Session 6: High Expectations for English Learners

LA 6.1—Presenting family profiles. Organize into groups of 3 family profiles. It’s probably a good idea for you to make copies of the census form in the link in the activity, as each person in the group will need to fill in 2 census forms as they listen to the other 2 family profiles in their group. The activity gives them 45 minutes to get organized and present, take notes on the form, and discuss each of the profiles. It suggests that each presentation should take about 10 minutes with 3-5 minutes for answering questions and giving suggestions. You should rove the room as they complete this activity. 

 

LA 6.2—This activity is scheduled for 40 minutes. They can stay in the same groups from the last activity or you can switch them up. They are allowed 7-8 minutes to present their plan, and after that, the group can discuss it, presenter answering questions and listeners suggesting ideas. If time permits, hold a class discussion sharing the many plans outlined in the groups to allow the class to get a brief exposure to as many plans as possible.  

 

LA 6.3—Students spend some time using the chart and answered questions from HW 5.2 (autobiographical sketch) and HW 5.3 (deficit theory). In groups of four, have them share their learning and findings from these homeworksThen discuss issues with the class. 

 

LA 6.4—This activity is about Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) which replaced No Child Left Behind (NICLB). Teachers should understand about their responsibilities to the ESSA plans of their state, district and school. Form groups of 4 for this. One pair in the group of 4 will read the first reading (Report from the National Urban League) and the second is ESSA Summary. Each pair reads their article together and prepares to share it with their partner team. Then together as a group of four, the read the last link (Required and Optional under ESSA) and discuss what they notice. Then hold a class discussion about ESSA and consider teacher responsibilities under this law.  

LA 6.5—This last 25 minutes gives students the opportunity to plan their work and individual assignments for the final major project, the Advocacy Position Paper and Presentation. The links provide them with the instructions for the assignment and a possible list of topics the could select from—be sure they understand that the topic is their choice, even if it’s not on the list. You just need to agree with it being big enough to be appropriate for this assignment. Once a group selects a topic (suggested or from their own thinking), they need to share it with you so you can be sure that no other group uses that topic. Once I had several gifted and talented program teachers in my class, and they chose to do their advocacy around the topic of helping parents understand that this program is open to every student and how parents could help their child to be ready for it. This was very appropriate for their teaching. After they have told you their topic, the group has the rest of the time to assign jobs for each person to do for homework this week. Next week they will have 80 minutes to pull it all together so doing their homework is important. Remind them that they need the paper, each person responsible for one part of it, and their name should be at the bottom of their part as well as a power point they can show as they do the instruction. So it’s important that they are prepared to put it all together next week. 

HW 6.1—This is the regular reflection assignment. 

HW 6.2—This is where they gather materials, begin writing their part of the paper and presentation, and communicate with their group members if needed. Remind them that they should tell the class the audience they are representing (faculty, school board, parents, legislators) so they know how to respond.  

HW 6.3—Students click on the link and they come to a site entitled Migration Policy Institute. On the front page, there is a download. All they need to do is click download and they will be able to upload it on their computer to study it. They should take notes considering the students in their own classrooms and apply what they read to their own teaching practices. They need to make a bulleted list of things they could share with colleagues at their school. Depending on what they are doing for their advocacy paper, they may find something here that they could use as well. 

HW 6.4—This homework focuses on resilience. Students read the summary in the first link, thinking about a student they have taught who needed support in becoming more resilient. There is a reading guide in the second link for them to use as they read. Then the third link sends them to the Imagine Project, and they need to look at that for the seven tips to help students develop resilience. They should use all of this information to develop a plan they could have used with the child they were thinking of to be more resilient. They need to bring the plan to session 7. 

HW 6.5—This has a link to a power point I was allowed to keep from one presented in my class in Salt Lake district. It is there to give them an idea of the size and scope of their own power points. When they click on the link, it comes up that it’s not available. But there is a download button. They need to click on that and the power point does come up. Be sure to tell them that. They then need to consider what their power point should be and what the content of their paper and presentation they want to highlight.  

HW 6.6—Give everyone a new copy of the Beliefs Survey they completed at the beginning of the course. Ask them to fill it out as they now feel, and to bring it with them to session 8.

This content is provided to you freely by Equity Press.

Access it online or download it at https://equitypress.org/tell_facilitator_guide/session_6w.