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Education Week
As the nation shifts to online learning during the novel coronavirus outbreak, language and access barriers may shut many of the nation's nearly English learner students out of the learning process. A December 2019 report from the U.S. Department of Education found that few teachers reported assigning English learners to use digital learning resources outside of class, in part because of concerns about students' lack of access to technology at home.
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District Administration Magazine
On March 11, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. In just a matter of days, our world took an unexpected turn. Professional and collegiate athletics started being postponed for weeks, or even months. "Social distancing" became a household phrase. And the world of academia was put on hold for the foreseeable future; some college campuses have been vacated for the year and some K-12 schools have locked their doors. For many of us in K-12, school closings aren't abnormal; snowfall has dictated the uncertainty of a summer release for decades. But for students and educators to go from an unexpected day off to a complete shutdown for multiple weeks is uncharted water.
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CNN
Classrooms will be empty from coast to coast in the coming weeks as the novel coronavirus spreads and officials say indefinite closures are a real possibility. If schools were to shut down long term, one of the greatest challenges for teachers, officials and school administrators would come down to ensuring all students have equal education opportunities and that their food and housing security is not put in jeopardy. More than 1.5 million public school students in the United States experienced homelessness during the 2017-2018 school year, according to a recent report by the National Center for Homeless Education. Many more students are considered underserved.
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Text-Dependent Comprehension for ELs
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ELs in Grade K-8 improve their understanding of nonfiction and learn to develop evidence-based answers.
- Text-Dependent Comprehension Cards linked to leveled books provide prompts for rereading and finding evidence.
- This guided practice improves ELs' ability to comprehend grade-level content and respond effectively.
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FREE Sampler and more information
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THE Journal
A total of 41 states now have closed all of their schools as the COVID-19 panic continues to spread. Some states that had already ordered closures have extended those closure dates. In the 10 remaining states that have not mandated closures, most districts have closed on their own.
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Chalkbeat
It was a Tuesday like no other. Crosswalks were empty. Children's backpacks and lunch boxes sat unused. Yellow buses weren't rumbling down many streets, and school doors didn't swing open at dismissal. Schools were closed from New York to San Jose and so many points in between, causing an unprecedented disruption to American life with no end in sight.
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By: Douglas Magrath (commentary)
Students often struggle with academic vocabulary, especially if their L1 is a non-European language. Vocabulary development is critical and should be integrated into all parts of the curriculum. Students focus on the meaning of the material and begin to develop a feel for the word-building process and the overall grammar. Vocabulary should not just be listed and drilled, but included in all phases of language learning. Vocabulary acquisition is an essential part of L2 acquisition that goes beyond the classroom.
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| TESOL ONLINE TEACHING RESOURCES |
TESOL
TESOL is assisting educators adjusting to virtual teaching. Members and non-members with a login to myTESOL can access and add to the resources and discussion by joining the COVID-19 community. We also have a COVID-19 webpage linking to resources from the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control with information in a variety of languages available.
If you don't have a login to myTESOL, you will need to create an account. For assistance logging in watch this video. The COVID-19 community is open to anyone with a myTESOL login. Membership in TESOL is not required.
Free Online Session: Increasing Accessibility and Fostering Inclusive Learning with Free Microsoft Tools
Monday, March 27 at 1 p.m. PST | 3 p.m. CST | 4 p.m EST
Did you know Microsoft has created free, accessible AT to support students who struggle with Reading, Writing, Math, and Communication? This session will showcase how these FREE Learning Tools can be used to support classroom engagement of reading and writing for users with learning differences such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, ELL, emerging readers or a combination of any of the broad range of unique student abilities. Details, demonstrations and student examples will be shared about several new and improved sets of features across Microsoft products. These tools are Free and compatible with Mac, Ipad and Chrome.
TESOL
TESOL International Association joined 130 education organizations in support of increasing Title II-A funding in the U.S. Federal FY 2021 budget.
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TESOL
Would you like to build your leadership skills, collaborate with other dedicated members, and contribute to the Association? If so, TESOL is still receiving applications for two upcoming opportunities! Please consider applying to be a:
Questions? Contact Nancy Flores at nflores@tesol.org.
| TESOL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT |
Applications due 20 March for the TESOL Core Certificate Program™!
