April is National Bilingual/Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month, a time to recognize the needs and achievements of bilingual and multilingual learners. As a proud Bilingual educator, who now serves as the Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director for the Office of English Language Acquisition, I want to take the time to share how valuable and important being bilingual is to me.

Being Bilingual has opened up a world of opportunities in life, from being able to keep in touch with my loved ones back in Mexico, to learning and enjoying the beautiful arts from my heritage culture, to sharing my traditions and language with different types of people throughout the world. Being bilingual allows me to code-switch and to be my most authentic self. Soy de aquí y de allà with orgullo. Not to mention, being bilingual has added extra cash in my pocket in positions where I received a stipend or higher wage because I am bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural.

More than ever, our society must embrace and encourage a multilingual, multicultural and multiliterate society. It can only make us a stronger nation. As we recognize National Bilingual/Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month, I welcome you to join the Department of Education’s Call to Action for Bilingual and Multilingual Learners.

• Spark students’ interest in learning a second language and take pride in maintaining their first language.
• Encourage parents’ support and advocate for high-quality language programs in their schools.
• Urge colleges and universities to prioritize bilingual preparation programs for multilingual educators.
• Call on leaders and stakeholders at the national, state, and local levels to create, invest in and implement policies, processes and best practices focused on high-quality language programs.
• Call on workforce leaders at the national, state, and local levels to advocate and invest in language as a workforce credential.

In partnership,

Montserrat

The Region 15 Comprehensive Center, in collaboration with OELA, invites you to a series of learning sessions focused on what formative assessment is and how it can be implemented to support the academic and socioemotional growth of EL students, with a particular focus on early learners in Grades K–2.

The event hosts encourage participants to attend with their teams and recommend that attendees join for all three sessions.

Learning Session 1 – April 17, 2024

Learning Session 2 – June 26, 2024

Learning Session 3 – August 21, 2024

Do you have professional expertise in English learner programs or services, specifically bilingual or multilingual education or Grow Your Own GYO teacher education programs? Apply to be a peer reviewer for the FY 2024 National Professional Development (NPD) grant competition today. We are especially seeking potential reviewers with evaluation expertise. We appreciate those who have already submitted résumés; more information will be coming soon.

If you are interested, please reach out to NPD2024@ed.gov. The deadline to express interest is April 30, 2024.

OELA has launched a new resource designed specifically to help educators and stakeholders better assist families of ELs. This resource comes in the form of an outreach packet that includes a guide for effectively promoting the EL Family Toolkit to all EL stakeholders. To learn more about the outreach packet or to download the resource, check out this blog.

Presentation topics will include General Interest, Content Area Instruction, Bilingual/ESL Pre-K through 12, Higher Ed, and more. All registrations include one free year of NJTESOL/NJBE membership.

“Sparking Change, Integration, and Deep Connections,” renews our call to action and commitment to learning alongside leaders and experts from our changing communities. This professional development opportunity is an excellent chance for bilingual educators, counselors, and school district leaders who aim to create welcoming communities for newcomers to learn from each other.

La Cosecha Dual Language Conference

Conference

On a New Journey to Become a Nurse in the U.S

San Diego College of Continuing Education offers a tuition-free, 16-week Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program that prepares students for the State CNA examination and provides opportunities for clinical rotations at local hospitals and healthcare facilities. Graduates become State-certified as nurse assistants and can work in rehabilitation and long-term care facilities. This article tells the story of a Mexican-born nurse, Vanessa Munguia, who is a student enrolled in the program. She is in the process of learning English while also preparing to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam, and other certification and licensure exams.

How the 2024 National Teacher of the Year Helps English Learners Adapt in Rural Appalachia

The new National Teacher of the Year, Missy Testerman, is an English as a Second Language specialist at Rogersville City School in an Appalachian community in Tennessee. She is a strong advocate for her students, many of whom are new to her school and community, and is spending the next year traveling the country, speaking out about important issues to teachers. This article features an interview with Testerman about her work in educating and supporting EL students and families.

NEW RESOURCES: Supporting Immigrant and Refugee Families Through Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Services

“Infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH) services can play an important part in supporting young children’s well-being and development. For young children in immigrant and refugee families, who make up about one-fourth of all U.S. children ages 0–5, IECMH support can be particularly impactful. These services can, for example, help mitigate the effects of trauma and stressors related to migration and acculturation experiences.” Download this brief to get insights on the importance of IECMH services and what opportunities policymakers and practitioners have to ensure equitable access.

NEW RESOURCE: Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Know: Scoring ACCESS for ELLs

This article focuses on the ACCESS for ELLS (English language learners) assessment suite. It is intended to help educators interpret the ACCESS for ELLs score reports and learn how the scores are calculated. This publication discusses the scoring process, the duration of this process, and how educators can interpret the scores for the various domains of the assessment and apply this interpretation in their work.

