Be Respectful | Be Responsible | Be a Problem Solver
Looking closely, seeing the beauty, and wondering at the design of nature creates artists, writers, scientists, engineers and mathematicians
Welcome to the Multilingual/English Language Learner program at Briarwood Elementary.
March and April 2024
As February turns into March all of our first and second grade students have completed their testing and it is the turn of third, fourth and fifth grade students to show their progression in listening, speaking, reading and writing in English. Our Kindergarten students will have their chance mid March when they have been in school for almost an entire year! I leave them until last as their testing moves from just listening and speaking to include reading and writing which are more complex skills. When I progress monitored our students at the end of January, all students were marching forward with their English skills, which is what we strive for, for them. Reading and writing generally take longer to learn...think about it, most children do not read and write until they have been listening and speaking for four to five years after birth, our multilingual learners are no different! Your child will benefit from listening to you reading stories to them in their home language and then talking about the plot, the characters and any connections they made between the story and themselves, or other books they have heard or read. The skill of thinking about and talking about books is powerful in any language, and is a skill that carries from one language to another! Good questions include: + Who is the main character, would they make a good friend? Why or why not? + Why do you think the main character chose to _______? + If you were in the book what would you do in this situation? Why? + Could this happen in real life? Why or why not? Most of all, enjoy the special time reading books together! January and February 2024
The new year is off to a cold start, but students are embracing their curiosity and learning fast! We will will be doing a progress monitoring January 22-25 and the WIDA testing will take place February 5 until March 21. Your child will complete Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing tests. They will take place in 2-4 sittings depending on how much time each section takes. I will test students in groups of 4 or less, and one-to-one wherever possible. This is one opportunity for your child to show what they know in English for each section. We will receive scores at school this year which will allow me to adjust strategies to suit their next steps for the remainder of the school year! October 2023
Students and teachers are settling into a routine and classrooms are busy with learning! I am working with a variety of teachers across grade levels to support multilingual learners in the classroom. All students receive the support as all students are constantly learning or adding to their language banks, just as adults do! Multilingual students, besides having knowledge in their home languages, are building knowledge and English skills at the same time. It's a lot of work for them! My task is to make the language approachable through co-teaching or mini lessons for the whole class, to help students grow confidence in their skills, and to provide supports for the classroom teacher to use during all lessons. Your children are delightful and amazing little beings and I'm incredibly lucky to share them with you and their teacher. Please, if you have questions about your child's language development, call at 425.837.4993, or email [email protected] I will also be available during conferences to meet with you as requested. We can use an interpreter if you would like one too! September 2023
Welcome back to school for a brand new year and a brand new name! You may have noticed that ELL or MLL support has a new name. To recognize that many of our students and families are multilingual, or becoming multilingual, we are now known as the ML or Multilingual Learner department. We continue to support your child alongside their classmates as they learn the language for math, social studies, science, language arts and social interactions together. Our district model supports language acquisition alongside curriculum rather than a stand alone skill. After all, we all have knowledge in our home languages, the ML support helps to bridge learners to the English version! Currently, we are screening all of our newcomers. This year we have at least seventeen new students from kindergarten all the way to fifth grade! We hope to have initial screening completed by September 16, at which stage we will be planning language goals with teachers for each of the units we teach together. In the works: there will be a family evening for all ML caregivers when you can come and meet us, Ms. McCaig and Mrs. Purcell and also learn about how to ask questions and support your student in the American School system. We're looking forward to meeting you later in the year (date to be announced). Meanwhile, if you need to contact us sooner please email at [email protected] or [email protected] call 425.837.4993 If you need a translator please let me know and I can arrange for one! May 12, 2022
Student growth is bounding! It is wonderful to spend time supporting your learners and to see the joy as reading makes sense and students are become braver about speaking out by asking questions or offering ideas and observations during social studies and science! In second grade we interpret photographs from about 100 years ago and it was noted that hay was fuel because we have animals, not cars to get around on! If your student is asking about the local area, Snoqualmie old town is a wonderful place to see the old trains and a tree slice that shows the history of the area. Of course, the railroad depot in Issaquah also has the "iron mule," the coal powered mule used by settlers in the logging industry. I hope our weather settles soon making it easier to get out and about locally! Parent Survey from OSPI--Closes May 4, 2022
About the Project The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction's Multilingual Education Advisory Committee (MEAC) is developing a statewide strategic plan to meet the needs of multilingual learners in Washington State. This multi-year process includes input from multiple voices across the education system to help determine goals and action steps to be included in the statewide strategic plan. We're currently seeking input from educators, families, and community members across the staff via our survey below. The Community survey is available in these languages: English | Spanish | Vietnamese | Russian | Somali Chinese | Arabic | Ukrainian | Marshallese https://subscribe.ncesd.org/ml_statewide_plan#lOdumeLwdFaHbguYKpIEDSNUTHVQKvzWL April 18, 2022
