A Small Rural District’s Journey to the Carmen West Award and Beyond

Led by: Sylvia Valentine-Garcia, Director of Special Programs, Gervais School District

Last year Gervais School District was presented with the Carmen West Award.  In our presentation, we talk about our journey and how we use data to determine needed changes in our program.  We also share the changes that brought the fabulous student outcomes (in our English-Only Program) for the award year.  Then we share what we have done since the award year as well as current program and expected results. Also included are classroom practices that practitioners can use immediately!

 

After the Training...Sustaining and Deepening Implementation

Led by: Pamela Canady, Mathematics Teacher, McMinnville School District

This session focuses on designing and implementing a “Booster” class.  The purpose of the class is to  strengthen and sustain learning and growth of new ideas and skills after an initial training.  The success of the “Booster” relies on creating class sessions based on obstacles to implementation that teachers in our district are facing, and then working together to overcome such obstacles.  In our “Booster”, participants reviewed key concepts from initial trainings (focused on research-based best practices), worked in cohorts to align resources, and calibrated expectations and language instruction for our historically underserved populations.

 

Aligning Resources Using Multi-Tiered Systems of Support

Led by: Leslie Stewart, K-12 ESOL Program Assistant, Salem-Keizer Public Schools

Learn about one district's work towards aligning processes and resources for behavior, academics, socio-emotional learning, and language acquisition to support the whole child.

 

Alignment to Priority Standards: Creating an ELD Curriculum that Supports Literacy

Led by: Jessica Schmidt, Elementary Curriculum ELD Program Associate, Salem-Keizer Public Schools

Salem-Keizer uses a push-in model to deliver focused ELD instruction at the elementary level. As a result, teachers were creating a variety of lessons to support EL students and cohesion was lacking across the district.  In order to better support teachers and students, Salem-Keizer embarked on creating its own literacy-based ELD curriculum.  This session describes the process and components of that curriculum.

 

Authentic Communication Workshop

Led by: Jeff Zwiers, Senior Researcher, Stanford University

This session will be a hands-on workshop session for doing some of the remodeling described in the keynote. We will take common teaching activities and fortify them with three features of communication. I will briefly model this remodeling with reading, writing, listening, speaking, and conversation activities—and assessments. We will then “remodel” in pairs, with a special look at how ELD teachers can collaborate with content teachers in designing powerful activities for both language and content learning.

 

Authentic Leadership

Led by: Jeff Zwiers, Senior Researcher, Stanford University

Administrators, Directors and Coordinators gather with Jeff to hear what he is learning, recommendations, timing of implementation and support systems. There will opportunity to ask questions and have conversation with Jeff during this session.

 

CALM: Co-Teaching for Academic and Language Mastery

Led by: Melissa Linder, ELD Director, Astoria School District

Research tells us that pull-out ELD services are not the most effective way to serve our ELs, yet many districts face limitations in staffing and resources that make other models challenging to implement.  Follow the journey of one small, rural school district in our efforts to transition from exclusively pull-out ELD, to a content-embedded, co-teaching model. We will share our successes, challenges, and offer suggestions to other districts wanting to change the they way they serve EL students and to more deeply embed language as part of content teaching.

 

Career Path Opportunities for Innovative Education Professionals

Led by: Ruby Price, University Faculty/Supervisor

This session will provide information about dynamic career options offered by the COSA-CUC Administrator Licensure programs. The intense on-line programs allow candidates to integrate their real-world experiences into their courses and in their interactions with one another. These programs provide unmatched opportunities for candidates to expand and strengthen their professional knowledge and networks. COSA is offering the Initial and Continuing Administrator license and the opportunity to pursue a Master’s or Doctorate in conjunction with the programs. The programs strive to prepare administrators who have the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to lead positive changes in schools so that all learners can be successful. There are career-building opportunities for educators at various stages of their profession.

