Category: Multilingual Learning

Laura Wittmann Named 2023 ESOL Teacher of the Year

Educators for a Multilingual Maine (EMME) has announced that Laura Wittmann has been named the 2023 English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Teacher of the Year. The honor was bestowed upon Ms. Wittmann by Stephanie Carbonneau, EMME President, at the organization’s annual conference. This year’s conference was co-hosted by the Department of Linguistics at the University of Southern Maine in Portland.

Ms. Wittmann was nominated for this recognition based on her demonstration of best practices in teaching English, her participation in professional growth, and her service to students and the school district. In her role as the ELL District coordinator for Bangor Schools, she advocates for students and their families, by connecting them to social and cultural activities in the community as well as connecting them to social workers and local volunteer groups who facilitate social and medical services.

Ms. Wittmann is also a teacher at William S. Cohen School and Mary Snow School. In the classroom, she works to relate her students’ background knowledge to the curriculum content, in order to ensure that the students can access the material at the same level as their peers, regardless of their level of English proficiency. She feels that “as a Maine ESOL teacher, (she) love(s) to help students find their voices and tell their stories (in English), and create bridges between their respective home languages and cultures, and their new identities as Mainers.”

Educators for a Multilingual Maine (EMME) is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to promote and improve the teaching and study of languages and cultures of the world. EMME also strives to further the common interests of teachers, students and others in the state of Maine, for whom languages play an important role. EMME was formerly known as FLAME, the Foreign Language Association of Maine. Learn more about EMME at http://www.emmaine.org.

Maine Department of Education Defines Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE)

The Office of English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Programs and Bilingual Programs has released a state definition of a Student with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE). This is a student who meets the following criteria:

  1. Is a multilingual learner;
  2. Has an English language proficiency level (as measured by WIDA assessments) of level 2.0 or below for students in grades 2-3 or level 2.5 or below for students in grades 4-12;
  3. Is at least eight years old; and
  4. Has experienced at least one of the following:
    1. No formal schooling
    2. Interruptions in formal schooling (defined as two or more re-enrollments or two years or more less schooling than typical peers)
    3. Consistent but limited formal schooling outside the United States; and/or
    4. Functions at two or more years below expected grade level in native language literacy and/or math skills relative to typical peers

For the past two and a half years, members of the Maine Department of Education (DOE), the Multilingual Learner Advisory Committee (MLAC), Support Ed, and Agora Learning, have been developing this definition to be specific and easily applied and understood.

Support Ed provided four webinars on SLIFE characteristics and general needs, resources and strategies for serving SLIFE, graduation and post-secondary education guidance and opportunities, and a wealth of resources for educators to refer to. Recordings of webinars are archived here: https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/multilinguallearner/p

A padlet of SLIFE resources can be found here: https://padlet.com/diane30/maine-department-of-education-supporting-students-with-limit-a2eouyixynryahtm?utm_source=Padlet.

Agora Learning and Support Ed are continuing their work to develop a SLIFE screener to be used by our Maine school districts. Maine DOE will be developing a SLIFE guidance manual and additional professional learning opportunities that will support districts to identify SLIFE and develop SLIFE programming.

If you have questions regarding the Maine DOE SLIFE definition, please contact:

Rebecca Carey: rebecca.carey@maine.gov

Robin Fleck: robin.fleck@maine.gov

Report on Bilingual Education in Maine Now Available

Bilingual education, including language immersion programs, offer exciting and impactful interdisciplinary learning opportunities for students. Research shows that developing proficiency in two or more languages has cognitive, educational, economic, and sociocultural benefits.

In response to interest in developing bilingual programs from a variety of schools across the state, the Maine Department of Education launched the Multilingual Education Task Force (METF) in May of 2022. Over 100 educators and community members came together to learn about bilingual education and to provide the Department with recommendations to inform its plan for promoting bilingual programs and supporting interested schools. The Department would like to express its sincere appreciation to METF participants for their contributions to this important work.

The Multilingual Education Task Force Report compiles participants’ recommendations and offers a road map of action steps for the Department. Educators and community members who would like to pursue the development of a bilingual program in their school are encouraged to contact April Perkins, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) & Bilingual Programs Specialist, at april.perkins@maine.gov.

New Seal of Biliteracy Awarding Process 

The Maine Seal of Biliteracy is an award that recognizes student achievement in language learning. This award highlights the value of multilingualism and gives students an edge for their post-secondary studies and/or future careers. Starting this school year, schools will be able to award the Seal of Biliteracy to students directly, without submitting an application to the Maine Department of Education.  

Each participating school will designate a local Seal of Biliteracy Coordinator, who will have several key responsibilities. Full details about the process and requirements are included in the new Maine Seal of Biliteracy Coordinator Guide. We are hopeful that these changes will increase accessibility to the Seal of Biliteracy and make the process easier and more streamlined for students and their teachers.  

