English Learners
  • Blog
    • Home
  • My Story
  • Infographics
  • Presentations
    • April 2019 Carson City PD
    • Garden City May 2019
  • Videos
  • Experience
  • Resources
  • Advertising Disclosure
Picture

HELP! I'm teaching ESL next year. What can I do now to prepare?

6/1/2019

13 Comments

 
Picture

6 Things you can do now!

First of all, WELCOME! We are glad to have you in our professional learning network. If you are reading this, I want to formally welcome you to a wonderful, passionate group of ESL educators and advocates who will support you along the way. In this article, you will find ideas for professional learning, resources to dig into, leaders in the field, and much more. 

So you secured an ESL position. And you're wondering...how can I prepare for this job? ​

Read More
13 Comments

Non-Negotiables for Teaching English Learners

4/19/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
The other day, I posed a question to my Twitter PLN. I asked what their non-negiables were for teaching English Learners. The responses were overwhelming. Just imagine if we set aside time as campus or district teams to develop non-negiables and then live by them. This would be a great practice for ESL and bilingual teams. Here are some of the responses from Twitter followers: 

Read More
0 Comments

Thankful Heart

11/10/2018

4 Comments

 
Picture
If you told me a couple of years ago that I would have a professional learning network that spans around the globe filled with authors and educators K-adult ed, I might have laughed at you. Well, maybe not laughed, but I would have given you a crazy look for sure.  A "no way" look. 
In the spirit of November, the month of gratitude, I am filled with a thankful heart. A heart filled with joy and blessings knowing that I am surrounded (virtually) by a community of professionals that I can count on who support and inspire me. How did this happen? 
Twitter.
Though I opened my Twitter account many years ago, I only began to capitalize on it's strength as a tool in my career in December 2016. It wasn't until then that I realized HOW to use Twitter to learn from others and build a network of colleagues that I can call my PLN (professional learning network). 

The WHY...
Some might ask, "Why is this necessary? Why do I need a PLN through Twitter? I already have colleagues at my school and in my district." Well, I can tell you why. I, too, have a PLN at work. I still work in a K-12 district. I work with amazing professionals whom I love and adore. They are brilliant educators. And I learn everyday from them. However, learning from others in various districts, counties, states, countries, and continents, has given me a myriad of perspectives that I cannot have from within my own district. Learning from a wider scope opens up new opportunities and experiences. 
It's similar to your neighborhood. Look down your street. You might notice that the trees and flowers at each home are quite similar. Everyone is planting similar things because we get ideas from our neighbors. But if you go to a neighborhood across town, their landscapes are filled with different plants. 
Growing your PLN will help you grow new ideas and try new instructional methods with your students. 

Who to Follow: 
My heart is filled with gratitude because of the connections I've made with eduheroes like Larry Ferlazzo, Carol Salva, Tan Huynh, Emily Francis, Katie Toppel, Carlota Holder, Jess Bell, Leticia Trower, Andrea Honigsfeld, and many more! In addition to these Tweeps, I enjoy collaborating with Middle Web, Seidlitz Education, MindShift, Teacher2Teacher, Education Week Teacher, Talking Points, and so many others. 

If you are still hesitant about Twitter, here's what I can suggest to you: 
  • find a few people you naturally connect with on Twitter (for example, you see what they Tweet and you like it)
  • Retweet their work
  • Reply to their Tweets
  • Follow others that they follow
  • Start Tweeting your own thoughts and ideas or instructional techniques you've tried with students
Share in the comments! We want to hear from you! Who are you thankful for? What are you thankful for? And please feel free to pass this article along to your friends and colleagues. Happy Thanksgiving to you all! --Valentina
4 Comments

How to hold a BOOK TASTING for Adult Learners

3/14/2018

3 Comments

 
Picture
As teachers, we've probably heard of "book tastings" for students. But have you every held one of these for your colleagues? 
This is a unique type of professional learning that can promote more learning and individual growth. 
Here's how I recently held one with my colleagues:

Read More
3 Comments

Is Face-to-Face PD Passe?

