VATESOL BLOG

Raising the Bar for Multilingual Learners: In Celebration of National Bilingual/Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 21:38:19 GMT

by Victoria (Tori) Pierson

April is National Bilingual/Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month!

Over the course of my career, I’ve embraced a shift in how we describe our students: from “English learners” to “multilingual learners.” It may seem small, but language matters. This shift sends a powerful message: Students learning English bring valuable assets to our classrooms.

When I began teaching ESL in Richmond, I worked in a large middle school with a growing multilingual learner population. I taught a full class of students at WIDA level 1, many of whom had been in the country for less than two years. At the time, all of my students were Spanish speakers, so I began experimenting with bilingual strategies during ELD instruction.

My favorite strategy was helping students make explicit connections between English and Spanish. It started with something small. One day, I noticed that my students wrote the date differently at the top of their assignments. I wrote two versions on the board: the U.S. format (MM/DD/YYYY) and the format used in most Spanish-speaking countries (DD/MM/YYYY). Then, I asked them to compare.

The students noticed differences in capitalization and punctuation, and similarities in the sounds and spelling of the months like September and septiembre. From there, I started intentionally building in these quick comparisons:

Words in English that end in -tion are nouns, just like words in Spanish that end in -ción
In English, adjectives usually come before the noun; in Spanish, they come after
Those tricky vowel sounds! We started referencing “English e” vs. la e de español

These were simple, quick comparisons - mini-lessons I now call “pivots.” They took just a few minutes, but they noticeably increased engagement, and my students’ reading and writing began to improve.

Reflecting on those lessons, I realized something important: my students were capable of far more than many people assumed. They were learning grade-level content while acquiring English and, at the same time, developing a deeper understanding of how language works. They were making connections across languages and thinking in complex, flexible ways.

Too often, when schools see students learning English, the response is remediation. We pull them from grade-level instruction, simplify the curriculum, and focus on “catching them up.” While well-intentioned, this approach can limit access to rigorous content and overlook the strengths students already bring.

My students showed me something different. They didn’t need less rigor - they needed more opportunity. When we compared English and Spanish, they weren’t struggling to keep up. They were engaging deeply with language and building new understanding.

That realization shifted my thinking. Supporting multilingual learners isn’t about lowering expectations or remediating what they lack. It’s about expanding access - to rigorous content, to their home language, and to opportunities to develop bilingualism. Equity means raising the bar while providing the tools to reach it. Bilingual education does exactly that.

At the time, our division was serving more than 3,000 multilingual learners (97% of whom were Spanish speakers), but we had no formal bilingual programs. I kept asking: Why not?

Eventually, a leader was ready to listen (or maybe just ready for me to stop asking!). When a state grant opportunity came up, I wrote a proposal to give our division a year to research and design a dual language program. That year was filled with reading, listening, connecting, and reimagining what was possible. Then we built the plan. The rest is history, and a lot of hard work.

Fast forward to 2026, and Richmond now has two schools that host two-way 50:50 dual language programs. So far, about 200 children in our city have benefited from structured bilingual education.

Across Virginia, dual language programs have been growing slowly and steadily for decades. This year, Virginia recognized its 100th dual language program, meaning that thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of Virginia students are benefiting from the power of bilingualism and biliteracy.

For me, what began as small “pivot” moments in a middle school classroom grew into a larger conversation about the power of bilingualism.

During National Bilingual/Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month, I’m reminded that change often starts with teachers noticing their students’ strengths and asking a simple question: What more could we be doing?

Maybe it starts with one small pivot and turns into a movement.

Celebrating Read Across America Week: Building a Nation of Readers

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 23:20:20 GMT

by Lisa Rose Johnson Ed.D., VATESOL Blog Editor

Hello VATESOL Members and Advocates,

Every year, schools and communities across the country come together to celebrate Read Across America Week, a nationwide literacy initiative led by the National Education Association (NEA). This special week is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading in children of all ages while promoting diverse books, inclusive stories, and lifelong literacy habits. Originally launched in 1998, Read Across America has grown into more than just a one-day event. It is now a year-round commitment to ensuring that every child sees themselves reflected in books and has access to high-quality literature that broadens their understanding of the world. In conjunction with this event and the spirt to keeping this as a year-round commitment. I wanted to share some resources and suggested texts to consider adding your school and classroom library. The NEA Read Across America website has many free resources but I wanted to highlight some texts that your students will love:

The first novel Front desk and other books in the series follows Mia Tang, a 10-year-old girl who helps her parents manage a motel in California while navigating school, friendship, racism, and financial hardship. Mia works the front desk after school, translating for her parents and helping guests—while secretly dreaming of becoming a writer.

Dani De La Cruz – A local scholarship student navigating racism, classism, and financial stress while supporting her immigrant family.

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery—a timeless classic by a famous French author

Holes by Louis Sachar—young kids find an adventure after digging holes for punishment

Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan—deals with Mexican immigration

References

Find your book. National Education Association. (n.d.). https://www.nea.org/professional-excellence/student-engagement/read-across-america/find-your-book

Recommended reading list | english language learning program: Loyola University Chicago. (n.d.). https://www.luc.edu/esl/resourcesforcurrentstudents/recommendedreadinglist/

Yang, K. (2024, April 29). An award-winning middle grade novel by Kelly Yang. Front Desk. https://frontdeskthebook.com/

Yang, K. (2022, February 17). Kelly Yang. Kelly Yang Parachutes. https://www.kellyyang.com/parachutes/

Free 2-year TESOL International Association memberships deadline 2/16

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 00:23:16 GMT

Did you know that teacher educators can give free 2-year TESOL International Association memberships to their students? This link provides all the details. Referrals are accepted twice per year. The current referral deadline is Feb. 16.

Free Workshop In Person and Virtual Option Building Learner Independence 1/31/2026

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 05:49:47 GMT

This collaborative professional learning session focuses on High Leverage Practice 14: Cognitive and Metacognitive Strategies. Participants will examine how educational professionals (including special education and ESL teachers) can strengthen instructional decision-making to build student independence through self-study and teacher-as-researcher approaches. Educators will engage with practical examples, reflective tools, and research-informed strategies that support students in taking greater ownership of their learning. All teachers are welcome to attend.

Please open the pdf file below to view and register

Building Learner Independence.pdf

Two Key Bills Voices Need on 1/22 in Richmond

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 03:28:32 GMT

Two key bills are up tomorrow in the Senate Public Education Subcommittee tomorrow afternoon: SB 685 (codifies existing federal civil rights obligations regarding language access in public schools) and SB 491(privacy and other protections for immigrant youth in schools). Unfortunately remote testimony is unlikely based on the subcommittee meetings held so far, but please let us know if you can join us in Richmond tomorrow.

Here are the bills: SB 685 https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB685

SB 491https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB491

We would love stories/anecdotes (the blog post did not result in any) if folks have time to share them here. These can be anonymous but help us with our testimony and with talking to legislators.

Amy Walters

Associate Director of Clinics

Legal Aid Justice Center

302-593-7653 (cell)

Proposed 2026 legislation impacting VATESOL Teachers and Students:

Sat, 10 Jan 2026 15:39:30 GMT

Proposed 2026 legislation impacting VATESOL Teachers and Students:

Student Protections to ensure that all children in Virginia have equal access to public education by:

Codifying the constitutional right to education regardless of immigration status

Establishing uniform procedures for law enforcement access to schools

Protecting student privacy and preventing discriminatory practices

Providing enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance

Clarifying that Virginia’s Human Rights Act covers students in schools

Meaningful Language Access Provisions for Students and Families

Codification of funding add-ons for high-need students including English Language Learners

Increasing funding add-ons for high-need students

From funding to protecting students, here are three ways to make an impact on Virginia’s budget and legislation this winter.

Take 3 minutes to anonymously share your experiences as a teacher or the experiences of your students and their families. Hearts and minds (and legislators!) are persuaded by stories, and we need to hear from you – both the good and the bad. Do you have a student who has succeeded because of the resources you were able to offer? Are you underfunded and/or short-staffed? Have your students suffered from discriminatory harassment? Has attendance dropped since January 2025? We are seeking individual stories and specific anecdotes from teachers about their experiences and the experiences of their students to assist in our advocacy efforts.

Tell us you story link: https://tinyurl.com/tellus2026

Follow relevant bills through the General Assembly, write your legislators, and provide public comment (written, virtual, or in-person) when the bill is in sub-committee. Legal Aid Justice Center will work with VATESOL to share information on proposed legislation that will impact your teaching and your students. There is little advanced notice, but you can work with the Legal Aid Justice Center to draft a brief statement or letter before session begins on January 14.

Include your students in the legislative process:

Legal Aid Justice Center and/or the Youth Advocacy Clinic from UVA Law are happy to present on civic engagement generally or specific proposed legislation, and we can facilitate student and teacher advocacy.

You can develop public comment as a class or small group

Submit it in writing

Have it read by an advocate in-person

Testify virtually

Bring yourself and/or your students to the General Assembly

FundOurSchools’ Lobby Day is February 3; Register here

VACALOA also is hosting a Lobby Day on February 3

For more information or questions, reach out to Amy Walters at the Legal Aid Justice Center: amyw@justice4all.org.

Proposed 2026 legislation impacting VATESOL Teachers and Students

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 05:30:25 GMT

Follow relevant bills through the General Assembly, write your legislators, and provide public comment (written, virtual, or in-person) when the bill is in sub-committee. Legal Aid Justice Center will work with VATESOL to share information on proposed legislation that will impact your teaching and your students. There is little advanced notice, but you can work with the Legal Aid Justice Center to draft a brief statement or letter before session begins on January 14.
Include your students in the legislative process:

Legal Aid Justice Center and/or the Youth Advocacy Clinic from UVA Law are happy to present on civic engagement generally or specific proposed legislation, and we can facilitate student and teacher advocacy.

You can develop public comment as a class or small group

Submit it in writing

Have it read by an advocate in-person

Testify virtually

Bring yourself and/or your students to the General Assembly

FundOurSchools’ Lobby Day is February 3; Register here

VACALOA also is hosting a Lobby Day on February 3

For more information or questions, reach out to Amy Walters at the Legal Aid Justice Center: amyw@justice4all.org.

Proposed 2026 legislation impacting VATESOL Teachers and Students

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 05:23:48 GMT

Meaningful Language Access Provisions for Students and Families

Codification of funding add-ons for high-need students including English Language Learners

Increasing funding add-ons for high-need students

From funding to protecting students, here are three ways to make an impact on Virginia’s budget and legislation this winter.

Take 3 minutes to anonymously share your experiences as a teacher or the experiences of your students and their families. Hearts and minds (and legislators!) are persuaded by stories, and we need to hear from you – both the good and the bad. Do you have a student who has succeeded because of the resources you were able to offer? Are you underfunded and/or short-staffed? Have your students suffered from discriminatory harassment? Has attendance dropped since January 2025? We are seeking individual stories and specific anecdotes from teachers about their experiences and the experiences of their students to assist in our advocacy efforts.

Survey Link: https://forms.office.com/r/ztXnEL5Zjf

For more information or questions, reach out to Amy Walters at the Legal Aid Justice Center: amyw@justice4all.org.

Proposed 2026 legislation impacting VATESOL Teachers and Students

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 05:21:54 GMT

Proposed 2026 legislation impacting VATESOL Teachers and Students:

Student Protections to ensure that all children in Virginia have equal access to public education by:

Codifying the constitutional right to education regardless of immigration status

Establishing uniform procedures for law enforcement access to schools

Protecting student privacy and preventing discriminatory practices

Providing enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance

Clarifying that Virginia’s Human Rights Act covers students in schools
For more information or questions, reach out to Amy Walters at the Legal Aid Justice Center: amyw@justice4all.org.

Getting to Know the Satchel Web Application

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 20:19:16 GMT

The Satchel is a web application designed to streamline the alignment of the WIDA English Language Development Standards with the Virginia Standards of Learning for English, History and Social Science, Mathematics, and Science.

This format provides educators and leaders readily accessible and aligned competencies, skills, and standards that are needed to support the instruction of English Learners in the four core content areas. With this alignment, teachers can confidently design instruction that fosters both language development and academic success across the content areas.

Watch this video to learn how to navigate through the Satchel and begin your journey to language integrated content instruction.

All the best,

Jo-el Cox

Coordinator of Multilingual Learner Instruction

Round Table Session Follow Up

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 17:44:39 GMT

Round Table Session Follow Up

We enjoyed seeing you at VATESOL in Richmond Nov. 13-14! One of the many awesome things you can look for on this year’s program are “Key Take-Away” sessions. During Key Take-Away sessions, we’ve set aside open time and space for you to process the many great new ideas you’re learning. We hope you took advantage of the roundtable time to talk with other conference attendees about how you can take-away new learnings and apply those directly to your everyday work. We can’t wait to hear what your next step are! If you want to share please email our Blog editor Lisa Johnson at johnsonlisarose@gmail.com

Summer Book Club For The First Six Weeks of School by Denton and Kriete

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 02:47:39 GMT

Hello fellow VATESOL members and allies.

I am Lisa Johnson the VATESOL Blog Editor, and advocate for English Language Learners.

Are you looking for a summer book club to help you get ready to start your next school. Do you want to make your classroom more responsive but are not sure how?

This summer I will lead a book club for educators and allies.

We will be reading Paula Denton and Roxann Kriete's the First Six Weeks of school. Asa group we will come together and discuss the text and how we can build social emotional learning activities into our practice.

If you are interested we will meet in late July and 2 times in August via Zoom.

If you want to learn more about the book and the authors you can read more here.

You may order the book for anywhere books are sold but I prefer Abe.com or Alibris.com for affordability.

The ISBN # is 9781892989048

If you are interested in joining kindly complete the Google form here by July 15th.

Call for Proposals for VA TESOL 2025

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 02:40:26 GMT

Call for Proposals

The Call For Proposals for our 2025 Fall Conference remains open! We love to offer a diverse set of presentations from our wide range of membership, so all are welcome and encouraged to submit by July 15.

Conference Theme

Advocating for Excellence in Multilingual Education

Submit a Proposal

Demystifying proposal writing for VATESOL 2025: Advocating for Excellence in Multilingual Education

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 02:39:51 GMT

Demystifying proposal writing for VATESOL 2025: Advocating for Excellence in Multilingual Education

VATESOL is thrilled to host our annual conference, Advocating for Excellence in Multilingual Education, in Richmond on November 13–14, 2025. Whether you are a classroom teacher, researcher, or community advocate, we invite you to participate — as both attendees and presenters! As a member of the VATESOL Board of Directors, I am excited to share practical tips to support your proposal writing and encourage you to submit your session idea by June 30.

Access the Proposal Submission Link

To access the proposal submission link, go to the VATESOL website at https://vatesol.org/conferences and locate the “Submit a Presentation Proposal” embedded link. Then fill out your demographic information and choose your preferred presentation format: 20-minute session, 45-minute session, or 90-minute workshop.

Review the Proposal Rubric

Once you opened a presentation proposal form, you will be able to see the link for the rubric. We use the rubric to review proposals and provide ratings and feedback. As you write your session proposal, ask yourself the following questions:

Does the proposal title clearly describe the session?
Is the proposed topic timely and/or appropriate?
Is the session based on best practices within the TESOL field?
Is the proposal abstract clearly written?
Will this session positively contribute to the conference and the TESOL field?
Does this proposed session align with the theme of the conference?

Key Proposal Components

The following elements are required for each proposal submission.

Title (11 words) – Having a clear title connected to the world of multilingual education makes it easier for attendees to choose the sessions they are interested in. Capitalize the first letter of the title, and all major words with four or more letters, including words after a hyphen, slash, or colon. Do NOT include presenters’ names, the names of institutions, or the names of your publications or published works.

Abstract (50 words) - The abstract should describe the content of your session as clearly and succinctly as possible and highlight what attendees should expect to take away from the session. This will be printed in the conference program, so please proofread carefully. Do NOT include presenters’ names, the names of institutions, or the names of your publications.

Description (200 words) - The description should include a clearly stated purpose and point of view with supporting details and examples, and evidence of knowledge of current theory, practices, research and/or policy. Be sure to outline the session with an appropriate amount of content for the allotted time and indicate the target audience and student population(s). Do NOT include presenters’ names, the names of institutions, or the names of-your publications.

In sum, focus on three important elements

To ensure your proposal is accepted, we encourage you to pay attention to the theme of the conference, rubric, and anticipated audience. Remember that no identifiable information can be stated in the title, abstract, and description.

Ready to share your work and advocate for multilingual learners? Submit your proposal today and join us in Richmond on November 13-14 this year!

Katya Koubek

Communications Chair

VATESOL

Finish Strong

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 02:45:22 GMT

Finishing Strong

Dr. Jana Moore, VATESOL K-12 SIG Leader has been teaching in the ELL classroom for 25 years, abroad and within, the US. Her specialties include working with newcomers as well as long-term English language learners, in addition to identifying gifted multilingual learners. Dr. Moore currently serves as the English Learner Program Lead for over 600 English language learners at Parkside MS in Prince William County, VA.

For many of us in the K-12 ELL classroom, we are coming to the part of the school year that seems to have a lull. The ACCESS test has been given; we are waiting for the test results. State testing, whether SOLs or benchmarks, are in full swing to help determine how much our learners accomplished for the year. It almost feels as though there is a pause. There is still plenty of curriculum to be taught, but most students and school staff are already starting to think about and plan for summer vacation (Guilty! I may have started my summer planner already!). But this is exactly the time when we need to be thinking forward and push for a strong finish. Some of the best finishes I have ever seen have come from classrooms that took the time to go back and reinforce some basics. Here are just three suggestions of things we can all do in our classrooms to keep our students rolling towards success as the school year draws to a close.

Encourage Speaking

Students love to talk to each other, so take advantage of this! Keep your students talking to each other, and you, in as many different ways as you can. Encourage them to use complete sentences as a means to practice good academic vocabulary with each other. Activities such as Think-Pair-Share, Gallery Walks, or Student Reports are all ways that students can talk. As an added bonus, I like to bring in Game Days with my students. During this time I have several selections of language, critical thinking, and math games for my students to choose to play. My rule? If you can say it in English, then you have to do it. Even my most reluctant speakers will try a few lines in English for a chance at Game Day.

