Books to Celebrate National Literacy Month and National Hispanic Heritage Month

2023-09-14T17:52:47-07:00

To celebrate National Literacy Month and National Hispanic Heritage Month, we asked our team to share some of their favorite books by talented Latina/o/x authors. Check out some of these recommended reads for various age ranges and spanning various genres that entertain, inspire and educate through their storytelling. Thank you to our SEAL team members for sharing your treasured books!

Carmela Full of Wishes by Matt de la Peña

Summary: “When Carmela wakes up on her birthday, her wish has already come true–she’s finally old enough to join her big brother as he does the family errands. Together, they travel through their neighborhood, past the crowded bus stop, the fenced-off repair shop, and the panadería, until they arrive at the Laundromat, where Carmela finds a lone dandelion growing in the pavement. But before she can blow its white fluff away, her brother tells her she has to make a wish.”

Reading level: 3 – 6 years old 

Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende

Summary: “Orphaned at birth, Eliza Sommers is raised in the British colony of Valparaíso, Chile, by the well-intentioned Victorian spinster Miss Rose and her more rigid brother Jeremy. Just as she meets and falls in love with the wildly inappropriate Joaquín Andieta, a lowly clerk who works for Jeremy, gold is discovered in the hills of Northern California. By 1849, Chileans of every stripe have fallen prey to feverish dreams of wealth. Joaquín takes off for San Francisco to seek his fortune, and Eliza, pregnant with his child, decides to follow him.”

Reading level: Adult

De Colores and other Latin-American Folk Songs for Children by José-Luis Orozco

Summary: “Bursting with color and spirit, this collection of Latin-American songs is a tribute to Latino culture. From traditional tunes to rhymes and hand games, De Colores has songs for all occasions and moods. Each song is accompanied by simple musical arrangements, with lyrics in both English and Spanish. Slightly abridged from the original edition, this is ideal for classroom use, multicultural studies, or just plain fun.”

Reading level: 4 – 8 years old

Dreamers by Yuyi Morales

Summary: “This lovingly-illustrated picture book memoir looks at the myriad gifts migrantes bring with them when they leave their homes. It’s a story about family. And it’s a story to remind us that we are all dreamers, bringing our own strengths wherever we roam. Beautiful and powerful at any time but given particular urgency as the status of our own Dreamers becomes uncertain, this is a story that is both topical and timeless.”

Reading level: 3 – 8 years old 

I am René, the Boy by René ColatoLaínez

Summary: “Complimented by playful illustrations, this bilingual picture book follows Colato Laínez’s own experiences, when he was faced with a challenge to his own name as a child. This witty story about a young boy’s odyssey to find out the meaning of his name will challenge readers aged 3 to 7 to chart cross-cultural differences by gaining an understanding about themselves and the people around them.”

Reading level: 5 – 8 years old

Rain of Gold by Victor Villaseñor

Summary: “This is the Hispanic Roots, an all-American story of poverty, immigration, struggle and success. It focuses on three generations of Villaseñor’s kin, their spiritual and cultural roots in Mexico, their immigration to California and their overcoming the poverty, prejudice and economic exploitation. It is the warm-hearted, humorous and tragic, true story of the wily, wary, persevering forebears of Villaseñor.”

Reading level: Adult

René has Two Last Names by René Colato Laínez

Summary: “This charming bilingual picture book for children ages 4 – 8 combines the winning team of author René Colato Laínez and illustrator Fabiola Graullera Ramirez, and follows their award-winning collaboration, I Am René, the Boy / Soy René, el nino. With whimsical illustrations and entertaining text, this sequel is sure to please fans and gain many new ones while explaining an important Hispanic cultural tradition.”

Reading level: 5 – 6 years old 

Saturday Sancocho by Leyla Torres

Summary: “Every Saturday, Maria Lili looks forward to making chicken sancocho with her grandparents Mama Ana and Papa Angelino. But one Saturday they discover that there is nothing in the house except eggs, and Maria Lili wonders how they will ever be able to have their sancocho.”

Reading level: 4 – 8 years old

Books to Celebrate National Literacy Month and National Hispanic Heritage Month2023-09-14T17:52:47-07:00

Blog: Starting Early: Building Strong Partnerships with Multilingual Families in Kindergarten

2023-08-23T15:52:43-07:00

In the dynamic landscape of modern education, the significance of fostering inclusivity and embracing linguistic diversity cannot be overstated. Sahira Larios, a dedicated kindergarten teacher and SEAL partner in the bilingual Spanish-English program at Oak Grove School District, has become a beacon of inspiration in this regard.

