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Related Links

Resources for Teachers

    Minnesota Department of Education
    The Minnesota Department of Education strives to be an innovative education agency serving a wide range of customers: approximately 850,000 K-12 students and their families; 118,000 young children participating in a variety of early learning programs including Head Start and ECFE; 82,000 adult learners participating in adult education programs including GED and citizenship programs; Minnesota’s 339 school districts and over 52,000 licensed teachers. The site offers English Language Learners information. 

    St. Paul Public Schools English Language Learners Website
    The Saint Paul Public School district (SPPS) enrolls the largest enrollment of English language learners in the state of Minnesota. The English Language Learner Programs (ELL) offer a variety of research-based and innovative programs for students learning English.

    The National Council of Teachers of English
    A policy paper that summarizes policies and practices for ELL.

    The Educator’s Reference Desk
    Information on evaluation/alternative assessment.

    Resources for the 25 Performance Standards
    This site will help students understand the importance of learning about the LEP student and adding ESL certification to their program of study, as well as explaining a bit about language acquisition, diversity, and bilingual education.

    New Americans series on PBS
    Cultural resources, a quiz about immigration myths and realities, and curriculum to accompany the New Americans PBS series.

    International Children’s Digital Library
    The Foundation pursues its vision by building a digital library of outstanding children’s books from around the world and supporting communities of children and adults in exploring and using this literature through innovative technology designed in close partnership with children for children.

    Schools Moving Up
    SchoolsMovingUp, a WestEd initiative, helps schools and districts address the immense challenge of raising student achievement in low-performing schools. It offers practitioners knowledge and expertise they need to make sound decisions and take tangible action in their school reform efforts.

    Ben’s Guide to U.S. Government for Kids

    Interesting Things for ESL Students
    A fun study site for learners of English as a Second Language. Word games, puzzles, quizzes, exercises, slang, proverbs and much more.

    2. Colorin Colorado
    Colorín Colorado is a free web-based service that provides information, activities and advice for educators and Spanish-speaking families of English language learners (ELLs).

    Course Crafters – The ELL Outlook
    Course Crafters is a specialized education company that works with school districts and educational publishers to provide custom education solutions—professional development, curriculum, and materials—for addressing the needs and challenges of English language learners, particularly students in grades 3-12.

    2. Reading Rockets
    Reading Rockets is a national multimedia project offering information and resources on how young kids learn to read, why so many struggle, and how caring adults can help.

    Somali Folktale Project
    This site offers 19 Somali folktales in both English and Somali. Each folktale has also been made into a play for children to perform. Additional classroom activities and a vocabulary focus are included.

    CMC/EBBSS Webliography – offers an extensive bibliography of links of interest to teachers working with English language learners.

    Forum English Teaching: a quarterly journal published by the U.S. Department of State for teachers of English as a foreign or second language.

    Everything ESL: Created by Judie Haynes, an ESL teacher and textbook author from New Jersey with over 24 years of experience. The site features more than 50 lesson plans, 30 teaching tips, 170 downloads, 450 discussion topics, and 60 resource picks.

    Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL)
    CAL is a private, non-profit organization that applies research and information about language and culture to educational, cultural, and social concerns. Includes a database of foreign language assessments, the National Center for ESL Literacy Education (NCLE) clearinghouse, a database of immersion schools in the country, and digests that highlight topics of current interest in foreign language education, ESL, bilingual education, and linguistics.

    National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition (NCELA)
    NCELA (formerly the National Clearing House for Bilingual Education) is housed at The George Washington University and is funded by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Language Affairs. NCELA addresses issues dealing with the education of linguistically and culturally diverse (LCD) students in the U.S.

    SIOP Institute (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol)
    The SIOP is a research-based instrument that has been shown to be a valid and reliable measure of sheltered instruction

    Instructional Strategies Online
    A comprehensive repository of various instructional strategies with links to many useful descriptions and teaching tools, including graphic organizers.

    Project More
    An initiative funded through the Training All Teachers Program for the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA, U.S. Department of Education). Offers pedagogical materials and identifies teaching and learning strategies and resources for mainstream and ESL teachers to use with ELL students in grades K-12.