Encourage Reading

This one cannot be overstated enough: keep your students reading. Work towards developing that love of reading, and not necessarily reading for a particular standard. Use this time to teach students how to find genres they love, and those they do not. We can teach our students to return books that they do not find interesting, and find those stories their minds and imaginations crave. Now is the perfect time to work on this skill, because it can continue into the summer, when they are on their own. Help them get library cards or learn to find books online: set learners up for a successful summer of reading.

Resources for Schools in Support of Immigrant Students & Families

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 20:09:15 GMT

On behalf of Virginia TESOL, we deeply appreciate the dedication, love, and advocacy that all of our stakeholders continue to provide for multilingual learners and their families all across our Commonwealth.

In response to recent federal orders and policy changes, Virginia TESOL has compiled a list of resources to support educators in responding to concerns related to immigration. Additional resources and updates can be found on the TESOL Advocacy website.

General Guidelines:

Important Note: Many students do not know their immigration status or their family’s status.
School is a Safe Space: Reinforce that schools are safe and welcoming environments for all students, regardless of immigration status.
Stick to the Facts: Share factual information about the school’s role, federal/state policies that guide schools, and legal obligation to serve students.
Lau v. Nichols: 1974 Supreme Court case ruled that English learners have the right to participate meaningfully in public education and should receive additional English language development support.
Plyler v. Doe: 1982 Supreme Court case ruled that K-12 schools cannot forbid undocumented students to enroll, nor should we “chill” their school enrollment by asking uncomfortable questions around immigration status, social security numbers, visas, etc.
FERPA: Schools are not allowed to disclose private information. Our schools do not keep documentation status as part of school records. Information cannot be disclosed to ICE or anyone else without parental consent or a subpoena.

Acknowledge Concerns: Validate emotions and fears expressed by students, families, and community members, while focusing on constructive actions.
Stay Neutral Yet Compassionate: Avoid explicitly opposing political figures or agendas while advocating for the well-being and rights of students.

Key Messages for Students:

You Belong Here: "Our school is a place for everyone, no matter where you're from."
Support Is Available: Share resources like counselors and community organizations.
Stay Informed: Encourage students to rely on trusted adults for information instead of rumors or social media.
Empower Advocacy: If appropriate, suggest safe and productive ways to express concerns or seek help.

Resources for Schools

Additional Websites for Resources:

Introducing our 2024 Keynote Speaker!

Sat, 07 Sep 2024 13:28:02 GMT

Authored by VATESOL Board

Each year, the VATESOL Conference features a dynamic keynote speaker who represents the conference theme and the mission of VATESOL. This year, we are so excited to welcome Dr. Ayanna Cooper to VATESOL!

Ayanna Cooper, Ed.D., is an educator, bestselling author, and advocate whose advocacy centers around linguistically diverse student populations. She is a U.S. Department of State English Language Specialist alumna, having served on projects in Kuwait and Brazil. Ayanna engages in real-talk storytelling to support leadership development for multilingual students, provides technical assistance to state and local education agencies, and teaches part-time at Howard University. Ayanna is the author of several publications including And Justice for ELs: A Leader’s Guide to Creating and Sustaining Equitable Schools, Black Immigrants in the United States; Essays on the Politics of Race, Language and Voice (co-editor), and as the founding editor of Language Magazine’s Pass the Mic series.

Ayanna's keynote focuses on Civil Rights & the Survey: Making Meaning, Moving Mindsets.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education and the 50th anniversary of Lau v. Nichols. The population of multilingual students in U.S. schools has become more culturally and linguistically diverse. How have we (and the field) evolved as language educators? What does the future of multilingual education look like? Ayanna poses critical questions, centered around civil rights obligations, that can be used as an opportunity to self-assess and redress with the goal of improving outcomes for multilingual students.

We look forward to seeing all of you at the 2024 VATESOL conference and for Ayanna's keynote!

Delicious Eats Near the Richmond Marriott: A VATESOL Conference Lunch Guide

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 20:30:11 GMT

Authored by Max Nikoolkan, VATESOL Blog Editor

Delicious Eats Near the Richmond Marriott: A VATESOL Conference Lunch Guide

Attending the 2024 VATESOL Conference at the Richmond Marriott? You're in luck! Downtown Richmond boasts a vibrant culinary scene with numerous excellent restaurants within easy walking distance of the hotel. Here's a curated list of top-notch eateries to satisfy your taste buds during your lunch break.

Rappahannock Oyster Co. (0.2 miles) For seafood lovers, this is a must-visit spot. Known for their fresh oysters and sustainable seafood practices, Rappahannock offers a taste of the Chesapeake Bay. Try their famous crab cakes or enjoy a selection of raw oysters.
Secret Sandwich Society (0.3 miles) Craving a gourmet sandwich? This quirky spot offers creative combinations named after U.S. presidents. The "Jefferson" (roast beef, horseradish mayo, and crispy onions) is a local favorite.
Wong Gonzalez (0.3 miles) This unique fusion restaurant combines Asian and Mexican cuisines for an unforgettable dining experience. Don't miss their Korean BBQ tacos or Vietnamese-inspired banh mi sandwiches.
Pop's Market on Grace (0.4 miles) This charming market and cafe is ideal for a quick, casual lunch. Enjoy freshly made sandwiches, salads, and soups in a cozy atmosphere.
The Tobacco Company Restaurant (0.3 miles) Housed in a beautifully restored tobacco warehouse, this Richmond institution offers a taste of local history along with its delicious American cuisine. Their lunch menu features hearty salads, sandwiches, and entrees.
Lillie Pearl (0.2 miles) For a taste of elevated Southern cuisine, Lillie Pearl is a newcomer making waves in Richmond's food scene. Their lunch menu offers creative takes on classic dishes, like their famous shrimp and grits.
JewFro (0.4 miles) This innovative restaurant fuses Jewish and African cuisines for a truly unique dining experience. Try their matzo ball soup with Ethiopian spices or their brisket injera roll.
Mama J's Kitchen (0.5 miles) If you're willing to walk a bit further, Mama J's offers some of the best soul food in Richmond. Their fried chicken, catfish, and collard greens are legendary.

Vegetarian and Vegan Options:

Ipanema Cafe (0.6 miles) - A beloved vegetarian and vegan restaurant with daily specials and a cozy atmosphere.
NuVegan Cafe (0.4 miles) - Plant-based comfort food, including vegan "chicken" sandwiches and mac and cheese.

Quick Bites:

Urban Farmhouse Market & Cafe (0.1 miles) - Perfect for grabbing a quick sandwich or salad.
Chicken Fiesta (0.3 miles) - Fast, flavorful Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken.

Remember to check the operating hours of these restaurants, as some may have limited lunch hours. Most are within a 5-10 minute walk from the Richmond Marriott, giving you plenty of time to enjoy a delicious meal before returning to the conference.

Richmond's culinary scene reflects the city's rich history and diverse cultural influences. Whether you're in the mood for fresh seafood, Southern comfort food, international cuisine, or farm-to-table fare, you'll find something to satisfy your cravings just steps away from the conference venue. Enjoy exploring the flavors of Richmond during your VATESOL conference lunch breaks!

Preparing for the U.S. Citizenship Exam with the help of adult literacy organizations

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 12:29:04 GMT

Authored by Sara Geres, Adult Education SIG Leader

As the Program Director of a Community Based Literacy Organization (CBLO) in south west Virginia I regularly see adults that are approaching the eligibility to apply to become naturalized citizens of the United States. In addition to a lengthy application process individuals must participate and pass an exam. Adult CBLO’s across Virginia provide programs to prepare applicants to successfully pass this exam which tests the individual's civics knowledge and English language proficiency.

American History and Civics

Applicants are required to learn 100 American History and Civics questions. During the exam applicants will be asked a random series of 10 questions and required to correctly answer 6. Here is an example of questions, answers provided at the end of article:

Under our constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?
The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the Constitution, who was one of the writers?
What is one reason colonists came to America?

CBLO Citizenship Preparation classes teach learners the context behind these questions and provide opportunity to practice and drill USCIS expected answers.

Reading and Writing

To demonstrate sufficient English literacy skills applicants must pass the reading and writing portions of the exam. Applicants will be given a USCIS randomly selected sentence and asked to read out loud. The applicant will be given three opportunities to correctly read one sentence. For the writing section, applicants will be dictated a USCIS randomly selected sentence and asked to write on an electronic tablet. Again, the applicant will have three opportunities to correctly write one sentence.

Adults who participate in Citizenship Preparation classes are encouraged to co-enroll in appropriately leveled ESOL classes to ensure literacy levels are in accordance with USCIS expectations. Additionally, applicants should be exposed to and encouraged to practice the vocabulary that may be used.

Here are some example sentences:

● People in the United States have the right to freedom of speech.

● Delaware was one of the first states of the United States.

● Lincoln was the President during the first world war.

Speaking and Listening

Finally, applicants are given an oral interview based on the questions from the application, N-400 Form. These questions include complex vocabulary with legal phrasing that can be difficult for a language learner to understand.

Here are some example questions from the N-400 form:

● Have you ever manufactured, cultivated, produced, distributed, dispensed, sold or smuggled any controlled substances, illegal drugs, narcotics, or drug paraphernalia in violation or regulation of the U.S. state, the United States, or a foreign country.

● Do you now have, or did you ever have, a hereditary title or an order of nobility in any foreign country

Citizenship Preparation classes break down complex legalese into manageable concepts to ensure applicants have a real and true understanding and are able to respond swiftly and appropriately.

Through this short article you can see that becoming a citizen can be a challenging process that requires that applicants study and prepare. Adult CBLO’s that provide Citizenship Preparation classes ensure that language learners have equity in becoming a citizen of the United States through the support of structured classes.

American History and Civics answers:

● To print money

● To declare war

● To create an army

● To make treaties

● (James) Madison

● (Alexander) Hamilton

● (John) Jay

● Publius

● Freedom

● Political liberty

● Religious freedom

● Economic opportunity

● Practice their religion

● Escape persecution

USCIS provides citizenship resources for educational programs:

https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/resources-for-educational-programs/educational-products-for-educators-and-program-administrators

WHY EVERY VIRGINIA EDUCATOR SHOULD ATTEND THE 2024 VATESOL CONFERENCE

Sat, 01 Jun 2024 13:20:57 GMT

Authored by Max Nikoolkan, VATESOL Blog Editor

As educators, we are constantly seeking ways to enhance our teaching practices, connect with peers, and stay abreast of the latest trends in language education. The Virginia Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (VATESOL) conference provides a unique opportunity to achieve all these goals and more. Here’s why attending the 2024 VATESOL Conference is a must for every Virginia educator:

1. Professional Development and Growth

The VATESOL conference offers a rich array of workshops, sessions, and keynote speeches led by experts in the field. Whether you’re a seasoned teacher or just starting your career, you’ll find sessions tailored to your needs. From innovative teaching strategies to best practices in assessment, the conference covers a wide range of topics that will empower you to become a better educator.

2. Networking and Collaboration

Connecting with fellow educators is invaluable. At VATESOL, you’ll have the chance to network with teachers from across the state. Share ideas, discuss challenges, and collaborate on projects. These interactions can lead to lasting professional relationships and open doors for future collaborations.

3. Exposure to Cutting-Edge Research

Stay informed about the latest research and trends in language education. Attend sessions that delve into evidence-based practices, explore emerging technologies, and discuss relevant pedagogical theories. By staying informed, you’ll be better equipped to meet the diverse needs of your students.

4. Inspiration and Renewed Enthusiasm

Conferences like VATESOL provide a burst of inspiration. Engage with passionate educators, hear success stories, and learn from others’ experiences. You’ll leave the conference with renewed enthusiasm for your work and fresh ideas to implement in your classroom.

5. Advocacy and Community Building

VATESOL advocates for English language learners and educators. By attending the conference, you contribute to a stronger community of professionals who champion the rights of language learners. Learn about policy changes, advocacy efforts, and ways to make a positive impact on language education in Virginia.

6. Access to Resources and Exhibitors

Explore the exhibit hall where publishers, educational technology companies, and other organizations showcase their products and services. Discover new textbooks, teaching materials, and digital tools that can enhance your teaching. Plus, take advantage of exclusive conference discounts.

The 2024 VATESOL Conference promises a wealth of opportunities for professional growth, networking, and inspiration. As a Virginia educator, attending this conference isn’t just beneficial—it’s essential. Mark your calendar, register, and get ready to be part of a vibrant community dedicated to excellence in language education!

Remember to spread the word among your colleagues and encourage them to attend. Together, we can elevate language education in Virginia!

Tips for getting ahead over the summer!

Sat, 25 May 2024 01:20:36 GMT

Authored by April Salerno, Teacher Education SIG Leader

Ah the beautiful days of summer: sunshine, beach sand, and alarm clockless mornings. In a teaching field where it can seem there is never enough time, summer can sometimes feel like the answer to all our problems. But sometimes, it can also feel like the space where all larger to-do list items lurk (i.e., “I don’t need to worry about that right now; I’ll do it this summer.”). Here are some ideas to help you get some things done this summer without over-stressing your August:

For larger projects, make a timeline with deadlines for smaller steps. The whole project might feel too overwhelming, so just take on a little piece at a time.
Find a buddy. Divide up tasks, or set a meeting time to do the work side-by-side.
If possible, consider organizing your classroom space a little at a time over the summer instead of waiting until right before the school year starts. An hour here and there in the building can go a long way.
Think about materials and resources that you need and how community support or back-to-school sales can help you get them in more cost-effective ways.
Attend community events near your school that are harder to make time for during the school year (e.g., students’ sports games or community cultural celebrations).
Mix in some professional reading with pleasure reading. Maybe there’s a book on a topic that you’ve been wanting to learn about that’s not too dense but that still introduces you to the new topic.
As you encounter new ideas, use a system to keep track of them (sticky notes, a notebook just for this purpose, a calendar reminder, or a note on your phone), so you actually implement them next school year.
Make sure that no matter what work you tackle, you still get plenty of down time. You need time to recharge.

Tips & Tricks: Teaming up for Teaching Observations

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 13:46:00 GMT

Authored by April Salerno, Teacher Ed SIG Chair

The phrase “teaching observation” can prompt many emotions: nervousness, worry, anticipation, maybe even dread. But teaching observations hold great potential for helping us to grow as teachers, especially when they’re conducted in healthy, collaborative partnerships. Teaching observations can help us see what isn’t visible to us when we’re busy in the act of teaching, and they can offer opportunities for us to learn from colleagues. Here are some tips that might help take the scare out of teaching observations:

Team up with a trusted colleague. Find someone you respect and that you can learn from. Or ask different people who are real pros at different skills to observe those particular aspects of your teaching.
Talk ahead of time about the “ground rules” for your observations. What protocol will you use? What will the goal of the observation be? What questions does the observed person want to know about their teaching? Discuss what observational data might be reported to others, and what feedback is just for the two of you to consider.
Observe each other regularly, so you get used to observations and so you can observe for changes over time.
Consider whether video-recording would help you see things that you miss while you’re teaching.
Ask students to take notes on how you teach a particular skill or how you facilitate a certain activity and get their feedback.
After you receive feedback from the observation, try to identify one piece of feedback where you can make a change.

From VISTA Learning - Teaching Newcomers and Beginning Proficiency English Learners: Where to Start

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 13:23:41 GMT

Shared from Jody Nolf, VISTA Learning - Literacy Engagement Specialist

ESL? Where do I start? How do I communicate? HELP!

If you’re like many teachers, you might find yourself thrust into exciting new territory this school year. Schools around the country are seeing an influx of English/multilingual learners with unique needs that extend beyond language learning, and educators are finding themselves in classrooms filled with students they aren’t accustomed to teaching.

Depending upon their home country, English/multilingual learners arrive with various levels of education, life experiences, and background knowledge. Some students have interrupted learning experiences (SIFE or SLIFE students) and tend to struggle with literacy in any language. Others might speak and understand their heritage language (often referred to as the L1), but cannot read or write in that language. Many educators are finding themselves overwhelmed and underprepared to meet the needs of their newcomer students, but there are simple strategies and scaffolds educators can use to better educate this diverse population of learners and acclimate them to the American classroom.

Where Do I Start?

Start with a smile! A welcoming environment immediately puts students at ease and reduces what is known as the affective filter, i.e., any barrier to learning such as anxiety or lack of confidence. Students are more apt to learn in an environment where they feel a sense of safety and encouragement. Once students feel safe, true language learning can begin, and there is no better place to start than with introductions. Welcome your students and embrace their unique backgrounds.

Greetings

One way to foster communication is through authentic experiences. Begin with “hello” and model simple yet important greetings like “How are you?,” “What is your name?,” and “My name is….” Students will not only learn how to engage with others in their new language, they will also learn language that helps them identify themselves and others and their roles in the community with phrases like “Mrs. Carter is my teacher,” “Alana is my classmate,” “I am a teenager,” and “I like to swim.”

Vista’s series for newcomers in grades 1-12, Get Ready!, opens with these themes and is specifically designed for both elementary and secondary beginning-proficiency students. The series also offers educators easy-to-follow lessons that demonstrate welcoming rituals and celebrate identity.

TPR—Total Physical Response

These engaging lessons also allow teachers to employ the TPR—Total Physical Response—method of teaching. TPR is a great way for educators to convey meaning, while newcomers can use TPR to show their understanding of language. Newcomers wave or high-five their classmates when learning to say “hello,” and point to themselves when saying, “My name is….” These students begin to understand general welcoming rituals in a language-rich, authentic setting.

Visual Cues

When working with newcomers, teachers of all grade levels and content areas can present lessons with visual cues as an effective way to convey meaning. In the Get Ready! series, each page of instruction contains photographs, symbols, or images that accompany both academic and practical language (often referred to as “survival English”). Students see children on the pages who look like them, while also learning how to interact appropriately with others in their world.

Visuals are also useful in acclimating newcomer multilingual learners to their new school. For example, you may use graphics to create a daily schedule for students. While the words “lunch” or “cafeteria” might be unfamiliar to a newcomer student, pictures of food and a room with children eating creates meaning and context for a student learning to navigate their school day. Such familiarity builds confidence, while also developing the language.

