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Youth experiencing poverty at GOAL Academy

Janelle M. Johnson, PhD Equity Assistance Center Metropolitan State University of Denver

+What is equity and why does it matter when we talk about poverty?

n  Equity vs. equality

n  The law requires equity in education as a civil right n  Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka 1954

n  Civil Rights Act 1964

n  Title IX 1972

n  Lau vs. Nichols 1974

n  Plyler vs. Doe 1982

n  10 Equity Assistance Centers

n  Greater equity leads to improved academic achievement for all students

+Topics to be covered

n Addressing the needs of English Language Learners: Students’ goals and expectations

n Issues and challenges around teacher-student communication

n Ideas to improve family engagement and support students

+Goals and expectations for students

+In Flash Judgments you’ll learn…

n How our first look at others often leaves lasting impressions.

n How quickly we put labels on others.

n How our actions show others how we feel about them.

n How labels affect the way we get along with others.

n How getting to really know people helps us set aside labels so we can work to appreciate each other.

+When we are made to feel tolerated:

n  We feel excluded, apart from the group.

n  We are silent about who we are and what we need.

n  We have low expectations of ourselves.

n  We hide our differences so we fit in.

n  We feel we really don’t matter.

n  We have low trust for others, even those willing to help.

n  We tend to act out.

n  We give up.

+When we are made to feel appreciated:

n  We feel included, part of the group.

n  We feel that others are interested in us and care about us.

n  Others expect us to succeed.

n  We have two-way communication.

n  Our differences are valued and seen as a resource.

n  Our needs matter.

n  We are given opportunities.

n  We bring our whole self to the world.

n  We are trusted.

+Designated* ELLs at GOAL

n  All entering students are asked about the language(s) they understand, speak, read, and write. n  6% NEP-non-English proficient

n  10% LEP-limited-English proficient

n  1% FEP-fluent-English proficient

n  PHLOTE means primary home language other than English as determined by the Home Language Survey (HLS)

n  FELL* means students who are former ELLs who have exited their language acquisition program.

+Accommodations based on student characteristics

+Accommodations vs. Modifications ACCOMMODATIONS

n  Accommodations are practices and procedures in the areas of presentation, response, setting, and timing/scheduling that provide equitable instructional and assessment access for students with a formally documented need.

MODIFICATIONS

n  Modifications change or reduce learning or assessment expectations. Some examples of modifications include: n  requiring a student to learn less material (e.g., fewer objectives, shorter units

or lessons, fewer pages or problems); n  reducing assignments and assessments so a student only needs to complete

the easiest problems or items; n  revising assignments or assessments to make them easier (e.g., crossing out

half of the response choices on a multiple-choice test so that a student only has to pick from two options instead of four), or

n  giving a student hints or clues to correct responses on assignments and tests.

+CDE Accommodations for ELLs

n  Expect ELs to achieve grade-level academic content standards.

n  Learn about accommodations for instruction and assessment.

n  Select accommodations for instruction and assessment for individual students.

n  Administer accommodations during instruction and assessment.

n  Evaluate and improve accommodation use.

+Commonly held beliefs about ELLs

n Read over the list of commonly held beliefs.

n At your table are colored sheets with lettered descriptions about the background of each of these beliefs.

n Read each of the background descriptions and try to match them with the commonly held belief.

n Pass around the background descriptions at your table.

n What questions and comments do you have?

+Coach-student communication

+What kinds of coach-student communication occur at GOAL?

+Possible ways to enhance coach-student communication

There are three short pieces to read…at your table count off in threes.

1) The Digital Divide by Paul C. Gorski

2) Home Visiting by North Central Regional Educational Laboratory

3) Bringing it Home by Huffington Post Education

Please read over the article that corresponds to your number. Discuss it with the others who read the same article. Then share with the other people at your table.

+Parental involvement or family engagement?

+Communication with ELL parents n  Parents depend on basic school communications—report cards, bus schedules,

permission slips—to stay involved in their children’s education. When a school fail to provide translation support to LEP families, these lines of communication can break down.

n  Develop a written communications plan to ensure timely and effective communication with LEP parents.

n  Maintain a list of LEP parents who require languages other than English and make this list available to all staff members.

n  Notify LEP parents annually that free translation and interpretation services are available and explain how to request these services. A multi-language poster by the office explaining the resources available to LEP families can simplify communication.

n  Provide free interpretation and translation services to LEP parents at parent-teacher conferences, meetings with the school principal and special education meetings.

n  All parent notices (e.g., registration/enrollment forms, emergency notification cards, report cards, bus schedules, field trip permission forms, privacy policies and class schedules) should include appropriate translations.

n  Train staff to effectively communicate with LEP parents—when and how to obtain qualified language assistance, use of interpreters when staff receive or make calls to language-minority individuals, and applicable recordkeeping procedures.

+What does family engagement look like at GOAL Academy?

n Two activities in site teams at your table: n Fill out the Communicating Likert scale. n Do the Jumping Hurdles activity.

n Then we’re going to share at tables and with the larger group.

+Equity at GOAL Academy

n What is equity? Why does it matter?

n What are some of the concrete ways you can improve equity at GOAL Academy through n  Goals and expectations, especially for ELLs n  Coach-student communication n  Family engagement

n Other questions?

n Thanks for filling out my evaluation!

n Contact us at www.MetroState-EAC.org

My email is jjohn428@msudenver.edu