ELL & Technology

INSIDE...
2 What's in a Name: ELL,
LEP, ESL, ESOL, FEP? Integrating Technology into English Language Instruction Effective Teaching with English Language Learners

THIS ISSUE:

SouthEast Initiatives Regional Technology in Education Consortium

Volume Seven Number One 2005

English Language Learners and Technology

One of the most dramatic changes in education has been the increase in the number of students whose rst language is not English. A survey of the states limited English procient (LEP) students shows the extent of the growth in the population of English language learners (ELL). Since the 19901991 school year, the ELL population has grown by 105% compared to a 12% growth among the general population (Kindler, 2002). Data from the National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition & Language Instruction Educational Programs demonstrate the magnitude of growth in the enrollment of ELL students in the Southeast. In the ten-year period between school years 19931994 and 20032004, South Carolina, for example, had a 521.5% increase in the enrollment of students whose rst language was not English. Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina had increases in ELL enrollment during the same ten-year period that ranged from 314.2% to 470.8%. Nationally, Florida has the fourth highest concentration of ELL. The preceding data make the increased emphasis on standards and testing of these new students in the provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act readily apparent. What does this burgeoning growth in the ELL population mean for teachers? How can teachers meet the learning needs of these students? This issue of NewsWire provides some suggested technologybased solutions from the eld for educating ELL students and preparing teachers. Christina Dukes from the National Center for Homeless Education at SERVE suggests ways educators can use technology to integrate four best practices within the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) eld into their classrooms. Bobby Hobgood from LearnNC presents simple strategies, including culture-based presentation and instructional techniques, for teaching ELL students. The Banner Project provides a project-based learning example from a school in North Carolina, and the Anchor School Project offers an illustration from Florida of a collaborative project

3 Best Practices for

7 Simple Strategies for

12 The Banner Project 15 Anchor School Project 17 Project Jericho: Training

College of Education Faculty in TESOL

20 Designing an Online

Professional Development Tool for ESL Teachers Educators of English Language Learners Naturally in a ComputerBased Environment Vocabulary, and Reading

24 RTEC Resources for 26 Learning Languages

29 Practice With Phonics,

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Whats in a Name: ELL, LEP, ESL, ESOL, FEP?

English language learners (ELLs) are national origin minority students with limited English prociency (LEP), many of whom struggle to learn in classrooms where English is the primary language (U.S. Department of Education, 2004). The term ELL is used in this issue of NewsWire to represent a student with LEP. For an ELL to qualify as LEP, according to Title IX of the No Child Left Behind Act, he or she must be from a non-English language and cultural background (although not required to be uent in the home language) and must be formally assessed on literacy skills (i.e., reading, writing, speaking, comprehending).

Some Common Denitions (U.S. Department of Education, 2004)

Dual Language Program

Also known as two-way or developmental, the goal of these bilingual programs is for students to develop language prociency in two languages by receiving instruction in English and another language in a classroom that is usually comprised of half native-English speakers and half native speakers of the other language. English as a Second Language. A program of techniques, methodology, and special curriculum designed to teach ELL students English language skills, which may include listening, speaking, reading, writing, study skills, content vocabulary, and cultural orientation. ESL instruction is usually in English with little use of native language. Fluent (or fully) English Procient.

ELL

English Language Learner. A national origin minority student who is limited-English-procient. This term is often preferred over limited-English-procient (LEP) as it highlights accomplishments rather than decits.

ESL

ESOL

English for Speakers of Other Languages. Generally developed as an alternative term for English as a Second Language (ESL) programs, since it may be the case that speakers of other languages already speak a second or even third language before beginning their study of English, which then becomes their third or fourth language. Limited-English-Procient. (See ELL.)

FEP

LEP

References U.S. Department of Education. (2004). Ofce for Civil Rights, Programs for English Language Learners: Glossary. [Online]. Available: www.ed.gov/about/ofces/

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that utilizes electronic portfolios of migrant students academic work. Other articles explain programs designed to assist in teacher preparation. These programs include Project Jericho for training college of education faculty and ESL/ CivicsLink for teacher professional development. Finally, this issue of NewsWire includes resources and software reviews to help educators locate the materials they need to engage their ELL students in the learning process.

list/ocr/ell/edlite-glossary.html

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Best Practices for Integrating Technology Into English Language Instruction

By Christina Dukes, National Center for Homeless Education at SERVE Two national trends that are undoubtedly making their mark within the eld of education are the rapid growth of the English language learner (ELL) population (people whose native language is something other than English) and the increased use of technology as a tool for everyday life. We see these trends evidenced within the eld of education through the growth of the sub-eld of educational technology and the exponential growth of ELL students within our schools. Many educators are considering these two trends and asking themselves, How can we use the power of technology in teaching our ELL students? This article focuses on this question and attempts to provide answers by looking at four best practices within the TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) eld and how educators can use technology to integrate these practices into their classrooms. Increasing Comprehensibility: Increasing comprehensibility in the classroom means using whatever appropriate means necessary to ensure that students understand the material presented to them (Northwest Regional Education Lab, 2003). Students do not need to understand every word or piece of information presented to them, but they should have a solid overall grasp on the material. Increasing comprehensibility does not necessarily mean making sure to use words that your ELL students already know and understand. In fact, introducing new vocabulary and concepts to ELL students is essential for their advancement. Many linguists believe that effective language instruction depends on providing input at one level of complexity beyond the learners level of linguistic competence, often expressed as i+1 (Kerper-Mora, n.d.). So, be careful not to interpret increasing comprehensibility to mean using oversimplied language or introducing only basic concepts. Rather, incorporate new vocabulary and present advanced topics but also use strategies to provide ELL students with the support they need to understand the material being presented. (continued on next page)
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TESOL Best Practices

Best practice is dened as a technique or methodology that, through experience and research, has proven to reliably lead to a desired result. A commitment to using the best practices in any eld is a commitment to using all the knowledge and technology at ones disposal to ensure success (searchVB. com, 2003). Researchers agree that there are a number of techniques teachers can use to increase the effectiveness of their instruction of ELL students. While variation exists, some commonly accepted TESOL best practices are: Increasing comprehensibility Increasing interaction Making learning authentic Creating a positive learning environment

(continued from previous page) Some strategies for increasing comprehensibility in the classroom include:
Presenting helpful background or contextual information before exposing students to new topics; this may include introducing new vocabulary. Providing instruction to students that draws on their personal experiences. Using audio-visual aids such as photos, gestures, sounds, intonation cues, movement, demonstration, and real objects to convey meaning. Technology can be a wonderful source of comprehensible input and provides students with different learning styles with additional demonstrations or concrete examples of concepts being taught in the classroom. Multimedia CDs, digital tutorials, and the Web provide a near endless source of sound, pictures, video, animation, and multimedia that can help situate learning within a meaningful context. In learning about Vasco da Gama's voyages from Portugal to Africa and India, for instance, a simple verbal description of the trip may sufce for some students, while other students, particularly visual learners, may not have a solid understanding. While you can't take your whole class to Portugal to recreate the voyage, perhaps a visit to the European Voyages of Exploration website (www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/eurvoya/ vasco.html), complete with animated maps, will help. When you cant live the experience, use technology to experience it virtually! to provide your students with frequent opportunities to express their ideas and to interact with one another. Incorporate cooperative learning activities into your classroom and allow students to work together to accomplish instructional goals. When students are communicating with you or each other, consider both the form and comprehensibility of their messages. Form refers to the students usage of correct grammar and syntax, while comprehensibility refers to whether the message is understood, regardless of the accuracy of the form in which it was presented. While attention to form is important, focusing too heavily on it can be discouraging for students and can squelch their desire to communicate if they are unable to produce completely accurate sentences. Focusing exclusively on comprehensibility, however, can be to the detriment of the students learning of important language skills. Balance your efforts between encouraging good form and comprehensibility. Technology provides many opportunities for students to interact with fellow classmates or real-life audiences outside of their own classroom, city, or even country. Students can interact with classmates by working on technology activities together, such as working on a software program in pairs, writing and revising a story with a partner, or creating an electronic book report using multimedia software such as PowerPoint. In all of these instances, students benet from one anothers knowledge, practice their verbal skills conversing with one another (whether about how to use the technology or the

Increasing Interaction: Just as students need

to understand the information that is communicated to them, they need the opportunity to practice communicating themselves (Northwest Regional Education Lab, 2003). One way to do this is
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instructional content itself), and practice listening comprehension by listening and responding to their partners. Students can interact with people outside of the classroom using safe e-mail or chat room programs or by using videoconferencing to collaborate with students in other classrooms across the globe. One option for safe e-mail is ePALS (see www.epals.com).

