As you may know, Ellevation gives five $2,000 scholarships to deserving English learners every year. On this episode, we talk with Take the Pledge Scholarship winner Paola Martinez. Paola graduated from high school in Soledad, California and is currently studying business administration at the University of California Irvine. Like our other scholarship winners, Paola brings an important student perspective to Highest Aspirations. Listeners will appreciate her sincere reflection of her experience...
Dec 17, 2019•29 min•Season 3Ep. 21
Have you ever avoided calling someone by name for fear of mispronouncing it? Have you given students nicknames to make it easier for you and fellow students to address them? How can mispronouncing, altering, or altogether changing students’ names affect their personal, educational, and social trajectories? Why is it important to change the narrative around names that some might consider difficult to pronounce and what can we do to begin? We discuss these topics and much more with N’Jameh Camara....
Dec 10, 2019•46 min•Season 3Ep. 16
What are some misconceptions about dyslexia and how do they affect English learners? What are some strategies educators can use to help identify dyslexia in English learners? How does family engagement come into play once a student is diagnosed with dyslexia and what challenges might emerge with families of English learners? We discuss these questions and much more in our conversation with Dr. Kelli Sandman-Hurley. Kelli Sandman-Hurley, Ed.D. is an author and co-founder of the Dyslexia Training ...
Dec 03, 2019•34 min•Season 3Ep. 15
Michelle Benegas, of Hamline University and the ELM Project dropped by to talk about site-based EL teacher leadership, the evolving (and elevated) role of the EL teachers, and how Ellevation is serving as a conduit for conversations about EL progress. Learn more about EL teacher leadership and professional development by listening to our full interview with Michelle and her colleague Amy Stolpestad ....
Nov 26, 2019•6 min
Dr. Yue Vang, Director of the Office of Multilingual Learning at St. Paul Schools in Minnesota stopped by the booth to discuss equity for multilingual learners, a collective approach to EL education, and how the new ESSA regulations might make a positive impact for EL programs
Nov 26, 2019•6 min
Kristina Robertson, EL Program Administrator at Roseville Public Schools in Minnesota, chatted with us about the our collective responsibility to educate English learners, how ESSA might helping support teachers who work with ELs, and her favorite features of Ellevation for both administrators and teachers.
Nov 26, 2019•8 min
Laura Gardner of Immigrant Connections stopped by to discuss the ABC’s of family engagement, looking at EL students holistically, and a new awareness of what it means to create a welcoming environment for EL students and their families. For more on family and community engagement strategies, check out our full interview with Laura .
Nov 26, 2019•6 min
David Holbrook of TransACT stopped by our booth at the WIDA Conference in Providence, RI to talk about the impact of ESSA on EL programs, shifts from Title 3 into Title 1, and family engagement. You can read David's bio and find his recent contributions on TransACT's website . To learn more about ESSA's impact on English learners, be sure to listen to our full podcast episode David Holbrook and Ellevation's President and co-founder Teddy Rice....
Nov 26, 2019•8 min
What are civil rights of English learners and how can schools sometimes unintentionally violate them? How can civil rights issues affect EL reclassification rates, access to advanced courses, and more? Why do violations happen and how can schools avoid them? We discuss these questions and more with Dr. Ayanna Cooper. Dr. Ayanna Cooper is an author, keynote speaker and advocate for culturally and linguistically diverse learners. She is the author of Creating and Sustaining Equitable Schools with ...
Nov 19, 2019•33 min•Season 3Ep. 13
How might a conceptual framework help educators better communicate around EL program management, instructional practices, and more? How can using a framework encourage educators to assess their practice and identify where they can improve? What benefits does all this have for multilingual learners? We discuss these questions and much more with Ellevation’s own Adam Howard. Adam is currently a project manager here at Ellevation Education, where he works with school districts across the country to...
Oct 29, 2019•38 min•Season 3Ep. 10
How does growing up in a diverse community impact the educational outcome of English learners? What kinds of learning experiences have the most impact on diverse learners? What advice would a recent high school graduate and former English learner give to students facing similar challenges? We discuss these questions and much more in our conversation with Take the Pledge scholarship winner Camila Garcia. Camila recently began studying English at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign afte...
