In an article written for Edutopia, journalist and teacher Carly Berwick explores the complexities of teaching English Language Learners (ELLs). With the growing population of ELLs in the New Jersey area, Ms. Berwick began teaching ESL classes on the weekends. This was a new venture for Ms. Berwick, and she quickly discovered that “teaching English as a second language to students with varying levels of preparedness is a complex, and often stressful, endeavor.”


Ms. Berwick brilliantly observes that “newcomer English language learners (ELLs) with interrupted educations have distinct challenges—among them jumping into an upper grade with few formal school skills, living in households with unstable incomes, or coping with buried traumas—but in many ways, they mirror the future of classrooms in America.” With the ELL population steadily rising (nearly 1 in 10 U.S. students is an ELL) and with a substantial amount of those students of “limited English fluency immigrated here from outside the U.S.” (42%, according to Migration Policy Institute study), teachers may wonder how we can best serve this population.


To quell some of these fears, Ms. Berwick offers a few tangible solutions:


1.     “Set high expectations”


Maria Santos, a director at the research group WestEd and co-chair of the Understanding Language project at Stanford University, states that “what traditionally has happened for ELLs in many systems is that they are not afforded or invited to participate.” It is important to continuously challenge ELLs, even if they do not seem to be at the same instructional level as the rest of the class. According to principal Julia Kessler, from San Francisco International High School, “If the student doesn’t have the language to read the New York Times article the rest of the class is reading, that doesn’t mean give them a children’s book.”


2.     “Meet students halfway”


Ms. Berwick writes that when “high expectations [are met] with tailored instruction, new English learners can pick up both content and language skills with surprising speed.” She mentions a few hands-on applications of this; for example, a simple, yet practical application of meeting your students halfway could include “[using] T-charts and sentence stems to help students develop a strong thesis for an essay about the French Revolution [in history class].”
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3.     “Get them talking”


Principal Kessler believes that it is fairly easy for an ELL to “hide in the margins and get home and realize they spoke no English that day at school,” and so it is our job as educators to make sure ELLs speak in the classroom. Ms. Berwick took this advice to heart in her own classroom: “In a recent Saturday class, my colleagues and I put aside the flashcards and coursebooks, and instead give the students sample dialogues to help them write their own conversation scripts on a topic of choice.”

As members of TWIN-CS, we are constantly looking for ways to better engage ELLs in the classroom. Please comment below if you have any suggestions for classroom engagement!

-Melissa Hoppie, Graduate Student Researcher

In May 2018, a new law passed by the North Carolina General Assembly members marked an important sign of progress in the preservation of marginalized languages. In an article written for WFAE.org, journalist Gwendolyn Glenn details the most recent allowance in North Carolinian language practices, namely that the latest legislation “will allow Cherokees without degrees or certification to teach the tribe’s language and cultural practices to native students.” Please listen to the audio story here.

Given the low number of fluent Cherokee speakers in relation to the population (180 fluent speakers out of a population of 15,000 Cherokee in the Eastern Band), there is some fear that the language will die out. According to Renissa McLaughlin, the tribe’s director of youth and adult education, many fluent speakers “have passed on or don’t have college degrees,” that would allow them to teach the language. This legislation attempts to fix that: “Under the legislation, the state superintendent would recommend teachers to the state board of education. If approved, they would be trained and teach only language and cultural classes.” Those who attend these classes will be able to use these language courses toward their college-entrance requirements.

Language preservation, to McLaughlin, is cultural preservation: “For Natives across the country, saving the language is the last thing that we have that identifies us as a Cherokee… We are a group of people. It’s a birthright and having students understand [that] this is who you are."


The preservation of marginalized languages is of the utmost importance for select communities, especially those whose culture is directly influenced by the conservation efforts put forth by individual states and, sometimes, by concerned individuals.

In a similar fashion, a joint venture by Miami University and the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma have created the Myaamia Center in a two-pronged effort to conserve and celebrate the Myaamia language. Through “research, education, and outreach,” the Center conducts “ in-depth research to assist tribal educational initiatives aimed at the preservation of language and culture” and wished to “expose undergraduate and graduate students at Miami University to tribal efforts in language and cultural revitalization.”

As members of TWIN-CS, we are pleased to see marginalized languages receive recognition and hope to see more such programs that promote the sustainment of one’s language and culture in the future.


