New on the NCELA Blog: Addressing English Learners with Disabilities
As we celebrate the 33rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) this July, it is essential to acknowledge its significance in ensuring equal rights and opportunities for people with disabilities. Helping ELs with disabilities requires a comprehensive approach that considers their unique linguistic, cultural, and academic needs. By embracing the principles of the ADA, we can collectively strive toward a future that is more equitable and accessible for all. In the new Addressing English Learners with Disabilities blog, we highlight strategies shared by educators during OELA’s National Convening on English Learners’ Civil Rights. |
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New Resource: English Learner Civil Rights Brief |
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Teacher Appreciation: Spotlight on Multilingualism Podcast |
This podcast features a listening session moderated by Montserrat Garibay, the Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director of OELA. The panelists are four educators from around the country. This conversation focuses on the experiences and expertise of multilingual teachers in supporting ELs and their families. The podcast highlights resources to promote multilingual education and the maintenance of Native languages.
Carol Pagan is from Providence Public Schools and the Providence Teachers Union in Rhode Island. She is a bilingual literacy coach at Leviton Dual Language School.
Rodrigo Rodriguez-Tovar is a fourth-grade dual language teacher at Cook Elementary School in the Austin Independent School District. He is a National Board-Certified Teacher and holds a master’s degree from the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education.
Sonia Águila is a second-grade dual language teacher at Canalino Elementary School. Aguila has been named Teacher of the Year by both the California Association for Bilingual Education and—most recently—the National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) for her work advocating for bilingual students and their families.
Rebecka Peterson is the 2023 National Teacher of the Year. She teaches math at Union High School in Oklahoma. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Oklahoma Wesleyan University and a Master of Arts in Mathematics at the University of South Dakota.
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The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) is pleased to announce its Multilingual Learner Institute, “Advancing Excellence in Literacy Instruction for Multilingual Learners,” held on Thursday, August 17, 2023, at the Kellogg Conference Center at Gallaudet University. This convening will bring together educators, researchers, and practitioners in the District of Columbia to support MLLs enrolled in both English language acquisition and dual language programs. |
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August 21–22
Teacher Training
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This workshop focuses on supporting all students, including non-native English speakers. Dr. Amy Young, the English language specialist at the Minnesota Department of Education, will lead the training. Topics covered include funding, accountability systems, LIEP plan implementation, special education and ELs, and family/community engagement. |
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The Experiencing Instruction Through the Eyes of a MLL workshop gives participants the opportunity to experience the power of effective scaffolding as they learn content in a language they are not fluent in. After a simulation in a foreign language, the hosts will debrief and explain the specific scaffolds that make learning more accessible and how these scaffolds apply to teaching MLLs. |
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The Coalition of Community-Based Heritage Language Schools seeks to connect, collaborate with, and document all the community-based heritage language schools teaching all the languages spoken and taught in the United States. Registration is open for this annual conference, which is held at American University in Washington, DC, and online. Check to see if your school, or those you know about, are documented in their school survey. If not, please complete the school survey, or ask the school leaders to do so.
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Registration is now open for the 2023 WIDA Annual Conference. The WIDA Annual Conference is the premier event for educators of pre-K–12 MLs, giving educators from around the globe the opportunity to share best practices and discover innovative classroom strategies. The in-person conference will take place October 17–20 in Milwaukee, WI. A virtual track is also available on October 18 that includes a sampling of sessions from the in-person conference. |
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Join peers from around the country at the 2023 Families Learning Conference to be held in Omaha, NE. This conference is for passionate people looking for innovative learning strategies and resources to support families in reaching their academic and economic goals. Attendees will gain practices and ideas to create equitable and relevant family learning experiences; exposure to a national network of family-facing professionals, researchers, policymakers, and funders; and inspiration and renewed energy for their work.
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Arizona Capitol Times
Schools using the 50-50 Dual Immersion Model to teach English language learners (ELLs) are no longer at risk of losing funds despite threats from the Arizona Department of Education. Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction targeted the 50-50 model and claimed the approach was illegal under Proposition 203, a 2000 ballot measure requiring ELL students be taught in English. The state attorney issued an opinion finding that the State Board of Education maintains the “sole authority” over learning models and funding if a school is found to be out of compliance. Following the opinion, the board announced it would not be taking action against any school using the 50-50 model nor altering the list of allowed models.