 

Civil Rights of National Origin (English Learners) Students & Parents

Led by: Winston Cornwall, Civil Rights Education Specialist, Oregon Department of Education

An Oregon Department of Education (ODE) Civil Rights Education Specialist will discuss the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and other pertinent federal and Oregon civil rights regulations. He will explain the responsibilities of public schools to educate national origin (English learners) students  and provide them equal opportunity. He will also answer your burning questions about, Title VI and Section 504 as they relate to English learners.

 

Cognate Strategy Instruction in the Translanguaging Classroom

Led by: Shira Lubliner, Professor, California State University East Bay

This presentation focuses on Cognate Strategy Instruction (CSI) in the translanguaging classroom.  Participants will explore CSI methods: identification of Spanish-English cognates, recognition of specific cognate patterns, inclusion of students’ languages and cultures, instructional activities including close reading, raps, and games.  Participants will explore teaching cognates to unlock academic texts, increasing emergent bilingual students’ comprehension in both languages.  We document the effectiveness of CSI in several research studies we have conducted and our newly released book.

 

Collaborative Co-Teaching: Working Toward Sustainable Practices

Led by: Kerrin Moeller, K-5 TOSA, Multilingual Department, Beaverton School District

In this session, presenters will share examples of the way that Beaverton School District is working to develop capacity in the area of collaborative co-teaching in schools K-12.  Participants will learn about the Collaborative Instructional Cycle, our Training of Trainers model, Early Release Co-Teaching support offerings, inter-school visits, and videos of the models of co-teaching.

 

Collaborative Teaching: How Do We Create the Greatest Thinkers for the World?

Led by: Jane Charlotte Weiss, Stanford Graduate Student and former Emerging Bilingual Specialist in WLWV School District, Boeckman Creek Primary School

Hear the story of one school's journey in building collective capacity to meet the linguistic and academic goals of all of our emerging bilingual students.  We will share the design and results of our co-teaching model; strategies for collaborative planning and teaching; transformations resulting from our studios, workshops, and lesson studies; and our current collaboration with Stanford University, Denver’s Public Education & Business Coalition, and the Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program in hopes to continue to refine our work and share it with educators across Oregon.  How do we create the greatest thinkers for the world?  We hope we have inspired you to join us on a collective journey to find out.

 

Co-Teaching and ELD: How to Apply Best Practices in an Inclusive Classroom

Led by: Dan Barnard, 4th/5th Grade Teacher, Corbett School District

This hands-on presentation is designed for K-8 classroom teachers, ELD Specialists, Instructional Assistants, and TOSAS who are seeking to grow their EL instruction skills, specifically in an inclusive classroom. Participants will experience activities designed to help ELs better access the curriculum, especially in literacy. Participants will learn how to incorporate figurative language into school days, improve vocabulary instruction, host engaging speaking activities, and make core content more accessible for ELs. Presenters will walk participants through a variety of co-teaching strategies that provide support to students, IAs, and general educators. We’ll highlight how we’ve created and maintained a successful co-teaching partnership!

 

Culturally Responsive Precollege Programs

Led by: SueAnn Bottoms, Precollege Programs Director, Oregon State University

Learn about how to connect your K-12 emergent bilingual students, migrant students, and their families to college in culturally responsive and sustaining ways, including after-school and summer programs.

 

Designing Programs with Intention: Tigard Tualatin’s Journey in Building Program and Instructional Practices for Adolescent Newcomer English Learners

Led by: Nicole Smith, K-12 Instructional Support TOSA - Title III, Education Northwest

Tigard High School has welcomed ever-growing numbers of newcomer English learner students, and their teachers played a crucial role in calling their district’s attention to this emerging need. This session is designed to illustrate systems and practices that appeal to both teachers and administrators alike. Teachers and district staff from Tigard Tualatin School District, with Education Northwest, will share shifts in their approach to supporting adolescent newcomer English learners. Participants will receive examples of tools for program planning and instructional design tools such as ELP Standards based tasks, rubrics, unit plans, and lessons designed for supporting newcomer English learner students in academic content.

