In August of 2016, Hamline University's School of Education was awarded a grant from the United States Department of Education to address the needs of English learners in the k-12 school system through intentional training of mainstream classroom teachers. The ELM Project has two strategic branches.
In the spring of 2016, Ann Mabbott, Ph.D., Co-Founder of the ELM Project and Professor Emerita, co-authored the ELM Project grant proposal with Dr. Michelle Benegas. Dr. Mabbott is professor emeritus and former program lead of the Second Language Teaching and Learning (SLTL) program in Hamline University’s School of Education. Over the last 10 years of her tenure, Dr. Mabbott worked intensively in the area of mainstream education for English learners (ELs) in a number of different school districts. The ELM Project is built on the foundation of Dr. Mabbott's extensive work and advocacy for ELs.
Pre-Service ELM Grant Branch: This branch of the ELM Project focuses on preparing Hamline University pre-service and additional licensure mainstream teachers to incorporate best practices for English learners in their planning and instruction by the time they are licensed teachers (typically 1-2 years after taking the course). Best practices include: creating a comfortable environment, accounting for how first language supports the acquisition of English, the second language acquisition process, legal obligations of schools in the instruction of ELs, WIDA assessments and supports, building background knowledge, academic language objectives that support content learning, providing opportunities for oral and written language practice, and understanding the goals of academic English language proficiency. All Hamline University initial and additional teacher licensure candidates (approximately 100 each year) are required to take a two-credit ELM course that addresses the unique educational needs of and considerations for ELs.
In-Service ELM Grant Branch: The in-service branch of the ELM Project aims to acknowledge the research on effective professional development by harnessing the expertise of English language teachers as a site-based resource to their colleagues. Through the ELM Project, EL teachers are trained to be non-evaluative peer coaches, referred to as ELM coaches, at their schools sites. In a collaborative partnership with mainstream teachers, ELM coaches observe, co-plan, and share instructional strategies with their mainstream teacher colleagues. As a result of participation in this branch, mainstream teachers meet the Minnesota LEAPS Act re-licensure requirements.
The in-service branch of ELM Project grant will train 250 licensed EL teachers who are practicing in partner districts and schools, which is done during a one credit ELM coaching course held at Hamline University. Following completion of this course, ELM coaches will be prepared to return to their districts and launch the ELM Project integration on site. After classroom observations of mainstream colleagues using the ELM Support Tool, which is a non-evaluative approach to addressing academic language instruction, ELM coaches present professional development sessions that teach mainstream teachers how to understand their ELs’ WIDA ACCESS scores and address the academic language learning needs of their students. Non-evaluative post-observations are completed in the spring after professional development and individualized coaching takes place.
The ELM Summit:
In order to extend the in-service impact of the ELM Project, an annual ELM Summit is held each year in August. This full day conference includes ELM coaches, school, and district leaders and is designed to provide critical information to address the academic language learning needs of all students.
The ELM Project Grant | Hamline University | School of Education
1536 Hewitt Avenue | Saint Paul, MN 55104
elm@hamline.edu | (office) 651-523-2879 | (fax) 651-523-2489