TESOL PK12

"The U.S. House and Senate Appropriations Committees have now approved separate versions of Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) education and defense funding, and they remain very far apart on spending levels. With a simple click of a button, you can tell your Members of Congress to protect language education program funding in the final FY25 Labor HHS Education and Defense Appropriations bills.

If enacted, the House bill’s proposed elimination of Title II-A and Title III would remove all specially directed funding for the more than 5 million English Learners in this country and delete the federal government’s largest investment in professional development for K-12 teachers and school leaders. Similarly, the Senate’s proposed $5 million cut to WLARA would significantly pare back federal investments in innovative world language programs at military-connected public schools.

The good news is that we have time to push back on these devastating budget cuts. Congress is likely to push off final spending decisions until after the November elections."

https://www.votervoice.net/mobile/JNCL/Campaigns/117686/Respond

"The research shows that children who maintain the ability to use the language of their families form stronger bonds with their cultural heritages. Educators who support and represent children’s home languages contribute to that connection, acknowledge children’s life experiences in the outside world, and ultimately create a caring, equitable community of learners where everyone has a place."

https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/tyc/summer2024/educators-can-honor-home-languages

"The first state bilingual secondary school and gymnasium for Ukrainian children opened its doors in Budapest on August 31, the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Ukraine said.

As noted in the department, the opening of the school occurred as a result of agreements between President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban, reached during the visit of the Hungarian leader to Kyiv in July 2024. During the meeting and negotiations in Kyiv, the President of Ukraine noted the importance of creating educational institutions for Ukrainian children abroad and received assurances from the Hungarian side of support for this project...

The educational process will be carried out in the native Ukrainian language from grades 1 to 12, and the program will include the study of Hungarian and English as foreign languages. The educational institution is financed from the state budget of Hungary.

'Ensuring access to education in the native language is a priority for President Zelenskyy and an important part of the new comprehensive policy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding Ukrainians abroad. The school in Budapest will not only help preserve Ukrainian identity, but will also help our children adapt to a foreign environment without losing their cultural roots,' the minister said."

Article
https://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/1010862.html

Announcement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
https://mfa.gov.ua/news/v-ugorshchini-vidkrili-pershu-derzhavnu-ukrayinsko-ugorsku-dvomovnu-shkolu-dlya-ukrayinskih-ditej

"There is an increasing number of children in the U.S. classified as English Learners (ELs). Accurately identifying and supporting ELs in their academic settings entails understanding their non-English language experiences. This study presents findings from language reporting practices from seven U.S. states by examining how states account for the linguistic diversity of Indigenous Mesoamerican languages. Our findings reveal varied state approaches and underscore the limitations of current federal guidance, which limits the recognition of students’ non-English language experiences. We advocate for updating language identification practices and policies and propose a new framework for accurate language identification and continuous monitoring of student linguistic diversity."

Zyskind, K., Dorman, M., Medina, Y., & Báez, G. P. (2024). Visibility for Indigenous Students and Their Languages: Analysis of Home Language Data in Federal Reports across Seven U.S. States. Social Sciences, 13(8), 427.

https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13080427

"Early literacy assessment has become commonplace in the preschool years, with phonological awareness constituting one component of emergent literacy targeted by such practices. This within-subjects experimental study examines the role of word familiarity on 93 dual language preschoolers’ performance on phoneme-level awareness tasks in three-phoneme words. A researcher-designed digital tool created individualized test items (foils and target responses) for each child. Half of the items presented target responses that contained familiar words, and half contained unfamiliar words. Results suggest unknown/unfamiliar target words yield lower phonological awareness performance scores."

Full Text
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/23328584241267929

"Nearly one-quarter of students in K-12 public schools in the United States speak more than one language. These multilingual learners are a diverse group of students who enter school with a variety of cultural backgrounds, perspectives and strengths. This infographic discusses systemic factors that impact multilingual students and what school leaders can do to support multilingual students."

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/rel/Products/Region/west/Resource/108003

The latest issue of PK12 News is now available to read online.