Learn more about how she builds strong partnerships with multilingual families in this enlightening New America blog post authored by SEAL’s Research & Evaluation Manager, Camille R. Whitney.

>> READ HERE 

We delve into Sahira’s remarkable approach to teaching, as she shares her insights on supporting multilingual learners and nurturing collaborative relationships with families to amplify student engagement and language development. Join us as we explore Sahira’s unique perspective and glean wisdom from her experience, illuminating a path for educators and policymakers to enrich the educational journey of every multilingual student.

“I became a bilingual teacher because of my own positive experiences as a student in a bilingual program from kindergarten to third grade. My parents, who immigrated from Mexico, always encouraged me and my three sisters to speak Spanish at home because they wanted us to keep our connection to our roots in Mexico while also learning new things in the U.S. When I became a teacher I really wanted to reinforce in my students that they come with a lot of assets from their hometowns and countries, and help them integrate that part of themselves in the classroom.”

Blog: Starting Early: Building Strong Partnerships with Multilingual Families in Kindergarten2023-08-23T15:52:43-07:00

Four Educator Resources to Kickstart the School Year

2023-08-30T10:47:41-07:00

As an exciting new school year begins, equitable access to quality educator resources is essential. We’ve gathered some free materials to assist educators as they support English Learners and Dual Language Learners. 

Get ready for a wonderful year ahead by accessing the following tools:

  1. Introduction to SEAL Video
  • Learn about our approach to building rich, rigorous engaged learning where students enjoy being in the classroom.
  • From SEAL 
  1. Improving Education for Multilingual and English Learner Students 
  • Read Chapter 3: Multilingual Programs and Pedagogy: What Teachers and Administrators Need to Know and Do
  • From California Department of Education
  • co-authored by SEAL‘s Senior Director of Research and Evaluation, Martha I. Martinez and Associate Director, Heather Skibbins.
  1. Early Literacy Development and Instruction for Dual Language Learners in Early Childhood Education
  • Literacy development and effective literacy instruction for young, developing bilingual children who are learning English as a new language in early childhood classrooms.
  • From the National Committee for Effective Literacy, co-authored by SEAL’s Senior Director of Research and Evaluation, Martha I. Martinez
  1. A Framework for Foundational Literacy Skills Instruction for English Learners
  • Framework for foundational literacy skills instruction around six principles to ensure that ELs develop the necessary literacy skills to engage with complex text in all subject areas successfully.
  • From Council of the Great City Schools

For even more free materials, visit our SEAL resource page. You can also access our YouTube channel, with more than 40 videos.

Four Educator Resources to Kickstart the School Year2023-08-30T10:47:41-07:00

Podcast: Promoting Bilingual Education and Supporting English Learners

2023-07-28T13:56:20-07:00

At SEAL, we work to uplift the needs of English Learners and Dual Language Learners. Our program manager Patricia recently discussed SEAL’s approach and the importance of bilingual education in the “More Than A Test” podcast hosted by Laura Glaab, VP of Customer Engagement and Strategic Initiatives at Amira Learning.

>>Listen to the full podcast to learn more about SEAL’s work and how we can all do our part to better support English language learners.

During the podcast, Patricia explained how SEAL provides professional development, resources and coaching to help teachers implement strategies that support English Learners and Dual Language Learners. This includes focusing on oral language development, providing scaffolds and visual supports, and incorporating students’ home languages.

While bilingual programs have been shown to benefit students the most, Patricia stressed that even in English-only settings, teachers can nurture students’ home languages and partner with families. She also highlighted the need for multilingual resources and authentic texts in students’ native languages.

The conversation also touched on advocacy efforts to ensure that the science of reading movement considers the needs of English Learners. Patricia emphasized the importance of having educators who believe in the potential of multilingual students and the value they bring to the classroom.

Podcast: Promoting Bilingual Education and Supporting English Learners2023-07-28T13:56:20-07:00

June Webinar Wrap-Up: Empowering Language Learners through Collaboration

2023-07-28T13:55:40-07:00

Our SEAL team participated in a few engaging webinars to help boost the success of Dual Language Learners and English Learners during the month of June. We shared our knowledge as well as learned from partners and other experts during these insightful conversations. 

