2006 Concurrent Sessions

2006 Concurrent Sessions

Concurrent Sessions I: 11:00 – 11:50, Thursday, June 1

State Updates for ESL
Alesha McCauley, ESL/Title III Consultant, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

This session will provide a general update of all important happenings in the world of North Carolina ESL for the year 2006. We will discuss current LEP data and LEP testing changes, and information about the new NC SIOP initiative. There will be a short time for questions at the end of the session.

Note: This session will be repeated Friday, June 2 at 9:15 during Concurrent Session IV

Start with Square One: Using Four Squares for ELLs' Writing
Anne Ogburn, Henderson County Public Schools

Frustrated by attempts to get your ELLs writing coherently? Learn about a simple graphic organizer that will get students on the road to better writing. The Four Squares method, developed by Judith Gould, helped me improve my students' writing. See examples of student writing. Participate in a sample lesson.

Training and Using Volunteers
Cyndy Fettig, Duke University and Kirsten Gardner, Duke University and Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools

So many students and so little time? Need a volunteer to help out? This session introduces an ESL volunteer training program in use in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools. See how volunteers are trained in working with ESL students and how to manage them once they get to your school.

Starting a Heritage Language Program for Spanish Speakers: Rationale and Resources
Jennifer Pearsall and Nhora Gómez-Saxon, Charlotte Mecklenburg School System

The purpose, benefits, successes and challenges of teaching Spanish as a heritage language will be presented along with an overview of the NC Department of Public Instruction's curriculum for Spanish for Native Speakers 1 & 2.

Teaching K-5 ELD Objectives through Store-Bought Games
Mary-Ryan Smith, Wake County Public Schools

I will share a variety of store-bought games that can be used in the ESL classroom to teach K-5 ELD objectives. I will also supply handouts listing all of the games presented, their corresponding ELD objectives, and purchasing information.

Improving Parental Involvement with Group Conferences
Sonia Solomon, Wake County Public Schools

Would you like to increase parental involvement? Do you spend many hours translating for parent-teacher conferences explaining the same information over and over again? Come to this session to learn strategies for organizing group conferences and increasing parental involvement.

Note: This session will be repeated Friday, June 2 at 10:15 during Concurrent Session V

Using Brain Research to Enhance and Energize Instruction
Dr. Janet Zadina, Tulane University Medical School

This breakout session builds on the keynote and contains additional principles and strategies. In addition, you will participate in activities that illustrate the principles given in the keynote and see how they can be applied.

To Correct or Not Correct: That is Still the Dilemma
Dr. Jillian Haeseler and Bonnie Parsons, Greensboro College

In CLT, the focus has been on meaning, not form. Yet, students who aspire to oral accuracy want immediate teacher feedback. There is also the concern about error fossilization due to too little intervention. This session will highlight recent research on error correction and present practical strategies for giving feedback.

Concurrent Sessions II: 2:15 – 3:05, Thursday, June 1

Rx for the North Carolina Writing Assessment
Jan Ambrose, Iredell/Statesville Schools

This session is designed to help ESL or content area teachers prepare tenth grade ELLs for the North Carolina Writing Assessment. Although the strategies will be geared to the tenth grade assessment, middle school teachers should find helpful information and techniques as well.

Note: This session will be repeated Thursday, June 1 at 3:15 during Concurrent Session III

ICR and the SIOP Model
Karen Fichter, Zebulon Middle School and Jessica Propst, Apex High School

This session will describe the benefits of an In-Class Resource (ICR) Program model for middle and high school. Presenters will also describe how it has been used to support teachers being trained in the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) model. This is NOT a session on how to teach using the SIOP model.

English to Help Your Child in School: A Parental Involvement Initiative
Francesca Cabrera Martínez, Henderson County Public Schools

Together with the Public Library Hispanic outreach program and Blue Ridge Community College, Henderson County Public schools organized "Ingles para ayudar a su hijo en la escuela, " a unique family workshop focusing on techniques for parents to help their children in school. This session will describe the workshop development process, including the evaluation component, and will focus on a realistic outlook when conducting ESL family workshops.