 

Developing the Capacity of STEM Teachers to Meet the Needs of Language Learners: Lessons Learned from a Five-year Professional Development Effort

Led by: Mary Martinez-Wenzl, Senior Researcher, Education Northwest

With support from a National Professional Development grant, Pacific University designed, implemented, and evaluated a STEM-focused ESOL endorsement curriculum. Inservice teachers completed their courses online, and preservice teachers completed the program at Pacific University’s Woodburn campus.  The primary foci of the program were to tailor  the existing ESOL endorsement curriculum to the needs of secondary STEM instruction and to measure teachers’ growth in understanding and implementing explicit STEM language and literacy in their classroom instruction.   We will share lessons learned through ESOL curricular changes, teacher recruitment, and shifts in teacher knowledge and practice.

 

Dual Language for Social Justice: Moving from Research to Practice

Led by: Michael Bacon, Director of Dual Language, Portland Public Schools

Portland Public Schools leverages Dual Language Immersion as a strategy for closing the opportunity gap for historically underserved students, especially emergent bilinguals.  As a highly coveted program by white privileged families, PPS continues to work to prioritize the needs of emergent bilinguals, as well as other historically underserved populations, to ensure equitable access.  Research, both nationally and locally supports the power of this educational model, but changing both policy and practices in enrollment, outreach, staffing, and communications is critical for dual language in being a true lever in social justice.  Participants will learn about and discuss strategies for ensuring equitable access to DLI including the Portland Dual Language Teacher Fellows program, an alternative licensure pathway for highly bilingual people living in the local area.

 

Easier Said than Done: A Journey to Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum

Led by: Missi Thurman, Consultant, Educational Excellence

In 2003, researcher Robert J. Marzano said, “A guaranteed and viable curriculum is the single most important initiative a school or district can engage in to raise student achievement.”* It’s been 15 years, yet this goal often eludes even the most dedicated leaders. This interactive session highlights clear, specific steps and resources to achieving this outcome through curriculum mapping work being done in a challenging logistical situation: a school with both English-only and two way-immersion classrooms.  Aloha Huber Park of the Beaverton School District was already experiencing success through small group intervention instruction. They knew, however, that improving core would have the greatest impact and further guarantee equitable access to all standards, for all students, including language considerations. The session will be moderated by consultants from Educational Excellence, who have partnered with AHP in this journey and will provide context on the process as well as point participants to available resources. Bring your questions, challenges, ideas and listen to the voices of those who are taking this critical step –– and actually making it work for them, and most importantly, for their students!  * What Works in Schools: Translating Research into Practice

 

Effective EL Program Management Processes

Led by: Garrett Apland, ELD Coach & Title III Coordinator, Hood River County School District

Join us for a session focusing on using data management processes and tools to improve classroom instruction and foster collaboration between district ELD Specialists and classroom teachers. This session will showcase Ellevation, the EL program management platform, which helps evaluate and report on key EL program data such as ELPA21 proficiency levels, tracks progress of EL student performance from year-to-year, and bolsters monitoring practices of both current ELs and previous ELs who are on Monitor Status. We will also review additional practices that can be used in general to support district-wide EL program improvement, and highlight other key ways Ellevation supports State EL Plan reporting and Federal compliance.

 

ELPA21 Score Reporting

Led by: Ben Wolcott, ELPA Specialist, ODE

In this two part session we will review the content of various presentation formats in which ELPA21 scoring information is currently delivered to districts and teachers, as well as how to access them. In the second half of the presentation we will solicit feedback from attendees on score reporting, asking questions such as: How much and what kind of information currently reaches district coordinators/teachers/parents/students, and how useful is this information to its recipients?  How might ODE improve or refine the information presented on ELPA21 score reports?  Are there stakeholders who would like to see more, or different, information?  What barriers may currently prevent stakeholders from understanding or using this information?  Does any of the information on these score reports need unpacking or clarification?