-Melissa Hoppie, Graduate Student Researcher

Kat Devlin, writer for the PEW Research Center, published an article which studies the discrepancies of world language learning between European countries and the United States.


The article expounds upon the world language mandates in Europe, revealing that “most European countries have national-level mandates for formally studying languages in school,” whereas the United States only has state or district world language mandates. Furthermore, the article discloses that students in Europe “typically begin studying their first foreign language as a required school subject between the ages of 6 and 9, studying a second foreign language for at least one year is compulsory in more than 20 European countries.”


There is a higher percentage of students in Europe learning a second language, even learning a third language, with Belgium being the country with the lowest percentage of students learning another language (64%). And yet, “Throughout all 50 states and the District of Columbia, 20% of K-12 students are enrolled in foreign language classes, according to a 2017 report from the nonprofit American Councils for International Education.” The article suggests that Americans’ perspectives on language study may be somewhat skewed due to preconceived notions of what the current job market requires: “In a 2016 Pew Research Center report on the state of American jobs, only 36% of Americans reported that knowing a foreign language was an extremely or very important trait for workers to be successful in today’s economy, ranking it last out of eight skills for workers’ success.”


Overall, the article uncovers that the United States is lagging behind in world language acquisition in comparison to European countries, partially due to unfounded and uninformed notions of today’s job market. The sustainment of dual language education becomes even more important, then, as we discover the economic necessity of acquiring more than one language. Additionally, it cannot be forgotten that multilingualism gives way to a more culturally tolerant world. As members of TWIN-CS, we are privy to the long-term economic, social, and emotional benefits of multilingual acquisition.


-Melissa Hoppie, Graduate Student Researcher

As a response to the growing demand for multilingual outreach to their community, an Aurora school district has expanded its translations and interpretations of school-related items. In an article published by Chalkbeat, writer Yesenia Robles describes how parent leaders, in conjunction with the nonprofit organization RISE Colorado, have petitioned for Aurora Public Schools to improve their language services.


One parent leader, Hsa Mlu, recalls the difficulties in translating school documents before the new language services: “In the past, when she received communications in English from her children’s schools, she would rush it over to a friend’s house — even in the rain or snow — to ask for help.” For a mother of four school-age children, translating and interpreting school documents is not only time-consuming, but also of the utmost importance for her children’s success in school and her ability to navigate the school system with them.


Aurora Public Schools have begun translating school documents, and training secretaries and school staff “to use the district’s system to send out automated calls in various languages.” Additionally, the school board has passed “a resolution to prohibit educators from relying on children to translate official or formal discussions with parents,” and the district “included $200,000 in its 2018-19 budget to centralize language services under the communications office.” Furthermore, the district “has been certifying its own bilingual staff in translation,” and educational staff may use “a simplified, common form online to ask the district for help with translations or interpretations for their students’ families.”


Parents are feeling the effects of these new developments. Ms. Mlu who “recently started receiving communications from her sons’ Aurora schools in her native Southeast Asian language,” is one of the parents delighted by these changes:


“’I am so excited,’ Mlu, who has two sons in Aurora schools, said through an interpreter. ‘I am sure it’s going to be better for parents.’”


Multilingual and multicultural outreach is imperative to the healthy development of a school community, especially when part of the community feels underrepresented. As members of TWIN-CS, we understand the importance of including parents in the navigation of their children’s education.


-Melissa Hoppie, Graduate Student Researcher

A collaborative research blog named add.a.lingua, a blog which emphasizes “national research, [their] collective professional experience, and data from [their] home-base immersion program… to create best practices [for immersion programs],” has published a brief article about the benefits of classroom planning. For any of our Academy participants, this may serve as a reminder for the classroom planning activity in the Maker Space!


The article, titled “5 values that can impact your classroom setup,” begins by underlining the importance of reflection, stating that “the spaces we create communicate what we value. Furthermore, values-informed design supports us in living out those values,” [emp. added]. According to add.a.lingua, a few core values stand out:


1.     A TALKING classroom is a language growing classroom.


Add.a.lingua suggests that “The way we arrange desks and tables illustrates to students what types of interaction they can expect to experience in our classroom,” with grouping tables signifying that the students will be talking together, collaborating, to learn. The article suggests playing with seating arrangements or doing without firm seating arrangements to promote multiple perspectives in classroom discussions.


