EdSource: More training for teachers to help English learners in Los Angeles

2023-04-06T13:47:28-07:00

December 2021

SEAL is proud to participate in a new federal grant-funded project in partnership with Loyola Marymount University’s Center for Equity for English Learners to improve language and literacy achievement for English learners in Los Angeles Unified elementary schools and to increase the pipeline of highly qualified bilingual teachers. Our partnership is funded by a $3 million National Professional Development grant to deliver and research SEAL’s evidence-based professional learning for teachers, coaches, district and school leaders over five years. The Purposeful Engagement in Academic Rigor and Language Learning (PEARLL) project will serve 166 current teachers, district and site leaders across 25 sites.

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EdSource: More training for teachers to help English learners in Los Angeles2023-04-06T13:47:28-07:00

EdSource: How TK can help students learning English as a second language

2023-04-06T13:50:06-07:00

December 2021

California is expanding transitional kindergarten, or TK, to eventually offer all 4-year-olds a free year of preschool before kindergarten. As California expands transitional kindergarten, English learner advocates are urging school districts to prioritize children learning English as a second language – about 60% of young children in California. Read the six strategies advocates recommend for schools to best serve 4-year-olds who are developing language skills in English and their home language.

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EdSource: How TK can help students learning English as a second language2023-04-06T13:50:06-07:00

New Federal grant to deliver and research SEAL Professional Development in LAUSD

2023-04-06T13:51:56-07:00

Dear SEAL Partners,

I am writing to share some exciting news.

SEAL is proud to announce that we will participate in a new federal grant-funded project in partnership with Loyola Marymount University’s Center for Equity for English Learners to improve language and literacy achievement for English learners in Los Angeles Unified elementary schools and to increase the pipeline of highly qualified bilingual teachers.

Our partnership is funded by a $3 million National Professional Development grant to deliver and research SEAL’s evidence-based professional learning for teachers, coaches, district and school leaders over five years. Furthermore, this project builds upon an initial National Professional Development grant, Project ROYAL, and will support rolling the SEAL model up to grades 4 and 5 in those schools. The project represents an amazing opportunity to ensure the children of L.A. have access to learning that is culturally and linguistically affirming and asset based, and that we can continue to learn about the most impactful professional development experiences supporting educators in LAUSD and beyond who are doing the complex work of equity-focused schooling.

The Purposeful Engagement in Academic Rigor and Language Learning (PEARLL) project will serve 166 current teachers, district and site leaders across 25 sites, and is guided by three goals:

  • improving and increasing the use of evidence/research-based strategies in TK-fifth grade classrooms
  • engaging families in literacy activities with their children; and
  • creating a pipeline of newly authorized bilingual teachers

We are proud to partner with LMU’s Center for Equity for English Learners and LAUSD on this important project. Please sign up for our newsletter to hear about what we are learning along the way and ensure you receive all our updates.

Sincerely,

Anya Hurwitz
Executive Director

New Federal grant to deliver and research SEAL Professional Development in LAUSD2023-04-06T13:51:56-07:00

Language Magazine: Responding to COVID by Training Effective Early Childhood Educators

2023-04-06T13:53:35-07:00

October 2021

Despite some of the systemic struggles educators faced throughout virtual learning, the pandemic was also a time when many preschool-aged EL/DLLs experienced less language loss as a result of being in multilingual settings at home or with caretakers who speak their home languages. Children didn’t stop “learning” language while they were sheltering in place—on the contrary, the additional exposure allowed children to retain and develop their home languages, which can contribute to long-term life successes that are gained from bilingualism if our schools know how to leverage that important asset. SEAL Executive Director, Dr. Anya Hurwitz shares the long-term benefits resulting from professional development programs for educators in multilingual preschool classrooms. […]

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Language Magazine: Responding to COVID by Training Effective Early Childhood Educators2023-04-06T13:53:35-07:00

SEAL 2021 Fall Newsletter

2023-04-06T14:03:33-07:00

Dear SEAL Partners,

As we commence another complicated school year amidst the COVID19 pandemic, we’re taking a moment to express our deep appreciation to our educators for your continued commitment to ALL students and to educational equity — keeping the focus on your dual language/English learner (DLL/EL) students and families. This is a critical moment for equity-minded leadership in California schools, as families of DLL/EL households have undergone so much throughout the pandemic. We must acknowledge the sacrifices that DLL/EL families have made to ensure that their children are safe and healthy as they continue their educational journey.

And though school and district teams worked tirelessly throughout the summer to plan for a smooth start to this new school year, the rise of the Delta variant has proven reopening more complex than last spring’s. Nonetheless, you have continued to uphold DLL/EL students and families, while working to make every moment a safe, welcoming, and rich learning experience for all students.