𝗜𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗜𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲

▪︎ Letter from the Editors - Stacy Brown & José Franco

▪︎ CoTEL It on the Mountain: Maximizing Student Success for All Students - Drs. Kelli Dehr Bernedo & Molly Riddle

▪︎ Translanguaging: A Teaching Tool that Fosters A Welcoming and Inclusive Environment for Newly Arrived Immigrant Students - Dr. Yacoub Aljaffery

▪︎ Learning Reboot: Using AI Tools to Support Multilingual Learners - Dr. Jamie Lake & Jessica Marine

▪︎ Elementary English: High School Students Create App for ELL Students - Stacy Brown

▪︎ Spotlight on Ghana - Barikisu Suleiman

▪︎ Meet the PK12 Country Reps from Venezuela & Egypt

https://my.tesol.org/news/977002

TESOL PK12 The PK12 Interest Section (PK12-IS) supports and advocates for PreK–12 English learners & education.

"Consider Your Words," from Nawal Qarooni and Sarah Schlessinger

"Our schools are filled with conversations with children and their families, and about children and their families. Language helps us categorize and classify the world around us to make sense of it, and language carries assumptions and valuations, both negative and positive, that our students and their families feel as they navigate the world of school...

We wrote this piece because we have encountered so many similar pitfalls—and similar solutions—when it comes to considering the impact of words.

Given the complexity of this work, the vulnerability it requires, and the significant impact of our daily language, we offer a few practical and approachable actions you could take to reframe your language.."

https://ascd.org/blogs/consider-your-words

From colleague Lillian Ardell - "In all the work I’m doing in large urban districts receiving record-high levels of newcomers, I’ve noticed a troubling trend: teachers (most of whom are English-Monolinguals) are walking around glued to Google Translate, slowing down the pacing of their work day in an effort to repeat each instruction and task. In short, teachers are resorting to this acute pedagogical response, and it’s not working. Here’s why..."
https://www.languagematters.org/blog/why-translating-doesnt-work-for-newcomer-els

"In Texas, the education landscape is quickly evolving, particularly for students who are dually identified as emergent bilingual with special needs. These students often face unique challenges that require specialized instruction and support. Though Texas has tens of thousands of emergent bilingual students with disabilities, the state has not had a teacher certification program that equips professionals to serve them...

Intercultural Development Research Association (IRDA) convened bilingual special education professionals for roundtable discussions about recommendations to ensure the standards adequately prepare educators to support the diverse needs of dually identified students.

The standards developed by the advisory committee for the teacher certification encompass a comprehensive set of skills and knowledge areas, including the following.

▪︎ Integration of Pedagogies: Educators must be able to effectively combine bilingual education and special education techniques to support student learning.

▪︎ Evidence-Based Practices: Teachers need to be proficient in using evidence-based practices from both fields to create effective learning environments.

▪︎ Asset-Based Approach: Educators must recognize students’ linguistic and cultural backgrounds as assets – not challenges – and communicate this perspective to all stakeholders.

▪︎ Collaborative Decision-Making: Educators must ensure informed, collaborative decisions are made throughout the referral, identification and placement processes for students.

▪︎ Advocacy and Capacity Building: Teachers must advocate the needs of dually identified students and receive targeted training to build capacity within the school community."

https://www.idra.org/resource-center/texas-gets-closer-to-adopting-a-bilingual-special-education-teacher-certificate/

"For students who don’t speak English, learning math demands more than mastering numbers—it requires learning a new language... Here are four strategies teachers can use to help English-language learners become more confident—and successful—in math."

https://districtadministration.com/how-to-ensure-your-math-instruction-isnt-lost-in-translation/

𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 - "An Asset-Based Approach to Multilingual Learner Terminology"

"Multilingual learners bring a wealth of resources and perspectives to their school and classrooms that can strengthen learning for all students. This infographic discusses how the terminology we use to describe and identify multilingual learners can help signal an asset-based approach that helps to ensure students' experiences are acknowledged, valued, and incorporated."

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/rel/Products/Region/west/Resource/107986

"A new study reveals that demonstratives like ‘this’ and ‘that’ not only indicate distance but also direct attention, linking language to social cognition. Researchers found that the meaning of demonstratives varies across languages and is influenced by the listener’s focus.

This study involved speakers of ten languages and used computational modeling to understand these dynamics. The findings suggest that attention manipulation is an inherent part of language, embedded in demonstrations."

https://neurosciencenews.com/social-cognition-language-27489/

"This study shows how important it is to provide equitable opportunities for English-learners to build knowledge in science and history, and to apply that knowledge through informational texts alongside their peers. What we found was that when English-learners have access to content-rich literacy instruction, they develop content knowledge as well as language, reading comprehension, and writing skills."

https://phys.org/news/2024-07-science-social-classes-young-english.html

"Secondary English language development teachers have the important job of cultivating the conditions for multilingual learners to grow in their academic listening, speaking, reading, and writing. However, when it comes to supporting multilingual learners at more advanced stages of language proficiency, it can be difficult to determine where to start...

