer to “Guiding Questions for your decision-making process”

• Left column – factors that contribute to a rich language learning environment

• With your school, discuss what a rich language learning environment will look in your school

Refining our Framework for

Blended Learning

Outcome: How does Blended Learning enable

personalization and support our work with SRG?

Defining Blended Learning

“What is Blended Learning?” Pg. 17 of Maximizing Competency Education and Blended Learning: Insights from Experts

Scenario: A stakeholder (i.e. parent, board member, community member) approaches you to discuss blended learning. They ask what Blended Learning is and how this approach is changing our work in the classroom. Craft a 3-4 sentence response.

Blended Learning as GPSDestination: Success

Blended Learning as GPS – Destination: Success Pg. 10 of Mean What You Say: Defining and Integrating Personalized, Blended and Competency Education.

Connect .The . DotsThree terms that will significantly impact our work with SRG:

1. Body of Evidence2. Multiple Opportunities3. Clearly defined learning

targets/outcomes

How do these 3 terms connect to your reading on blended learning?

Framework for Blended

Framework for Blended: 1st Steps

• Equipping our elementary classrooms with student devices

• Infrastructure

Framework for Blended: 1st Steps

Systems of Support• KITE Training

Modules• Small-Group

Technology Support Sessions

• Tech Study Halls• Onsite PD

Framework for Blended: Next Steps

• Development of a “Digital Portfolio” for adaptive and online content

• A Standards-Reference System

Learning from DC Public Schools

“Part of the challenge facing DCPS is to find the right balance between providing oversight and letting schools experiment on their own, between approving vendors to ensure quality and letting schools use the tools that are best for them, and between uniting the district’s efforts and keeping room for innovation.”

~ Blended Learning in DC Public Schools – How one District is Reinventing its Classrooms (Lautzenheiser and Hochleitner, January 2014)

The entire digital education landscape is still new and undeveloped, with schools and districts across the country trying to figure out which tools and models work best for their students.

~ Blended Learning in DC Public Schools – How one District is Reinventing its Classrooms (Lautzenheiser and Hochleitner, January

2014)

Learning from DC Public Schools

Digital Portfolio

• We are currently in the process of developing a district Digital Portfolio of tools.

• We are working to find the right balance between…“approving vendors to ensure quality and letting schools use the tools that are best for them.”

Digital Portfolio

• The Digital Portfolio will provide all schools with access to each tool.

• Any tool within the Digital Portfolio will be supported by our district.– Teacher + Student Roster Management– Future Support: Single Sign-On– Differentiated Training Materials– Clearly defined expectations for implementation

Spring 2015• The purchase of Lexia Core 5 will go to the

school board in May.– 5 year license + Year 1 Hosting Fee: District funded– Years 2, 3, 4 + 5 Hosting Fee: Building funded ($1875)

• Forty elementary classrooms are currently trying out Dreambox math. At the conclusion of this trial (end of May), we will conduct a formal review to determine next steps.

Lexia in Action

Any tool within the Digital Portfolio will be supported by our

district.

Teacher + Student Roster ManagementRosters for Lexia will be imported and managed at the district-level. All K-5 students and teachers will be loaded by Aug. 2015.

Differentiated Training MaterialsKite Modules for accessing and navigating Lexia will be provided. Additional optional training on management of the system will be provided to Instructional Coaches or teacher leaders in the fall of 2015. Online platforms for sharing classroom implementation ideas will also be provided in the fall of 2015.

Clearly defined expectations for implementationWe will be utilizing the Best Practices defined by Lexia, coupled with the experiences of DMPS implementers to define our expectations for implementation. These will be provided to all schools later this spring.

Fidelity of Implementation

Best Practices:• Students have enough time to interact

with the online activities to meet prescribed use.

• Teachers monitor student progress in my Lexia.com and plan instruction based on students’ needs.

• Students receive additional teacher-led lessons based on their performance in the software.

Where and When Can Lexia be used?

• Classroom

• Computer Lab

• Before / After School Programs

• Home

Next Steps• What connections did you make to

our learning today and reflections from those implementing Lexia?

• What additional information regarding Lexia would be helpful for your planning and decision-making?

Organizational Updates

May District PLC

Summer PD

Social Studies Materials

May District PLC

We will be taking a RISK during our May PLC in preparation for the 2015-2016 school year…

Approximately 20 minutes of our 75 minute agenda will be conducted in a WEBINAR format.

Summer PD• Registration for Summer PD will open on

Monday (April 20).

• Please use the digital catalog sent via the eBlast for links to registrations.

• Please note: Additional Becoming a Reflective Teacher Trainings with Jan Hoegh will be offered throughout the 2015-2016 school year (*between learning cycles). We are also working to provide online training opportunities.

SOCIAL STUDIES

MATERIALSHandout

FAST Kindergarten Benchmarks

Subtest Old Benchmark New BenchmarkWord

Segmenting 32 29

Nonsense Words 8 11

Sight Words 39 20

Letter Sounds 42 42

Composite 60 56

THANK YOU FOR YOUR

ENGAGEMENT!