Oral Fluency

As newcomer multilingual learners become accustomed to their new language and environment, the need for verbal expression grows. Simply stated, these students should be encouraged to speak and utilize their new language. However, many newcomers experience what is known as a “silent period.” This silent period should not be dismissed as merely a passive activity devoid of any learning, however. The silent period is an excellent opportunity for newcomers to absorb the language that is all around them. Oftentimes, educators mistakenly associate lack of speech with lack of understanding. This is not always the case. Many multilingual learners are not yet at a level of comfort where they wish to demonstrate speaking skills, but they are able to show their understanding through other means, such as drawings, pointing, or role play, and these less-confident newcomers should be encouraged to do so. Teachers can, however, reinforce speaking skills in a very low-stress setting. Get Ready! allows students to practice their oral fluency through the program’s embedded speaking exercises. These activities can be assigned for at-home practice, one-on-one, or with a shoulder partner if desired. This feature also allows students to try out their speaking skills while avoiding whole-group (choral) reads or echo practices, where the entire class is involved.

Working with newcomer English/multilingual learners doesn’t need to be a nerve-wracking experience. In fact, many teachers find that after the initial fears subside, these students are apt to be engaged and motivated to learn. With the appropriate scaffolds and strategies in place, students can learn English at a steady pace and can achieve academic success alongside their native English-speaking peers. The key is implementing the right scaffold, or level of support, for the student’s level of English proficiency. And just like structural scaffolds, learning scaffolds are designed to be adjusted as the student learns. For example, as multilingual learners grow in their new language (called the L2), teachers will discover that they don’t need to employ as many visual or verbal cues as when their students first entered their classroom. Classroom labels such as “pencil” or “notebook” can be removed once students have mastered those terms—and master them they will. With the proper supports and a nurturing environment, these students can be successful!

By: Jody Nolf

DEI in Educational Consulting

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 13:15:43 GMT

Authored by Andrea Smith, Education Consultant SIG Leader

An increasing number of consultants are recognizing the critical role DEI plays in effective educational support. Let's be honest, the educational consulting industry hasn't always been a shining beacon of diversity. Many services are inaccessible to low-income families, and consultants haven't always reflected the full spectrum of experiences students navigate. We observe biases in recommendations, standardized test prep strategies that favor certain learning styles or cultural backgrounds, and a lack of understanding of the unique challenges faced by marginalized communities.

Education opens doors, shapes futures, and fulfills potential. Yet, for many, those doors remain stubbornly shut, their futures dimmed by systemic inequities that permeate our educational landscape. As educational consultants, we hold a significant responsibility: to ensure our services serve not just a privileged few, but uplift and empower students from all backgrounds and walks of life. That's where Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) come in, as guiding principles for a more just and equitable future of education

We can start building an inclusive future by:

Diversifying: We need consultants who represent the diversity of students we serve. This means actively seeking professionals from underrepresented backgrounds and building mentorship programs to nurture future generations of consultants.
Centering equity: It's not enough to simply "check the box" of different identities. We must proactively address systemic barriers, advocate for equitable access to resources and opportunities, and challenge our own implicit biases.
Culturally responsive strategies: Understanding students' backgrounds, learning styles, and lived experiences is key to providing effective support. Consultants need to develop culturally responsive strategies that cater to diverse needs and learning preferences.
Amplifying marginalized voices: We must create platforms for students from marginalized communities to share their experiences and perspectives. This not only enriches the dialogue but also allows us to learn and grow as practitioners.
Partnering for change: Working alongside community organizations, educators, and families is essential. Collaboration allows us to identify needs, share resources, and build a comprehensive network of support that extends beyond individual consultations.

Embracing DEI in educational consulting isn't a one-time event, it's a continuous journey of learning, reflection, and action. It's about building bridges of understanding and support. It's about ensuring that every student, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to reach their full potential. As consultants, we can be agents of change, not just for individual students, but for the future of education itself. Let's open those doors, shine a light on untapped potential, and empower every student to walk confidently through the halls of their dreams.

Join the conversation! Share your thoughts, experiences, and ideas on how we can further strengthen DEI in educational consulting.

Reflection: WIDA Preparation for Administration

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 14:48:33 GMT

Authored by Dr. Juvenal E. Abrego, Administration SIG Leader

WIDA Preparation

The administration of the WIDA ACCESS test is always a stressful time for schools. LIEP teachers and testing coordinators become highly stressed for a period of weeks as they navigate the difficult world of administering the ACCESS test. Some helpful tips for LIEP teachers to prepare are:

Ensure all rosters are printed and all students are accounted for, This should include verifying new enrollments, and matching students’ registration to the testing website.
Set a date and time to meet with your school administration to determine a plan of action: Dates, location, classrooms, testing administrators and proctors.
For the listening portion of the WIDA assessments headphones are used. LIEP teachers must have a supply of earbuds or headphones that can be used for the audio portion of the test. If this is not the case, the school administration will need sufficient time to place an order.
A helpful recommendation for LIEP teachers to avoid make-up testing is to have a designated daily make-up room and session, so that this becomes an ongoing process.
Some schools have found success in training classroom teachers to take the test to be WIDA testing administrators. This can expedite the administration process as several grade levels or groups can be tested in a week.

In summary, the administration of the WIDA test does not have to be a painful process or a two month event. Sufficient planning and thoughtful preparation can lead to a successful WIDA administration with minimal interruptions to the school’s instructional day.

CodeVA

Sat, 07 Oct 2023 13:15:49 GMT

Authored by Isra Nikoolkan, VATESOL Blog Editor

The VATESOL 2023 conference was a resounding success thanks to the participants as well as the vendors. The VATESOL board would like to share information from one of our vendors, CodeVA.

CodeVA offers free E-Learning Asynchronous Modules on demand. No assignments. No live meetings. No camera requests.

Just the information you need to get started with CS, including the state standards and key resources. In addition they give you ways to explore how you might begin integrating computational thinking and computer science into any content area(s) you teach!

*   Designed for PK-8 educators of all grades, students, and subject areas.
*   Great starting point for anyone interested in integrating CS!
*   Virtual, Asynchronous. On your own schedule.
*   No prior knowledge or experience required.

For more information, click on: https://codeva.arlo.co/w/ondemand/

It’s in the Data! Targeted Support of English Learners in Reading

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 14:10:15 GMT

Authored by: DRC

Reading is top of mind when it comes to closing gaps in student achievement and the Virginia Literacy Act calls this out specifically, stating that (source):

● “Every family will have access to online resources to support literacy development at home, and will be able to participate in the development of their child’s student reading plan”, and

● “Every teacher of students in kindergarten to grade 3: Uses evidence-based literacy curriculum for the entire literacy block assesses student learning using approved literacy screeners routinely throughout the year.”

It comes as no surprise to members of VATESOL that English Learners (ELs) have unique needs when it comes to reading instruction, nor does it surprise EL teachers that most of the reading instruction EL students experience takes place in the general education classroom, with dedicated teachers who may not have a background in Second Language Acquisition. Given that 9.6% of K-12 students in Virginia are ELs, it stands to reason that all teachers need to be informed on what works best for their EL students when it comes to reading instruction. They also need to have the data necessary to make informed instructional decisions. One way to do this is to utilize the LAS Links Progress Monitoring and Student Report.

... for full access to DRC's blog, please click this link.

Tips and Tricks: How to Make an Impact at the Start of Your School Year

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 17:07:33 GMT

Authored by Kathryn Manning, K-12 SIG Leader

Starting out the new school year--how will you make an impact?

Around this time of year, we’re all busy bustling about, getting classrooms ready to be the place of welcoming and warmth for all newcomers and returning students. To help with your fresh start to the year, consider the following questions:

How can I better engage with parents?

In what ways can I support my learners to continue towards their journeys of success?

How can I inspire collaboration and understanding with content teachers and staff?

Here are three ideas to help answer some of these questions, or get your own creative thoughts flowing:

Family Engagement

To set a tone for valuing parents’ funds of knowledge, try encouraging them to participate in parent interest surveys or a back-to-school activity. While many parents struggle to answer questions about summer vacation, pivoting to asking “How does your family spend quality time together?” instead can bring out more valuable information. Many of our Hispanic families for example, enjoy participating in barbecues with both immediate and extended family. This information could possibly inform future back-to-school events for parents, where teachers and parents can get to know each other over grilled vegetables and smoky meats. During school registration or back to school nights, parents can be invited to contribute a welcome back message or express their wishes for a successful school year for all students. Imagine a growing list of positive messages in all parents’ languages to set the tone of “your language belongs” at school.

Reaching out to Teachers and Staff

At the start of the school year, leap into action with an ELL Newsletter (particularly useful for itinerant ELL staff) to keep coteachers and staff on the same page and excited to start collaborating. Content can range from ELL-specific teaching tips to fun facts about learners’ home countries (a tidbit contributed by Staunton City Schools) or even introducing yourself if you are a new addition to the team. Adding a section on FAQs can also help with commonly asked questions related to identification, exit requirements, ACCESS testing, etc. to further support members of your team in understanding learners better.

Supporting Students Towards Continued Success

Reevaluating and reflecting on our own teaching practices is a great way to ease back into the school year. Are we continuing to give students the space they need to use language, both inside and outside the classroom? In her presentation at CAL’s Improving Instruction, Assessment, and Policies for Secondary English Learners Across the Content Areas, Amanda Kibler gives key considerations to evaluating the language spaces we create for our learners.

She challenges us to evaluate our curricular materials and scaffolding methods to determine how they support learners in their language practices: are we as educators overemphasizing accuracy, repetition, and simplicity?

Who are our students and how do we communicate their value in the classroom? Kibler stresses the importance of reframing our mindsets to encourage classroom student talk in what she terms critical dialogue to support co-construction, intellectual purpose, and community support and respect. To guide our learners in this endeavor, we can create spaces for students to have agency in the classroom, engage with authentically-relevant questioning, and share their multilingual and multicultural voices and perspectives in knowledge building, while also building norms together to further this goal.

Kibler, A., Valdés, G., Walqui, A. (2021) Reconceptualizing the role of critical dialogue in American classrooms: Promoting equity through dialogic education. Routledge.

What great ideas have you had for back-to-school activities and resources? Feel free to share with us at VATESOL.

Reflections: Using Virginia Social Emotional Learning Guidance Standards for ELL Planning

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 15:13:09 GMT

Authored by Andrea Smith, Education Consultant SIG Leader

Can social emotional learning (SEL) have an impact on English Language Acquisition (ELA)? Factors such as home environment, teacher quality, and student readiness are known to determine ELA outcomes. There is a scientific basis for possibly including SEL standards in English Language Plans (ELP), however, in order to make specific implications for using SEL in the actual planning for English Language Learners in the classroom, more research is needed on data-driven methods of developing inclusive environments where all students feel their assets are valuable and that their culture is considered. In the Social Emotional Learning Guidance Standards from Virginia Department of Education (VASELGS), five areas are identified: Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Social Management, Relationship Skills, and Decision Making and can be used to determine their relationship with language acquisition. Additionally, these standards are definitely worthy of considering when collaborating with homeroom teachers, other staff members and stakeholders.

For more information check out the VASELGS @ Virginia Social Emotional Learning Guidance Standards. Videos from the Virginia Department of Education on Social Emotional Learning for all populations can be found @ Social Emotional Wellness Video Quick Guides - Virginia CLC (vastudentservices-clc.org).

Reflections: Math Can Be Magic

Sun, 28 May 2023 01:14:48 GMT

Authored by Dr. Juvenal E. Abrego, Administration SIG Leader

Math has always been a challenging subject for many students. For English Learners, math becomes more than a challenge; it is a puzzle so difficult to decipher that it causes students to quickly experience a desire to give up. The complexity of the aforementioned lies in the lack of experiences, opportunities or exposure to help ELL students understand that Math is not difficult, but rather magical. Danielle, a math coach in VA, challenged her third, fourth and fifth grade students to develop powerful tools to transform math challenges into fun adventures. Students began by checking on their own magic tricks, which were aligned with their basic math computation skills. Once students had self-assessed their ability to add, subtract, divide or multiply; they proceeded to use small group time to quickly accelerate their math computation skills to obtain magic wands that would give them the power to develop additional tricks.

EL students were excited to show Danielle all their tricks. Some of them came up with their own flash cards, mnemonic devices and other tools that they used to demonstrate how they were quickly building their super power to be math wizards. The powerful aspect of Danielle’s math coaching story lies in the experience that she set up for her students to see math as a fun game. For EL students, Danielle’s approach is not just a fun opportunity to learn math, but a way to capitalize in day to day collaboration with peers. It also gave students their own agency to find resources that could help them remediate their weaknesses in such a way that they could continue to face additional math challenges with the certainty that they can and will be able to become successful in math if they think of each math concept as a trick to grow their power. In learning English, confidence is key. The story of Danielle’s students reminds educators that English learners are not limited by language, but rather by the opportunities that their teachers may deny to them when they don’t believe in the power of meaningful learning.

Tips and Tricks: Integrating Numeracy into the Adult ESOL Classroom

Sun, 28 May 2023 01:09:00 GMT

Authored by Hali Massey, Adult Education SIG Leader

The definition of numeracy is “the ability to confidently interact with and engage in the mathematical demands of everyday life in the home, workplace, and community” (Ciancone, 1996). Numeracy tasks occur regularly in everyday life, and it is important for adult English language learners to have the language and context in order to engage with these tasks (Ginsburget al, 2006). In addition, the US uses several systems that are most likely new to recent immigrants, refugees, or new Americans, such as the Imperial System of measurement, monetary values, western calendars, etc., so numeracy in the adult ESOL classroom helps to orient English language learners to these systems and measurements that they will encounter in the United States.

Examples of numeracy include:

Using quantitative data to express facts and opinions, such as comparing prices or sales or analyzing statistics to make decisions or form opinions.
Calculating percentages, such as when shopping and calculating sale percentages and when trying to calculate how much tax is owed or how much tip to leave.
Measuring items, such as knowing how much medication to take and measuring ingredients when cooking.

Some strategies for incorporating numeracy into the adult ESOL classroom include:

Incorporate numeracy into classroom texts, videos, vocabulary, tasks, and discussions by aligning ESOL content with numeracy objectives: ESOL instructors can look at their curriculum or course materials to see where numeracy aligns with their content. This ensures that numeracy objectives will be contextualized within the already established classroom curriculum. See the following examples:

Proficiency Level	ESOL Content	Numeracy Objective
Beginner	Sharing personal information	Learn names of numbers (1-100) in order to share age, birth dates, and phone numbers.
Beginner	Sharing time from a clock and dates from a calendar	Use numbers to communicate the time on a clock and dates from a calendar in order to answer the questions of “What time?” and “When?”.
High Beginner	Shopping and buying goods	Use amounts of money in dollars and cents to answer the question of “How much?”.
Low Intermediate	Shopping and buying goods	Use addition and subtraction to add up amounts, calculate totals, and determine balances.
Low Intermediate	Giving directions	Use differences in time to answer the question of “How long does it take to get from Point A to Point B?”.
Intermediate	Cooking and food	Use whole numbers and fractions to follow and/or write a recipe. Example Lesson Plan
Intermediate	Paying bills and making a budget	Calculate a monthly budget using a given monthly income.
High Intermediate	Paying taxes	Use percentages to calculate food and retail tax.
Advanced	Housing	Determine the financial benefits of buying versus renting.
Advanced	Paying taxes	Use percentages to calculate state and federal income tax.

Use graphics or images to represent statistics or situations that allow for numeracy discussions/activities: ESOL instructors can use graphics or images to engage learners in conversations that support learners in developing metalinguistic and metacognitive skills for processing numeracy situations in their everyday lives (Ciancone, 1996). For examples of instructional materials for this strategy, please see the members only resource section on the VATESOL website.
Assess how learners are using or need to use numeracy skills in their everyday lives and build off of those situations or problems. (Ciancone, 1996)

In addition, these are some best practices to follow when incorporating numeracy into the adult ESOL classroom. (Ciancone, 1996)

Ensure that numeracy activities are interactive, collaborative, and relevant to the everyday lives of your learners.
Encourage the focus to be on thought process and not on wrong or right answers and acknowledge various ways of thinking and reaching conclusions.
Scaffold with visual representations such as images, graphs, charts, drawings, etc.
Integrate numeracy into the adult ESOL classroom from the beginning; meaning that all levels of proficiency are engaging in numeracy activities.

References:

Ciancone, T. (1996) Numeracy in the Adult ESL Classroom. Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL). https://www.cal.org/adultesl/resources/digests/numeracy-in-the-adult-esl-class ro om.php#:~:text=Numeracy%20is%20the%20ability%20to,opinions%20and%20to%20analyze%20situations.

Ginsburg, L., Manly, M., & Schmitt, M.J. (2006). The Components of Numeracy. National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL). https://www.ncsall.net/fileadmin/ resources/research/op_numeracy.pdf

Top Tips for Wring A Great Conference Proposal

Mon, 15 May 2023 16:27:10 GMT

Authored by Victoria Pierson, VATESOL Vice President

It sounds intimidating... submitting a proposal to present at a conference. We’re here to demystify the process and encourage you to submit a proposal for VATESOL’s upcoming conference this fall.

First, let's break down the submission form. If it’s your first time considering a presentation at a conference, the submission form may seem overwhelming. Don’t worry… it’s really just three main sections of information:

Presenter Information: Share your contact information with us so that we can notify you if your proposal is accepted and credit you in our program! However, our proposal review process is fully anonymous - board members won’t be able to see your name on your submission until after all proposals have been reviewed and accepted or denied.
Presentation Type & Target Audience: Help us see where your presentation will fit within the organization of the conference. The Target Audience and Topic Emphasis fields are included in our program as a way for participants to easily locate sessions that may be most relevant to their current field or area of interest.
Presentation Details: Share with us the title, summary, and abstract of your proposed presentation. The title and summary will be printed in the conference program for participants, while the abstract is for our proposal reviewers to learn more about what you are proposing to present. Don’t stress… You aren’t expected to write a doctoral dissertation here! Just give us a clear and descriptive overview of your presentation: What information will you share? What will a participant walk away with after hearing your presentation? Be sure not to include any identifying information (like your school division, university, or hometown) in the abstract.

Top Tips for Writing Your Proposal:

1. Start with the theme. Past VATESOL board member Marie Rose-McCully shared:

“Think about the conference as a conversation. How will your presentation fit into the conversation? What are you adding to the conversation? The reason we have a conference theme is so that people can engage in that shared conversation, examining a theme from multiple angles with even more perspectives. Proposals that do not add to that conversation feel out of place.”

