“Speaking for All Learners” will be held on June 12-13, 2018 at North Polk High School. PK-12 educators will have the opportunity to network with other educational professionals, discover new strategies for working with English language learners in Iowa and meet national and local experts to enrich practices for increasing EL achievement.
Conference topics include:
- Strategies for addressing barriers to academic and language learning for English Learners in the classroom
- Best practices for supporting early childhood language acquisition for preschool English Learners
- Instructional leadership strategies for English language learning programs
- Connecting and collaborating with other educators responsible for the success of English Learners
- And many more learning opportunities and topics from experts in educating English Learners!
Featured Speakers
Ayanna Cooper, Ed.D
ELL specialist with extensive and diverse experience teaching educators how to enhance instruction for culturally and linguistically diverse learners.
David Edward Garcia
Grew up on the Mexican border in Texas, two worlds-linguistically and culturally. Successful speaker of five languages, teacher, entrepreneur, comedian.
Anita Pandey, Ph.D.Professor of Linguistics and Coordinator of Professional Development and Communication at Morgan State University in Baltimore.
Ryan Wise, Ed.D.
Director of the Iowa Department of education
Plus, our amazing local experts and students!
Information and Registration
Learn more at the conference website and register at this link by June 5.
Incentive
Heartland AEA Title III will refund the cost of registration ($150), plus provide an honorarium of $200 to off-contract public and non-public educators for full attendance and participation. This funding is not available to public or non-public districts served by the Des Moines Public Schools.
As previously shared, a sample parent ELPA21 letter has been developed for districts to use for communication to parents. While it’s not required that districts use the sample letter, it will serve as a good model for districts who desire to develop their own communication. For districts that wish to utilize the document, place on district letterhead and add additional information as deemed necessary and appropriate for your context.
In addition, the Title III Network has begun collaboration on translations for the sample ELPA21 parent letter so districts may communicate with family members in a language most easily understood. Several translations are currently available and have been posted on the English Language Learners Community Agora. Additional languages will be posted to this statewide site as they become available. Follow these steps to access the translations.
The Department of Education (DE) has provided clarification on a number of issues surrounding ELPA21 Assessment Requirements for ELL Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities. Read more about assessment requirements and participation and ELL services in this DE memo.
In addition, the Department will a host a webinar March 8, 2016 at 3:30 p.m. to provide IEP teams with further guidance on accessibility for ELL students with significant cognitive disabilities and their ELPA 21 Test Proctors. You can access the webinar here. If you’re unable to attend the live event, the recording will be posted on the Iowa Department of Education ELPA21 webpage.
For more information, contact Jobi Lawrence, Colleen Anderson or Emily Thatcher with the DE.
Course registration is now available for this foundational English Language Learners (ELL) learning opportunity that focuses on how to infuse language objectives into content classrooms and introduces basic strategies that enable teachers to plan scaffolded, yet rigorous and relevant content lessons for ELLs.
Choose to attend either the Elementary or the Secondary session. Both sessions will be co-facilitated by Laura Lukens and Linda New Levine, Ph.D. of GO TO Educational Services.
Language Objectives and GO TO Strategies for Elementary ELLs
Date: March 21, 2016
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Location: Heartland AEA, Johnston Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive, Rooms 152 A/B/C
Register: Here
Language Objectives and GO TO Strategies for Secondary ELLs
Date: March 22, 2016
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Location: Heartland AEA, Johnston Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive, Rooms 152 A/B/C
Register: Here
Other Information:
- Participants will leave with abundant resources for scaffolding instruction for ELLs, including the complete GO TO Strategy materials and handouts of workshop activities.
- ESL and non-ESL teachers and administrators are encouraged to attend.
- District Claim Forms: Title III funds are available to cover the cost of substitute teachers. District claim forms will be available at the event.
- Individual Claim Forms: If off contract due to spring break, an individual stipend of $200 will be provided. Individual claim forms will be available at the event. This stipend is only available to participants whose spring break coincides with this training.
- Lunch will be on your own from 11:30-12:45, with morning and afternoon breaks.
Find a letter of information for ordering the 2015 Iowa English Language Development Assessment (I-ELDA) from David Henkhaus of Iowa Testing. Additionally, there are updated ordering directions from the I-ELDA training Moodle. The Moodle has been updated for 2014-15 and is ready for use by test administrators to earn their 2015 certificate.