2.     The cultivation of independent learners (not dependent ones) matters a great deal.


Independent learners, those who “make use of strategies and resources around the room,” will benefit from the cultivation of classroom walls: “Consider where you’ll place your word wall, content area word walls, and anchor charts about routines, strategies, and concepts. Keep in mind, too, that students need to be taught how to use the walls as resources while they are learning.”


3.     Students want to feel known and cared for.


Representation in the classroom is important for the cultivation of a student’s esteem. Add.a.lingua suggests “showcasing” student work, collecting items that show “diverse cultures, backgrounds, and interests,” etc.


4.     The elevation of the non-English language must always be a planning priority.


The article mentions a few tactics to “elevate” the non-English language in the classroom including, but not limited to, displaying books in the non-English language at the forefront of the classroom, posting signs to remind students, parents, and other teachers that this is a multilingual classroom, exhibiting pictures or regalia from other countries, etc.


5.     Students and their learning are important.


Students spend a majority of their time in school and in the classroom. The article suggests that creating a space that remains organized, clean, and welcoming is important to send “the message to students that they are important and their learning is important.” Some tactics to ensure the “curating [of] the aesthetic” of your classroom while promoting a safe space of learning include checking “that materials are well-organized and labelled…[choosing] calming, coordinating colors to decorate… [trimming] the bulletin board paper to fit… and [ensuring] the border is in place…[keeping] surfaces wiped down and the floor picked up.”


But, most importantly, we must reflect on what we want to convey to our students. Add.a.lingua wants their readers to ruminate on the messages you want to send to your students and how your classroom can send those messages to your students?


Continue to follow the blog for more strategies to improve your classroom!


-Melissa Hoppie, Graduate Student Researcher

The International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism has published a recent research article by Boston College Lynch School graduate and Boston University professor Dr. Christine M. Leider, Lynch School professor Dr. C. Patrick Proctor, and University of Maryland professor Dr.  Rebecca D. Silverman. The research article, titled “Language growth trajectories: does immigrant generation status moderate linguistic interdependence?” discusses the possible correlation between linguistic interdependence and generation status in terms of linguistic proficiency.


Linguistic interdependence, for bilinguals, is defined as “a common store of language knowledge that can be applied across the bilingual’s languages provided the learner has reached sufficient thresholds of proficiency in both languages.”  That is, knowledge of L1 (or the first language) provides linguistic knowledge that supports the attainment of L2 (the second language). Some of these linguistic characteristics include morphology, syntax, and semantics.


The research project was a two-year longitudinal study of 112 first, second, and third generation immigrant Spanish-English bilingual children.The research team evaluated the children’s English and Spanish language proficiency (i.e. “vocabulary, semantic, morphological, and syntactic knowledge”), with assessments such as the Woodcock-Muñoz picture vocabulary test, and measured their “growth over two years and four time points (T1, T2, T3, T4) in elementary school.”


This study discovered a correlation between generational status and linguistic interdependence. In their research, the authors found notable evidence that “linguistic interdependence for Gen1 was consistently different from Gen2 and Gen3. This finding highlights the importance of examining constructs beyond linguistic components that support linguistic interdependence.”


The “multilevel iterative approach not only provided empirical evidence for Spanish-English correlations but also demonstrated how these relationships vary by bilingual proficiency,” suggesting that “differentiated language instruction” is pivotal for bilingual education.


Please find the complete article here.


-Melissa Hoppie Graduate Student Researcher

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The following op-ed article was penned by Dr. Hosffman Ospino, Associate Professor of Hispanic Ministry and Religious Education at Boston College's School of Theology and Ministry. It originally appeared in The Boston Pilot. 

"For many, speaking another language was the equivalent to a deficit, an obstacle, almost an illness that begged for a cure: the cure of assimilation and monolingualism.How many languages do you speak? I speak two, English and Spanish. I can also read comfortably in two other languages. My wife and children are bilingual and so are most of the people with whom I worship every Sunday.

If you attend any major Catholic gathering throughout the United States, chances are that talks are offered in the two predominant languages in which most Catholics worship in the country, namely English and Spanish.

