Our annual Convention will be held on February 22-23, 2019, at the Sheraton Lisle Naperville Hotel in Lisle, IL. 

 

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My research question during my Master’s program in Curriculum and Instruction was: How effective is co-teaching in meeting the needs of English Language Learners? The purpose of my action research was to inquire about the effectiveness of co-teaching on the performance of English Language Learners.
 

I find mindfulness especially useful in my classes to help my English language learners (ELLs) focus on the lesson when in class and observe aspects of their host culture and target language when outside of class. In this article, I will first offer four mindfulness-based activities for teachers and students, and then conclude with a brief survey of how mindfulness benefits our language learners.

Partners for Our Communities (POC) exemplifies the spirit of the Workforce Innovative Opportunity Act (WIOA). POC was established in 1994 to coordinate the services of health, wellness, education as well as social service agencies to help community members secure employment in the Northwest Chicago suburbs. Harper College, the local community college in Palatine, Illinois, offers several levels of English Language Acquisition (ELA) classes, High School Equivalency (HSE) classes, and Citizenship classes, but the hub for these students is the Learning Lab.

In 1974, the Supreme Court, in the well-known Lau vs. Nichols court case, required that schools provide English Language Learner (ELL) students with an education that met their language needs. However, the court did not say how this should be done. Consequently, many districts have varied vision and mission statements regarding English as a Second Language (ESL) and Bilingual Education.

Thank you to everyone who attended the adult education SIG meeting at our fall mini-conference! At the conference, we discussed the new English Language Proficiency (ELP) standards and the new ESL Standards Proficient Instructor (ESPI) training being offered through our state professional development center.

For the past twenty years, the Illinois TESOL-BE has offered a writing competition for students in grades 6-12. Students can choose the type of essay they wish to submit: narrative, descriptive, expository, or persuasive. 

The first Elementary SIG Meeting for this academic year took place on October 13, 2018 during the Fall Mini-Convention. Topics discussed in the meeting included: the 15th Annual Poetry Contest, new requirements under ESSA for English learner equity, Assets-Based Mindset, co-teaching, the Seal of Biliteracy, and parent involvement.

Thank you to all who attended and showed interest in the Higher Education Special Interest Group (SIG)! The Fall Mini-Convention had a great turnout and was a recharging event to attend with like-minded colleagues.