Distance Learning Tips and Strategies

This blog post is sponsored by VIPKid.

Many teachers are transitioning from brick-and-mortar classrooms to virtual instructional settings as schools temporarily close across the United States to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 (coronavirus). Offline and online educators alike know that support and learning among peers is crucial to success in the classroom, whether physical or virtual. At VIPKid, fostering community has been key to our success as online educators, and it has never been more important for all of us to lean on and support each other so that we can be there for our students. With roughly 200,000 daily online classes occurring on the VIPKid platform led by 100,000 online educators across the United States and Canada, we are eager to share some of our learnings and online teaching strategies with those who are transitioning to a virtual classroom for the first time.

Good Pedagogy Is Good Pedagogy

It is important to remember that classic educational techniques are still important and valuable when teaching online; just because there is a screen between you and your students now doesn’t mean you can’t use many of the techniques you have previously learned. Such techniques include

adapting instruction to meet the needs of the learners in front of you,
designing activities to keep learners engaged, and
ensuring that every student has time to reflect and produce output that demonstrates their learning.

Good pedagogy is good pedagogy, delivered in person or online. Undoubtedly, there are important differences that pose certain challenges but also present unique learning opportunities.

A Classroom Is a Construct

In order to successfully make the transition from brick-and-mortar classroom instruction to teaching from home, you’ll want to ensure that students feel safe and comfortable. Let’s be honest: Nowadays most kids can swipe on a tablet by the time they are 2 years old. That said, students may be uncertain about learning in their new online classroom. Here are some considerations when selecting resources and orienting your students to their new learning environment:

Be Selective: If possible, choose tools that are familiar to students or are easy for them to learn. Try to limit the number of platforms and apps to just a few that make the most sense for you and your students.
Select in Context: If you are able to select which platform to use for instruction, remember to take students’ developmental levels and digital accessibility into account.
Features to Enhance Instruction: Consider platforms that allow you to share your screen, use an interactive whiteboard feature, and/or integrate other apps and web 2.0 products to enhance online instruction.
Classroom Orientation: Take time to familiarize your students with classroom tools and features so that they become comfortable in the new learning environment. Additionally, orient students to ensure that they understand the expectations about how to use the tools to continue their learning.
Set Expectations: Once you have a sense of your new online learning environment, create class norms and reiterate your normal classroom expectations for students and the importance of carrying them over to the new format so that everyone feels informed, and maybe even excited, to continue their learning.
Create Structure: To the extent possible, establish routines and plan experiences that will maximize student engagement and participation. Routines that are consistent and predictable create a sense of security for students.
At Their Own Pace: If possible, use prerecorded video instruction or digital assignments that allow students to work at their own pace.

For tips on how to set up an online classroom on a budget that makes it easy to teach virtually, read more here.

Social and Emotional Learning Is Important, Too

Teachers should also consider that social-emotional learning will become even more important during times of immense change. Students may feel apprehensive about their routines being changed, and they will need to know that there is consistency in your expectations of their performance and that you are committed to providing stability in the classroom. Your actions and attitude will convey how committed you are to ensuring student success and will directly translate to their commitment to tasks. Although there inevitably will be bumps along the way as we’re all learning, the positive tone you set and the care you show will go a long way.

Consider using bibliotherapy techniques to guide students toward quality literature that focuses their thinking on overcoming challenging situations or hopefulness. Many biographies are available that speak to these themes. Extend learning by asking students to write about their gratitude for being given “bonus” time to explore, wonder, and learn with their families.

In addition, don’t forget about your own emotional state right now. You are also going through a lot, so don’t lose track of your own mental health. Eat, take breaks, and try to maintain normal working hours.

Patience, Patience, Patience

Though traditional instructional methods are a staple in most classrooms, modern educators need to keep in mind that students working from home may face some unique challenges. Even when students have access to internet and devices, they might now be sharing hardware, internet bandwidth, or data packages with work-from-home parents and siblings, or some students just may not have the same level of home support as others. Here are some tips to be patient, flexible, and resourceful with your instruction in an online environment:

Flexible Access: Strive to offer a variety of ways to receive and submit information in order to increase access to educational materials.
Adapt: Work with students to creatively adapt instruction to provide opportunities to master content. For example, here are some creative writing exercises and classic games used by VIPKid teachers in the virtual classroom that may stimulate your students’ imaginations, too.
Scale Back: You may need to scale back the number of hours or assignments that you would normally give in a day. Many students will be caring for siblings or caring for the home, or they may be asked to take on other responsibilities while at home. Give them flexibility in their day to do these things.
Teach Reflection: Consider giving students an opportunity to earn credit for nonacademic tasks by reflecting on what they are doing and what they are learning about time management, resilience, working toward a common goal, and so on. In every task, there is a lesson, and teaching students the ability to reflect, find these lessons, and determine their application in the greater scheme of things is a lesson that speaks to lifelong learning.
Life Skills: Reach out of the standard curriculum and ask students to learn at least one “life skill” per week and report to the class. Whether it is how to sew a button or change a tire, you may be surprised to hear what your students are learning on their own when given the opportunity.
Small Groups, Too: Take time to plan for the whole group, small group, and individual instruction online. On some platforms, digital breakout rooms can be used to allow small groups to talk and work together. This is an excellent way to continue literature circles or Socratic seminars.
Office Hours: Planning online office hours is also helpful so that teachers can continue to check in on students’ mental and educational well-being. Use the individual appointments to continue to build rapport and target instruction by assigning small challenges for students to explore or research on their own.

As educators, we are being given a unique opportunity to find life lessons and think differently about how we respond in challenging situations. Capitalize on this and redirect your students to find the joy and keep learning no matter what. Additionally, LearningKeepsGoing.org has a comprehensive list of digital resources available at little or no cost to school communities affected by coronavirus, as well as professional learning resources for educators preparing for online instruction.

As Fred Rogers famously said, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news…my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” VIPKid stands in solidarity with teachers around the world.

from TESOL Blog http://blog.tesol.org/distance-learning-tips-and-strategies/

Google PD Courses and Certifications for EL Teachers

Consider taking advantage of Google training and certificate opportunities if you

are looking to enhance your teaching and learning;
are looking for ways to create clear, organized, and meaningful learning experiences for students while operating online; or
are an avid Google user looking to learn about new features or better tailor your teaching.

Google for Education provides multiple online courses and exams for educators looking to use Google with their students. You’re able to pick and choose what is interesting and relevant to you and your class, and you’re also able to go as far as you want with the training and take ending certification exams that you can highlight on your résumé.

Step 1: Coursera Google Courses

Google offers seven online courses that focus on a range of topics that enable educators to use Google products effectively with students to best facilitate learning. These are courses that you can take online at your own pace. The first two prepare you for the Google Educator Certification exams and are about 13 hours:

Fundamentals Training: This is a great place to start if you want to brush up on your skills and learn about Google features that you might not be using.
Advanced Training: This is a great next step, especially if you want to take the educator exams! This is where you test your Google Skills.

The following three courses are much shorter than that first two, ranging from just 35 minutes to about 3 hours; however, they focus on topics tailored to using Google to teach.

Step 2: Take the Certification Exams Online

After you take a few or all of the Google courses, you are able to sit for two different certification exams where you can demonstrate your understanding. These exams can be taken for a small fee; however, they offer a great way to show what you know in your résumé:

3 Ways to Spice It Up!

Online courses or exams can sometimes feel a bit bland; however, there are multiple ways that you can spice it up and tailor your experience. Consider doing one or all of the following to spice up your experience participating in the Google courses and all online professional development in general.

Tip 1: Complete a course with a colleague or department. Together, set a goal of which course to complete and find ways to connect with one another and discuss. You might meet via Zoom or Skype for 30 minutes to discuss what you learned, how you will apply it to your course, or even help each other review technical elements.

Tip 2: Working with one or multiple people, assign different colleagues a course or unit to complete. Then, have them present the material to the group via video conferencing in an interesting and engaging way. The presentations might focus on how the learned information applies to your specific EL context or community.

Tip 3: Lastly, you might work with a colleague to review the material from the courses to study for the educator exams. You could review different elements of Google, think about how you would apply this to your teaching, or even quiz each other.

No matter whether you are a novice or advanced Google user, these Google courses and certifications are a great way to test your skills and highlight it for others. This is one way to start thinking about how you want to tailor your teaching for the coming academic year. Plus, this is great knowledge to share with your colleagues over the summer or once the academic year begins again.