Yet, bilingualism is not limited to English and Spanish. Besides speaking English, millions of Catholics in our country speak Tagalog, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Creole, French, Portuguese, Arabic, Swahili, among many others.

Most dioceses throughout the country celebrate the sacraments in various languages, including Latin. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles alone celebrates Mass in more than 40 languages!

U.S. Catholicism today is a de facto bilingual experience. Well, a multilingual one, to be exact, but for tens of millions of people it is bilingual. We are at peace with it. It is who we are. This is our treasure.

Bilingualism and biculturalism are clear marks of being a U.S. Catholic. We have grown in the appreciation of these realities. Yet, this was not always the case.

Countless Catholics in the 19th and early 20th centuries were asked -- in some cases forced -- not to speak their maternal languages in order to learn English and "fit" in a society that was suspect of difference.
For many, speaking another language was the equivalent to a deficit, an obstacle, almost an illness that begged for a cure: the cure of assimilation and monolingualism.

I have Mexican-American and Japanese-American Catholic friends who tell me stories about how their grandparents did not encourage their children to speak Spanish and Japanese to avoid punishment in school, catechetical programs and at the workplace.

Those languages that carried cultural and religious values, languages that the older generations of Catholics used to make meaning about life, privately and publicly, became constrained to the home until there was no one left to speak them anymore. Their so-called "foreign" words fell into deafening silence. 

It worries me that the winds of intolerance and a narrow understanding of social and cultural integration may be winning the day in some sectors of our Church and society. A harrowing past that many considered gone may be returning.

The primary responsibility of Catholics and our pastoral leaders is to evangelize and accompany our sisters and brothers with their (linguistic) gifts in light of the Gospel values.

Yet, some choose to act first as warrantors and enforcers of some form of "Americanization" process -- defined ambiguously in a significantly polarized society -- embracing assimilationist attitudes such as "only English" for their programs and liturgies.

In doing this, they walk a fine line that may lead them to minimize, if not reject, the value and potential of bilingualism and biculturalism.

Many in our society, and in our faith communities, are quick to rejoice and admire celebrities and wealthy people who teach their children a second language -- Spanish in many cases. Ironically, these same people fall into the trap of underappreciating Hispanics and millions of others who are already bilingual.

Some people worry that if one speaks Spanish, one will not learn English. That is not true. The immense majority of U.S.-born Hispanics speak English fluently -- and many also speak Spanish.

Two-thirds of Hispanic adults are bilingual. Keep in mind that 20 million of Hispanics in the U.S. are immigrants, mostly adults. If anything, we should celebrate their widespread command of English, a fact that often goes unnoticed.

Let us celebrate and affirm bilingualism as our Catholic treasure."

WGBH, a public news station located in Boston, Massachusetts, has published a thought-provoking article and audio clip about East Boston High School’s summer school sessions. In the article, WGBH Managing Editor and Correspondent for K-12 Education Bianca Vázquez Toness invites us into a classroom full of first and second-graders who, as “the children of immigrants whose first language isn’t English,” need extra help in school. These summer sessions, however, have a slight variation on typical attendees for summer classes: “…in a surprising twist on summer school, this program has included their parents, hoping it might demystify school for adults who didn’t grow up in the American system.”

In brief interviews with both the students and their parents, Ms. Vázquez Toness uncovers how these unorthodox summer sessions have benefited both parent and child:

“Six-year-old Jonathan Lopez and his mother came to the U.S. a little over a year ago from El Salvador. His mother, Maria Ramos, asks him what it’s been like to be in class with her. Before she can finish, he jumps up and yells, 'Feliz!’”

Ms. Ramos states that she has learned new vocabulary from these summer sessions, but says that “the most important part has been ‘sharing time’ with her son.” She elaborates that “Here [in the United States], I almost never spend time with him since I work so much.”

Gustavo Santiago shares Ms. Ramos’ sentiment. As a carpenter, Mr. Santiago says that “he and his wife have little downtime to spend with their two children,” but that he never misses a class in order to be an “example for our children.”

These summer sessions introduce more English vocabulary to the parents, helping with existing language barriers between school staff and parents, between parents and children, and so on; most importantly, however, these summer sessions allow parents to connect with their children by navigating American school systems with them:

“Boston Public School officials say they've found that parents like Santiago and Ramos, who have attended classes with their kids, have been more likely to participate in their kids’ education. Cyntoria Grant is the director of family and school engagement practice in Boston’s Office of Engagement, which started this program four years ago.”