Our fall 2023 conference theme is : "Stronger Together: Building Partnerships for Language, Content and Community” What great conversation pieces do you have to share with us?

2. Follow the rubric. Current VATESOL teacher education SIG leader, Katya Koubek, highlights the importance of studying the rubric and ensuring that your proposal clearly meets the criteria. Clarity is key, so be sure to revise your writing before submitting!

This year’s proposals will be evaluated for selection on the basis of the following criteria:

clear statement of objective
clear summary
current importance of topic in the field
focus and organization of abstract
relevance to conference theme and target audience
appropriateness of content for session duration

3. Consider the audience. Past VATESOL president, Jana Moore, wrote:

“What makes a great proposal is what the listener will get out of it. I don't want to go and listen to a speaker talk because they believe they are fabulous. I want to hear people talk about research or things they are doing in the classroom, and how it can be tweaked for my own purposes, or how that impacts what I'm doing. You can read a certain level of enthusiasm in proposals, and outstanding ones are those that ‘pop.’”

That's it! Remember, what makes a great conference is a diverse group of presenters and presentations. We are looking for proposals from all stakeholders: K-12 teachers, administrators, adult educators, teacher educators, professors and university-level instructors, students... anyone who has something to contribute to our conversation!

If you have any questions regarding our conference or submitting proposals, please email vatesol@gmail.com

Reflections: How to Start your Own PLC…with another district

Sat, 08 Apr 2023 02:09:13 GMT

Authored by Kathryn Manning, K-12 SIG Leader

How to Start your Own PLC…with another district

For small-incidence districts where you may be the sole ELL teacher or go a whole week without seeing your fellow ELL team members, collaborating with ELL teams outside of your district may provide a fresh new perspective and spark ideas for how to improve your setting’s LIEP model.

Step 1: Identify a District to Partner with

When it comes to attending conferences, part of the excitement after hearing the keynote speaker’s presentation and perusing vendors is reuniting and catching up with that conference buddy you always run into at VATESOL conferences. What if you didn’t have to wait until the next conference to catch up and could instead create something new and exciting now?

After attending a consortium conference last fall, I reached out to another district’s team that presented on how to create in-house ELL-specific professional development and training to support content teachers in collaborating with ELL teachers. Although unable to attend their presentation, entitled Smarter Together: Developing Teacher Expertise, I found that this team of Staunton City ELL teachers and an Executive Director of Instruction were more than happy to not only share their program model, but also major findings.

Step 2: Meet Virtually or In-Person to Establish Goals and Purpose for Meeting

After corresponding via e-mail a few times, we decided an in-person meeting would be best to exchange ideas and our own experiences with collaboration. I pitched the idea to one of my content area coteachers, who quickly expressed interest in being a part of our growing motley crew. Getting a group of educators together for a Friday after-school meeting is no easy feat, but we made it happen with the help of a shared interest in improving our district’s collaboration and PD model. Our first meeting centered on how to create a system for change through staff ELL training: starting a pilot study, using Title III funds, collecting data to show progress, and how to encourage reflection among teachers as they try out and adopt new strategies for supporting English learners—quite the productive agenda even as we hit start on our teacher weekend modes!

Step 3: Keep It Going

Almost three months later and our ELL cross-district PLC is still going strong. Although our meeting setting has shifted from city hall to local coffee shops, we still bring a desire to grow and increase our knowledge base as educators. On top of improving teacher expertise, we have also added a book study to our agenda list as we dive into Andrea Honigsfeld’s Co-Planning: Five Essential Practices to Integrate Curriculum and Instruction for English Learners. Like many ELL educators, we still vent about ACCESS testing and how to support our coworkers in being more intentional about supporting ELs in the classroom. However, I find that with new faces and ideas we also bring a dynamic energy that keeps us moving forward and excited for the positive change we can enact in our individual settings. Stay tuned–we’re not done yet!

Please give a warm welcome to our newest SIG Leader!

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 22:11:03 GMT

Authored by Isra Nikoolkan, VATESOL Blog Editor

Andrea is an ELL Specialist at Orange Elementary School in Orange, VA. She currently serves on the Minority Advisory Committee for the Superintendent and is a member of the Orange County Youth Commission. She has been working in education, diversity, and inclusion for over 20 years serving as an ESL Instructor at both Montgomery College in Maryland and at Howard University in Washington, DC. Andrea and her family lived in Ghana, West Africa for five years where she served as an Educational Consultant for a nonprofit organization while homeschooling three of her four children. She has an advanced yoga certification and specializes in social emotional health as it relates to anxiety, trauma and racial justice. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Bowie State University and is currently a graduate student at Miami University.

Andrea looks forward to serving in her role on the VATESOL board as Education Consultant SIG.

Please give a warm welcome to our newest SIG Leader!

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 00:37:46 GMT

Authored by Isra Nikoolkan, VATESOL Blog Editor

Dr. Abrego Meneses holds a Bachelor of Arts in Bilingual Education from the National University of Panama, a Master's Degree in TESOL and a Master of Arts in English Education and writing. He obtained his Education Specialist Degree in School Leadership from Virginia Tech and his Doctor of Education in Executive Leadership, Planning and Policy from the College of William and Mary. Dr. Abrego Meneses is the principal of Cardinal Elementary School in Richmond, VA, the largest Elementary school in RPS with the highest number of ELL students in the state of VA. Dr. Abrego has been an educator for 22 years. He began his career as an ESL teacher in the Republic of Panama. He coordinated ESL and Migrant School programs in South Carolina. Dr. Abrego Meneses has been a foreign language and IB teacher at the middle, high and college levels. He has taught ESL at the elementary, middle and high school levels. He has served as a school level administrator for over 8 years.

Juvenal looks forward to serving in his role on the VATESOL board as Administration SIG.

Tips and Tricks: Integrating Digital Literacy into the Adult English Language Classroom

Sat, 25 Feb 2023 19:58:22 GMT

Authored by Hali Massey, VATESOL Adult Education SIG Leader

When planning for adult English language instruction, it is important to consider how to make classroom materials and activities relevant to the real lives of learners. Given that we live in a world that is dominated by technology, it is inevitable that learners will be asked to use different forms of technology in English. When navigating life in the United States, multilingual learners will need to be able to perform tasks using the internet, digital tools, smartphones, laptops, etc. Depending on their prior exposure to technology and using technology for specific purposes, these skills and tasks may be new to learners.

Because adult ESOL curricula are typically thematic units that focus on various aspects of adult life in the United States, we can analyze our curriculum to look for areas where digital literacy instruction, materials, and activities would benefit our learners and enhance our instruction.

Examples of aligning digital literacy skills to adult ESOL curriculum include:

Learning the alphabet	Using keyboards (images or realia) to learn and practice letter recognition
Navigating local community	Using a map on a smartphone or computer to look up local places in the community Using a map on a smartphone or computer to navigate directions to and from local places in the community Using a map on a smartphone or computer to create local community maps
Discussing weekly schedules and routines	Using a calendar on a smartphone or computer to locate days and times and schedule appointments.
Discussing money	Using a calculator on a smartphone or computer to calculate amounts and percentages.

Instructional practices for integrating digital literacy into the adult ESOL classroom:

Orientation: Spend time orienting learners to digital platforms and tools in the classroom, in-person, and in their home language(s) whenever possible.
Explicit instruction: Explicitly teach tools and vocabulary needed to engage in digital literacy skills - use images and realia to scaffold understanding.
Familiar tools: Start with tools and platforms that learners have experience using or at least exposure to.
Authentic tasks and skills: Utilize authentic digital tasks and skills in the classroom that mimic those that learners need in the real world.

For resources that assist with integrating digital literacy into the adult English language classroom, please see the members only resource section on the VATESOL website.

Resource: Add These PDF's to Your WIDA Access Toolkit

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 20:47:38 GMT

Authored by, Laura Lewis, VATESOL President

End of January into March is the time when K-12 ESOL teachers throughout Virginia are stressing about the WIDA Access test. I know I have been since November when I put together my testing schedule. Have new students entered our school since then, of course! Did I schedule one of my testing days on a county PD day when we will not have students, of course! Luckily, I did come across some of my most valued resources that I have cultivated over the years to help me administer this test. Some are .pdf's pulled from the WIDA site--like the test administrator script-- and one is a wonderful powerpoint on the "Why" and "What" behind the Access test that you can share with your school building or district. Full disclosure I am not sure where I got this powerpoint. To have access to these resources go to Members' Area section of our website. Good luck with your testing season!

Tips and Tricks: Mindfulness in the Classroom

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 19:10:14 GMT

Authored by Katya Koubek, VATESOL Teacher Education SIG Leader

As we are slowly emerging from a three-year pandemic, the topic of social-emotional learning continues to play an important role in the TESOL field. No matter where we teach, many educators and students have experienced the effect of the pandemic, especially on their mental health. In many schools, mindfulness has become an essential topic of educators’ professional development. In an overview of top 8 TESOL PD topics from the 2022 year, Dr. Laura Baecher has revealed the topics of mindfulness and overcoming teacher burnout as part of this list.

As a teacher educator, I remember attending a virtual TESOL 2021 conference in which Dr. Janet Zadina discussed the pandemic brain and science behind optimal learning. As a result of her mindfulness practices with her virtual audience, I learned the techniques to help my students and myself rewire our brains and mitigate anxiety, which in the long run can help with a more positive outlook on life. These techniques adaptable to other educational contexts outside of higher education include the following steps:

Play 60-beat instrumental music as students come to class and have it on during the next mindfulness steps. YouTube is an excellent free source for such music, especially coffee shop jazz..
Ask students to sit straight with feet down on the floor and one hand on their chest and the other on the stomach to do some breathing techniques. Encourage them to close or partially close their eyes to practice the 4-7-8 breathing technique (four seconds inhale through one’s nose, 7 second to hold one’s breath, and 8 seconds exhale through one’s mouth). Repeat this technique 6 times. This technique is suitable for adults, but not for younger children. In addition, if students cannot hold their breath or have heart problems, encourage them to breathe naturally instead.
Switch to natural breathing for an additional minute or two. Continue to sit straight with partially closed or fully closed eyes.
The final step involves gratitude where students write down three gratitude notes. By varying these gratitude notes, students help rewire their brains to mitigate their anxiety and stress, which in the long run will improve their sleep, health, and learning in general. While these gratitude notes are private, students are encouraged to share them with the whole class if desired.

As someone who has been practicing mindfulness in all my undergraduate and graduate courses, I can attest that students perceive them as beneficial to their learning and overall health based on survey results gathered over several years (Koubek, 2021, 2022). By teaching our students mindfulness techniques, we can help our students develop better coping mechanisms to deal with the effects of the pandemic and have a brighter outlook on their lives.

References

Baecher, L. (2022, December 27). Top 8 PD topics for English language teachers in 2022. TESOL blog.

Koubek, E. (2021). (Re)Imagining remote teaching and learning: Meeting students where they are. In J. Davis & C. Irish (Eds.), Lessons from the pivot: Higher education’s response to the pandemic. https://scholar.umw.edu/education/11/

Koubek, E. (2022). Enacting an ethic of care as a TESOL teacher educator. In M. Shoffner and A. Webb (Eds.), Reconstructing care in teacher education after COVID-19. Routledge.

Zadina, J. (2021, March). The pandemic brain: Science and strategies for optimal learning. Keynote. Virtual TESOL Convention.

ELD Standards for All

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 17:00:27 GMT

Authored by Kathryn Manning, VATESOL K-12 SIG Leader

As we recalibrate ourselves to adding 23 to the end of the year, I'd like to take a moment to reflect on the previous years and the value of change. It’s hard to believe it's been three whole years since COVID shifted instructional norms. At the same time that we dove into virtual learning, the ELL world also saw the introduction of new WIDA language standards, yet another change to be navigated.

As an educator, getting a 200+ page book packed full of shiny new standards can be a bit daunting, not to mention hefty. Once I got to work perusing the grade clusters and appreciating the color-packed and visual layout (WIDA never disappoints) it ended up being a refreshing and welcome change. With the latest 2020 ELD Standards update rolled out by WIDA, the task shifted to not just revamping my own instruction to be more intentional about language features and uses, but also getting my fellow teachers onboard the language standards train as well. To this end, I’ve found that the standards not only inform my own instruction and assessment of ELs, but also that of my content teacher colleagues as well. As demonstrated in my presentation at the Title III Consortium Conference last year, having ELD standards embedded within instruction benefits not just ELs, but all learners, a fact that my co-presenter and content co-teacher gladly hammered on at least five times (we kept mental tally marks) during our sessions.

In our co-planning we found that crafting authentic tasks (e.g. delivering a final verdict on a murder case) most easily facilitated incorporating language use within units. Once a language use was identified, we could then hold all learners accountable for academic language features through explicit instruction and modeling. By utilizing the ELD Standards bible (as I now call it), ELs were held to high expectations and academic rigor within each unit with supports embedded to further encourage and support language growth. With the continued chant of “good for all learners, but especially ELs”, K-12 educators can embrace the ELD standards in conjunction with Standards of Learning in our new era where all teachers support language standards, not just ELL teachers.

As we step into this new year, with some of us leaping while others may shuffle forward, still testing the waters, I encourage all of you to take a moment to reflect on the change that has happened up to this point, perhaps even finding new opportunities for growth. Three years ago as a newly-minted ELL teacher establishing the first LIEP at my school, collaboration with the standards seemed near impossible, as I was introduced at my first staff meeting not as a resource for supporting lessons, but as essentially the “ELL test giver”. Since then, through small, yet intentional steps, I have established norms for co-planning and coteaching with the ELD standards. All this to say, we are all working continuously with our learners, administrators, and content teachers to enact positive change. While sometimes it can feel like we’re stuck and not progressing, often all it takes is a little more time and the grace to accept that the work we do does have impact.

Please give a warm welcome to our newest Board Members!

Tue, 06 Dec 2022 12:56:25 GMT

Kara Friedel is in her fourth year as the ESL Secondary Support Specialist for Chesterfield County Public Schools. She taught ESL for 8 years in elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as Adult ESL classes. Kara is a member of VESA and WELV. She is a proud Hokie who is now pursuing her master’s in Administration and Supervision through the University of Virginia. Kara is a proud wife, mom, and dog mom to her golden retriever, Kix.

Kara looks forward to serving in her role on the VATESOL board as Membership Chair.

Kathryn Manning currently works at the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind as an ELL Teacher. A self-professed language nerd, she taught English in Japan for three years before returning to the U.S. in 2017 to pursue her degree in MAT TESOL Education. While opportunities to use Japanese are rare in her current setting, she enjoys innovating with ASL and Braille to support dually identified English Learners, sometimes even outside the classroom during cross country or blind soccer practice.

Kathryn looks forward to serving in her role on the VATESOL board as K-12 SIG.

This is Max Nikoolkan's fifth year serving as an elementary ESL/ELL teacher for Loudoun County Public school as well as his second year as an ESL/ELL Adult Instructor. Previously, he has served as Asian American Chair of the Equity Committee for Loudoun County Public Schools and continues to serve as co-equity leady for his own school site. Before public school teaching, he previously received a Fulbright to teach English in South Korea and taught English in Japan through the JET Program.

Max looks forward to serving in his role on the VATESOL board as Blog Editor.

Top 5 Reasons to Attend a SETESOL Conference in Virginia This Year

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 12:00:00 GMT

Authored by Katya Koubek, VATESOL Teacher Education SIG Leader

VATESOL is excited to bring a SETESOL conference to Virginia on October 12- 15 this year! VATESOL is among 11 states that are part of SETESOL. These states are Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Last time our organization had an honor to bring this conference to Virginia was in 2011. As a member of VATESOL Board of Directors, I would like to share my top 5 reasons to attend this year’s SETESOL conference in Richmond, Virginia.

1. Learn from experts in the field

There is nothing more exciting than learning about the latest research and instructional practices from educational experts in the field whether these are professors, administrators, exhibitors, or teachers. This type of learning is exhilarating to one’s mental health and brain and serves as a catalyst for change in instructional and methodological practices. Three days of the conference will surely enrich everyone with new skills and knowledge on how to support multilingual learners in various educational contexts.

2. Network by meeting old and new colleagues

Since this conference is going to attract attendees from the above-mentioned SETESOL states, there will be plenty of opportunities to meet new colleagues and reconnect with your old friends. By interacting with like-minded individuals, there is a greater chance that new projects and ideas will be generated and potentially pursued, thus contributing to the dissemination of new research and evidence-based practices.

3. Exchange ideas on what matters the most to you

While attending a conference is fulfilling in its own way, presenting and sharing ideas with others on one’s latest projects is even more exhilarating. Having an opportunity to hear others’ opinions on your projects stimulate further thinking that can potentially increase the quality of these projects and provide avenues for their dissemination.

4. Boost your resume and invest in yourself

Whether you need professional credits to maintain your license or are required to demonstrate your professional development on your annual review, this conference can cover it all! By attending and/or presenting at this conference, you are taking a step further to enhance your resume or CV, which also serves as a good sign to your employer that you are willing to expand your knowledge, learn, and improve.

5. Visit a new place and have fun!

It is essential to decompress and relax while attending conferences! These professional development opportunities while brain-stimulating can be overly exhausting. Therefore, it is paramount to take time for yourself to have fun exploring a new place, enjoying a nice meal, or just strolling along the streets of a new city. Having this SETESOL conference in Richmond guarantees that everyone will find something to enjoy in the capital of Virginia – whether you are interested in shopping, eating out, or sightseeing.

In sum, these are my top five reasons for attending the SETESOL conference in Richmond, VA this fall. The bottom line is whatever your reasons are to attend this conference, we would like to extend a warm welcome to you and your colleagues and to ensure that your stay with us is memorable and rich with new knowledge, skills, and professional opportunities. On behalf of the VATESOL Board of Directors, I hope to see you at SETESOL on October 12 -15 this year!

Advocating as an ESL Teacher

Mon, 11 Apr 2022 17:45:36 GMT

Authored by WendySue Claussen, VATESOL President, ESL Teacher in Virginia Beach

Advocacy is defined by the dictionary as “the act of speaking on the behalf of or in support of another person, place, or thing”.
I completely agree with this definition, and I truly feel that as an educator of multilingual learners this is our duty. We wear many hats as teachers, but I feel being an advocate is one of the most important roles that we play in the lives of our students.
Please see below for some of the ways that I have been involved with advocacy for my students and families. I hope this blog will spark some ideas for you in ways that you can help advocate for your students.