To learn more about Google for Education, consider viewing the Google Professional Development Handbook.

from TESOL Blog http://blog.tesol.org/google-pd-courses-and-certifications-for-el-teachers/

Supporting Families of ELs During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Educators of English learners (ELs) are teaching remotely all over the globe. Many educators reported on a 20 April #ellchat entitled “Engaging & Supporting Families of ELLs during COVID-19 Pandemic” that their success is dependent on the partnerships they make with the families of their ELs. Without these partnerships, teachers may have difficulty contacting their students and their families or, once contacted, students may not come to class regularly. Here are some ways that you can engage and support the families of ELs:

Find Ways to Communicate With Families of ELs

The most prominent difficulty that teachers have mentioned during #ellchat is communicating with parents who do not have internet—reaching students who are not showing up to their online meetings during the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic is a wake-up call to schools that they need to keep up-to-date contact information for the families of their ELs. As I mentioned in my last blog, one way to make a first contact with EL families is to ask their friends if they have contact information. Many teachers recommend texting as the best way to keep in touch with families and use Talking Points as a means of communication that helps them make connections in many different languages. If family members are working, they can get back to you at their leisure.

Provide Key Information About School Closings, Remote Learning, and Family Services

Karen Nemeth, a nationally known expert on early childhood education, told Colorín Colorado, ‘Our dual-language learners (or ELs) and their families need more than lists of resources about the Coronavirus. They need trusted contacts to help them understand, to sort fact from myths, and to help them get needed services.” Teachers have also found that many of their EL families were unaware of the information that was coming from their school district about remote learning, offers of devices, or opportunities for free Wifi service from local providers or through hotspots purchased by the school district. Here is an article from Colorín Colorado about access to basic COVID-19 information. I’d like to take this opportunity to applaud the breadth and depth of support that Colorín Colorado has given to parents and teachers on their website during this pandemic. They have provided an invaluable resource to all of us.

Support and Engage Family Members as They Help Their Children Learn Remotely

If family members are working from home or have lost their jobs, it doesn’t mean that they are able to help their children learn without a lot of teacher support. Whatever online platform your school uses, be sure to provide basic support information about it. For example, if your school is using Google Classroom, suggest a video that EL families can watch on their phone to demonstrate how to log in, and direct families to use the Google Classroom support functions (which is also available in Spanish).

Assure EL families that they can and should speak their first language at home. Assure parents that they can work with their children remotely in their home languages. Remember the Cummins Iceberg Model? I used to teach this model to parents so they didn’t feel uncomfortable that they couldn’t support their children’s education by speaking English at home. It shows parents that if students learn something in their home language, that information will transfer to English.

Provide Ideas for Activities That Parents Can Do With Their Children

I’ve been listening to teachers who are stressed because they are trying to teach their face-to-face curriculum to their students online. I think that on the elementary level, children should be assigned projects that encompass reading, language, science, and social studies. These projects should be designed so that they can be supported by parents in either English or their home language.

Here are a few examples of virtual tours and science experiments that can be the basis of projects for ELs and their families.

Watch the Moving Mammals interactive video on the American Museum of Natural History or go underwater at the Seattle Aquarium.
Visit the Amazon Rain Forest or the Great Wall of China.
Perform science experiments with objects students can find around the house.
Check out Stuck at Home Science, including baking soda experiments, growing crystals, and making Play-Doh.

Be a cheerleader, celebrating what learning families accomplish rather than bemoaning what they haven’t been able to handle. Here is a video from Sesame Street that demonstrates this idea.

Have you found any particularly successful or innovative ways to connect with your EL families lately? If so, I’d love to hear from you. Please share in the comments, below.

from TESOL Blog http://blog.tesol.org/supporting-families-of-els-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/

4 Video Games for Language Learning and Social Interaction

Hello and welcome to another edition of the TESOL Games and Learning blog!

As we continue to improvise and adapt our classrooms to the continuing pandemic, educators may be looking for ways to move beyond yet another video conference session and find new means to engage with students for authentic language practice. Where better to look than video games?

Video games can be a contextually rich environment for students to acquire and practice language. This month highlights four of these contextually rich games that could be incorporated into your online classroom practice. Each of these games features some form of in-text chat function, but it is recommended that these games are accompanied by a voice chat software such as Google Meet, Zoom, Discord, or Skype to bring the social nature of them to life.