The following are key takeaways that emerged from these discussions:

Lessons from the Field – Kindergarten As a Sturdy Bridge: Transforming the Kindergarten Year

  • Host: U.S. Department of Education 
  • SEAL Panelist: Partner Amy Boles, Assistant Superintendent at Oak Grove School District
  • Key Takeaways:
    • SEAL programs teach rigorous and precise academic vocabulary to kindergarteners
    • Kindergarten is an important year to build upon emerging bilingual students’ assets, including their home languages
    • Engaging practices like dramatic play, hands-on activities and using microscopes promote joyful learning, especially for emerging bilinguals
    • Intentionality and a strengths-based mindset are important
  • Access webinar resources

Strengthening Kindergarten to Improve Children’s PreK-3rd Grade Experiences

  • Host: Campaign for Grade-Level Reading 
  • SEAL Panelist: Anya Hurwitz, Ed.D., Executive Director
  • Key Takeaways:
    • When we truly ground [our efforts] in assets, in seeing children for all of their potential across their multiple languages, cultures, and worlds and seeing teachers for all their potential, we create a stronger kindergarten and a stronger PreK through third grade experience.
    • Essential components:
      • Family partnerships that celebrate and build from the languages and cultures of the family and community
      • Teacher capacity building and agency so teachers can implement research based, linguistically and culturally sustaining instruction 
      • Comprehensive, rich language and literacy development integrated across content areas to support dual language learners
  • Access webinar resources

Following the Science: Bilingualism as an Asset Supporting Early Brain Development

  • Host: Campaign for Grade-Level Reading 
  • SEAL Panelist: Martha I. Martinez, Ph.D., Senior Director of Research and Evaluation
  • Key Takeaways:
    • SEAL highlights multilingual learners’ needs and gaps in the research around effective bilingual education and biliteracy development
    • Policies sometimes prevent the enactment of effective instruction for multilingual learners based on research that honors their cultural and linguistic backgrounds
    • Science of reading movement has often overlooked the needs of multilingual learners and effective practices for bilingual education
    • Important to change the narrative to include research on bilingualism and biliteracy
  • Webinar resources coming soon
June Webinar Wrap-Up: Empowering Language Learners through Collaboration2023-07-28T13:55:40-07:00

EL Roadmap Policy Priorities

2023-05-17T22:01:34-07:00

SEAL is proud to partner with leading education nonprofits to advocate for policy solutions that support, enhance and lift up the needs of English Learners (ELs) and Dual Language Learners (DLLs). The “EL Roadmap Policy Priorities: Advancing the Vision” has been developed in collaboration to guide present and future policy, programs, and practices for English learners and dual language learners across the state.

The English Learner Roadmap Policy Priorities sets a vision and mission to achieve a common goal by promoting legislation for multilingual/dual language education and raising awareness of the English Learner Roadmap among state and local decision-makers through a collective agenda rooted in the four principles of the California English Learner Roadmap. We have come together to elevate these policy priorities: 

2023 EL Roadmap Policy Priorities: 

AB 370 (Addis) –Pupil instruction: State Seal of Biliteracy.
Co-sponsored by California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) and Californians Together

Would change the criteria needed to be met by a pupil to be awarded the State Seal of Biliteracy by requiring the pupil to both demonstrate proficiency in English by meeting one of 4 specified requirements and demonstrate proficiency in one or more languages other than English by meeting one of 3 specified requirements. (Based on 03/30/2023 text)

AB 393 (Rivas) – Childcare: dual language learners.
Co-sponsored by California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE), Early Edge California and Californians Together

AB 393 builds on AB 1363, which created an asset-based approach for identifying DLLs in California’s State Preschool Program (CSPP), aligning with recommendations from the Governor’s Master Plan for Early Learning and Care for supporting DLLs and making California the first state in the nation to implement such a process. AB 393 expands the asset-based DLL identification process established through AB 1363 to general child care programs (CCTR) and the Migrant Child Care Program (CMIG). Would require the Director of Social Services to develop procedures for general or migrant childcare and development contractors to identify and report data on dual language learners enrolled in a general childcare and development program or migrant childcare and development program, as specified, and requires the director to develop informal directives and adopt regulations to implement these provisions. The bill would require the Superintendent and the director to coordinate their efforts in developing the procedures for the dual language learner data collection and reporting. (Based on 02/02/2023 text)