Oct 15, 2019•20 min•Season 3Ep. 9
What does the research say about the benefits of bringing teachers of color into our classrooms? Are teacher licensure exams creating barriers to enter the teaching profession - particularly for teachers of color? How might alternatives like community based assessments help bring in more aspiring teachers of color? We discuss these questions and much more with Emery Petchauer. Emery Petchauer is an associate professor in the Department of Teacher Education at Michigan State University. His resea...
Oct 08, 2019•30 min•Season 2Ep. 9
What is translanguaging and how does it affect language learning and pedagogy? What are the implications of language loss in both school and home environments? What kind of support do teachers of multilingual learners need most as they progress through their careers? We discuss these questions and much more in part 2 of our 2 part conversation with Dr. Sera Hernandez of San Diego State University. Dr. Hernandez teaches university courses on multilingual education, bilingualism, biliteracy, langu...
Oct 01, 2019•24 min•Season 3Ep. 7
What has changed in bilingual teacher education over the last 5-10 years and how have those changes affected the field? How have policy changes and initiatives like the Seal of Biliteracy affected dual language programs and bilingual education? What are some of the most effective ways of preparing preservice and inservice teachers to work with dual language and English language learners? We discuss these questions and much more in part 1 of a 2 part series with Dr. Sera Hernandez, Assistant Prof...
Sep 24, 2019•31 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Why are advanced STEM classes a good fit for many English learners? What strategies can teachers leverage to maximize impact on diverse learners in STEM classes? How might we remove barriers that prevent many English learners from taking advanced classes throughout their academic careers? We discuss these questions and much more in our conversation with Dr. Stephen Fleenor. Stephen is a scientist-turned-educator who is inspired by the principles of sheltered instruction and growth mindset, parti...
Sep 17, 2019•41 min•Season 3Ep. 5
What if schools were run like Disney? How would this philosophy affect the educational experiences of all students, and particularly ELs? What can we learn from Disney about providing access to opportunities that keep students coming back? We discuss these questions and much more with Lynmara Colón, Director of English Learner Programs at Prince Williams County Public Schools in Maryland. Lynn brings the perspective of a teacher, assistant principal, and principal—positions she has held since jo...
Sep 10, 2019•34 min•Season 3Ep. 4
How can shadowing EL students help educators, schools, and districts improve their instruction and outcomes? What are some ways we can link quantitative data from assessments with qualitative data gathered while shadowing students? What are the protocols that teachers should use when shadowing students and what action steps should be taken after the experience? We discuss the questions and much more with Dr. Ivannia Soto. Dr. Soto is professor of Education at Whittier College in California, wher...
Sep 03, 2019•51 min•Season 3Ep. 3
How do students deal with the stigma sometimes associated with English learners and immigrants in our schools and communities? What are some of the main factors that help ensure success for English learners? What can educators do to best support English learners? We discuss these questions and much more in our conversation with Take the Pledge scholarship winner Melany Quintero. Melany is a recent high school graduate from Pembroke Pines, Florida, just outside Miami. She is beginning her higher ...
Aug 27, 2019•32 min•Season 3Ep. 2
How might we create and nurture a classroom and school culture that encourages respectful conversations where everyone has a chance to participate? What are some practical ways to increase quality conversations with English learners? What is QSSSA and how might it help engage all students in high quality classroom conversations? We discuss these questions and much more in our conversation with John Seidlitz, founder and CEO of Seidlitz Education. Seidlitz Education's mission is to support school...
Aug 20, 2019•53 min•Season 3Ep. 1
What are some strategies that help create a more inclusive classroom environment for multilingual students? How are dual language programs evolving and what supports do schools need to get them off the ground? What if we ran our schools like Disney runs their parks? Why are STEM classes particularly well suited to multilingual learners and how can we ensure they have access? We cover these questions and much more in Season 3 of Highest Aspirations, an education podcast, where we engage in import...