School Level

Coach/train your homeroom teachers in your buildings how to differentiate independent work for your language learners.
Connect with other specialists in the building (i.e. Math and Reading Specialists) to discuss the best way to meet the needs of your students.
Collaborate with the Library Media Specialist in your building to ensure that there is a multilingual book section offered in the library.
Teach colleagues how to obtain translation services (i.e., our district uses Voiance) for conversations, conferences, and connections with families.
Suggest building administrators order signage in other languages so all students feel valued. In our school the whole building is labeled in Spanish as well as English.

Family Level:

Host parent outreach meetings to connect with families.
Find a way to communicate with all families to make sure they know about events happening in the school: PTA events, kindergarten registration, concerts, etc.…. I personally use the TalkingPoints App. Which allows me to communicate with families in their native language. Many homeroom teachers use Seewsaw to translate messages for parents.
Offer to help the school social worker contact families that may need help. I have even gone on home visits and doctors appointments.
Find ways to have important paperwork sent home in native language whenever possible.
Collaborate with school counselor and/or school social worker to make sure families know what community resources are available (i.e., food banks, clothing drives, utility bill assistance, WIFI connection, etc.….).

Community Level:

Reach out to community members to see if they are willing to volunteer at your school.
Utilize your Partners in Education companies to be part of the school community (i.e., participate in PTA events, make donations, volunteer, etc.…)
Invite local heroes (i.e., FD, PD, EMTs) to be guest readers at your school or attend celebrations at your school.
Arrange for a mentorship program with local heroes (i.e., at my school we had bi-lingual sheriffs be mentors for our ESL kids).
Speak at school board meetings when necessary to stand up for your students.

Shifting our Mindset to Leverage Learner Assets

Thu, 17 Mar 2022 13:26:34 GMT

Authored by Hali Massey, Adult Education SIG Chair, ESOL Specialist at the Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center.

In adult ESOL education, we often talk about learners’ funds of knowledge and ensuring that our instruction is relevant to the lives and goals of our learners. However, when we discuss our learners, their proficiency levels, and their needs, we often use language that focuses on learner deficits versus focusing on the assets that learners are bringing into the classroom. This language and associated mindset has an impact not only on instruction but on how learners view themselves and their language learning journey.

With that being said, how can ESOL instructors shift their mindsets so that they are leveraging the funds of knowledge of learners in English language learning classrooms? Here are four instructional practices that allow English language instructors to bring learners’ assets to the forefront of the classroom and the language learning journey as a starting point for further developing proficiency in English.

1. Assess Assets

In adult education, there tends to be a focus on pre and post testing learners and on how learners can increase their proficiency levels for reporting purposes. While understanding where our learners are on the spectrum of English language proficiency is vital to delivering effective instruction, understanding how learners are already engaging with English in their everyday lives can also have a significant impact on instruction.

Asset Assessment: Instructors can administer an asset assessment, which is similar to a needs assessment, but instead, it allows learners the opportunity to share their experiences and strengths when it comes to engaging with the English language. Instructors can then use “I can” statements from learners to include familiar content and linguistic features in the classroom in order to build learner confidence before moving onto more challenging content.

Questions for an asset assessment can include but are not limited to:

Where can you use English?
Where can you understand English?
Who can you speak English with?
What can you read in English?

Instructors can use images and provide options to scaffold these questions for learners at the beginning or literacy levels of proficiency.

In addition, instructors can also ask learners what content they have knowledge in, both in English and in other languages. For example, what career or education experiences they have. This information can be used to ensure that this identified content is being integrated into the classroom.

Resources:
- Principles of Inclusive Teaching & Asset-Based Pedagogy
- Asset-Based Pedagogy

2. Incorporate Learner Voice into the Classroom

Instructors can provide opportunities for learners to share their voice, stories, and narratives in the classroom. This allows learners to feel validated in their life experiences and creates opportunities for learners to be the subject matter expert in the classroom.

The Language Experience Approach: Using the Language Experience Approach (LEA) is a very effective activity for giving voice to learners at all proficiency levels. This is an activity where instructors ask learners to share a story verbally while the instructor or a peer writes the story down. This activity results in student generated texts that can be used for further learning activities. The benefits of this activity include the fact that the student generated text includes vocabulary and grammatical structures that are familiar to learners and that can be used as a place to grow that language knowledge from.

Response prompts: Another strategy for incorporating learner voice and experience into the classroom is to use problem-solution, growth-mindset, and suggestion prompts that allow learners to share their thoughts, opinions, and experiences on a focused-them. Instructors need to ensure that these prompts are relevant to the current topic of the classroom content and to adult life in general. In addition, instructors can scaffold these prompts with images or videos.

Example prompts:

Share a time when you solved a problem. What was the problem? How did you solve it?
Tell us about a time when you were lost. Where were you going? How did you find your way?
Instructor presents a photo or a text of a person with a flat tire and asks learners to identify the problem and potential solutions.
Instructor presents a photo or a text of a person who is sick and asks learners to provide suggestions for what that person should do.

This resource provides examples of incorporating learner voice into the adult ESOL classroom.

3. Learner Self-Assessment

Another strategy for highlighting and leveraging student assets is to provide opportunities for learners to self assess their own progress.

Exit Tickets: Instructors can provide exit tickets after lessons for learners to indicate what they understood and what they would like to explore more. Using positive and asset based language for these activities is key so that learners do not feel demotivated by this reflection. For example, instructors can ask learners for a glow, something that is going well and a strength, and for a grow, an area that they want to keep improving and focusing on. These also lend themselves well to visual representations which helps to scaffold these more abstract ideas.

K-W-L Chart: Instructors can also use a K-W-L chart for self-assessment which asks learners to indicate what they know (K) and what they want to learn or wonder (W) about a topic and then reflect on the topic after a lesson or series of lessons by indicating what they learned (L).

Goal-Setting Activities: Integrating goal-setting activities into the classroom provides learners with the opportunity to reflect on where they are and where they would like to go. In adult education, we place a lot of emphasis on college and career readiness and ensuring that our learners continue their education past English language classes, but it is important to understand what language goals learners have and how those goals can be used to provide support in pursuing larger life goals. This resource provides lesson plans for goal setting with adult English language learners.

These activities and strategies also help learners shift from dependent to independent learners which aligns with the goal of delivering culturally responsive education.

4. Utilize Learner Heritage Language in the Classroom

One asset that all of our English learners are bringing into the classroom is that they already speak a different language. Whether they are literate or not in their heritage language is a consideration, but even if they are not literate, they are fluent in at least one other language. English language instructors can leverage our learners’ language abilities for developing proficiency in English.

Instructors can encourage the use of heritage languages in the ESOL classroom by:

Asking learners to take notes during class in their heritage language.
Asking learners to journal and self-reflect on their learning progress using their heritage language.
Partner learners by heritage language to provide scaffolding for vocabulary or reading activities.

This webinar presents additional opportunities for using heritage languages in the classroom.

Notes from a Culturally Responsive Classroom Experience

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 20:59:12 GMT

Authored by Laura Lewis VATESOL 1st Vice President

“We each must do the ‘inside-out’ work required: developing the right mindset, engaging in self-reflection, checking our implicit biases, practicing social-emotional awareness, and holding an inquiry stance regarding the impact

I am a middle school ESOL teacher in the Albemarle County Public School district. In September of 2019 I completed the work to earn a micro-credential in Culturally Responsive Teaching. Our school district had begun this program several years earlier. These are some of the reflections I put in my final essay towards completion of the credential. of our interactions on students (p.53).”

... I am sitting in the dining room of the Double Tree staring at the “ACPS Culturally Responsive Educator Self-Assessment 2018-19” at a table of colleagues from Burley, including my co-ESOL teacher. Up until this year I have been the only ESOL teacher at Burley. Having another teacher to carry our caseload of ELLs has given me the breathing space to be at this meeting, to consider working toward a micro-credential in Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT). I want answers to today’s essential questions:

How can I use my understanding of the different layers of culture to make my teaching more culturally relevant to students?

What is my own cultural lens and how does it either connect or disconnect to the culture of my students?

How will you make intentional shifts in your practice to build learning shifts in your practice to build learning partnerships with students? With Parents?

At the center of this training is a book, Culturally Responsive Teaching & The Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students by Zaretta Hammond. The title and table of contents promises all the things I want to achieve as a teacher: to be responsive to my students culture; to consider neuroscience and what the findings of brain research have to say about engagement and integration of new knowledge; to authentically engage my students while setting high, rigorous expectations; to teach the students that walk through my classroom door every day--culturally and linguistically diverse people.

I have made changes because of Hammond’s book. In addition to reading in group: we have wide-ranging discussion, I don’t really implement a “raise-your-hand” policy unless it gets out of control; I allow music--either listening with earphones while writing or working on a poster” or I’ll play music from my spotify account while students are working together; I allow students to get up and move around and visit each other during brain breaks; We play jeopardy and kahoot games as a way to study vocabulary, reading comprehension strategies and spelling words. “Collectivist cultural practices have reinforced this natural tendency and deepen the brain’s hardwiring for relationships. This system encourages social bonding through the release of hormones such as oxytocin when we are in the presence of others. Social activities such as laughing, talking, and even hugging release oxytocin, the bonding hormone (p.44).”

In conclusion, CRT Characteristic #2 states “CR teachers maintain high expectations and support all students to achieve rigorous academic goals.” I have worked to build trust with my students. I have worked to select texts and create assignments that ask them to reflect on the world around them and their own lives. I feel the connections my students are making show that they are reading to learn and connecting with their reading. For students who are reading several grades below their peers this is a huge success. During our “jigsaw” students had to read to learn and then report what they had learned with their partner to their peers using a poster they had created (Appendix: Refugee: Jigsaw posters). What I have learned from my students is the importance of play and partner and small group work. Next year, I will focus on the idea of integrating aspects of play into all of our cognitive routines to help students “chew on” content for active processing.

Citations:

Hammond, Z. (2015). Culturally responsive teaching and the brain: Promoting authentic engagement and rigor among culturally and linguistically diverse students. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin.

Representing and Valuing Students’ Identities in the Classroom

Sat, 12 Feb 2022 02:16:09 GMT

Authored by Brooke Boutwell, VATESOL K-12 SIG Chair

Every student walks into our classroom with valuable experiences and cultures that are assets to any learning environment. How teachers recognize and support our students’ identities is crucial to their developing attitudes towards education.

These ideas are not the end-all be-all. There are so many ways to value your students. But if you’re looking for a place to start, here are a few ideas.

Diversify your Classroom Library

Our students’ identities and experiences are diverse, therefore the literature available to students to read should be equally as diverse. Classroom libraries should consist of a variety of literature that appeals to all students. Expanding the medium available to students to include novels, magazines, picture books, graphic novels, magazines, newspapers, e-books, etc., not only increases the variety of information available to students, but it also increases the accessibility of literacy to students from all backgrounds.

But don’t stop there. Does your classroom library include diverse authors? Diverse characters? Do you have linguistically diverse books available? Students need windows and mirrors in the texts they read. They need to see authors and characters that look and sound like them, and they need the opportunity to see differing perspectives than their own. When they have these options available to them in a classroom library, they have the opportunity to learn more about their own experiences, as well as empathize and understand people who have had different experiences.

Classroom Environment & Decor

Teachers’ classrooms typically represent the culture and experience of the teacher. For example, many teachers have flags of the colleges they attended, posters of their favorite sports teams, pictures of their families, etc. While this is the teacher’s space and these items are welcomed to build relationships with students and spark potential connections, it is vital to remember that the classroom is not just a space for teachers. Our classrooms are also our students’ safe space. Their identities need to be reflected on the walls as well.

Take a minute to look around your classroom. Ask yourself, does my space make ALL students feel like they belong? Some potential ways to make improvements in this area are to include anchor charts and posters that are both culturally and linguistically diverse. Do you have the traditional Rosie the Riveter poster on your wall in your social studies classroom? Did you know there is a “Si Se Puede” version available too? Maybe you have a quote on the wall of your English classroom. Ask one of your multilingual learners to translate the quote into their home language and make a poster if they feel comfortable. This is a great way to include students in the process of creating an equitable environment where students see people who look and sound like them. The more welcome and celebrated students feel in the classroom, the more likely they are to feel comfortable taking risks in the classroom.

Connect with Parents & Community

Most schools harp on parent and community engagement, yet it tends to constantly be an area of weakness. Many educators and administrators find themselves asking how they can get parents more involved. While I do not have the perfect answer, and every school is going to be different, here are some areas to consider when discussing parent and community involvement in your own setting.

Do you have multilingual learners in your classroom? Do you have former multilingual learners in your classroom? Do you have students who were never identified as multilingual learners, but their parents speak another language at home? Identifying and honoring the language parents prefer to be contacted in is not only required by law, but it is also a huge step in forming relationships with parents. This information is usually found on the Home Language Survey, but if you are not sure, ask your students. This information is crucial for all teachers to know, so making a list at the beginning of the year and distributing it to staff would be beneficial. There are many translation and interpretation services available, from Voiance to Talking Points. Whichever service you or your school uses, make sure all staff and parents are familiar with using the technology.

Connect with parents and the community by making them a part of your lessons. Do you include families and the community in your teaching? In a COVID-19 world, this can be challenging, but there are options to include guest speakers through video chat platforms. Invite family members to participate as guest speakers to support the content or language you are teaching. Are you discussing a societal or global topic? Invite someone with firsthand experience to come talk about it.

Students don’t walk into a school and leave their identities at home. We must advocate and continuously look for ways to connect with our students and celebrate their diversity.

Board Member Spotlight: Reflections on the 2021 Education Equity Institute

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 12:35:54 GMT

Authored by Dr. Jana More, VATESOL President

I always love a good chance to learn and grow, and on June 15th and 16th, the VDOE certainly delivered an amazingly informative program. The 2021 Summer Education Equity Institute focused on Teaching African American History through Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies, as well as Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Education Practices. My first thoughts were that while these were very informative talks, they might not have a lot to do with language learners, or perhaps only tangentially. Boy, was I wrong!

So I supposed right off I should mention that there were so many wonderful speakers, and just not the time or ability to listen to them all. I tried to choose from a collection of speakers around the country, with varied experiences and backgrounds. Should I name drop here? I don’t know...they were all so good, and I just could not pick out one or two who were “more fantastic than the others.” They were all unified in that history matters. Not just one person or culture’s history, but all the stories from history matter. And if we do not seek them out, they may remain hidden.

I think of my students, whether born in the U.S. or elsewhere, who come with their stories. These stories make up who they are, and need to be told by them. I know, I know, we always say this. Of course we do this! But here’s the thing...

Am I really listening to my students and their stories?

Or am I jumping in and taking over their story because I have heard as much as I can take in? Am I really listening to their story, or am I using it to label them as well as the expectations for them? Am I really listening to their story and appreciating how much they have to offer? Am I listening?

The other lesson I took away from the conference was the need to show how our students have role models from history, if we help bring them to light. History tends to be written by the victors, and the majority culture or race. Oftentimes, it eradicates minorities simply by not mentioning them at all. It is so important that as educators we help our students see where their race, culture, and ethnic groups fit into history.

Take, for example, the past thirty years of American history. Who helped shape that? Was it only one race or ethnic group? Or were the advances of this nation possible because people of all races and ethnicities contributed and were a part of that? Our students need to know that many different individuals from many different cultures have played important roles in our history. These are role models.

Member Spotlight: Rebecca Raab's Journey to the Marshall Islands

Thu, 22 Jul 2021 14:10:14 GMT

Virginia TESOL practitioners now span the globe. Rebecca Raab shares about her recent journey to accepting a teacher educator position at the College of the Marshall Islands. Rebecca served as the president of Virginia TESOL from 2018-2020. She currently serves in the role of past president and nominating chair.

Tell us a little bit about your background and how you ended up in the TESOL field:

I was an anthropology major in undergrad and was bitten by the travel bug very early in life, so I’ve always been fascinated by different cultures and languages. However, I didn’t feel a strong pull to complete an advanced degree in anthropology. About 6 months after graduating, several of my friends left to teach in Japan. This got me thinking about teaching English internationally. My mother, a former K-12 English teacher, advised me to get a teaching license as it would be a credential I could always use. Thus, I began a master’s program at Virginia Tech in ESL with every intention of teaching abroad. Student teaching at Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, however, made me fall in love with teaching multilingual learners in US K-12 settings, and I decided to teach in the US for several years, thinking that eventually I would go abroad. My career and life then took some interesting turns, with TESOL being the constant. I’ve taught K-12 multilingual learners in VA and NC, and I was the Director of Writing Support and ESL programs at Averett University. I completed my PhD at Virginia Tech in Curriculum and Instruction studying the experiences and supports of new ESL and bilingual education teachers in 2020.

What led you to accepting your new position in the Marshall Islands?

When I was close to finishing my PhD, I entered the wild west of the higher education job market. I applied to schools all over the US and abroad. However, I vividly remember the April 2020 afternoon when I saw the job posting for the College of the Marshall Islands (CMI) on HigherEdJobs. I just knew I had to apply, and I felt that it was where I needed to be - I felt physically pulled to apply. The pandemic, however, made things challenging. I was interviewed in July of 2020, but due to the pandemic, CMI could not move ahead as the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) had closed its borders (and they are still closed as of July 2021). I was disappointed, but still determined to go abroad. Luckily, I had the opportunity to teach at Radford University as a 1-year full-time temporary hire for the 2020-2021 academic year, and I spent the fall of 2020 researching other opportunities internationally. Then on January 13, 2021, exactly 6 months after my last contact with CMI, they emailed me asking if I was still interested in the position. Yes--yes I was!

What will your job look like?

We are finalizing my schedule in the next week or two, so I’m not 100% sure of what courses I’ll be teaching. However, CMI is a community college that has an associates and bachelors degree program in elementary education, so I will be teaching courses across the elementary education department. I’m really excited because it looks like I’ll have a number of practicum students which means I’ll be spending quite a bit of time in the local schools observing future teachers learning to teach! This is a great video about CMI and some Marshallese history.

Tell us more about the Marshall Islands - a country that many readers may have never heard of. What have you learned or experienced there so far?

