Coralis Mollitor
Enriching Second Language Acquisition for Emergent Bilinguals
Applied Digital Learning 2024-25
The Four Disciplines of Execution Strategy
The goal is for emergent bilinguals to acquire their second language without compromising their native language.
Wildly Important Goal (WIG)
The goal is for emergent bilinguals to acquire their second language without compromising their native language.
Lag Measurement
Lag measurement is the final result of one's efforts. It tells you if you have achieved your goal.
My Innovation Plan's Lag Measurement:
Students will score Advanced and/or Advanced High on all TELPAS domains within three years
Lead Measurement
Lead measurements determine how effective your plan is in the moment. They are the milestones: the key goal.
My Innovation Plan's Lead Measurement:
Teachers will incorporate, or change, a lesson activity to a tech translanguaging activity by the end of the first semester daily. (Translanguaging activities are those that allow students to research the resemblance between their first and second language)
Teachers are faced with several "whirlwinds" that cause an interruption in the learning of emergent bilinguals. Between grading, lesson planning, accommodations, researching concepts, meetings, parent conferences, classroom management and so on, the time to just stop and think is a far of dream. Add on the whirlwinds of being a parent, counselor, authority, and entertainer for kids during the day it is a wonder when teachers have time to craft extra meaningful lessons.
As important and dire these activities may seem none are more impactful than activities tailored to promoting a connection between languages for bilingual students. This is the effort I believe bilingual teachers need to focus on. Emergent bilingual students are required to perform at the same level as their monolingual counterparts in both languages; well, let's make that happen!
Translanguaging activities involve learning through cognants, collaborating, and promoting the simultaneous use of both languages. They allow students to work with others through collaboration, explore vocabulary, and display learning in a meaningful way. These activities must include the TELPAS domains of listening, speaking, reading, writing, and most importantly thinking in both languages; creating fluidity between native and second language. These activities will inevitably take away from the stress of reteaching and enriching because they will include the material being taught. The activities will impact emergent bilinguals charisma and confidence by giving them the opportunity to show what they actually know.
Students will learn and develop their languages; as important, teachers will enhance their teaching capabilities by focusing on well rounded activities that ensure students growth.
What is a little competition between friends?
Scoreboard
The scoreboard method is the visual representation of the lead measurement that displays innovation at its finest in action. Scoreboards help teachers focus on the WIG and prevent the distraction that whirlwinds, everyday chores, throw at you. It breeds great ideas, because players want to show off their success. They want recognition, this allows for the spotlight to be on the methods that best help students.
Glows Galore
The scoreboards' goal is to engage and promote competition between teachers and campuses. It does not display the criteria that is being evaluated by the team leads.
The follow section will explain the different characteristics of a successful translanguaging activity.
If your heart is not in it, then the learning will not happen.
Accountability Rubric
Once the spirit of competition begins, it is time to keep each other accountable. The two methods I suggest are:
-
Using a Rubric. The rubric will keep everyone on the same page. It gives a guidance of what a good activity should include. It helps maintain focus, yet allow the creativity juices to flow in the areas of delivery, crafting, and participation.
-
Sharing is Caring. It is important to show what is working and having others try it. Through the use of others work, we can develop it even further and create a masterpiece.
All for One
.jpg)
You must be wondering, who will keep teachers accountable? In my current district, each campus has a bilingual lead teacher. They are the leaders of leaders! The bilingual lead teachers have the experience of being in the classroom, the connections to their fellow colleagues, and the passion to help the students (some are former, current, or future students of theirs). TELPAS affects all bilingual teachers. They will be the pillars of success.
Mission: Teach second language acquisition through the enrichment of native language.
Vision: Guiding emergent bilinguals to a fully proficient lifestyle.
Five Stages of Change
It is important to keep the goal clear and focused. Repeating the goal creates a sense of urgency and a the buy-in needed from the investors.
