Teaching beginning English language learners (ELs) is rewarding, and not without unique challenges! This series of monthly conversations is an opportunity for teachers of beginning ELs to exchange ideas on practical approaches in a supportive and structured setting. With facilitation by Susan Reade, presentations by guest teachers, and open discussions with participants, the sessions invite curiosity and highlight teachers as creative problem solvers. The tone is informal, the exchange professional, and the focus practical. Participants will be asked to respond to reflection questions in advance of the session in order to have a rich and meaningful discussion as well as to ensure the conversations align with teacher interest/need. Teachers are invited and welcome to join as many sessions as they’d like. Monthly topics are: Feedback and Student Self-Reflection (Dec.); Learning Stations (Jan.); Engaging Collaborative Group Work (Feb.); and Integrating Digital Skills (Mar.).
- ESOL teachers of beginner-level learners (NRS 1-3)
This professional development activity/course is designed for:
Each 75-minute session in this series focuses on a specific approach to teaching beginners. Register for any or all sessions (individual registrations are required for each one). Each session will open with a brief overview of the approach and its instructional value. An interview will follow with a guest-teacher who has implemented the approach. Participants are invited to ask and answer questions, share strategies, and consider how to adapt the approach to their diverse teaching contexts, including virtual and in-person classes. All the sessions are aligned to the Massachusetts ESOL Professional Standard 6: Instruction.
Session 1: Feedback and Student Self-Reflection with guest teacher Ash Aliengena (Wednesday, 12/11/24)
- Strategies for providing feedback to students, on-going assessment and using self-and-peer assessment tools with beginning learners
- Assessing the “zone of proximal development” and tools for scaffolding and differentiation
Session 2: Learning Stations with guest teacher Jana Pickard-Richardson (Friday, 1/17/25)
- Setting up and using learning stations
- Assembling materials—both 3D and digital: types of exercises
Session 3: Setting Beginners up for Engaging and Collaborative Group Work with guest teacher TBD. (Wednesday, 2/19/25)
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Exploring activities and strategies for engaging and effective student-to-student interaction and group work for in-person and virtual classes
- Using student generated material and providing opportunities for student leadership
Session 4: Integrating Digital Skills with guest teacher Laura Dzubian (Friday, 3/28/25)
- Strategies for building contextualized digital skills with beginning ESOL learners in order to perform digital tasks necessary for workplace, academic and community engagement
- Supporting learners through scaffolded digital instruction and routines
Teachers are invited to seek out follow-up coaching from SABES on the implementation of any of the practices. Contact ESOL PD Team Director, Dori McCormack, at dmccormack@edc.org for more information.
PLEASE NOTE:
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All sessions will meet from 2:00 - 3:15 p.m. Attendance in every session of the series is not required, however, registrations for individual sessions are required.
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This course will take place in Canvas, where you will find all virtual session information, course materials, and additional resources. You cannot access the online course from the SABES website. You will receive a separate email one to two days before the course begins with instructions on how to access the Zoom session. If you do not receive these instructions, please check your Spam folder and/or send an email to nruskin@edc.org.
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This course is not available for recordings only. If you are interested in any of these topics but are unable to attend all of the sessions as outlined here, please see our resource collection on the SABES website at https://sabes.org/pd-center-resources/34.
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Articulate the instructional value of several approaches to teaching beginning English learners:
- Relevance and inclusiveness
- Rigorous writing and reading instruction
- Differentiated instruction
- Gradual release of responsibility
- Ongoing assessment - Apply strategies for implementing the above approaches
Upon completion of this professional development activity/course, you will be able to:
United States
