Most sessions are available for elementary or secondary audiences unless otherwise noted.
(By request for members of the Title III or BE/ESL Cooperative)
A Step Beyond the SIOP Model (PreK-12) NEW!
3 or 6 hour sessions - Congratulations! You were trained in the SIOP model, have been implementing it in your classroom, and watching the progress of your students as they effectively learn content and the English language. Now, you are ready for some fresh ideas and your own growth within the SIOP model. This session will deepen your understanding of SIOP and help you investigate the model in more depth including how it relates to RtI and the new STAAR assessment. Of course, lots of new ideas for implementing each of the SIOP components will also be included.
Pre-requisite: Initial SIOP teacher training is required before attending this session.
Also see description for Elements of Effective ELL Instruction: The SIOP Model for Coaching (PreK-12).
Bilingual Supplement TExES #164 Preparation Course (PreK-6)
6 hour session- This course is designed to prepare certified teachers to take the Bilingual Supplement #164 certification and to develop a core set of competencies needed to teach in a Bilingual Classroom. The following topics will be addressed: the foundation of Bilingual Education, first and second language acquisition, development and assessment of primary language, and content area instruction in first and second language. A focus will be made on the use of higher order thinking strategies when working with Second Language Learners.
Recommendations for follow-up sessions: Bilingual Academies for Newly Certified Bilingual Teachers
Elements of Effective ELL Instruction: The SIOP Model for Coaching (PreK-12)
6 hour session - Are you are interested in leading your district further in implementation of an effective model of instruction for ELL students? Have your teachers been trained, but you are seeking a method to begin implementation or ways to reach a firm level of sustainability? Designed just for school leaders who are responsible for SIOP implementation, this session focuses on various models of professional development and implementation, coaching techniques, classroom differentiation, and the research that supports this implementation philosophy.
Pre-requisites: The 2-day SIOP teacher training is required before attending this session.
The purchase of the book, Implementing the SIOP Model through Effective Professional Development and Coaching, is highly recommended, but not required to participate.
Elements of Effective ELL Instruction: The SIOP Model (PreK-12)
12 hour session - Would you like to learn how to teach grade level content to English language learners while they are still in the process of mastering the English language? It CAN be done! This training is to acquaint teachers with research-based instruction that enables educators to implement a systematic approach to improve the academic performance for English language learners.
The purchase of the book, Making Content Comprehensible for the English Learner, the SIOP Model, is highly recommended, but not required to participate.
ELPS-TELPAS Connection (PreK-12) NEW!
3 hour session- Looking for a session to introduce new teachers to TELPAS? This course is designed to lay the foundation for the spring training of new TELPAS raters, showing the close connection between the Texas English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) and the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS).
Recommendations for follow-up sessions: Statewide Professional Development ELPS Academies, Elements of Effective Instruction: The SIOP Model
Engaging the Disengaged ELL (6-12)
1, 3, or 6 hour sessions - The disengaged student is the student who feels defeated and discouraged due to five main factors. This workshop will acquaint you with those factors and how to address them, particularly as they relate to the English language learner. Here you will gain specific tools to address the growing at-risk student population in our schools. Teachers will learn best practices that will keep students in school and engaged in learning.
Enseñando la lectura (updated LEER MAS) - Spanish Reading Academy (PK-1)
Enseñando la Lectura is a revised version of the LEER MAS training. This two day session will provide hands-on resources and tools to improve Spanish literacy instruction for students in grades PK-1. Session 1 will address Listening and Speaking, Phonological Awareness, Concepts of Print and Letter-Sound Relationships. Session 2 will address Fluency, Comprehension, and Written Expression. This updated version also includes: Revised PK Guidelines, Revised SLAR TEKS, & ELPS. The participants will receive a packet of resources.
Entering into Bilingualism through Late Exit (PreK-6) NEW!
3 hour session- Research has shown that a strong native language foundation effectively supports acquisition of a second language. This session provides an overview of research focused on the use of instruction in the students' native language, a review of the late exit program model components, and demystify common myths associated with bilingual education. This workshop will support bilingual education teachers as they enter into the late exit program model.
ESL TExES #154 Preparation Course (PreK-12)
12 hour session- This twelve hour course is designed to prepare certified teachers to take the ESL TExES 154 for ESL certification and to develop a core set of competencies needed to teach ESL students. The following topics will be covered - Language concepts and second language acquisition, ESL instruction and assessment, Cultural awareness, Family and community involvement, Including work from Making Content Comprehensible for English Language Learners by Echevarria, Vogt, Short (2000).
Recommendation for follow-up sessions: I am ESL Certified, Now What? (ESL Academies)
Giftedness and Bilingualism (PreK-12) NEW!
3 or 6 hour session - The capabilities and talents of young bilingual English Language Learners (ELLs) are often overlooked in the classroom setting and by existing assessment procedures of giftedness. Many gifted young ELLs seem unable to transfer their special and complex metacognitive skills used for navigating and negotiating bicultural transactions. This workshop calls for a better understanding of the ways in which the talents of second language learners might be developed in academic settings. An examination of research, inclusive gifted program procedures, and current debates will be highlighted. Participants in this session will also discuss the need for better designed forms of assessment and an expansion of the definition of the term giftedness.
