Problems with Accessing Documents?

It's been a while since I've posted, but I just discovered that all of the documents I'd uploaded on scribd.com to make available via this blog have somehow all been deleted and that the documents I thought I'd moved from Google groups to Google docs are almost all inaccessible.  So...that means there are dozens of resources visitors like you might have tried to look at but couldn't.  Many apologies!

While I tackle the task of re-uploading and revising my links to everything, please leave me a comment and an email address if there's anything you wanted to download but can't.  I'll be sure to send it your way ASAP!

Speaking in Tongues: Video Extras

A PBS documentary takes a closer look at immersion education across the country.  Here's a clip from a Chinese immersion program:


Inside Immersion from PatchWorks Films on Vimeo.

More video extras from the film can be found here: http://speakingintonguesfilm.info/about/video_extras/.  Fascinating!

TFA Literacy Seminar 2: Differentiated Language & Literacy Instruction

Here are the resources for the second literacy seminar. The focus was on second language development and guided reading to differentiate reading instruction.

ARTICLE: Differentiation of Instruction in the Elementary Grades (Carol Ann Tomlinson)
ARTICLE: Strategies that Differentiate Instruction 
PRESENTATION:  Literacy Seminar 2 (with hyperlinks for video)

La universidad: Un sueño alcanzable

Fountas & Pinnell Resources in Spanish

When it comes to literacy education, I consider Irene Fountas, Gay Su Pinnell, and Lucy Calkins as close to gods as it comes.  I've devoured everything I can get my hands on by them and just wish I had the money to get it all!

I am a strong believer that guided reading and, for some readers who struggle significantly--small group and one on one reading interventions, are KEY to reading achievement in any elementary classroom.  While most of F&P's resources are in English and are geared to English literacy, much can be applied to Spanish literacy in many areas (Spanish is especially unique when it comes to phonological awareness, phonics & the alphabetic principle, etc).  You can imagine my excitement when a few minutes ago I stumbled on a few Spanish F&P resources that are or soon will be available.  The first is a prompting guide for literacy instruction--a flip chart that can be used throughout the literacy block, providing teachers will precise language to use that will help enhance reading and writing instruction.  You can order it here.

I also saw on F&P's blog that they are developing a Spanish version of the Fountas & Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System 1.  Unfortunately they don't yet know if they'll actually develop LLI (Leveled Literacy Intervention) in Spanish--I'm crossing my fingers they eventually do as it is a powerful English reading intervention.  Good news for teachers in grades 3 - 8....they are developing LLI for the upper grades (in English).   For those schools with a lot of money to invest in the ultimate one on one reading intervention, Reading Recovery (English) and Descubriendo la Lectura (Spanish) are as good as it gets.

ELLs & Special Education

One of the most challenging and pressing issues we face as bilingual educators committed to helping every ELL be as successful as they possible can is that of how to best serve English Language Learners with learning disabilities.  Whenever I reflect on this topic I think about my sweet third grade student Miguel (name changed) who was learning English as a second language, was a year older than his peers and yet grade levels behind, was placed in Special Ed due to a severe learning disability that evidenced itself most fully in reading and writing, and came from an incredibly impoverished single parent home.  This little boy faced a number of challenges, and though I worked very hard to understand his learning disability and to understand how his language needs, learning needs, and social-emotional needs were alike, different, etc, I still reflect on my two years teaching Miguel and feel like there was so much more I could have done.

I also think of Kaylee, Jose, and several other students I've taught who were English Language Learners and learning disabled.   Some I taught while in a 50/50 or 90/10 dual immersion setting, others in an English immersion environment.  All struggled tremendously--mostly because I wasn't very well equipped to meet their unique needs.  As committed bilingual educators, the more we can learn about serving our special needs ELLs, the higher the chances they'll be able to reach their full academic potential.

Check out this video webcast with Dr. Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan who discusses effective assessment and instructional strategies for English Language Learners with disabilities.  Dr. Cárdenas-Hagan developed the Esperanza Spanish reading and writing program and runs a bilingual speech pathology center down here in Brownsville.