with real-world communication in that much of our daily conversation is spontaneous and is either social or taskoriented in nature. While this is true, CALP is also reality based in nature in that students need CALP to be able to learn new academic skills for their overall educational advancement and to equip them for real-life tasks like securing employment. Prociency in both BICS and CALP is important for a students success, and instruction should incorporate activities that target both. While you may want to dedicate some instructional activities to BICS and others to CALP, some skillful lesson planning may enable you to target both. For example, if you are teaching your students about economic concepts like supply and demand, consider having them demonstrate their understanding by performing a task that will interest them, like starting a mock online company that sells downloads of music les. The Web is an endless source of authentic English language communication. Students can go to the Web to listen to sound bytes of authentic conversations on varying topics, watch video clips of current news headlines, or listen to popular American music. The Internet also provides endless opportunities for spontaneous communication through such Web-based tools as e-mail, chat, or videoconferencing technology. Visit the Voice of Americas Special English homepage for newscasts and other materials for ELL (www.voanews.com/specialenglish/index. cfm). Check out the Global Schoolhouse homepage for numerous opportunities to videoconference with other classrooms around the world (www.globalschool house.com). You might also give your students the opportunity to publish their own work for an authentic Web audience by blogging (www.blogger. com). Blog stands

Making Learning Authentic: Making learn-

ing authentic has two primary benets (Harjehausen, n.d.). First, learning that is authentic is more likely to equip students for English communication in the real world. Second, students are more likely to engage actively in classroom activities that they see as relevant to their own lives or the real world. The classroom vs. real world debate arose after realizing that, many times, students could produce accurate communication in the classroom (usually as part of a scripted exercise) but were often unable to communicate successfully in English outside the classroom. The conclusion was that having students learn English only through scripted dialogues and ll-in-the-blank grammar exercises in the classroom was not enough. Students needed to interact in the classroom more like they would under real-life circumstances. As with the balance between form and comprehensibility, there also needs to be balance in this area. Linguist Jim Cummins theorized that students acquire two types of English: BICS and CALP (Haynes, 2004). BICS stands for Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills and refers to a students conversational uency. CALP stands for Cognitive Academic Language Prociency and refers to a students academic prociency. BICS are used in informal situations such as social exchanges. CALP is used in more formal, academic situations, such as the teaching of a chemistry or social studies lesson. One may tend to relate BICS more

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for Web log and is the online version of a journal or diary.

Creating a Positive Learning Environment:

Learning is inuenced by many factors (see Harjehausen, n.d.). Affective factors relate to a students emotions and include issues like the students motivation to learn, self-esteem, and comfort level in the classroom. Educators agree that affective factors can have a signicant inuence on student learning. A poor selfimage, low motivation, and self-consciousness are all References Butler-Pascoe, M. E. (1997, May/June). Technology and second language learners. American Language Review, 1(3). Retrieved April 18, 2005, from www.languagemagazine.com/ internetedition/mj97/eets20.html. Harjehausen, P. (n.d.). Strategies for teaching English language learners. Retrieved April 29, 2004, from www.plu.edu/~harjehpc/ell presentation.doc. Haynes, J. (2004). Explaining BICS and CALP. Retrieved April 18, 2005, from www.every thingesl.net/inservices/bics_calp.php. Kerper-Mora, J. (n.d.). The role of foreign language teachers in the academic achievement of English language learners. Retrieved April 18, 2005, from http://coe.sdsu.edu/people/jmora/ FLteachers.ppt. Northwest Regional Education Lab. (2003, June). Strategies and resources for mainstream teachers of English language learners: General principles for teaching ELL students. By Request. Retrieved April 18, 2005, from www.nwrel.org/request/2003may/ general.html. searchVB.com. (2003, November). searchVB. com denitions: Best practice. Retrieved April 18, 2005, from http://searchvb.techtarget.com/ sDenition/0,,sid8_gci498678,00.html.

factors that can inuence a students learning negatively. The most effective learning environments are those that are supportive and open, allow for mistakes without ridicule, and encourage students to try, even if they might make a mistake.

The computer is an excellent resource for giving students the chance to practice English skills without worrying about the response of other classmates or even the teacher. As ButlerPascoe (1997) explains, The untiring, non-judgmental nature of the computer makes it an ideal tool to help second language learners feel sufciently secure to make and correct their own errors without embarrassment or anxiety. Technology can also improve students motivation to learn. While some students enjoy traditional paper-andpencil writing, getting to use clip art, word art, colors, and fonts cant hurt. Dont throw away your paper and pencil, but consider the extra perks that technology can provide and use them to your advantage in the classroom. If a traditional bulletin board display of what a student learned studying a particular subject or book isnt appealing, perhaps an interactive PowerPoint presentation, complete with sound, graphics and animation, will do the trick! The opportunity that technology affords students to create crisp-looking, visually appealing products can provide the extra motivation needed to capture student interest.

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Simple Strategies for Effective Teaching With English Language Learners

By Bobby Hobgood, LearnNC Successful learners have learned how to learn. They know their strengths. They know their areas of weakness. They also know how and where to get help when needed. This is not the case for many of our students whose rst language is not English. Though they may understand what they hear or read, they may not be able to convey their understanding to others. Given their linguistic and cultural background, they may not arrive with the skills necessary to further develop their academic skills in a new culture. English language learners (ELLs) might say nothing when they dont understand. This varies among students and has often been characterized by numerous linguists as the silent period (Haynes, 2004). Before we can appreciate how certain teaching strategies will impact learning for ELLs, we need to know a little about the experience of a language learner. An overview of Second Language Acquisition Theory written specically for Mainstream Teachers of English Language Learners will help (Northwest Regional Educational Lab, 2003). Many of the same strategies and behaviors that we recognize as good teaching are essential to effectively teach ELLs in the regular classroom. Though we may not have experienced professional development targeted at working with this special population, we can still transfer our knowledge of good teaching to teach these students. The following techniques are reminders of what we already know. They take on new meaning as starting points for teaching classes that contain ELLs.

Starting Point: Identify English Language Learners

Since physical appearance is not a denitive indicator of who is and who isnt a native speaker of English, we might overlook certain students who are still developing English prociency. Identifying these students, knowing their literacy level in their rst language, and identifying their current stage of English language development is an important start. Whatever their level of prociency in either their native language or English, ELLs need inputs they can comprehend. Stephen Krashen, noted linguist and lecturer, developed his i + 1 theory, which holds that students need instruction that is appropriate for their current level of competence while pushing them just beyond their comfort level (Shutz, 2002). Along the same lines, Vygotsky recognized students abilities to function just beyond their (continued on next page)
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level of competence with the assistance of someone else. These functions and abilities are known as the Zone of Proximal Development (North Central Regional Education Lab, n.d.; Vygotsky, 1978). In other words, students need interesting content that challenges their abilities. See A Guide to Learning English, which elaborates on this theory and provides other important information for working with ELL students (Shoebottom, 2003a).

to develop a strong sense of self. When ELLs are denied the opportunity to connect with their native background, they are essentially being told that their heritage has no bearing on who they are. Teachnology.com offers a tutorial on the role of native language in working with ELL students (Pellino, 2003). Another strategy for connecting with ELLs is simply to greet them daily in their own language. Demonstrating your concern for your students by making the effort to connect through language can offer great comfort to newcomers. Just in case you may have lost your college language skills, see Greeting your LEP students in their own language, which offers assistance for learning basic expressions in several different languages (Hobgood, 2002). Finally, students from foreign cultures can be excellent cultural resources. If they are ready to do so, consider taking advantage of their rsthand knowledge of a particular culture. You might devise a cooperative learning activity whereby their contribution is necessary for completion of a learning task. They could serve as the cultural expert for their group.

Culture-Based Techniques
Culture plays a major role in the education of all children, yet with the ELL this variable is even more intrinsically linked to understanding the student. Since comprehensible input is necessary for developing prociency, ELLs need consistent, rich language input, regardless of what language it is. This means allowing a student to discuss new material in his or her native language with a fellow native speaker in order to rst develop the conceptual understanding of a new topic. Extensive use of the native language can become problematic in the mainstream classroom since students can become too comfortable with speaking their native language at the expense of improving their English language skills. Initially, native language use offers the student the ability to develop friendships with other native speakers. It also serves as a support to ensure that students are not lost in the instruction of new concepts. Gradually, ELLs should move toward using more English to interact with others and to learn. Keep in mind Lisa Delpits perspective on the discourse of power. In her book Other Peoples Children, she holds that while we are modeling preferred ways of talking, speaking, writing, etc., in order to help minority students participate in the culture of power, we should not do so at the expense of those traits that make students unique, that make them individuals (Delpit, 1995). Allow students to use their own language where and when it is appropriate to do so. Further, using their native language in a content-rich environment helps them
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Presentation Techniques
There are numerous basic presentation techniques we might take for granted that are critical to the success of ELLs on a daily basis. For example, how many times have you turned your back on the class to write something on the board, all the while continuing to talk to students? ELLs benet tremendously

by being able to see your mouth as you speak. Along these lines, it is a good idea to make sure they are seated as close to you as possible when you are speaking to the class. For additional suggestions like these, see Keys to Success for English Language Learners (Heining-Boynton, 2002), which highlights the key components of daily instruction that require attention to meet the needs of ELLs. Speaking clearly, audibly, at a moderate pace, and using Standard English are among the suggestions HeiningBoynton discusses. This means avoiding the use of jargon and idioms not familiar to a non-native speaker. Within the connes of our daily learning communities, we are perhaps unaware of how frequently we use jargon and idioms. We forget that our dialect is not shared by all of our students, perhaps even those who speak English as natives! I remember commonly asking students who were

of our students. See, for example, The 12 Cs for School Success: Clarifying Language Responses (Portland Public Schools, n.d.). Visuals are powerful learning tools that extend our ability to make content comprehensible to our students. As a former French teacher, I relied frequently on the use of visuals to help me take the abstract to concrete for my students. I spoke little to no English in my classes, so visuals were my way of accomplishing what my speaking could not. For anyone learning a language at any time, visuals help to create a mental imprint. With ELLs, take advantage of the clear visuals from the Internet Picture Dictionary (www.pdictionary.com).