If you are a student who would like to earn the Seal of Biliteracy, but your school is not yet participating in this award, or if you have any other questions about the Seal, contact April Perkins, ESOL & Bilingual Programs Specialist/ Maine Seal of Biliteracy Coordinator at april.perkins@maine.gov  

Professional Learning Opportunity: Teacher Leaders – Planning with the WIDA English Language Development Standards

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teachers, coordinators/directors, Ed Techs, tutors, and instructional coaches are invited to join the Maine Department of Education and WIDA for a hybrid workshop on planning with the WIDA English Language Development (ELD) Standards!

This hybrid workshop is designed to support ESOL educators in providing local professional development and support for using the WIDA ELD Standards Framework (2020 edition) to plan instruction at the unit level. This workshop is for you if you can answer “yes” to any of these questions:

  • Have you been asked to provide professional development about the WIDA ELD Standards Framework (2020 edition) to educators in your school or district?
  • Do you engage in co-planning with content/classroom educators on a regular basis?
  • Do you have experience evaluating and/or designing content lessons and units?
  • Do you have a strong background in the WIDA Standards system and in working with multilingual learners?

Participants who complete the workshop will receive an invitation to join a consortium-wide pilot community of practice with quarterly activities and collaborative online discussions.

There will be a live virtual session on 11/30/22 from 3-4pm, followed by an in-person workshop on 12/6/22 from 9am-3pm in Augusta. Register here.

If you have any questions about this professional learning opportunity, contact April Perkins, ESOL & Bilingual Programs Specialist, at april.perkins@maine.gov or (207)441-9043.

Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE) Virtual Professional Development Sessions

The Maine Department of Education and SupportEd are partnering up to provide K-12 Maine educators with four free virtual professional development sessions focusing on Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE).

  • Zoom – Conveniently join all virtual PD sessions online via Zoom.
  • Maine Educators – Virtual PD sessions are intended for all Maine teachers grades K-12.
  • 2-hour Sessions – Sessions will last two hours with time to apply strategies included.

SupportEd’s vision is to reimagine the landscape of education for Multilingual Learners (MLs). Specializing in Multilingual Learners (MLs), SupportEd meticulously crafts personalized solutions to fit every partners’ strengths and goals. SupportEd provides educators and administrators with the expertise and resources to help champion the success of MLs within and beyond the classroom. The SupportEd team is comprised of nationally recognized Multilingual Learner experts, best-selling authors, and accomplished researchers — all with extensive experience working in the classroom and/or district.

Download a flyer

Culturally Responsive Teaching and Social Emotional Learning for SLIFE

Thursday, September 22 | 3:00 pm

During this two-hour session, participants will develop an understanding of culturally responsive teaching and social emotional learning for SLIFE. SupportEd will lead participants in defining SLIFE and their characteristics and exploring strategies and tools for creating a culturally responsive school climate that includes social emotional learning practices for SLIFE. Time will also be provided to apply the tools and strategies to their class and school communities.

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Effective Instruction of SLIFE  

Thursday, October 20 | 3:00 pm

During this two-hour session, participants will develop an understanding of effective instruction for SLIFE. SupportEd will lead participants in exploring a framework for effective instruction of SLIFE and discussing strategies for supporting SLIFE engagement with and understanding of content learning. Time will also be provided to set goals for supporting the academic needs of SLIFE in all classrooms and schools.

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Supporting SLIFE Family and Community Engagement 

Thursday, November 17 | 3:00 pm

During this two-hour session, participants will develop an understanding of how to support SLIFE family and community engagement. SupportEd will lead participants in defining the importance of engaging SLIFE families and community in learning and exploring strategies for partnering with SLIFE families and expanding community collaboration in support of students. Time will also be provided to plan for partnering with SLIFE families and expanding community collaboration.

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Supporting Graduation and Post-Secondary Success of SLIFE  

Thursday, December 15 | 3:00 pm

During this two-hour session, participants will develop an understanding of how to support the graduation and post-secondary success of SLIFE. SupportEd will lead participants in discussing barriers and solutions related to graduation and post-secondary success for SLIFE and explore strategies for supporting graduation and post-secondary success of SLIFE. Time will also be provided to apply strategies to plan for implementing strategies for supporting graduation and post-secondary success of SLIFE.

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New Guidance on Multilingual Learners with Disabilities

A new guidance manual is now available on Identifying and Serving Multilingual Learners with Disabilities. The appropriate and accurate identification of students who are multilingual learners (MLs) with disabilities is a complex process requiring a team approach. Under- and overidentification of MLs for special education and related services is a persistent challenge nationwide.

The manual was developed through the collaboration of Maine Department of Education Special Services and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) staff members. We are hopeful that this guidance will provide educators with the information and resources they need to make the most appropriate determinations for students.

Please join us for an overview on September 19th at 3:00pm to learn how this guide can support your work with students who are MLs. Register here.

