September 17, 2007

Up, Up and Away...English Language Learners Find Success in SPPS

By Betsy Mowry , Special to the TC Daily Planet

The Saint Paul Public Schools district (SPPS) has the largest enrollment of English Language Learners (ELL) in the state of Minnesota, with 40% of all students receiving ELL services. St. Paul's ELL students have tested higher on the Test of Emerging Academic English than students in the rest of the state for three years. They have also narrowed the math and reading achievement gaps between ELL and non-ELL students in St. Paul each year.

Read the entire article.

The Twin Cities Daily Planet, a project of the Twin Cities Media Alliance, is a community newswire and syndication service showcasing the best work of the neighborhood and community press, as well as work by Twin Cities independent journalists and the voices of engaged citizens.

How Do You Say Minnesotan?

The answer is more varied than you might think. While the overall number of Twin Cities households has risen 8% since 2000, the percentage of homes speaking languages other than English has soared 19%.

BY DAVID HANNERS
Pioneer Press

Article Last Updated: 09/12/2007 11:03:08 PM CDT

The high school students in Carol Quest's classroom are handling a thorny problem: When do you use "a" versus "an"?

"I'm going to write the word on the board, and you have to say if it's (prefaced by) a or an," Quest tells the 13 students in her English as a Second Language class at International Academy-LEAP, a public school in St. Paul's Midway neighborhood.

Read the entire article.

Refusal Forms

Further clarification.  Two of the following forms are available from the Student Placement Center and two are available from your TOSA:

Forms from Placement:

• The Language Academy Refusal Form:  This form is for  students who are eligible for LA but do not wish to participate in the program.  It is signed once and is valid from year to year.  Parents can change this form at will.  It is typically signed at the Student Placement Center. 
  

• English Language Center Refusal Form: This form is for  students who are eligible for ELC but do not wish to participate in the program.   It is signed once and is valid from year to year.  Parents (and students 18+) can change this form at will. It is typically signed at the Student Placement Center.
  

Forms from your TOSA:

• The ELL Service Refusal Form:  This form is only valid for one year.  District staff  should contact their TOSA for more information.  Parents can change this form at will.
  
  ELL Service Refusal Forms should be distributed by request only and are not valid until the signed copy has been received by Bonnie Lawrence (bonnie.lawrence@spps.org) at the Student Placement Center.

• ELL Test Refusal Form:  This form is used by parents who do not wish to have their children participate in ELL testing.  Please keep in mind that NCLB requires 95% participation in ELL testing.  A few students refusing testing may be enough to put small schools on AYP for test participation.  Please explain this to parents requesting their students not participate in ELL testing.
  

Database of Award-winning Children's Books

Check out this website:  http://www.dawcl.com/introduction.html  It's a database of award-winning children's books.  You can search it by basically any criteria you can imagine - setting, gender of protagonist, ethnicity of protagonist, etc.

Got Pics?

Got a picture to share?  Send them to your TOSA for possible inclusion...

Substitute ELL Teachers

If you know of any great substitute teachers, please send their name(s), licensure, and any contact information you have to (anh.tran@spps.org).

TQE Grant Request for Secondary Cooperating Teachers

Many of you may have already heard from Laura Mogelson (laura.mogelson@spps.org) regarding the opportunity to host a TQE student teacher in the spring.  If so, some this information may be a repeat for you.  A TQE fellow may be contacting you about doing a field experience in your classroom. 

As part of the Teacher Preparation Programs at St. Thomas, students are required to have a sequence of in-school field experiences. The students are St. Paul District employees and enrolled in the Teacher Quality Enhancement (TQE) federal grant earning an ESL license at the University of St. Thomas. The students may be completing the Curriculum and Instruction Field Experience at your school.

The Curriculum and Instruction Field Experience is the final 30 hour field experience in a classroom setting prior to student teaching. It provides an opportunity to look at curriculum and instructional strategies used by the teacher. The TQE students are asked to observe, work with small groups of children, and have an opportunity to plan and teach a lesson to the entire class. 

To assist you and the TQE student in planning a focused field experience, the standards of effective practice and suggested activities would be provided for your use (it's a short double-sided form). Upon completion of the thirty hours, you would review the standards with the student, noting completed items with comments as necessary; then on the reverse side of the form, you would comment on the TQE student’s development in teaching, both strengths and areas for improvement.

Thank you for considering a TQE student for this field experience placement. We greatly appreciate your participation in its process.  Field experiences are not paid, unfortunately. 

REMINDER:  Language Through Content & Collaboration Professional Learning

Please discuss this with  option with your mainstream colleagues. 

ELL is offering a professional learning experience on teaching language through content and collaboration at the secondary level.  Participants will understand the benefits for ELL students in teaching language through content as well as the benefits and challenges of collaboration.  Use PDExpress to register for this exciting experience.  There are two options available.

Option 1:  One full day and 3 afternoons:

• September: Full Day (Sept. 12) 8:30-3:30 Collaboration
• September: 1 Afternoon (Sept. 19) 3:30-6:30 LTC
• October: 2 Afternoons (Oct. 10, 24) 3:30-6:30 LTCC

Option 2:  Three day plan:

• September: 1 full day (Sept. 20) 8:30-3:30 Collaboration
• October: 1 full day (Oct.17) 8:30-3:30 LTCC
• November: 1 full day  (Nov. 7) 8:30-3:30 LTCC

Spotlight:  Bruce F. Vento

Each week for the coming few weeks, we are planning to spotlight on Dual Language Programs.  Since the programs each vary slightly, we thought it might be a good idea to explain them.  This week, we highlight Bruce F. Vento.