TIPS FOR EDUCATORS: Are You Using This Protocol to Engage Multilingual Learners in Math?

“Now, math classes are filled with opportunities for rich language use, and math can provide a very concrete way for [MLs] to use and develop academic language.There are many instructional strategies that teachers can use to support MLs in acquiring the academic language of math and in understanding and engaging with mathematical concepts.” This article focuses a math strategy called the Three Read Protocol, designed to help MLs understand math word problems and improve their academic language development.

This resource includes activities available in multiple languages for families to start conversations with their children about their family, what they like to play, how they feel, and much more. Educators can use these resources to learn more about their students and their families.

In this position paper, Margo Gottlieb, Ph.D., analyzes policies and practices related to the expansion of multiliteracies and their effect on the teaching and learning process for MLs. She explains how multiliteracies can improve the learning experience for MLs and also provides an evaluation of the Science of Reading.

Listen to the ASSETS podcast to hear Montserrat Garibay, Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director for OELA, discuss the challenges encountered by ELs in the U.S. education system. She also provides insights into the collaborative efforts between OELA and ED to address these challenges.

Diversifying the teacher workforce is a high priority for the States and districts that the Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs) partner with and for education systems nationwide. This infographic provides a snapshot of resources available from the RELs and Comprehensive Centers that discuss examples of ways to implement strategies for supporting teacher diversity.

OCDE Project GLAD® and the AIM4S³™ Math Summer Institute: Unlock the power of teaching and learning at the OCDE Project GLAD® and the AIM4S³™ Math Summer Institute from June 11–12, 2024. These sessions will empower you to enhance your grasp of these powerful frameworks; engage in student-centered instructional strategies for key content areas such as math, language arts, social studies, and science; and deepen your understanding of integrating content and language to support ELs and academic language learners in your classroom.

Cultivating the Pedagogy of Translanguaging: The Translanguaging Institute will bring together a diverse group of educators who serve emergent bilingual students and families from June 13–14, 2024. The institute will unite educators from across New Mexico and the United States

This summer, CARLA will offer 14 institutes (online and in-person) from June 24 to August 2 on a wide range of topics, including Critical Approaches to Heritage Language Education, Practical Program Evaluation for Heritage Language Programs, Teaching for Proficiency in Dual Language Immersion, Introduction to Dual Language Immersion, and more!

District of Columbia Public Schools

Washington, DC

TNTP

Connecticut and Massachusetts (preferred locations)

OELA has published a new discretionary report. This document highlights information from the 2016, 2017, and 2021 grantee cohorts of the NPD Program, comprising 142 grantees in the 2021–22 project year.

The data captures the grantees’ program performance results based on three Government Performance and Results Act measures for the 2016, 2017, and 2021 cohorts.

Subscribe to NCELA Nexus

Did you receive the Nexus from a colleague? You can subscribe via the form on our website.

Submit Your News

Do you have news to share with the Nexus community?

Send your alerts, upcoming events, resources, and job postings to AskNCELA

by Monday, April 22, 2024, for inclusion in the next edition of Nexus.

April is National Bilingual/Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month, a time to recognize the needs and achievements of bilingual and multilingual learners. As a proud Bilingual educator, who now serves as the Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director for the Office of English Language Acquisition, I want to take the time to share how valuable and important being bilingual is to me.

Being Bilingual has opened up a world of opportunities in life, from being able to keep in touch with my loved ones back in Mexico, to learning and enjoying the beautiful arts from my heritage culture, to sharing my traditions and language with different types of people throughout the world. Being bilingual allows me to code-switch and to be my most authentic self. Soy de aquí y de allà with orgullo. Not to mention, being bilingual has added extra cash in my pocket in positions where I received a stipend or higher wage because I am bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural.

More than ever, our society must embrace and encourage a multilingual, multicultural and multiliterate society. It can only make us a stronger nation. As we recognize National Bilingual/Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month, I welcome you to join the Department of Education’s Call to Action for Bilingual and Multilingual Learners.

• Spark students’ interest in learning a second language and take pride in maintaining their first language.
• Encourage parents’ support and advocate for high-quality language programs in their schools.
• Urge colleges and universities to prioritize bilingual preparation programs for multilingual educators.
• Call on leaders and stakeholders at the national, state, and local levels to create, invest in and implement policies, processes and best practices focused on high-quality language programs.
• Call on workforce leaders at the national, state, and local levels to advocate and invest in language as a workforce credential.