Aug 13, 2019•4 min•Season 3Ep. 1
How might EL Specialists establish and nurture relationships with content teachers who work with ELs? What are some simple strategies that can help make co-planning and co-teaching easier for all kinds of teachers? How can we encourage content teachers allow their EL students to create as a more effective way of learning. We discuss these questions and much more in this lively conversation Tan Huynh. Tan Huynh ( @TanELLclassroom ) is a career teacher specializing in language acquisition. Tan has...
Jun 04, 2019•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 20
What are “Grow Your Own” (GYO) teacher programs and how are they being deployed to address the bilingual teacher shortage? What can we learn about these programs from those who have experience implementing them? What supports do GYO teacher candidates and schools need to help them thrive? We discuss these topics and much more with Amaya Garcia and Alexandra Manuel. Amaya Garcia is deputy director for English learner education with the Education Policy program at New America. She provides researc...
May 28, 2019•52 min•Season 2Ep. 19
How do school principals impact EL reclassification rates? Why is it important to consider the underlying spirit of policies that are passed down from above rather than simply looking at compliance? How might leaders create opportunities for school staff to engage in meaningful conversations about EL student success? We discuss these questions and much more in our conversation with professors Madeline Mavrogordato and Rachel S. White. Madeline Mavrogordato is an associate professor of K-12 educa...
May 21, 2019•49 min•Season 2Ep. 18
How can state level agencies help promote the successful implementation of the Seal of Biliteracy in school districts? Why is it important to track data on who is earning the seal, and how might organizations go about doing it? What are some ways to ensure equitable access to the seal of biliteracy for all students and how are states like Washington providing resources to make that happen? We discuss these questions and much more in our conversation with Angela Davila and Patty Finnegan from Was...
May 14, 2019•42 min•Season 2Ep. 17
How might ELL and LOTE teachers provide low stress opportunities for output? How is the concept of productive struggle different in the ELL and LOTE classroom and what can these groups learn from each other? What is the role of motivation in language learning and how might cultural input and technology help boost it? We discuss these questions and more in part 2 of our conversation with Anna Matis. Anna Matis is an educational consultant and the product development manager for Seidlitz Education...
May 07, 2019•26 min•Season 2Ep. 16
Do teachers of languages other than English (or LOTE teachers) collaborate enough? What are some ways these educators could learn from one another to help build better language programs for all students? What are some common misconceptions about what it means to be a “good language teacher” and how might understanding them help our students achieve greater language competency? We discuss these questions and much more in Part 1 of a 2 Part conversation with Anna Matis. Anna Matis is an educationa...
Apr 30, 2019•33 min•Season 2Ep. 15
In the second of a 2 part series, we continue our conversation with Eddie Williams, the teacher featured in Helen Thorpe’s book The Newcomers . How might teachers handle the draw of smartphones, texting, social media in their classes, particularly when working with English learners and newcomers? What is the appropriate balance between structure and agency when working with English learners? How do effective coaches encourage new teachers to increase their impact without becoming overwhelmed? Al...
Apr 23, 2019•27 min•Season 2Ep. 14
How might an EL teacher and his dynamic newcomers class react to having a journalist embed herself in their classroom for an entire school year? What partnerships might they form to learn more about students and what does this tell us about the resources schools have and do not have at their disposal? What are some of the best things about working with students who come with such a wide array of backgrounds, experiences, and skills? We discuss these questions and much more in our conversation wi...
Apr 16, 2019•31 min•Season 2Ep. 13
What are some effective and practical ways to differentiate reading comprehension strategies for English learners? How does motivation, relationship building, and autonomy impact student growth? How might family engagement strategies like home visits help provide actionable insight leading to better reading comprehension and perhaps more importantly, a joy in reading? We discuss these topics and much more with Larry Ferlazzo. Larry teaches English, Social Studies and International Baccalaureate ...
Apr 09, 2019•46 min•Season 2Ep. 12
What are some essential strategies that district leaders should put into place to make sure all students have the ability to engage in deeper learning? How can school leaders and teachers collaborate more effectively to maximize impact on diverse groups of students? What are some ways to strike the appropriate balance between structure and agency when implementing project-based learning practices? We discuss these questions and much more with Dr. Carmen Coleman, Chief Academic Officer of Jeffers...
Apr 02, 2019•48 min•Season 2Ep. 11