Welcome back after the last long break of the school year. I hope you enjoyed the Spring Break, even though it was surprisingly stormy! I was lucky enough to visit my parents in Scotland for the first time in two and a half years. We had a lovely relaxing time even though jet lag grabbed me on the way back! Now that we are back in the classroom the general education teachers are excited to use the brand new diverse representation books supplied by the teaching and learning department of the school district. I was privileged to be able to work with staff at a staff development event where the excitement about the books was evident. The hope is that children will see more of themselves and their friends represented in picture books and novels at school. I continue to support your student around the curriculum presented in the general classroom and I see much growth at this time of the year. It is delightful to see previous picture-only readers connecting with the words and checking for meaning, writers becoming more confident in their ability to communicate sequentially with appropriate transitions, and our striving speakers chat happily with their classmates and even speaking confidently in whole class discussion. Again, as we approach the final nine weeks of the 21-22 school year, please contact me if you have any questions about your child's English Language Development. Official WIDA scores should be with us by the end of May to early June and we will use these to assist in planning their continued support next year as needed. March 24, 2022
Our district has completed the WIDA and the testing window closes this Friday. The scorers will be hard at work and we expect to be able to report to you on where your child is on the "Can-Do" continuum early June. The lists of those continuing with ELL support and those who will be monitored will receive information in late August. Meanwhile, we are working more with reading and writing in the last trimester of school. Often the writing is directly connected to speaking; if I can say it then I can write it! We read a book together, we make connections across texts, or with self, or world through speaking and then we write about those connections. Additionally, upper grade students are learning how to summarize and pull important information to support opinion papers they are writing. Summarizing can be challenging as students tend to retell rather than report the who, what, where, when and why. Retell includes details too! March 1, 2022
Yay us! All of our fabulous 1st through 5th graders have completed the WIDA testing and I'm now working with the Kindergarten students. It is heartwarming to see the enormous growth your children have made over such a short time back in school full time. The grade school student work is being scored by WIDA and the news is we should expect scores back before the end of this school year, which will help us get off to a flying start next year. Kindergarten scores will be available at the same time. The ELL department will be sending me information for summer school and ELL summer school within the next month and invitations will go out shortly afterwards for this free learning experience! Summer School will be for the month of July and will be mornings only at Apollo, Clark, and Sunset. Additionally, transportation is available for your catchment area. Much more information will come as teachers fill the summer school teaching positions. Meanwhile, if you have questions please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected] January 25, 2022
English Test—WIDA Access Testing In the month of February, ELL students will be tested on their English language proficiency in the areas of Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing. This test is called WIDA Access. It will help us know how to best serve your child. Scores from the WIDA Access will be available to you this spring. If you would like to preview the test with your 1st-5th grade student, a tutorial can be found here. Select “Access for ELLs” and then choose your child’s grade level. https://assets.drcedirect.com/States/WIDA/Tutorials/Student/201908-html5/index.html Kindergarteners will take the test one-on-one with a teacher and none of it will be done on the computer. There is no need for kindergarten students to do any sort of practice ahead of time. Let us know if you would like to speak further about the WIDA Access test. Cultural Bridges Magazine The Cultural Bridges for Education is a family engagement program that serves as a bridge of communication between the Issaquah School District and parents who were not born in America. Cultural Bridges families overcome language and cultural barriers and empowers them to become a part of our community while helping their kids be successful in school. Attached to this newsletter you will find the winter edition. https://isfdn.org/cultural-bridges-magazine/ January 20, 2022
Shortly, your student will be taking the WIDA English Language Tests for the 2021-22 school year. This is a very exciting time of year as we see how much our students have grown! The test is different to any they have taken before so the link wbte.drcedirect.com/WIDA/portals/wida will lead you to practice pages for the ACCESS Test. Once you enter the page choose the test, Listening, Speaking, Reading or Writing, and then use the username and password supplied on the sign in page. This will give your child the opportunity to see and interact with the testing platform and to try some of the questions. You will receive a letter soon to give you more information about the testing window. As usual, I am available by email, phone or zoom to chat if you have questions! January 5, 2022
January has certainly arrived with a drum roll! Severe weather has certainly caused a slow start. However, students are getting down to the business of soaking up information like little sponges. Conversations demonstrate that they are able to share their learning and observations, make connections across topics, transfer their learning from one problem to another and add important details as they recount and sequence events. Kindergarteners were able to take the story they sequenced before break and then tell their own snow stories based on real life experiences! As you know winter has just started here in the Pacific Northwest which means we still have 12 more weeks of possible wintery weather. If you have not already found information regarding bus routes and possible late starts or closures, the following link is a great place to start https://www.issaquah.wednet.edu/ The yellow stripe across the top of the page is clickable and will take you to more detailed information! Let's hope learning is not disrupted for the rest of the winter! December 15, 2021
