GATESOL News www.gatesol.org
August 2009
From the President
ESOL Training in Athens, GA
Dr. Karen Kuhel, GATESOL President 2008 2009
An Adult/K-12 ESOL Workshop Dear Fellow GATESOLers, Welcome to our 2nd electronic GATESOL newsletter! SETESOL 2009 is right around the corner, and this edition contains important information such as the GATESOL Executive Board Ballot and candidate bios. Please take the time to carefully read and prepare for voting at the conference. Also, I would like to introduce Dr. Chris Scott, ESOL Program Manager, Georgia Department of Education. He is the first ever GADOE Liaison to the GATESOL Executive Board and a new contributor to our Newsletter (pg 3). His support and input will be a valuable resource, and we welcome him aboard. Karen Kuhel, Ph.D. President, GATESOL INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1
President’s Letter Looking Ahead
1
An ESOL Training Workshop in Athens A review of the Adult/K-12 Workshop.
2
A Gainesville State College Anniversary GSC hosts a successful ELL summer program.
3
Well Done! Members Share News of Accomplishments.
3
Of Interest GATESOL welcomes input from the DOE.
4
From the Vice President In Anticipation of SETESOL 2009.
4
Calendar Upcoming Events and Deadlines.
6
GATESOL Executive Board Ballot
The Athens Clarke Literacy Council and Georgia TESOL co-sponsored an ESOL Training Workshop for the first time in Athens, GA in Spring 2009. Funded by the Council’s Verizon Foundation grant and GA TESOL, this free workshop offered ESOL training for those involved or interested in promoting literacy within the community, including local teachers and volunteer instructors. Monira Silk, an ESOL teacher, and Page McCormick, an administrator, led the four-hour workshop for 26 participants. Participants’ experience included public school teaching, volunteer English language instruction, graduate/undergraduate studies, and social work. The focus of discussion was primarily on the challenge of working with multi-level language learners, lesson-planning, and accessing resources. Activities included: “Activators” such as “KWL” – what you KNOW, what you WANT to know, and what you LEARNED, as well as “Summarizers” like “3-2-1” – write the 3 most important things you learned, write 2 questions you still have, and write 1 way your new learning connects to something you already knew. Topics covered included cultural sensitivity, multilevel teaching strategies, effective planning, methods for teaching adults and pre-K – 12 students, and concepts of learning. Based on participants’ feedback, the experiences shared ESOL Training continued on page 2
Newsletter 1
ESOL Training continued from page 1
among the group through discussions provided helpful ideas for future lesson planning and classroom management. This collaboration of Athens Clarke Literacy Council and GA TESOL gave all language educators in the Northeast Georgia region the opportunity to have a forum for sharing experiences and ideas. Participants hope to see more workshops like these in the future. -Page McCormick and Monira Silk, GATESOL members, were the coordinators of this workshop in the Athens area.
Gainesville State College Celebrates the 10th Anniversary of its Steps-To-College Program! Gainesville State College Press Release Since 1999, Gainesville State College (GSC) has hosted the Steps-to-College Program (S2C) on the Gainesville Campus. The program was started by Dr. Harriett Allison, former ESL Coordinator at GSC. S2C offers classes for high school English Language Learners (ELLs) and non-native English speakers from Gainesville City, Hall County, Forsyth, Banks and Jackson Counties. Program goals include improvement of students' English language ability, preparation for high school graduation tests, and introduction to Gainesville State College and higher education. Students who successfully complete the five-week program earn high school credit. The program is funded by a private grant. Classes are taught by ESOL-endorsed high school teachers from Gainesville, Hall, Forsyth, Habersham, Fulton, Gwinnett, and Jackson counties. According to Program Director and GSC Assistant Professor of ESL Tonna HarrisBosselmann, “These teachers have experience
working with immigrant students and are very dedicated to them. The classes are challenging, and the program climate is welcoming and supportive; therefore, it's optimal for learning.” When asked about the program’s success, HarrisBosselmann said, “We work closely with the participating school systems, who report seeing great progress in the students when they return from the summer break. Furthermore, the ones who attend S2C nearly always stay in school and, ultimately, receive their high school diplomas. This is critical because of the high dropout rate in the immigrant community, particularly the Latino community. Most of our participants are Hispanic, a small number are Vietnamese, and this year, we also have a few from Korea, Russia, Estonia and Poland.” Program Coordinator and GSC Assistant Professor of ESL Karen Peters-Barker continues: “High school teachers already face enormous challenges, such as preparing all of their students for extensive yearly testing and the taking of many graduation tests. In addition to those tasks, the teachers must meet the needs of their ELLs. These particular students may be overlooked or fall through the cracks of the system, and the S2C Program is able to assist in bridging the gap between the school's requirements and the students' specific needs.” “We’re incredibly proud of this program for many reasons, one being that it keeps GSC connected with the community,” explains Harris-Bosselmann. “Moreover, it's a way to help and encourage a group of young men and women who, while possessing so much potential, face the enormous challenge of learning a new language, adapting to a new culture, and passing classes at the same time. They are a great group of kids - so eager to learn that they've chosen an academic option for the summer instead of just hanging out with their friends.” In the summer of 2009, which marked the tenth anniversary of this successful program, over 150 students participated in Steps-to-College.
