The Bilingual/ESL Department at Region 10  ESC in North TX holds an annual symposium for their 500+ educators. This year, due to the COVID pandemic, the event was help virtually.

I was honored and humbled to be invited as their 2020 Symposium 'Power Of Unity' keynote speaker. I was so excited to connect and meet so many passionate educators who are working hard to provide their very best for all students. 

The keynote presentation was on June 23rd and it was a way to kick-off the symposium - teachers had a long day of sessions to attend right after the keynote. 
My presentation title was 'Shifting from Statistics to Stories'

The presentation was streamed LIVE so you can find the recorded version on my YouTube channel below. 

Sometimes… is just the book we need right now. Ibarra and Seidlitz share with us a story in which immigrants’ experiences are legitimized, one that opens doors for connections and much-needed conversations. It is a story that made me think about how experiences and family stories don’t have to be forgotten. And about how significant it is when stories are shared, because they validate what is core in our existence and our hopes for what is to come.
Sometimes… is a story of hope. A story of courage and strength. A story of a family who worked together through difficult circumstances to make their dreams come true. And even though sometimes things don’t go as planned and changes need to happen along the way, we see the characters rising through it all. We see Andrés and Clara holding tight to the hope offered by their mother and teachers. A hope that helps them get through every situation that comes their way.
The International Children’s Book Day theme for 2020 was “A Hunger for Words”, and as much as I identify with this phrase, I also believe there’s a hunger for cultural understanding — a hunger for identity and individual acceptance. 

This post is a follow up to "Stories that Sparkle Powerful Conversations" - If you have not read it, I encourage you to read it since it provides the background you may need for this post. 

My advanced newcomer English learners were assigned the picture book 'Refugees and Migrants' by Ceri Roberts. This book covers migration from its causes to what we can do to aid refugees. It covers life in refugee camps, about the application process for asylum.

You can see their presentation below. They did an excellent job providing important details, their thoughts, and visuals. 
What you can't see in their presentation was the result of their presentation. As they were sharing their thoughts on the videos and the immigration topic, students began to cry all around the room.
You see, I have several students (including me) who immigrated to the USA just like the book and their videos showed. 
Their presentation stirred up in us so many feelings we keep inside. Our immigrant experiences, regardless of what you experienced, mark our lives forever. Some feelings are happy, some are painful feelings, and some you can't even talk about. 

When overwhelmed with emotions...tears help!

There was not a dry eye in the room. We all cried. We all hugged. We all shared. I even had a student share with me a video of him and his mother crossing the river to make it to the USA. THIS was when I lost it! I started thinking about how hard this particular student works EVERYDAY and how his teachers are only concern about his grades...when in his mind and heart THIS is what's going on. 
Students hugged me and said, "Mrs. Francis, don't cry". But how can you NOT cry when you know your students are dealing with so much in their personal life. 
 
We heard stories of concentration centers, stories of reasons why we left our home country. Stories of hope. Stories of resilience and strength.

In September 2019 - I shared a blog post on how I structure my ESL lessons for HS newcomer ELs. If you haven't read it, I encourage you to do so! Click here for the blog post.
The Scholastic Action magazine, which is one of the resources I use during guided reading,  always includes compelling topics my students find very interesting. The November issue includes an article very close to my heart - "an immigrant story"!
​
Running from Danger, Looking for Hope - is the story of Freddy, an immigrant young man from Honduras.  I was so excited about planning this lesson and looking forward to sharing it with my students.

To increase the understanding of the immigration topic, I assigned students' group projects on the same topic but using picture books as a resource for the information. 
The picture books we used were:

• My Shoes and I by René Colato (entering students)
• Dreamers/Soñadores by Yuyi Morales (for SIFE students)
• Marwan's Journey by Patricia de Arias (Developing students)
• Refugees and Migrants by Ceri Roberts (Advanced students)

This is the project assignment sheet each student received so they know what to do for the week: 

August 26th, 2019 was the first day of school for students in my county. What an exciting day to finally meet all our new freshman students and to see returning students.  I was more so thrilled to finally meet our 2019-2020 newcomer students who enrolled in the USA school system for the very first time. 
I am not sure how a high school schedule is set up in other counties/states, but at our school, we offer only one period class strictly for English as a Second Language (ESL) services. The rest of our period classes are inclusion classes where our ESL services are provided at the same time core instruction is provided. This means that for one period students come to my classroom and for the other three periods you'll find me in different classrooms throughout the building supporting English learners. The only class period we offer in our ESL classroom is the English for Beginners course.  
​This course is designed with newcomer English learners in mind. In this class period, newcomers receive the foundations of the English language as well as any cultural views and lessons students may need to begin a successful and strong year in the United States.  
To get an idea of what my day looks like, check out my daily schedule here! 

So this is it! We made it!! 

Today, Monday, June 10th, 2019, was the last meeting class with newcomers at Concord High School. It's a happy day because I get to see, hear, and read how much English my students have learned. This, of course, brings joy to my heart since I had them from day one as newcomer students in the USA. 
But as happy as this day can be - there's also sadness. My heart feels heavy knowing that they will no longer be in room #225 with me.
​
English for Beginners is a course our school/county designed to provide the foundations of the English language our students need to be able to fully engage in our school, and mainstream classrooms. We meet every day for 90 minutes and we create an environment where risk-taking and changes are supported. 
I have students who started the school year with only enough English to understand questions such as "What's your name?" - Today, they were writing complete sentences and sharing with peers how far they've come. 