In this article, I outline a protocol any English language development teacher or co-teaching team can follow to analyze student work and determine the next instructional steps. Analyzing student work for this purpose is different than grading student work. The goal of looking closely at student work is to provide insights into the next steps for instruction at the word, sentence, and discourse dimension of their writing, rather than simply marking the papers for errors."

https://www.k12digest.com/learning-from-student-writing-prioritizing-next-steps-for-multilingual-learners/

Great opportunity Thursday, 25 July

5 pm Pakistan
3 pm Eastern European
8 am US/Canada Eastern

PakTESOL is back with an impactful and exciting new webinar series!

Join us for the first webinar in collaboration with Allama Iqbal Open University and Fatima Jinnah Women University.

• Topic: Useful Technology for Vocabulary Teaching and Learning

• Resource Person: Burgel R. Maria Levy (Assistant Professor)
Hawaiʻi Pacific University
Honolulu, HI, USA

• Date & Time: Thursday, July 25, 2024, at 5:00 PM (PST)

Don't miss this opportunity—register now to secure your spot and receive the session link: https://forms.gle/Gc7N3nzE3HfEbLsMA

𝗨𝗽𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿 - Increasing Family Engagement within Schools to Support Refugee Students

𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟭𝟰, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰
12:00 – 1:15 PM US/Canada Eastern
11:00 am - 12:15 pm US/Canada Central
10:00 - 11:15 am US/Canada Mountain
9:00 - 10:15 am US/Canada Pacific
7 - 8:15 pm EEST
9 - 10:15 pm Pakistan

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿?

Strong partnerships between families and schools provide vital support networks leading to improved educational outcomes, enhanced social and emotional well-being, and strengthened family resilience. Families who are involved in their child’s education better understand cultural norms, which eases the integration process for newcomers. This webinar will focus on a framework model, highlighting best practices and effective strategies, for schools and educational settings building relationships with newcomer students and their families.

𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲?

This webinar is geared toward school-based staff and service providers interested in learning more about the strategies for, and benefits of, family engagement within educational settings. Participants will learn specific strategies to increase family engagement while building capacity to provide better services to newcomer families.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗜 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲?

After participating in this 75-minute webinar, you will be able to:

▪︎ Explain how the Dual Capacity Building Framework supports the development of family engagement strategies, policies, and programs in school communities

▪︎ Describe culturally responsive engagement strategies to enhance family involvement for working with newcomer students and their families

▪︎ Apply practical tools and techniques to establish and maintain effective partnerships between schools and refugee families

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿

Madina Masumi is a Switchboard Training Officer with a focus on youth and education. She is a licensed K–12 school counselor with over a decade of experience serving students from marginalized populations in Fairfax County Public Schools in Northern Virginia. She previously worked as a case manager for public assistance programs. As the daughter of Afghan refugees, Madina has experienced firsthand the challenges of refugee integration. She holds a Master of Education in School Counseling from George Mason University. Madina speaks fluent Dari and is proficient in Spanish.

𝗧𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲
https://rescue.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Y3gLmnXlQMO-S-drnYTZHg?mc_cid=9743aed5ad&mc_eid=567f59b92f #/registration

𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 - Join the Pulitzer Center's Information & Artificial Intelligence Teacher Advisory Council

"The Pulitzer Center's Information and Artificial Intelligence (AI) initiatives support journalism and audience engagement on in-depth AI accountability stories that examine governments' and corporations’ uses of predictive and surveillance technologies to guide decisions in policing, medicine, social welfare, the criminal justice system, hiring, and more.

𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗔𝗜 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹

This K-12 engagement program centers K-12 teachers and students as a critical audience for reporting on Information and Artificial Intelligence (AI), identifying the barriers that exist for teachers and students hoping to engage with our in-depth AI accountability stories and producing resources that support engagement with AI journalism for a range of teachers and students.

