Using art to communicate is an ancient, international, and powerful practice. Visual art experiences offer opportunities for students who are learning English to express their knowledge in symbolic ways, which builds their personal and academic confidence and their ability to make connections between concepts, images, and texts. For example, if a teacher who is leading a unit on the life … Read More
ELL Support and Programs in North Carolina
With an approximate ELL enrollment of 6.2% among grades K-12, North Carolina has 102,311 English Language Learners in the state public school system as of years 2012-2013. 83.6% of ELL students in North Carolina speak Spanish, with Arabic, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Hmong rounding out the five most common languages spoken throughout the state. North Carolina is among the member states … Read More
How Oral Stories Foster Reading Development
Oral storytelling is a type of narrative dialogue that enables children to experience interpersonal sharing and relating while they improve their understanding of word choice, sentence structure, and fluent speech. Children who hear and tell stories gain critical practice in using and adopting a language that carries over into their ability to read and write in that language. In an … Read More
English Learner Resources and Support in Georgia
With an approximate ELL enrollment of 5.5% among grades K-12, Georgia has 94,034 English Language Learners in the state public school system as of years 2012-2013. 78.2% of ELL students in Georgia speak Spanish, followed by Vietnamese, Korean, and Chinese representing the most common languages spoken by the families of these students. The following is a list of useful resources … Read More
The Power of Story
We all like to tell stories. We learn how to do it from a very young age, and this ability is unlocked by hearing others do it first. It’s a skill that is best acquired through literacy. Reading inspires our imagination, transporting us to worlds old and new, far and near. It enables us to visit any time period and … Read More
5 Important Things to Know About Title I
Title I (Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, or ESEA) provides funding specifically for local education agencies (LEAs) and schools with high numbers or percentages of children from low-income families. In order to better understand how Title 1 affects schools and families, read on to learn five important things about Title 1. What is Parental Involvement under … Read More
A School Library Can Support ELL Families
Libraries have historically been multi-faceted organizations which offer not only books and media, but access to community programs and cultural experiences. There is now a growing trend in public schools in which school librarians, classroom teachers, and ELL teachers are using the library as a meeting and activity venue for ELL families. It can be challenging for ELL parents and … Read More
Early Literacy for English Learners is Crucial
There have been a number of studies examining the effects of acquiring literacy skills at a very early age and the findings have shown that the earlier a child begins to learn the basics of reading and vocabulary, the far greater their odds for academic achievement later on. With these results demonstrating the benefits for success of all school children, … Read More
Understanding the Local Control Funding Formula
California’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) is a new body of legislation that seeks to simplify the vital process of funding kindergarten through grade 12 (K–12) schools and to make it more efficient at helping schools support their student populations. This new methodology for the state’s complex school finance system was presented as part of the 2013-14 Budget Act. Where … Read More
Creating a Diverse Library at Schools
Library services that cater to children are in danger of becoming obsolete without turning a keen eye toward diversifying their collections. The world today has never been more culturally diverse and, as the country embraces so many different customs and values of people from all around the world, it’s important that our school libraries reflect these rich ancestries and traditions. … Read More