In partnership,

Montserrat

The Region 15 Comprehensive Center, in collaboration with OELA, invites you to a series of learning sessions focused on what formative assessment is and how it can be implemented to support the academic and socioemotional growth of EL students, with a particular focus on early learners in Grades K–2.

The event hosts encourage participants to attend with their teams and recommend that attendees join for all three sessions.

Learning Session 1 – April 17, 2024

Learning Session 2 – June 26, 2024

Learning Session 3 – August 21, 2024

Do you have professional expertise in English learner programs or services, specifically bilingual or multilingual education or Grow Your Own GYO teacher education programs? Apply to be a peer reviewer for the FY 2024 National Professional Development (NPD) grant competition today. We are especially seeking potential reviewers with evaluation expertise. We appreciate those who have already submitted résumés; more information will be coming soon.

If you are interested, please reach out to NPD2024@ed.gov. The deadline to express interest is April 30, 2024.

OELA has launched a new resource designed specifically to help educators and stakeholders better assist families of ELs. This resource comes in the form of an outreach packet that includes a guide for effectively promoting the EL Family Toolkit to all EL stakeholders. To learn more about the outreach packet or to download the resource, check out this blog.

Presentation topics will include General Interest, Content Area Instruction, Bilingual/ESL Pre-K through 12, Higher Ed, and more. All registrations include one free year of NJTESOL/NJBE membership.

“Sparking Change, Integration, and Deep Connections,” renews our call to action and commitment to learning alongside leaders and experts from our changing communities. This professional development opportunity is an excellent chance for bilingual educators, counselors, and school district leaders who aim to create welcoming communities for newcomers to learn from each other.

La Cosecha Dual Language Conference

Conference

On a New Journey to Become a Nurse in the U.S

San Diego College of Continuing Education offers a tuition-free, 16-week Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program that prepares students for the State CNA examination and provides opportunities for clinical rotations at local hospitals and healthcare facilities. Graduates become State-certified as nurse assistants and can work in rehabilitation and long-term care facilities. This article tells the story of a Mexican-born nurse, Vanessa Munguia, who is a student enrolled in the program. She is in the process of learning English while also preparing to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam, and other certification and licensure exams.

How the 2024 National Teacher of the Year Helps English Learners Adapt in Rural Appalachia

The new National Teacher of the Year, Missy Testerman, is an English as a Second Language specialist at Rogersville City School in an Appalachian community in Tennessee. She is a strong advocate for her students, many of whom are new to her school and community, and is spending the next year traveling the country, speaking out about important issues to teachers. This article features an interview with Testerman about her work in educating and supporting EL students and families.

NEW RESOURCES: Supporting Immigrant and Refugee Families Through Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Services

“Infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH) services can play an important part in supporting young children’s well-being and development. For young children in immigrant and refugee families, who make up about one-fourth of all U.S. children ages 0–5, IECMH support can be particularly impactful. These services can, for example, help mitigate the effects of trauma and stressors related to migration and acculturation experiences.” Download this brief to get insights on the importance of IECMH services and what opportunities policymakers and practitioners have to ensure equitable access.

NEW RESOURCE: Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Know: Scoring ACCESS for ELLs

This article focuses on the ACCESS for ELLS (English language learners) assessment suite. It is intended to help educators interpret the ACCESS for ELLs score reports and learn how the scores are calculated. This publication discusses the scoring process, the duration of this process, and how educators can interpret the scores for the various domains of the assessment and apply this interpretation in their work.

TIPS FOR EDUCATORS: Are You Using This Protocol to Engage Multilingual Learners in Math?

“Now, math classes are filled with opportunities for rich language use, and math can provide a very concrete way for [MLs] to use and develop academic language.There are many instructional strategies that teachers can use to support MLs in acquiring the academic language of math and in understanding and engaging with mathematical concepts.” This article focuses a math strategy called the Three Read Protocol, designed to help MLs understand math word problems and improve their academic language development.

This resource includes activities available in multiple languages for families to start conversations with their children about their family, what they like to play, how they feel, and much more. Educators can use these resources to learn more about their students and their families.

In this position paper, Margo Gottlieb, Ph.D., analyzes policies and practices related to the expansion of multiliteracies and their effect on the teaching and learning process for MLs. She explains how multiliteracies can improve the learning experience for MLs and also provides an evaluation of the Science of Reading.

Listen to the ASSETS podcast to hear Montserrat Garibay, Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director for OELA, discuss the challenges encountered by ELs in the U.S. education system. She also provides insights into the collaborative efforts between OELA and ED to address these challenges.

Diversifying the teacher workforce is a high priority for the States and districts that the Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs) partner with and for education systems nationwide. This infographic provides a snapshot of resources available from the RELs and Comprehensive Centers that discuss examples of ways to implement strategies for supporting teacher diversity.

