Workshops

Building Language in the Content Classroom

The majority of the world's international school students speak English as a second language. As a result, building English language proficiency in the content classroom has become a necessary skill for international school teachers. The goal of this workshop is to provide teachers with a means to analyze the classroom interaction that happens in their classrooms and to model a variety of techniques that boost interaction in the classroom. Teachers will have an opportunity to analyze and discuss sample classroom data, then they'll be tasked with creating language building interactions based on the sample data.

Bill Rago leads the middle school ELL department and has taught grade six English Language Arts at Korea International School Jeju for the past four years. Prior to KISJ, he was an ELD teacher at an international school in Vietnam. Bill arrived in Korea in 2004 and taught EFL Methods and Second Language Acquisition at Sookmyung Women's University as an Assistant Professor until 2014.

Using Mentor Texts to Teach Grammar and Vocabulary

The best way to teach grammar and vocabulary is through authentic texts. Diana will share some electronic resources and print text favourites for EALs from grade 7-12 as well guide you through how excerpts of short stories, poetry and novels can be used for teaching better grammar and vocabulary in context. Emphasis will be placed on sharing culturally relevant texts about contemporary world issues. This will com mainly from the English and Social Studies content lens, thus novels and short stories as well as articles about current events will be the primary mentor texts. The strategies can be adapted to building academic vocabulary and correctness in any subject, but is geared toward a Middle and High School audience and not for those supporting beginner ELs, but rather those with basic language proficiency that needs refining in terms of precision and correctness.

Diana Sorobey is an IBDP English B teacher at the Canadian International School, Vietnam, where she supports grade 7-12 English Learners. She has taught secondary school for 12 years in Edmonton, Canada and in Ho Chi Minh City-- specializing in EAL, English and Social Studies.

The Power to Talk

In this workshop we will look at ways that teachers can facilitate academic conversations in their classrooms across content areas. Teachers will gain ways to explicitly teach conversation skills and guide students towards independence in their academic interactions with one another. These conversations serve the dual purpose of strengthening both student comprehension and oral communication skills. If we can harness the potential of conversation in our classrooms, we can improve the quality of our student’s learning.

Session Objectives:

1. Reflect on the importance and utility of academic conversations in the classroom. 2. Learn ways to explicitly teach conversation skills. 3. Explore ways to embed and scaffold academic conversations into content classes to support learner’s content comprehension and oral communication skills.

Eric Rosenthal has had the privilege to work with English Language Learners since 2009. He has taught in China, Vietnam, and South Korea. He holds a master's degree in Education from The College of New Jersey, and a bachelor's degree in English, Literature, and Rhetoric from Binghamton University. He works to support English Language Learners in all aspects of their education and enjoys learning new pedagogical techniques to benefit his students. Eric currently works at Korea International School as the grade 4 ELL teacher.

But I Don't Speak My Students' L1... Translanguaging 101

We will learn the basics of translanguaging, the WHAT, the WHY, and the HOW, debunk some myths around this strategy, and will understand what it feels like to be a language learner. Second half of the workshop will be structured as a discussion group where you can share your ideas, concerns, and questions and we, as a whole group, will respond to them. Please bring a device (phone, laptop, tablet) to the workshop!

Kanako is an EAL Specialist for 4th grade at American International School Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. She was born in Japan and grew up as a Third Culture Kid living in both Japan and Taipei, Taiwan. She currently works as a EAL Co-teacher in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. She is an active participant of the Twitter education community, focusing on ELs and advocating for best practices and supports.

Co-teaching, a Journey Worth Taking

This workshop targets teachers who are familiar and are/or intent to implement the co-teaching model. This workshop is about sharing experiences about ways to implement or improve your co-teaching program. Why? The increase of students with different skills, abilities and language levels, means that we should increase collaboration amongst teachers and specialists. This leads to a more effective instruction that positively impacts the diverse academic and language development needs. Different co-teaching models along with co-planning, co-assessment and reflection can enhance differentiation of instruction and allow students to access the curriculum at their own level.

Alis Gorcea is an MS EAL/ Co-teacher at Saigon South International School who is in her 17th year of teaching and is dedicated to lifelong learning and continuing education. She is excited about co-teaching and incorporating new teaching methods, resources and educational technologies to enhance students' skills and learning.

Piloting the transition from Co-teaching to English Language Development

As the new ‘English Language Development Specialists’ of the high school, Nick Pollman and Amy Burchett will share the successes and challenges of their transition from a Co-teaching EAL model to a ELD Coaching model at the American International School Chennai. They will share the recommendations and rationale that set their high school program on this path, as well as the myriad range of iterations trialed throughout the last 18 months. Teachers can expect to take away copies of our research-based, custom-made ‘Menu of ELD Services’; copies of the ‘Academic Language Supports’ we use for continuity of instruction; and probably a few laughs at our expense as we share some of our hot tips for soliciting business in the world of ELD! Teachers may be invited to observe or share their own understandings, experiences and wonderings of other ‘ELD Coaching Models’ by participating in a structured open-dialogue protocol.

