Cooperative Workshops
Academic Vocabulary Development in the Core Content Areas (K-12)
Participants will gain a variety of instructional strategies and activities to develop vocabulary and promote oral and academic language in ELLs across the content areas. Building background strategies for vocabulary development will also be addressed.
- Language levels and language acquisition
- Graphic organizers for vocabulary development
- Effective word wall Strategies
- Tiered vocabulary words will be identified
Aspects of Language Transfers (All K-12 Teachers)
This training is designed to address the various aspects of language development and linguistics. It will focus on the importance of language and how it works. It will emphasize that language should be used in a planned way, much as we use other instructional materials and media.
- Overview of basic linguistic features
- Language structures and phonic transfers
- Transferability of language skills
Building Reading Comprehension Skills for the Elementary ELL Reader across the Content Areas (2-6)
This session will focus on the ELL’s receptive and expressive language development and how to determine their readiness for English literacy. Practical, researched-based strategies and activities that help the ELL achieve greater comprehension and fluency in the content areas will be addressed.
- Language levels
- Differentiating by language levels in the content areas
- Building background in the content areas
- Using graphic organizers based on the text structure
Development of Lively Discussions in ELL Classrooms (3-12)
Strategies will be presented that will show teachers how to develop discussion through effective questioning techniques and develop responses based on text patterns.
- Building tiered discussions in the classroom
- Guiding students’ critical thinking from concrete to abstract through discussion
- Applying questioning techniques that facilitate discussion
Differentiating Instruction for the ELL (K-12)
This training will provide teachers with strategies on how to differentiate content, process and product using students’ language levels. Teachers will learn techniques on how to plan flexible grouping and use informal/authentic assessment to monitor and assess student’s progress.
- Language levels
- Learning styles
- Differentiated Lesson planning
Effective Strategies that Promote Academic Spanish Vocabulary (K-6)
Participants will learn a variety of ways to scaffold student’s Spanish language from BICS to CALP through questioning techniques and activities that promote academic Spanish vocabulary. Techniques in how to transition these skills into English literacy will be addressed.
- Building background vocabulary in the native language (Spanish)
- Scaffolding Spanish social language into academic language in writing and reading
- Making academic Spanish comprehensible
ESL 101 for the First Year Teacher (K-12)
Participants will gain insight into the world of second language learners and become familiar with best instructional practices in language acquisition, modifications, accommodations & differentiating instruction for the ELL.
- Overview on law requirements for the ELL
- Language acquisition in theory and practice
- Language Levels o Authentic assessment
HOT Skills for the ELL (K-8)
Participants will learn a variety of ways to apply Bloom’s Taxonomy on “Higher Order Thinking Skills” in the content areas for their English language learner. Participant will also learn how to plan effective lessons that develop and promote high cognitive ability skills through theme concepts and generalizations.
- Cognitive development in ELLs
- Language levels and Bloom’s Taxonomy
- Think alouds
- Teaching students how to ask “HOT” questions
- Planning through a “conceptual lens” theme
- Generate concept generalizations that enrich students’ learning
Integrating TEKS and Spiraling Curriculum from Spanish to English in the Bilingual/Dual Language Classroom to Accelerate Academic Language (K-6)
Participants will learn how to adapt curriculum to ensure developmentally appropriate practices in diverse social and cultural contexts by understanding students’ strengths, needs and interests. Effective practices on how to develop and plan lessons will be addressed.
- Language aspects
- Language levels
- Building background, comprehensible input and adapting materials
- Building connections across the content areas through effective strategies
- Planning through concept themes
Improving Writing Instruction for Adolescent Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Students (7-12)
This session will focus on how to assist ELL students at the intermediate and advance level to pass TAKS. Successful writing TAKS strategies for linguistically diverse students will be addressed.
- Exploring different modes of writing
- Developing voice in writing
- Developing fluency in writing
The Inner World of the Immigrant Child: A Quest to Understand Them (K-12)
Participants will explore social and emotional needs of immigrant students. They will understand implications on education and how to create the classroom that embraces multiculturalism. Based on the book: The Inner World of the Immigrant Child, by Christina Igoa
- Language levels
- Affective, social & emotional needs
- Culture academic issues