Newsletter 2
Well Done! Send news of your TESOL-related accomplishments, awards, publications, presentations, and success stories to kpeters@gsc.edu. Please place GATESOL Newsletter in the subject line of your email.
Gainesville State College hosted the tenth year of Steps-To-College, a summer program for local English Language Learners.
Of Interest… Welcome! GATESOL would like to welcome Dr. Chris Scott, ESOL Program Manager at the Georgia Department of Education (GADOE), who has agreed to become the first ever GADOE Liaison to the GATESOL Executive Board. As a nonvoting liaison, he will help GATESOL remain updated on ESOL related issues at the GADOE and around the state. His knowledge and experience will also provide assistance and input regarding how our two organizations can best serve and assist one another. The Board sees this appointment as an invaluable opportunity to strengthen our ties to a very important partner.
Notes from the DOE From Dr. Chris Scott’s Office Pictured above are S2C participants.
Nihal Khote was voted TEACHER OF THE YEAR for Whitfield County (2010-2011). He is an ELL Teacher in Southeast High School, Dalton, GA, and was awarded Outstanding Graduate Student in the M.Ed. Inclusive Education: TESOL Program, Kennesaw State University, where he graduated summa cum laude in 2008. Currently, he is pursuing a Ph.D. in Language and Literacy in UGA. He is also the Region 1 Liaison for GATESOL. GATESOL would like to congratulate Sandra Mitchell, recipient of the Lindy-Lopez Butner Memorial Grant, and Dr. JoAlveta Allen (Dekalb K-12), recipient of the Beverly Benson Travel Grant. Ayanna Cooper, current Georgia TESOL vice president, recently completed her doctoral degree at Walden University. Her study focused on the perceived efficacy level of elementary ESL teachers. This research was the first of its kind in the field of teacher efficacy to focus only on ESL teachers. Congratulations, Ayanna!
Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) Title III/ ESOL provides access to the TransACT library of documents to every school district within Georgia. Since 1994, TransACT’s vision has been to provide a comprehensive set of legally-reviewed forms and notices in a wide range of languages for both native English and limited-English speaking parents. TransACT has helped thousands of K-12 educators nationwide achieve compliance with complex parent notification requirements. As part of the Georgia Title III subscription, TransACT does not provide translation of local district documents. Any district interested in such services will need to contract separately with TransACT. The subscription includes access to NCLB forms and notices, general education notices and a limited number of forms and notices for Special Education and Gifted Education. Every school district employee with a school district email address can visit www.TransACT.com and set up an individual account.
Newsletter 3
From the Editor Dear GATESOL members, As we start back to school in the midst of economic hardships for many people, let’s take the time to appreciate the relationships and community around us. I realize that news of furloughs and cutbacks in budget funds affects our overall morale, but it is important to be thankful for what we do have-our family, friends, and colleagues!