Web Tools for Language Instruction
Nancy Swisher, North Carolina State University

Basic design and implementation of interactive, web-based pedagogical tools. Includes how to create on-line self-correcting exercises, flashcards, practice quizzes, discussion boards, and instructor-generated audio files. Demonstration of web site incorporating this technology into language courses.

SIOP: Stop Talking About It And DO It!
Ivanna Mann-Thrower, CMS SIOP Coach and Nadja Trez, CMS ESL Resource Teacher

Uncertain about implementing SIOP in your school? CMS is completing its second year of trial, errors and success with SIOP! Join us to experience first hand what can be accomplished using the SIOP Model. Explore what is and isn't working in CMS and how we can all work together to meet the needs of our ELLs.

Concurrent Sessions III: 3:15 – 4:05, Thursday, June 1

Understanding Similarities and Celebrating Differences
Lizbeth Alfaro and Carlos Rojas, Catawba County Public Schools

Experience the hidden norms of another culture, understand the stages of cultural adaptation your ELLs experience, learn new strategies to make your classroom, school and curriculum more multicultural, and explore different ways to celebrate diversity.

Rx for the North Carolina Writing Assessment
Jan Ambrose, Iredell/Statesville Schools

ELLIS for Kids
Carol Gillespie, President, LORAK Enterprises

This presentation explores how you can put technology to work for your young learners with emphasis on a demonstration of the ELLIS KIDS curriculum. ELLIS integrates instructional content with sophisticated multimedia capabilities such as animated songs, full motion video, and voice recordings. Support features include a database and monitoring facility, language translation, and student workbooks.

Farmworkers and their Families: Legal Rights and Challenges
Omar Laínez and Kate Woomer-Deters, Legal Aid NC, Farmworker Unit

Basic overview of legal rights and protections for NC farmworkers, and a discussion of the challenges of enforcing these rights. We will also discuss legal rights for children of farmworkers, including education, public benefits, and safe, healthy housing and living conditions. We invite any questions about farmworkers in North Carolina.

The Classroom Outside: Teaching Culture Through Fieldtrips
Susan Ballard, Wake Technical Community College

This workshop will discuss the effective use of fieldtrips with adult ESL students including strategies that work, caveats for beginners, and a creative list of destinations for every level. Field trip ideas may also be adapted for K-12 learners. Sample lesson plans available to take away.

Two-hour sessions: 2:15 – 4:05, Thursday, June 1

School Counselors—Best Practices for ESL Program Services
Joan Rolston, International Center, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools

With the continuous growth of the LEP population in North Carolina high schools and the vital focus on student achievement, school counselors must be an integral part of ESL program services. This workshop will provide “best practices” information regarding LEP student scheduling, foreign credential evaluations, cultural impacts on the role of the school counselor, and specific ideas for school counselors within the framework of SIOP implementation plans.

Mastering the Magic and Madness of the Multilevel Classroom
Jayme Adelson-Goldstein, Los Angeles Unified School District

The multilevel environment is ripe with communicative possibilities, but rife with instructional challenges. Using the visuals, lessons and activities from the Oxford Picture Dictionary, participants will explore ways to build class community, link objectives and provide meaningful practice across levels in order to meet students' diverse needs. Reproducible materials provided.

Getting Serious about Bottom-up and Top-down Pronunciation

Glenda Reece, ESL Training Services

Helping students address oral production needs in English is a never ending concern. This presentation provides the teacher with an oral grading criteria and some hints on how to improve intelligibility and clarity in the classroom. In addition, some difficult sounds will be addressed.

Concurrent Sessions IV: 9:15 – 10:05, Friday, June 2

Parental Involvement
Lizbeth Alfaro and Carlos Rojas, Catawba County Public Schools

According to research, children perform better in school, like school more, and have higher graduation rates when parents are involved in school activities. In this workshop, you will be able to explore new ways to involve your English language learners and their families in school related events. We will also look at a Family Literacy and Numeracy bilingual program that is growing and achieving very positive results.