OCDE Project GLAD® and the AIM4S³™ Math Summer Institute: Unlock the power of teaching and learning at the OCDE Project GLAD® and the AIM4S³™ Math Summer Institute from June 11–12, 2024. These sessions will empower you to enhance your grasp of these powerful frameworks; engage in student-centered instructional strategies for key content areas such as math, language arts, social studies, and science; and deepen your understanding of integrating content and language to support ELs and academic language learners in your classroom.

Cultivating the Pedagogy of Translanguaging: The Translanguaging Institute will bring together a diverse group of educators who serve emergent bilingual students and families from June 13–14, 2024. The institute will unite educators from across New Mexico and the United States

This summer, CARLA will offer 14 institutes (online and in-person) from June 24 to August 2 on a wide range of topics, including Critical Approaches to Heritage Language Education, Practical Program Evaluation for Heritage Language Programs, Teaching for Proficiency in Dual Language Immersion, Introduction to Dual Language Immersion, and more!

District of Columbia Public Schools

Washington, DC

TNTP

Connecticut and Massachusetts (preferred locations)

OELA has published a new discretionary report. This document highlights information from the 2016, 2017, and 2021 grantee cohorts of the NPD Program, comprising 142 grantees in the 2021–22 project year.

The data captures the grantees’ program performance results based on three Government Performance and Results Act measures for the 2016, 2017, and 2021 cohorts.

Subscribe to NCELA Nexus

Did you receive the Nexus from a colleague? You can subscribe via the form on our website.

Submit Your News

Do you have news to share with the Nexus community?

Send your alerts, upcoming events, resources, and job postings to AskNCELA

by Monday, April 22, 2024, for inclusion in the next edition of Nexus.

Dual language education is a powerful tool for fostering multilingualism and providing equitable access to high-quality instruction for English and multilingual learners (MLs). As part of its commitment to nurture all students’ multilingualism, OELA is hosting a series of webinars focused on dual language education. The first two webinars are designed to deepen administrators’ understanding of what dual language education is, why it is beneficial for all students, and how to support its implementation in an educational context.

April Series: The 3 W’s of Dual Language Education for State, Local, and Site Leaders: What, Why, How

• Part 1: Tuesday, April 16, 2024, 1 PM ET
• Part 2: Tuesday, April 30, 2024, 1 PM ET

• Part 1: Wednesday, May 8, 2024, 2 PM ET
• Part 2: Thursday, May 16, 2024, 2 PM ET

OELA participated at the National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) 53rd Annual International Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona closed with remarks to 3,000 multilingual educators, highlighting the return of the Title III program to OELA after 15 years, the Notice of Inviting Applications (NIA) for the National Professional Development (NPD) grant program to increase the number of bilingual and multilingual educators, the seal of biliteracy in 50 states, and the work OELA is doing to raise the bar for multilingualism.

In addition, Montserrat Garibay, Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director, and Beatriz Ceja, Deputy Assistant Secretary, represented OELA during the NABE Conference by:

• Participating in 11 engagements and presentations of #RaisingTheBar for multilingualism
• Connecting with bilingual leaders and committed stakeholders across the country
• Sharing information about the NIA for the NPD “Grow Your Own” grant to increase the number of bilingual and multilingual educators supporting English learners
• Sharing infographics, fact sheets, the Newcomer and English Learner Toolkits, and upcoming webinars at the OELA booth
• Connecting with NPD grantees

OELA has published a new discretionary report. This document highlights information from the 2016, 2017, and 2021 grantee cohorts of the NPD Program, comprising 142 grantees in the 2021-22 project year.

The data captures the grantees’ program performance results based on three Government Performance and Results Act measures for the 2016, 2017, and 2021 cohorts. The report also presents descriptions and graphs illustrating grantee program types, project features, and reported program outcomes, progress, and challenges.

Did you know that OELA has a resource containing statistics on ELs with disabilities, including autism? Check out the English Learners with Disabilities (ELSWD) infographic to access informative, State-specific data. Additionally, explore the resources offered by your State educational agency for ELSWD and discover its recommendations for serving and supporting students covered under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part B.

Presentation topics will include General Interest, Content Area Instruction, Bilingual/ESL Pre-K through 12, Higher Ed, and more. All registrations include one free year of NJTESOL/NJBE membership.

“Sparking Change, Integration, and Deep Connections,” renews our call to action and commitment to learning alongside leaders and experts from our changing communities. This professional development opportunity is an excellent chance for bilingual educators, counselors, and school district leaders who aim to create welcoming communities for newcomers to learn from each other.