2009 SETESOL A Note from GATESOL’s Vice President Greetings GATESOL Members, The 2009 Southeast TESOL Conference is just a few weeks away! The schedule is packed with exciting plenaries, breakout sessions, exhibits, entertainment and most important, time for networking. I’d like to encourage you to take a look at the Pre-conference Institute descriptions included in this newsletter. These sessions will sell out quickly, so be sure to register for them soon!
A tentative conference schedule is also available on the website for your review. Session descriptions and information about each plenary and featured speaker will be uploaded shortly. We are so excited to have these leaders in the field of TESOL be part of this extraordinary event. Don’t miss out, get your ticket, come early, stay late, bring a friend or two, and enjoy the conference.
Dr. Ayanna Cooper Southeast TESOL Conference Chair Georgia TESOL Vice President
Here’s to the start of Fall Semester! Karen Peters-Barker, Editor
Calendar Please send important TESOL-related dates of conferences, workshops, event registrations, paper submission/proposal deadlines to kpeters@gsc.edu. Please place GATESOL Newsletter in the subject line of your email.
For those of you traveling from near or far, be sure to book your room at the Hilton Atlanta. Either online or by telephone, use our booking code TES to guarantee the conference rate of $149 per night. There is no need to sit in traffic each day; just settle into your room and relax!
Looking forward to seeing you in September,
I rely on all of our members to submit articles, photos, news of accomplishments, and important TESOL dates. Please email submissions for our next newsletter to kpeters@gsc.edu. I am looking forward to seeing all of you at SETESOL.
September 17-19, 2009: The 2009 SETESOL Conference hosted by GATESOL in Atlanta, GA. A Passion for Language and Teaching Pre-conference workshops will be offered September 16th. Updated information on hotels, program, and registration can be found on www.gatesol.org.
Listserv The listserv is for Georgia TESOL members to post news, questions, and other relevant information for other members. GATESOL is moving to a Yahoo! groups listserv. Please follow these instructions for joining the listserv. If you want to subscribe: send an email to: GeorgiaTESOL-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Note: you may be asked to sign in or register for a Yahoo! ID to access all the web features of your group.
Newsletter 4
Southeast TESOL PCI Descriptions Wednesday September 16, 2009 A Passion for Teaching: Developing and Implementing an ESOL Summer School Program
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Dual Language Education 101 Ms. Dell Perry
The Power of Writing for Language Learners, K-8
Dual Language Coordinator
Dr. Marylou McCloskey Director of Teacher Education and
Ms. Sandra Nunez ELL Studies Program Director Dekalb County Public Schools
Clayton County Schools
The summer can be an additional opportunity for ELLs to continue their English language development. This workshop will provide an overview of the process and the necessary components for an effective summer school program. Participants will learn how one school district provides this learning opportunity and discuss ways to enrich summer learning for students in their districts.
What’s all the buzz about DLE? This session will introduce participants to DLE, beginning with a theoretical overview and then delving into the nuts and bolts of how to design and implement a successful program. Participants will leave with a full understanding of what it looks like, sounds like and feels like to provide standards-based instruction while promoting fluency and literacy in two languages.
Curriculum Development, Educo, Inc.
Writing is a powerful environment for language development of English learners at all levels, providing cultural relevance, opportunities to collaborate, growth in reading comprehension, differentiation, content integration, and formative assessments. Using many examples of English learners’ writing, the presenter will outline research on the benefits of writing and the expected paths of writing development for English learners. The presenter and participants will engage in demonstrations of writing strategies for learners at a variety of levels.
Differentiating Instruction for ELLs using the Understanding by Design framework Ms. Maria Montalvo-Balbed Metro RESA Director of ELL Programs
Understanding by Design (Wiggins and McTighe, 2006) serves as a supporting framework for differentiating instruction for English language learners. How we differentiate instruction in the mainstream classroom is key to providing access to the academic language of the content area. In this workshop, participants will come away with the MRESA ELL Planning Tool which will help them plan instruction with the end in mind.