Moreover, Boston Public Schools has found that parents who attend these summer sessions are “also more likely to sign up for the district’s English-as-a-second-language classes for Boston parents.”


Please continue to follow the blog for more!

Melissa Hoppie, Graduate Student Researcher

Names matter. The TWIN-CS team has written about this topic before and it remains vitally important in our increasingly multicultural, multilingual classrooms.  As the school year gets started for TWIN-CS members around the country, we are reminded of how significant pronouncing names is for building classroom and school culture.  

Three organizations have come together to ask teachers, school districts, and supporters to take a pledge to learn students' names. The National Association for Bilingual Education, Multilingual Education Services, and the Santa Clara County Office of Education are the three main partners before the #MyNameMyIdentity Campaign. They have two objectives: 

1. Bring awareness to the importance of respecting one’s name and identity in schools as measured by the number of community members making a pledge to pronounce students’ names correctly
2. Build a respectful and caring culture in school communities that values diversity as measured by my name stories posted on social media.  

The #MyNameMyIdentity Campaign is gaining traction and support from school districts, educators, and allies from around the United States. Many resources have been gathered for educators to use in their classrooms and lessons. The following video demonstrates why this campaign is needed for all students. 

-Mary Bridget Burns, Assistant Director for TWIN-CS

TWIN-CS member school Holy Rosary in Tacoma, Washington has a new name! Holy Rosary recently changed their name officially to Holy Rosary Bilingual Academy.  Designed to reflect their commitment to bilingual education, HRBA is pleased to announce this change. The Spanish-English immersion program is no longer just a special program within the school, as the previous name of Holy Rosary Regional School Juan Diego Academy suggested.

Beginning in the 2018-2019 school year, the Holy Rosary Bilingual Academy’s two-way immersion program will include students from Pre-K3 through grade 6. The only Catholic school in Pierce County with consistent increases in enrollment, Holy Rosary Bilingual Academy plans to complete the expansion of the bilingual program through grade 8 by 2020.  The parish priest, school governing council, and the Archdiocese of Seattle were all consulted during the process and approved the change. In addition, parents were surveyed and 91% approved the new name. As Principal Katie Dempsey explains, “Now that the bilingual program will soon run through all grades, the name change allows us to make clear our added value and commitment to a bilingual Catholic education.” The name change also will help future families looking for a bilingual program for their children to find us through search engines.  

Along with a new name comes a new logo that was designed by a talented parent and board member, Nichole Gerling, who has a professional advertising company.  In late spring, with the approval of the Archdiocese, Nichole secured one month of free advertising on a digital billboard along Interstate 5, which has the potential for over 100,000 views per day.  As they start the 2018 school year, students will be sporting the new logo on their uniforms and spirit shirts.

Learn more at www.HolyRosaryBilingual.org
-Dr. Bridget Yaden, mentor, Holy Rosary Bilingual Academy

Corey Mitchell, a prolific writer for EdWeek, published a brief but informative article on meeting the needs of English Language Learners (ELLs).  This article discusses the Department of Education’s newest guide to teaching ELLs, an “eight-page report from Regional Education Laboratory Northwest,” which is “designed to help educators identify the strengths and needs of ELLs—whether they're a newcomer to the United States, a long-term English-learner struggling with the language, or a student who is somewhere in-between.”

The guide acknowledges the diversity within ELL populations and discusses why teaching all ELLs the same way may hinder educational development. This guide provides practical solutions to this issue.

Moreover, the guide supplies crucial information for ELLs, their families, and their teachers: “The guide also outlines the rights of English-learners and their families, details how factors such as home language and prior education can influence students' performance in school, and offers tips for schools on selecting the best-fit English-learner program model.”


Please peruse the guide here.