For a deeper dive into different sections of the manual, we are also offering the following series of trainings, and we encourage both ESOL and Special Education staff to attend.

For those who cannot attend, all sessions will be recorded and archived on the Maine DOE YouTube channel for viewing at your convenience. If you have any questions, contact April Perkins, ESOL & Bilingual Programs Specialist, at april.perkins@maine.gov.

Virtual Professional Learning Community to Support Educators in Engaging Multilingual Newcomers

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is pleased to invite educators to participate in a virtual Professional Learning Community (PLC) which will develop participants’ understanding about the needs of multilingual newcomers, creating a collegial community of support, as well as practices for engaging newcomers for success in the classroom.

This PLC is based on the WIDA eLearning course “Engaging Multilingual Newcomers,” available through the WIDA Secure Portal.  All Maine public school teachers are eligible for a free Secure Portal account by contacting WIDA Client Services. Each PLC session will address one module of the course, which participants will complete before each PLC session.

See the list of PLC sessions below for dates and topics of focus. Sessions will be held from 3:00-4:00pm on Mondays on the dates listed below. Participants should plan to attend all sessions in the series, to the extent possible. Contact hours will be available for participation in the sessions.

The workshops will be facilitated by Rebecca Carey, Maine DOE ESOL Consultant. If you have any questions, contact Rebecca at rebecca.carey@maine.gov.

Register HERE to receive the Zoom link.

Date Topics
Session 1 Monday, September 26, 2022 Engaging Multilingual Newcomers: The Social and Emotional Needs of Newcomers

 
Session 2 Monday, October 3, 2022 Engaging Multilingual Newcomers: Building Collegial Relationships
Session 3 Monday, October 17, 2022 Engaging Multilingual Newcomers: Exploring Instructional Strategies for Multilingual Newcomers

 

 

Free Micro-Credentials and UCLA Graduate Credits on Teaching Multilingual Learners: Information Session on 9.14.22

The Maine Department of Education invites educators of multilingual learners (MLs) to participate in an exciting new professional learning program called ExcEL Leadership Academy, which offers free micro-credentials on many ML-related topics. Whether you’re a classroom teacher who is new to teaching MLs, an experienced ESOL teacher, an administrator, or other educator, you can enhance your practice with one or more targeted micro-credentials.

Join ExcEL Director Laureen Avery and April Perkins, Maine DOE ESOL & Bilingual Programs Specialist, for an information session on 9.14.22 at 3pm. Register here.

Funded through the US Department of Education, ExcEL Leadership Academy is not only totally free to participants, but they also receive a $250 stipend for each micro-credential they complete and can even earn free graduate credit through UCLA!

ExcEL makes professional learning accessible wherever you are located and meets your individualized needs. Here are some key facts about the program:

  • Micro-credentials are competency-based.
  • You can choose to participate in just one, a few, or all of the offerings!
  • You work at your own pace and in your own classroom.
  • You learn about (and implement) best practices with your existing students. Implementation is integrated into what you are already doing.
  • Participants join a peer network with members from across New England, creating opportunities to learn with and from other teachers.
  • The program is self-paced and flexible – with lots of support and options.

To learn more about participants experiences with ExcEL Leadership Academy, check out this video (13:05) featuring the voices of ExcEL teachers in Rhode Island (or this shorter version [1:24]).

For more information or to participate please reach out by email to avery@gseis.ucla.edu.

 

Professional Learning Series: Learn about the WIDA English Language Development Standards for Multilingual Learners 

Are you a classroom or content area teacher with multilingual learners (MLs) in your classroom? If you’re looking to enhance your practice, the WIDA English Language Development (ELD) Standards are a great place to start. The ELD Standards are the essential foundation for providing effective instruction for MLs. 

Join April Perkins, ESOL & Bilingual Programs Specialist, for a statewide virtual professional learning community (PLC) to support you in integrating this standards framework into your practice. See dates and topics below. All PLC sessions will be from 3:30-4:30pm. To receive the Zoom link for each session, click on the links in the Module/Topic column. 

The PLC will be centered around the WIDA self-paced eWorkshop WIDA ELD Standards Framework: A Collaborative Approach. Participants will complete each module in advance of the session. In order to access the eWorkshop, you will need a free WIDA Secure Portal account, which you can obtain by contacting WIDA Client Services at 1-866-276-7735.  

If you have any questions, contact April Perkins at april.perkins@maine.gov.  

Date  Module/Topic 
9.20.22  Module 1: Connect Current Knowledge and Practices to the WIDA ELD Standards Framework 
10.18.22  Module 2: Integrate Student Assets into Content Learning 
11.8.22  Module 3: Focus on Key Language Uses 
12.13.22  Module 4: Identify Language Expectations Within a Unit 
1.17.23  Module 5: Put Language Expectations into Action 
2.28.23  Module 6: Plan for Language Growth Over Time