Instructional Techniques
Be aware that checking for comprehension by asking, Do you understand? is not an effective instructional strategy for many students. Questions that can be satised with a yes or no answer do not provide the feedback we seek when monitoring comprehension. Any student can simply nod or answer yes to avoid embarrassment in front of peers rather than admit he or she does not understand. To discover exactly what students know, ask them to explain the concept or idea to you or to give you an example. Allow them to draw, point to pictures, create a concept map through drawing or using software like Inspiration (see www.inspiration.com), or use any method to accommodate their current language skills. (continued on next page)
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distracted by a comic book or some other item on their desk to put it up. Initially, such a command to a nonnative speaker might be interpreted as asking them to elevate an object rather than stow it away from sight. There are several strategies we can use to provide comprehensible input to all

(continued from previous page) While you are teaching, keep in mind that ELLs are processing a considerable amount of input at once and are expected to do so at a pace they are probably not ready for. Though you cannot completely change your teaching style, you can assist students with skills for being better listeners. Several strategies for improving students listening skills are provided by the Frankfurt International School (Shoebottom, 2003b).

If Nothing Else, Remember

Making assumptions about the behaviors of ELLs based on our knowledge of the behaviors of native speakers of English can sometimes lead to interpreting a students behavior as being insubordinate. For example, imagine talking to an ELL who refuses to look at you. Normally, we might interpret this as an act of insubordination. Can you hear in your head, Look at me when Im talking to you? The reality might otherwise be that the student comes from a culture where looking directly into the eyes of a teacher or elder is viewed as a sign of disrespect. Keeping our instinct in check is a technique for avoiding misunderstanding and potential emotional injury to the student. We must be careful not to interpret students lack of participation as lack of understanding or unwillingness to participate. This could falsely lead us to discipline the student and, in the long run, to develop low expectations of him or her. Little or no expectation on our part only enables ELLs toward a self-fullling prophecy of doing nothing to further their education (Cummins, 1996). The position of teacher brings with it great responsibility, much more than we could have imagined before any of us began our careers. Accepting this responsibility requires that we avoid assuming that any of our students come to us with certain prerequisite skills and understandings. By making an effort to get to know each of our students, providing comprehensible input, making the abstract concrete, and attending to good presentation and instruction, we make it possible for ELLs to participate in their education and in ours.

Working with ELL students and their writing might seem an unrealistic prospect for anyone who has not had specialized training. Once again, the Web houses some simple strategies that we can begin to use immediately. The ESL/NNS Resource (English as a Second Language/Non-native Speaker) website is a treasure trove of resources for assisting ELLs with their writing (University of Minnesota, 2001). From the homepage, see the Main ELS/NNS Document. This resource offers advice on topics as general as how to choose appropriate readings to more specic strategies like how to work with ELL students on writing transitions.
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References Cummins, J. (1996). Negotiating identities: Education for empowerment in a diverse society. Ontario: California Association for Bilingual Education. Delpit, L. (1995). Other peoples children: Cultural conict in the classroom. New York: The New Press. Haynes, J. (2004). Understanding second language terminology. Retrieved January 12, 2004, from www.everythingesl.net/inservices/essential_vocab.php. Heining-Boynton, A. (2002, March). Keys to success for English language learners. Retrieved April 18, 2005, from www.learnnc.org/index.nsf/doc/ESL0407-1. Hobgood, B. (2002, March). Greeting your LEP students in their own language. Retrieved April 18, 2005, from www.learnnc.org/index.nsf/doc/ learnlang0407-1. North Central Regional Education Lab. (n.d.). Zone of Proximal Development. Pathways to school improvement. Retrieved April 18, 2005, from www.ncrel. org/sdrs/areas/issues/students/learning/lr1zpda.htm. Northwest Regional Education Lab. (2003, May). Strategies and resources for mainstream teachers of English language learners: Overview of second language acquisition theory. By Request. Retrieved April 18, 2005, from www.nwrel.org/request/2003may/overview.html. Pellino, K. (2003). Effective strategies for teaching English language learners. Teaching Tutorials: Helping You with your Everyday! Retrieved April 18, 2005, from www.teach-nology.com/tutorials/teaching/esl/6. Portland Public Schools. (n.d.). The 12 Cs for school success: Clarifying language responses. Language and Culture Bulletin, 3(6). Retrieved April 18, 2005, from www.alliance.brown.edu/programs/eac/lncblt_v3-6.shtml Shoebottom, P. (2003a, August). A guide to learning English: Advice to mainstream teachers. Retrieved April 18, 2005, from http://esl.s.edu/ teachers/support/f-sum.htm. Shoebottom, P. (2003b, August). A guide to learning English: Helping ESL students understand what you say. Retrieved April 18, 2005, from http://esl.s.edu/teachers/support/f-listen.htm. Shutz, R. (2002, January). Stephen Krashens theory of second language acquisition. Retrieved January 12, 2004, from www.sk.com.br/sk-krash.html. University of Minnesota. (2001, August). ESL NNS Resource. Retrieved April 18, 2005, from http://composition.cla.umn.edu/instructor_Web/NNS. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

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The Banner Project: A Collaborative Effort

By Judy Smith, Shelley Worman, and Nancy Ruppert Buncombe County Schools Foundation and A Bright Ideas Classroom grant from Progress Energy. Children worked on the banner project 45 minutes a day, ve days a week, for three months. The college freshmen and collaborating university professor worked with the ESL teacher one day per week. Phases of the project included orientation of rst-year university students, the pre-test, researching the symbols on the original banners in the media center to determine their importance to the country, selecting and researching a country the students were not from, creating symbols, creating PowerPoint slides based on research, melding symbols and text into one class book, creating a student slide show, videotaping students reections on their experiences, a review game, and a post-test. A celebration of the completed program was also held with families and friends from the community. The university students were given a half-day orientation to the school, the project, and the software through the UNC-Asheville Bulldog Day, a service learning community outreach program. ELLs were given a pre-test by their university buddy that included symbols on existing banners. This test assessed the students language skills including their ability to recognize and elaborate on the symbols in English. Emma Elementary School in Asheville, North Carolina, enrolls 480 students, of which 172 are designated through prociency testing as English Language Learners (ELLs). Seventeen different countries are represented in the school. In the spring of 2003, the upper elementary English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher and media coordinator developed a project for students to create banners for countries represented at the school. The project integrated English language, reading, research, social studies, writing, and technology. Also, through collaboration with a local professor, the project provided opportunities for university freshmen to tutor and learn from children in the eld. Banners include symbols illustrating the countries children came from on their journey to Emma. They are supplemented with a PowerPoint presentation of the countries, a book of symbols and sentences created by the students, and a game to play in learning about the countries. The project was supported by funds from the

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In the rst few weeks, children selected one of nine countries that did not already have a banner in the school. They researched their country in the Media Center utilizing the Internet, reference materials, and other books. Three or four children worked on each country. Students worked on a country they were not from to enhance multicultural understanding. They also researched one of the eight original banners to determine what each symbol represented. Students organized their ndings using Kidspiration, with a folder for each country. From the Kidspiration outlines, the children wrote sentences about the original banners. They also created a symbol that represented the country they were researching to put on the new banners. Children drew their symbols and wrote sentences about them. These symbols were then transferred to cloth, and the children glued their symbols to the banners. The sentences were edited, and the students created a PowerPoint slide for each symbol they designed. The university students gave one-on-one support in the editing and technology phase of the project. After the project ended, the children were invited to the university campus to have lunch with their bulldog buddies. At the luncheon, the media specialist presented the childrens slides. The children made thank-you certicates for their buddies, and the university students gave the children inatable globes.