To learn more about the Marshall Islands, Google them! I didn’t know much at all, but the US used several of the atolls during the nuclear arms race in the 1940s-60s as a testing ground. Many were forced to leave their homes and can never return due to nuclear contamination. Because of this, the US government provides aid to the RMI, and RMI citizens can travel, work, and live in the US. Much of the population lives in Majuro, the capital, and Ebeye is another larger population center.

To learn more about the Marshall Islands, I recommend reading Peter Rudiak-Gould’s Surviving Paradise: One Year on a Disappearing Island. Plus, I’ve enjoy reading their local newspaper and browsing the Marshall Islands Guide website.

Any adventures yet?

No super fun adventures yet as I am still in quarantine. I guess the adventure has been getting here. Due to the Covid-19 border closures, my departure date kept changing. I thought for a while I was leaving in April and then May. Then, on June 16 I received an email asking if I could possibly be in Honolulu on June 18 as I had snagged a seat on a repatriation flight. The repatriation flights are reserved for RMI citizens who have been stranded due to the pandemic. I was very lucky to get a spot. So, I packed in a hurry and began the adventure with less than 48 hours notice (the fun thing is, I’d been pretty much packed since April, so it didn’t take long).

The RMI government requires a 28-day quarantine to enter the country. I entered my first 14-day quarantine on June 20th, 2021 in Honolulu along with 38 Marshallese repats. On June 5th, we flew to Kwajalein, an atoll in the RMI where the US military has a base. In Kwajalein, we entered into our second 14-day quarantine. As I am writing this, I just had my last COVID-19 test, and hopefully will be able to leave quarantine tomorrow and fly to Majuro, the atoll I will be living on for the next three years.

So far I have witnessed breathtaking sunrises and beautiful blue water. I’ve made two friends, my roommate, who is returning from New Zealand where she completed her master’s degree, and the lab technician who runs all our COVID tests (he is friends with my roommate and lives on Ebeye, which is an island across from Kwajalein). He is an excellent photographer, and if you have Instagram, I suggest following him (@michaelove692 and @ebeyeislandhome). I’ve also watched hours of the Armed Forces Network Kwajalein broadcasts as our television network is the US military base TV (this is a first for me).

How has your career in TESOL prepared you for this new position?

I truly believe everything has led me to this point. My years in K-12 schools in NC and VA. Teaching at Averett University, Virginia Tech, and Radford. All my travels around the world. I would not be here had I not had all my past experiences. Additionally, serving on the VATESOL board has prepared me for taking on new challenges. I never thought in 2008 when I attended my first VATESOL conference that I would be VATESOL president one day. And when I started teaching in 2009, I never thought I’d be teaching future teachers in the middle of the Pacific Ocean in 2021...but here I am, and I am so excited and grateful for the opportunity.

Do you have any professional or personal goals for your time in the Marshall Islands?

I would love to learn Marshallese (i.e. Kajin Majel), and I intend to take several courses on Kajin Majel and Mantin Majel (Marshallese culture) at CMI. I also want to learn as much as I can about their schools and help future teachers become the best teachers they can be. And...island hopping around Micronesia is on the agenda, but with Covid, who knows when that will happen. For now, I’m simply excited to leave my 28-day quarantine behind, take a walk, swim, and go outside whenever I want.

What else would you share with our VATESOL readers?

Believe that the impossible is possible. You never know where your life will take you! And, my 28-day quarantine has actually been incredibly relaxing and peaceful (this has been a lovely surprise). Again, the impossible is possible.

Feel free to follow me on Instagram @rebeccaraineraab, Facebook (Rebecca Raab) or email me rebecca.raine@gmail.com. And if you ever want to visit, please let me know!

Top Tips for Writing a Great Conference Proposal

Mon, 10 May 2021 15:02:38 GMT

It sounds intimidating... submitting a proposal to present at a conference. We’re here to demystify the process and encourage you to submit a proposal for VATESOL’s first virtual conference this fall.

Presenter Information: Share your contact information with us so that we can notify you if your proposal is accepted and credit you in our program! However, our proposal review process is fully anonymous - board members won’t be able to see your name on your submission until after all proposals have been reviewed and accepted or denied.
Presentation Type & Target Audience: Help us see where your presentation will fit within the organization of the conference. The Target Audience and Topic Emphasis fields are included in our program as a way for participants to easily locate sessions that may be most relevant to their current field or area of interest.
Presentation Details: Share with us the title, summary, and abstract of your proposed presentation. The title and summary will be printed in the conference program for participants, while the abstract is for our proposal reviewers to learn more about what you are proposing to present. Don’t stress… You aren’t expected to write a doctoral dissertation here! Just give us a clear and descriptive overview of your presentation: What information will you share? What will a participant walk away with after hearing your presentation? Be sure not to include any identifying information (like your school division, university, or hometown) in the abstract.

Top Tips for Writing Your Proposal:

1. Start with the theme. Past VATESOL board member Marie Rose-McCully shared:

“Think about the conference as a conversation. How will your presentation fit into the conversation? What are you adding to the conversation? The reason we have a conference theme is so that people can engage in that shared conversation, examining a theme from multiple angles with even more perspectives. Proposals that do not add to that conversation feel out of place.”

Our fall 2020 virtual conference theme is: “Next Steps for Multilingual Learners.” What great conversation pieces do you have to share with us?

This year’s proposals will be evaluated for selection on the basis of the following criteria:

clear statement of objective
clear summary
current importance of topic in the field
focus and organization of abstract
relevance to conference theme and target audience
appropriateness of content for session duration

3. Consider the audience. Current VATESOL president, Jana Moore, wrote:

“What makes a great proposal is what the listener will get out of it. I don't want to go and listen to a speaker talk because they believe they are fabulous. I want to hear people talk about research or things they are doing in the classroom, and how it can be tweaked for my own purposes, or how that impacts what I'm doing. You can read a certain level of enthusiasm in proposals, and outstanding ones are those that ‘pop.’”

You can submit a proposal for the Fall 2020 Virtual VATESOL Conference "Next Steps for Multilingual Learners" through June 1:

Click Here

If you have any questions regarding our conference or submitting proposals, please email vatesol@gmail.com

New Podcast: Multilingual Families with Renata Germino

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 12:48:24 GMT

Check out our latest VATESOL podcast episode!

Two Fists of Cilantro: Lifting up the Experience and Knowledge of Multilingual Families

Renata Germino is a Newcomer Specialist working in Charlottesville, Virginia. In this podcast she talks with VATESOL Membership Chair, Jeannie Pfautz, about different projects she manages that celebrate multilingual learners and families with whom she works. She also spends time sharing knowledge about applying for different grants, working with community partners, and empowering young people to share their stories. Renata is happy to answer any follow-up questions you have. She can best be reached at renatagermino@gmail.com

Here are a few of the grants discussed in the podcast:

You can subscribe to the VATESOL podcast on anchor.fm/vatesol or by searching VATESOL Together on Breaker, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, or Spotify!

Voices From the Field: Experiences in Education During COVID-19

Sat, 27 Feb 2021 17:43:47 GMT

VATESOL compiled quotes via an anonymous survey to lift up the voices of teachers, students, and administrators from the field of English learner education during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can read their statements by watching the silent video presentation here:

Happy Valentine's Day from VATESOL!

Sun, 14 Feb 2021 17:35:11 GMT

Happy Valentine's Day from VATESOL to all of our members and supporters!

We are celebrating with a month of spreading love and kindness, and we hope you will join us in these efforts. Click on the video below to see how a few of our VATESOL Board Members have given or experienced acts of kindness this month, and then share your own in the comments or by tagging VATESOL on social media! ♥♥

Virginia's 2021 General Assembly Session Update

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 17:56:14 GMT

The regular 2021 session of the Virginia General Assembly has ended, but Governor Northam called for a special session to give lawmakers more time to work through the proposed bills.

Two of the bills we have been tracking were left in the House Appropriations committee. The first one, HB 1929, was a large Standards of Quality bill which would have lowered the student-teacher ratio for K-12 English language instructors in proportion to English proficiency level, according to the student’s most recent WIDA ACCESS score. The new ratios would have been:

1 teacher for every 25 students at Level 1,
1 teacher for every 30 students at Level 2,
1 teacher for every 40 students at Level 3, and
1 teacher for every 58 students for all other English learners.

The second bill we were watching closely, HB 1915, would have increased Virginia teacher pay to approach the national teacher salary average.

Essentially, both of these bills were considered, but the required funding for the bill was not approved.

Four of the bills we have been watching were continued until the special session begins today. See the graphic below for a summary of other bills we have been following:

Contacting your delegates and informing them of your position on important issues is a great way to stay involved. If you are not sure who your representatives are, you can find out here. You can call or email your representatives, or even tag them on social media!

If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to Jessica Klein, the VATESOL Legislative Liaison, at jessica.w.klein@gmail.com.

Ideas for Building Student Relationships Virtually

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 03:48:56 GMT

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, VATESOL is focusing this month around ways to spread kindness! This image features some suggestions for building student relationships during virtual learning. We hope you can try one or more of these this month!

Reflections of 2020: A New Era of Educational Practices

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 20:30:00 GMT

Authored by Dr. Mary Jane Boynton, principal of Parkside Middle School in Prince William County, Virginia

March 13, 2020. The day that will go down in history as when traditional K-12 public education ceased to exist. The day that required a systematic, world-wide educational paradigm shift. Oh, and it needs to happen in a matter of weeks-months, rather than years. The day when all school principals learned they would be required to lead their students, staff and parents through an unprecedented pandemic, with no guidelines or ‘map’ to follow.

There is nothing in the leadership research or manuals to guide or assist school leaders on how to lead through a pandemic. Nothing! There is no one to call and talk to for advice or suggestions. Everything is new, uncharted and let’s be honest, downright terrifying!

I have been an administrator for fourteen years, and a teacher since 1992. The majority of my teaching career has been teaching and working with English learners. Since 2011 I have been the principal at an extremely diverse middle school in Northern Virginia, with close to 30% of my students identified as English Language Learners. When reflecting on how my role as an administrator has changed and what I have learned, I cannot answer that question without focusing on how it relates to my English learners and their families.

Priorities changed, and no longer am I thinking about how to serve my students within the school building, COVID has required me to think beyond the traditional schoolhouse, and cautiously delve into the homes of my students, especially my EL students.

Where did I begin to meet the needs of my EL students?

Communicate, communicate, and communicate a little more!

Taking the time to call each and every student and their family to ensure open lines of communication.
When all else fails, even in the time of COVID, visit the home, following all safety precautions.
Ensure there are ample staff to answer phone calls for help and assistance.
Additionally, make sure that the staff who are answering the phones, and answering the door, are able to help with the new technology requirements.

Access to technology

Ensure all students have devices, and more importantly, they know how to operate them.
Ensure all students have internet access.
Provide a variety of opportunities for students to receive assistance, while also ensuring the safety of students and school personnel.

Access to learning

Provide students and parents a variety of chances to learn how to access the new technology programs in person, and with opportunities to practice.
Staff available, before, during, and after the school day to assist parents and students with all different types of technology issues, as many times as they need us to be there.
When necessary, provide in-person learning opportunities for students. I know this is not available to everyone, but thankfully we have been able to provide this to students on a case-by-case basis.

And then remember to…

Remain calm, transparent, and sincere when communicating with students, staff, and parents.
Be prepared to do whatever it takes.
No time for excuses, only solutions.
Focus on the positive, not the negative.
Take the challenges in small sections, and work through them little by little.
Display high belief and high expectations of our students, teachers and staff.
Be willing to walk the walk and talk the talk. Don’t expect others to do what you are not willing to do yourself.
Get teachers and students what they need to be successful.
Celebrate the successes, regardless of how small they are.
Be grateful, and share your gratitude with your students, staff, and parents.

As a school leader this time period has challenged each and every one of us beyond what any of us could have imagined. However, it has also allowed us to experience a true sense of community. Together, we can make a difference, and we can rise above every challenge, and succeed.

Mary Jane Boynton is the principal at Parkside Middle Cambridge International School in Virginia, USA. She has taught and led in Scotland, Malta, Mexico as well as the United States. At Dr. Boynton's direction, Parkside earned the accreditation as the first Cambridge Professional Development program in the United States. She specializes in leading and learning schools with diverse student populations.

Not All ESL Programs are Created Equal: Reflecting on K-12 ESL Programs Across the Country

Mon, 07 Dec 2020 18:23:30 GMT

Authored by Brooke Boutwell, VATESOL K-12 Special Interest Group (SIG) Leader and middle school ESL teacher in Virginia Beach City Public Schools

As the year 2020 nears a much anticipated and desired close, VATESOL is focusing on the theme of reflection throughout the month of December. Many teachers are thinking back on their journey into virtual/distance learning and adapting to the unprecedented demands of educators. As a brand new Virginia ESL teacher, I chose to reflect on my unique teaching experiences.

When I was an education major in college, my professor told us a joke that said something along the lines of when special education teachers try to out acronym the English as a second language teachers, no one wins. Little did I know that 5 years into my career, I could pour out more acronyms that I ever thought possible. Here’s why...

NYSESLAT, NYSITELL, CR Part 154, and ENL. I was introduced to the TESOL world in Upstate New York. New York has its own state run laws and regulations for ESL programs, CR Part 154. I learned all about the New York State English as a Second Language Assessment and was called an ENL teacher (English as a New Language). My first year was a bit rocky, but after 3 years, I had the lingo down. I could tell you exactly how many minutes of support a transitioning ELL was legally required to receive a week. I knew that newcomers were required to have an ENL teacher in their English class at the secondary level. I knew this information so well that I was promoted to department head after my second year.

At the close of my third year teaching in New York, I moved to Texas and encountered another state run program. The TELPAS became a part of my daily vocabulary. I am a military wife, and my first move was to a small town in South Texas. I was hired as an English/ESOL teacher. I did not know exactly what that meant at the time. I didn't even ask because I was just happy that I had a job before I made the move across the country. I quickly learned that Texas regulations for ELLs were not as well defined as back home. I was the only ESL certified teacher for ninth grade. In fact, the person in charge of ESL for the district was actually a speech language pathologist, and knew very little about educating language learners. My job was to teach general education freshman English, but also support all other content teachers in differentiation for the ELLs in ninth grade. I learned all about TEKS, LPAC, and TABE just in time for me to pack up and move again.

Year 5 brought WIDA and the ACCESS test. My move (hopefully the last for a while) to Virginia was the first WIDA state I have taught in. It is crazy to think that out of the 35 states that have adopted WIDA, I just so happened to come from 2 that don’t. Another state, another whole new set of acronyms and regulations to learn. It’s December and I still confuse my co-workers when I ask about the HLQ (Home Language Questionnaire in NY) instead of the HLS (Home Language Survey). I am still learning the “Can Do” descriptors and the different names for proficiency levels.

After thinking about my personal experiences with ESL in 3 different states, I started Googling. I came across this great website that compares ESL programs across all 50 states. I will reluctantly admit I spent about 2 hours clicking on various links and falling down many rabbit holes comparing programs around the country. https://www.ecs.org/50-state-comparison-english-learner-policies/ has data on funding, identification, and a variety of other information that you might find interesting.

I hope you all take the time this month to reflect on a topic important to you, whether it is teaching related or not.

My VATESOL Baker’s Dozen = 13 Reasons Why I’m Grateful This November

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 17:07:21 GMT

Authored by Rebecca Raab, VATESOL President 2019-2020.

When I became VATESOL’s president in September of 2019, I thought I would spend the term hyper focused on one thing—the Southeast TESOL 2020 Conference in Richmond. From October 2019 to about early March 2020, this was the case. Any spare moment I had was spent rethinking budgets, contacting speakers, brainstorming with board members, encouraging presenters to submit proposals, and recruiting exhibitors. However, by mid-March, like most of the world, the pandemic was reality. Planning came to a nail-biting halt. The conference was ultimately postponed. Yet, in the chaos of COVID uncertainty, there have been so many wonderful people and partners who gathered around VATESOL to help us not only overcome our pandemic related challenges, but also become a better organization.

Since Turkey Day is just around the corner, I thought I would serve up a baker’s dozen of yummy nuggets of VATESOL-related gratitude and thanks.

Our Members = We are so grateful for each of you. Thank you for joining our COVID-19 Town Halls, participating in our first book club, attending webinars, voting, and continuing to be members.
Our 2019-2020 Board Members = Where would we be without this crew of amazing and dedicated volunteers? Thank you to 2019-2020 VATESOL Board = Katya Koubek, Monica Starkweather, Jessica Klein, Jackie Brown, Tori Pierson, Jana Moore, Marie Rose-McCully, Cammie Wilson, Laura Lewis, Pam Rose, Jenn Gooding, Lezly Taylor, Caryn Caurso, April Salerno, and Wendysue Clausson.
Our 2020-2021 VATESOL Board = I am grateful for our new board members: Rob Donahue, Brooke Boutwell, Sara Goldsmith, and Jeannie Pfautz. Also, thanks to our returning board members Jana Moore, Wendysue Clausson, Jessica Klein, Jenn Gooding, Cammie Wilson, Katya Koubek, Jackie Brown, Tori Pierson, Laura Lewis, and April Salerno. I know we’ve got an exciting year ahead!
The Virginia Department of Education = Thank you to Dr. Jessica Costa, Jenna Kelly, and Dr. Heidi Silver-Pacuilla. We so appreciate our collaboration throughout the pandemic and look forward to working together in the future.
The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez = I am so grateful for this book, and I am more grateful that I got to read it for the first time in our first ever VATESOL book club hosted by Laura Lewis, VATESOL Secretary. Every educator should read this book. Check out one member’s take on the book here: Summer Book Reflection
ESL Library = ESL Library partnered with VATESOL for 2020, providing a free 2-month subscription of their amazing products to our members. Moreover, they provided an informative webinar in August sharing all the ins and outs of their amazing products. Thank you so much for partnering with us. Check out ESL Library here: https://esllibrary.com/
The English Learner Portal = Thank you to Kelly Reider and her amazing English Learner Portal for collaborating with us to provide an awesome workshop for our members in August. If you need PD, check out the English Learner Portal.
Virginia Adult Learning and Resource Center = VATESOL is so grateful to Hali Massy with Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center for partnering with us to offer a fantastic webinar on adult education in September. We look forward to working together in 2021.
Advocacy October = Thank you to Jessica Klein, our Advocacy Liaison, for curating our first ever Advocacy October. Check out the awesome blog post and resources from Emily Hemmingson, Certified Health Coach. Additionally, be sure to read our guest blog post from Diane Staehr Fenner on Advocating for Els During Distance Learning.
Zoom = Although I long for the day when we no longer need to use you so much, thank you for providing us the real-time connections we needed over the past months. To say you’ve transformed the educational and professional development landscape is the understatement of the century. And yes, I just personified Zoom, my constant COVID companion.
Tennessee TESOL = You saved the day! Tennessee TESOL agreed to let VATESOL host Southeast TESOL in 2022, shifting their year to host until 2024. This allowed VATESOL to postpone the Southeast 2020 conference without any financial losses/penalties. Thank you a million times over.
Our Conference Partners = Thank you for working with us to postpone our big conference until 2022. We look forward to October 2022!