 

Engaging English-Language Learners with iPad

Led by: Apple Education

iPad can be used to create interactive and engaging learning experiences for English-language learners. Explore built-in features on iPad that help scaffold and support language acquisition. Experience apps that strengthen language skills, let students learn at their own pace, and use language authentically to creatively demonstrate knowledge.

 

English Learner Accountability and Reporting

Led by: Joshua Rew, Education Program SpecialistOregon Department of Education

This presentation provides an overview of federal English learner (EL) accountability and reporting as part of the Oregon’s implementation of the Every Students Succeeds Act (ESSA) in the 2017-18 school year. Specifically, the presenters will highlight changes to Title I and Title III accountability and reporting. This includes a discussion concerning Oregon's new school accountability system under ESSA, school and district report cards, the new EL progress indicator and attainment trajectory, EL performance on each accountability indicator, district reporting requirements under Title III, and alignment to state initiatives (e.g., HB 3499). The aim of the presentation is to inform the audience of key changes the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) will implement in 2017-18 (and future school years) as well as offer an opportunity for audience members to provide feedback and ask questions.

 

Equity Driven Actions Increase the Cultural Assets of Oregon's Educator Workforce: A 2017-18 Update on our Work

Led by: Karen Fischer Gray, Superintendent, Parkrose SD

Presenters will share findings and recommended actions from the 2017 Oregon Educator Equity Report to support a more diverse educator workforce. Members of the Oregon Educator Equity Advisory Committee will highlight recommendations, a six point Action Plan and ways to support further legislation to enhance culturally responsive teaching practices and supports for Oregon's Education Work Force that were developed in a wide partnership through our collaborative team work. Participants will engage in discussions around implications for local implementation and provide feedback on ways in which the state can best support and implement efforts aligned with the recommendations and the Action Plan. We will review research with attendees about why it is so crucial for our education work force to be diverse in every way for the success and happiness of our students in Oregon. Work that COSA is currently developing through its Education Leadership Coalition will be used to support this presentation.

 

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion:  An ODE Equity Team Listening Session

Led by: Darryl Tukufu, Assistant Superintendent, Oregon Department of Education

Members of the Oregon Department of Education Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Team, led by Dr. Tukufu, are holding this listening session for conference participants to listen to pressing issues.  The session is designed as an opportunity for conference participants to provide recommendations, advise, feedback, and comments about the work of Oregon Department of Education in the area of education equity.  While the session is not designed to be a Q&A time, Equity Team members can follow up on concerns from participants after the session via email.

 

Examining Course-Taking among English Learners in Oregon

Led by: Karen Thompson, Assistant Professor, Oregon State University

Prior research outside Oregon has demonstrated that ELs are less likely to be enrolled in content-area courses than other students, and this may impact their ability to graduate. We will share new analysis of statewide Oregon data about the courses in which ELs are enrolled, including data showing that substantial proportions of 9th grade ELs are not enrolled in science, social studies, math, and language arts classes. Together with session participants, we will share ideas about potential explanations for these results, as well as ways to improve ELs’ access to the courses they need to graduate and be prepared for college and careers.

 

Factors that Impact Newcomer's Success

Led by: Nancy Reynolds, Academic Language Coach, Salem-Keizer Public Schools

In this session, participants will experience a Professional Development designed to introduce staff to the factors that impact newcomer’s learning and behavior.  It includes videos clips of personal stories from Salem-Keizer’s Community School Outreach Coordinators and other relevant information about the experience of newcomers.  Participants can access the cultural packets used in our presentation about nine countries.  Artifacts from our district’s professional development will be displayed to demonstrate their learning.  The session also introduces the three R’s of the OASCD’s Trauma Informed Practice Series: responsibility, relationships and regulation, with an emphasis on relationship strategies.