Project Benets
Several benets were realized from the banner project. Children participated in a guessing game where they were asked to identify different countries based on characteristics of the old and new symbols. Students created questions for the game and played it often. At the end of the project, students were given a posttest using 18 symbols from the old banners. The post-test results indicate an increase in uency, identication, and elaboration. The pre- and post-test scores of ELLs reveal that they not only increased in the number of words they used but also were able to identify 16 of the 18 symbols on the post-test. Children also increased in their elaboration (using more than one word to describe a symbol) from an average of 4.5 symbols in the pre-test to over 9 symbols in the post-test. The language development suggests that ELLs increased their uency over time. At the end of the project, the children shared their thoughts and revealed that they felt smart and could do anything. The project promoted positive relationships and understanding among the various cultural groups and allowed students to conduct research, express themselves, and increase their technology skills.

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Table 1. Pre- and Post-Test Averages for Words, Identication, and Elaboration.
Number of words for each
60 50 40 30 20 10 0 pre/post words pre/post elaboration pre/post identification 12.27 16.34 4.5 9.47 31.13 56.51

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The university students also learned much about teaching through this project. Throughout the semester, students kept a running log on WebCT. At the end of the semester, each student was asked to choose the most important quote from his or her journal entries. The following list represents their top six lessons learned: Be open-minded. Be as interested in the topic as the students are. Realize that each child is different. Be persistent. Encourage children.

Realize that ones speed at gaining uency in a given language is not a gauge of intelligence. In the course of one semester, these university students developed organizational skills and provided an invaluable service to 34 children. Many have committed to becoming teachers. Service opportunities and collaboration may have encouraged some university students to pursue education as a career. Judy Smith is the ESL teacher and Shelley Worman is the Media Specialist at Emma Elementary School. Dr. Nancy Ruppert is Professor of Education at UNC-Asheville.

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Technology Support for Migrant Education: The Anchor School Project

By Randi Zwicker, Collier County (FL) Public Schools In 1997, SERVE and Collier County created a grant project that would provide migrant families a technological lifeline as they travel throughout the United States. The idea was to provide a rigorous curriculum aligned with high state standards, well-trained teachers with time to learn and practice new skills, parents who would become lifelong learners involved in the childrens education, and collaboration with business and others to leverage additional resources. As the parents moved from one location to another seeking work, their childrens academic progress would follow them electronically so that the receiving teacher would have an immediate picture of the childs abilities rather than waiting weeks to get the cumulative folder. The migrant students selected to participate in this project attended three area schools, two in Immokalee, Florida, a rural community whose major industry is agriculture, and a Naples school where the students parents were employed by a local tomato grower. The ve-year grant was written to serve students from kindergarten through second grade. The students had to meet certain requirements, mainly that their parents would be migrating to specic areas in northern Florida and into the southeastern states during the summer months. group that was beginning to design Internet-based software. They had created a collaborative piece of software that allowed teachers to plan online together and project timelines for the activities. Another feature of the software allowed teachers to put their assignments online. The standards could be accessed and aligned to the lessons. It would be accessible from home and school. The discussion included the development of an electronic portfolio of student information and projects that could be accessed by teachersa major component of the grant. However, this particular software company was unable to meet these requirements and thus began the search for an electronic method to store and share student information.

Portfolio Components
What were the components that SERVE and the district considered important for the electronic portfolio? First, development of a portfolio over time would include prociency levels in reading, writing, math, technology, science, social studies, and the arts. Next, student input sections would include goal setting, an All About Me le, and school, family, and community activities. Finally, communication tools would be comprised of teacher comments, parent communications, demographics, assessment tools, lesson plans, and standards alignment. The purpose of the electronic portfolio was to provide easy access to student (continued on next page)
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Technologies Used
The initial concept for accomplishing this task was to use the Internet as the means of communicating from school to school. This was initially discussed in 1997 when Internet use still seemed like a progressive idea, one that would develop and grow with the program. At the onset, we worked with a development

(continued from previous page) information for receiving teachers regardless of the schools location in order to show student progress over time.
Teacher participation was a major part of the implementation of the grant. SERVE did an excellent job of bringing teachers together for well-dened purposes. Their ideas and needs formed the design of the electronic pieces. It was determined to start with student-created projects. All About Me was a simple three-page document constructed in either Hyperstudio or PowerPoint. Although a template was provided, students had choice in design and content. The students would insert digital and scanned images into their work, write about their interests, and read and record to the le. They would write about areas of interest such as favorite subjects/books, family background (including pets), hobbies, favorite foods, responsibilities, and talents. Another student activity was the generating of goals both short and long term. The rationale behind the goal setting was to provide information for teachers to help with decision making, guiding instruction, and showing evidence of student growth and achievement. A lesson was developed whereby students learned about the importance of setting both academic and social goals. Hyperstudio or PowerPoint was used to create the le, and a template was provided. Again, their voices were recorded reading their written work. The last major electronic component that students provided was Community and School Activities. In this component, the students used a template to provide information on sports interests, music, art, awards, hobbies, clubs, and church and family activities in which they participate. A template was provided, and the students scanned images, wrote about them, and recorded into these les using Hyperstudio or PowerPoint. At this point, the teams of teachers along with SERVE needed a vehicle that could do more. The elements of the student electronic portfolio were being completed, but information on student academic performance was missing. By this time, the data warehouse was
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a reality for teachers. They could get online to view the academic progress of their students, but this information was password protected to teachers within the district. There were also storage issues because of the size of the les being created by the students. SERVE and the district began to look at an imaging process that would scan the student les, selected pieces of their classwork, and interface with the student information system. The les were compressed, so storage was not an issue. This process looked very promising and was password protected. Teachers began to use it the last year of the grant. However, they found the program to be cumbersome and time consuming. Interest in using the product dropped off, and as the grant came to an end, the decision was made not to continue with this product.

Lessons Learned
What has been learned from the Anchor School project? The project raised many questions on electronic portfolios that the district has not yet resolved. Electronic portfolios still present issues as to content and storage. Is the electronic portfolio coming from student work, or is it a combination of that and academic data? How would teachers from other districts be able to access this information, even if Internet-based, as it is password protected? The good news is that the grant focused on the needs of our migrant children. The grant provided funding not only for the electronic portfolio development but also for an ESOL assistant in every school to work with the individual students. It also gave the district funding to bring groups of teachers together to share and develop prociency standards for elementary reading, writing, and math. Student technology standards were adopted, benchmarked, and are being implemented throughout all elementary schools in the district. Finally, teachers learned how to design and use rubrics that truly assessed what was being taught. The Anchor School project brought into focus the importance of assessment and its impact on instruction.

Project Jericho: Training College of Education Faculty in TESOL

By Gail West, University of Central Florida Floridas teacher training institutions are now required to provide training in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) methods for their pre-service teachers who are majoring in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Exceptional Education, and English Language Arts Education so that upon graduation they will receive an ESOL endorsement in addition to certication in their major eld of study. The University of Central Florida responded to this new state requirement by using an infusion model that was one of four proposed options designed by the Florida Department of Education (DOE). This model includes: 1. An anchor course, which is an introductory-level course grounded in ve ESOL topics dictated by the state, each of which are further developed in the integrated courses. 2. An applied linguistics course, since this knowledge and skill is prerequisite to so many of the Florida ESOL Performance Standards. 3. Infused courses that focus on methods, materials, and assessment strategies that integrate the relevant 25 ESOL Performance Standards required by the Florida DOE into the regular teacher preparation curricula (see www.rn.edu/doe/ omsle/perstand.htm).

Preparing College Faculty

UCF received a two-year federal grant to provide its College of Education faculty a professional development program and to implement the infusion program for pre-service teachers. It was called Project Jericho because the purpose of the project was to bring down the walls that block the success of ESOL students in their school and community and to break down the barriers that often exist between universities and K12 schools. The state of Florida requires that adjunct, part-time, and full-time college faculty teaching these ESOL-infused courses must have sufcient experience or training to infuse the relevant 25 ESOL Performance Standards in the courses they teach. The expectation was that faculty would complete the equivalent of a three-semester-hour course or a minimum of 45 contact hours of ESOL instructional preparation. Therefore, the rst year of the project focused on the design and delivery of professional development for College of Education faculty and the integration of ESOL instruction into the College of Education curricula and programs. Faculty instruction covered the ve topics required by the state of Florida. Five modules of nine hours each were developed: 1. Methods of teaching ESOL 2. ESOL curriculum and materials 3. Cross-cultural communication and understanding

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4. Applied linguistics 5. Testing and evaluation The nine hours of each module were divided into three 3-hour blocks: 1. A three hour face-to-face presentation 2. Three hours of Web-based instruction 3. Three hours of group work Initially, one module per month was presented. Faculty who are responsible for teaching primary language arts, reading methods, multicultural, and teaching diverse population courses received an additional 15 hours of instruction on second language acquisition, language use, and literacy pedagogy for ESOL students.

addressed in the respective module. WebCT is an online course management system that provides a shell for modules, presentations, and quizzes. It also includes a discussion forum where faculty post, to either the entire faculty or their group mentor, responses to online exercises. Upon completion of the Web activities, faculty members were required to complete a quiz online. The responses to the quiz were forwarded to Project Jericho administration for grading and recording on a master data