At SEAL, we remain committed to asset-based approaches to teaching that are culturally and linguistically responsive and affirming because we know that is what is needed for children to thrive in school. Our research-based model informs our approach to transforming school systems. Our values compel us to embrace engaging, joyful child development and learning where biliteracy is seen as an asset, and home language development along with English is integrated into the curriculum.

We are devoted to supporting you, our partners, to ensure your classrooms are grounded in this research-based, equity-driven learning, especially in the face of the growing challenges on school campuses as you protect the health of your students and the entire school community. We are a resource that you can turn to for support throughout the school year.

Let’s continue to build upon the important work that we have done for young children to continue engaging in joyful, language-rich learning.
In partnership,

Dr. Anya Hurwitz

 

New Policy Brief Published!

Invest in PD for early learning educators

August was an exciting month! SEAL released the Dual Language Learner (DLL) Grant Policy Brief. The policy brief finds teachers of the state’s youngest children are hungry for strategies to help them support students who are multilingual. SEAL continues to make the case that strengthening the capacity of early childhood educators to support DLLs is crucial to the long-term success of California’s youth. The DLL Grant Brief is an extension of SEAL’s ongoing work and confirms that investing in professional development deepens teacher’s understanding of and increases their use of effective instructional practices.

Findings from Building an Effective Early Childhood Workforce: The Need for Professional Development for Educators of Dual Language Learners show California should prioritize investment in teacher development! Here’s what we learned:

Others agree! California needs to prioritize investments in high-quality teacher development so that early childhood educators can adequately support their DLL students! Check out SEAL’s published blogs: One co-written in partnership with Advancement Project California and the other written by Sarah Jackson for New America.

Up Next…

This fall SEAL is scheduled to release a set of briefs about our most recent multi-year external evaluation study of the replication of the SEAL model. We are also finalizing a research brief on the 2018 National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) report, English Learners in STEM Subjects: Transforming Classrooms, Schools and Lives, which we’re aiming to release in late 2021.

 

SEAL in the Field!

Even though it was summer break, SEAL staff was hard at work. Check out highlights from the last several months as we prepared to return to school:

Participation at the U.S. Department of Education’s Early Learning Roundtable

SEAL Executive Director, Dr. Anya Hurwitz, was one of 11 early education leaders invited to speak at a U.S. Department of Education’s Early Learning Roundtable with Secretary of Education, Dr. Miguel Cardona! The conversation took place June 15th and ranged from the need for deep partnerships to foster interagency initiatives, to the importance of socio-emotional learning and dual-language approaches. We are excited to continue this important and necessary conversation!

SEAL Summer School was a Success!

SEAL summer school extended learning sessions proved to be fruitful and engaging! Interesting, rich, and joyfully crafted units designed to accelerate learning, sparked curiosity and kept our youngest learners busy! Check out some of the fun and creative ways Davis Joint Unified School District first graders learned about insects this summer!

SEAL is launching a new Online Resource Library!

We are thrilled to announce our brand new ONLINE Resource Library! In response to so many requests, all your favorite SEAL resources are now available at your fingertips at seal.org. The library will generate an email that will be sent to all SEAL educators at your site(s) asking them to choose a password and log in. In order to minimize any issues with this transition to more digitally robust tools, we put together a few safeguards to make sure teachers get into the new library with as little trouble as possible. We are excited to continue providing valuable and accessible resources!

More updates coming soon…

 

Media Highlights!

  • SEAL collaborated with Californians Together on an EdSource commentary in June. The article addresses equity challenges faced by English Learners and the importance of doubling down on effective practices in the classroom — not just focusing on interventions and foundational skills! Districts should focus on finding California’s missing kindergarteners, especially English learners
  • Our very own SEAL Coach Coordinator, Marna Ledesma, was quoted by EdSource in August. “We wanted to make sure that when students came back, they were given every opportunity to be in classrooms where it wasn’t going to be the teacher who was going to be talking all the time.”
  • SEAL was also quoted in an Ed Source article written by Zaidee Stavely about the urgent need for more bilingual educators in California. “There’s only so far we can go with a 2030 vision if we don’t have teachers who can staff the classrooms,” said Anya Hurwitz, executive director of Sobrato Early Academic Language.

 

New faces at SEAL!

Join us in welcoming our newest additions to the staff!

Jennifer Clinkscales, Program Specialist

Jennifer comes to SEAL from Fillmore Unified School District with the unique experience of being trained TK-3 and 4-5 grades. Some fun facts about her: she has previously attended 7 Prince concerts throughout her life! We are ecstatic to have her and she has already shown to be a valuable member of the team! Welcome, Jennifer!