 

Family University-Engaging our Community

Led by: Nancy Viramontes, Family Engagement Coordinator, Jefferson County School District 509-J

The Jefferson County School District has been reaching out to our families since 2010 by providing Family University to the community. The goal of Family University is to improve student academic success and increase parent involvement through providing education and resources to meet the needs of all parents so they can fully participate as partners in educating our youth.    Evening classes instructed by district teachers are offered that include English Conversation, Math and Literacy GED Skill Building, Computers, Spanish Literacy, Arts, and Family Zumba.     Partnerships with community organizations allow us to provide other programs including Immigration Workshops, and Parenting Classes.

 

Finding the Human in the System: Our New Monitoring Process

Led by: Rob Hillhouse, Secondary EL Programs TOSA, Beaverton School District - Multilingual Dept

A team of educators in Beaverton worked this year to reimagine and humanize our Monitoring process for exited EL, Migrant, and Title VI Indian Education students.  It would be an honor to share our story and our resources with you.

 

Free PLC Modules to Support English Learners' Academic Language Development

Led by: Ben Wolcott, English Language Proficiency Assessment Specialist, Oregon Department of Education

ODE staff will introduce and provide access to free professional learning modules for use in a Professional Learning Community (PLC). Educators can use what they learn during the PLCs to make research-based decisions about how to help individual students build their academic language proficiency.  Specifically, they will be able to determine where on the language learning progressions a student currently is and what would be an appropriate next step in the learning.  As educators become familiar with the progressions, they will build a deeper understanding of how language develops and can use this as they plan lessons for the whole class.

 

Generating Professional Learning for ELL Specialists

Led by: Letty Duran, ELL Specialist/4th Grade Teacher, Newberg School District

Leadership Development: Inspire current and future leaders by sharing transformative approaches.    ELL Specialists are a crucial component in supporting students of color in each school district. The growing achievement gap is evidence of how crucial alignment in understanding of program development, guidelines, regulations and the purpose of ELD is essential in making strides in closing the gap and building a unified ELL Team. We will also discuss the importance of collaborating with general education teachers to build capacity to support ELL students.

 

HB 3499: Target District Data, Collaboration, and Feedback Session

Led by: Taffy Carlisle, Education Specialist, Oregon Department of Education

This will be a time for all Target district representatives to come together. Learn more about your district’s data, how the Target districts are doing as a whole, and collaborate with other districts in what is working, what is not, and what needs to change. Additional input will be requested by ODE to refine the technical assistance that is being provided; how to improve communication, TA, and supports.

 

HB 3499: Transformation District Data, Collaboration, and Feedback Session

Led by: Kelly Slater, Education Specialist, ODE

This will be a time for all Transformation district representatives to come together. Learn more about your district’s data, how the Transformation districts are doing as a whole, and collaborate with other districts in what is working, what is not, and what needs to change. Additional input will be requested by ODE to refine the technical assistance that is being provided; how to improve communication, TA, and supports.

 

High Leverage Strategies to Develop Social/Emotional, Literacy and Language/Communication

Led by: Dovina Israel Greco, EL Specialist, Hillsboro School District

In this session we will discuss the why, how and what of high leverage strategies that align with learning targets and content standards for early learners.  We will address differentiation while modeling scaffolding to help participants be able to help their students access content standards.  These strategies build upon and support classroom systems, routines and rituals that facilitate student responsibility, ownership and independence while also building social/emotional skills and the approaches to learning.  In addition the strategies and tasks are challenging, supportive of intellective capacity, culturally and academically relevant.

