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OELA has produced a series of practice briefs and podcast episodes on instructional approaches and strategies for educators who serve English learners (ELs) and their families. These resources highlight promising practices related to STEM, language instruction educational programs, teacher preparation, and early childhood instruction.
- English Learners in Secondary Schools: Trajectories, Transitions, and Promising Practices – Part 1
- English Learners in Secondary Schools: Trajectories, Transitions, and Promising Practices – Part 2
- Integrating Language While Teaching Mathematics
- Hispanic Language Heritage: Language Assets for Career Preparedness
- Dual Language Education: Historical U.S. Perspectives and Current Practices – Part 1
- Dual Language Education: Historical U.S. Perspectives and Current Practices – Part 2
- EL Teacher Preparation: Zooming In On Maryland's Eastern Shore – Part 1
- EL Teacher Preparation: Zooming In On Maryland's Eastern Shore – Part 2
- Engaging English Learners and Families through Distance Learning
- Supporting ELs With Interrupted Formal Education: Research and Practices From The Field – Part 1
- Supporting ELs With Interrupted Formal Education: Research and Practices From The Field – Part 2
- Integrating Language While Teaching STEM (Science)
- Integrating Language Into Early Childhood Education
- A National Profile of Educational and Employment Barriers and Opportunities
English Learners in Secondary Schools: Trajectories, Transitions, and Promising Practices – Part 1
In this podcast featuring Dr. Aída Walqui from WestEd, Dr. Ilana Umansky from the University of Oregon, and Dr. Karen Thompson from Oregon State University, the panelists address questions regarding the education of English learners (ELs) in secondary schools submitted during the English Learners in Secondary Schools: Trajectories, Transition Points, and Promising Practices webinar hosted by OELA in 2021. The three panelists discuss how to support ELs in meeting graduation requirements, mitigate risks that may lead ELs to drop out of school, and provide English language development instruction.
- English Learners in Secondary Schools: Trajectories, Transitions, and Promising Practices – Part 1 Podcast (Listen on SoundCloud)
- English Learners in Secondary Schools: Trajectories, Transitions, and Promising Practices – Part 1 Transcript
- OELA Fact Sheet on English learner graduation rates
- Brief on English learner graduation rates by Julie Sugarman from the Migration Policy Institute
- Preparing English Learners for College and Career
- Internationals Network
- Sangerlearns.com
English Learners in Secondary Schools: Trajectories, Transitions, and Promising Practices – Part 2
In this podcast featuring Dr. Aída Walqui from WestEd, Dr. Ilana Umansky from the University of Oregon, and Dr. Karen Thompson from Oregon State University the panelists continue to address questions regarding the education of English learners (ELs) in secondary schools submitted during the English Learners in Secondary Schools: Trajectories, Transition Points, and Promising Practices webinar hosted by OELA in 2021. The three panelists discuss the needs of students with limited or interrupted formal education, professional learning opportunities for educators of secondary ELs, and promising practices that can help educators meet the needs of ELs in secondary schools.
- English Learners in Secondary Schools: Trajectories, Transitions, and Promising Practices – Part 2 Podcast (Listen on SoundCloud)
- English Learners in Secondary Schools: Trajectories, Transitions, and Promising Practices – Part 2 Transcript
- OELA Fact Sheet on English learner graduation rates
- Brief on English learner graduation rates by Julie Sugarman from the Migration Policy Institute
- Preparing English Learners for College and Career
- Internationals Network
- Sangerlearns.com
Integrating Language While Teaching Mathematics
- NCELA Teaching Practice Brief – Effective instructional practices, examples, and practice shifts for math teachers
- Math Teaching Brief Podcast
- Math Teaching Brief Podcast Transcript
The NCELA Teaching Practice Brief Effective Instructional Practices and Examples for Teaching Math to English Learners provides educators with current research findings and evidence-based, high quality, instructional mathematics practices from the Institute of Education Sciences’ Practice Guide for teaching English learners (ELs) academic content (Baker et al., 2014) and highlights instructional practices used to teach ELs according to the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. In addition, the brief provides teacher educators with the latest research on how to better prepare the next generation of teachers.
The podcast featuring former OELA Education Program Specialist Anthony Sepulveda and Haiwen Chu, Senior Program Associate in Mathematics at WestEd, explores three key themes from the brief: academic rigor for all students, quality interactions around math content, and purposeful language focus in a mathematics classroom.