Smoothing the Path for Immigrants to Finish Their College Degrees

Latinos are the fastest-growing demographic group in the United States, but data show they are less likely than other racial and ethnic groups to have earned a college diploma. A new bilingual college program at Davenport University will offer 12 online undergraduate and graduate programs in an entirely bilingual and bicultural format. With alternating weekly instruction in Spanish and English and support services in both languages, the program addresses the lower college completion rates among Latinos in the United States. Accepted students receive $9,200 in scholarships annually to enhance financial accessibility.

Newcomer Students Share Stories of Learning English in an Increasingly Crowded System

The Calgary Bridge Foundation for Youth (CBFY) is a Canadian organization designed to support immigrant and refugee youth. Much of the foundation’s work involves helping schools and teachers to navigate the influx of new students as they learn English. The CBFY interviews newcomer students as they join Calgary’s school system. These interviews indicate where students are in their learning process and help the foundation connect families with resources such as mentorships and in-school programs for young newcomers. Newcomers are often faced with entering a new school system and learning a new language, all while navigating an unfamiliar environment. This article shares their stories of hopes, hardships, and successes.

Latino-Led Charter Schools Attract Philadelphia Families With Tight-Knit Communities and Spanish

The Latino population in Philadelphia has nearly tripled since 2000, reaching around 16% of the city’s residents in 2020. Many Latino families opt for charter schools run by Latino-led nonprofits, citing their ability to address gaps left by the school district. These schools offer greater cultural representation, language accessibility, and stronger community bonds compared to traditional public schools. While most Hispanic students attend district schools, they make up 18% of charter school enrollment. The school district acknowledges these disparities and is actively hiring more Spanish-speaking bilingual counseling assistants and teachers to address them.

TIPS FOR EDUCATORS: Apps Are Helping Teachers Communicate With Families that Don’t Speak English

ReachWell is an app that allows teachers to text in English and parents to receive the messages in their own language. ReachWell and similar translation apps have become more common, and for some teachers, they’ve become crucial as educators work to communicate with the rising number of families that speak languages other than English. The apps often allow communications between parents and teachers to feel personal. In addition to seeing text from teachers in their native language on ReachWell, parents can respond in their native language and teachers see the replies in English.

TIPS FOR EDUCATORS: How School Librarians Can Support ELLs

In November 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration launched the “Being Bilingual Is a Superpower” initiative to “promote multilingual education and bolster high-quality language programs and a diverse multilingual educator workforce across the country.” While this sounds promising, it’s necessary to recognize that every stakeholder in education needs to play a role for this initiative to succeed, and librarians are an integral part of this plan. This article offers eight ways librarians can support multilingualism in schools and bolster literacy rates of ELs.

Listen to the ASSETS podcast to hear Montserrat Garibay, Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director for OELA, discuss the challenges encountered by ELs in the U.S. education system. She also provides insights into the collaborative efforts between OELA and ED to address these challenges.

Diversifying the teacher workforce is a high priority for the States and districts that the Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs) partner with and for education systems nationwide. This infographic provides a snapshot of resources available from the RELs and Comprehensive Centers that discuss examples of ways to implement strategies for supporting teacher diversity.

OCDE Project GLAD® and the AIM4S³™ Math Summer Institute: Unlock the power of teaching and learning at the OCDE Project GLAD® and the AIM4S³™ Math Summer Institute from June 11–12, 2024. These sessions will empower you to enhance your grasp of these powerful frameworks; engage in student-centered instructional strategies for key content areas such as math, language arts, social studies, and science; and deepen your understanding of integrating content and language to support ELs and academic language learners in your classroom.

Cultivating the Pedagogy of Translanguaging: The Translanguaging Institute will bring together a diverse group of educators who serve emergent bilingual students and families from June 13–14, 2024. The institute will unite educators from across New Mexico and the United States

This summer, CARLA will offer 14 institutes (online and in-person) from June 24 to August 2 on a wide range of topics, including Critical Approaches to Heritage Language Education, Practical Program Evaluation for Heritage Language Programs, Teaching for Proficiency in Dual Language Immersion, Introduction to Dual Language Immersion, and more!

For educators serving young MLs, reading books in a child’s home language can advance key language and literacy skills. This quick guide supports early childhood educators in selecting, evaluating, and using books in the home languages of young MLs.

Danville Public Schools

Danville, Virginia

San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools

San Bernardino, California

The EL Family Toolkit helps families and educators stay connected to the latest tips, innovative tools, and practical resources for supporting ELs enrolled in U.S. schools. This FREE app from ED is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic and can be downloaded on Android and Apple devices!

Subscribe to NCELA Nexus

Did you receive the Nexus from a colleague? You can subscribe via the form on our website.

