A variety of resources are available to support schools and teachers in serving their English learners (ELs) and to improve student learning using research-based practices.
Professional Resource Collection
One item at a time can be checked out to an individual unless specific arrangements have been made.
Program Management
Toolkit for Administrators - important information & strategies for successfully serving EL students in your school
Iowa Department of Education, EL site
Lau Plan Guidance - each school is required by federal law to have an updated Lau plan indicating how the school will run their LIEP programming
LIEP Guide - this literature review is intended to lay a foundation for the LIEP study; literature-based summaries for a range of topics that may factor into LIEP designs and functions, and supports school districts in their decisions about programming
Newcomer Support - for those who work directly with immigrant students and their families. It is designed to help expand and strengthen opportunities for cultural and linguistic integration, understand some basics about their legal obligations, provide welcoming schools and classrooms, define academic support to attain English language proficiency (if needed) and to meet college- and career-readiness standards & support and develop newcomers’ social emotional skills.
Community & Family Toolkit - best practices in creating community & family partnerships
ELP Standards - Standards for English proficiency in 4 domains - listening, speaking, reading and writing
Office of Civil Rights guidance/general information and Dear Colleague Letter of January 7, 2015
Instructional Recommendations
ELs and Common Core - Colorin Colorado Site for ELLs and Common Core
Math EL Resources- Stanford Educational Resources for Mathematics Educators
Reading EL Resources - Stanford Educational Resources for Reading
Science EL Resources - Stanford Educational Resources for Science
ELPA 21
Timeline - month by month events related to the ELPA21 assessments (screener & summative)
Screener Flowchart - use this to help determine if screening is necessary
Screener Checklist - steps to take to be prepared to give the ELPA21 screener
Achievement Level Descriptors - this continuum helps identify what skills students should exhibit in each domain (listening, speaking, reading & writing) based on their proficiency level
ELPA21 Trainings
All trainings are found on AEA Learning Online
Any modules with an asterisk are required for certification and must be completed each year
Introduction to the ELPA21 Online Assessment System
Gearing Up for ELPA21 Assessment 2018-2019
Dynamic Screening Assessment
- *Dynamic Screener Training 2018-2019 (consists of two modules)*
ELPA2 Summative Assessment
- *Administering the ELPA21 Summative Assessment 2019 (for 1st year Test Administrators)*
- *Administering ELPA21 Summative Assessment Refresher Course (for previously certified Test Administrators)*
- Assessing, Interpreting and Using ELPA21 Results
Special Populations
*Administering ELPA21 Paper Test Forms as an Accommodation (Required to administer an accommodated paper test)*
*Assessing ELs with Significant Cognitive Disabilities and/or Alternate Forms of Communication (Required if testing students in this population)*
Special Roles
ELPA21 Test Coordinator Training 2019 (for District, Building and Nonpublic coordinators)
ELPA21 Technology Coordinator Training 2019 (for those supporting the necessary technology set-up)
Professional Development Options
SupportEd - online professional development courses for classroom teachers to gain strategies for supporting EL students in their content classes
ICLC - Iowa’s annual Culture & Language Conference held the first week of November each year.
Our Kids - annual conference held by the Iowa Department of Education each June.
TESOL - International Convention and Language Expo held in the spring each year.
NABE - National Association for Bilingual Education holds a spring conference each year.
**Title III funds can be used to pay for conference registration and hotel for PLAEA teachers & administrators. Consider including these learning opportunities in your yearly funding request.**
Glossary of terms
EL/ELL - English learner or English language learner
ELP - English Language Proficiency (often used to refer to the standards of language development)
ELPA21 - English Language Proficiency Assessment
ESL - English as a Second Language
LAU - Lau v. Nichols, 414 U.S. 563, was a United States Supreme Court case in which the Court unanimously decided that the lack of supplemental language instruction in public school for students with limited English proficiency violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
LEP - Limited English Proficiency
LIEP - Language Instruction Education Program
TESOL - national organization for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
TransAct - Website resources that had developed parent notices & other communication maintain education compliance federal regulations (https://www.transact.com/