AB 714 (McCarty) – Pupil instruction: newcomer pupils: curriculum frameworks: high school coursework and graduation requirements: exemptions and alternatives.
Sponsored by Californians Together

Would, subject to an appropriation of funds for its purposes, require the State Department of Education, in consultation with the State Department of Social Services, to (A) develop and issue guidance regarding requirements, best practices, and available state and federally funded programs for newcomer pupils, (B) publicly report on an annual basis on its internet website the enrollment and performance of newcomer pupils, as provided, and (C) maintain at least one position dedicated to supporting local educational agencies, including charter schools, in serving newcomer pupils, as provided. (Based on 03/30/2023 text)

AB 1106 (Soria) – PK-3 early childhood education specialist credential: grant program.
Co-sponsored by Education Trust – West and Children Now

Current law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to award planning grants of up to $250,000 each to regionally accredited institutions of higher education to develop plans for the creation of integrated programs of professional preparation that lead to more credentialed teachers with an emphasis on identified shortage fields, as provided. Current law requires the commission to also award implementation or expansion grants of up to $500,000 each for regionally accredited institutions of higher education to develop new programs of professional preparation or to establish a new partnership with a California community college, as provided. This bill would, separate from those grants, require the commission to develop and implement a program to award, on a competitive basis, planning grants of up to $250,000 each to regionally accredited institutions of higher education for the development of plans to guide the creation of programs of professional preparation, and implementation grants of up to $500,000 each to regionally accredited institutions of higher education for the implementation of programs of professional preparation, that lead to more credentialed teachers obtaining the PK-3 Early Childhood Education Specialist Credential, as provided. (Based on 03/30/2023 text)

AB 1127 (Reyes) – Teachers: professional development: Bilingual Teacher Professional Development Program.
Co-sponsored by California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE), Californians Together and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond

AB 1127 would provide that it is also the purpose of the grant program to increase bilingual teachers in multiple languages to staff bilingual classrooms, such as Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Tagalog, and Arabic classrooms, and other languages, as represented in instructional programs. The bill would require the department to meet quarterly with grant recipients to share promising practices and resources, and to resolve issues of implementation. The bill would instead require grant recipients to report specified information related to the program to the department by January 1, 2029, and would revise the project performance period to January 1, 2024, to June 30, 2029, inclusive.

 

Join us. Be informed. Share. Contact your state representative today.

EL Roadmap Policy Priorities2023-05-17T22:01:34-07:00

Policy and Advocacy: Bills We Support

2023-05-10T16:24:39-07:00

Help us advocate for quality education that prepares all English Learners, Dual Language Learners and all students learn, thrive and lead.  Be informed. Share. Contact your state representative today.

AB 370 (Addis) –Pupil instruction: State Seal of Biliteracy.
Co-sponsored by California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) and Californians Together

Would change the criteria needed to be met by a pupil to be awarded the State Seal of Biliteracy by requiring the pupil to both demonstrate proficiency in English by meeting one of 4 specified requirements and demonstrate proficiency in one or more languages other than English by meeting one of 3 specified requirements. (Based on 03/30/2023 text)

AB 393 (Rivas) – Childcare: dual language learners.
Co-sponsored by California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE), Early Edge California and Californians Together

AB 393 builds on AB 1363, which created an asset-based approach for identifying DLLs in California’s State Preschool Program (CSPP), aligning with recommendations from the Governor’s Master Plan for Early Learning and Care for supporting DLLs and making California the first state in the nation to implement such a process. AB 393 expands the asset-based DLL identification process established through AB 1363 to general child care programs (CCTR) and the Migrant Child Care Program (CMIG). Would require the Director of Social Services to develop procedures for general or migrant childcare and development contractors to identify and report data on dual language learners enrolled in a general childcare and development program or migrant childcare and development program, as specified, and requires the director to develop informal directives and adopt regulations to implement these provisions. The bill would require the Superintendent and the director to coordinate their efforts in developing the procedures for the dual language learner data collection and reporting. (Based on 02/02/2023 text)

AB 714 (McCarty) – Pupil instruction: newcomer pupils: curriculum frameworks: high school coursework and graduation requirements: exemptions and alternatives.
Sponsored by Californians Together

