Highlights of the
31st Annual Statewide Conference for Teachers
Serving Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Students
January 8-11, 2008
Early Childhood Education: Bridging English Language Proficiency Standards to Early Childhood Instruction
This session focused on PreK-K English language learners and their developmental uniqueness along with the need for emphasis on the language side of learning. There are two frameworks for assessment and instruction in these cases, formative framework and summative framework. The formative framework stresses working with students on a daily basis with a variety of hands-on activities using sensory, graphic and interactive supports. The summative framework gives opportunities to process and produce language using visual and graphic supports while summarizing student performance over time.
Early Childhood Education: Tools for Helping Young Children Transition in Early Childhood Settings
This session focused on the best ways to develop a schedule and routine for children while minimizing the number of transitions, balancing active and quiet activities and preparing children when changes are going to occur. The best strategies for ensuring smoother transitions are using verbal cues or a “safety signal” as a warning before a transition and using nonverbal cues such as visual schedules to identify what activity is going to take place next. These types of transitions help the children to understand what is expected of them and therefore they are prepared.
English Language Learners at School: A Guide for Administrators
This session focused on how administrators can support an ELL’s first language to the greatest degree possible and the development of English as a second language. There are ways to facilitate English language literacy outside of the classroom such as reading regularly with parents or other adults at home. The development of literacy in English as a second language is similar to the development of it as a first language because both are influenced by oral, reading and writing skills.
Illinois Advisory Council for Bilingual Education
The council recommends that the Request for Sealed Proposal to be issued by the Illinois State Board of Education include specific components for assessing English Language Learners. First, that there be a modified English version of the state achievements tests, second, that there be a translated version of the state achievement tests in the 10 languages of highest frequency in Illinois and third, that the Spanish academic achievement tests align to the Illinois Learning Standards and the Illinois Spanish Language Arts Standards.
Looking Back and Moving Forward: Revisiting the Foundations of Bilingual Education: Dr. Jill Kerper Mora
Dr. Mora spoke about 2008 being a year of reflection for many reasons. Most importantly, this year is the 40th anniversary of the 1968 Bilingual Education Act. She spoke passionately of moving forward in bilingual education. “The house of bilingual education is built on a solid foundation such that we have and will weather the storms. We must be an active constituency at the federal, state and local levels for just and effective language education and immigration policies. We must arm ourselves with the research findings combined with years of practical experiences and “heart” to ensure a bright future for bilingual education.”
Lessons from Turnaround Schools: Strategies for Making
Good Schools Great
Damen Lopez, co-principal at Los Penasquitos Elementary School in San Diego, California represents a Title I school with over 35 different languages represented. He has received national recognition for his creation of “No Excuses University”, a program for promoting college readiness starting with elementary school children. Principal Jeff King and Damen Lopez founded this program on the ideas that all children, even those who live in poverty or who are learning English, can be academically successful and attend college. They believe that public schools have the power to make that dream a reality. The basics of the program start with incorporating college vocabulary and terminology in classrooms along with exposure to university requirements. He emphasized that belief changes your behavior – belief is not magical – and if you believe in your students – it will change them. In order to be successful, this program requires commitment from the students, staff and parents. There are currently 14 NEU’s in four states that represent 8,000 children. Damen anticipates 25 more schools will join the network by this summer. Visit www.turnaroundschools.com for more information.
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32st Annual Statewide Conference for Teachers of Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Students
Each year, the conference strives to provide the professional and intellectual stimulation that attracts about 3,000 teachers, administrators, public policy leaders, researchers and State Board members. Next year's conference is scheduled for January 6-9, 2009.
©2002
Illinois Resource Center, 2626 Clearbrook Drive,
Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005-4626
Phone 224-366-8555, Fax 847-649-0551