Recommendations for follow-up sessions: Metacognitive Strategies for the ELL.
LEER MAS II - Spanish Reading Academies (2-6)
12 hour session- This 2 day session provides additional Spanish resources and assists teachers with the implementation of the 2nd-6th grade Spanish Reading/LA TEKS in the bilingual classroom, while working to effectively transition students into English through transferable skills and concepts. LEER MAS II will focus on Word Analysis, Vocabulary, Fluency, Comprehension, and Writing. The participant will receive a binder of resources to support the research discussed. Please be aware that materials and information provided will be in Spanish. Participants must attend both days.
Lost in Translation: Teacher Experiences in Second Language Learning (6-12) NEW!
6 hour session What is it like for a newcomer to be suddenly thrown into the world of English in a high school setting? Participants will be immersed in the world of second language learning as they experience the rigor of academic demands through instructional activities that involve listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Various sections of this workshop will be conducted in Spanish and languages other than English as a means for English dominant teachers to develop a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by minority language speakers. In this process, teachers will make connections to best practices that increase opportunities for comprehensible input.
Recommendations for follow-up sessions: Engaging the Disengaged ELL.
Metacognitive Strategies for the ELL (K-12)
3 or 6 hour sessions - Are you beginning to consider ways to better prepare your students for the higher level, critical thinking skills that will be required to be successful on our new STAAR assessments? This interactive, fast paced workshop will help teachers to better clarify the current thinking of their students; consider appropriate expectations for students; and explore ways to ensure high level, critical thinking for all students, including second language learners. Teachers will learn new ways of problem solving utilizing Art Costa's, Habits of the Mind.
Response to Intervention for the English Language Learners (RtI for the ELL) (PreK-12)
3 or 6 hour sessions - Are you confused by the question: Is this a second language learning issue or a learning ability issue? High quality instruction, researched based interventions, frequent monitoring of student progress, and application to student response data, are the key elements of Response to Intervention. In this workshop, you will learn what the multi-tiered model is and how it ensures the success and placement of all students. Participants will become aware of why English language learners may not be responding well to research-based instruction and what other types of interventions are available.
Rigor, Relevance, and Reading for Adolescent ELLs (6-12) NEW!
6 hour session - TEA has announced that the new STAAR test beginning in 2011-12 promises higher cognitive complexity levels and greater emphasis on critical analysis. This session will help teachers learn how to increase rigor and relevance while teaching English Language Learners to read increasingly more difficult material in the content areas. While English Language Learners gain techniques and strategies that lead to more depth in comprehension and higher levels of thinking, native English speakers will also be learning strategies that will lead to greater success on the new state assessment.
Second Language Acquisition: Don't Build Your Castle on the Sand (PreK-12)
3 or 6 hour session- Working successfully with English Language Learners requires an understanding about how a second language is acquired. Participants will gain the knowledge of second language acquisition theories and research, which yields a more stable instructional foundation for teaching ELLs. This workshop will provide the opportunity for participants to learn and/or review "must-know" research regarding language acquisition. Don't build your castles on the sand!
Something is Burning! It Must Be the Teenage Brain Ablaze! Teaching ELLs Using Brain Based Strategies that Work (6-12) NEW
6 hour session - The teenage brain continues to shape and reshape itself based on changing experiences integrated with previous background knowledge. This presentation will focus on how the ELL brain learns and will guide teachers toward a better understanding of strategies and teaching techniques that will allow English Language Learners to process new information on cognitively higher levels will be required on the new STAAR Assessments.
Teaching Newcomers: A Suitcase of Strategies (PreK-12)
3 or 6 hour session- This session will provide participants with the knowledge of newcomer and refugee needs. It will also incorporate many instructional strategies to accelerate language acquisition and understanding of content area concepts for newcomer students. This professional development opportunity would be most beneficial to teachers with little or no experience working with newcomer students.
Recommendations for follow-up sessions: ELPS Academies
Springboard for Success: The Beginner and Intermediate ELLs at the Secondary Level (6-12) NEW!
3 or 6 hour sessions - ELLs in the early stages of developing English as their second language are at higher risks of experiencing failure as they enter the academic rigor of middle and high school coursework. In this workshop, teachers will explore ways to differentiate instruction and assessment according to students' TELPAS Proficiency Level Descriptors as a means to maximize English language development through linguistically appropriate content scaffolding. Setting high expectations for ELLs during the early stages of second language acquisition is a key ingredient for accelerating academic growth through supportive motivation and learning environments.
Recommendations for follow-up sessions: ELPS TELPAS Connection and Lost in Translation.
Word Study for the Secondary Student (6-12)
1, 3, and 6 hour sessions - Teachers will learn new strategies and activities JUST FOR SECONDARY STUDENTS! This interactive presentation will motivate teachers and students alike to learn academic vocabulary in fun and effective ways that WILL make a difference in all content area comprehension! Teachers will participate in learning the same techniques advocated for student learning. Objectives include: teaching students how to become independent word solvers; providing instruction for specific word meanings; and helping students enjoy learning and using new words leading them toward a deeper understanding of reading and content.