Would, subject to an appropriation of funds for its purposes, require the State Department of Education, in consultation with the State Department of Social Services, to (A) develop and issue guidance regarding requirements, best practices, and available state and federally funded programs for newcomer pupils, (B) publicly report on an annual basis on its internet website the enrollment and performance of newcomer pupils, as provided, and (C) maintain at least one position dedicated to supporting local educational agencies, including charter schools, in serving newcomer pupils, as provided. (Based on 03/30/2023 text)

AB 1106 (Soria) – PK-3 early childhood education specialist credential: grant program.
Co-sponsored by Education Trust – West and Children Now

Current law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to award planning grants of up to $250,000 each to regionally accredited institutions of higher education to develop plans for the creation of integrated programs of professional preparation that lead to more credentialed teachers with an emphasis on identified shortage fields, as provided. Current law requires the commission to also award implementation or expansion grants of up to $500,000 each for regionally accredited institutions of higher education to develop new programs of professional preparation or to establish a new partnership with a California community college, as provided. This bill would, separate from those grants, require the commission to develop and implement a program to award, on a competitive basis, planning grants of up to $250,000 each to regionally accredited institutions of higher education for the development of plans to guide the creation of programs of professional preparation, and implementation grants of up to $500,000 each to regionally accredited institutions of higher education for the implementation of programs of professional preparation, that lead to more credentialed teachers obtaining the PK-3 Early Childhood Education Specialist Credential, as provided. (Based on 03/30/2023 text)

AB 1127 (Reyes) – Teachers: professional development: Bilingual Teacher Professional Development Program.
Co-sponsored by California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE), Californians Together and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond

AB 1127 would provide that it is also the purpose of the grant program to increase bilingual teachers in multiple languages to staff bilingual classrooms, such as Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Tagalog, and Arabic classrooms, and other languages, as represented in instructional programs. The bill would require the department to meet quarterly with grant recipients to share promising practices and resources, and to resolve issues of implementation. The bill would instead require grant recipients to report specified information related to the program to the department by January 1, 2029, and would revise the project performance period to January 1, 2024, to June 30, 2029, inclusive.

Policy and Advocacy: Bills We Support2023-05-10T16:24:39-07:00

SEAL at the Reading League Summit

2023-04-12T18:21:37-07:00

SEAL joined hundreds of experts, researchers, practitioners and neuroscientists for a first-ever Reading League summit to discuss important topics related to English Learners/Emergent Bilinguals (EL/EBs). The summit provided an opportunity for continued collaborative conversations on policy, neuroscience, foundational skills, and language development.

SEAL Senior Director of Research and Evaluation Dr. Martha Martinez and Early Learning Program Manager Patricia Montes Pate were among the national panelists who shared their work, research and best practices for supporting ELs/EBs. 

Foundational Reading Skills Within a Comprehensive Literacy Program

With panelists from the University of Oregon and Stanford University and moderated by Dr. Antonio Fierro from Tools4Reading, Dr. Martinez’s panel session explored what the research says about foundational reading skills and pedagogical implications for teaching literacy skills in a linguistically diverse classroom. Dr. Martinez touched on the science around reading, learning and development, and the bilingual brain and offered recommendations. 

“Teachers know just how dynamic and unpredictable a classroom environment can be and how important student motivation, prior knowledge, and social-emotional well-being are to the success of a given lesson. And, there’s been much research on the learning process,” said Dr. Martinez. “In addition, in the past few decades, considerable scientific advances have been made in understanding the bilingual brain. Bialystock’s research, in particular, has highlighted the advantages of bilingualism at various stages of human development and, importantly for [this particular topic], how both languages of a bilingual person’s linguistic repertoire are always active.” 

Dr. Martinez argued for more research on biliteracy development and instruction that could build from the important research already done by Dr. Kathy Escamilla and her colleagues. She stressed the importance of bringing the reader into models of reading, as illustrated in the Active View of Reading model from Duke & Cartwright. She also emphasized the importance of bringing the science of learning and development into our understanding and application of reading research. She shared the NASEM report, How People Learn II, noting that in the past several decades, there has been an explosion of research that has important implications for individual learning and schooling. This research highlights this complex interplay between the learner, educator, and the learning environment. 