    1. Federal Resources for Educational Excellence
      Provides links to other sites and resources on a range of subjects and topics.
      PBS Teachers
      Provides a searchable database of lesson plans and accompanying materials and resources.
      ESL Cafe
      A random assortment of games and resources for teachers and students.

    2. Curriculum and Classroom

Demographics & Culture-Specific Resources

    National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition and Language Instruction Educational Programs

    National Center for Education Statistics information on English Language Learners

    Vietnamese

    Lao

    Karen (MPR News Story)

    Karen (Cal.org Resource)

    Iraq, Bhutan, Nepal, Ethiopian Kunama, Burundi, Congo

    Ethnomed medical and cultural information

Research Centers

    Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL)
    Strategies to broaden and deepen parental involvement
    National Science Foundation Special Report on Language and Linguistic
    This special report from the National Science Foundation looks at the human capacity for language and the evolving field of linguistics.
    CRESST – National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing at UCLA
    Located within UCLA’s Graduate School of Education & Information Studies, CSE/CRESST has long contributed to the development of scientifically based evaluation and testing techniques, vigorously encouraged the development, validation and use of sound data for improved accountability and decision making, and aggressively explored technological applications to improve assessment and evaluation practice.
    CREDE – Center for Research on Education, Diversity, and Excellence
    CREDE is a federally funded research and development program focused on improving the education of students whose ability to reach their potential is challenged by language or cultural barriers, race, geographic location, or poverty.
    Lab at Brown: dedicated to enhancing the capacity of teachers to work effectively and equitably with English language learners (ELLs). This Web site provides access to information — publications, educational materials, and the work of experts in the field — that promotes high achievement for ELLs.

    Ohio University ESL: A variety of links to valuable resources for teachers working with ESL students. Categories include content based instruction, testing and assessment, lesson plans, and more.

    ESCORT - formerly the Eastern Stream Center on Resources and Training, located at the State University of New York at Oneonta, is a national resource center dedicated to improving the educational opportunities for migrant children. Contains links to materials containing practical classroom strategies and resources for use with Migrant English language learners.

    UC LMRI – Linguistic Minority Research Institute at the University of California
    This site provides professional development to researchers, educators, and policymakers, and disseminates research findings to researchers, educators, and policymakers on educational issues affecting linguistic minorities, as well as racial and ethnic minorities, and immigrants.

    CREATE- Center for Research on the Educational Achievement and Teaching of English Language Learners
    This site offers research designed o address the critical challenge of improving educational outcomes of English language learners. It is funded by the Institute of Education Sciences at the U. S. Department of Education.

    Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory
    NWREL provides research-based products, technical assistance, and training to improve educational systems and learning. We work directly with educators in the field to develop and test research-based publications and strategies that improve learners’ results.

Program Models and Policy

    National Clearinghouse for English language acquisition: Main Page | Minnesota Page

Paraprofessionals

    Working Together for Successful Paraeducator Services: A Guide for Paraeducators, Teachers, and Principals
    Information for the role of a paraprofessional (paraeducator)
    National Clearinghouse for Paraeducator Resources
    NEA Foundation
    National Staff Development Council
    National Professional Resources
    Teacher-to-Teacher Collaboration
    National Clearinghouse for Paraeducator Resources

Professional Development

    Teaching Diverse Learners (TDL)
    Professional development information and articles about working effectively and equitably with ELL.
    National Staff Development Council
    The National Staff Development Council (NSDC) is the largest non-profit professional association committed to ensuring success for all students through staff development and school improvement. The website showcases projects, publications, events, and resources. 
    NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education
    The NEA Foundation supports a variety of efforts by teachers, education support professionals, and higher education faculty and staff to improve student learning in the nation’s public schools, colleges, and universities.
    National Professional Resources
    Along with the videos, NPR publishes and distributes books for staff development in the field of education. Relevant topic areas of interest are ELL /ESL / Diversity.

    Teacher to Teacher Collaboration
    The site offers additional sites that promote teacher-to-teacher collaborative exchanges for the purposes of improving classroom instruction or provide peer-to-peer professional support. These communications between teachers foster the concept of the teacher as reflective practitioner. Some sites specifically recognize the “professional development” aspects of these collaborations.