Iowa DE Invitation to Tennessee English Language Placement Exam (TELPA) Study The Iowa Department of Education would like to invite Iowa school districts to take part in a study of the TELPA as a zero- growth point for Title I reporting of language acquisition for English Language Learners (ELL). Currently, Iowa school districts have used other assessments to place students in ESL programs that do not align to the Title I required assessment of language acquisition, Iowa-English Language Development Assessment (I-ELDA). With the availability of the TELPA for the 2011-2012 school year, schools are in a unique position to have a screening assessment aligned to the summative assessment. This allows for the possibility of using the screener as a baseline data point from which to measure student growth. Before making a policy decision, the Iowa Department of Education would like to study the use of this new assessment tool. Although Title II funds cannot be used to pay for an assessment, Title III funds can be used to pay for the TELPA for any district that wishes to participate in the testing for the testing period only. Heartland AEA will reimburse participating districts for the cost of the TELPA for this study year. Please contact Pat Latham (platham@aea11.k12.ia.us) or Stephaney Jones-Vo (sjones-vo@aea11.k12.ia.us) for the reimbursement form.
Click the following phrases for important documents.
Letter sent by Kevin Fangman to superintendents
Consent to participate form
Bubble Sheets Order Form
Directions to order the TELPA from Measurement Incorporate (MI)
The use of the TELPA is an opportunity to improve the way districts and the State support ELLs and their teachers. The added information about students’ acquisition of English and how we measure it can only help us. We understand that teachers and district leaders are busy and feel the pressures of many programs and initiatives. Your participation is truly appreciated. Of course, any district that does not wish to participate can continue using the LAS or IPT “screeners.‟ Unfortunately, Title III funds cannot be used for their purchase. If you have any questions about participating, please contact John Scott at John.Scott@iowa.gov or by calling (515) 281-3805.
Invitation to Adobe Connect Session "ESL Assessment: TELPA Training"
Please join the Iowa Department of Education in an Adobe Connect Meeting. Please forward this invitation to other Iowa educators needing this training or a deeper understanding of the TELPA Zero Growth Study. The meetings will be held on August 24, 2011 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. and on September 1, 2011 from 2:00-4:30 p.m. . These are repeat meetings, so you do not need to attend both. The DE will host the video online using the following Adobe Connect Pro connection. To avoid any audio problems, the audio will be provided through a conference call connection. Click here for instructions.
Please RSVP to the invitation by contacting Mary Smith at mary.smith@iowa.gov. Please indicate which date you plan to attend.
School districts in Iowa currently use either the IPT or LAS to place new students appropriately for ELL service based on their English language proficiency levels. The State of Iowa has determined that a new screener will be available in the fall called the Tennessee English Language Proficiency Assessment or TELPA. Advantages of the TELPA include the fact that it is aligned with the I-ELDA. As such, it provides a ”zero” data point to show growth, unlike the IPT or LAS screeners currently utilized.
While districts are free to exhaust their current supplies of the IPT and LAS assessments first, the TELPA will be available at that time. Heartland AEA ESL Consultants, Stephaney Jones-Vo and Pat Latham, will be attending a training session on May 26 about the TELPA.
In the fall (2011), districts will receive notification of TELPA training which will be offered for all district ELL teachers and administrators interested in learning how to administer this new screener. Information on how to order the TELPA will also be shared.
The testing window for the I-ELDA will come to a close on April 30. All testing should be completed and materials returned to Northwest AEA by the end of the month.
Follow the below mentioned guidelines when returning materials:
- Return Listening/Speaking CDs
- Return all BAS (tested and not tested)
- BAS must be returned with a completed 2011 Iowa-ELDA BAS Return Header Form (available on the Northwest AEA website)
- Do not bend or damage BAS in any way—damaged BAS will delay the receipt of district test results
- Destroy all other test materials according to your school’s policy for secured materials (You are allowed to keep the K-2 student books and/or the 4-page standard record sheet for the student’s cumulative file)
Districts should return BAS for scoring by United States Postal Service (USPS - Return Receipt Requested or Request Delivery Confirmation with a Tracking Number), United Parcel Service (UPS) or Federal Express (FedEx), for tracking purposes.
Materials should be sent to the following:
Attn: Teresa Angerman
Northwest AEA
1520 Morningside Avenue
Sioux City, IA 51106
A PowerPoint is available on the Northwest AEA website that includes instructions about the process described above.
As you schedule next year’s professional development activities, consider the Iowa Culture and Language Conference (ICLC) on November 8-9, 2011, as an excellent way of providing all teachers with timely, research-based information on serving ELLs in your districts.Janette Klingner is scheduled to do an all day pre-conference session November 7, on IDM (RTI) and ESL. Other pre-conference (full-day) presenters include Margarita Calderon, Jane Hill & Anne Lundquist, and Soccoro Herrera. More information will be available soon.
The main conference on November 8-9 will provide an opportunity to attend sessions with an abundance of well-known experts in the ESL field. Margo Gottlieb, an expert in assessment who co-authored the TESOL standards, will be presenting on assessment, standards and core curriculum. Catherine Collier, a well-known and referenced expert in the SPED/ESL arena will also be presenting.Many other experts are scheduled to present at ICLC; the complete list will be posted on the Northwest AEA website soon.