On foundational skills, Dr. Martinez highlighted two recommendations from the 2016 IES Practice Guide which are not often included in the definitions of foundation skills:

  1. Teach academic language skills, including inferential and narrative language use and vocabulary knowledge
  2. Ensure students read connected text daily to support reading accuracy, fluency and comprehension.

She argued that these two recommendations are more challenging to teach and appear to be what EBs need. These recommendations call out the importance of providing students opportunities to use language for both inferential and narrative purposes, to read longer passages and providing choices in what they read. Dr. Martinez notes that teachers need to build students’ background knowledge of concepts under study. Even in English-only contexts, teachers should leverage the home language to the greatest extent possible, including but not limited to encouraging families to continue using their home language. 

“Within bilingual contexts, it’s important to teach metalinguistic awareness and to help students identify cross-language similarities and differences,” said Dr. Martinez. “And, it’s important to recognize that there is no need to teach foundational skills that transfer between the two languages, but it is very important to explicitly teach language irregularities within and across both languages.”

Dr. Martinez called attention to the federal Reading for Understanding Initiative, which funded six research projects over 10 years ago and was partly prompted by the fact that the previous $6 billion investment in Reading First had no significant effects on reading comprehension. The National Academy of Education synthesized the major findings from the Reading for Understanding Initiative in a recent report, and she shared the major takeaways: that there are deep connections between knowledge, language and reading comprehension and that context is critical to our understanding of reading development because reading is a situated cultural activity. She closed by noting that more research is needed specifically on biliteracy development for Emergent Bilinguals, especially within bilingual instructional contexts.

“While Emergent Bilinguals were involved in many of the Reading for Understanding projects, the focus of the Initiative was on English instruction and English reading comprehension, and the authors specifically call out the need for more research on Emergent Bilinguals, stating, ‘More of our work on comprehension needs to be directed toward populations currently underserved in U.S. schools…. At the top of the list should be emergent bilingual learners’,” she closed. 

To view Dr. Martinez’s visual presentation, click HERE. For more information, please contact us at info@SEAL.org

Developing Oral Language, Vocabulary, and Background Knowledge

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Pate’s session discussion focused on the research base, benefits, and implications of developing oral language skills in more than one language and linking new learning to knowledge acquired in a student’s home language. Joining panelists from Teacher PRO and Middle Tennessee State University and moderated by Dr. Magaly Lavadenz from Loyola Marymount University, Pate illustrated the sophisticated language of three- and four-year-olds and focused on the benefits of building oral language, vocabulary and background knowledge in a student’s home language.

Pate began with a discussion on Scarborough’s Reading Rope, one of two theoretical frameworks referenced in Reading League’s Defining Guide. Although, as she shared, Dr. Scarborough at the 2019 AIM Institute for Learning and Research noted that many factors influence reading and are missing from the rope, including children learning English as a second language. 

She said that the rope speaks specifically to children developing literacy in their primary or home language, a critical component. She went on to say that by the time children enter school to learn to read, they have had five to seven years of being immersed in the language of hearing and producing sounds. 

“In an English setting, this includes words like cat, hat, bat, so, the process of teaching these children to begin to read is relatively easier because we are building on the knowledge of the language they already have, such as the phonology, the semantics, and their background knowledge,” said Pate. “English learners will struggle with skills related to literacy. They will struggle with hearing and isolating sounds needed to decode text, recognizing vocabulary in print and experience difficulty with the structure and meaning of text.” 

National research shows that one in 10 students come from homes where languages other than English are spoken, and despite reforms to strengthen literacy instruction, English learners continue to be underserved. On average, they perform below grade level, are twice as likely to drop out as their native English-speaking peers, and are less likely to attend a four-year college. Pate stressed that ensuring these students are provided appropriate literacy instruction is both an equity and civil rights issue.

Citing the National Literacy Panel and the NASEM report, Pate emphasized the role of home language and how findings show that literacy is best developed initially in the strongest language and benefits literacy in English. 

“So, in working with English learners, it’s critical that we recognize that these children come to school with years of having built language in their home languages,” said Pate. “The degree to which we leverage that linguistic resource and build upon it to engage them in literacy and learning a new language is a major factor in their educational success.”

Pate said the National Committee for Effective Literacy released a paper describing the comprehensive and integrated literacy approach needed for English learners and takes dual language development and second language pedagogy into account. The approach integrates the four language domains and connects literacy development to language development and content knowledge overall.