The dual immersion program at Bruce Vento Elementary is designed to encourage and support English dominant, Spanish dominant, and bilingual students to fully develop into bilingual and bi-literate individuals.  At the same time they acquire English or Spanish as a second language students will also attain a more complete understanding of their first language. 

The program began in 2006 with grades K-2.  Each year a grade level will be added until the program reaches sixth grade in 2010.  Students enrolled in the dual immersion program will first learn how to read and write in their dominant language while they learn or improve their oral vocabulary skills in the other language.  Beginning in second grade students learn to read and write in the second language as they continue to develop their fluency and literacy skills in the dominant.  In grades 3-6 students will have the opportunity to study all subjects in both languages. 

Bruce F. Vento Website

Muslims, Jews Entering Sacred Season

Jews began observing Rosh Hashanah at sundown Wednesday. Local Muslims begin Ramadan today. The convergence of the two sacred holidays is a rare event.

By Allie Shah, Star Tribune

Last update: September 12, 2007 – 9:53 PM

Read the entire story

Refugee Camp in the Heart of the City Event

On September 27-30, 2007, Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) hopes to bring an understanding of the refugee experience to the people of the Twin Cities. Their display, "A Refugee Camp in the Heart of the City," is free and open to the general public.

http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/education/refugeecamp/home/
 
Tour information    
"A Refugee Camp in the Heart of the City" is located in Loring Park, in downtown Minneapolis. The exhibit will take place from Thursday September 27 through Sunday, September 30 from 9:00am - 5:30pm daily.
 
About the exhibit    
Aid workers from Doctors Without Borders will guide visitors through the camp exhibit, explaining the challenges of building shelter, finding food and clean water, and handling waste disposal - all basic elements of survival for refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs). In the nutrition tent, visitors learn about the special therapeutic foods used to combat malnutrition. Tours of the health clinic, vaccination tent, and cholera treatment center demonstrate how the organization provides basic health care and controls epidemics in refugee settings.
 
An estimated 33 million people around the world have been forced to flee their homes and live in temporary shelter, with nearly two-thirds of them displaced within their own countries. The exhibit is made up of actual materials used by Doctors Without Borders in its medical humanitarian work aroundthe world. The exhibit will highlight the plight of the millions of people currently displaced by conflict in places like Sudan, Colombia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as Thailand (Hmong refugees) and Somalia - where the majority of Minnesota's refugees originate.
 
If you are planning to come with a group of 20 or more, scheduling of a group visit is required. You can schedule a group visit by calling 1-800-490-0773, or by using the online submission form. Individuals are welcome without reservations.

Sixth Annual Hmong Resource Fair

Saturday, September 29, 2007
10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Aldrich Arena
1850 White Bear Avenue North
Maplewood, MN 55109-3799
website

Zoo siab txais tos! Welcome to the Hmong Resource Fair! We are the Fair that brings health, education, employment, housing and a variety of other resources to you every year. Hmong Resource Fair is committed to providing opportunities and a source of networking with local and national organizations for the community. Through strong partnerships and sponsorships, and the support of our community, Hmong Resource Fair works to make many informational resources free and accessible to the Hmong community and the public.

Join us as we hit off this year with a bigger, more resourceful and fun-filled event!

Minnesota Human Rights Week 2007 (Sept 30 - Oct.  6)

Every year millions of innocent people fall victim to the abuse of their own human rights. Occurring in a world where everyone is born free and equal, this goes against the basic rights and freedoms to which we are all entitled.

Minnesota Human Rights Week is dedicated to distinguishing human rights by educating individuals on what they can do to help put a stop to the causes of human rights violations.

Throughout Minnesota Human Rights Week, numerous organizations will be hosting educational events and seminars devoted to raising human rights awareness and getting more people involved in supporting a cause that will affect and improve the lives of innocent people around the world.

Understanding Somalia:  An Interactive Workshop

Instructor: Dr. Cawo Abdi, Department of Sociology, University of Minnesota

This workshop is intended for K-14 teachers to give them a better picture of Somalia's recent history and current issues. The two-hour session will include a brief lecture, further reading resources for teachers, and tools for teaching about Somalia and Africa. There will be time for teachers to ask questions and share curriculum and lesson plans.

Understanding Somalia will take place during the Somali Family Resource Conference (registration site), hosted by Somali Family Services of Minnesota, and SFF encourages teachers to attend the full day conference.  The conference aims to bring members of the Twin Cities communities together to promote understanding and inter-cultural exchange in the Somali community.

Conference Keynote Address (noon): "Sister Schools: Minnesota and Somalia" by Mohamud Hamud of Puntland State University, Garowe, Somalia.  For more information about the Somali Family Resources Conference, please visit http://www.ussfs.org.
 
WORKSHOP DATE:  Wednesday, October 24
TIME:     1PM - 3PM (Workshop Only); Somali Family Resource Conference 9AM - 4PM
LOCATION:    Room L3000 Minneapolis Community and Technical College
COST:    FREE - this workshop is funded by the Institute for Global Studies' Title VI grant and Somali Family Services of Minnesota
CREDIT:    Teachers earn 2 CEUs. Academic credit not available.
REGISTER:    http://igs.cla.umn.edu/outreach/registration.html