 

How to communicate with EL Parents

Led by: Kim Miller, Education Specialist for English Learners, Oregon Department of Education

This is a joint ODE/TransACT Communications Presentation. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) goes into full implementation for the 2017-2018 school year. This means that all NCLB parent notices will no longer be needed, but a whole new set of notices will be needed for ESSA. The Oregon Department of Education purchases a subscription to TransACT’s ESSA Parent Notices for all LEAs in the state. This presentation provides information on:  o   The parent notices needed under ESSA  o   The legal requirements for ESSA parent notices  o   The specific uses of ESSA parent notices  o   The audiences for ESSA parent notices  o   The timing for specific ESSA parent notices

 

I Am a White Teacher - One Educator's Awakening

Led by: Leah Hinkle, Education Consultant (Title III, English Learners), Clackamas Education Service District

The plan was to be a high school English teacher and make Shakespeare, Twain, and Tolkien fun for unenthusiastic teens. Instead, my first teaching assignment was English language development and my first class was a mixed-grade group of middle schoolers who had recently arrived in the U.S. That year I began a journey, one I'm still on. Each day I'm a step closer to understanding my identity as a white American teacher and fully embracing all students as they are and not as I think they should be. Join me in spotting the potholes and detours on the road to providing an equitable education.

 

Immigration Enforcement and Undocumented Students - Policy and Practical Issues for Schools

Led by: Jollee Patterson, Senior Counsel, Miller Nash Graham & Dunn

This presentation reviews the law regarding the education rights of undocumented students and explores policy and practical issues for school staff

 

Implementing Constructing Meaning in a High-school English Class

Led by: Alexandra Strouf, English Language Arts Teacher, Medford School District 549C

Eleventh-grade English teachers demonstrate how they have attempted to implement EL Achieve’s Constructing Meaning framework in their instruction.  Learn how they have approached backward design in a standards-based teaching, learning and grading environment.  They will share tools they have created, including Interactive Note-makers which chunk complex texts into “chewable” pieces and Academic Writing supports that explicitly teach the academic language students need to successfully perform the summative assessment tasks for their instructional units in HMH’s Collections curricular materials.  Examples of student work from both ELL and non-ELL students will demonstrate the significant student outcomes they have observed by using these tools and strategies.

 

Increasing Long-term English Learners’ Reading Comprehension Skills: Incorporating Brain Based and Culturally Responsive Techniques to Build Students’ Reading Comprehension

Led by: Maureen Ray, Dr, North Clackamas SD

By the time English Learners enter middle school, approximately 70% are reading at a below basic reading level.  These students are our Long-term English learners (LTEL) who through their elementary years developed learning gaps in their background knowledge and vocabulary development. Systematically building student’s vocabulary and background knowledge is an effective and equitable means to removing fundamental barriers to our students accessing core content and using reading to learn. Dr. Ray will share strategies grounded in neuro-science and culturally responsive teaching. These approaches have proven highly successful in building LTEL’s vocabulary, background knowledge, reading fluency and comprehension by 1-3 years within 6 months.

 

Language in the Air - Ontario’s Journey to Extending English Language Development Throughout the School Day

Led by: Tim Blackburn, Practice Expert for Emergent Bilingual Students, Education Northwest

This session is directed to all educators that wish to learn about an instructional framework designed for integrating language development practices throughout the school day. House Bill 3499 empowered partner districts to define their own approach to improving outcomes for English learner students. Colleagues from Ontario School District, in partnership with Education Northwest, will describe the journey to build teacher capacity to recognize the language demands of their content area studies and to plan with intention to support English learners. Participants in this session will receive Ontario’s framework for intentional planning practice and a clear description of Ontario’s approach to language learning throughout the school day.

 

Learning from Our Students and Educators: Salem-Keizer District Tools for Measuring Progress Toward Its Vision for ELLs and Their Families

Led by: Bradley Capener, Coordinator, English as a Second Language Program, Education Northwest

How do districts know if they are meeting the academic, linguistic, social, and equity needs of ELLs and their families? This session will share how a research-practice partnership equipped Salem-Keizer Public Schools with tools for measuring staff and community perceptions of the district efforts to meet the needs of ELLs and their families. Working closely with educational researchers and methodologists, the district designed surveys that were aligned with the long-term vision for serving ELLs, and administered the surveys to more than 1,800 staff members, ELL students, and parents of ELL students.

