DUAL LANGUAGE IMMERSION AND ELA TEACHER PRACTICES Lafayette Parish Schools February 19, 2015

WE ARE ALL LANGUAGE TEACHERS! WHO ARE WE?

Agenda 1.What is our aim? 2.What are the benefits of biliteracy? 3.How do we prepare for, advance, and support language learning? 4.What do the levels of language proficiency entail? 5.What about language transfer? 6.How can we use balanced literacy to maximize all aspects of language instruction?

Additive Bilingualism “When I learn a new word in Arabic or French, a word that doesn’t exist in English, I learn a new concept. I learn a new way …a second or third language lets me see the world in a way I wouldn’t have seen it otherwise…” Lafayette High school immersion student

Collaboration! Academic vocabulary en français analyser comparer décriver déterminer distinguer évaluer citer

Transfer of Skills Cognitive and linguistic skills needed to Read Write Speak Comprehend View in a first language support literacy development in a second language!

Transfer of Skills Cognitive and linguistic skills needed to Read Write Speak Comprehend View in a second language support literacy development in a student’s first language!

How does knowing and using more than one language affect the brain?

Benefits of Biliteracy Profound effect on content – Increase in short-term working memory – Enables brain to hold information longer while thinking processes are engaged.

Benefits of Biliteracy Mental Flexibility Opens multiple neural pathways Opens access to different avenues of thought Increases speed and accuracy of decision making

Benefits of Biliteracy Enhances problem-solving capacity Enhances abstract thinking skills Facilitates higher concept formation skills Augments creativity Strengthens capacity to identify, understand, and solve problems

Preparing for Student Learning How do I establish a supportive language learning environment for and with my students? – Support for the immersion language? – Support for English?

Advancing Student Learning How do my practices maximize my students’ language growth?

Supporting Student Learning How does my professional growth support my students’ language learning? How does my collaboration with stakeholders support student language learning?

Common Core ELA and Immersion LA: Making the Match

Mission of Immersion Language Teacher Increase proficiency level Novice Intermediate Advanced

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ASSESSMENT MANAGEMENT Word Study  Phonics  Spelling  High Frequency Words  Word Parts Writing Workshop  Modeled Writing  Grammar  Guided Writing  Independent Writing Reading Workshop  Interactive Read Aloud  Shared Reading  Guided Reading  Independent Reading

Cognitive Retroactive Transfer CRT of Language Skills among Trilingual Arabic, Hebrew and English Learners Does helping poor readers improve their language skills in English (L3) bring about improvement in those same skills in Arabic (L1) and Hebrew (L2)?

For further information: Terri Hammatt Louisiana Department of Education