Cobb County ESOL

Spring 2013 Professional Learning Opportunities from ESOL/FL

Click on the link below for a preview of professional learning opportunities offered by our department. The district catalog and registration will be available Monday, November 26th.

Share this information with other teachers and staff that you believe may be interested. Make sure to sign up quickly!

Download Winter Spring 2013 PL Schedule FL_ESOL

Teacher Compass

All ESOL teachers in Cobb have access to an amazing selection of professional learning resources through Teacher Compass. Click on the hyperlink to access the portal. The user name is your Cobb email address.

Pre-planning Training August 2012

ESOL Training during Preplanning

ESOL teachers were required to attend TWO days of training during pre-planning, one day with content area and the other day with the ESOL department. The ESOL training was held at Kennesaw State University's Continuing Ed Center in collaboration with KSU MATESOL program professors. The schedule was as follows:

Elementary ESOL Teachers

August 7th: Content Training Download Preplanning 2012 - k-5 details

August 8th: ESOL Training, KSU Con Ed Center, 8:00 - 4:00

Middle and High ESOL Teachers

August 7th: ESOL Training, KSU Con Ed Center, 8:00 - 4:00

August 8th: Content Training (ELA @ Kell HS, Math @ S Cobb HS, Science @ Kennesaw Mtn HS, Social Studies @ N Cobb HS)

WIDA and Common Core

This fall MetroRESA will host one of my all-time favorite presenters, Dr. Virginia Rojas, for a session entilted "Instructional Equity for English Learners: Planning with the CCGPS and WIDA Frameworks." The two day institute will be held on October 29th and 30th. The cost is $399.

 

In the two day institute, participants will

• review key principles for effective ESOL instruction;
• practice using the CCGPS knowledge and skill standards into student-friendly content and language targets;
• organize formative assessment tasks as evidence of standard attainment andfor learning;
• plan multiple paths for English learners' access using brain-based, differentiation, and scaffolding instructional tools;
• describe progressive language-proficiency expectations and instructional supports for long-term and newcomer English learning populations; and
• design a unit or lesson plan for immediate transfer into classrooms.

Participants are required to bring a unit of study as well as CCGPS and WIDA standards for their grade-level and subject areas.

Collaboration and Co-Teaching: Strategies for English Learners

Honigsfeld and Dove provide a great framework for ESOL and general ed teachers in their book. The authors address fundamental questions, examine how a effective model of collaboration help ELs learn content while simultaneously meeting English language development goals and discuss the local school leader's role in facilitating this collaborative model.

Should your school require assistance implementing an effective collaborative model, contact your District ESOL Lead for assistance. If you are interested, we can support you in a local school improvement plan utilizing Honigsfeld and Dove's book as a guide.

On October 4, 2012, MetroRESA will host a session with Honigsfeld and Dove on Collaboration and Co-Teaching for ELs. Cost is $399.

Fall 2012 ESOL/Foreign Language Professional Learning Opportunities

Click on the link below for a preview of professional learning opportunities offered by our department. The district catalog and registration will be available beginning on August 13th.

Share this information with other teachers and staff that you believe may be interested. Make sure to sign up quickly!

Download Fall 2012 PL Post

Why Culture?

Developing an awareness of the cultural backgrounds of English learners and how cultural differences can support and affect learning is a key facet of effective instruction. Many classroom teachers have not been prepared to tap into the different kinds of prior knowledge that culturally diverse learners bring to the classroom. Additionally, most teachers do not know how to scaffold the transition of EL's from their previous educational experiences to schooling in U.S. schools.

The ESOL Endorsement Course in Cultural Issues expands teacher knowledge of how to deliver equitable and culturally responsive instruction to ELs. The course focuses specifically on the unique cultural backgrounds and needs of ELs to support effective instruction and academic achievement for ALL students.

The Cobb County ESOL Department provides several opportunities throughout the year for Cobb teachers to expand their knowledge and improve their practice through completion of the ESOL Endorsement Course in Cultural Issues. Visit the Cobb Professional Learning page under "Quick Links" for information on course offerings and registration.

February 16, 2009 Professional Learning Day Presentation on AYP

Many thanks to Dr. Judi Jones, Chief Accountability & Research Officer for her wonderful and comprehensive presentation on AYP!

 Click here to download a copy of Dr. Jones' presentation: Download ELL Presentation February 2009

Some information to remember regarding AYP is outlined below.

• While AYP represents only a minimum standard of performance for your school, it is a VERY public standard.
• Whoever lives by test scores dies by test scores! Don’t get stuck here! Student performance is more than just minimum competency test scores.

AYP Requirements for ALL States:

• Participation
• Annual Measurable Objectives
• Second Indicator

Participation = 95% of all students enrolled in the school during the testing window participate in the assessments and 95% of students in each sub-group participate in the testing
Sub-groups = Ethnic groups and Program Groups (SWD, ESOL and Economically Disadvantaged)

Academic Performance Rules:

• Students must be continuously enrolled in the school (or district) from the October FTE count through the last day of the state testing window to be counted as a Full Academic Year student (FAY)
• Group must meet minimum group size to be counted
• More than one way to meet the required percentage

Minimum Group Size:
Sub group = 40 students
                OR
10% of students enrolled in AYP grades (whichever is greater) with a 75 student cap

Academic Targets can be met via the following:

• Absolute Bar – meeting the required percentage outright
• Confidence Interval –statistical calculation used that provides more confidence in the data. (The critical z is 1.645)
• Multi-Year Average - average the number of students who were proficient or higher in 2007 + the number in 2006 + the number in 2005 and divide by the total number of students each of those three years
• Safe Harbor – reduce by 10% the number of students scoring in Level 1 from the previous year

Second Indicators:
For elementary and middle schools...
Attendance: 15% or less of students absent more than 15 days
(This indicator also applies to new high schools until the ninth grade class has completed all four years of the high school program.)

For high schools...
Graduation Rate:

• Graduation rate is based on the number of students who graduate with regular diplomas divided by the number of dropouts in 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th grades + graduates+ other completers (special ed, certificate of attendance)
• Escalating rate between now and 2014
• Accurate records of student withdrawal are critical

Anticipated AYP Changes for 2008 - 2009 Year:

• Measuring the progress of ELL students becoming proficient in English and having AMAO targets
• Continued participation in Science testing
• Changes in consequences for not meeting AYP requirements (Differentiated Accountability System)
• Students who do not receive correct accommodations will have scores invalidated and they will count against the school/district

Things ESOL Teachers Can Do for the 2008 - 2009 School Year:

• Ensure that instruction follows required GPS every day
• Ensure accuracy of data
• Target your resources strategically
• Be sure students receive the correct accommodations for testing
• Monitor all testing (including Access)
• Celebrate small and large successes with your students, teachers, and community