Of course, I couldn't just say good-bye and not have any memories written to show the world how awesome our class was this school year. So...we created our own presentation with moments that are forever in our mind and heart. 

In order to also develop our writing skills, students created a Google slide presentation with what they CAN do and the goals we set ourselves for the next time we take the test. 

​Here's an example of Jorge's presentation:   I Can... I Will...

Teaching newcomers is not easy. I love having the advantage that I can speak their language so I can clarify something they don't understand. 
Here is a great research I started reading about newcomer's programs. This study shows what's working and what doesn't from newcomer centers from around the nation. It's pretty long but interesting!

Over the summer of 2018, I took the first step to a great journey...I made the decision to transfer to Concord High School (CHS) after working six years at Irvin Elementary school.  The decision was based on a burning desired within me to support students who are facing the same struggles I faced as a high school newcomer student and language learner. Read more about my personal experience as a newcomer here! 

I got our classroom ready with so much excitement! However, I was more excited to meet my new students. I had already met a few of them during our ESL summer enrichment program, so I was thrilled to meet the rest of my students.  

I love this picture! I know is not the best picture you've seen but is the moment captured in the image what I love the most. 
This is me in this picture. It was a January day in 1994. I was 15 years old. My two younger sisters and I ​were on one of many buses in our journey from Guatemala to Mexico.
Three undocumented and unaccompanied minors with so much fear that words cannot describe; but also with so much faith for a better future. 

​I can tell you exactly what I was thinking at that moment...

• I am leaving my old life behind.
• I am going to the United States of America.
• I am joining my mother.
• I am going to have a new and better life.
• I am going to be successful.

These were the exact thoughts I had during my journey. Our family life in Guatemala was something I needed to forget and leave behind...we needed a fresh start! Our journey to the U.S. was hard but we made it and I was finally reunited with my mother and siblings. 

The school enrollment process was very quick and in no time I was attending school. I was enrolled at Martin Van Buren High School in Queens Village, NY.  I wish I had a picture of my first day of school because I'm pretty sure I had the biggest smile you can imagine. I was fascinated with the building and with all the goodies I was offered upon enrollment. I was beyond excited to begin attending school. Finally an opportunity to be a kid and begin learning to one day reach the success I had always dreamed of.  

Unfortunately, 3 years later, I walked out of the school in shame, disappointment, and heartbroken. I became part of the Latino High school dropout. I was told I couldn't graduate or obtain my high school diploma because of an end-of-grade test I had been unable to pass. I couldn't continue attending school because I had already completed all the required credits. 

However,  today, I realize that it was more than just a test what hindered my education.

You see, a test score doesn't determine success. A grade doesn't say students' dreams.  A pop-quiz doesn't demonstrate potential, much less my passion.

​This is why I wish my teachers knew...

Thank you for reading! 

Tan Huynh invited me to guest post on his website about my methods on grading English language learners and newcomer students.
**This post appeared originally in www.empoweringELLs.com on August 7, 2017.** ​

The group who gets most letters correct gets a small price! Teachers learn how to read their students’ language proficiency levels and use the CAN Do name charts to chart each student in his/her corresponding proficiency level for each language domain. These are the name charts we use: Kindergarten, First grade, Second-Third, Fourth-Fifth. Higher grades are also available on the WIDA website. 

Teachers understand that even though students receive a proficiency composite score, it’s imperative to see which domain is the student’s strength and/or weakness to better support during instruction. Teachers also receive this document that provides linguistic accommodations teachers can use to support students access core without having to water down content. This other document is also helpful since it provides Bloom’s Taxonomy questions differentiated by language proficiency level.  ​​

Thank you for reading!

I am not the teacher I was six years ago when I started my teaching profession. I am better. No, I'm not bragging! When I started teaching, I did the best I could with what I had learned. Not everything I did was good. Not everything I did helped my students...UNTIL...that is the key. As an educator, I do what I think is best for my students...UNTIL I know better. Learning and practicing what's best for my students IS what makes me a better teacher.
Over the years I have learned strategies and methods to better support, my students. I have built a professional learning network that is constantly providing ideas and fresh approaches to better serve my students. So because I know better, I DO better! By no means think that I have it all figured out...on the contrary...I continue learning so I can become the best I can be for my students. 

When it comes to implementing practical and effective strategies to support language learners, you must know that what works for one student may not work for another. It is very important for you to know your student. Knowing their reading level is NOT enough. A level doesn't tell you about their personality. A level doesn't show you how they learn. In order to close any academic gap, there needs to be a specific target area to support.  For our language learners...LANGUAGE is the target you need to focus on. If you are interested in how to support your language learners with language interventions, read this article by Kristina Robertson.
 
If you have students who are just beginning to acquire English, fear not.  In Boosting Achievement we learn that newcomers can engage in certain tasks to be able to participate in the content provided in class. Your newcomers can:

1. Illustrate
2. Make a model
3. Act out responses
4. Compare things
5. Sort things into groups 

Watch the following video by Carol Salva, the author of Boosting Achievement. Here she provides strategic tips to support your students with academic language development. 