Hispanic Language Heritage: Language Assets for Career Preparedness
Multilingualism opens career opportunities in the public and private sectors and can raise occupational status and earning potential of individuals who are proficient in more than one language. Language skills can also serve as an important resource for learning, and development of problem-solving competencies.
In this podcast Lorena McElwain, Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director at OELA and Carol Carter, the Founder of GlobalMindED facilitate a panel discussion to inspire linguistically and culturally diverse students to cherish, nurture and revere their primary culture, heritage, and language so they can realize the short- and long-term personal, educational, and professional benefits of being multilingual. Panelists discuss how multilingualism can shape career paths and share how language skills have influenced their career trajectories.
Dual Language Education: Historical U.S. Perspectives and Current Practices – Part 1
For English learner students, dual language programs offer opportunities to lead with their cultural and linguistic assets, leverage and nurture their full linguistic knowledge and skills, and engage in rigorous academic content learning, all while developing English.
As dual language programs become increasingly viewed as educationally beneficial, interest in them has expanded. Interest now extends beyond English learner communities and advocates to include native English-speaking students whose families are interested in the many benefits of multilingualism. Against the backdrop of this renewed interest in dual language programs across the country this podcast will illuminate several factors. Historically, this is an opportune moment for us to pause and reflect on the past as we consider the present and look forward to the future of dual language programs.
In Part I of this podcast, Dr. Elizabeth Bucknor, Education Program Specialist at OELA speaks with Dr. Maria Coady from the University of Florida. They discuss the historical context of dual language programs and the need for increased availability of dual language education in rural areas.
Dual Language Education: Historical U.S. Perspectives and Current Practices – Part 2
For English learner students, dual language programs offer opportunities to lead with their cultural and linguistic assets, leverage and nurture their full linguistic knowledge and skills, and engage in rigorous academic content learning, all while developing English.
As dual language programs become increasingly viewed as educationally beneficial, interest in them has expanded. Interest now extends beyond English learner communities and advocates to include native English-speaking students whose families are interested in the many benefits of multilingualism. Against the backdrop of this renewed interest in dual language programs across the country this podcast will illuminate several factors. Historically, this is an opportune moment for us to pause and reflect on the past as we consider the present and look forward to the future of dual language programs.
In Part II of this podcast, Dr. Elizabeth Bucknor, Education Program Specialist at OELA speaks with Dr. Marco Bravo from Santa Clara University and Dr. Louise Lockard from Northern Arizona University. The panelists discuss the need for increasing the reach of dual language teachers across grade levels, and the role and benefits of dual language teachers and teacher education programs in Native American communities.
EL Teacher Preparation: Zooming in on Maryland's Eastern Shore – Part 1
Research on teacher preparation identifies the recruitment, preparation, induction, and retention of teachers as challenges in providing high-quality instruction for English learners (ELs). Compounding these challenges are the varied educational and geographical landscape that teachers of ELs work in, which necessitates attracting teacher candidates with specialized pedagogical and linguistic skill sets. As of 2018, the Learning Policy Institute reported that 10 states had Grow Your Own programs, with more states exploring the development of such programs
In Part I of this conversation, Jessica Swan, an Education Program Specialist at OELA and Dr. Anjali Pandey, the principal investigator of the National Professional Development Grant: TARGET Training and Retraining Grades K–12 Eastern Shore Teachers discuss the impetus for the TARGET program, the steps taken for its implementation, and its outcomes.
EL Teacher Preparation: Zooming in on Maryland's Eastern Shore – Part 2
Research on teacher preparation identifies the recruitment, preparation, induction, and retention of teachers as challenges in providing high-quality instruction for English learners (ELs). Compounding these challenges are the varied educational and geographical landscape that teachers of ELs work in, which necessitates attracting teacher candidates with specialized pedagogical and linguistic skill sets. As of 2018, the Learning Policy Institute reported that 10 states had Grow Your Own programs, with more states exploring the development of such programs.
In Part II of this podcast, Jessica Swan, an Education Program Specialist at OELA and Dr. Anjali Pandey, the principal investigator of the National Professional Development Grant: TARGET Training and Retraining Grades K–12 Eastern Shore Teachers continue their discussion of the TARGET program, outlining challenges, successes, lessons learned, and next steps for those interested in developing their own teacher preparation program.