9/1/2017

2 Comments

 
Picture
Back in the day, not too long ago, the only way to receive professional development was to attend a training or workshop. No longer is that the case. Now, there are many options for us. So, with Twitter, online learning, and newer opportunities out there, is face-to-face professional development a thing of the past? As a professional development specialist, I find this an interesting question to ponder.

Read More
2 Comments

Twitter...What Have You Done for Me Lately?

4/3/2017

2 Comments

 
Picture
So you either came across this article because some gave it to you, you found it on line or you found it through Twitter! Let's talk about the power of Twitter and what it can do for you professionally. If you are already using Twitter, great! You may read this and think, "Awesome, I'm doing all of this." Or you may have some ideas that I didn't write about, so please share those with us in the comments below. Mostly, I wrote this for teachers and other educators who either aren't using Twitter at all yet or are using it a little but haven't realized the potential. 
​
Twitter, what have you done for me lately?
Gosh! So much!! I began using Twitter as a way to find support from others who are in the boat. 

Read More
2 Comments

    ​Archives

    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    May 2016


    Categories

    All
    Academic Conversations
    Academic Vocabulary
    Accommodating
    Accommodations
    Administrator
    Advocacy
    Anchor Chart
    Assumptions
    Balanced Literacy
    Beginning Of The Year
    Bloom's Taxonomy
    Book Study
    Brain Research
    Building Background
    Building Relationships
    Collaboration
    Communication
    Comprehensible Input
    Conferences
    Conferring
    Connecting With ELL Families
    Content Objectives
    Cooperative Learning
    Coteach
    CoTeacher
    Co Teaching
    Co-teaching
    Courses
    Creativity
    Critical Thinking
    CRT
    Culturally Responsive Teaching
    Curriculum
    Differentiate
    Differentiation
    Discourse
    Diverse Books
    DOL
    Ear To Ear Reading
    ELLs
    ELPS
    Empathy
    Engaging
    English Learners
    ESL
    Expression
    Fluency
    Foundations
    Four Cs
    Games
    Getting To Know Your ELLs
    GLAD
    Goal Setting
    Gradual Release
    Guided Math
    Immigrant
    Instructional
    Interactive Lecture
    Interactive Read Aloud
    Interactive Word Walls
    Language Development
    Language Level
    Language Objectives
    Language Rich
    Language Structures
    Leaders
    Learning Walks
    Lesson Planning
    Levels
    Linguistic
    Listening
    Literacy
    Maslow's Hierarchy
    Math
    Memory
    Misconceptions
    Model
    Modeling
    Native Language
    New ESL Teacher
    Nonfiction
    Observation
    Observation Charts
    Online PD
    Oral Language
    Paraprofessional Educators
    Parent Teacher Conference
    Personalized Learning
    Picture Word Inductive Model
    Planning Instruction
    PLDs
    PLN
    Primary Language
    Principals
    Procedural
    Professional Development
    Professional Learning Network
    Programs
    Q Triple S A
    Readers' Workshop
    Reading
    Reading Workshop
    Revising & Editing
    Scaffolding
    Secondary
    Sentence Patterning Chart
    Sentence Starters
    Sentence Stems
    Sheltering Instruction
    Sketchnotes
    Small Group
    Social Studies
    Somebody Wanted But So
    Structured Conversations
    Summarization
    Supporting ELLs
    SWBS
    Systematic Change
    Talk
    Talking Heads
    Teacher
    The Power Of Talk
    Toolkit
    Total Physical Response
    TPR
    Twitter
    Verbal
    Visuals
    Vocabulary
    Wait Time
    WIDA Can Do
    Workshop
    Writers' Workshop
    Writing
    Writing Workshop

    RSS Feed

    Picture
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Blog
    • Home
  • My Story
  • Infographics
  • Presentations
    • April 2019 Carson City PD
    • Garden City May 2019
  • Videos
  • Experience
  • Resources
  • Advertising Disclosure