The 2011 Our Kids Summer Institute will be held June 23 and 24 and will provide participants with the opportunity to network with other educational professionals and to discover new strategies for working with English language learners in Iowa.
Cadre 2 Power Up administrators and teachers teams will receive a stipend from William Penn University and all other participants will receive a $125 stipend from the Iowa Department of Education. In order to receive a stipend, you must attend both full days and sign-in.
Register through the Heartland Professional Development catalog using activity number ES006232311201.
The testing window for the I-ELDA opened on February 1, 2011 and will close on April 30, 2011. Every English language learner who is receiving ESL services must be tested. There is no cost to your district but there is great responsibility. Please make sure that the person in charge of the ordering has a clear understanding of the process. There are documents on the Northwest AEA site that will guide in the ordering of materials, scoring of the speaking and writing sections, and the returning of the bubble answer sheets and listening CDs.
It is very important that when ordering the tests that the ten digit state student identification number is entered correctly. An incorrect entry can delay or completely stop scoring and reporting of the students’ results.
Please go to the link below to access the ordering information
http://www.nwaea.k12.ia.us/en/programs_and_services/research_development_and_evaluation/iowa_english_language_development_assess_i_elda/
I-ELDA Training
If you not have already taken advantage of available I-ELDA trainings, go to the link below to register for the I-ELDA training in Marshalltown, Iowa on January 18, 2011.
Go to http://eventactions.com/ea.aspx?ea=Rsvphttp://eventactions.com/ea.aspx?ea=Rsvp
Title III-Funded Workshops for ELL Teachers
Title III funds are providing two workshop opportunities that will benefit classroom teachers who have ESL students. We encourage you to send teams of classroom teachers or ESL and classroom teams to these workshops. For a complete description, go to the Heartland AEA Professional Development Catalog.
Introduction to Sheltered Instruction for Teachers of ELLs
Dates: January 29 & February 19, 2011Instructors: Stephaney Jones-Vo & Shelley Fairbairn
Activity Number: ES004292111101
This workshop is not for teachers who have previously attended unless they come with a team of at least four other classroom teachers. A $200 stipend will be given for full attendance and completion of the assignment. Graduate credit is available.
Empowering ELLs in the Mathematics Classroom
Dates: February 5 & 26, 2011Instructor: Judy Kinley
Activity Number: ES006192111101Participants will receive the book Supporting English Language Learners in Math Class and a $200 stipend upon completing the attendance and assignment requirements. Graduate credit is available.
I-ELDA Trainings
Districts are encouraged to send representatives to one of the two state I-ELDA trainings scheduled in Denison and in Marshalltown, listed below. These test administration trainings will support the newly shortened I-ELDA form.Go to the link below to register for the I-ELDA training in Denison, Iowa on January 11, 2011.http://eventactions.com/ea.aspx?ea=Rsvp&invite=0gfm52331ec01cwgy8kra214dr03cgystkmgx0p4a15vmb8d4nsd
Go to the link below to register for the I-ELDA training in Marshalltown, Iowa on January 18, 2011.http://eventactions.com/ea.aspx?ea=Rsvphttp://eventactions.com/ea.aspx?ea=Rsvp
Questions can be directed to John Scott at john.scott@iowa.gov or (515) 281-3805.
Title III-Funded Workshops for ELL Teachers
Title III funds are providing two workshop opportunities that will benefit classroom teachers who have ESL students. We encourage you to send teams of classroom teachers or ESL and classroom teams to these workshops. For a complete description, go to the Heartland AEA Professional Development Catalog.
Introduction to Sheltered Instruction for Teachers of ELLs
Dates: January 29 & February 19, 2011Instructors: Stephaney Jones-Vo & Shelley Fairbairn
Activity Number: ES004292111101
This workshop is not for teachers who have previously attended unless they come with a team of at least four other classroom teachers. A $200 stipend will be given for full attendance and completion of the assignment. Graduate credit is available.
Empowering ELLs in the Mathematics Classroom
Dates: February 5 & 26, 2011Instructor: Judy Kinley
Activity Number: ES006192111101Participants will receive the book Supporting English Language Learners in Math Class and a $200 stipend upon completing the attendance and assignment requirements. Graduate credit is available.
SchoolsMovingUp is a WestEd initiative designed to help schools and districts address the challenge of raising student achievement. In an interactive Web format, SchoolsMovingUp offers resources to help education professionals make sound decisions and take action in their school reform efforts. To find out more about upcoming webinars and resources to support English Language Learners, please click here.