Module Block One

Block one of each module consisted of a faceto-face whole group presentation by an expert in the eld. In the event that a faculty member was unable to attend, the presentations were videotaped. Copies of the videotape and handouts distributed during each presentation were available for check out in the Curriculum Materials Center in the College of Education and on each branch campus. A record of faculty members checking out the video and retrieving their handouts was also kept for accountability purposes required by the state. sheet. The scores of each faculty member were sorted by a faculty mentor and distributed during each ESOL Task Force meeting to all faculty mentors for their les. Since block two of each module required accessing the website and using WebCT, faculty members who were unfamiliar with WebCT were offered training sessions. In this way, faculty not only learned the content of the ESOL modules but also had an experience of learning online, something many of them had shunned before this experience. As a result, several faculty members began to enhance their own courses with WebCT once they had had the experience of using its resources and tools. Because this training has to be ongoing in order for new hires to be provided the required staff development after the initial training was completed, the face-to-face sessions were videotaped. The Web-based lessons continue to be available and are updated as needed to ensure that the links are active and to evaluate the completed activities submitted by the participants. Having the staff development available in video and

Module Block Two

Block two of each module required faculty members to access the UCF TESOL website that used WebCT for additional instruction in the ESOL topic
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Web-based format alleviated the need to try to constantly schedule training dates for new faculty members. Each semester new hires are provided with an orientation to launch their ESOL training that is then continued via video and the Web.

developed. All four programs have now received state approval for majors to receive the state ESOL endorsement. Block three is no longer a part of the process since the courses have now been infused. Now all new hires do the second language acquisition modules as well as the rst ve since we believe all faculty should be aware of and understand the process of acquiring a second language.

Module Block Three

Initially, block three of each module involved group work facilitated by a group faculty mentor. Groups were composed of faculty within the four programs and educational foundations. Mentors were faculty members from those programs who had both ESOL experience and teaching knowledge. They were not, however, ESOL faculty per se. In some ways, this has been seen as an advantage since faculty members saw their peers in their own programs able to incorporate ESOL strategies within their courses. Although group work exercises were to be a practical application of the concepts presented both in the faceto-face presentation and online in the WebCT activities in order to infuse the courses in which the ESOL strategies were to be taught, the mentor was given some latitude as to the nature and delivery mode of the exercise. Some mentors chose to meet as a group and work on the project together; others opted to meet online with their mentees. All exercises were ultimately completed in written form and submitted to the faculty mentor for record-keeping purposes. The main thrust of the group activities was to develop the ESOL modules or assignments to be incorporated into the various courses after decisions had been made on which competencies would be addressed in which courses. In the end, 43 courses were infused, and the two new stand-alone courses were

Lessons Learned
Although the professional development of our faculty is certainly a signicant accomplishment of Project Jericho, faculty response to this endeavor has been an added accolade. With few exceptions, participants have been extremely receptive to the acquisition of new knowledge and skills that have relevant and immediate practical application to their own instruction and their students learning. Using these strategies, they are addressing the needs of their linguistically and culturally different students. In addition, they are modeling appropriate ESOL pedagogy. Previously unaware that their own teaching practices already incorporated ESOL strategies, other faculty members have expressed delight in the modules validation of their current teaching practices. Faculty members have also accorded ESOL Task Force members and their fellow faculty members much respect and admiration, commenting on the professional, enthusiastic, and motivating demeanor in which they have conducted themselves. This attitude is reected in the following faculty comment: Excellent job. It is great to hear presentations from our colleagues. It gives me a more global look at what our college has to offer and gives me a sense of pride in what we do. Thus, in numerous ways, Project Jericho has already begun to bring down the barriers between faculty and students.

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Designing an Online Professional Development Tool for ESL Teachers

By Christine Corrigan and Mary Russell, National Center on Adult Literacy (NCAL) Kentucky, and the National Center on Adult Literacy (NCAL) at the University of Pennsylvania. Our job at NCAL was to provide the technology know-how in designing a useful and accessible professional development website for teachers. Therein lay many of the trials and tribulations, as well as the triumphs, that made the project an exciting challenge.

Background
ESL/CivicsLink, soon to be licensed and distributed by Kentucky Educational Television (KET), is a technology-based professional development system in English language literacy and civics education. The project was funded by a U.S. Department of Education grant to develop and implement an online professional development tool for ESL teachers of adults. ESL/CivicsLink was developed in partnership with PBS, Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) in

The Pilot
The pilot-testing phase was a critical juncture in the development of the site. Determining teachers satisfaction and/ or frustration as they used the technology was of the utmost importance to NCAL. Having the best content in the

What Is It?
ESL/CivicsLink is a system designed to: Help ESL teachers develop instructional skills and acquire content knowledge in ESL and civics. Be a model of the kinds of practices that teachers can adapt and use for their own classrooms but that focused on their own learning rst. Address specic topics of concern in ESL, such as Teaching a Citizenship Class, Meeting Learner Needs and Goals, and Using Technology in the Classroom. Provide teachers with advice from experts and teachers in the eld, interactive activities, classroom applications, and suggestions for collaborative projects.

Make available a teacher communication systemthe Community Spaceso that teachers can participate in threaded discussions. Provide a Portfolio section intended to systematically organize and store both the materials teachers created while working through the units and any other materials that were relevant to their practice. Give teachers easy access to resources, a collection of documents, and links to useful research and information related to the unit topics. While ESL/CivicsLink utilizes technology as the delivery system, it was designed to avoid making technology skills the topic of the instruction. It was hoped that the interactivity of the site would provide teachers with a natural and gradual familiarity with technology.

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Development
Creating ESL/CivicsLink was a twoyear process that involved numerous challenges. In brief, the steps taken to meet the challenge of developing the site included: Field tests with ESL teachers. The eld tests were conducted to determine the areas in which the teachers perceived the most professional development training needs. The unit topics emerged from the input and data we received from the teachers. Writing the content. PBS and JCPS provided the written content (activities, projects, and lesson plans) for the units. Providing the technology and designing the website. NCAL designed the website, adapted the written content for the Web, and worked closely with our programmers to program the site.

Additional eld tests. More eld tests were held with teachers midway through the development process to test the efcacy of the content and determine the teachers' ease of use with the technology. Modications. Based on ndings from the eld tests, changes were implemented, primarily in the technological aspects of the site, and the units, communication system, and teacher portfolio section were completed. Launch. A pilot test of the system (discussed in more detail below) was conducted with teachers at three different sites. Data obtained from the teachers in the pilot phase led to signicant improvements in the system. Completion. KET (a PBS afliate) obtained the rights to license and distribute ESL/CivicsLink in the spring of 2003.

world would matter very little if teachers disliked or were resistant to using it because of a negative experience with the technological features of the site. As development drew to a close, we were anxious to see how the teachers would interact with the site and, given the collaborative nature of the site content, how well the site allowed teachers to interact with each other. Sixty teachers from three states (California, Pennsylvania, and New York) participated in the pilot test, 42 of whom completed all of the activities in the four units that we tested. All participants were encouraged to access the online materials from a variety of locations (home, school, library, etc.). Of particular interest to NCAL was the technology background of the participating teachers. We hypothesized that teachers satisfaction with the system would have a direct correlation to how much prior experience and comfort they had using the technology.

Using questions generated from Engage indicators, data were collected to clarify possible relationships between teachers ability to use the tools and their reported usage of technology for personal and professional purposes (NCREL, 2001). Thirty-nine teachers responded to nine questions by indicating how often they employed technology for specic purposes (e.g., professional development). Twenty-one teachers were ranked as occasional users, 15 as regular users, and three as frequent users. Responses for individual questions, however, provided a clearer picture of how these teachers use technology. Four usage questions were directed at how teachers used technology in their professional lives. We found that only a quarter of the participating teachers were regular users of technology for professional purposes. Sixty percent of the teachers had never used technology in two specic areaseither in an online course or in other formal