Council members will participate in five evening workshops to explore underreported news stories about Information and Artificial Intelligence, connect with Pulitzer Center-supported journalists reporting on AI accountability, and use Pulitzer Center education frameworks as tools in their collaborative discussions about the opportunities and challenges for K-12 classrooms seeking to engage with reporting on Information and AI.

As part of the workshops, teachers will use data from audience research and reporting from the Pulitzer Center’s AI Accountability Network to develop tools and strategies for K-12 educators to engage students in reporting on AI accountability. Educators will implement these tools and strategies in their classrooms, ultimately presenting their learning in a public-facing panel in the fall of 2024. Resources created through the program will be free and accessible to other teachers on the Pulitzer Center website, and will be shared with educators engaging with AI reporting through the virtual visit program.

Council members will support Pulitzer Center staff members in crafting a programmatic vision for the K-12 teams’ strategic outreach around Information and Artificial Intelligence by engaging with the following guiding questions:

▪︎ In what ways does reporting on Information and AI align with broader themes, ideas, and questions explored in K-12 classrooms?

▪︎ In what ways are teachers and students struggling to access or understand reporting on Information and AI?

▪︎ What tools and strategies can we develop to support exploration and analysis of a broad range of Pulitzer Center reporting on Information and Artificial Intelligence?

▪︎ What strategies do journalists use to question, investigate, and advance the conversation about AI accountability and how can educators leverage these strategies to empower student voice?

▪︎ How can teachers and students provide feedback to journalists reporting underreported Information and AI stories?

▪︎ How can underreported stories inspire students to reflect on their own lives and histories, cultivate curiosity, and evaluate how their lives connect to the lives of others?

This program seeks to extend the impact of the AI Accountability Network by developing resources that support classroom conversations about the use of predictive and surveillance technologies to guide decisions that impact a range of global communities.

𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝘂𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟰, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰.

Upon successful completion of the program, Council Members will be provided with...

▪︎ $300 stipend

▪︎ Pulitzer Center Advisory Council digital badge

▪︎ Certificate for 10 professional learning units (PLUs)

The Pulitzer Center is committed to making real, measurable progress on diversity, equity and inclusion in all of our programs and partnerships. Please review our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion statement for more information on our commitments. Educators from historically marginalized backgrounds, and/or educators who are teaching students from historically marginalized backgrounds, are strongly encouraged to apply.

𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀

Educators will be expected to...

▪︎ Attend the following workshops:

Thursday, August 8th: Workshop 1, 6:00-8:00 pm EST

Thursday, August 15th: Workshop 2, 6:00-8:00 pm EST

Thursday, August 22nd: Workshop 3, 6:00-8:00 pm EST

Thursday, August 29th: Workshop 4, 6:00-8:00 pm EST

Thursday, September 12th: Workshop 5, 6:00-8:00 pm EST

▪︎ Host a Pulitzer Center journalist reporting on Artificial Intelligence and Technology between August 30 - September 12, 2024, implementing resources developed through the program.

▪︎ Collaborate with council members to develop public-facing resources to engage with AI and Technology reporting.

▪︎ Participate in a virtual panel in September 2024.

𝗘𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀

▪︎ This Fellowship is open to all classroom teachers (grades 4–12) working in public, charter, independent, and alternative schools in the United States and U.S. territories.

▪︎ Applicants must be currently teaching or leading instruction virtually or in person, and plan to continue teaching in their current school at least through the end of the 2024-2025 school year.

▪︎ Because all sessions will be held virtually, applicants must have stable internet access and a computer with a we**am and microphone.

▪︎ Educators who are interested in applying to this council should complete the Teaching AI: Interest Survey. We encourage educators to share the survey with other teachers in their network.

If you have additional questions, please contact us by emailing [email protected]."

https://pulitzercenter.org/blog/applications-open-join-information-artificial-intelligence-teacher-advisory-council

Haiwen Chu presents Multilingual Learners Co-Constructing Proofs and Representations: Linking Language and Logic

𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝟭 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰
2 - 3 pm US/Canada Eastern
1 - 2 pm US/Canada Central
12 - 1 pm US/Canada Mountain
11 am - 12 pm US/Canada Pacific & AZ
7 - 8 pm BST
9 - 10 pm EEST

"The MLRC Speaker Series highlights current research related to the teaching and learning of multilingual learners. Every first Thursday of the month, a researcher or team of researchers is invited to share insights, findings or learnings from their research. Recordings are posted within one week of the event. Please register.