Submit Your News

Do you have news to share with the Nexus community?

Send your alerts, upcoming events, resources, and job postings to AskNCELA

by Monday, April 8, 2024, for inclusion in the next edition of Nexus.

OELA is recruiting peer reviewers with professional expertise in English learner programs or services, including current and former pre-K–12 teachers and principals, LEA and SEA leaders, college and university educators, educational evaluators, and others with EL education and language acquisition expertise for the FY 2024 National Professional Development (NPD) grant competition.

Peer reviewers must have specific expertise in at least one of these NPD priority areas:

• Bilingual or multilingual education
• Grow Your Own (GYO) teacher education programs

If you are interested, please reach out to NPD2024@ed.gov.

OELA is excited to announce the launch of its Dual Language Webinar Series. Join for the four informative sessions this April and May, tailored for both teachers and administrators.

April Webinar: The 3 W’s of Dual Language Education for State, Local, and Site Leaders: What, Why, How

• Part 1: Tuesday, April 16, 2024 – 1:00 PM ET
• Part 2: Tuesday, April 30, 2024 – 1:00 PM ET

May Webinar: National Dual Language Education Teacher Preparation Standards: Educators for a Multilingual Multicultural America

• Part 1: Wednesday, May 8, 2024 – 2:00 PM ET
• Part 2: Thursday, May 16, 2024 – 2:00 PM ET

A podcast series hosted by ED’s OELA features Dr. Amy Heineke, Professor of Bilingual Education at Loyola University in Chicago, and Dr. Kristin Davin, Professor of World Language Education at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte.

In Part III, Drs. Heineke and Davin continue to discuss the various benefits of multilingualism and focus on appropriate proficiency assessments and the promotion of the Seal of Biliteracy.

In Part IV, practitioners discuss their experiences implementing and promoting the Seal in education, covering various implementation-related topics. The guests share insights from their respective educational contexts, offering valuable perspectives on the subject.

The EL Family Toolkit helps families and educators stay connected to the latest tips, innovative tools, and practical resources for supporting ELs enrolled in U.S. schools. This FREE app from ED is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic and can be downloaded on Android and Apple devices!

Parents, families, and guardians can use the EL Family Toolkit to:

• Learn more about U.S. schools.
• Learn about their rights in U.S. public schools.
• Find out about school enrollment and attendance policies.
• Get information about programs, services, and extracurricular activities.
• Find advice and helpful questions to ask when talking to school staff.
• Find ways to support safety, health, and success of ELs.
• Browse quick tips by topic.

Teachers, other educators, and school staff can use the EL Family Toolkit to:

• Find resources to support quality educational opportunities for ELs.
• Get updates on professional development and resources from ED.
• Find tips for using the Toolkit to engage families.

Presentation topics will include General Interest, Content Area Instruction, Bilingual/ESL Pre-K through 12, Higher Ed, and more. All registrations include 1 free year of NJTESOL/NJBE membership.

English Learner Advocates in California Oppose “Science of Reading” Bill

Two California advocacy groups for ELs oppose a State bill mandating alignment of reading instruction with the “science of reading.” Assembly Bill 2222 would require schools to teach children how to read using textbooks and teacher training grounded in research, which shows that children must learn what sounds letters make and how to sound out words, in addition to vocabulary and understanding, learning how to read fluently without halting, and how to write. Californians Together and the California Association for Bilingual Education fear the bill may harm ELs by inadequately addressing multilinguals’ literacy needs, potentially undermining progress in literacy instruction.

English Learners Stopped Coming to Class During the Pandemic: One Group Is Tackling the Problem by Helping Their Parents

OurBRIDGE for Kids, an after-school program in Charlotte, North Carolina, has seen enrollment grow from 35 students in 2014 to about 230 in 2023. To join, students only need to attend classes during the school day. In response to the pandemic, when many children stopped attending classes, ourBRIDGE expanded its efforts. Alongside the after-school program, staff and volunteers began assisting families to overcome barriers preventing children from participating in online classes or attending school in person. OurBRIDGE’s success can be attributed in part to a simple change made a few years ago: the program communicates directly with families by hiring staff and volunteers who are immigrants and speak the same languages.

Indianapolis Public Schools Plans New Approach to Teaching English Learners

At Lew Wallace School, roughly 70% of the students are classified as ELs. Its increasing number of ELs reflects a trend seen across Indianapolis Public Schools. Amid a push for equity, the district plans to reimagine how it serves ELs. The plan includes assigning each school at least one leading English as a New Language “teacher of record” who will oversee the school’s English language learner program. It also involves more incentives for staff, including a $2,000 stipend for lead teachers and reimbursement for some English as a New Language teachers who also train to become certified to teach English language arts.