If your student is a newcomer, the first thing you want to find out is the literacy level in native language because you'll use that to build second language acquisition. ​Read one of my recent post about a newcomer who grew almost two grade levels in reading just by allowing him to use their native language. 
WIDA Consortium has this document that I know you'll find helpful. You'll gain tips about getting to know your newcomers and ways to support them not only in school but also in the community. 
I also encourage you to read  "28. Comprehensible Output: What Students Can Do"  by Tan Huynh (@TanELLclassroom). Tan provides tip and strategies to deliver lessons in a way that your students comprehend it as well as support students with output process.   

My Flipgrid response was based on Boosting Achievement's section on balanced literacy. I believe it is imperative to teach our students the structures of the English language. Language learners need explicit phonological awareness lessons. These lessons could be quick daily interventions where students learn vowel teams, consonant blends, dominant -r, etc. They need to understand the many combinations of alphabet letters to make words and how words make sentences.
One great website to find "research proven" interventions for these type of foundations is: Florida Center for Reading Research.  Here you'll find student centered activities by grade level along with teacher resource guides to focus on language foundations. 

If you're more like me and want to provide a hands-on activity to develop your students' language acquisition, I recommend the interventions below. The lessons are designed for pre-K students but work well for students who are just developing language.  

Since word-work and learning about the language are only part of the balanced literacy approach, the rest of it needs to be compelling text. As learned in Part III, students need to be exposed to text that is compelling and engaging for them to acquire language. Text must be relevant and must reflect who your students are so they can make connections and be motivated to learn even more. 

So to finish up I want to thank you for all you do for your students. I have no doubt in my mind that to this day you have done everything in your power to support your students. However, there is always room for more learning. As you learn new methods and strategies, you'll gain better ways to serve your students and be an even greater teacher! 

Thank you for reading! 

When I went through high school as a newcomer student, my mother was there. When I put myself through college, my mother was also there. She witnessed my struggles, my failures, and hardships. So every time we talk about my accomplishments, she asks: "But how did you do it?" "Where did you get the strength from to finish your goal?" My answer was always: "I don't know, I just felt like I had to keep going."  Today I know that it was because of grit! 
Character Lab  has a great post on grit that states that "Grit is a critical strength of most people who are successful."
It also gives some examples of what grit looks like: 

• Finishing what you begin
• Staying committed to your goals
• Working hard even after experiencing failure or when you feel like quitting
• Sticking with a project or activity for more than a few weeks

In Boosting Achievement we learn that SIFE and refugee students, "embody grit and perseverance." We know this to be true because their experiences and hardships required them to be strong and committed to surviving in their environment. 
"Many SIFE come to America with enough pain to fill a lifetime of sadness and despair."  ~ Tan Huynh

​Our responsibility as their educator is to guide them in using that strength found within them and apply it toward school and life goals. ​

Dr. Duckworth reminds us that grit "requires deep interest" - This means that our students need to be engaged in what they are interested in even if they fail. We have to provide opportunities for them to take risk and try.
Carol provides us with a great lesson she learned with her student, Hamsa. Watch this video where he shows perseverance in doing what he knows he can do and is interested about.  

Boosting Achievement provides a great list of  ideas and opportunities to encourage our SIFE students to engage in topics of interest:

• Easy Gamify Your Classroom with Kahoot
• Mystery Skype with a Mystery Class
• Mystery Skype with a Professional
• Partner with Historical Professionals
• Partner with Business Professionals
• Flip a Visit to a Local Business
• Virtual Field Trips
• Invite or Community Newspapers to Feature Students Who are SIFE​

For more ideas and for details about given ideas on page #43 and #44, please visit bit.ly/SalvaBLog

Older SIFE students may appear to have a wider educational gap, but FEAR NOT. According to Boosting Achievement, SIFE students come with a sense of urgency, and often have a deeper appreciation for educational OPPORTUNITIES!! 
They already have the most important predictor for success: PASSION. PERSISTENCE. MOTIVATION.  Just provide the opportunities and watch them soar!! 

Thank you for reading!

Part One: Working with Students Who are SIFE

I don't know about you, but I want my students to remember me as their teacher for a life time. However, in order for this to happen, I need to make sure I strengthen m​y relationship with each and every one of my students. And relationship building starts by learning students background. 

Let me start by emphasizing  how important it is to know our students' background because each category of language learners is different and each requires a unique level of support. Here is an article I found very relevant to this topic: Good Teachers Embrace Their Students' Cultural Background. Here I learned that as teachers, we tend to use our own experiences when planning the lessons we teach, but then students cannot create connections because is not relevant for them. However, when we know students' background, their story, their struggles, their past, we would lean toward activities and materials that will support students in making connections. 
​Boosting Achievement does a fantastic job highlighting and providing awareness of the many different categories our language learners' background. Just take a close look at the chart below.

The point I want to bring up with this chart is that not all language learners in your class fall under one category. Our students come to us with a story, with a personal and unique background, and in order for them to be successful, they must receive the appropriate support. 
Take my experience as a language learner high school student for example. When I first came to the United States my teacher needed to know that I was a 'Newcomer/Recent Immigrant' and a 'SIFE' student. Not only was I learning the language but I had also missed a lot of school years in my country which put me far behind classmates my age. When interested in supporting L1 (native language) it is imperative for teachers to know the student's educational background.  And to find this information could be as simple as asking the parent. Build a relationship with parents and students to provide what is best for the student to be successful in school and in life.

I believe that ALL students need our support. However, I want you to think about English language learners who are struggling academically. Why? The answer is simple: Achievement Gap! I strongly believe that the achievement gap exists among our ELs because we are not targeting and/or providing the appropriate support. 