The AV Company
The Greater Richmond Convention Center = Thank you, Jenny!
The Downtown Richmond Marriot = Thank you, Connie!
Richmond Region Tourism = So grateful for Jason, our COVID conference coach.

13. All Teachers = I am grateful for you. You are doing it! Whatever level you’re at, teaching practices are being transformed in accelerated real-time, and you are powering through the most challenging time of your career. Treat yourself to an extra slice of pumpkin pie and a nap or ten.

The 2019-2020 VATESOL Board would like to express its enormous gratitude and love to Rebecca Raab for her dedication, professionalism, leadership, courage, and compassion. She will continue to serve on the 2020-2021 Board in the role of Past-President.

Advocacy October: Introduction to the VA General Assembly

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 14:29:38 GMT

Advocating for English learners is one of the central goals of our professional field. During the month of October, we have been sharing content related to advocacy at various levels.

This week, we move to the state level of advocacy. Jessica Klein, VATESOL Advocacy and Legislative Liaison, created this informational video explaining the Virginia General Assembly. Check it out and learn how to more effectively advocate for our ELs at the state level!

Advocating for English Learners during Distance Learning

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 21:50:11 GMT

To continue our month of advocacy, we are honored to share this blog post written by Diane Staehr Fenner, author and president of SupportEd.

***

We have learned that in some districts in the United States, a disproportionate number of ELs did not participate in distance learning in spring 2020 – they just did not show up.

With the majority of school divisions in Virginia beginning the school year either fully remote or using a hybrid model, our sudden pivot in spring 2020 to distance learning has now largely become the norm this fall. The image below shows how school divisions have begun the 2020-21 school year.

As of the 2019-20 school year, English learners (ELs) made up nearly nine percent of the school-age population in Virginia, and we must ensure that ELs receive an equitable education during the current, highly unusual school year. We know that ELs already faced multiple challenges in terms of equity before the pandemic began, and the widespread adoption of distance learning models has exacerbated those inequities. We have learned that in some districts in the United States, a disproportionate number of ELs did not participate in distance learning in spring 2020 – they just did not show up. However, we can leverage our advocacy skills to ensure ELs are included in policy and practice conversations and not an afterthought this school year.

While there are many advocacy issues for ELs who are taking part in distance learning, this blog post will focus on only three: supporting EL families, scaffolding instruction for ELs, and ensuring valid assessment for ELs. For each issue, I will summarize the urgency around advocacy and will offer some resources to support your advocacy for ELs.

First and foremost, we must support EL families during these stressful times. From helping families receive the technology and tools needed in order for their children to access online instruction through helping them connect to resources in their communities such as food banks and healthcare, advocating for EL families has never been more crucial. We must collaborate to join forces in support of our EL families.

Suggested resources:

Colorín Colorado’s Covid-19 information for ELL and multilingual families: https://www.colorincolorado.org/coronavirus
Immigrant Connections’ “Engaging Immigrant & English Learner Families in a Virtual World: 10 Lessons Learned:” https://www.immigrantsrefugeesandschools.org/post/engaging-immigrant-english-learner-families-in-a-virtual-world-10-lessons-learned

Now more than ever, we must ensure instruction is appropriately scaffolded for ELs who are learning in a distance learning environment. We have the opportunity to improve ELs’ instruction during the current year and must ensure that ELs are meaningfully included and supported so they can learn content and continue to develop their academic language skills. ELs may now have limited opportunities to practice their English in face to face settings, so we must advocate and offer our expertise in ways to foster ELs’ participation and learning.

Suggested resources:

SupportEd’s Scaffolded Lesson Planning Checklist: https://getsupported.net/wp-content/uploads/Scaffolded-Lesson-Planning-Checklist-1.pdf
Colorín Colorado’s Distance Learning for ELLs webpage: https://www.colorincolorado.org/distance-learning-ells

Last spring, many school districts decided that assessments would not count and students would not receive grades. That is overwhelmingly not the case during the current school year, as students are expected to take part in instruction as well as assessment, and most students will receive grades. The stakes are particularly high for ELs, since there are already many barriers to valid assessment and grading for this group of students.

Suggested resources:

SupportEd’s Formative Assessment Checklist: https://getsupported.net/wp-content/uploads/EL-Formative-Assessment-Checklist-SupportEd.pdf
SupportEd’s Five Pillars of Equitably Grading ELs webinar replay: https://getsupported.net/professional-development-webinars/

As we settle in to our new routines this year, let’s make sure that we take time to reflect on advocacy as a crucial tool to allow our ELs’ assets to shine.

***

SupportEd is a woman-owned small business based in Fairfax, VA. We offer five formats and multiple topics for online professional development to help you best support your ELs in distance learning, hybrid, or face-to-face environments:

Virtual PD
Webinars
On-demand courses
Facilitated 12-hour courses
Online book studies

For more information, see https://getsupported.net/virtualpd/

To learn more about the different types of online PD we offer, see https://getsupported.net/wp-content/uploads/SupportEd-Online-Offerings.pdf

Self Advocacy: Brainstorming Your School Year Boundaries

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 16:31:58 GMT

We kick off October Advocacy Month by talking about self-advocacy. Thank you to our guest blogger, Emily Hemmingson, Certified Health Coach and founder of The Whole Adventure: Health Coaching for Teachers. You can read more about Emily and The Whole Adventure at the bottom of this blog post.

...

Why are school year boundaries so important?

Imagine for a moment that you are the owner of a garden that you want to share with the world.

At first, you let everyone in with no fence, no walkway, and no rules. After a while the garden is ruined and no one can enjoy it anymore.

Now imagine you have the same garden, but this time you build a fence, you set rules, and you make a walkway. You create boundaries, and because of it everyone can enjoy the beautiful garden for years to come.

You guessed it - this is a metaphor, and YOU are the garden.

If you don’t protect your energy and your resources during the school year, you may become too exhausted to share your unique and beautiful talents with your school community.

Now that we’ve covered why boundaries are important, read on to find out when you may need to set a boundary, and what those boundaries can include.

Signs you May Need A School Year Boundary

Here are a couple of good indicators that you need a boundary somewhere in your school day:

Your mental and physical health are being negatively impacted by your current schedule.
Something in your day consistently triggers you, makes you upset, or stresses you out.
You are anxiously awaiting your next school break.

If any of these apply to you, start thinking about what specifically is stressing you out, and how you can set a boundary with that part of your day.

Types of School Day Boundaries to Consider

There are various areas you can consider when setting boundaries in your life. Here are a few areas and examples you can consider while brainstorming what boundaries you would like to set:

Physical Boundaries

A physical boundary can look and sound like:

Taking consistent screen breaks when your eyes are straining.
Taking consistent breaks to eat when you are hungry.
“I need to take my full lunch break so I can eat during the day. If I don’t have that time I likely won’t eat”.
“I need to sit down for a second. If I don’t I will be too tired to calmly give this lesson.”
“I need more than five minutes between these two class periods so I can use the restroom.”

Emotional Boundaries

An emotional boundary can look and sound like:

Consistently refusing to engage in “venting”.
“I know you want to share how you feel, but I’m not the right person to talk with about this. It would be more appropriate to problem solve with x person.”
“I understand you’re upset but let’s talk about this outside of the school building or at another time.”
“Thanks for checking in, but I don’t want to share how I’m feeling right now.”

Time Boundaries

A time boundary can look and sound like:

Setting specific hours you are working and hours you are resting.
Asking for extended deadlines on tasks that feel overwhelming.
“I need at least a week’s notice for important deadlines or else I get overwhelmed and struggle producing quality work.”
“I don’t open my work laptop after 5pm because I reserve that time for my family.”
“Today I need to focus on x. Can I get that email response to you by tomorrow night instead of today?”

Personal Boundaries

A personal boundary can look and sound like:

Having a separate phone number (like google voice) and email that you share with families.
Leaving your work computer at school and turning off work email notifications after 5pm.
“I don’t talk about my personal life during work hours” or “I don’t talk about my work life during my personal hours”.
“I don’t attend student birthday parties because I’m just one person and wouldn’t be able to go to every party, but we will be celebrating at school!”

This is not a comprehensive list, and you do not have to use any of the boundaries written here. These are just examples to get you brainstorming. Consider what boundaries you need to set for a more balanced school year, and —

>>>TAKE ACTION<<<

Write down 1-3 clear boundaries you would like to start implementing this school year.
Write down why those boundaries are important to you.
Write down who you need to make these boundaries clear to.

Having clarity and intention behind your boundary will make it easier to stick to that boundary yourself, and easier to express that boundary to those around you.

Go forth, and build your fences!

…

Emily Hemmingson is a teacher turned certified health coach who has dedicated her career to helping teachers prevent and heal from symptoms of burnout. She founded her business, The Whole Adventure, to provide teachers with the tools and resources they need to maintain mental and physical health during the school year.

She would like to gift her readers a copy of The Healthy Teacher Self-Care Planner, designed to give teachers a quick way to check in daily with their mental and physical wellbeing.

You are also invited to join our free teacher wellness community, The Beat Burnout Facebook group here.

https://www.thewholeadventurecoaching.com/

October is Advocacy Month!

Fri, 02 Oct 2020 21:17:17 GMT

Happy October! This month, our theme at Virginia TESOL is advocacy. Jessica Klein, our Advocacy and Legislative Liaison, will be publishing content all month long related to advocacy at various levels, including local, state, and federal. You won't want to miss out!

For now, check out Jessica's Intro to Advocacy video below:

Teacher Perspectives of Reopening Schools Amid COVID-19

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 16:54:18 GMT

As part of our August blog series, VATESOL sent out a survey to teachers of English learners (ELs) about their perspectives on the reopening of schools in Virginia amid the pandemic. Fifteen teachers, who represented elementary, middle, and high school, responded to this survey. We compile their responses here as a way to articulate shared values and concerns among EL teachers across the state.

This fall, all teachers are faced with a variety of challenges related to many aspects of teaching in a virtual, hybrid, or modified in-person setting. When asked about their top priorities in planning for instruction this fall, teachers’ responses included:

Helping students and families access technology and hotspots
Creating assignments that are both accessible and meaningful
Ensuring staff and student safety
Having adequate resources for effective planning

This back-to-school season is undoubtedly filled with more fear and anxiety than ever before. Teachers noted many personal and professional concerns, including:

Health and safety of teachers and students
Communication with families and student engagement
Students’ academic progress
Technology access

EL teachers have a special expertise in both the instruction of ELs and outreach to multilingual families. This expertise should be consulted as administrators and leaders make decisions for the fall. When asked what issues they feel their administration should consider this school year, EL teachers most frequently provided the following responses:

Technology access
Communication
Resources and information available in multiple languages

Beyond question, COVID-19 has and will change teachers’ professional roles. When asked how this pandemic has already changed their role as an EL teacher, our survey participants responded:

Providing more wraparound support for families such as finding community services, including food banks
Facilitating more direct interaction with families
Learning how to teach through online platforms

This fall, teachers will need to learn how to engage all families with critical information and updates. EL teachers noted how they are planning to communicate with EL families this fall:

Phone calls
Texts
Technology platforms such as TalkingPoints, Canvas, Zoom
Face to face

When asked if they had the option, which reopening plan would they choose for ELs, seven out of fifteen teachers answered “hybrid,” six teachers answered “fully virtual,” and two teachers answered “face to face.” Even on a small scale, these responses show that teachers across the state have mixed feelings about reopening plans, especially when considering the many unique needs of ELs and their families.

As teachers gear up for a new school year, albeit different from years past, valid concerns about keeping safe, ELs falling through the cracks and not having access to technology were admittedly expressed. However, fellow EL teachers are optimistic with these comments:

“This is an exciting time for us to try new things that normally would take years to get approved! I hope I am up to the challenge”

“I’m grateful we have each other to collaborate with each other!”

“I have learned just how resilient my students are and that they and the communities where they live are continuing to support each other.”

We would love to hear from you. How is your division considering ELs and their families in their reopening plans? What other considerations and concerns would you add to the responses above? Comment below or on our social media platforms to continue the conversation.

Summer Book Club Reflection: The Book of Unknown Americans

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 14:48:42 GMT

This summer, our organization launched its first ever book club. The group, led by VATESOL Secretary Laura Lewis, met in July and discussed The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez.

VATESOL member and ESL teacher in Virginia Beach Public Schools, Kay Fedor, wrote this reflection after participating in the book club. We are grateful that she has allowed us to share her words on our blog:

Thanks so much for arranging the summer book club as I thoroughly enjoyed reading and sharing with like-minded colleagues. It is obvious that we are all drawn to our chosen profession by our love for our students, or "kiddos" (as coined by WendySue Clausson).

The text we read just demonstrated to me that we all have the desire to belong to the human race with inclusivity. I believe that if we continue to act with kindness and listen with two ears to the story of others with empathy and without judgement, our world will heal. WendySue shared that she has witnessed the positive cultural change at her school because of her advocacy and patient kindness toward others. It took time, but it has happened. For me, as a visual learner, I see our role as the pebble that is being skipped across a pond. It begins with us, one pebble at a time, creating a ripple effect across our small group, classroom, school building, district, and beyond.

Together we can do this...

"Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, the actions of individuals can have far-reaching effects." - Dalai Lama

Thank you to all of our members who participated in this summer's book club. VATESOL is hoping to organize another book club in the future. Stay tuned!

Administrator Perspectives of Reopening Plans for English Learners

Thu, 13 Aug 2020 12:40:19 GMT

In March of this year, schools began to transition from in-person to virtual instruction district by district, state by state. Emergency teaching plans were designed and put into place, with many believing that if we could just get through the end of the school year, education would be all right come fall. However, we now know that to not be true. COVID-19 is still here, and education might remain virtual for a bit longer.

One group in particular, English Learners (ELs), has been hit extremely hard. There have been numerous stories about the struggles teachers have faced while trying to work with a population that has been heavily hit by COVID-19, as well as oftentimes suffering from a lack of equity in virtual learning. States and school districts planning out a return to school need a strategy that will be safe, but equitable.

Administrators, those persons in between the federal- and state-level leaders and the teachers, have been tasked with the unenviable job of translating mandates and guidelines to the everyday practical aspects of how to make education work during a pandemic. It is these people who must come up with a plan to help our ELs overcome obstacles. In response to this, VATESOL asked some administrators from Virginia, as well as outside this state, to give us their perspective of the decision-making process specifically in regards to our ELs.

(A quick note to our readers: It was agreed between VATESOL and the administrators that the responses would be kept anonymous and published in a blog format. The contributors were shown a copy of the final blog and agreed that VATESOL had done its best to portray their responses as written.)

To begin, it should be noted that when asked if the COVID-19 pandemic had changed their role as administrators, all responses were affirmative. Administrators noted that they needed to:

increase their flexibility
be as transparent as possible with others
provide clear communication, which can be especially tricky in a virtual setting
focus on underrepresented groups to ensure that their voices are heard

In thinking about reopening schools face-to-face versus in a virtual environment, administrators have been confronted with some difficult decisions. The administrators we spoke with listed the following as their top priorities in the decision-making process:

Student and teacher safety
Following the guidelines set forth by local governments and school districts
Ensuring that teachers have the tools they need in order to provide quality instruction that is equitable for all students

Specific considerations for ELs and their families must be taken into consideration, but the debate still remains whether it would be better for them to be back in person or virtual. Part of this decision may be dependent upon the student’s proficiency level and educational background. The voice of the family is also very important. While in some districts EL families have been invited to work on task forces that are a part of the return-to-school plans, most administrators agree that family input has been limited overall, but that the final decision on whether ELs will return will be dictated by the family.

There is no question that we are currently faced with an historically difficult time in regards to public health and education. How administrators will balance student and staff safety with meeting the educational needs of special populations such as English learners may look different in each division across the state. VDOE’s guidance related to English learners and distance learning can be found on the English Learner page of its website.

Webinar: Teaching Flexibly with ESL Library

Wed, 29 Jul 2020 13:04:38 GMT

Authored by Tammy Wik, Outreach Representative for ESL Library

VATESOL and ESL Library are working together to provide a free one-hour professional development webinar, “Teaching Flexibly with ESL Library,” on Wednesday, August 5 from 2-3pm EST. Click here to pre-register.

Individuals who attend this webinar will receive a professional development certificate and, as a reminder, all active VATESOL Members also have a membership benefit of two months of free access to ESL Library's Plus plan!

ESL Library is a subscription service for English language teachers used in over 10,000 schools around the world. They provide digital and printable materials that work together seamlessly. Take a look at their site to find relevant, engaging lesson plans, flashcards, and other resources for your students of all ages and levels. Their goal is to help create great teaching moments in your classroom, regardless of what "classroom" means to you today.

The webinar will cover how you can use your free access to ESL Library to assign digital homework and get student results in real time, create custom digital or printable flashcard sets, and how to print or use ready-made PDFs.

Have questions? No problem! The webinar will feature an active Q&A chat box where you can type your questions to the ESL Library team or swap ideas with other educators in our community.

Get 2 Months Free Access

Looking to start your free access to ESL Library before the webinar? You must be an active VATESOL member to receive this benefit. Please contact vatesol@gmail.com to receive your code and the activation link, or to join/reactivate your VATESOL membership.

