Chapters International

Overview:

As the demography of international schools continues to change with the result that every classroom has more English learners than ever before, it is necessary to turn the often- heard mantra, 'every teacher is a language teacher' into actual classroom practice. These immersion classrooms differ from past programs and practices and, as such, require 'coaching-mindsets'.

First and foremost is the changing role of EAL specialists from 'fixers' of learners to 'coaches' of teachers in order to build and sustain asset-based classrooms to teach English learners alongside their peers.

Workshop Goals:

In this two-day institute, participants will:

Revisit issues related to second-language learning environments for English learners (i.e. immersion) and how they differ from inclusion environments for Learning Support students (and why now needs to be different from then);
Conceptualize the roles and responsibilities of thinking and working like a coach and how these differ from 'student caseload' approaches of the past;
Gather tools and practice behaviors for customizing the coaching cycle not just for isolated incidents of innovation but to build sustainable capacity for a schoolwide 'immersion' environment;
Foster the development and implementation of CLIL - content and language integrated learning - where subjects are taught through a second language with dual-focused aims, namely the learning of content and the simultaneous learning of another language;
Deepen skills for supporting the work of collaborative learning teams, groups of teachers, or individual teachers to analyze and transform instructional practices for English learner responsiveness;
Facilitate classroom teachers' use of language-proficiency descriptors as tools for equitable assessment and reporting;
Experience reflecting and problem-solving conversations as an EAL coach using simulated coaching scenarios gone awry; and
Self-assess coaching capacities in order to organize, document, and assess the impact of their work.

Agenda:

Day 1

Session 1
Review the professional knowledge base on EAL paradigms, programs, and practices as they relate to 'immersion schooling' for elite bilinguals in international schools (vs. past paradigms, programs, and practices for linguistic minorities or immigrants)

Session 2
Explore the roles and responsibilities of an instructional coach in general and then apply these tenets to EAL coaching in international-school settings

Session 3
Use coaching models, tools, and strategies for implementing the coaching cycle and customized professional development

Session 4
Intentionally use a CLIL 'immersion' planning template to align content and language objectives to one another and to evidence-based formative and summative assessments in order to facilitate English learners' access to, engagement with and expression of information.

Day 2

Session 1
Intentionally use instructional strategies resulting in English learners of varying language- proficiency levels doing 'high challenge' work through scaffolded and differentiated instruction

Session 2
Intentionally use ongoing assessment opportunities designed to provide feedback to students regarding their level of achievement in tandem with their level of language performance via language-proficiency descriptors

Session 3
Reflect and problem solve using simulated coaching scenarios gone awry to prepare to make 'sites of possibilities'

Session 4
Self-assess coaching capacities in order to organize, document, and assess the impact of their work and develop a self-growth plan.

Implementable Skills:

After this workshop, participants will be able to:

Articulate the goals, programs, and instructional practices of 'immersion' schooling as they relate to English learners enrolled in international schools;

Describe the roles and responsibilities of an instructional coach as they relate specifically to English learners in international-school settings;

Use tools and strategies for customizing the coaching cycle not just for isolated incidents of innovation but to build sustainable capacity for a schoolwide 'immersion' environment;

Develop CLIL lessons using mentor examples for guidance;

Acquire skills for supporting the analysis and transformation of instructional practices for English learner responsiveness;

Use language-proficiency descriptors as tools for equitable assessment and reporting;

Reflect and problem solve using simulated coaching scenarios gone awry to prepare for the glitches and the possibilities; and

Self-assess coaching capacities in order to organize, document, and assess the impact of their work and develop a self-growth plan.

Dr. Virginia Pauline Rojas

Virginia Rojas, Ed.D. conducts professional training on effective programs and strategies for English learners from pre-school through grade 12 for ESL and classroom teachers alike.

As an ASCD faculty member, Dr. Rojas uses the backwards design curriculum model to help teachers design high-challenge, high-support learning experiences for strengthening English learners' second language proficiency and academic achievement.

She provides professional development trainings, job-embedded coaching and demonstration lessons, and conducts linguistic audits of EAL (English as an Additional Language) program. She has worked in over 200 international schools throughout the world as well as with school districts in the US and Canada.

Dr. Rojas is the author of Strategies for Success with English Language Learners: An Action Toolkit for Classroom and ESL Teachers published by ASCD (2007) and of Educating English Language Learners: Connecting Language, Literacy, and Culture (2010), ASCD DVD Series.

Venue:
Seoul Foreign School
39 Yeonhui Ro, 22 gil,
Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Korea 03723

8.30 am to 3.30 pm
Registration at 8.00 am
on the 29th April 2019.