September 8, 2024

 

Duncanville ISD Language Acquisition Department, 

 

As the years in education progress, we see a continuous influx of students that immigrate to the United States in search of opportunities. However, when newcomers arrive at our campuses, we do not have resources to support the transition of languages. The Dual Language Program offered in our district is restricted to elementary schools; within this program, we do not address the bridging of English and Spanish. The middle schools and high schools only support English As A Second Language (ESL) via remedial classes. Classes that prepare lessons on academics and not language basis. 

 

Our newcomers are misunderstood, many believe they are academically years behind their peers; when in reality they have the concepts in Spanish, but lack the vocabulary in English. As professionals working with Emergent Bilinguals, we are taught the pedagogy of BICS and CALPs. Focusing on CALPs, we can impact our newcomers' learning in a positive-productive manner. The expectation is for newcomers to be equivalent to their monolingual peers in standardized testing within a year; this can be accomplished, when we stop measuring emergent bilinguals’ for their years in the country and instead focus on their needs. 

 

How do we teach students in their native language and help them master a new one? My  innovation plan will explore and accumulate data that demonstrate language acquisition growth using student ePortfolios. 

 

The ePortfolio will focus on students owning their learning through: 

 

• Blogs: Giving students the opportunity to reflect on their progress is crucial for setting a growth mindset. Emergent bilinguals are placed in a strenuous situation: new home, new language, and new people. They arrive in a place that has been set without their input. By giving students the power to own their learning, we can sharpen their resilience. 

 

• Resources: Differentiation is instrumental for every child's success. In this plan, students will try and review programs, apps, and products that impact their learning. They can create video product reviews that detail how it supports their acquisition of language.  Methods that students can display the impact are podcasting, flyers, or advertising the product for future students. The product review will give students a voice in their learning, they will determine what works. 

 

• Projects: Students need the opportunity to choose how they interact with content. They need to apply their skills to craft their learning. These projects will include all aspects of TELPAS. Students will collaborate, read, write, and think. They will select the language that they want to express their findings. At the end of the project timeline, they will present their projects. 

 

To have success, I need collaboration-a partnership with the department of language acquisition. I entrust that compassion is given in the exploration of this innovation plan.I will use the district provided devices, Canvas, and Google resources. Students will use their accounts that will follow them throughout their K12 journey. When implementation is distributed throughout the district,  professional development will need to be offered at the beginning of the academic year. Since the pilot is limited to my classroom, the resources needed are those already provided by the district. Students need a device, Wifi service, and platform. The apps that will be used shall be free or low cost to the district. The pricing will be determined after the research of programs is completed.

 Success and failures are part of any journey. When visits, such as Curriculum Walks, occur, my RLA classroom will have students engaged in academic discourse in any language, working in collaborative groups, and using technology for their advantage. To accumulate data on students' success, small group instruction will focus on demonstrating their growth of skills and standards. Let us guide our students to success in both languages, without casting their native language aside. It is part of who they are, and it is a tool towards future success.

 

Sincerely, 

Coralis Mollitor