“ELs Are Not the Problem. They Are a Gift…”

[google-translator] The advent of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) has undoubtedly foddered many discussions among educators, as well have required us to rethink the way we teach all students, particularly our English learners, linguistic minorities, and students with special needs. The CCSS Math Standards place unprecedented demands for teachers to ensure that instruction not […]

A No-Tech/Low-Tech Integration of UDL–“Fantastic!”

[google-translator] As the CCSS has been crafted with principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to support inclusive access for all students with identified learning needs and/or disabilities, English Learners, linguistic minority students, as well as students from fragile families, many educators respond with concern that without technological resources, they feel challenged to design instruction […]

Say What?

The oft-used instructional strategy of pairing students to interact, has no shortage of monikers…Think-Pair-Share, Discussion Partners, Structured Student Interactions, Productive Partners (Access Kate Kinsella’s article here), and there are many more. Regardless of the nomenclature, many teachers acknowledge the power of structuring opportunities for students to not only talk and share their perspectives, but to […]

“Language is pretty invisible if you know it well…”

[google-translator]  “Language is pretty invisible if you know it well. It is NOT invisible if you don’t know it well…” Dr. Lily Wong Fillmore CCSS and Text Complexity for English Learners and Language Minority Students As K-12 educators become acquainted with the new requirements and demands of the Common Core State Standards, they become keenly […]