Boosting achievement does the following recommendations for SIFEs' needs:

1. Solid instruction in literacy and numeracy skills 
2. Broader orientation into school system
3. Procedures and basic learning study skills

I also have a few recommendations for newcomer students: here. 

Watch the video below by Teaching Channel to see how newcomers and SIFE students interact through the use centers to accelerate reading development. This video clearly shows that our newcomers/SIFEs have the ability and "know how to" when the opportunities as presented.

Part I has a heavy focus on Cultural Responsive Teaching. This is super important and a very hot topic in education right now. I believe is due to the growing diversity found among students in our classrooms.  Part of being culturally responsive is building a relationship with our students, so last week, our focus was on getting to know our students and building strong relationships by valuing our students' stories. However, I see it as taking a step further...When we know our students' background and care about who they are, it'll reflect in what our classrooms look like. What I mean is that knowing your students will make you want to provide a place where they feel safe, comfortable, and familiar to them. Making sure our classroom decor mirrors our students' culture and background.
Boosting achievement provides great tips such as desk arrangements, and labeling school items in multiple languages.  Here is another article I found helpful on providing classroom setup strategies. It's imperative to consider these tips that facilitate learning ultimately optimizing language learning and academic achievement. 

Carol shares a fascinating story of a SIFE student who had to advocate for himself when he noticed he was not getting what he needed. I believe it is necessary for our students, Kindergarten - 12th grade, be able to advocate for themselves. Students will at one point in their education encounter educators or school personnel who will instead of supporting students are obstacles for students' success. That is the point when students need to stand for what they believe it is best for themselves. I found this link very helpful on tips and steps to follow on teaching students to self- advocate. 
Osama is now my hero! He taught me that as an educator, there should be a level of  'shame' when I don't take the time to listen to students' needs and advocate on their behalf.  
You see, as an educator, you can't be both; You either are supportive or an obstacle. Which are you? If you are reading this, is because you care about your students and want to support them. Thank you, #eduHero! 

This section really made think about ways I can gather my newcomers' background information to better serve them. In Cabarrus County, we are very fortunate to have the ELLevation platform that houses our ELs' demographic information as well as their language proficiency levels. This is a system with easily accessible data as well as targeted instructional language and content strategies.

However, I noticed that there is no place for us to flag if our student is a refugee student. While discussing his topic with our county's ESL counselor, I realized that the only way for teachers to know if a student is SIFE is to share it with the teacher. But what if the student moves to another school? Shouldn't this information be available as part of their demographic information for new teachers' easy access? 
This thought is just one of the thoughts Boosting Achievement is making me realize as a read through. 
Another idea I have after reading the "Refugee-Focused Intake Process" is to create a spreadsheet with some of the components Texas uses for their "Intake/Pre - Assessment Form".
I am fascinated with the three focused components: Affective, Linguistic, and Cognitive. 
As an ESL teacher, my focused needs to go beyond whether students speak English or not. But also know their cognitive skills levels in math and reading, and/or issues that could affect them psychologically, mentally or emotionally. 
I can't wait to see what else I learn in the coming chapters. I am definitely betting my teaching pedagogy with Boosting Achievement!!  

If you are interested in reading my previous blogs on Boosting Achievement book club notes, just follow this link!
Don't forget to check you Carol's blog. Here is her blog for Boosting Achievement Week 2

Thank you for reading!

​This quote is core of what I am about. A personal story, especially a story filled with struggles and hardships beyond our imagination, can be the foundation for our students’ success. 
As educators, we must be open-minded about the possibilities for SIFE students and begin to see their culture and language as an asset not as a deficit. Being SIFE doesn’t make them any inferior.

​Now, Carol advised and modeled that just being aware of students’ stories and previous hardships, is not enough; we must also act, and to me, acting is finding ways to provide SIFE students the opportunities they need to be successful.
​This thought led me to gather a few resources I found helpful on this topic: 

The Immigrant Learning Center offered two wonderful webinars on July 11th and 12th. Follow this link to access presentations and other resources.

• Topic for day one: America’s Evolving Classrooms: Data and Projections; Psychological Profile of Immigrant and Refugee Students; Breaking Down Implicit Bias; Teacher as Ally and Advocate for Immigrant and Refugee Students; Lesson Plans to Create Welcoming Classrooms
• Topics for day two:  Supporting Immigrant Families in Today’s Climate: What Can Schools Do?; Empowering Immigrant Students to be Leaders and Advocates; Discovering our Shared History: An ESOL Curriculum; Storytelling

You want to check this site: https://immigrantstories.umn.edu/

Access Newcomer Tool Kit provided by the U.S. Department of Education: Who are our newcomers;

Welcoming newcomers to a safe and thriving school environment; How do we support newcomers’ social and emotional needs; Establishing partnerships with parents.
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oela/newcomers-toolkit/index.html

Education Connection also offered interactive 3-part webinar series and provided resources on supporting newcomers: You must sign up to access their resources but its totally FREE!

• The first session: addressed background information related to newcomer students and best practices for integration of native language supports into classroom instruction.
• The second session: focused on the unique challenges faced by newcomer students and strategies for promoting literacy development.
• The third session: focused on the socio-emotional needs of newcomer students, how schools and teachers might best address them, and application activities for improving students' access to core content.​​

We are learning so much from this book club already. Many of us have been challenged to do some things we never thought we would do. I, for example, learned how to create a 3D avatar and posted a bookSnap! Check it out!