“There are many other benefits of multilingualism,” said Pate, “These include higher levels of abstract thinking, increased high school graduation rates, more job opportunities and earning potential, a strong sense of identity and connection to family and culture. The benefits of building oral language, vocabulary and background knowledge in a student’s home language go beyond the work we do in our classroom. It has a tremendous impact on the lives of these children and our society.”

To view Patricia Montes Pate’s presentation click HERE. For more information contact info@SEAL.org

SEAL at the Reading League Summit2023-04-12T18:21:37-07:00

April is National Bilingual/Multilingual Learner Month

2023-04-07T12:35:18-07:00

April is National Bilingual/Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month, a time to recognize and support the diverse language learners in our communities.

As the populations of bilingual and multilingual learners (MLLs) continue to grow, we celebrate their accomplishments, affirm the assets that they bring to the educational environment, and advocate for the resources they need to succeed in school and life.

This month we join partners and advocates around the country to uplift the benefits of multilingualism in academic and economic success and for our community as a whole.

There are multiple benefits to being multilingual, multiliterate, and multicultural in today’s global society. Knowing more than one language from birth, acquiring a new language through school, or learning languages later in life, can provide tangible advantages in many areas. From delaying cognitive signs of aging, to earning college credits, and getting a better job offer, multilingualism is an asset that can benefit English learners as well as native English speakers in a variety of ways.

Learn more by visiting a few links below.

Let’s embrace linguistic diversity and promote equitable access to education for all. Join us on our social channels to share together – @SEALedEquity.

#MultilingualLearners #AdvocacyMonth

April is National Bilingual/Multilingual Learner Month2023-04-07T12:35:18-07:00

SEAL at CABE 2023

2023-05-17T15:08:44-07:00

This spring SEAL proudly offered seven interactive workshops for educators, families and community partners at the 48th annual California Association for Bilingual Educators conference in Long Beach. More than 6,000 attendees participated in this four-day event focused on growing, expanding and advocating together in support of multilingual education.

Thousands of individuals engaged and walked the halls of the three venues, with a mutual passion for advancing multilingualism. SEAL’s team of experts shared practices from our research-based approach during packed, interactive sessions with educators who can utilize them in their classrooms. On Thursday evening, our team hosted an invigorating reception, gathering with more than 100 partners and educators representing a variety of regions, school districts and communities to break bread, get to know each other and celebrate our work together.

Our Sessions:

Featured Speaker: The Power of Stories for Equity-Focused School Transformation

Testimonios: How Powerful Stories Transform Dual Language Learning Communities

Discover Successful Approaches to Designated ELD that Responds to YOUR Students Needs

Centering Multilingual Families + Communities within the $4.1 Billion Community Schools Partnership Program

Supporting Bilingualism in PreK & TK

Taller para familias – apoya el éxito académico en casa

Designated & Integrated ELD: Using Language Functions as a Bridge

Our Impact

It’s empowering using testimonios. It’s empowering being able to live with and share that truth.” – Attendee

“The experience of doing this [testimonios] activity together was very profound. It made me feel comfortable and was a nice icebreaker. What I enjoyed the most was I could almost see it come alive. It was also very inclusive.” – Attendee

There’s so much excitement to it. Each person read, listened, processed and decided how to organize statements. What empowers it are the testimonios. You want to hear someone else’s story, that makes you want to pay attention. That’s what makes it engaging and that much more powerful.” – Attendee

Whether you like it or not, I am deserving.” – Attendee

“I’ll be taking strategies I learned and emotions I felt back into my classroom. It’s important to listen to student’s stories as well. Giving them an experience to be safe. I’m taking this back so I can use it in my classroom to make connections with students and staff.” – Attendee

I appreciate how encouraging this experience was. Thank you to the presenters for your willingness to share your testimonios. Now how can we learn from that experience and recreate it for ourselves and our students.” – Attendee

About SEAL

SEAL (Sobrato Early Academic Language) is a powerful English Learner-focused approach to education rooted at the intersection of research and educational equity.

We work with more than 132 preschool classrooms, 113 elementary schools, 24 preschool Local Education Agencies and 24 school districts to equip educators with knowledge that fosters language-rich, rigorous and joyful learning environments year-round. Together, we serve more than 50,000 students.

SEAL at CABE 20232023-05-17T15:08:44-07:00
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