TIPS FOR EDUCATORS: Five Strategies to Welcome Newcomers into Your Classroom

MLs are the fastest-growing demographic in Grades K–12, currently constituting 10.3% of the national student body and predicted to reach 25% of public school students by 2025. Among them are newcomers, students recently arrived in the United States. These students bring rich and unique experiences but also have diverse linguistic, academic, and social-emotional needs. This article presents five ways to welcome newcomers into classrooms, along with links to helpful resources after each strategy.

TIPS FOR EDUCATORS: Ensuring African American Students’ Access to Multilingual Learning

The growing research on the benefits of dual-language immersion for ELs is leading many policymakers to prioritize linguistic diversity in multilingual schools. Equitable access to dual-language immersion is often discussed in terms of linguistic diversity, but access to multilingual programming also intersects with other racial and socioeconomic power structures. In particular, African American students appear to be disproportionately excluded from these programs. This article discusses how Global Preparatory Academy in Indianapolis intentionally includes race, ethnicity, and culture in its model’s design to provide equitable access to multilingual learning for African American students.

OCDE Project GLAD® and the AIM4S³™ Math Summer Institute: Unlock the power of teaching and learning at the OCDE Project GLAD® and the AIM4S³™ Math Summer Institute from June 11–12, 2024. These sessions will empower you to enhance your grasp of these powerful frameworks; engage in student-centered instructional strategies for key content areas such as math, language arts, social studies, and science; and deepen your understanding of integrating content and language to support ELs and academic language learners in your classroom.

Cultivating the Pedagogy of Translanguaging: The Translanguaging Institute will bring together a diverse group of educators who serve emergent bilingual students and families from June 13–14, 2024. The institute will unite educators from across New Mexico and the United States

This summer, CARLA will offer 14 institutes (online and in-person) from June 24 to August 2 on a wide range of topics, including Critical Approaches to Heritage Language Education, Practical Program Evaluation for Heritage Language Programs, Teaching for Proficiency in Dual Language Immersion, Introduction to Dual Language Immersion, and more!

For educators serving young multilingual learners, reading books in a child’s home language can advance key language and literacy skills. This quick guide supports early childhood educators in selecting, evaluating, and using books in the home languages of young multilingual learners.

Being bilingual is a superpower! Knowing more than one language has both short- and long-term benefits, which can start in early childhood. This infographic for early childhood educators shares research on the advantages of young children being bilingual and biliterate and includes supplemental resources on language development and early learning.

WIDA University of Wisconsin-Madison

Madison, Wisconsin

Education Northwest

Remote

The State Seal of Biliteracy (SSB) is an award given by SEAs to acknowledge high school students who have studied and achieved proficiency in two or more languages by their graduation. South Dakota implemented the SSB in January 2024, making it the final State to do so. Explore OELA’s updated SSB infographic to learn more about this recent update.

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by Monday, March 25, 2024, for inclusion in the next edition of Nexus.

A podcast series hosted by the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED’s) OELA features Dr. Amy Heineke, Professor of Bilingual Education at Loyola University in Chicago, and Dr. Kristin Davin, Professor of World Language Education at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte.

In Part I of the podcast, the panelists discuss the importance of multilingualism, introduce the 5-P Framework for implementation of the Seal of Biliteracy (SoBL), and concentrate on defining purpose and crafting programs that foster the implementation of the SoBL.

In Part II, practitioners from Illinois, Washington State, and Massachusetts share their insights and experiences of promoting multilingualism and implementing the SoBL in their educational contexts.

ED recently released the Family Engagement Learning Series briefs. These briefs summarize a six-part webinar series of conversations designed to Raise the Bar for family engagement practices between school and home.

The learning series, produced in partnership with Carnegie Corporation of New York and Overdeck Family Foundation, provides an overview of evidence, highlights bright spots in the field, and shares resources and evidence-based strategies to support student success with education leaders and practitioners.

Please submit all questions and comments to ERICRequests@ed.gov by March 11, 2024.

Presentation topics will include General Interest, Content Area Instruction, Bilingual/ESL Pre-K through 12, Higher Ed, and more. All registrations include 1 free year of NJTESOL/NJBE membership.

Increase in Homelessness Rates Sharpest Among Students of Color and High-Need Students

A recent data analysis from the Public Policy Institute of California confirmed that the number of K–12 students experiencing homelessness during the 2022–23 school year has again reached pre-pandemic levels. Some school staffers have noted that the increase in student homelessness rates in recent years may look more egregious than during pandemic-era remote learning largely because staff rely on in-person interactions to identify students who might need housing support. Regardless, the data clearly noted that the sharpest increases in homelessness were among Native American, Black, EL, and migrant students.