Erin Magill Peleti, Program Specialist

Before joining SEAL Erin taught 5th and 6th grade in Oak Grove School District for 7 years. She was part of the 4-5 Grade SEAL launch in Oak Grove and was a Demo Site teacher! Some fun facts about Erin are that her freshman year dorm at UC Berkeley was the same building that once housed the California School for the Deaf, where her grandparents met. Welcome, Erin!

 

Don’t forget to follow us on social media for regular updates! Follow SEAL on Facebook.

SEAL 2021 Fall Newsletter2023-04-06T14:03:33-07:00

EdSource: How California teachers are welcoming back English learners | With language and community.

2023-04-06T16:42:04-07:00

August 2021

About 60% of the students at Bock’s school are English learners. The school uses curriculum and approaches developed by Sobrato Early Academic Language (SEAL) that can be used for any students but have a special focus on English learners. The organization prepared toolkits for returning to school after distance learning, with lesson plans for kindergarten through sixth grade. From songs for teachers to sing with their students to journals and research projects, the lessons focus on ways to get students talking and using vocabulary that helps them express their feelings.

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EdSource: How California teachers are welcoming back English learners | With language and community.2023-04-06T16:42:04-07:00

EdSource: Districts should focus on finding California’s missing kindergarteners, especially English learners.

2023-04-06T16:45:57-07:00

June 2021

Experts widely agree that high-quality early childhood education yields long-term academic benefits. But what happens when children miss out on this opportunity? In EdSource’s published commentary, Californians Together and SEAL tackle equity challenges faced by English Learners and discuss the importance of doubling down on effective practices in the classroom — not just focusing on interventions and foundational skills! Check out the 4 essential elements of an equity-focused approach to supporting English learners in the classroom. […]

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EdSource: Districts should focus on finding California’s missing kindergarteners, especially English learners.2023-04-06T16:45:57-07:00

EdSource: California bilingual programs ready to grow after slowing during pandemic

2023-04-06T16:48:04-07:00

June 2021

EdSource reports on school districts that are resuming their plans and enrolling students in new bilingual immersion programs. SEAL Executive Director, Dr. Anya Hurwitz is quoted and SEAL district partners, Newark and LAUSD, are also featured in this coverage. SEAL worked extensively with the Newark Unified School District in supporting the implementation of its dual language immersion program. […]

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EdSource: California bilingual programs ready to grow after slowing during pandemic2023-04-06T16:48:04-07:00

SEAL 2021 Spring Newsletter

2023-04-06T17:02:48-07:00

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

 

Dear SEAL Partners,

As this extraordinary school year comes to a close, we at SEAL are filled with so much awe and respect for how hard our educator partners have worked, continuing to prioritize the needs of Dual Language/English Learners, along with all their most vulnerable students. Thank you!

And as we begin looking ahead to the next post-pandemic phases, we all must ask ourselves– how can we channel the lessons we’ve learned and the implications of the last year and a half, to create real opportunities to redesign and reimagine what public education can and should be? As we move more fully to in-person learning this summer and next fall, we must keep equity at the forefront of our efforts. How can we seize the opportunities for transformation, to address the long-standing opportunity gaps that have been especially prevalent for Dual Language/English Learner communities during the pandemic?

To that end, the SEAL team has been hard at work developing high-quality resources and tools meant to support returning students and families. These resources are among the many efforts happening at SEAL as we continue to expand our organization, working to create the most powerful learning environments and systems where children engage together in rigorous, joyful, content, and language-rich learning.

I wish you all some rest and rejuvenation after this long and complicated school year, you deserve it!

In partnership,
Dr. Anya Hurwitz

 

SEAL in the Field!

The 2021 spring semester proved to be extremely busy for the SEAL team. We are proud to share some of the highlights of the last several months:

  • The SEAL team had an active March! We facilitated three sessions on “Making Language Visible, Tangible & Comprehensible” which was attended by 151 early educators. One participant said, “Thank you for all the new, wonderful, and meaningful information you are providing. This helps teach with intentionality and so grateful that your team has created such wonderful tools, skills, and resources to guide us through this journey.”
  • In April, the SEAL team presented at the Capital Region Inaugural 2021 Virtual Multilingual-English Learner Leadership Symposium. The event focused on developing capacity for teacher, site, and central office leaders in support of more effectively meeting the needs of all language learners in their classrooms, schools, and districts.
  • SEAL staff completed session 4 of our ELD Institute, and delivered the first one to Sacramento and Yolo County Offices of Education as a part of the EL RISE! project (CDE funded EWIG). Participants made it clear that the SEAL #dreamteam absolutely rocked it!
  • In June we released our SEAL “Welcoming & Affirming Community Toolkits” for use in summer and fall classrooms. These Toolkits are designed to centralize the needs of English Learners by providing rigorous language-based instructional units that attend to both the socio-emotional needs of students and prioritize strong family partnerships. There are resources for administrators to use with their staff and the full school community.