Don't forget to check out Carol Salva's blog for more resources: Boosting Achievement Week 1

If you have the book and would like to go over the questions we used during week one for discussion, here they are! Thanks to Katie Toppel (@Toppel_ELD) for providing the questions. 
All tweets under #ELLchat_BKclub are here so you haven't missed any:

Thank you for reading! 

Notes and reflections posted here are about the newly released book; 
​Boosting Achievement: Reaching Students with Interrupted or Minimal Education by:
​ Carol Salva (@MsSalvaC) and Anna Matis (@AnnaTeachesELLs). 

There are several reasons why I am interested in this book:

• As a formal SIFE (student with interrupted formal education), and an English as a Second Language teacher, I have no doubt that this book is an essential tool for teachers. It provides the approach, methods, and strategies to successfully support newcomer students. If you are an educator here in the United States, you know that there are a lot of possibilities in you having a SIFE student in your classroom next school year. However, teacher preparation in this specific area lacks all around our country. The need to teach and be culturally responsive is imperative. During immigration process, 85% of immigrant children have been separated from their parents. Its true! Read my immigrant journey story and you'll see.  Are you prepared for them?!? Do you know how to handle their learning differences?!? Do you have the tools for their success and for YOUR success as teacher?!? This book gives what you need and more. 
• It is summer break! And I believe it is the perfect time to dive into best practices, great readings, webinars, and Twitter chats (#ELLchat_BKclub & #BookCampPD) all to improve my pedagogy (how I teach) since it is only my 6th year teaching ESL.  Read this blog post from Carol explaining our virtual book study and how we are coming together to read and collaborate on this book. 
• I'm also reading this book because...guess what?!? The author, Carol Salva, is now a good friend of mine. Let's just say she's my hero! She is also my fan...read what she wrote about me! Her students and my students have connected in a fabulous way...(she tells about is on page #41).

Now, I started this post because I felt like I had to do more than just read this fabulous book. I needed a place to log and share my thoughts and notes about all the wonderful points gained from reading. Besides, the tweet below not only spoke volumes to me but it gave me the conviction I needed to find ways to better interact with my reading. 

​

Carol Salva has a great blog that provides all the resources that go along with the 5 week virtual book study. Please check it out for weekly updates! 
There is also a @bookSnapsREAL Gallery through Padlet to curate all the #ELLchat_BKclub #bookSnaps  and a Flipgrid (platform where videos with responses are archived) created by Carlota Holder (@Carlota_Holder) 

Blog Post: Boosting Achievement Book Study - Week 1

Blog Post: Boosting Achievement Book Study - Week 2

Blog Post: Boosting Achievement Book Study - Week 4 

Blog Post: Boosting Achievement Book Study - Week 5 

Thank you for reading! 

A few days ago, this image was trending on my twitter feed and it immediately made me think of my newcomers.  I hold a very special place in my heart for newcomers. I understand how they feel! As a newcomer student, I remember the fear very vividly!  Fear of the unexpected. Fear of the new language. Fear of the what ifs...What if they make fun of me? What if they don't like me? What if I need something and I can't ask? What if they think I'm not smart because I don't speak English.  What if...the list could go on and on!  But what I also remember very vividly, are the smiles from the school staff as I entered the school building for the very first time.
You see, you don't need to speak you newcomers' native language in order to welcome them into your school or classroom. Your smile goes a long way! Read about providing a safe and affirming environment to lowering the affective filter for language learners. 

Now, the purpose of this post is not to provide tips for your newcomers in general. You can find that here!
This post is to highlight a specific newcomer...Brayan! I posted this tweet about him and thought I would share more about his success! 

Brayan was born in Mexico. He started with us in March of 2016. His age placed at a second-grade level and on his first day of school, I had to explain to him that I needed to administer not one, but two tests. I needed to administer the W-APT which is the assessment that determines the initial program placement for services, and the ACCESS (since he enrolled during testing window ?).

It didn't take me long to learn we had a lot in common: Love and passion for learning and a very similar childhood! It amazed me how quick he was to learn new information and how well he could read and write in Spanish.
For the remainder of the school year, Brayan received double ESL services. He received one-on-one session for Newcomer foundations with Mrs. Tirado and pull-out services with me and the rest of his second grade ELL peers.
In May of 2016, his teacher administered a state mandated assessment (Dibels Next Reading 3D) to determine his end of year reading level. He placed on PC (Print Concepts) which meant he had acquired enough English to demonstrate this list of skills at a proficiency level!

In 2016-2017 school year, Brayan began 3rd-grade. This grade level to me is crucial because is when students make the leap from learning to read to reading to learn! Even though Brayan didn't speak English, I didn't want him to just sit in class and not learn a thing. Luckily, his 3rd-grade teacher, Ms. Sams, is a very supportive teacher. We discussed ways to support him so he could be part of core instruction. We decided to start taking advantage of his ability to read and write in Spanish. So he was granted the use of google translate, he was provided books in Spanish, he would complete retells in Spanish, he would do research in Spanish...he was even allowed to do presentations in Spanish!!! He would come to my ESL class time and say, "Mrs. Francis, can you help me translate this paper so I can turn it in?" See, he knew that google translate tool would translate the document for him...but he also knew that in many occasions, google doesn't translate correctly. He needed to make sure his translation was correct!
Here is an example of a personal narrative he wrote in October and here is a retell about the book "Emmanuel's Dream".
​
The reason we were allowing him to read and write using this native language was because we truly believe in studies focusing on L1 transfers to L2.