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Yahoo News
The Portland Public School District is preparing for more multilingual students to join it in years to come. The school board passed a resolution in June that directs incoming superintendents to create a plan for all district teachers and staff to obtain a credential over the next 4 years to help them educate non-English speakers. Portland has long had a smattering of opportunities for teachers to obtain English for Speakers of Other Languages credentials. But with a record 34% of students learning English this year, the new policy is a recognition that Portland is now a multilingual school district and that every teacher needs to know how to teach students who speak other languages.
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The Civil Rights Project
The Portland Public School District is preparing for more multilingual students to join it in years to come. The school board passed a resolution in June that directs incoming superintendents to create a plan for all district teachers and staff to obtain a credential over the next 4 years to help them educate non-English speakers. Portland has long had a smattering of opportunities for teachers to obtain English for Speakers of Other Languages credentials. But with a record 34% of students learning English this year, the new policy is a recognition that Portland is now a multilingual school district and that every teacher needs to know how to teach students who speak other languages.
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First 5 California
Using data from the First 5 California Dual Language Learners (DLL) Pilot Study, this brief presents a snapshot of the family engagement strategies used in early learning and care programs serving infant, toddler, and preschool-age DLLs across the state. The brief explores family engagement from three vantage points: the families of DLLs, the directors of early learning and care programs, and DLLs’ teachers. The brief also offers snapshots from interviews with program providers and families about their experiences and engagement activities. The study examined attitudes toward bilingual development, families’ goals for their DLL child’s learning, programs’ efforts to communicate with and engage families, families’ engagement in the program and support for their child’s learning at home, and relationships among these factors.
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CABE is seeking proposals that engage participants in topics related to quality education for ELs, biliteracy students, and students of diverse backgrounds. Submitted presentation proposals should represent the best practices, research, strategies, and resources to meet the needs of these students, their families, and the educators who serve them.
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NABE 2024 will offer both on-site and pre-recorded on-demand (virtual) presentations. There are approximately 30 presentation strands; proposals that demonstrate how their topic addresses one or more of the following competitive priorities will earn five extra points in the proposal review: Dual Language Learners, Multilingual/Multiliteracy, ELs, and Family Engagement. Proposal notifications will be sent by September 15.
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This 15-hour, synchronous online institute, guided by CAL’s decades of experience in connecting research to practice and the CAL publication, Guiding Principles for Dual Language Education, provides information and tools to help school leaders gain a solid understanding of the benefits of dual language education and explores how they can develop a program that promotes student success in two languages, and increase their impact as leaders. Special emphasis is placed on strategies for ensuring language and cultural equity to create an environment where bilingualism, biliteracy, high academic achievement, and sociocultural competence thrive.
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TQ is seeking proposals from prospective guest editors for the 2025 special topic issue. Proposals are chosen by the TQ Editorial Advisory Board, and the guest editor(s) are responsible for overseeing the review process and selecting the content of the issue. The issue will appear in September 2025. Successful proposals have an overarching theme that is timely and interesting to the TQ readership.
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In this information-packed, fast-paced seminar, distinguished EL teacher and national presenter Rasheeda Hardy will share a wealth of practical strategies designed to accelerate success and help ELs exit from your ELL program. You will learn ways to facilitate rapid gains in the English language development of the students with whom you work, unlocking greater success across grade-level content areas. You will also receive an extensive digital resource handbook to support your success long after the seminar.
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Portland Public Schools
Portland, Oregon
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Salem Academy Charter School
Salem, Massachusetts
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Download the Updated Newcomer Toolkit
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The newly revised Newcomer Toolkit is now available! This resource can be used by state, local, and school leaders to support MLLs and general education teachers who directly serve immigrant and refugee students.
The toolkit includes an annotated bibliography for each chapter and over 100 hyperlinks to recent federal, ED, and peer-referred resources to support newcomers, their families, and their educators.
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Submit Your News
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Send your alerts, upcoming events, resources, and job postings to AskNCELA
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National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition (NCELA)
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Disclaimer: NCELA Nexus is intended to share information that can be of use to educators, parents, learners, leaders, and other stakeholders in their efforts to ensure that every student, including ELs, is provided with the highest quality education and expanded opportunities to succeed. The information and materials presented on NCELA Nexus do not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by NCELA, the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA), or the U.S. Department of Education.
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