1. Animal Crossing

Although only released two months ago, Nintendo’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons has sold over 13 million copies to date. Its success is largely attributed to the easy-going nature of the game, where the player is tasked to make friends, build an island, and generally just enjoy life. The calm nature of the game appeals to a wide variety of players who can visit one another’s islands and chat, interact, and work together to make their islands the best they can be.

The bounty of items in the game is perfect for vocabulary practice and scavenger hunts. Students can write each other postcards through the message board function or create presentations about their island they can deliver to the rest of class.

Pros: Gentle nature appeals to many players, quick play times possible

Cons: Requires a Nintendo Switch video game console, and game purchase

2. Fortnite

Fortnite is a massively popular battle royal game where players compete to be the last player left standing. However, the game continues to evolve; EPIC has released Fortnite Party Mode. In this mode, combat is turned off and players are free to play and socialize as they’d like. Each Friday, the game hosts live concerts and broadcasts feature major musical acts.

Fortnite also features a creative mode where groups of 16 players can join to build an island area, much like Minecraft. This mode is also combat free, allowing players to create and build together at a pace that works for them. Here, players could work together on challenge builds where they need to work and communicate together to complete a task in a set amount of time.

Pros: Main game is free to play; extremely popular with many students; playable on computers, tablets, and mobile devices

Cons: The servers are open to anyone to join, meaning any classroom activity could be influenced by nonstudents unless a private creative group is formed

3. Minecraft

Minecraft is an open world exploration and creation platform where students and educators can engage in shared adventures and communicate via in-text chat. The modification community around Minecraft has been robust for years and as a result there are a plethora of maps, modifications, and extras that can be added to your game to customize it to your learning content.

There are many maps devoted to book franchises, such as Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and The Hunger Games. These maps are a great addition to a class reading of these books as students can read and then experience the world of the novel in a contextually rich Minecraft geography. From here, they can add their own stories to the world, write fanfiction, or create machinima movies related to the readings.

Pros: Servers can be set to host only class members, plenty of customization options, playable on tablets, phones, computers, or consoles

Cons: Price USD$29.99

4. World of Warcraft

World of Warcraft has a long history and its use in the language learning world is almost equally as long. The game is a hallmark of massively multiplayer online games where groups of players can take on quests to follow the larger story of conflict in the game’s narrative.

World of Warcraft is textually rich with reading, audio, and context-based information that learners can use to practice their language learning skills. Further, players create their own character, allowing them the creativity to develop the character’s backstory and motivations, which can be a great class writing assignment.

Pros: Long documented use in language learning, open world with rich language learning opportunities

Cons: Game purchase and monthly subscription cost (USD$14.99), although free trials are possible; only playable on PC or Mac

Are there video games you’ve found especially effective in your classroom? Please share in the comments, below!

Until next month, play more games!

from TESOL Blog http://blog.tesol.org/4-video-games-for-language-learning-and-social-interaction/

Networking for English Language Teachers and Researchers

What is networking?

Networking is commonly defined as an act of making connections with other people, usually toward some kind of personal or professional purposes. Google’s Ngram Viewer shows the word as being almost unheard of until the 1970s and then taking off exponentially. Though we as TESOL practitioners may not have thought much about networking as an aspect of our field in the past (perhaps we thought that we teach, alone in our classrooms, so we really don’t need to network), it is actually just as important for us as it is for business professionals. In this blog post, I will discuss some of the benefits of networking for English language teachers and then suggest a few ways that we can expand our networks for personal and professional benefit.

Benefits of Networking for English Language Teachers and Researchers

Networking offers ELT professionals myriad benefits above working in isolation. As professional development, we can learn new ideas for teaching and research through networking as we interact with people interested in similar topics and contexts, as well as those working in broadly different areas. We can gain awareness of controversies and new developments in our field.

Networking doesn’t just mean talking, either. Through networking, we can also learn about opportunities available for grants, calls for publications and conferences, and summer schools for deepening our knowledge. Networks further provide social support to writing teachers and scholars. We benefit from meeting peers who are in similar stages of their career as we are, sharing successes and empathizing with their struggles. Finally, networking allows us access to mentoring from more experienced colleagues who can help us learn something new about our field.

How Can You Build Your Network?

Professional networks in the 21st century are as much virtual as they are physical. Though we may only have a few opportunities to meet up face to face with colleagues and mentors, we have access throughout the year to online networking opportunities through social media and professional organizations.