The measurements must be attainable for others to follow; once it becomes to complicated, we will lose people to the whirlwinds.
Getting Clear
When will this plan be presented, reviewed, and discussed? Weekly. It is recommended to spend 20-30 minutes reviewing the key information listed below. Feedback needs to be immediate for adaptation. Many districts have a Professional Learning Community meeting for teachers weekly, during this time teachers can meet and discuss.
-
Report on last weeks commitments
-
Review scoreboard
-
Clear Path and make new commitments
Launch
Adoption
During the meetings, it is important to showcase what is working and promote others to try out the activities.
This is the time to showcase the scoreboard and remind the invested individuals of their success. It allows for the development of great ideas.
Note: I recommend having two different meetings for this plan on the same day. One meeting amongst the bilingual teachers at each campus; the second is a meeting for the bilingual leads. The goal is to hold accountability at a district level.
Optimize
It is important to listen to those implementing the plan. Alongside the scheduled meeting time amongst teachers and leaders, time needs to be dedicate to review the plan. Time to find those great ideas that will elevate the plan to its next stage.
Habits
Finally success will be visible when the WIG becomes second nature. The collaboration and development of solid activities and strategies are immediate and promotes growth. All that needs to occur is keeping up with the development in the world. Teachers see and enthuse over the programs success
"The brain can give its full focus to only one single object at any given moment" ~ The 4 Disciplines of Execution, by McChesney, Covey and Huling
Influencer Model + 4DX Strategy
Influencer Search Strategy
1. Noticing the Obvious: Is determining the obvious problem. For example, teaching bilinguals in their second language not their native language.
2. Looking for Crucial Moments: Is finding the moment to create the greatest impact: lesson planning. In this case, planning for translanguaging activities using technology.
3. Learning from positive deviants: Scores and in class observation will demonstrate growth in second language.
4. Spotting the Culture Busters: Teachers can make the difference by being activist for the use of native language.
4 Disciplines of Execution
1. Focus: Is how to fix the real, obvious problem. Using translanguaging to enrich native and acquire second language naturally.
2. Lead Measurement: Using tech translanguaging activities to acquire second language.
3. Engagement: Scoreboard: Teachers create lessons that promote translanguaging across the district supporting native language.
4. Candace: Share success in weekly meetings
It is almost impossible to get a plan rolling without support. Whether you start a kickstarter or acquire investors, the first step to success is connecting with other's hearts then mind. In the text Influencer: The New Science of Leading Change, Greeny presents the Six Sources of influence that tie with the Key Search Strategies and pieces of the 4 Disciplines of Execution.
The six sources of influence connect a thought through personal, social and structural means using motivation and one's ability to connect with others and product. By tapping into the person's motivation, we can create engagement and focus on a specific goal. The ability portion relates to one's actual contribution, the sense of winning. The personal source is created in the focus discipline of execution. When we can connect with the WIG, we are capable of feeling invested in an outcome. The social source is reflected in disciplines 3, engagement, and 4, candace. The scoreboard and habit part of the execution is crafted when influence others and their accountability affect the desired WIG. The second and third discipline overlap in the structural source. The lead measures tap into the ability to perform activities for the WIG; meanwhile, the scoreboard continues the structure need to sustain the outcome of the WIG. In all honesty, each source of influence is connected directly to the disciplines of execution, but the clear connections are the ones aforementioned.
For a detailed understanding of the six sources and my innovation plan, please click on the Influence of Change tab.
References
Greeny, J., Patterson, K., Maxfield, D., McMillan, R., & Switzler, A. (2013). Influencer: The new science of leading change. McGraw Hill Education.
McChesney, C., Covey, S., & Huling, J. (2021). The 4 disciplines of execution: Achieving your wildly important goals. Simon & Schuster Paperbacks.
TELPAS. (2024). TELPAS resources. Texas Education Agency (TEA). https://tea.texas.gov/student-assessment/telpas