 

Up Next…

  • SEAL will be growing within the LA region through a generous three-year investment from the Ballmer Group that is anchoring this expansion effort! Over the next three years, four cohorts of preschool/TK teachers and one cohort of Kinder through 3rd-grade schools will be trained in the SEAL model. We are so excited to grow our reach in LA, and we will announce the district and preschool program partners in the near future.
  • SEAL is in the process of rolling out six Teacher Preparation Learning Cycles (TPLCs). The TPLCs leverage SEAL’s proven professional development model in an effort to ensure that new teachers are prepared to meet the needs of English/Multilingual Learners on day one. The Cycles are designed to construct coherent learning experiences for teacher candidates by bridging the gap that often exists between university preparation and the student-teaching experience.

 

SEAL media highlights!

Since the beginning of the year, SEAL has worked in collaboration with New America to publish articles on current issues pertaining to English Learners in early education. Our final blog in the 3-part series highlights how critical family outreach is to the success of our young English Learners as they return to in-person instruction. Now more than ever it is imperative to advocate for culturally and linguistically relevant content and uplift the educators that are engaging in this meaningful work. Check out all three blogs below:

 

Family Outreach is a Key Pillar of Support as English Learners Transition Back to In-person Instruction Amid Pandemic Concerns

May 26, 2021

 

Districts leaders look beyond the pandemic as they prioritize dual language programs and resources for English learners

April 8, 2021

Teachers Lean on Each Other to Rise Above and Beyond During Pandemic to Support Dual Language Learners

Jan. 27, 2021

 

Other media highlights!

  • EdSource recently quoted SEAL Executive Director, Dr. Anya Hurwitz in their article on bilingual programming. Our district partners, Newark Unified and LAUSD are also featured. SEAL has been working extensively with Newark Unified to support the launch of its new dual language immersion program.
  • SEAL Executive Director spoke to EdSource on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s 2021-22 revised budget for K-12 and early education.
  • SEAL is featured in a New America article about utilizing COVID relief funding to support English Learners. Check out the “do’s” and “don’ts” of maximizing their ability to boost ELs’ learning.
  • Check out Californians Together‘s great article, “Expanded Learning Opportunity Grants: Recommendations for Making them Work for English Learners.” SEAL is highlighted!
  • Our latest EdSource commentary, titled ‘Districts should focus on finding California’s missing kindergarteners, especially English learners‘ was co-authored by Martha Hernandez from Californians Together and SEAL Executive Director, Dr. Anya Hurwitz. It addresses equity challenges faced by English learners and the importance of doubling down on effective practices in the classroom — not just focusing on interventions and foundational skills. Check out the 4 essential elements of an equity-focused approach to supporting English learners in the classroom as cited by EdSource below:

4 Essential Elements of an Equity-focused Approach to Supporting English Learners in the Classroom

New faces at SEAL!

Join us in welcoming our newest SEAL board member and additions to the staff!

Feliza I. Ortiz-Licon, Ed.D, Trustee

A champion of equitable education and opportunities for all students, Feliza currently serves as Chief Policy & Advocacy Officer at Latinos for Education. She was formerly the Principal of Education Programs at UnidosUS (formerly National Council of La Raza), the largest national Latino civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States. In her current capacity, Feliza oversees the education data & research team, the family and community engagement work, leadership fellowships, and the K-16 portfolio of programs that fall under the following areas: leadership development, STEM, college and career readiness and post-secondary programs. Feliza holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles in Political Science, a master’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley in City and Regional Planning, and a doctoral degree in Education Leadership from the University of California, Irvine. In 2015, Governor Brown appointed Feliza to the CA State Board of Education where she served as a Board Member for five fulfilling years.

Robert Cramer, Systems and Data Support Manager

  • Previously worked at Valley Montessori School as their IT Manager/Director of Technology.
  • A United States Air Force Veteran who has traveled to 25 countries.
  • Once snowboarded in the Alps from Austria to Switzerland and back.
  • Made it on American Idol twice!

 

Paula Motas, Production Manager

  • Previously worked as an event planner for a technological company in the San Francisco Bay Area.
  • Has skydived and rappelled 10 stories down into a cave
  • Once swam with sharks!

 

Don’t forget to follow us on social media for regular updates! Follow SEAL on Facebook.

SEAL 2021 Spring Newsletter2023-04-06T17:02:48-07:00
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