Professional Organizations

Join professional organizations like TESOL International Association for professional connections with colleagues across the globe. TESOL’s Annual International Convention is a 4-day nonstop opportunity for networking, where attendees can not only listen to presentations by well known speakers, but also join in discussions with peers. Some of my best experiences at the TESOL Convention have been in conversations I continued after sessions, sometimes through grabbing coffee with someone I had started talking with during the session. Staying in touch with these new connections is a good reason to have a stack of business cards with your current contact information, as well as an active social media presence on your chosen platform.

TESOL also has online resources that foster networking beyond the convention. The MyTESOL discussion groups are great for sharing resources and learning about what is going on in our field. You may be familiar with the MyTESOL Lounge email list, which is the default group all TESOL members are subscribed to. This is a place to ask general questions about teaching and resources. You may not know that TESOL members can also join dozens of other MyTESOL discussion groups as well. These allow for specialized discussions around areas of interest, where you can expect that readers share your particular interests. In recent months, I have seen exchanges ranging from resource sharing to discussions about graduate school and many other topics on the MyTESOL groups to which I belong.

Specialized Interest Groups

Professional organizations also offer more specialized sites for networking within your specific areas of interest. Get involved with interest sections or special interest groups, which are common terms for the subdivisions of professional organizations devoted to individual interests. While attending the TESOL Convention can be overwhelming, building connections with the members of the Second Language Writing Interest Section has allowed me to personalize the event, narrowing my focus to the sessions and activities I know will be relevant.

Interest sections offer a far less intimidating way to get involved and take on leadership roles as well. For example, you can attend meetings and webinars where you are able to ask questions of experts in the field in ways you might not be able to do if they were giving a keynote address. For even greater networking, consider volunteering at events sponsored by an interest section or running for leadership positions in the interest section. When you’re actively involved with the group, you can also make strong connections with academic peers who are at the same stage of their careers as you are. You may decide to collaborate to plan panel presentations or research projects as well.

Mentors

In addition to meeting peers who are at the same stage of career as you are, networking allows you to find mentors who are in a more advanced career stage. Mentors can be people who provide advice and recommendations for specific activities you are planning or who provide more general professional and emotional support. This is another benefit of attending conferences, as you can find opportunities to talk with potential mentors at presentations and social events. You may also find a mentor through professional email lists. I do not recommend “cold-calling” potential mentors, however, as most people are busy and unlikely to respond warmly to an unfocused request. But if you have a specific question to ask, or if you read some of their work and would like to know more, send an email.

Revive Old Connections

Regardless of your current status (student, new professional, seasoned teacher), you also have a network just waiting to be revived. Keep in touch with classmates from grad school, former colleagues, and friends who are also in the field. Social media makes it much easier to reconnect with people you may have lost touch with and also easier to share your ideas and plans.

I feel like my own career has been enhanced enormously by networking with peers and with mentors. I have found jobs, published book chapters, and connected with wonderful people through my professional networks. What strategies do you have for building your own networks? Please share them in the comments section below!

from TESOL Blog http://blog.tesol.org/networking-for-english-language-teachers-and-researchers/

Determining Proficiency and Monitoring ELs: What’s the Procedure?

Typically, this is the time of year when K–12 schools and districts would be receiving student performance data from their annual English language proficiency assessment, though this depends on when the assessment is administered. When the data are returned, schools begin to have conversations around how students performed, areas of strength, and/or opportunities for growth across four domains of language. In addition, program-related questions may be asked—questions such as, “has this student reached proficiency in English?”

Reaching Proficiency: What Does This Mean?

The answer to the aforementioned question depends on several factors:

where you are in the United States
what English language proficiency assessment is administered
how your school, district, and state determine proficiency

It’s important to know what criteria are used to determine proficiency. Consider the following examples from three different states that illustrate how performance on an annual English language proficiency assessment is used to determine when an English learner (EL) has attained proficiency in English—which would also be when they are “exited” from language support services.

State A: Uses a single, predetermined score from their annual English language proficiency assessment to determine when students have reached proficiency. There is limited flexibility in exiting students who have not obtained the required score.

State B: Uses a single, predetermined score from their annual English language proficiency assessment and a range of scores from the students’ performance on a state-wide English language arts assessment to determine when students have reached proficiency. There is limited flexibility in exited students who have not obtained the required score.

