Listed below are 10 websites, a checklist to
determine effectiveness,and a brief
explanation of each one’s content.
http://www.topics-mag.com/
This corresponds with TOPICS Online Magazine for Learners of English. This site seems to have been created for ESL teachers and students to work together to write articles about various cultures and experiences. Submitted articles were later added to the site by the host. It appears that this site has not been updated since 2007, but the teachers I work with could help students in their classes navigate this site and maybe even create some entries of their own. If they cannot be added to this page, maybe our district could create its own page.
http://www.adlit.org/
This corresponds with All About Adolescent Literacy. I could see the teachers I support getting caught up in this site for hours. There are so many features that would be beneficial for them. For instance, the video examples of teaching and the research reports would help them develop better literacy instruction in their upper grades ESL classes. There are so many links to new resources embedded in each page, and there is even a store feature with recommended books to purchase.
http://www.leeandlow.com/
This corresponds with Lee and Low Books. Although this site features many items to buy that these authors have created or that they endorse, there are many useful teaching tips and resources available for free too. Particularly informative is the multicultural supplement to the Common Core exemplar texts. The blog entries are also informative and entertaining to read. Our district uses some of the resources mentioned and sold on this site, so several of the free resources will enhance what my teachers already use, like the Bebop books.
http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/index.html
This corresponds with Critical Multicultural Pavillion. This website provides a bountiful assortment of research and activities to present to staff members to make them aware of incorporating cultural awareness into their lessons and their demeanor with students as part of who they are. From the icebreaker activities to famous quotes section, my professional development trainings could nearly write themselves! Although it is somewhat confusing to determine the site’s purpose, it is definitely informative, interesting, and compelling.
http://www.brown.edu/academics/education-alliance/teaching-diverse-learners/
This corresponds with The Education Alliance: Brown University – Teaching Diverse Learners. This page seems to be designed to meet the needs of the education students at Brown University, but there are many great resources and tips for other educators to glean from this page too. They provide a lot of self-created content, which was lacking from some of the other teacher resources. I like how this site explains so many elements of the classroom so thoroughly. Focusing on literacy, assessment, strategies, and families provides them with a full range of topics for pre-service as well as seasoned teachers to devote attention to English learners in the classroom.
http://www.schoolsmovingup.net/cs/smu/print/htdocs/smu/home.htm
This corresponds with Schools Moving Up: WestEd. Our school district literature has come from WestEd before, such as research articles I have been asked to read. But I had never spent time browsing its site for myself. Although this site does not connect directly with English learners, the core focus of raising academic expectations is great. I believe I will recommend my teachers take advantage of some of the webinars and links provided. As a district specialist, I can use the section that features what is working in various schools across the country to develop new plans for our schools.
http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oela/index.html
This corresponds with The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of English Language Acquisition. Many of the concepts presented here are only partially developed. The site is still being created. Additionally, I do not feel that the teachers I support will use this site often. I on the other hand will reference it frequently since my role is tied to keeping our district in compliance with the Office of Civil Rights. I knew the U.S. Department of Education had web pages, but I had not taken time before today to begin researching them for information related to English Learners.
http://casanotes.4teachers.org/
This corresponds with Casa Notes. This site provides a service but not any relevant information for teachers. If a teacher needs a typical note sent home to a Spanish speaking parent, this is a great tool to use. The teacher adds the student’s name and a few other pertinent details (depending on the nature of one of the form letters). Then he or she chooses pictures and colors for the letter. Next the letter is available in Spanish. Although it does not offer all the languages our district needs, it will help us to communicate with Spanish speakers more effectively.
http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/hs/resources
This corresponds with Head Start. Although we work in a K-12 capacity in the ESL program of my district, we have a few preschools tied to our district, and I support those teachers indirectly without direct ESL services but still with language building strategy suggestions. Utilizing this site and informing our students’ parents of this site will help better equip some of the students as they enter Kindergarten. Early intervention may even prevent a few from even qualifying for ESL support in Kindergarten.
http://www.ncela.us/
This corresponds with National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition. Although this site provides less information than some of the earlier cited web pages, what is unique about this one is how it is tied to meeting the needs of helping schools know how they fit within No Child Left Behind in relation to English learners. The data provided gives insight into how the country has changed over the last few decades and how it will continue to do so in the future. Webinars are also provided through this site that will give the teachers I support an additional layer of help with learning more about serving their ESL students.
Coli Escher 