Professional Organizations

    National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE)
    NABE is the national organization for bilingual educators. NABE produces a journal and a newsletter. The website has a page on Frequently Asked Questions in bilingual education. 
    Teachers of English to Students of Other Languages (TESOL)
    International professional organization for those concerned with the teaching of English as a second or foreign language. TESOL members receive the bimonthly newspaper TESOL Matters, as well as the scholarly research journal TESOL Quarterly and/or the practitioner’s magazine, TESOL Journal. Each journal is published four times per year.
    MinneTESOL
    MinneTESOL is a professional association of teachers of English as a Second Language in Minnesota and neighboring states dedicated to the education and support of students acquiring English at all levels of public and private education.

    National Middle School Association
    National Middle School Association is dedicated to improving the educational experiences of young adolescents by providing vision, knowledge, and resources to all who serve them in order to develop healthy, productive, and ethical citizens.

    The International Reading Association
    National Middle School Association is dedicated to improving the educational experiences of young adolescents by providing vision, knowledge, and resources to all who serve them in order to develop healthy, productive, and ethical citizens.

    American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (www.aacte.org)
    The mission of this organization is to promote the learning of all PK-12 students through high-quality, evidence-based preparation and continuing education for all school personnel. Its resolution on the preparation of teachers of second language learners highlights the organization’s efforts related to language issues in our nation’s classrooms.

Journals

    Bilingual Research Journal Online
    The BRJ deals with bilingual education, bilingualism, and language policies in education (e.g., language assessment, policy analysis, instructional research, language politics, biliteracy, language planning, second language learning and teaching, action research, and sociolinguistics).

Videos

    WIDA
    Presentation videos on school reform for ELLS, good language objectives, academic needs, and teaching language through content 
    Colorin Colorado
    Webcasts discussing effective instructional strategies for teaching ELLs in middle and high school
    Stanford University School of Education – ELL Teaching Certificate Video Library
    Videos on 2nd language acquisition; English language development; content instruction

    Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
    Videos on teaching English language learners, teaching reading, and other topics

Standards / Government Policy

    Minnesota Department of Education
    The Minnesota Department of Education offers a “Learning Support” link for English language learners that includes English language standards, program guidelines, and MDE staff contact information. 
    TESOL –Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages
    TESOL s a global education association for teachers of English to speakers of other languages. Its website offers national Pre-K-12 English language proficiency standards that now include core content areas
    NCELA – National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition and Language Instruction Educational Programs
    NCELA collects, analyzes, synthesizes and disseminates information about language instruction educational programs for English language learners and related programs. It is funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement & Academic Achievement for Limited English Proficient Students (OELA) under Title III of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001.

    WIDA –World-class Instructional Design and Assessment
    WIDA is a consortium of states dedicated to the design and implementation of high standards and equitable educational opportunities for English language learners. It has developed English language proficiency standards and an English language proficiency test aligned with those standards.

Grant & Funding Opportunities

    Education World
    Article on funding for professional development with links to several sites.
    National Cristina Foundation
    Computer technology and training for economically disadvantaged and at risk students
    Target Take Charge of Education
    Target donates a percentage of REDCard and Target Visa purchases to eligible K-12 school of the shopper’s choice. Funds are unrestricted and can be used for anything the school deems appropriate.
    iLoveSchools.com
    iLoveSchools.com provides free school supplies to teachers.
    La Familia Network
    Grants to lessen the digital divide
    Citigroup Foundation
    Under its “Educating the Next Generation” initiative, Citigroup provides grants for early literacy development, technology-based curriculum resources, teacher training, innovative teaching strategies, the arts, and career and college preparation programs.
    Striving Readers
    Federal grant program aimed at improving the reading skills of middle and igh school-aged students who are reading below grade level
    NEA Foundation’s Student Achievement Grants
    Grants to improve critical thinking and problem solving that deepens students’ knowledge of standards-based subject matter
    English Language Learners (ELL) Network
    Grants to member sites
    Ben & Jerry’s Foundation
    Grants for creative problem solving that lead to societal, institutional, and/or environmental change

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