Expand your knowledge, reflect on current teaching practices, and take action to improve your teaching skills with the TESOL Core Certificate Program™. This globally recognized and accredited certificate program will help you develop ELT best practices for teaching young or adult learners locally or internationally. You'll learn from leading experts in the field and exchange ideas with educators around the world through peer-to-peer learning opportunities and online discussions. Applications for the next cohort are due 20 March. Apply today!
Register by 30 March for TESOL's Separating Difference from Disability Online Course!
In this popular online course, learn about specific issues in assessment, intervention, and identification strategies that are most effective in separating difference from disability in the K-12 context. Find out what tools and strategies are available and appropriate to use. Course runs from 30 March through 26 April. Learn more today!
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MISSED AN ISSUE OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE BULLETIN? VISIT AND SEARCH THE ARCHIVE TODAY. |
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| LANGUAGE AND EDUCATION POLICY |
Education Week
President Donald Trump has signed emergency coronavirus legislation that eases rules for meals schools provide to students, and provides certain leave benefits related to schools. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act passed the Senate by a vote of 90-8 after passing the House. The legislation incorporates three House pieces of legislation designed to make it easier for students to access food, including those typically served by schools. Trump signed the bill the same day the Senate passed it.
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Lanugage Magazine
Last month, Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva introduced the Supporting Young Language Learners' Access to Bilingual Education Act in the House of Representatives. The bill helps establish high-quality dual-language immersion programs in communities with high numbers of low-income families and supports those programs from pre-K to 5th grade.
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Disability Scoop
As schools across the nation shutter in response to coronavirus, federal officials are giving educators additional insight on how to handle the needs of students with disabilities. The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights issued a webinar and fact sheet this week for education leaders aimed at ensuring that students' civil rights are upheld while schools are closed due to COVID-19.
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The Hill
A group of 16 Democratic Senators sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission urging it to free up funds for schools to provide internet for students as more classes have to shift online because of coronavirus. The lawmakers are asking for the FCC to determine how much of the E-Rate program, which has a $4 billion yearly cap, can be used for one-time discounts to schools attempting to loan out Wi-Fi hotspots or enable internet access on other devices.
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NPR
In-person classes have come to an abrupt end for students across Kansas. Gov. Laura Kelly announced that she has ordered school buildings K-12 to be closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year, citing fears about the spread of the coronavirus disease COVID-19 and the "unprecedented emergency" it presents. "This was not an easy decision to make," Kelly said in a statement.
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New America
Two-thirds of children birth to 5 in California speak a language other than English at home, yet most teachers and care providers lack training in the kind of supports children learning two languages need to succeed.
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HealthDay News
A new Chinese study of coronavirus infection in kids could bring comfort to American parents — and highlight the wisdom of at least temporarily closing schools. That's because the study, published March 13 in Nature Medicine, found that even though children typically only exhibit mild symptoms if infected, they can shed the coronavirus long after symptoms disappear. Across the United States, local school districts have been temporarily suspending classroom activity, instead opting for online, at-home instruction.
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THE Journal
With more states declaring a state of emergency, public and private K-12 schools are closing their doors and sending students, teachers and staff home to learn and work remotely. For some schools remote learning is not new, especially for private parochial schools. Many parochial schools have been using snow days and teacher professional development days for remote learning for many years. Public school systems have not followed their private school counterparts into remote learning.
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EdSurge
Crises tend to insert new words into our lexicon. For educators in the era of coronavirus, one such term is "continuity." It's become both a strategy and a rallying cry as classrooms darken and instruction shifts online. Except — striving for continuity may be a bit delusional right now. Or it may be an effort that betrays misplaced priorities. That's the view of Jesse Stommel, a digital learning fellow and senior lecturer at the University of Mary Washington.
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THE Journal
An education technology company is opening up access to its digital study programs for young and elementary students. Age of Learning announced that it would grant free home access through the spring for schools and districts affected by coronavirus closures. The offer applies to three programs: ABCmouse, Adventure Academy and ReadingIQ.
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Tech&Learning
Common Sense has launched two new webpages compiling extensive resources for parents and educators with best practices for learning at home, keeping kids supervised and engaged, safeguarding physical and mental wellness, and more.
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