Page 36 - EdViewptsSpring2019-web

Closing an Achievement Gap

By Suzanne Ackley, Supervisor of Intervention Services, Franklin Twp. Schools

How do we close academic day with English-as-a-second-language Learners need, and at the same time
teachers, leaving them with mainstream provide teachers tools in order to do
achievement gaps? Focus on content teachers for the majority of the that,” (Interview, Dec. 12, 2018). This
the academic language used dur- day. Those mainstream teachers may goal was shared by Principal Miguel
ing instruction. As Calderón and Soto or may not be prepared to help students Rivera. When he began serving Pine
stated, “For ELLs, academic language with their language skills as they learn Grove Manor School in the 2013-14
mastery is the key to accessing rigorous new content,” (Educational Leadership, school year, he replied to an email Ms.
content,” (p.1). The focus on academic 2016). This training focuses on direct Ochoa sent about sheltered instruction
language at Pine Grove Manor (PGM) instruction of academic language to sup- strategy training. Principal Miguel Rivera
1
elementary school led to tremendous port English learners. The professional asked about providing this professional
student growth! PGM elementary development at the Franklin Township development to more teachers. Not only
school houses the bilingual program Public School district was provided by did more teachers participate, but the
for Franklin Twp. School district with a Barbara Tedesco and BJ Franks. school counselor, the physical educa-
total of 140 bilingual or ESL students It all started with Julie’s experience as tion teacher, and the school’s librarian
and total population of 328 students. a bilingual teacher at PGM School. She all wanted to participate in this training.
With a well communicated vision and stated, “I knew we had to have a shift “They all said this is really good training,
collaborative instructional leadership in thinking about who is responsible for and I can use this in my classroom,” Mr.
the focus on academic language during bilingual learners and who is respon- Rivera stated (Interview, Dec. 11, 2018).
instruction made a positive impact on sible for their learning,” (Interview, Dec. Mr. Rivera’s collaboration with Ms.
each learners’ growth. The impact of the 12, 2018). When she became Supervi- Ochoa brought effective changes in
instructional changes were noted in the sor, she had the same feeling, people instruction, but it started with vision
multiple data points including dyslexia needed to see their responsibilities to and purpose. It is due to his personal
screening data. each learner, that it was a collective philosophy and prior experience with the
Julie Ochoa, district Supervisor of Bilin- responsibility and not just the responsi- training sessions that he knew it would
gual and ESL programs, began provid- bility of the ESL teacher (Interview, Dec. lead to more effective instruction. “I iden-
ing sheltered instruction strategies for 12, 2018). tify with a lot of these kids … teachers
teachers during the 2010-2011 school “The goal was to shift the thinking. It were impactful to me. So I share that
year. As Margarita Calderón notes, was to raise consciousness and the with the staff.” (Interview, Dec. 11, 2018)
“ELLs typically spend 30 or so minutes a
level of understanding of what English

Educational Viewpoints -34- Spring 2019