 

Little Lending Libraries-Connect and Engage Families and the Community

Led by: Rebecca Easton, ELL Teacher, Silver Rail - Bend La Pine Schools

Through a collaborative effort involving students, families, schools and community organizations, we built several little libraries and placed them in neighborhoods surrounding our school. We collaborated with the local county library, as well as the Parks and Rec department to bring library and recreational programs to the apartment complexes where students live. The libraries served as a culminating project to celebrate the empowerment and collaboration of all parties.

 

New Comer Program in Small/Rural School District

Led by: Theresa Proctor-Reece, ELL Coordinator / New Comer instructor and Coach, Morrow County SD

MCSD’s Newcomer Program is an all day, School Within a School Model for grades 7-12. It is a short term relatively self-contained educational intervention designed to meet the academic, social, emotional and transitional needs of newly arrived immigrant students.  It consists of explicit instruction in language development with support in core classes from an educational assistant. Students attend the newcomer program before entering a more traditional English Language Development (ELD) class.

 

Nuestras Manos, Nuestros Sueños: Using Art to Build a Supportive School Community

Led by: Kraig Sproles, Principal, South Shore Elementary, Greater Albany SD

Nuestras Manos, Nuestros Sueños (Our Hands, Our Dreams) was a collective mural project designed to reflect and celebrate the diversity and unity of our school community. By conducting listening sessions with stakeholders and providing multiple opportunities for all students to contribute, we were able to craft a large school mural that both describes our current reality and our dreams for tomorrow. This session will outline the steps we followed to solicit input from parents and staff resulting in the creation of this mural. The result was a collective art project which manifested the power of a transition from the individual into a collective consciousness.

 

Oregon State Seal of Biliteracy

Led by: Taffy Carlisle, Education Specialist, ODE

Oregon is among 22 states that offers the Biliteracy Seal to its students who can demonstrate proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking in English and a partner language. This award benefits our EL and Recent Arriving students who come to Oregon speaking a language other than English and our native English students who become literate in another language.Come and learn more about the Biliteracy Seal, how to bring it to the students in your district, and what it does and can mean for Oregon's students.

 

Pre-planning Essentials for Starting a Dual Language Immersion Program

Led by: Jody Wiencek, Dual Language Program Educational Consultant, Jody Wiencek Dual Language Consultant

So you're thinking about implementing a Dual Language Immersion Program. Congratulations! Strategic planning will render successful implementation of your program in the future. Join our session to learn about the key foundational pieces required for initial and future success in Dual Language education in your school or district community.

 

Re-Designing Professional Development for Teachers of Linguistically Diverse Learners K-12

Led by: Kerrin Moeller, Multilingual Department TOSA, Beaverton School District

In this session, presenters will share how they are re-designing sheltered instruction professional development to better meet the needs of both staff and students at each level.  Knowing that many school districts are having similar conversations about how to customize professional development, the presentation will focus primarily on the process of how we determined what to include in our professional development offerings, how we chose to deliver it and how we encouraged positive shifts in teacher practice.

 

Teacher Perceptions of Factor that Make Word Problems More Challenging for English Learners: Implications for Practice

Led by: Deni Basaraba, Data Analyst, Bethel School District

Successful mathematics word problem solving (MWPS) requires general and specific mathematics vocabulary knowledge, morphological awareness, awareness of how syntactical features are used in mathematics word problems, and the ability to read and comprehend word problems. Although researchers have examined the linguistic factors that contribute to the difficulty of MWPS for English Learners, little research has examined teacher awareness of these issues. We present the results of a survey with approximately 260 teachers to learn more about their perceptions of the role of language in MWPS.  Implications for teachers and administrators supporting teachers with ELs in their mathematics classrooms are discussed.