Trumbull Schools Say National Geographic Program a ‘Game Changer’ for English Learners

The Trumbull School District attributes its increased English language proficiency scores among elementary students in EL classes to the recently adopted National Geographic Look program. The pilot implementation during the 2022–23 school year resulted in over 41% of the students scoring intermediate, almost 32% scoring proficient, and over 3% scoring above proficient on Language Assessment Scale tests, marking an improvement from previous years. Both students and teachers find the program is user-friendly and aids learning experiences.

NEW RESOURCES: Fostering Inclusion for Black Immigrant Students at HBCUs

The number of Black immigrant-origin students in higher education is growing, with over 329,000 first-generation Black immigrant students and 416,000 second-generation Black immigrant students accounting for 28% of all Black students in higher education. However, those with undocumented status are experiencing a decline in enrollment. Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) are uniquely positioned to welcome and retain Black immigrants, including undocumented students, by fostering a sense of belonging among student populations traditionally underserved in postsecondary education.

TIPS FOR EDUCATORS: Framing Authentic Development in Spanish

As the number of MLs continues to rise in the United States, many schools are turning to bilingual education. In response to the growth of bilingual education programs and to advance Federal initiatives for MLs, organizations are focusing on authentic education products and services that embrace linguistic diversity and prepare MLs for college and career success. WIDA recently released the Marco de los Estándares del Desarrollo Auténtico del Lenguaje Español (Marco DALE), a Spanish language development standards framework for teaching and learning Spanish in the United States and with implications for bilingual, heritage, and world language programs, regardless of the language of instruction.

TIPS FOR EDUCATORS: An Unorthodox Plan to Pay Students to Write Curriculum Is Raising Achievement

To create greater student engagement and achievement, Kate Maxlow, the director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment for the Hampton City Schools on Virginia’s eastern coast, began to overhaul the district’s curricula in 2016 to address lagging student achievement in the district, where about half of the roughly 20,000 students are economically disadvantaged. Currently, Hampton City’s curricula are designed with significant student input, featuring classrooms full of activities students hate to miss out on, partly because they created them themselves. While including students in the curriculum creation process isn’t typical, Hampton’s work could serve as a model for other districts looking to improve school culture and student outcomes.

OCDE Project GLAD® and the AIM4S³™ Math Summer Institute: Unlock the power of teaching and learning at the OCDE Project GLAD® and the AIM4S³™ Math Summer Institute from June 11–12, 2024. These sessions will empower you to enhance your grasp of these powerful frameworks; engage in student-centered instructional strategies for key content areas such as math, language arts, social studies, and science; and deepen your understanding of integrating content and language to support ELs and academic language learners in your classroom.

Cultivating the Pedagogy of Translanguaging: The Translanguaging Institute will bring together a diverse group of educators who serve emergent bilingual students and families from June 13–14, 2024. The institute will unite educators from across New Mexico and the United States

This summer, CARLA will offer 14 institutes (online and in-person) from June 24 to August 2 on a wide range of topics, including Critical Approaches to Heritage Language Education, Practical Program Evaluation for Heritage Language Programs, Teaching for Proficiency in Dual Language Immersion, Introduction to Dual Language Immersion, and more!

For educators serving young multilingual learners, reading books in a child’s home language can advance key language and literacy skills. This quick guide supports early childhood educators in selecting, evaluating, and using books in the home languages of young multilingual learners.

Being bilingual is a superpower! Knowing more than one language has both short- and long-term benefits, which can start in early childhood. This infographic for early childhood educators shares research on the advantages of young children being bilingual and biliterate and includes supplemental resources on language development and early learning.

Teach & Learn in Spain is a graduate program designed for native or near-native English speakers. Through the program, students earn a Master’s Degree while gaining experience in a school in the Madrid region as a language assistant. The application period will be open from January 10, 2024, to March 20, 2024. The program begins on September 1, 2024, and concludes on July 1, 2025. For further inquiries, please contact Angela Sauciuc, Director of Programs and Teacher Training, at angela.sauciuc@institutofranklin.

Heartland Area Education Agency (AEA)

Iowa (Primary Location: TBD)

Framingham State University

Framingham, MA

The Office of Civil Rights at ED has consolidated its EL resources, making them all accessible on a new page. This updated site hosts a variety of valuable resources, including Dear Colleague Letters, Fact Sheets, Case Resolutions, and more. Explore the information provided to help support ELs in your community.

Subscribe to NCELA Nexus

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Submit Your News

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Send your alerts, upcoming events, resources, and job postings to AskNCELA

by Monday, March 11, 2024, for inclusion in the next edition of Nexus.