Lunch on your own 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Strategies for Effective Interaction in the Classroom Dr. Susan K Spezzini Assistant Professor of ELL Education University of Alabama at Birmingham
Participants will experience interactive peer-to-peer oral techniques (IPOTs) that promote comprehensible output among ELLs of all ages. Such IPOTs include gap-filling tango, turn & tell, discovery channel, carousel charts, concentric circles, parallel lines, roaming reporters, and hot onion review.
Writing for Publication Dr. Hema Ramanathan
Associate Professor of Education University of West Georgia
You teach this wonderful lesson that you want to share. But how do you write it up for publication in a journal? This workshop will set you on your way. Come with an outline for an article, an idea, or just a desire to see your name in print.
Passionate Advocacy in ESL Teaching and Learning
Introduction to the WIDA English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards Ms. Maureen Keithley
Ms. Tonna Harris-Bosselmann
WIDA Professional Development Consultant
GATESOL Socio-Political Concerns Interest Section; Gainesville State College
The session begins with an update of current national and state legislation impacting ELLs and immigrants living in the U.S. Panelists discuss various forms of advocacy in the areas of K-12, higher education, adult education and immigrant rights in general. Participants work in groups to identify issues and develop their own plans of advocacy.
GATESOL News 5
This session will provide an overview of the WIDA English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards. In addition, the presenter will demonstrate how these ELP Standards can be used to build collaboration between ESL and content teachers, while at the same time, allowing ELLs to have access to the same curriculum, instruction and assessment.
2009-2010 GATESOL EXECUTIVE BOARD ELECTIONS *Candidate Bios can be found on the next page Voting will take place at the GATESOL general meeting at the SE Regional Conference on Sept. 19. Position
Affiliation*
First Vice-President (2010 Conference Chair) Heather Boldt
Write In ___________________________
Second Vice-President (Membership Chair) Julie (Garrison) Elmore
Write In ___________________________
Secretary Karen Peters-Barker
Barrow County Schools
Gainesville State College
Write In ___________________________
Treasurer Celeste Hentz-Gilmore
Clayton County Schools
Dell Perry-Giles
Emory University
Clayton County Schools
Write In ___________________________
Member at Large – 2 year term -- VOTE FOR 4 Liz Bigler
Nihal Khote
Seigakuin Atlanta International School Whitfield County Schools
Harvey Oaxaca
Fulton County Schools
Dr. Chang Pu
Berry College
Dr. Jacqueline Saindon
Gainesville State College
Dr. Paula J. Mellom
Write In ___________________________
UGA Center for Latino Achievement and Success in Education
Write In ___________________________
GATESOL News 6
Candidate Bios
1st Vice President Heather Boldt Heather Boldt teaches graduate level oral communication and academic writing at Emory University. Her prior experience includes teaching in the Intensive English Program at Georgia State University, teaching English and German at the GoetheInstitute Atlanta, and teaching business English for various companies, such as Coca-Cola, the Ritz Carlton, and Kuehne & Nagle. In addition to her role as a member-at-large (2nd year) on the GATESOL executive board, she is currently serving as program chair for the SE TESOL Regional Conference 2009. In her first year as a member-at-large, she served as awards chair and volunteered for various other committees.
2nd Vice President Julie (Garrison) Elmore Julie Elmore currently serves as the English Language Learner Support specialist for Barrow County Schools and an ESOL Endorsement course instructor for Northeast Georgia RESA. Prior to serving in this capacity, Julie taught ESOL in grades K-5 at Auburn Elementary in Barrow County. Julie’s undergraduate degree is in Middle Grades Education from the University of Georgia. In 2005, she achieved National Board Certification in English as a New Language, and in 2007 completed her master’s degree in Educational Administration and Policy at UGA. She has traveled with the university to Mexico, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua to study culture and educational systems. Julie considers the opportunity to serve as Second Vice President on the GATESOL board an exciting challenge and a great honor.
Secretary Karen Peters-Barker
Karen Peters-Barker received her M.A. in Applied Linguistics/TESOL from Georgia State University. She is currently an Assistant Professor of ESL at Gainesville State College and is also the newsletter editor for GATESOL. For the past three years, she has served as Program Coordinator for Steps-To-College, a summer program that benefits ELLs from Gainesville and its surrounding areas.