The resources about ELLs and Special Ed are few and far between.  I have reached out to Francisco Najera with a question or two before--he is the faculty director of the Bank Street College of Education's program in Dual Language/Bilingual Special Education.  George Washington University's website reports that there are only eight graduate programs in the country "that prepare educators to meet the cultural, language, social and learning needs of a growing number of culturally and linguistically diverse, and/or exceptional students." 

Here are a few more resources I've stumbled upon:

• Bilingual Special Ed, ERIC digest
• Blog: Effective Practices in Bilingualism & Special Ed
• Bilingual Students with Disabilities get Special Help: How a school in NV does it
• Book:  The Bilingual Special Education Interface
• MA's SIG for Bilingual Special Education (also scroll down for links to add'l resources)
• Bilingual Special Education resources for purchase
• ELLs with Special Needs: Effective Instructional Strategies (CAL Digest)
• Empowering Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Students with Learning Problems (by Jim Cummins; ERIC Digest)  This digest is based on A Theoretical Framework for Bilingual Special Education by Jim Cummins (Exceptional Children, October 9, Vol. 56, No. 2, pp. 111-119. EJ 399079). 

Spanish Language Learning for Parents

Have you considered offering second language courses for parents?  We've found that most (not all, but most) non-English speaking parents are very supportive of their child receiving homework in their second language.  We've also found that English-dominant parents typically get frustrated a little more often, expressing that they feel that their child shouldn't receive Spanish homework.  Sometimes it's because they themselves don't know how to help their child do it, and sometimes it's because they don't feel it's important for them to do.

I just stumbled upon a program called Soleado, a Spanish as a Second Language course for adults.  The website has lots of free resources and samples, and the prices themselves don't look too steep.  Could be a great place to start for a school wanting to offer Spanish courses for their English speaking parents.  This would help parents feel more comfortable supporting their child's second language and would hopefully build the value of the minority language not only in the minds of students but also their families.

Utah & Dual Immersion

Two years ago the Utah state legislature approved funding for dual immersion programs in Spanish, French & Chinese across the state, and they have now become the first state to develop standardized immersion curriculum.  Pretty exciting stuff--and several other states are watching closely!  Read more about it here.

TFA Literacy Seminar 1: Balanced Literacy

I agreed to serve as this year's literacy seminar leader for Teach For America's new corps members here in the RGV--I'm really excited to get back to helping in this way.  I love staying closely to connected to TFA and to CMs here in the Valley.

While these seminars are not specific to dual language or bilingual classrooms, they are equally applicable to every elementary classroom.  I want to post the resources I find/create for each of these sessions in case they're helpful to anyone else!

SESSION 1: BALANCED LITERACY
Session Presentation (with active hyperlinks for video clips) via Google Docs
Session Agenda
Session Reading Assignment (TFA Elementary Literacy Text, Chapter 8)
Session Guided Notes Template
F&P Literacy Framework
Guided Reading Lesson Plan Samples & Template
Session Exit Slip
Balanced Literacy Online Resources (collection of video clips, photos, articles, books, etc)

Spanish and Latino/a Book Lists

The Teachers Reading and Writing Project of Columbia University has compiled and shared a fantastic list of books that can be used to supplement reading and writing workshop units of study.  Their list includes several substantial Spanish book lists as well--check them out!  TCRWP Book Lists

A couple more good lists (most of the books on the following lists are in English but are written by Latino/a authors or celebrate Hispanic heritage):
Pura Belpré Award Winners List
Hispanic Heritage Booklist 

Here's a list I compiled of lots of children's books in Spanish (many are translations of books originally written in English) along with their Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level.  This could help you in a number of ways:

• Leveling books in your classroom library or guided reading library
• Helping parents buy Spanish books at a particular reading level
• Buying additional books at certain levels for your classroom library

 
Leveled Book List: Spanish (Levels A - Z)



And, well, in the spirit of bilingualism and biliteracy, here are some similar (though much more extensive) lists in English that I found on another district's website:
Leveled Book List:  English Grade K (Levels A-C)
Leveled Book List:  English Grade 1 (Levels C-I)
Leveled Book List:  English Grade 2 (Levels H-M)
Leveled Book List:  English Grade 3 (Levels L-P)
Leveled Book List:  English Grade 4 (Levels O-T)
Leveled Book List:  English Grade 5 (Levels S-W)
Leveled Book List:  English Grade 6+ (Levels V-Z)