By January 2017, when the middle of the year reading assessment was administered, he was a level D! Now, the only reason why he didn't score higher was because at a level 'F' is when the written component is required. For students to score a level 'F' or higher, they must accurately respond to a written prompt and they must do so in English.
In order to develop his writing skills in English, he was encouraged to begin proving assignments in the targeted language! This is the first assignment he presented in English and he understood every single sentence! Watch this video as he courageously presents his research to his class!

Brayan was also a participant in our first Annual Spanish Spelling Bee! Not only he helped his peers learn the words but he was also a runner-up the day of the competition! 

​Brayan's motivation and passion for learning, coupled with the support and opportunities we were able to provide for him, empowered him to soar academically and linguistically.
So what is the result to all if this, you might ask?!? Well, just this month, his teacher administered his last reading level assessment of the year and he placed on a level 'J'!!
THAT'S 10 READING LEVELS, my friends!! ?  And I have no doubt he scored very well on his ACCESS too. I will be updating his information as soon as I get his scores.
 
My objective in sharing Brayan's story of success with you is because he is proof that allowing students to use their native language to learn and show knowledge is imperative. If you want newcomer students to be part of their everyday learning, you must allow them to use the language they master. Research favors the use and development of native language to better and faster acquire the second language. 

If you teach newcomers and have a success story you'd like to share, please email me or posted on twitter using #ELs_CAN. 

We would love to highlight and share as many newcomers' stories as possible...because English language learners CAN!!

Thank you for reading!

A couple of months ago I had a 4th-grade student stand in the middle of class and courageously said, "Mrs. Francis, what do I have to do to place out of ESL?" I went ahead and showed her the data and gave her step-by-step what she needed to do to place out of her ESL status. 

Meanwhile, there were so many thoughts going through my head. I started to doubt myself as an educator...Does she not like me? Does she not like my class? What should I be doing differently? 
She preceded, "Mrs. Francis, I like you and I really like your class. Even if I place out of ESL, I still want to come to your class"; "Is just that being an ESL student makes me feel like a failure!" 

Her words hit me to the core of what I am about! In a matter of seconds, my life flashed before me. Her words made me relive how I felt for so many years as an ESL student and high school dropout. 
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My students and I started discussing the reasons why being an ESL student would make us feel the way it does. Together we brainstormed the following:

1. I don't speak English very well because I'm an ESL student.
2. I can't read at grade level because I'm an ESL student.
3. I can't pass the EOG because I'm an ESL student.
4. I don't do certain things in class because I'm an ESL student 
5. I won't go to college because I'm an ESL student

This powerful discussion allowed me to share with my students my own experience as  a language learner. My students needed to hear from me that I also felt the way they feel, and that having the sense of failure does not make you a failure. On the contrary, failures we face today are stepping stones and detours to greatness. 
Personally, this conversation opened my eyes to what my focus needed to be from that point on...start highlighting my students' strengths! Our ELs enrich our classroom culture with who they are and with the languages they speak. It is our job as educators to honor our students and empower them with tools and resources to shine...even if it's a little bit! Celebrate progress! Inspire them to dream, learn, and do more so they can become more. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs before Blooms! 

Reading Sarah Ottow's post: "ELL Achievement Gap or Opportunity Gap"  helped me understand that the academic achievement gap that exists among our ELs is not a 'within child' underachievement issue! If our ELs are walking our school hallways repeating to themselves, "I can't", "I don't", "I won't", then it is our job as responsible adults and educators to enlighten them and empower them to aspire for more. We can see the 'big picture'...so why not support them where they are...provide OPPORTUNITIES for students to begin closing their academic achievement gap.

So, inspired by Ms. Ottow's post, I began to look for ways to provide opportunities for my students to grow, and show that they CAN! I shared with them my personal narrative as an immigrant and as a newcomer student. I was transparent with them because I wanted to gain their trust. I wanted them to see me for who I am as a person and not as a teacher.
I encouraged them to begin their own blog and narrate their personal lives. Oh, boy! The stories I learned! One student began writing about the time his mother left him in Mexico with his grandparents...he grew up thinking that his grandparents were his parents. He met his mother when he came to the U.S. at the age of 8. 
Another student began to write about being adopted because one day her dad came from Mexico  and shot her mom and then shot himself! Her eyes were teary as she shared her story.
Another student wanted to share his story but just couldn't get his thoughts down on paper. When I told him he should write his story in Spanish, his pencil wouldn't go fast enough to write his words! 

​I am taking the time to get to know my students and at the same time, I am highlighting and valuing who they are. Highlight their strengths and you'll see their weaknesses disappear!
All it takes is to go the extra mile to cultivate a relationship with your students.
​When they know you care...they'll do anything for you! 


Thank you for reading!  

There is no complicated or long terminology to define and/or identify newcomers. 

Newcomers: newly arrived immigrant students. 
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Now, I am no expert in guiding you through this topic, but as a newcomer and English language learner myself, I can provide a few tips on how to support your language learners in school. 