Engaging English Learners and Families through Distance Learning
Family and community engagement is an essential part of student success. With COVID-19 related school closures and the transition to distance learning, many schools are working to sustain engagement with English learner (EL) families and communities, and to ensure two-way communication to build school and community capacity.
In this podcast Maha Abdelkader, an Education Program Specialist from the Office of English Language Acquisition, speaks with Gabriela Uro from Council of Great City Schools and with Shelly Spiegel-Coleman from Californians Together about best practices and examples for continuous EL family and community engagement in the current remote environment.
Supporting ELs with Interrupted Formal Education: Research and Practices from the Field – Part 1
An important topic in English learner (EL) education is how ELs who are students with interrupted formal education, or SIFE, often face many serious challenges when attending school in the United States. Their educators also often encounter difficulties in meeting SIFE's needs. Supporting ELs with Interrupted Formal Education: Research and Practices from the Field is a two-part discussion hosted by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA).
In part one, Francisco Lopez, an Education Program Specialist from OELA, speaks with Dr. Margarita Calderon, professor Emerita at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Calderon describes her research on ELs who are SIFE and provides information to educators on research-based best practices for supporting this population of students.
- Supporting ELs with Interrupted Formal Education: Research and Practices from the Field – Part 1 Podcast (Listen on SoundCloud)
- Supporting ELs with Interrupted Formal Education: Research and Practices from the Field – Part 1 Podcast Transcript
Supporting ELs with Interrupted Formal Education: Research and Practices from the Field – Part 2
An important topic in English learner (EL) education is how ELs who are students with interrupted formal education, or SIFE, often face many serious challenges when attending school in the United States. Their educators also often encounter difficulties in meeting SIFE's needs. Supporting ELs with Interrupted Formal Education: Research and Practices from the Field is a two-part discussion hosted by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA).
In part two, Francisco Lopez, an Education Program Specialist from OELA, talks with Teresa Vignaroli, an English Learners Supervisor from Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia, about practical considerations and the day-to-day programming involved with serving ELs who are SIFE.
Integrating Language While Teaching STEM (Science)
The NCELA Teaching Practice Brief Effective instructional practices, examples, and practice shifts for science and engineering teachers highlights promising practices related to science and engineering instruction for educators and other staff who support English learners (ELs) and their families. This brief draws upon recommendations from the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine's 2018 report titled English Learners in STEM Subjects: Transforming Classrooms, Schools, and Lives.
The podcast, featuring Elizabeth Judd, an Education Program Specialist at OELA and Martha Castellón Palacios, Senior Program Associate at WestEd, further explores the five key practices presented in the brief.
- NCELA Teaching Practice Brief – Effective instructional practices, examples, and practice shifts for science and engineering teachers
- Science Teaching Brief Podcast (Listen on SoundCloud)
- Science Teaching Brief Podcast Transcript
Integrating Language into Early Childhood Education
This teaching brief draws upon recommendations from the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine report Promoting the Educational Success of Children and Youth Learning English: Promising Futures. The brief highlights some promising instructional practices that are relevant and important for teachers of young children ages 3-7 who are identified as dual language learners or English learners.
The podcast, featuring Celeste McLaughlin, NAM Team Lead and Grants Management Coordinator at OELA and Dr. Pamela Spycher, Senior Research Associate at WestEd, explores the four key practices presented in the brief: Embracing an assets orientation, promoting multilingual development, providing frequent interaction with complex texts, and teaching foundational literacy skills.
- NCELA Teaching Practice Brief – Effective instructional practices, examples, and practice shifts for early childhood education teachers
- Early Childhood Teaching Brief Podcast (Listen on SoundCloud)
- Early Childhood Teaching Brief Podcast Transcript
Adolescent and Adult English Learners: A National Profile of Educational and Employment Barriers and Opportunities
This policy brief provides information related to the demographic characteristics, education enrollment, education attainment, and employment status of ELs ages 14–21 as well as the services currently offered by the K–12 and adult education systems to these adolescent and young adult ELs. The goal of the brief is to synthesize information from two reports funded by the U.S. Department of Education , and to offer recommendations about future data collection and reporting to help inform program design and delivery for ELs ages 14–21, across the K–12 and adult education systems.
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