Adolescent students who are bureaucratically designed 'English Learners' have immense potential to learn mathematics while they simultaneously develop language to both explore inductively and prove deductively. We share evidence of learning from field trials of a summer bridge course exploring cross-cutting concepts of mathematics. The particular examples of language and learning are from a module about how to represent and analyze networks, including proofs of impossibility, by induction, and by exhaustion."

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿

Haiwen Chu designs curriculum materials and professional learning experiences to expand math teachers’ capacity to teach students classified as English Learners. He leads professional development and coaches teachers in schools across the country. To improve policy, programs, and practice for English Learners, he designs and conducts mixed-methods studies and evaluations in partnership with districts, bringing his expertise in both causal research designs and descriptive observation methods.

Chu publishes widely in both researcher and practitioner venues. He also serves on WestEd’s Institutional Review Board and contributes to strategic agencywide initiatives, such as expanding capacity for research and evaluation.

Chu is a co-principal investigator for the National Research and Development Center to Improve Education for Secondary English Learners, funded by the Institute of Education Sciences. He is leading the iterative development of a summer bridge course for rising ninth grade students to support them in exploring key ideas of high school mathematics.

Prior to joining WestEd, Chu taught mathematics to high school immigrants and English Learners in New York City, where he created projects connecting to students’ lived experiences. While in New York, he was a Math for America Master Teacher, he taught graduate courses to in-service math teachers, and he conducted research about culturally relevant mathematics pedagogy.

Chu holds a BA in mathematics from Harvard University, an MA in mathematics teaching from Brooklyn College, and a PhD in urban education from the City University of New York.

𝗧𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲
https://uwmadison.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIkcuyhqjIrGteZDI-uzoPH6LQrsh-zndNf #/registration

"Districts are feeling the pressure to shift their literacy frameworks and practices to include more systematic instruction. While literacy frameworks such as Scarborough’s rope (2001) and the simple view of reading (1986) highlight several integral components that develop effective literacy, many educators interpret from these frameworks that phonics instruction should be the primary focus. This attention to a systematic approach to phonics instruction is important for the development of literate students. Nevertheless, we cannot allow the pendulum to swing so far toward phonics instruction that we do not develop the other components of effective literacy instruction. English learners do need phonics instruction. They also need to understand the meanings of the words they are sounding out. With overemphasis on the decoding of words, multilingual students can become word callers and proficient decoders but will not understand what they are reading. They will miss out on explicit instruction on how English works. Following a strict phonics-only approach does not allow multilingual learners to develop more complex language structures and vocabulary that will begin to appear at higher-proficiency text levels."

https://www.languagemagazine.com/2024/07/17/make-a-plan-for-oracy/

Teaching Writing both Practically and Progressively Using Critical Language Awareness (CLA) Pedagogy - 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝘂𝗴 𝟭𝟲

𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝟭𝟲 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰
12:00 - 1:00 pm Arizona & US/Canada Pacific
1:00 - 2:00 pm US/Canada Mountain
2:00 - 3:00 pm US/Canada Central
3:00 - 4:00 pm US/Canada Eastern
7:00 - 8:00 pm GMT
10:00 - 11:00 pm EEST

𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
https://asu.zoom.us/j/83019526119

𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
https://aztesol.wildapricot.org/event-5800579

𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

In this talk aimed at secondary and postsecondary teachers, I will offer a rationale, principles, and numerous examples of Critical Language Awareness (CLA) pedagogy in the teaching of writing to English Learners (ELs). A CLA approach helps to prepare ELs for their academic and professional futures while also exploring relevant justice-related themes such as nativespeakerism, linguistic profiling, and World Englishes. There will be time for Q&A midway and at the end. If you would like to learn a bit more about CLA before the session, please visit: https://clacollective.org/

𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗶𝗼

Shawna Shapiro is Professor of Writing and Linguistics at Middlebury College. Her research focuses on college transitions and innovative pedagogies for multilingual/L2 writers. Shapiro’s work appears in many peer-reviewed journals, including TESOL Quarterly, TESOL Journal, and Research in the Teaching of English, and she has written books for TESOL/NAFSA and Multilingual Matters. Her most recent book, Cultivating Critical Language in the Writing Classroom, was published with Routledge in 2022.

