Excited! ELL TEACHER PROS Is Listed in "Common Core Conversation"--Hope It Meets Your Needs As Well:)

                                                                                                        
Well Spring is springing and spring break is just around the corner:)

This post we want to discuss “Common Core Conversation” which is a free site that lists ELL Teacher Pros as one of only five sites for Teacher Resources for ESL.  We are excited and very proud.  Our hard work is paying off and your input has assisted us in becoming a nationally recognized source for knowledge and resources for ELLs.  Thank you so much for your ongoing support and assistance.

In addition to having the brilliance to recognize us as outstanding in providing Teacher Resources, the site is a place that has free resources, lesson plans and strategies related to the Common Core Standards.  It includes articles, guest blogs, interviews, weekly news, and student projects.

The permanent features are: 

·       The Standards - a review of the Math and ELA standards and more resources,

·       Free Common Core Resources that include General Resources for all Content, Math, ELA, Science Social Studies, World Languages, ESL, Library, Art & Music, and Business/Computer Technology.

·       Resources from State Departments of Education

·       A section for Parents

·       Using Tech Tools for Learning With Standards

·       An online community you can join

The ESL Resources section also has a group of sites that have information on working with ELLs including theory and practice.  So, for those who have limited experience and/or knowledge about working with ELLs, there are resources including ones from Colorin Colorado – one of our favorite sites.

The Laura Stevens button also has free online courses through Stanford, one for elementary teachers and one for secondary teachers.    In addition, Laura has videos on strategies such as scaffolding and PDF’s on topics like Co-Teaching.  It’s a virtual one-stop shopping place for working with ELLs!

The AFT link discusses language proficiency and how it’s seen through Common Core, which is very important for both teaching and evaluation.  The English Language Proficiency Standards (ELP) are two-fold.  There is a separate content area set of standards for ELLs and there are ELPs within other content areas.  This is a very new idea.  The concept of English Language Proficiency Standards and Levels are tough and this resource shows the linkage between Content Standards and the three new levels:  Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced.

There is a link to the Common Core in Spanish – a resource for parents.

Finally there is a link to Stanford’s Professional Development for Teachers.  Most importantly, there are videos and lessons available for free.  One section is introduced through:  “Our team is currently developing sets of teaching resources that exemplify high-quality instruction for ELLs across three content areas. The resources will correspond to the widely-adopted Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts and Mathematics and to the Next Generation Science Standards.”

Regardless of how we feel about the Common Core Classroom Standards, they are here to stay and will require sifts in our practice and thinking.  These resources will make it much easier for us to work with the learners sitting in front of us.  We hope this resource will become bookmarked and well used.

Marnie, Denise, and Cheryl

ELL TEACHER PROS website

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