-Melissa Hoppie, Graduate Student Researcher

For this summer day, the Roche Center offers this fascinating, thought-provoking TED talk by cognitive science Professor ​Lera Boroditsky. In her recent presentation, Dr. Boroditsky discusses everything from counting, colors, direction, and other subjects related to different languages and cultures. This discussion may be interesting to TWIN-CS students as well. Thinking about language, thinking about how brains use language is important to consider for all members of the Network. There is always more to learn!
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-Mary Bridget Burns, Assistant Director for TWIN-CS

Promoting Sociocultural Competence in STEM Classrooms
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    When I attended my first TWIN-CS Summer Academy this year, I was intrigued to learn that promoting sociocultural competence is one of the three primary goals of dual language education programs. I had to ask myself, “Am I doing this in my classroom?” Having just completed my first year as the middle school math and science teacher at Saint Matthew in Phoenix, AZ, I was forced to realize that my approach to these subjects might have been a bit too “clinical.” For the program to be truly effective, even the traditional STEM classes should aim to achieve all of its goals—including sociocultural competence.

    This year, in an attempt to promote such an understanding and hopefully increase student engagement in the subject matter of my classes, I have chosen to incorporate several prominent Hispanic and Latino/a scientists into the structure of our class. Our student population is 99% Hispanic and Latino/a, and it is important for the students to see role models in various scientific fields to whom they can relate. Each class is divided into four teams—each named for a Hispanic/Latino/a STEM role model—that will work together intermittently throughout the year for various lessons, projects, and competitions. The goal is to pay homage to figures whose accomplishments in their respective fields are not as widely known, due to the underrepresentation of their demographic in STEM.

    Eventually, the student teams will conduct research projects and make presentations to the class about their team’s namesakes. Ideally, this project will provide an opportunity for the class to realize that not all scientists have to look like Albert Einstein or Isaac Newton. In celebrating the scientific achievements of figures from many different Latin American cultures, my hope is that my students will not only come to understand that pursuing a STEM-related career is a viable option for them, but also grow in global citizenship through the appreciation of the accomplishments of marginalized individuals and cultures.

Christopher Boland
Saint Matthew Catholic School

ColorínColorado has recently published a series of short videos about New York Times bestselling author Tracey Baptiste. Ms. Baptiste is a former second grade teacher and currently faculty at Lesley University’s Creative Writing MFA program. She has published both children’s and YA novels, including her bestseller Minecraft: The Crash, and other popular works such as The Jumbies (2015), Rise of the Jumbies (2017), and Angel’s Grace. Having been interested in reading and writing since childhood, Ms. Baptiste shares how reading Rosa Guy’s “The Friends” in her formative years transformed her trajectory as a writer and as a student:


Photo courtesy of Ms. Baptiste and Lesley University

“I came across the book ‘The Friends’ when I first moved to the United States. It was like perfect timing […] the book is about a girl, Felicia, who has just moved from the Caribbean to the United States. It was exactly my story.”

Ms. Baptiste, having recently moved to United States from the Caribbean, was enthralled with this story that finally reflected her life. As Ms. Baptiste mentions in her interview, the character of Felicia mirrored the intricacies of immigration that Ms. Baptiste had gone through as a student: “…[Felicia] was struggling with dealing with the culture, finding her place in the culture, trying to figure out who she was as an American or as a girl from the Caribbean which is exactly where I was.”

Ms. Baptiste stresses the importance of representation, especially for students who may not always be reflected in schoolbooks. She recalls that “It meant so much to me to really see myself on the page in a way that I hadn’t before. I had seen other kids on the page and I had connected with other characters before, but here I was. I was there, this was me, this was my story.” Finally seeing herself represented, Ms. Baptiste’s writing aspirations quickly metamorphosed into something profound and long-lasting: “It was then that I started thinking that this is what I want to do with my writing life. I would like to be that person who gives kids exactly who they are on the page.”

Now, Ms. Baptiste continues to write for children and young adults, always keeping in mind the importance of representation, with much success.

Please follow this link to watch the interview.

-Melissa Hoppie, Graduate Student Researcher​

We wish to remind our members that the Association of Two-Way & Dual Language Education (ATDLE) and the Dual Language Education of New Mexico (DLeNM) is seeking public comment on the initial draft of their National Dual Language Education Teacher Preparation Standards.