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(continued from previous page) professional development. Sixty percent of the teachers said they used technology occasionally with assistance and support. These usage patterns indicate that the majority of these teachers had little experience with using technology as part of their professional lives or for their own learning.
What then of the correlation between prior experience and user satisfaction? In terms of overall satisfaction, the beginning reported level of technology use did not seem to affect how teachers felt about their online experience at the conclusion of the project. The comparison between teachers' previous experience with technology and their ratings of satisfaction did not show greater satisfaction in high-tech users, nor signicantly less in the low users. Technology prociency did not seem to greatly inuence the overall satisfaction level. Along with the technology issues, NCAL also gathered data about how teachers viewed the content of the units. We used a 4-point Likert scale to measure how helpful, useful, and engaging they found the material. The helpful rating was dened as content that increased their understanding of the topic. The useful rating was dened as the relevance of the content to teacher needs. The engaging rating was dened as the level of interest teachers had in the content. Among the ndings, 88% of all teachers rated the units they completed mostly very helpful, 90% rated them mostly very useful, and 92% mostly very engaging. Teachers also rated the ease with which they connected their learning with their classroom activities. Of the 45 replies we received in response to follow-up questions about how their learning affected practice, 41 responses indicated that teachers believed that they had a heightened awareness of goal setting and cultural and naturalization issues, an increased interest in assessment, and better knowledge of resources. Twelve teachers reported that they planned changes in practice as a result of their participation.
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Implications
As noted earlier, a major objective for developing ESL/CivicsLink was to provide teachers with a natural and gradual familiarity with technology. How did we do? As the pilot progressed, we were encouraged to note that most teachers said they gained condence overall in their ability to use technology. However, a good number of teachers experienced frustration in using some of the online tools (e.g., Community Space, Email, and Portfolio). Although little prior experience with using technology may have been a small factor in their frustration, the larger reason involved aws that came to light in the system itself. In the post-pilot period, NCAL worked on addressing these aws and in doing so saw several implications emerge for designing and implementing a system such as this. Include a thorough grounding in the functionality of the system. In order to provide a gradual familiarity with technology, teachers should be given a thorough overview of the content and tools of the system they will be using. An Orientation unit was meant to serve this function, but we did not require the teachers to work through the unit. Consequently, many of them skipped it. This may partially explain the number of problems these teachers encountered. It is unlikely that a general review of Web-based tools would serve as well, since even some of the experienced teachers had problems. The instructional system should be learned in context (i.e., be a mediated interaction). The Discussion Board tool in the Community Space was largely unsuccessful among the three groups of teachers. Teachers appeared to understand the purposes of these tools, but regretfully, technical problems they encountered made them difcult to use. Some of the problems were not technical but rather a matter of understanding the system, and they might have been avoided by providing a more complete introduction to it. The Resources tool, however, was very

successful. Teachers valued the depth and breadth of the resources provided and the convenience of having them all in one place. The Portfolio, intended to be a space for teachers to collect and record their own materials and learning, was underused, which may indicate either that teachers did not see the purpose for the space or that they did not see a need for it. Provide opportunities for communication and collaboration. Teachers seem to want (and need) consistent and continued support as they work through the materials. Teachers should also be encouraged (one suggested they be required) to post to the discussion board and share information with each other. Practice should incorporate the elements discussed here.

Design specically for teachers (teachercentered). In reviewing the responses of teachers to the questions on their experience with the ESL/CivicsLink online professional development, what stands out is the overall effectiveness of an environment that was designed to support teacher learning by assessing teacher needs, addressing the priorities of teachers, and linking their professional development experience to practice. Providing a learner-centered environment in professional development has often been interpreted to mean training teachers to provide such an environment for their learners, and has rarely been designed as a learning environment for the teacher her/himself. Teachers who experience such an environment for their own learning are better prepared to be able to employ it for the learning of their students.

Conclusion
In spite of the difculties noted above, the teachers in the pilot test said that they acquired knowledge, honed their skills, and occasionally changed their attitudes as a result of participating in the pilot. In designing effective professional development for teachers, it is important to remember that the incorporation of technology into their professional development has profound implications for educators of adults in the kind of objectives and methods that might be employed to instruct. These issues, as well as those of effectiveness, must be incorporated into the materials and then applied and tested. These tasks make the process complex and time consuming. The power of technology, however, creates a context in which teachers are empowered to change their perspectives of what they can do and how they can do it. And technology may provide the means for adult educators to receive development that is authentically professional.

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RTEC Resources for Educators of English Language Learners

By Nita Matzen, Project Director, SEIRTEC Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the Regional Technology in Education Consortia (RTEC) provide resources, professional development, and technical assistance to help ensure the effective use of technology in education. Each of the 10 RTECs serve a specic region of the country. SEIRTEC, for example, serves the six southeastern states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The following list is a sampling of free resources available for ELL educators from other RTECs and their partners. Insertando la Tecnologa en el Saln de Clases: Una Gua Para Educadores Martha Boethel, Victoria Dimock, Lin Hatch for educators, parents, and students; possible action options; implementation pitfalls; different points of view; illustrative cases; and references. To capture some of the success of ELL and to support professional development, NCREL has also published a multimedia package consisting of a video and a booklet with support materials. This package, Enhancing Academic Success Through Technology for Limited-English-Procient Students, is available at www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/

te9resources.htm.

enGauge Success Stories: Limited-EnglishProcient Student in El Paso

www.ncrel.org/engauge/resource/stories/elpaso.htm.

The enGauge framework identies six conditions that are essential for the effective use of technology. This enGauge success story describes two high-achievement schools where teachers successfully use technology as a tool to support engaged learning for a large number of limited-English-procient students. Tecnologa Para Todos: Using Technology to Break Through Language Barriers in Schools Gilbert Valdez and Asta Svedkauskaite

www.seirtec.org/publications.html

This guide for administrators of rural school districts provides information on developing and implementing an effective educational technology plan. The Spanish translation is available in PDF format from the SEIRTEC website. Critical Issue: Using Technology to Support Limited-English-Procient (LEP) Students Learning Experiences Asta Svedkauskaite, Laura Reza-Hernandez, Gil Valdez, Mary Clifford, and David Durian The North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL) Pathways to School Improvement series contains Critical Issue documents that synthesize research, policy, and best practices. The Critical Issue: Using Technology to Support Limited-English-Procient (LEP) Students Learning Experiences focuses on developing effective strategies for using technology as a tool with ELL students. The Critical Issue includes a synthesis of the research on using technology with ELL students as well as goals
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www.ncrel.org/info/nlp/lpf02/todos.htm

This article in NCRELs Learning Point Magazine (Fall 2002) describes possible classroom uses of technology with a variety of relevant bilingual websites and software. For example, teachers can have their students participate in international exchanges with the use of suggested multilingual translators. Understanding the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001: English Prociency (Quick Key 5)

www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te900.htm

www.ncrel.org/litweb/qkey5

A brochure designed to help educators in schools and districts understand the basics of what NCLB means for their English prociency programs. The brochure covers NCLB English Prociency requirements, activities that can receive federally administered competitive grants, guiding questions for educators, and resources providing detailed information.

Casa Notes

This publication is intended to help parents or other caregivers locate informative Web sites for improving their own English language skills. Inclusion does not represent an endorsement by SEIRTEC. It is for informational purposes only. This product was developed by the National Center on Adult Literacy (NCAL), a partner in the SouthEast Initiatives Regional Technology in Education Consortium (SEIRTEC). SEIRTEC is funded by the U.S. Department of Education under grant number R302A0000011, CFDA 84.302A to support the integration of technology in education. The contents of the product do not necessarily reect the views of the U.S. Department of Education or any other agency of the United States government.

Resources on Limited English Prociency and English Skills

http://4teachers.org/profd/lep.shtml

The High Plains RTEC has professional development resources to enhance knowledge and skills. This page contains links to resources for serving ELL. Resources are categorized in the following headings: English as a second language, bilingual education, and learning resources. Learners, Language, and Technology: Making Connections That Support Literacy Judy Van Scoter and Suzie Boss

www.netc.org/earlyconnections/pub/index.html

A publication of the Northwest RTEC and Regional Educational Laboratory (March 2002), Learners, Language, and Technology: Making Connections That Support Literacy, is a guidebook to help educators with the effective uses of technology for literacy. The material is arranged in seven sections: 1) Understanding Early Literacy, 2) Understanding Technologys Role in Literacy, 3) Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners, 4) Considering Technology, 5) Putting It All Together, 6) Conclusion and 7) Appendices. The guide provides practical information and real-world classroom anecdotes on using technology to support and improve student literacy skills. Strategies and Resources for Mainstream Teachers of English Language Learners Bracken Reed and Jennifer Railsback

www.nwrel.org/request/2003may/ell.pdf

Produced by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (May 2003), this booklet addresses concerns and issues of mainstream teachers of ELL. The booklet contains an overview of the pertinent literature and research related to ELL, including the implications of NCLB. Instructional methods and general principles for teaching ELL are discussed. A sampling of schools and programs addressing ELL, selected resources, and contact information is also included. TALON

To be shared with parents or other caregivers who want to improve their own English language skills. If they dont have Internet access at home, they may need information about community access sites (such as public libraries, community tech centers, and school after-hours programs).

www.southcentralrtec.org/talon

TALON is a database of resources and Internet sites created by the SouthCentral RTEC. The database contains a category of Languages Other than English. Within that category are subcategories such as Bilingual/ESL. Each annotation listed in TALON contains a description, site source, and URL.

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TM

3329 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd, Suite 200, Durham, NC 27707 (800) 755-3277 (919) 402-1060 (919) 402-1617 (fax) www.seirtec.org

Casa Notes is a tool to help teachers create notes that are typically sent home to parents. Approximately 12 templates are available that allow teachers to customize some of the content. Teachers also have the option to select whether the notes should be in English or Spanish.

