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January 2023

Dear Subscribers, 

We have some great ELL resources for school and district leaders in our first newsletter for 2023! Feel free to share this newsletter using the following link:

https://mailchi.mp/colorincolorado/tellegram-ell-administrators

To see new Colorín Colorado resources as soon as they come out, check out our social media channels on:

We wish you all the best for the rest of 2023!

Sincerely, 

Lydia Breiseth
Director, Colorín Colorado 



In this issue:

In the News

Addressing Tough Topics

If you are looking for support on how to discuss recent tragedies in the news, including the death of Tyre Nichols and the shooting in Monterey Park, CA, see our updated resource pages with guidance and more:

 

Natural Disaster Resources for Schools: Partnering with Multilingual Families

This guide offers practical resources for partnering with multilingual families before, during, and after natural disasters. For additional tips related to recent events, see the following:

 

Meg Medina Named National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature for 2023-24

Author Meg Medina will be the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature for 2023-24, the Library of Congress (LOC) and Every Child a Reader recently announced.

The 2019 Newbery Medal winner for Merci Suárez Changes Gears is Cuban-American and will become the first author of Latina heritage to serve in the role. Her platform will be "Cuéntame!: Let’s talk books," an idea inspired by the Spanish phrase that friends and families use when catching up with one another.

You can see more in Colorín Colorado's Meet the Author interview with Ms. Medina.

 

This Month's Highlights


What's new from Colorín Colorado?

Take a look at the rich collection of ELL resources Colorín Colorado published during the past year!

For additional ideas, check out our popular article Twelve Things Teachers Can Do to Support ELL Success in the New Year.

 

New on Colorín Colorado

Henry Sales, Mam Educator: How I Became an Advocate for My Indigenous Community


In this video, Indigenous educator Henry Sales (Mam) describes how he became a strong advocate for the Mam community here in the U.S. despite early challenges and discrimination.
Henry Sales, Mam Educator: How I Became an Advocate for My Indigenous Community

Indigenous Family Outreach: Videos in English, Spanish, and Mam


To see more from Henry, take a look at our trilingual video series featuring outreach messages for Indigenous families in English, Spanish, and Mam, as well as our related outreach guide with activities accompanying each video.

Hiring Your School’s First ELL Teacher: 10 Tips for School Leaders

If your school is getting ready to hire its first ELL educator, take a look at these tips from administrators who have experience working with ELLs!

 

Meet the Administrator: Video Interviews

Colorín Colorado presents a curated collection of our interviews with school leaders and district administrators from across the country who have extensive experience serving ELLs. The interviews highlight topics such as family engagement, how to support collaboration at all levels of the district, and the importance of social-emotional support.

 

In the Classroom 
 

Eight English Learner Myths for Administrators

ELL experts Dr. Ruslana Westerlund and Kristina Robertson have compiled 8 common myths regarding ELs that they think administrators should reconsider, as well as supporting research for their responses to each myth, best practices, strategies, and recommended resources.

 
 

Video: What Principals Need to Know About What ELL Educators Do

Dr. Karen Woodson shares an overview of the expertise that ESOL educators bring to their schools and districts. You can learn more from Dr. Woodson in Creating Equitable Access for ELs in the COVID-19 Era: A Case Study.

Dr. Karen Woodson: What principals need to know about what ESOL teachers do
 

Recommended Articles

Here are some additional articles that are relevant for school and district leaders:

Recommended Resources

Transforming Schools for English Learners: A Comprehensive Framework for School Leaders (2nd Edition)

By Dr. Debbie Zacarian

The second edition of this popular book supports educators to design and enact policies, practices, and structures for multilingual learners (MLs) to feel a sense of safety, belonging, value, and competence.

Reflecting changing trends in leadership, this new edition supports superintendents, principals, curriculum supervisors, coaches, mentors, teachers, and other stakeholders in their collaborative efforts to create and sustain successful language assistance programs.

You can learn more about the book in this related podcast and webinar.

 

And Justice for ELs: A Leader's Guide to Creating and Sustaining Equitable Schools

Dr. Ayanna Cooper, a former U.S. Department of State English Language Specialist, has “been there, done that” and shares how best to translate today’s federal mandates into actionable steps for ensuring the civil rights of our multilingual learners. 

Dr. Cooper focuses on topics such as:

  • Eight questions you must ask — and how to obtain answers — before planning English language development services

  • The most common EL program models, with special emphasis on scheduling, along with specific challenges and appropriate staffing

  • The why and how of evaluating English language education
 

Family Resources and Outreach

Communicating with ELL Families: 10 Strategies for Schools

Learn how to stay in contact with English learners and their families and how administrators can support that outreach. This article also includes multiple tools, resources, and tips for collaboration. You can find additional resources in:

 

Books and Authors

Book of the Month

The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat


In this fantasy adventure, Christina Soontornvat explores a young woman’s struggle to unburden herself of the past and chart her own destiny in a world of secrets. As assistant to Mangkon’s most celebrated mapmaker, twelve-year-old Sai plays the part of a well-bred young lady with a glittering future. In reality, her father is a conman — and in a kingdom where the status of one’s ancestors dictates their social position, the truth could ruin her.

Vivid, suspenseful, and thought-provoking, this tale of identity and integrity is as beautiful and intricate as the maps of old. 2023 Walter Award Honor Winner and 2023 Newbery Honor Winner.

You can learn more about Christina and her books on her website!

Read Across America: Reading Diverse Books All Year Long!


NEA’s latest Read Across America digital calendar of book recommendations and related resources for 2022-23 is now available. Each month highlights a theme and a related picture book, middle book, and YA book. All of the titles in the calendar include activity suggestions, questions for discussion or reflective writing, related resources, and more titles to try.

January’s theme is Explore Societal Forces.
 
 
 
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About the Colorín Colorado T·ELL·E-GRAM and ColorinColorado.org

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