Treasurer Celeste Hentz Celeste Hentz is a School Improvement Specialist for Clayton County Schools. She is currently the GATESOL Treasurer.
Dell Perry Dell Perry-Giles has been a member of GATESOL since 2004 and has served as Program Chair, Conference Chair, President, Past President, and member of the President’s Advisory Board. Dell received her M.S. in Applied Linguistics from Georgia State University in 1997 and has been working as a Georgia ESOL professional since then teaching students in middle school and adults in various ESOL Endorsement programs. In 2008, she was awarded the GATESOL Professional Service Award for her role in founding Unidos Dual Language Charter School, Georgia’s first public dual language school. Dell is currently completing her Ph.D. in Language Education from the University of Georgia.
GATESOL News 7 Candidate Bios continued on page 8
Candidate Bios continued from page 7
Candidate Bios
Member-At-Large (2 year term) Liz Bigler
Liz Bigler began teaching English after moving to Japan in 1990, after working as a theater technician in her "former life." After returning to the U.S., she completed a master’s degree in Applied Linguistics/ESL at Georgia State University. Since then, she has taught English to both adults and children in various settings in the Atlanta area. Liz has taught at Seigakuin Atlanta International School for over 10 years and enjoys implementing aspects of theater and TPR Storytelling in her classroom.
Nihal Khote
Nihal Khote teaches ESOL Sheltered Language Arts at Southeast High School in Dalton. He has a BA in English and a BS in Secondary English Education. He received his MAT in TESOL degree from Kennesaw State University and is currently working on his doctorate in Language and Literacy at the University of Georgia. While in his MAT program, Nihal received the prestigious University Scholar’s Award. Currently, he is Whitfield County’s teacher of the year and has been active in GATESOL as Region 1 Liaison.
Harvey Oaxaca
F.J. “Harvey” Oaxaca is originally from Texas where he began his career in education teaching newcomer ESOL in Austin before moving to Atlanta. He currently works as a Middle School Graduation Coach in Fulton County. During his eight years in public school education, Harvey has taught newcomer to advanced levels of ESOL as well as adult ESOL and professional development courses for secondary teachers. He obtained his Master’s degree from Georgia State University in Applied Linguistics/ESL and his Educational Leadership certification from the University of Georgia. He hopes that his passion for education and teaching will help language learners be as successful as possible in all that they strive to accomplish.
Chang Pu Dr. Chang Pu is an assistant professor of teacher education (ESOL) at Berry College and director of ESOL Endorsement Program at Berry College. Her teaching and research interests include language minority education (heritage language education, ESL, and bilingual education), second language teaching and learning, classroom-based research in language and literacy development, and language teacher preparation. She also closely works with ESOL teachers at local K-12 schools to improve ESL services for ESL students and their families.
Jacqueline Saindon
Dr. Jackie Saindon has taught ESOL in community, university, and community college settings. She actively participates in professional organizations through writing, presenting at conferences, and in social advocacy. She has been actively engaged in community organizations, is president of the Athens-Clarke Literacy Council and served on the Clarke County Board of Education for 8 years. Jackie is currently teaching ESL learning support classes at Gainesville State College.
Paula J. Mellom Dr. Paula J. Mellom has over 20 years of experience teaching ESOL both in the United States and abroad. She has been an elementary classroom teacher, director and teacher of an adult English language program and a professor of rhetoric and composition for university students whose first language is not English. Before beginning her doctoral work in linguistics (specializing in second language acquisition in the classroom) at the University of Georgia, Dr. Mellom lived and taught in Costa Rica for 10 years. Her research interests include code-switching in the classroom and the ways in which globalization and issues of identity construction impact language acquisition and use. She is currently a faculty member of UGA’s Center for Latino Achievement and Success in Education (CLASE) where she works with pre and in-service teachers. In addition, Dr. Mellom leads a summer science enrichment course for ELL high-school students, and she teaches a study abroad course held in Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
GATESOL News 8
GATESOL News 9