Teaching Strategies for Preschool & Pre-K English Language Learners from Vanessa Levin

https://www.pre-kpages.com/esl/

The Century Foundation and the Children’s Equity Project, published a new report: 'Why We Need to Cultivate America’s Multlingual, Multicultural Assets.' This new report analyzes the benefits of supporting young children's bilingualism and why we need to cultivate multilingual and multicultural assets in the U.S.

"There is no question that American policymakers and power structures have often prioritized English proficiency to the exclusion of other languages—particularly as English has become a global lingua franca. Indeed, linguistic diversity in the United States is regularly targeted during periodic waves of U.S. anti-immigrant sentiments and corresponding political crusades. It’s perhaps no wonder the country remains 'stubbornly monolingual.'

But this push towards English-only monolingualism is only one part of the American language story. North America has played host to hundreds of languages over the centuries, before—and since—the United States existed as a country. Thanks to the United States’ enviable position as a global destination for immigrants, the country can count on millions of multilingual Americans speaking indigenous, Latin American, European, Asian, African, and other languages.

As a result, America’s present is multilingual and multicultural. Linguistic diversity is growing in U.S. schools—just as it has in prior historical periods. More than 20 percent of U.S. kids speak a non-English language at home, one in four children is a child of immigrants, and more than five million students are currently classified as English learners (ELs).

What of America’s future? Whether we make the most of this exciting moment depends on how well U.S. schools, society, and policymakers embrace these children’s bilingualism...

A plural, multilingual America is a smarter, stronger, richer—and more interesting—country. The United States is fortunate to have a large and growing population of linguistically and culturally diverse children in its schools. If policymakers commit to these children’s emerging bilingualism now with comprehensive investments in a more linguistically diverse teaching force and expanded access to dual-language immersion programs, they will have made a fundamental contribution to the health of our democracy."

https://tcf.org/content/report/why-we-need-to-cultivate-americas-multilingual-multicultural-assets/

From ELL Advocates

"Our graphic provides practical tips to help educators acknowledge, include, celebrate, and support ML students in meaningful ways. By implementing these strategies, we can ensure that every student feels valued and engaged."

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ell-advocates_elladvocates-inclusiveeducation-multilinguallearners-activity-7212067027425845248-I4Sc

2024 Talk Story Prompt Cards - 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲

"The Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA), an affiliate of the American Library Association (ALA), is pleased to announce the Talk Story Prompt Cards to help people share stories and share cultures around Talk Story values.

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀

The Talk Story Prompt Cards, created by APALA, are designed to encourage people to hold meaningful conversations about their culture, family history, and more. They draw upon the Talk Story values of family literacy, intergenerational activities, cultural literacy, and identity.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀

We encourage you to gather with family, friends, and any other people in your life who you want to learn more about or hold meaningful conversations about Talk Story values.

▪︎ Read the cards together and informally chat about the questions.

▪︎ Some cards include suggested activity ideas to engage with these topics.

▪︎ You can adapt any question and personalize it for you and your family.

▪︎ For example, if your family says 'Lolo' and 'Lola' for 'Grandpa' and 'Grandma,' we encourage you to use those terms of endearment. It’s a part of cultural and family literacy!

▪︎ It’s OK if these conversations feel emotional or difficult.

▪︎ It’s OK to say “I don’t know.”

▪︎ It’s OK to skip any question.

▪︎ Be curious and open about exploring the prompts.

Please share these cards with your communities, schools, and libraries.

𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁-𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗹𝘆 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀:https://www.apalaweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/APALA-Talk-Story-Prompt-Cards-2024.pdf

These prompt cards were inspired by the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA) and American Indigenous Library Association (AILA) presentation on 'Talk Story: Centering Oral Traditions to Advance Literacy Justice and Transform Community Relationships' at the ALA Annual Conference 2023. One representative from APALA and one from AILA shared an oral storytelling experience. Afterward, a panel discussion was held discussing 'Talk Story as a community of practice to recenter youth literacy programs as intergenerational literacy opportunities with an emphasis on oral histories and traditions, intersectional community building, and cultural sensitivities.' The APALA Family Literacy Focus Committee decided it would be helpful to create prompt cards that inspire families, educators, and librarians to start meaningful conversations and oral storytelling practices while implementing Talk Story values."

𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀: https://www.apalaweb.org/talkstorytogether/resources

𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲
https://www.apalaweb.org/2024-talk-story-prompt-cards/