Amy Burchett has a master’s degree in Applied Linguistics and near 15 years experience working with English Language Learners (ELLs) across a diverse range of teaching contexts. In addition to the 'International School' teaching context, she has also worked in Adult Migrant English Programs, and Bilingual Indigenous Education Programs in Australia. Amy places tremendous value on the importance of having common language across the curriculum in order to facilitate the independence and transfer of student learning and academic communication skills.

Nick Pollman has a master’s degree in Teaching Culturally and Linguistically Diverse and Exceptional Learners and 8 years experience working with ELLs. Nick began his teaching journey with the Peace Corps in Sichuan, China teaching university students English, then continued on to Ningbo, China to teach middle school ELLs before arriving in Chennai, India to work with high school ELLs. Nick is passionate about equity, asset-based mindsets, and maximizing student engagement.

Using iOS Apps to Engage English Language Learners

In this workshop, I will share four activities that excite and engage EAL students with their classroom novel reading. Using iOS (iPad) apps iMovie, Pages, and Keynote, workshop participants will learn how to lead students to a deeper understanding of their reading in novel studies/Reader’s Workshop lessons. These activities can be adapted to a variety of situations in the elementary and middle school classroom or small group EAL lessons. This workshop will be best for teachers who use iPads in their classroom, but it is not a requirement.

Andrew McGovern is an English as an Additional Language Teacher at Chiyoda international School in Tokyo. He has taught in international schools for 17 years, holds a Master's degree in TESOL, and is an Apple Distinguished Educator. He is passionate about merging technology and language learning.

iPad Tools to Empower Multilinguals

I will be sharing a vast collection of iPad tools to empower multilinguals in all grade levels. Attendees will need to bring iPads where they are able to download an array of apps. This will be a shareout/hands-on session.

Empowering Student Voices with Flipgrid, Podcasts & Social Media

In my session about empowering and amplifying our students’ voices, I show how I use Flipgrid, podcasting and social media as platforms to develop and showcase young voices. In my role as an EAL (English as an Additional Language) teacher, I have built and used these platforms with the intention of supporting all students, including ELLs (English Language Learners) as they find their authentic voice in a language that is not their own.

Ceci is a collaborator, co-teacher and coach at Saigon South International School who empowers educators to create learning opportunities to suit all multilinguals' needs. She has been the leader of an ELL support program based on support practices within a sheltered immersion philosophy and the use of differentiation strategies. She is an innovator, Apple Distinguished Educator and COETAIL graduate who effectively integrates eLearning tools and contemporary practice to enhance learning across all divisions for ELLs and all students.

Engagement Made Easy: 3 Simple Engagement Strategies for All Teachers

Engaging students, specifically language learners, can be hard work. This is especially if we’re bound to curriculum and assessment expectations. During this session, Justin will introduce 3 simple ways to engage all students across any and all content areas, with any curriculum, while simultaneously scaffolding language. This will be a hands on session with Justin modeling Mix & Mingle, Gallery Walks, and Tableaux strategies.

Justin (they, them) is a Grade One teacher who teaches at Chiang Mai International School in Thailand. Justin’s teaching experience has solely been in the classroom with at least 90% English Language Learners. They also have experience constructing and coordinating ELL programs. Not only are they passionate about teaching, but they are also passionate about helping other teachers succeed.

Imagine Learning & Assessment Technology (Galileo K-12)

Galileo Assessments and using the data to guide English Language Learners

Support for EL's using first language and ESSA Evidence & Research

Introduction to how Imagine Language & Literacy assists English Learners using their first language. WIDA access score improvements, ESSA Evidence & Research and Response to Intervention.

Ernesto Lopez is an International Partner working with Private & Public Schools that have ELLs who need to become proficient and at the level of a native English student. Implementing Imagine Language & Literacy in Latin America, Asia, Europe, Middle East and other areas of the world. Graduated from Brigham Young University and Ohio State University. 10 years with Imagine Learning.

Direct Language Instruction or Content-Based Support? One School's Journey to Supporting Language Learners

How can we develop English Language Programs that fit within the IB framework? Which tools best measure the effectiveness of these programs and our learner’s abilities to access content? This workshop will explore one school’s journey to create an English Language Program that unites direct language instruction, using the MYP Language Acquisition criterion, with content-based support through co-teaching models. Our Secondary school uses the WIDA English language proficiency test to inform placement and instruction, and our program has shifted from a sole focus on language acquisition to taking into account grade-level objectives. A focus on developing student’s Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills underpins ISHCMC’s philosophy and offers us a way to frame our language & content objectives in the EAL classroom.

Juliet Markis is a Secondary EAL Teacher and House Leader at International School Ho Chi Minh City (ISHCMC), Vietnam. She currently teaches MYP Language Acquisition and DP English B courses, in addition to acting as a push-in teacher in several content courses. She has taught EAL for over ten years, and holds an MA in Multicultural and Bilingual Education. Juliet has experience presenting at KoTESOL 2014, TESOL Arabia 2015, Mekong TESOL 2016, and the Vietnam Tech Conference 2016.