I encourage you to read my previous post where I share my immigrant journey and my experiences as a newcomer student. 
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The first and most import thing to understand as a newcomer's educator is that newcomers will arrive with a variety of characteristics, and each student, must be treated individually according to his or her needs.  The diversifications of characteristic I am referring to are literacy levels, language, socio-economic, and emotional background. All of these characteristics, (and perhaps more), must be taken into account when providing academic and English language support to newcomers.  I encourage you to read this research and learn best practices and programs to support your newcomers: "Helping Newcomer Students Succeed in Secondary Schools and Beyond"
 
When I get newcomers in our school, I personally: 

1. Guide students’ acculturation to the school system in the United States.
2. Help students acquire beginning English skills
3. Provide instruction in core content areas
4. Develop or strengthen students’ native language literacy skills

1) Guide Students' Acculturation to the School System in the U.S.:
When I first started school here in the United States, EVERYTHING was different! Transportation, food, schedule, dress code, classroom expectations, seating, and so much more! The list could go on and on...no wonder experts call it Culture Shock. 
When guiding students' acculturation to the school system, don't take anything for granted.  The little things you might think are not important to share with your newcomer, could become a barrier for your student to be successful in school.  

• Try starting with a school tour. Make sure your students know their way around the building. All available bathrooms, the nurse's office, the interpreter's office, front office, and the cafeteria are examples of areas in the building they should know.
• Introduce them to all school staff so they learn who works in the building. This will also make the staff aware which students are newcomers. 
• Schedule. It is very important for students to know what's next! Even if your students are at the elementary level; they need to know what to expect. Here is a great schedule with visuals that might help your students stay on track with their daily subjects. 

2) Help Students Acquire Beginning English Skills:
If you don't know the terms BICS and CALPS, please read this! It is imperative to understand that language learning has a process. For some is faster to acquire than to others, so we must be patient and respect the process. There are so many apps and technology tools available today that can support the acquisition of English language learning, but keep in mind that the human/teacher relationship goes far beyond than a tech tool would do. You might find this read interesting! 
Try these resources:

• Survival English Newcomers Need To Engage in Content
• British Council: Learn English Kids
• Starfall - letter sound foundations and more
• WSFCS - a lot of resources such as printable flashcards 
• Kids Word Smyth - Illustrated dictionary 
• Gamify Language Acquisition with Kahoot! by Carol Salva 

3) Provide Instruction in Core Content Areas:
Just because your newcomers don't have the academic language YET to understand core content, does not mean they should not be receiving core instruction. The ultimate goal of providing the beginning English skills mentioned above is to engage our students in core academic instruction. This article: "Language Objectives: The Key to Effective Content Area Instruction for English Learners", will help you see how students can develop language acquisition while receiving core content. We need to make sure ALL students receive the education they deserve. Remember, EQUITY and EQUALITY are not EQUAL! 

4) Develop or Strengthen Students’ Native Language Literacy Skills:
I personally feel in a way that I was forced to forget my native language in order to learn the English language I needed to learn for school. WHY? As a newcomer, I knew how to read, how to write, how to have a discussion about school topics in my language. However, I was NEVER given the opportunity to show what I was capable of using my language. It is such a big mistake to try and substitute students' master native language, for the English language. ALLOW them to use their native language to assess what they know. Let them use it to their advantage and empower them to become successful bilingual/multilingual individuals. You might find this podcast interesting about "The Use of Native Language in the Classroom". 
Try these resources: 

• Unite for Literacy offers non-fiction texts narrated in more than 48 languages
• For Spanish natives try: Newsela and Tween Tribune  
• Teach them to use: Another Way to Say that  and GOOGLE translate to support their writing.
• Read and share with the class: I'm New Here by Anne Sibley O'Brien 

Thank you for reading!

"It isn't where you came from, its where you're going that counts."
Ella Fitzgerald

To be honest, I am not sure what Ella Fitzgerald was referring to when she said the quote above. To me, where I came from COUNTS a lot! The second part of the quote is where my focus has been ever since I moved to the United States from Guatemala. 

Guatemala
I was born in Guatemala and lived there for 15 years. I am the oldest of 5 children, 4 girls, and 1 boy. My mother was a single mother who worked day and night to provide for her children as best as she could. I didn't live with my mother until I was 7 years old.  I stayed with random family members or sitters since my mother had to work.
Life was very difficult for me and my siblings during our childhood. We all encountered verbal and physical abuse, not to mention all the house chores we were to do on a daily basis. 
​
Two days I will never forget: The day my mother told me we were going to start living together, and the day she told me she was leaving Guatemala to go to the U.S. 

As the oldest child, my job was to care for my sisters and brother while our mother was working. My job was to cook, clean, do grocery shopping, care for the little ones, etc. My sisters will never forget the first time I made them scrambled eggs...I didn't know I was supposed to let the eggs gel and "cook" before I served them! Yeah, they were a little runny!   
School?!? oh, yeah, I attended school when I could and when my mom was home. I was always from school to school, from teachers to teachers.  There might have been one or two school years I completed the year at the same school. You see, education is not a priority in Guatemala. Not because there's no interest in education, but because survival takes a higher priority over education. Third grade was the highest grade my mother and most of my relatives completed in Guatemala.   On many occasions, I missed school in order to help my mother at the market to sell oranges, cauliflowers, or used clothes. But even though I missed a lot of school days, I was able to obtain my 6th-grade diploma. I completed the 6th-grade at the age of 14! I was very proud of this accomplishment. You see, this diploma is an honor to obtain in Guatemala. Its value is equivalent to obtaining a high school diploma here in the U.S.