All of these Web sites contain learning activities for adults who These sites follow a sequential curriculum: want to practice Web Site and URL Description and improve their English language English for All English language learning is embedded within stories and life skills episodes. Each episode contains , skills in reading engaging videos, dened objectives, and English learning exercises set within real-life contexts. writing, listening , and speaking. The www.myefa.org/ activities are appropriate for people with ESLgold This site provides hundreds of pages of free English teaching and learning materials for both students different skill levels. Each site differs and teachers. All resources are organized by skill and level for quick and easy access. www.eslgold.com/ in its approach and style, so English language learners can select activities A series of units that emphasize learning conversational English. Each unit offers short street Real English ONLINE interview videos where learners can watch and listen to everyday, non-classroom American English. that are specic to their own needs and www.real-english.com/ Learners work on follow-up quizzes after watching the videos. interests.

http://casanotes.4teachers.org

Learning Languages Naturally in a Computer-Based Environment:

Created 5/04

These sites provide English practice with a variety of activities and games:

1-Language.com www.1-language.com/ Activities for ESL Students http://a4esl.org/ Interesting Things for ESL Students www.manythings.org/ A straight-forward, accessible site that offers quizzes, exercises, and puzzles for English learning. The bilingual quizzes section is a plus. Creative, interactive learning games that include puzzles, word games, quizzes, singing sentences, and more. Most of the games provide simple feedback.

A Software Review of Rosetta Stone Language Library

By Jenifer OSullivan, Education Technology Specialist, SEIRTEC As children, we learn our native language through a natural process of listening and repeating the words and phrases we constantly hear from those around us, and interactions between biological, sociocultural, and environmental factors also inuence our language development. We start with basic sounds, and then move to words using visual cues to prompt repetition of the verbal sounds. We then learn appropriate ways to combine words to make phrases and sentences. As we develop, we learn the ner points of syntax, semantics, and pragmatics (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, 1999). A typical sequence of language development includes babbling, use of one word, uttering two-word statements, telegraphic speech, then ultimately adult-like speech (Santrock, 1994). One software program that incorporates many of these principles of native language development (use of images, sounds, written words) is the Rosetta Stone Language Library. The Rosetta Stone Language Library is series of programs on CD and online for learning a second language. Students work individually with the program to master each of the instructional levels. Using a combination of text, photographs, and voice, the learner can choose from 13 exercises that develop listening comprehension, reading, speaking, and writing and meet the needs of a variety of learning styles. The Rosetta Stone Language Library Series builds skills in each of the four ELL domains identied by Title III of No Child Left Behind Act, including speaking, reading, writing, and listening (U.S. Department of Education, 2002).

Web Site and URL Description

TM

All of these Web sites contain learning activities for adults who want to practice and improve their English language skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The activities are appropriate for people with different skill levels. Each site differs in its approach and style, so English language learners can select activities that are specic to their own needs and interests.

These sites provide access to many different English language resources:

E.L. Easton http://eleaston.com/ The Tower of English www.towerofenglish.com/

Web Site and URL

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Discussion forums, chatrooms, a literature library, online TOEIC tests, quizzes, video, audio, and games.

Extensive materials and links for Business English, English for Special Purposes, varieties of English, TOEFL and TOEIC practice activities, pronunciation practice, quizzes, and audio. Links to hundreds of Web sites for English learning organized by topics such as Business, Culture, Food, Grammar, Idioms/Slang, Lifestyle, and many more.

Description

Recommended Ages:

Listening: Listening comprehension is the focus of the Rosetta Stone Language Library program. Almost every activity involves the learner listening to a native speaker and then matching the speech to a corresponding image and/or written text.

The program is effective with students as young as 11 years old.

Share these resources with parents or caregivers of ELL students who want to know more about how to help their children manage school. If they dont have Internet access at home, they may need information about community access sites (such as public libraries, community tech centers, and school after-hours programs).

Parents and children learning together:

Description Links to resources such as encyclopedias and dictionaries as well as other resources that can be helpful for childrens homework. Family learning activities to do at home, articles on topics such as testing and report cards, and suggestions such as 100 Ways For Parents to Be More Involved in Their Childs Education (in English and en Espaol). A site with activities for young children. Explore the caregivers and parent tales sections for additional activities and strategies that support success in school. Also includes printable award certicates for children. Click on Fun & Games for activities for parents and children to do together. Click on Issues & Advice for information on child behavior and development, communication, school, and reading and language (in English and en Espaol).

The Kids on the Web: Homework Tools

www.zen.org/%7Ebrendan/kids-homework.html

National Parent Teacher Association

www.pta.org/parentinvolvement/index.asp www.pta.org/parentinvolvement/spanish/index.asp

PBS Kids: Dragon Tales

http://pbskids.org/dragontales/

News 27 Wire

PBS Parents

www.pbs.org/parents/ www.pbs.org/parents/quickstart/spanish/

User-Friendly: The software is easy to install and run,

Speaking: Using a microphone connected to the computer, the Speech Recognition mode allows the learner to practice and compare his or her pronunciation to the pronunciation of the native speaker for every word, phrase, and sentence in the program. This program provides an acoustic comparison and graphical display recognition and allows the learner to slow down the native speakers voice to hear individual words, sounds, and phonemes.

with user-friendly buttons for navigation. Exit and Help buttons are available on every screen. The

Writing: Dictation mode uses the computer to check written work for accuracy. Learners click on a picture and then must type what they hear. The program indicates errors and allows the learner to correct work before proceeding. The program checks for spelling, capitalization, punctuation, vocabulary, and syntax of the target language.

Reading: Working exclusively in the target language, the program has an activity mode that presents written text without spoken-language support. The learner has to match the words to an image, and the computer veries the meaning. There is another activity mode where the learner must match the written words to the spoken-language cue.

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Web Site and URL

This publication is intended to help parents or other caregivers locate informative Web sites that will help them help their children. Inclusion does not represent an endorsement by SEIRTEC. It is for informational purposes only. This product was developed by the National Center on Adult Literacy (NCAL), a partner in the SouthEast Initiatives Regional Technology in Education Consortium (SEIRTEC). SEIRTEC is funded by the U.S. Department of Education under grant number R302A0000011, CFDA 84.302A to support the integration of technology in education. The contents of the product do not necessarily reect the views of the U.S. Department of Education or any other agency of the United States government.

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3329 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd, Suite 200, Durham, NC 27707 (800) 755-3277 (919) 402-1060 (919) 402-1617 (fax) www.seirtec.org

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learner has control over the sounds that indicate correct and incorrect answers. The program can run in a test mode or in practice mode. Scores (number correct and incorrect) can be shown or not shown. Learners receive feedback immediately in a non-threatening environment with multiple opportunities for selecting the correct response.
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Connect for Kids: Parent Involvement in Education http://www.connectforkids.org/resources3139/resources_subject.htm?doc_id=82761 Especially for Parents http://www.ed.gov/parents/landing.jhtml http://www.ed.gov/espanol/bienvenidos/es/index.html?src=gu FirstFind http://www.rstnd.info/ National Education Association http://www.nea.org/parents/nearesources-parents.html Parents Declaration of Rights http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/declarationofrights/main_content.html Information from the U.S. Government for parents on such topics as preparing my child for school, helping my child read, my childs special needs, and college for my child (in English and en Espaol). Learn more about the No Child Left Behind law, your rights as a parent under the law, or download your own copy of the Declaration of Rights (in English and en Espaol). Guides for parents on parent-teacher conferences; helping children with reading, math, and science; homework; and others (in English and en Espaol).

Created 5/04

Materials Included: The classroom edition includes a

Helping children with reading:

General information about school issues:

Colorin Colorado! http://www.colorincolorado.org/homepage.php Reading Rockets http://www.readingrockets.org/pdf/family_guide.pdf

Reading Rockets: At Home http://www.readingrockets.org/lp.php?SSID=2

handbook for teachers, an illustrated users guide, and a language book with curriculum text and an index of words. It also includes a student management system with a student workbook and study guide and a book of quizzes and tests.

Web Site and URL

Web Site and URL

System Details: Win 3.1, Macintosh. Equipment:

microcomputer (486DX, 8MB RAM [16MB RAM for Win 95]), hard drive with 4MB free, SVGA monitor (256 colors), double-speed CD-ROM drive, sound card, amplied speakers or headphones, microphone. [3-12, ESL] Three CD-ROMs contain 19 units, with 10 or 11 chapters each, plus one review chapter (Evalutech, n.d.).

Contact/Pricing Information: The Rosetta Stone: English I,

Information and activities on working with children to improve their reading, suggestions on how to help children with school and talk to teachers, and information on educational rights (in English and en Espaol).

Links to articles about how parents can encourage reading at home, issues for English language learners, and connecting with school.

Downloadable booklet with suggestions for activities for parents and children to do together (in English and en Espaol).

English II, English III (American). Faireld Language Technologies, 165 South Main St., Harrisonburg, VA 22801. 800-788-0822. (Hart, Inc., 320 New Stock Rd., Asheville, NC 28804) 1999. $295 each (for multiple-copy discounts, contact producer).