After School Specials:
ELPS Instructional Focus on Lesson Preparation (PreK-12) NEW!
2 hour session - Fidelity to the instruction of content and language objectives is a key hallmark for effective teaching of ELLs. In this session, participants will review vital components of lesson preparation and critically incorporate the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) to the development of their own lesson plans to ensure academic rigor. This session is highly recommended as a refresher for teachers who have previously been trained in SIOP. Recommendations for follow-up sessions: ELPS Instructional Focus on Building Background.
ELPS Instructional Focus on Building Background (PreK-12) NEW!
2 hour session - The stronger the background knowledge, the more effective a student will engage in new learning. Participants will explore ways to infuse the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) while building background knowledge in second language learners through linguistically accommodated learning activities. Such best practices help scaffold learning experiences that build the foundation for higher order thinking skills in their first and second language. This session is highly recommended as a refresher for teachers who have previously been trained in SIOP.
Recommendations for follow-up sessions: ELPS Instructional Focus on Comprehensible Input.
ELPS Instructional Focus on Comprehensible Input (PreK-12) NEW!
2 hour session - Research shows that successful development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing for ELLs is contingent upon the teacher’s ability to provide instruction using comprehensible input. Participants will review techniques for presenting academic concepts in ways that are more understandable for second language learners using ELPS as the supportive framework. This session is highly recommended as a refresher for teachers who have previously been trained in SIOP.
Recommendations for follow-up sessions: ELPS Instructional Focus on Strategies and Interaction and Engaging the Disengaged.
ELPS Instructional Focus on Strategies and Interaction (PreK-12) NEW!
2 hour session - Collaborative group work is a research based strategy that enhances language development for ELLs while engaging in rigorous academic construction of knowledge. Best practices for implementation of ELPS learning strategies to promote student group interaction in the classroom setting will be the focus of this session. This session is highly recommended as a refresher for teachers who have previously been trained in SIOP.
Recommendations for follow-up sessions: ELPS TELPAS Connection and Metacognitive Strategies for the ELL.
Language of the Day (LOD): Supporting the Gomez and Gomez Model (PreK-6) NEW!
2 hour sessions-This session will support the use of Language of the Day in campuses implementing the Gomez and Gomez Dual Language Enrichment Model. There will be discussion on the importance of this component to the success of the students, as well as, methods of implementation both in the classroom and on the campus as a whole. Language of the Day is a key component that allows students the time to practice language
Prerequisite: Initial Training on the Dual Language Enrichment Model by the Dual Language Training Institute
Word Wall: Supporting the Gomez and Gomez Model (PreK-6) NEW!
2 hour sessions-An interactive Word Wall brings action to learning! This session will present ideas on how to ensure the continuous use of interactive word walls in the dual language classroom. Participants will learn about the attributes and expectations of an interactive word wall in the Gomez and Gomez Dual Language Enrichment Model and be they will be presented with ideas on how to actively engage students with the word wall.
Prerequisite: Initial Training on the Dual Language Enrichment Model by the Dual Language Training Institute
Specialized Vocabulary Enrichment (SVE): Supporting the Gomez and Gomez Model (3-6) NEW!
2 hour sessions-Vocabulary is vital to learning a language. This session will focus on research-based strategies to help develop vocabulary in Spanish and English in a dual language classroom setting. Through the development of vocabulary, teachers will be able to move their students to high levels of proficiency both in their native language and in their second language. This will allow students to meet the increasing rigor of state assessments.
Prerequisite: Initial Training on the Dual Language Enrichment Model by the Dual Language Training Institute
Elements of Effective ELL Instruction: SIOP for Administrators (PreK-12 Administrators)
Are you ready to lead your staff through the steps necessary to meet the needs of the ESL learner through a focused step-by-step process, and improve the teaching of all staff members in the process? The purpose of this training is to establish a framework for research-based instruction that enables administrators to implement a systematic approach to improve teaching and the academic performance of ELL students. You will be provided an overview of the SIOP model and ways to use the SIOP protocol during classroom walk-throughs to insure implementation.
The What and Why of ELPS for Administrators (PreK-12 Administrators)
2 hour session- This session provides an overview of the ELPS for campus administrators. Discussion will include an explanation of the ELPS document, the link between ELPS, TELPAS and the state/federal accountability systems, and information regarding what to look for to ensure that ELPS are being implemented in the classroom.
Recommended follow-up sessions: Elements of Effective ELL Instruction: SIOP for Administrators, Second Language Acquisition for Administrators
Second Language Acquisition for Administrators (PreK-12 Administrators) NEW!
2 hour session- This interactive session is designed for administrators who would like to have a foundation in second language acquisition. Discussion includes a summary of theories that guide our understanding of how students learn language, programs that Texas districts are required to offer to English Language Learners (ELLs), and how all of this relates to your specific district/campus program models and systems. Recommended follow-up sessions: Elements of Effective ELL Instruction: SIOP for Administrator.