The saddest part was not having my mother with me to celebrate this great accomplishment. 
It was 1992 the year my mother gave me the news that she was leaving Guatemala to make a better way and life for us in the United States of America. I don't think I can find the words to explain how her decision made me feel. The thought of being without my mother terrified me,  but I knew it was best for all.
Once again, my siblings and I were divided. My second sister and I stayed with my dad, my third sister stayed with church friends, and my little sister and little brother stayed together with a recommended sitter. It was very difficult for all to be apart from each other again. Not to mention not having our mother with us. You might think that my mother's decision was crazy or perhaps cruel as many people told me; but in the end, it was all worth it. You see, my mother promised she'll fight for us, she promised to make the impossible possible for us. I had school friends and people come up to me and say, "She'll never come back!", "She is going to forget about you once she makes her new life in the U.S.", "You're on your own now!" I didn't believe any of these statements! I knew from the bottom of my heart how much my mother cared for us! We wrote to each other constantly! We sent each other pictures and talked about our future together.

One year away from each other was all we could handle. We started sharing and noticing the abuse we were experiencing. I couldn't bear the thought of my little sisters and brother going through the abuse I had experienced. My mom was going to return to Guatemala when she found out what was happening. Yes, we needed our mother with us...but what about the sacrifice she made crossing the border?!? What about the sacrifice we all made for over a year?!? What about the plans we've made for a better future?!?  There had to be another way...and there was! My mom sent enough money to build a small shed where we could all live together and I was going to be responsible for all the kids. In a matter of days, at the age of 14, I became fully responsible and took guardianship of my 3 sisters and my baby brother.  

​We had what we needed to survive. We had food, clothes, and shelter, but we were kids who needed a mother. I needed my mother. 
One year. That was all my mother could handle seeing us in the situation we were in.

So what now? 
This was the question I asked. In reality, the only comprehensible solution was for my mother to return to Guatemala and start life all over again. 

Until, someone asked my mother, "Why don't you bring your kids here to the U.S.?" 
At that moment the idea of bringing 5 kids alone from Guatemala to the United States seemed impossible. However, doors began to open and the plans to join my mother in the U.S. were becoming a reality!

New Land 
It was November of 1993  when we started packing the little bit we had to join my mother.  My little sister and brother were lucky to make it to the U.S. in a month. Their dad was able to bring them without any problems. They were able to spend Christmas of 1993 with our mother and new relatives. 
The journey from Guatemala to the U.S. was different for me and my two younger sisters.  My mother made arrangements for coyotes "smugglers" to bring us to the U.S. 
So mid-November 1993 we were picked up by strangers we have never met, but trusted that they were taking us where we needed to go. We were very fortunate to be taken care of by the coyotes and their family. We were fed, had a comfortable place to sleep, and never needed anything. But we would wake up day after day for two months wondering if that was the day when we finally would see our mother. We traveled on land for several days. We rode cars, buses, trains, horses, and we also walked. We were desperate to see our mother. We were not allowed to communicate with mom or anyone. Meanwhile, my mother lived in panic day after day for two months not knowing where and/or how we were doing. Though my experience as an unaccompanied minor was very stressful and perhaps unsure about what was going to happen; it was not even close to the experiences other unaccompanied minors go through to make to the U.S.
​Like I said earlier, my sisters and I were very fortunate to have made it through safely. 

A snapshot of a day traveling through Mexico ​

Finally, the day came when we were to board a plane in Mexico City and reunite with our mother. It was January 14th, 1994. As you can see in this picture, we wore our best outfit, and "our Mexican jackets", for our special day. 

Our plane arrived around noon. We made it to JFK International airport in New York City. We had been instructed to say that the gentleman who was bringing us was our dad and that we were coming to New York to visit family. We went through immigration, show our passports, and were asked questions. They must have noticed I was not telling the truth because we were taken into a room for more questions.
My sisters began to cry, and I was panicking because we knew it was over when we saw authorities handcuffing the gentleman who was bringing us. They started asking more and more questions until we broke down and told them the truth. I told them my mother had paid people to bring us to be with her. I told them that we didn't have any family in Guatemala to go back to and begged them to please not send us back. My little sisters would not stop crying, I couldn't stop crying! They kept asking me where my mother lived and who was she staying with. I honestly told them I didn't know where she lived and that I didn't know how to contact her.
We were there for hours. We were confined 12 hours to be exact! Questions after questions...is mostly what I remember. We were tired! We were scared! We were hopeless!  
Of course, my mother did not show up because she knew that the moment she walked in, they would have taken her and immediately deport her and her children. My mother was in the U.S. with illegal immigration status. It would have been over for all of us if she showed up to claim us. 

Suddenly I see two older ladies talking and yelling at the immigration agents.  They seemed to be talking about us because they kept pointing at us. Well, these two amazing ladies were my grandmother (mom's mom) and her sister (mom's aunt). I didn't know them because they've lived in the U.S. and had little to no contact over the years with my mother. These two ladies, as American citizens, fought for us and claimed our lives. They made sure immigration knew that sending us back was perhaps ending with our lives since there was no one to take care of us back home.  After more hours of discussion, my grandmother ended up claiming my mother, and her children as well. My grandmother made herself responsible for caring for and providing for us. She also made available all the required paperwork to allow us to stay in the U.S. with LEGAL immigration status. 
After pictures, fingerprints, and signatures, we walked out of the airport on a cold winter night and into a yellow NYC cab! That night we were able to hug and sleep with our mother after two years.
​
​Finally, we were together! Finally, we were happy! 

Thank you for reading!