You may submit your comments here.
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While on the ATDLE website, members may find their Current Research page to be especially helpful for established two-way immersion programs and educators.​

-Melissa Hoppie, Graduate Student Researcher

After a great deal of careful planning and preparation, the Omaha Catholic School Consortium is set to open its first Dual Language Academy later this month. A strong team of school leaders and teachers joined the rest of the TWIN-CS community in Boston this summer to attend valuable sessions on bilingual instruction in Catholic settings, so the DLA team is ready to welcome students. Preschool, pre-kindergarten, and kindergarten students will attend classes in the refurbished St. Stanislaus School. Watch the welcome video from Assistant Principal for the DLA, Amanda Alvarado, to learn more. 
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-Mary Bridget Burns, Assistant Director for TWIN-CS

Much like the Bilingual Educator Pipeline in Oregon, the state of Iowa is approaching their shortage of bilingual teachers in a similar manner, with a focus on teacher preparation. The University of Iowa’s College of Education is using a 2.2-million-dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education “to increase the effectiveness of English-learner instruction in Iowa while also helping teachers become advocates for dual-language learning.”

One form of this “instruction” takes form in the initiative Advocacy, Capacity, and Collaboration for English Learners (ACCEL) led by professors David Johnson and Lia Plakans. The professors provide “expert support to teachers in Iowa City, West Liberty, and Mashalltown—cities with large populations of English learners—in the form of professional development, classroom coaching, and regular feedback.”

This article, written by Lynn Anderson Davy and published by the University of Iowa, discusses the “large increase in English learners in recent years…[with] school-aged children in Iowa collectively speak more than 200 languages…[with] the number of school children who are non-native English speakers [increasing by] more than 400 percent,” which is in conflict with the prevalent issue of a lack of properly-trained bilingual educators. A nationwide phenomenon, the University of Iowa is attempting to quell any further disconnect between English learners and bilingual educators by offering endorsements in English as a second language, with the hope of adding “a specialization in dual-language teaching,” due to a developing parent interest in dual language education.

The University of Iowa, via ACCEL, hosts a number of conferences which local teachers and professors attend. Most recently, in July 2018 “20 teachers and administrators from West Liberty and Marshalltown spent long days learning new ways to approach dual-language teaching,” including the utilization of “Spanglish.” According to Eric Johnson, an associate professor of bilingual and ESL education at Washington State University, “Language acquisition happens in the classroom, that’s for sure. But it also happens outside of the classroom… It’s important to look at how students use language in other areas of their lives and apply it to language in the classroom. For example, there is cooking language and there is science language. How do those languages overlap?”
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Tackling the intricacies of teaching English learners today, the article continues to describe how teachers and professors learn from each other and bring their newfound knowledge to a bilingual classroom. An inspiring article, we hope that TWIN-CS members will enjoy reading about the growing demand of bilingual educators!

-Melissa Hoppie, Graduate Student Researcher
-Photo courtesy of http://www.elliottrealtygroup.com/iowa-city

The Migration Policy Institute has published a webinar which discusses K-12 Instructional Models for English Learners: What They Are and Why They Matter. This hour-long webinar features the following speakers: Lissette Colón-Collins, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages, New York State Education Department; Silvia Romero-Johnson, Executive Director, Office of Multilingual and Global Education, Madison Metropolitan School District; Julie Sugarman, Senior Policy Analyst, MPI.

This discussion is centered around recently published English Language Learner (ELL) studies and attempts to answer whether “local schools and school districts [are using] appropriate instructional program models to meet EL needs?” The speakers consider the various dual language (DL) models accessible to ELLs and evaluate both the inadequacies and virtues of each program. In short, the speakers agree that while certain DL program models are more efficient, “instructional programming actually provided by schools or school districts is often a mix of different models or approaches.” Given the flexibility, “it is crucial that a range of stakeholders—including state and local education agency leaders, legislators, school board members, and community advocates—have a clear picture of what programs are offered to EL students and factors that might indicate whether they are appropriate and effective choices.”

Julie Sugarman, an MPI Senior Policy Analyst, discusses her recent publication which tackles many of these issues. In her issue brief, Ms. Sugarman examines “the key features of EL instructional models, how they are sometimes woven together to address language- and content-learning needs of students, and factors that can account for varied approaches within and across schools.”

The webinar continues to discuss “discuss state- and district-level approaches to supporting schools in implementing effective EL program models,” focusing on current, real-life change happing in Madison, Wisconsin, and New York.

Continue to following the blog for more!

-Melissa Hoppie, Graduate Student Researcher