State C: Uses multiple, predetermined scores from their annual English language proficiency assessment (reading and writing), a range of scores from the students’ performance on a state-wide English language arts assessment, report card grades, and teacher recommendations to determine when students have reached proficiency in English. Local education agencies have flexibility in determining when a student has reached proficiency based on two or more of the scores and recommendations described in the guidance.

These examples illustrate the complexity involved with determining proficiency in English. Although similarities exist between states, there is no one-size-fits-all definition. This can be confusing to educators and EL families if the criteria are not communicated clearly, and especially if they are not adhered to. Schools are required to monitor ELs both while the students are utilizing (or opted out from) EL services on their journey toward English proficiency, and also once ELs have reached proficiency and have exited from language support services.

Monitoring English Learners

Monitoring In-Program

Part of the federal guidance around monitoring ELs states:

School districts must monitor the progress of all of their EL students in achieving English language proficiency and acquiring content knowledge. Monitoring ensures that EL students are making appropriate progress with respect to acquiring English and content knowledge while in the EL program or, in the case of opted-out EL students, in the regular educational setting. (U.S. Department of Justice & U.S. Department of Education, 2015, p. 32)

The U.S. Department of Education, Office of English Language Acquisition has an entire chapter in their English Learner Tool kit called “Tools and Resources for Monitoring and Exiting English Learners from EL Programs and Services” (2016) regarding support for exiting and monitoring ELs who have reached proficiency. Key points from Chapter 8 include the following. Local education agencies must

document that an EL has demonstrated English proficiency using a valid and reliable English language proficiency assessment that tests all four language domains.
report on the number and percentage of former ELs meeting state academic standards for 4 years. (U.S. Department of Education, 2016, p. 2)

Monitoring After Exit

The processes to determine when an EL should exit and be monitored in mainstream classes work in tandem to ensure that students are making progress toward attaining proficiency in English and meeting grade-level content standards. Monitoring ELs usually involves report card grades and informal and formal assessment.

When I was an English language learner director for a district, I drastically reduced the paperwork involved with monitoring students so that monitoring became more streamlined and student focused, which makes it easier to be in compliance and efficient. Some school leadership teams meet at least annually to discuss ELs who have exited and are now monitored, others meet more often. The English Learner Tool Kit outlines what you should be looking for when monitoring ELs who have exited from EL services. Monitoring must occur for at least 2 years to ensure that

[ELs] have not been prematurely exited,
any academic deficits incurred as a result of participating in the EL program have been remedied, and
they are meaningfully participating in the standard program of instruction comparable to their never-EL peers.
(U.S. Department of Education, 2016, p. 2)

What is most important is that a monitoring process is in place, that it includes all stakeholders, and that it works in best interest of the former ELs.

What You Can Do

Know and Follow the Guidance and Its Procedure

It is imperative that educators understand the criteria used to determine proficiency for ELs they teach. We would never ask teachers to teach or students to learn without describing expected outcomes. Considering that language learning is a long, complex process that can extend beyond the K–12 setting, knowing and working toward the goal is important for both educators and their students. What happens first, second, third, and so on when students reach proficiency? What is expected of you?

Information about state specific guidance can be found on state education agency websites and/or as part of district guidance. Ideally, this information and the procedures would be shared with educators annually and as part of ongoing professional learning sessions as appropriate.

Inform Others: Share the Responsibility

I’ve had a number of conversations with educators who teach in the same school and service the same students, but some are aware of their district and/or state exit criteria while others aren’t. This is problematic for several reasons, such as a student never being informed of their progress toward proficiency or teachers not being informed of such milestones. Ultimately, it is our students who suffer. Informing school leaders, teachers, parents, and students of such guidance is not only a federal mandate but also the right thing to do to reach and exceed students’ language and academic goals.

Next month, my blog is dedicated to communicating with parents of ELs. We’ll talk about communication as part of relationship building, advocacy, and sustainability. Regardless of the learning format, face-to-face or online, parent partnerships are an essential component of student success.

References

U.S. Department of Justice & U.S. Department of Education. (2015). Dear colleague letter. English learner students and limited English proficient parents. https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-el-201501.pdf

U.S. Department of Education. (2016). English learner tool kit. https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oela/english-learner-toolkit/index.html

from TESOL Blog http://blog.tesol.org/determining-proficiency-and-monitoring-els-whats-the-procedure/

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