News 28 Wire

Useful resources on a wide range of topics in plain and simple English. Click on Education or Family Activities in particular for ideas, activities, and information.

Links to articles on parent involvement, homework, and other topics related to school.

References
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. (1999). Standards for foreign language learning: Preparing for the 21st century. Retrieved March 5, 2004, from www.act.org/public/ articles/details.cfm?id=33. Evalutech. (n.d.). Infotech review: The Rosetta Stone, English I (American). Retrieved March 5, 2004, from www.evalutech.sreb.org/searchtest/reviewdetail. asp?Code=6023. Faireld Language Technologies. (2004). Rosetta Stone Language Library Series website. Retrieved March 5, 2004, from www.rosettastone.com/home. Santrock, J. (1994). Child development. Madison, WI: Brown & Benchmark. U.S. Department of Education. (2002). No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Retrieved March 5, 2004, from www.ed.gov/nclb/landing.jhtml.

Description

Description

El Internet est lleno de lugares que puede visitar para mejorar la educacin de sus hijos o su propia educacin. Use esta gua como punto de partida.

Ayuda para hacer tareas con los nios

K3 Vocabulary Builders
Lessons (20 for kindergarten, 30 each for grades 13) use a stimulus, response, and reinforcement model to teach oral and visual recognition, uency, and lexical retrieval. Lessons include three preview and practice activities, three practice games, and two testing and evaluation activities. A template for making printable worksheets is included. In one preview and practice activity, Word Preview, a window opens displaying a word in large font with a sentence using the word below in a smaller font. The word is spoken; the sentence is read; and then each letter is highlighted as the word is spelled orally. The student can choose to have the word or sentence reread

Obtener noticias, diccionarios, traducciones, etc.

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News 29 Wire

Created 5/04

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Recomendaciones para mejorar la educacin de los hijos con necesidades especiales

Lessons provide both written and oral instructions and graphical, oral, and text prompts and feedback. Students can use the keyboard or a mouse to respond to practice questions, play learning games, and take tests. Learners collect stars, butteries, basketballs, points, and more for correct responses. Activities are varied and engaging and incorporate speech, text, sound, graphics, and animation. Lessons are sequenced, incremental, and repetitive.

Si quiere. . .

Google www.google.com/intl/es/ Sitios web de noticias y recursos en espaol.

Busque en estos sitios. . .

Orchard Software offers phonics sequences, vocabulary builders, and reading links Skill Trees (lessons) in English that can be used to support English Language Learners (ELLs) in building basic vocabulary and grammar structure.

Tareaweb www.tareaweb.com/ Fuente para mapas, consultas y tiles contenidos.

Diccionarios.com www.diccionarios.com/ Deniciones, incluso traducciones a otros idiomas.

By Beth Thrift, Education Technology Specialist, SEIRTEC

Bibliotecas Pblicas www.reforma.org/spanishwebsites.htm Sitios web con informacin en espaol en bibliotecas de los EE.UU.

CNDIND www.nichcy.org/spanish.htm Centro Nacional de Diseminacin de Informacin para Nios con Discapacidades, incluye respuestas a preguntas comunes e informacin estatal.

Enlace con el Hogar www.eld.d21.k12.il.us/school2home/ayuda/enlaceconelhogar.html Pautas sencillas y relevantes para hacer que la tarea sea algo cotidiano.

Practice With Phonics, Vocabulary, and Reading: A Review of Orchard Software

Puertas Abiertas www.uft.org/index.cfm?d=240 Pautas para hacer lo mejor de su visita con los maestros.

Sixty activities across four levels of phonics sequencing are available to help students learn the alphabet, initial and nal sounds, letter recognition, vowels, ending blends, digraphs and endings, multiple syllables, and sight words. Students use the mouse to match letters or words to pictures or to connect consonants to ending blends. In advanced levels, students read a simple story and select sight words within the story. Instructions, cues, and feedback are provided orally. Lessons meet Reading First criteria.

or the word respelled. The student chooses to move at his or her own pace and can navigate to the next word or return to a previous word. Lessons meet Reading First criteria.

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Phonics Sequences

El Internet est lleno de lugares que puede visitar para mejorar la educacin de sus hijos o su propia educacin. Use esta gua como punto de partida.
Si quiere. . . Entender el gobierno, la ley, las escuelas y el Internet (la Red) Busque en estos sitios. . .
Aprenda la Red www.learnthenet.com/spanish/html/00start.html Aprenda el vocabulario, los conceptos, y las herramientas del Internet. FirstGov.gov www.rstgov.gov/Espanol/Topics/Hogar_Familia.shtml Informacin y servicios del gobierno de los Estados Unidos. Muy til para entender los niveles de gobierno estadounidense. School Success Info.org www.schoolsuccessinfo.org/espanol/padresenlaescuela.html Cmo relacionarse con los maestros y las escuelas. El Panal www.beehive.org/spanish/ Tiene informacin sobre los siguientes temas: dinero, salud, estudios, empleos, y familia. YoSPuedo www.YoSiPuedo.gov/ Iniciativa educativa de la Casa Blanca con consejos prcticos para diferentes edades. Ttulo I www.plassociates.org/pubs/nclbspanish.pdf Respuestas sobre lo que dice la ley en cuanto a los programas de lectura en las escuelas.

Phonics Sequence Ending Blends Story Activity Grade 2 Language Arts Word Preview Activity

K3 Language Arts Vocabulary Builder Menu Page

This publication is intended to help Spanish-speaking parents or other caregivers locate informative Web sites. Inclusion does not represent an endorsement by SEIRTEC. It is for informational purposes only. This product was developed by the National Center on Adult Literacy (NCAL), a parter in the SouthEast Initiatives Regional Technology in Education Consortium (SEIRTEC). SEIRTEC is funded by the U.S. Department of Education under grant number R302A0000011, CFDA 84.302A to support the integration of technology in education. The contents of the product do not necessarily reect the views of the U.S. Department of Education or any other agency of the United States government.
TM

3329 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd, Suite 200, Durham, NC 27707 (800) 755-3277 (919) 402-1060 (919) 402-1617 (fax) www.seirtec.org

News 30 Wire

Reading Links
Five levels spanning pre-primer through grade 3 integrate spelling, reading, writing, and close activities to help students learn sight-recognition vocabulary, left to right directionality, uency and rate, practice writing, and meaning and contextual clues. Learners instructions, cues, and feedback are provided orally. Lessons meet Reading First criteria.

correct common usage errors and misused words. Intentional errors appear in an English language sentence with a Spanish translation shown beneath. Learners click on the error in the English language sentence and receive either positive auditory and visual feedback or the correct response and an explanation in Spanish in text. Instructions are provided only in English text. Software prices are based on Skill Tree selection and site licenses. Windows or Macintosh platforms are available for stand-alone workstations and networked systems. Hardware requirements vary. Contact information for Orchard Software: Siboney Learning Group, 325 N. Kirkwood Road, Suite 200, Saint Louis, MO 63122. 1-888-726-8100, or www.orchardsoftware.com.

Language Arts 46, Grammar Skills: ESL Translations

In this program, learning games allow the learner to identify and

ESL Grammar Skills with Spanish Translations

THE VISION MAGAZINE

ne of the SERVE Centers responses to the growing number of English language learners (ELL) in its region and the accompanying related needs of educators is to provide an awareness-level publication that addresses relevant issues. The forthcoming ELL-themed Vision magazine is geared toward educators, policymakers, and others interested in the instructional issues of ELL students and includes articles ranging in topics related to the eld. Topics include ELL statistics, an overview of Title III of NCLB, advancing reading for ELL students, bilingual education, newcomer programs, ELL assessments, and other related resources. Available fall 2005. For further information, please contact Dr. Paula Egelson at the SERVE Center: 800-755-3277.

News 31 Wire

This newsletter was developed by the SouthEast Initiatives Regional Technology in Education Consortium (SEIRTEC) and is based on work sponsored wholly or in part by the Ofce of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) under grant number R302A0000011, CFDA 84.302A. Its contents do not necessarily reect the views and policies of the OESE, the U.S. Department of Education, or any other agency of the United States Government. First Printing, 2005

NewsWire Editorial Staff

Elizabeth Byrom, Principal Investigator, SEIRTEC Nita Matzen, Project Director, Technology in Learning Kevin Oliver, Assistant Professor, North Carolina State University

Reviewers
Paula Egelson, Program Director, Reading and School Improvement, SERVE Zelia Frick, Supervisor of Instructional Technology, Guilford County Schools, NC Tammy Mainwaring, Education Associate, Ofce of Technology, SC Department of Education Nancy McMunn, Project Director, Assessment, Accountability, and Standards, SERVE

SERVE Publications Team

Karen DeMeester Donna Nalley Jane Houle Tracy Hamilton

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE TALLAHASSEE, FL PERMIT # 801

3329 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd., Suite 200 Durham, NC 27707 8007553277 Toll-free 9194021060 Voice 919402-1617 Fax www.seirtec.org

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