Games, Games, Games!
Cyndy Fettig, Duke University and Kirsten Gardner, Duke University and Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools

Liven up your lessons with games! This demonstration provides you with games that help make learning fun. Take home some practical ideas for games that teach and review vocabulary and grammar and help your students develop fluency.

Note: This session will be repeated Friday, June 2 at 10:15 during Concurrent Session V

What is Bilingual Education and Is It the Way to Close the Latino Achievement Gap?
Maria Rosa Rangel, Senior Administrator for Hispanic/Latino Outreach and Prevention Services, Wake County Public Schools

Ibis Nuñez, Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools

Do you have a large Hispanic/Latino student population? If the answer is "yes," join us to find out about bilingual education programs and how they are helping the big states close the achievement gap.

Insiders' Insights on Citizenship and the Naturalization Process
Kathie Baggott, Guzel Nabatova-Barrett, Bakula Pancholi, Carla Klein and Shibani Das, Wake Technical Community College

Enjoy hearing from those who have personally experienced the naturalization process and know first-hand what is needed to encourage and equip adult ESL students as they ponder or actually pursue citizenship. Expect anecdotal information alongside practical teaching tips. Come away inspired!

Classic Classroom Activities-Maximum Communication with Minimal Aggravation
Jayme Adelson-Goldstein, Los Angeles Unified School District

Learn how five classic activity templates can create meaningful listening and speaking practice, increasing students' accuracy and fluency at all levels. Discover the principals behind roundtables, picture differences, surveys, grid games, and role plays that make these activities adaptable to any ESL class. Samples from Oxford's Classic Classroom Activities provided.

Concurrent Sessions V: 10:15 – 11:05, Friday, June 2

How to Survive the National Board Process
Karen Fichter, Zebulon Middle School; Ruth Gentry, East Wake Middle School;
Laura Cernikova, North Garner Middle School and Steve West, Apex High School

Tips from a panel of English as a New Language National Board Certified teachers/candidates who are Middle and High School teachers. Find out what you may be getting into if you decide to go through the National Board process, and receive tips on how to make it through without losing your cool!

Latino Students Staying in High School: A Challenge for all Generations
Maria Rosa Rangel, Senior Administrator for Hispanic/Latino Outreach and Prevention Services, Wake County Public Schools

The Latino population is the fastest growing ethnic minority in the United States. This group is rapidly changing the face of public schools and presenting a unique set of challenges to public education. Latinos are struggling with a high public high school dropout rate: an estimated 58% leave school early in North Carolina, far above the national 37% rate for 16 to 19 year-olds. Join me to learn more about why our Latino students are dropping out and what strategies can be implemented to reduce the dropout rate.

Update on Master Teachers of English Language Learners Program: A Professional Development Program that Works
Dr. Joy McLaughlin, Director of LEP Programs, Asheboro City Schools

Districts struggle with how to provide training in instructional strategies for regular classroom teachers. Asheboro City Schools has created a model which has been in place for four years and can be replicated in other districts. This presentation will outline the program and demonstrate how it has expanded this year into other districts.

Learning to Write and Writing to Learn (K-6)
Georgia Thompson, Literacy Coach, Dallas Independent School District

Integrating writing with reading enhances comprehension because the two are reciprocal processes. In this session, participants will focus on a range of K-2 writing strategies as well as a repertoire of writing-to-learn instructional strategies to help 3-6 students better comprehend texts.

Two-hour sessions: 9:15 – 11:05, Friday, June 2

Bored with Bingo
Amy Gilliam and Marion Perkins, Wake County Public Schools

Are you tired of playing Bingo? Come join us to learn about several games and activities you can use to teach your ELLs. Some games you can make yourself, and some you can buy at the store. Students will have so much fun, they won't even know they are learning!

Cross Culture 101: Just a Taste
Glenda Reece, ESL Training Services

An overview of many of the aspects of cross-culture. It's a fun and fast look at nine aspects of culture. Just what do we smell like in comparison to other cultures?