Capitol Hill or Ant Hill? It’s Really Just an Office

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 20:18:37 GMT

Authored by Jessica Klein, VATESOL Advocacy and Legislative Liaison

Advocacy can be big or small and the big parts can feel really intimidating, just like this building. We spend most of our K-12 education learning about and revering American symbols and landmarks like Capitol Hill. In Civics, we learn how to participate in our communities and local government, and in Government we learn the intricacies of our U. S. legislative system. Despite all our understanding of Congress, it can feel intangible. It’s like we’re watching ants at work in an ant farm, only our glass window is C-Span. Through participating in TESOL’s annual Advocacy and Policy Summit, I have realized that Congress is not meant for display; it is an elaborately constructed office complex made up of people who have a responsibility to listen when we have something to say.

Each year, the TESOL International Advocacy and Policy Summit begins with a few days of advocacy training including updates on Federal budgets and policy briefings on pending legislation that affect English language professionals and learners. In recent years, the Summit culminated in a day of a hundred or more English language teachers descending upon the Capitol to meet with their Representatives and Senators. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Day of Action included attendees and their colleagues writing letters to their Members of Congress using TESOL’s Advocacy Action Center. Some attendees scheduled Zoom meetings or phone calls in addition to the letter writing campaign. I was able to snag a 15 minute phone call with a staffer from my Representative’s office and it turned out to be a success.

In 15 minutes or less (no this is NOT a GEICO commercial-I swear), the staffer and I were able to get introduced, go over a few of TESOL’s policy recommendations, and review our action items for after the meeting. In addition to asking Congress to reject the White House’s proposal to combine 29 funding streams within ESSA, I asked for my Rep. to support two bills in the House, the SPELL Act and the Reaching English Learners Act. The SPELL Act moves to amend the Higher Education Act to include English language teachers to the list of teaching positions that qualify for higher student loan debt forgiveness, joining math, science, and Special Education teachers. The Reaching English Learners Act proposes creating grants for teacher preparation programs at higher education institutions to prepare the next generation of teachers to meet the needs of English language learners. I followed up the next day to thank the staffer for his time and he had great news. Within 24 hours, the Representative gave his formal support by becoming a co-sponsor for both bills. I was obviously thrilled to hear how one small phone call led to a noticeable change so quickly.

The staffer ended our call with a request that I’d like to share. His message was that advocates do a really great job keeping them informed about trends in data like changing demographics and test scores, but what they really need from advocates is to act as their ears on the ground. He asked for students’ stories and our anecdotes about how current policies affect their daily lives. He specifically wanted to know more about immigrant students and students living in poverty - two groups whose voices are often underrepresented. As EL teachers and teacher trainers, we are in a unique position to advocate for some of the most vulnerable students in our nation, and really what teacher doesn’t love telling story after story about their students? If you have a story to tell, call up one of your Members of Congress; I’m sure they would love to hear it. If they don’t, maybe they aren’t meeting their responsibility to listen to what you have to say. So remember, Capitol Hill is just an office, and each elected official has to earn their spot there.

Reflections of Spring 2020

Fri, 26 Jun 2020 15:38:17 GMT

VATESOL teachers and board members shared their reflections of 2020 so far. We will be highlighting their stories on our social media platforms over the next few days.

Be sure to stay in touch with VATESOL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to participate in our exciting upcoming events!

SuperMom or SuperTeacher? The Balancing Act

Fri, 10 Apr 2020 14:56:18 GMT

Authored by Dr. Jana Moore, ESOL teacher in Prince William County and VATESOL 2nd Vice President.

In the new (and hopefully temporary) norm I wake up sometime before my kids and gulp down coffee while trying to structure out a plan for the day. Things to take into consideration? My husband, also on telework, will need to make a few conference calls: the kids and I will have to be super quiet during those times. I need my 5-year-old to keep working on letter and sight word recognition, and his awesome pre-school keeps sending me activities that he is used to doing on a daily basis. Some of these are reading activities, some math, and some even in Spanish! My 8-year-old is supposed to be working on his math. Reading is not a problem, because he has taken after his parents and inhales books. I can use that to my advantage to work on social studies. I still need to come up with some science or art activities. Then there is the house, which still needs to be cleaned, meals to be made (21 a week...ack!), dog to be walked, garden to be planted, the never-ending pile of laundry. I have to think about my job. I am a teacher. I am not “done with the school year,” but quite the opposite. I have to learn how to teach online, how to build a website, upload work and videos, and find ways to communicate with students that do not have technology or regular WiFi. There are virtual meetings to attend, and administrative tasks that still have to be handled. Is there time to exercise sometime in the day? I really need to lose a few pounds, and I did sign up for a race later in the year.

Working parents have been tasked with a lot right now, and many of us have dug in our heels. We are going to do this. As a teacher, it feels even more poignant, because we will not let our students down. But we are entering new territory, foreign territory, and we need to learn to shift our priorities and re-set our standards.

I am now on my fourth week of trying to juggle everything, and have gone through a metamorphosis. It has taken time to understand what my family needs, what my job needs from me, and what I need in order to thrive during this. I needed to get my kids on a schedule, and I use this term very loosely. They know that when they wake up, both parents will be there to help them get through the day. Some days we will be great at multitasking and get school lessons tackled, while others we will be grateful that our boys like books and have fantastic imaginations. They both have journals and sketch pads, which they have made good use of: the 5-year-old draws leaves and birds, while the 8-year-old has started his own superhero comic series. Is that art? It’s creative, whatever it is.

My kids are adapting well to the new routine, but there are meltdowns (not always from the kids) for not being able to play with friends, from the new schedule, from me trying to keep the kids from being online and in front of a screen all day, to insisting everyone eats at least half a banana for breakfast and five carrot sticks at lunch.

In terms of teaching, there are a few new realities that I need to accept:

I am not designed to be an online teacher, so I will do my best but there will be other websites or teacher stations that are flashier.
Many of my students do not have access to technology, so unless we deliver the assignments on paper, they will not do them.
Many of my students have checked out until next fall, and no matter how many ways I try to communicate with them, they are finished for the year.
I will have to put myself on mute during conference calls from time to time to deal with temper tantrums.

The bottom line is that not everything is going to be perfect, and that is going to be all right. We will get through this, and we will be ok.

Albemarle County's Response to COVID-19

Tue, 07 Apr 2020 20:20:45 GMT

Authored by Laura Lewis, ESOL teacher in Albemarle County and VATESOL Secretary.

Albemarle County Public Schools

We closed abruptly Friday, March 13th. The principal got on the loudspeaker and told everyone that school was closed for the next two weeks. Our spring break is April 6 to 10.

By the end of the next week, we had our first Zoom faculty meeting at which our principal shared the county plan: check and connect, a program based out of Wisconsin. Each teacher took their homeroom as their "case load." We contacted each family to check on their status - how were they, did they have enough food, did their student have a charger and school computer, do they have Internet access, etc. We were told that the two weeks leading up to spring break would be a time to post enrichment and review activities that could be downloaded or worked on offline. Some teachers had the foresight to send home packets with students.

Last week, the Superintendent revealed the instructional support plan for after our spring break. We will have "online" school for 6 weeks from April 13 to May 22. During this time, teachers are to create learning modules and choose two to five key concepts to build these modules around. All work will be pass/fail. The idea is to look at what standards you have covered and what standards you have not covered and then choose two to five of these standards. All work will be posted on Schoology. Content area teachers are to create two hours of instruction per week. This should be reflected in the modules so that students can work at their own pace and schedule to take into consideration family constraints. Exploratory teachers (art, music, drama, technology, Spanish, band) can post one hour of work per week.

We are now pulling into PLC (professional learning community) groups and using Zoom to meet weekly as a PLC to build these modules in addition to a weekly faculty meeting to check-in. We are responsible for contacting our homeroom families once a week via email, text, or phone call as part of the continuation of the check and connect program.

What is your district doing to support students, especially English learners, during this unprecedented time?

Join us for our weekly VATESOL Town Hall every Wednesday at 3 PM, or email us to be published on our blog.

SIG Leader Reflections: Cammie Wilson

Tue, 03 Mar 2020 16:56:19 GMT

Authored by Cammie Wilson, Adult Ed Special Interest Group leader for the VATESOL Board of Directors.

For me, 2019 was a year of many goodbyes and many endings, some painful, some hopeful, and I welcome 2020 as a year of beginnings, open doors, new paths, and new opportunities.

Three years ago, when I accepted the position of daytime ESOL instructor, I was hopeful that our program might be able to buck the trend of employing mostly part-time, mostly K-12-certified instructors.The field of Adult ESOL is full of highly-skilled, highly-qualified, passionate, enthusiastic, inadequately-compensated instructors.

Over the years, I've been told time and time again how lucky I am to have work that I love, for which I have a passion, for which I felt a calling, and from which I have gained deep satisfaction. Unfortunately, as those of you know who have struggled as adjuncts to find enough teaching credits, as part-time employees to rely on a spouse for benefits, as underpaid K-12 teachers who've agreed to teach night classes for additional income... the satisfaction that comes with student success can be overshadowed by growing workloads, income instability, and the general demands of life and family.

We are good at our jobs, and we deserve to be fairly compensated for our work. We deserve sick time, holidays, and snow days without worrying about how we're going to make up that income because we're in a don't-work-don't-get-paid situation. We deserve opportunities for advancement, professional development, and at the very minimum, cost-of-living pay increases.

This was the year I realized that my Adult Ed program was in no better situation than others across the state. In December, after a year of watching our program struggle with cuts to local funding, including the reduction of our staff by over 40% and the potential dissolution of the ESOL program entirely, I made the difficult and painful decision to leave my position. I initially balked at the idea of having to leave the field of Adult Education to find a permanent full-time job with benefits, but now I find myself in a position where my schedule and salary allow me the freedom to volunteer with a local literacy organization, keeping me connected to the ELL community and continuing to support adult learners in my region and beyond.

I am hopeful that in 2020, my colleagues in Adult Ed will be able to find meaning in their work while also being fairly compensated for their time and skill; that the adult ELLs of Virginia will find growing opportunities for education and employment; and that VATESOL can provide additional avenues to connect practitioners and learners across the state.

Support VATESOL!

Fri, 21 Feb 2020 13:40:55 GMT

It's official... 2020 is the Year of VATESOL! With a fully staffed Board of Directors working hard to host the annual SETESOL conference this year, we are so excited to be building our membership base at our state affiliate. Here are a few fun facts about VATESOL!

Did you know...

that our first state affiliate began in 1983 as the Tidewater-Peninsula TESOL affiliate?
that our first newsletter was published in 1984, when the organization had 61 members?
that our name officially changed to VATESOL in 1997?

It has been a fun 37 years with you! To celebrate, we are selling VATESOL items - everything from t-shirts and baby onesies to coffee mugs and stickers.

This is a great opportunity to financially and publicly show your support for us as a non-profit organization. VATESOL will receive about 15% of every sale.

Share the link and consider purchasing today for a great cause!

https://www.teepublic.com/user/setesol2020

Budget Sunday at VA General Assembly

Tue, 18 Feb 2020 16:36:05 GMT

Authored by Tori Pierson, Newsletter Editor for VATESOL and 6th grade ESL teacher and advocate in Richmond Public Schools

This Sunday, February 16, was “Budget Sunday” at the Virginia General Assembly. Members of the House and Senate gathered to report their proposed amendments to the Governor’s budget for 2020-2022. This year, a group of education advocates attended both the House and Senate hearings wearing red and carrying signs to send a message to legislators: We are here; we are listening; and we are holding you accountable.

As an ESL teacher, I have always believed that advocacy is an integral part of my work as an educator. I try to stay informed on current policy and be an active member of organizations who are advocating on behalf of our English learners, their families, their communities, and their schools. With that in mind, I have attended several committee meetings during this year’s General Assembly session. Overall, I have learned that we have a hard battle to fight and our English learners need our advocacy now more than ever.

Education advocates in Virginia rallied fiercely in support of HB1316 and SB728 this year. These were identical bills proposed by Delegate Aird and Senator McClellan to fully fund the Virginia Board of Education’s Standards of Quality. Among many excellent improvements, the bills included smaller student-teacher ratios for English learners based on their English proficiency level. The current ratio is 59:1.

HB975 also proposed to reduce student-teacher ratios for English learners, but it was cut in the House education committee to only fund a ratio of 50:1. Disappointingly, this is the ratio reflected in both the House and Senate versions of the budget.

Overall, the proposed budgets from both the House and the Senate provoked disappointment and even anger from education advocates. Teachers are challenging the 2% salary increase, saying that it barely covers inflation. The average teacher's salary in Virginia is about $9,000 lower than the national average, even though Virginia is the 12th wealthiest state in the country.

For me, it is both energizing and exhausting to attend these meetings and participate in these organized actions. On the one hand, I have built friendships with so many amazing advocates - teachers, parents, and community members - who are doing great work on behalf of our students. These friendships keep me informed and motivated. On the other hand, it is discouraging to have to rally and fight for our students to have access to a quality educational experience.

We have so much work left to do, but I am certain that we have a lot of incredible people ready to keep working. As educators, it is imperative that we do our part by staying informed, communicating with our representatives, and never settling for less than excellence for our students.

I am grateful to VATESOL Advocacy Liaison, Jessica Klein, for publishing informative updates during the General Assembly sessions and throughout the year. I am also grateful to The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis for providing information and analysis in partnership with our advocacy efforts.

Photo from The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis

Member Spotlight: Congratulations, WendySue Clausson!

Sun, 02 Feb 2020 00:21:35 GMT

This week, several of our VATESOL board members attended the annual Virginia ESL Supervisors’ Association (VESA) conference in Norfolk. We hosted an information table where we registered new members and encouraged presentation proposals for SETESOL 2020. Conferences are a great opportunity to meet and reconnect with professionals in our field, and we were grateful to see so many familiar faces!

VATESOL President Rebecca Raab connected with one of our members, WendySue Clausson, an ESL teacher at Cooke Elementary School in Virginia Beach. Check out their conversation and join us in congratulating WendySue on her exciting news!

&amp;amp;lt;span&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;font color="#000000"&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;font style="font-size: 15px;" face="Arial"&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;span&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;font color="#000000"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;font style="font-size: 15px;" face="Arial"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;span&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;font color="#000000"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;font style="font-size: 15px;" face="Arial"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;span&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;font color="#000000"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;font style="font-size: 15px;" face="Arial"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;span&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;font color="#000000"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;font style="font-size: 15px;" face="Arial"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;span&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;font color="#000000"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/font&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/span&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/font&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/font&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/span&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/font&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/font&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/span&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/font&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/font&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/span&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/font&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/font&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/span&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;/font&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;/font&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;/span&amp;amp;gt;

Jan 31: Multicultural Children´s Book Day

Fri, 31 Jan 2020 01:59:20 GMT

In Japan every January the Grand Sumo Tournament is held. This year's event concluded January 26th with quite the historic underdog story! Wrestler Tokushoryu is the first bottom-ranked sumo wrestler to win a top-division title since March 2000. WOW!

I was quite excited to be gifted Sumo Joe by Mia WenJen to review for the Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2020 event. The easy-to-read book highlights the sport with a clever character face-off: a brother vs. sister martial arts challenge. One of my newcomer LOVES, I mean is honestly infatuated with Japanese culture, and the illustrations by Nat Iwata allow so many opportunities for learning also. Sumo Joe would be a perfect choice as part of a quad text set leading up to a target text on martial arts or Japan. The rhythmic text structure appeals to new and intermediate readers along with building vocabulary outside the martial arts theme. As if that wasn't enough, the illustrated glossary and author's note adds to the uniqueness of Sumo Joe. Find a quick flip-through of Sumo Joe by clicking the cover image above!

MCDB 2020 is in its 7^th year! This non-profit children’s literacy initiative was founded by Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen; two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural books and authors on the market while also working to get those book into the hands of young readers and educators.

Seven years in, MCBD’s mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves continues.

MCBD 2020 is honored to have the following Medallion Sponsors on board

Super Platinum

Make A Way Media/ Deirdre “DeeDee” Cummings

Platinum

Language Lizard, Pack-N-Go Girls

Gold

Audrey Press, Lerner Publishing Group, KidLit TV, ABDO BOOKS : A Family of Educational Publishers, PragmaticMom & Sumo Jo, Candlewick Press

Silver

Author Charlotte Riggle, Capstone Publishing, Guba Publishing, Melissa Munro Boyd & B is for Breathe

Bronze

Author Carole P. Roman, Snowflake Stories/Jill Barletti, Vivian Kirkfield & Making Their Voices Heard. Barnes Brothers Books, TimTimTom, Wisdom Tales Press, Lee & Low Books, Charlesbridge Publishing, Barefoot Books Talegari Tales

Author Sponsors, including recent ALA Award winning author Jerry Craft AND creator of MCBD 2020 Official Poster.

MCBD would like to also give a shout-out to their CoHost Team who not only hosts the book review link-up on celebration day, but who also works tirelessly to spread the word of this event. View MCBD CoHosts HERE.

New Year, New VATESOL Blog!

Sat, 25 Jan 2020 15:50:33 GMT

Happy New Year, VATESOL!

As we continue to ring in 2020 together, we are launching VATESOL Together, a brand new platform for sharing information, resources, strategies... and maybe a few surprises with our favorite English language practitioners ⎯ YOU! The 21st-century is moving us further away from the traditional newsletter outlet. The VATESOL Together blog will provide more concise, frequent, and timely updates related to our field throughout the year.

Whether you’ve been a member of VATESOL for 20 years or are learning about us for the first time, we are excited for this fresh new start. And what better way to celebrate a new year than with sharing our New Year’s Resolutions?

Each of our current VATESOL board members uploaded a quick video introduction using an awesome ed-tech resource called Flipgrid. By sharing an easy-to-remember link, we could each record, edit, and upload our videos from any device in any location with no hassle. Then, we compiled our videos into a Flipgrid MixTape to share it with you in just one file.

Flipgrid is an excellent resource for multilingual classrooms. Students can practice speaking skills in their own videos and collaborate with peers by responding to other videos. Click here to learn more about using Flipgrid as an educational resource in your classroom!

It’s time to meet your current VATESOL board! Then, comment below and share your New Year’s Resolution with us!

Check in regularly with our social media pages and website for future posts. We look forward to collaborating with you in this exciting decade!

If you are interested in writing for VATESOL Together, please email vatesolblog@gmail.com

SETESOL 2020... in Virginia!

Sat, 18 Jan 2020 17:04:08 GMT