 

The New ELPA21 Screener – Staff Preparations for Test Administration

Led by: Kim Miller, Education Specialist for English Learners, Oregon Department of Education

This is a joint ODE and UCLA-CRESST staff presentation on the new ELPA21 Screener. Session participants will receive first-hand information about the planned screener blueprints and test administration requirements, including information about scoring.  Time will be provided to ask questions and to share feedback with presenters.  This presentation will assist districts in building internal capacity for administering the ELPA21 screener in the 2018-19 school year.    Staff who will be scheduling screening events and those who will be required to screen potential English learners using the new ELPA21 Screener are encouraged to attend this session

 

The Oregon EL State Report: How to Look at the Data for District Evaluation of EL Student Progress and Decision-Making

Led by: Taffy Carlisle, EL/Equity Education Specialist, ODE

The Oregon EL State Report is a valuable resource for districts to learn more about their data points for EL current and former student progress. Looking at these indicators can drive program evaluations, demonstrate areas of district EL strengths and needs, and give concrete evidence to interrupt systems that are not meeting the academic needs of current and former EL students.

 

The Power of Dialogic Reading in the Early Childhood Classroom and at Home to Increase Language Development

Led by: Dana Garies, Early Learning Manager, Houghton-Mifflin-Harcourt

Participants will learn the importance of dialogic reading and how it can be effective in both the Early Learning and elementary EL classroom as well as part of family engagement initiatives to increase language development, literacy skills, critical thinking and mindfulness.  Participants will learn and apply the sequences and prompts of dialogic reading and will use a variety of provided age-appropriate picture books to practice interactive reading and language development.  Each participant will be given a picture book in English and Spanish, book specific dialogical reading strategies in English and Spanish and handouts for both teachers and parents.

 

The State English Learner Strategic Plan: Request for Revisions and Stakeholder Input

Led by: Taffy Carlisle, Education Specialist, Oregon Department of Educatioin

The English Learner Strategic Plan is coming into its second version with revisions that support districts with resources and reflection tools, and addressed the needs of EL students from the lens of Social Emotional needs, Instructional Strategies used, Family and Community Support, and District Reflection. Please come and lend your voice the draft version to create a dynamic tool for districts and staff to improve or continue supporting staff, students, and families.

 

Think Outside the Box: Mirroring Your Student Population Through Literacy

Led by: Gloria Pereyra-Robertson, Kindergarten Teacher, Washington Elementary, Medford SD

Gloria Pereyra-Robertson, the 2017 Oregon State Teacher of the Year, is a 21-year Title 1 bilingual kindergarten teacher veteran, NNSTOY Social Justice Book List contributor, Scholastics blogger and advocate for teaching diversity and culture in the classroom. She will explain the importance of reflecting student population through literacy and how it empowers students to open their eyes to future possibilities. This session will offer you an opportunity to create your own toolbox as Gloria shares her personal book list, activities, and lessons to support, encourage, and appreciate cultural diversity in the classroom setting. These resources will challenge you to think outside the box while enabling you to mirror your student population through literacy.

 

Utilizing High Leverage Instructional Best Practices in Academically Inclusive Science Classrooms

Led by: Jamie Rumage, Science Education Specialist, Oregon Department of Education

Utilizing high leverage instructional practices with phenomena driven science instruction in academically inclusive classrooms to meet the needs of all students. In this session, participants will receive an overview of research based best practices to help students gain valuable learning strategies, increase vocabulary acquisition, and foster a growth mindset while enhancing equitable practices specific to students with a TAG identification. K-12 administrators, instructional coaches, educators, and TAG specialists will learn how to create systems of support as they implement science learning strategies in their classrooms, as well as gain strategies to identify and serve culturally and linguistically diverse students in gifted education.

 

Who is an EL?  Changes to EL Identification Process Due to ESSA

Led by: Kim Miller, Education Specialist for English Learners, Oregon Department of Education

This presentation will address changes in EL Identification due to changes in ESSA.  Oregon is required to have a statewide process/procedure for identifying potential English Learners.  Topics presented will include: Language use survey, Identification Screeners, Options for Students with Disabilities (who are potential ELs), and identification of American Indian/Alaskan Native ELs.  Time for questions will be provided