Students are getting ready for their Winter Break and teachers are getting ready for back to school in January! The new year brings students who know the routines, are rested. and are ready to return to learning and seeing their classmates again. The ELL support schedule changes a little to accommodate students who move into the school over the holiday and those who need a little extra support as they strive to polish their English language skills. I have attached a general schedule on the button to the right so you can see when your child's grade band receives additional support. Additionally, we've been learning to note take in 3rd grade as you can see from the photograph. We are making our learning visible! November 29, 2021
As conferences approach now is the time to think about questions you want to ask your child's classroom teacher about their learning in class. Their report card may have ELP in place of a standards grade of 1. 2. 3. 4. This means that your child, although they may have knowledge of the curriculum in their home language, do not yet have the English language skills to show their knowledge. This year it is especially apparent after a 15 month interruption to in-school learning for most of our students. I have set up an office hour on zoom for Thursday December 2, 2022 at 6pm and would be delighted if you want to stop by with any questions. The top links on the right of this page have the Zoom links on a one page newsletter that I will also email you. I will be popping in to as many conferences as I can too. November 10, 2021
Despite all the little breaks during November, language learning is in full swing. Students are part of a daily discourse in their classrooms and I have begun the process of recording each Kindergarten child reading a book. We are using Chatterpix to lower their affective filter, meaning they are making a character talk rather than feeling concern about recording themselves on screen. We're using emoji pillows for the faces and Chatterpix to make the "mouth" on the pillow face move as the student reads aloud! For the beginning of the year we are using a repeating pattern book that we worked with recently. My goal is to have students read a piece of writing or a short book, at intervals across the year to demonstrate growth. The 30-second videos will be app-smashed with Seesaw and I will work on getting families connected to the ELL Seesaw once I have all the Kindergarteners recorded for the first time. October 20, 2021
We are definitely into a learning rhythm as the ELL schedule firms up. I meet with all Kindergarten ELLs 4 times a week in 15 minute increments which ties in beautifully with their reading and word work rotations. It is a joy getting to know them and to hear the excitement in their voices as they tell about adventures, and we learn about listening and speaking with each other rather than at each other. Primary grades are becoming amazing writers as they begin crafting their first narratives and the intermediate grades are learning to read closely to make discoveries about the characters inner feelings. This is important work as students synthesize prior knowledge with new information and create new knowledge about reading and the world around themselves. At the same time, I co-teach with two of the second grade teachers during social studies and science to enrich the students language experiences as they grapple with the content. It is such a delight to see little "ah-ha" moments happening all day! October 4, 2021
It's autumn and the leaves are beginning to turn wonderful reds and yellows! As the weather cools down our students are settling into a very productive school year. Our English Language Learners are already showing growth in listening and speaking, and they are engaging in the wonderful world or Reader's and Writer's Workshops in their classrooms as they develop communication skills. When I visit classrooms to introduce myself I often tell students that although I speak English I still don't know all the words; they are out there to discover, learn, and use effectively! Functional language is present in all content which means I am able to teach language whether I'm in the class during math, science, social studies, reading or writing. It is such a joyous journey and I'm delighted that your child is accompanying me on their journey. I have added a new button to the right for the Cultural Bridges resource. This may be useful for you and your family, and often has local resources available in multiple languages. Our newest students will have received letters from the district welcoming them to the ELL Program and I am very happy to conference with families that would like more information. September 20, 2021
Our students have successfully navigated the first three weeks of school, including our first five day week! Classrooms are beginning to hum along as students are learning protocols for collaboration and problem solving. Our Multilingual students are settling in nicely and have all been screened for language supports in the classroom. If you believe your student should be screened, please do not hesitate to check with me. Classroom teachers are checking in with me too, if they believe there is a child that may have missed being screened last year. All supports are delivered in class as whole group or small group, and reflect the curriculum that all students are receiving. Why? Language is firmly entwined with the curriculum. Another way to think about this is, language has a function be it in math, science or social studies. By creating pathways to use language to narrate, argue, inform and explain, students will be able to communicate their thoughts and ideas clearly in speech and writing. The supports aimed specifically at our multilingual learners work for all of our students! August 31, 2021
Welcome back to school! I am beyond excited to be back in classrooms working with English Language Learners after the 15 month COVID-19 break. Rest assured your child's health and safety is upper most in our minds as we transition back into learning. I am Carol McCaig, and will be your child's English Language Teacher alongside their general education teacher here at Briarwood. I'm looking forward to collaborating with each family and teacher as we work as a team to support your child's development in English. This is my fourth year in the Issaquah School District and my sixteenth year as a teacher here in Washington. If you would like to know more about me please click on the "about" tab at the top of the page! You are also very welcome to contact me at, [email protected] or we can set up a phone conference at any time. Please let me know if you'd like a translator. Please expect an update on this "Home" page every two weeks. In addition, you will find dates for your diary and learning resources on the "Updates and Resources" tab above. As we move through the school year, I expect to have Seesaw pages set up for your child where they will periodically record in-class learning for you to view and celebrate. Again, if you have questions, concerns, or compliments please don't hesitate to contact me! |
Making the process visible in Mrs. Maccio's science classroom
|