Open Events at the MATSOL Conference
The MATSOL 2017 Conference is sold out on all days. However, all members are invited to the following member events (with or without conference registration).
Wednesday, May 31
- 5:30 pm - Opening Reception & Annual Meeting
- 6:30 pm - Film screening of I Learn America, a film by Friday keynote Jean-Michel Dissard
Thursday, June 1
- 4:30 pm - 2017 State of the State
Paul Agiar, Director of the Office of English Language Acquisition and Academic Achievement
- 6:00 pm - MATSOL Social & Awards Ceremony
Generously sponsored by National Geographic Learning/Cengage Learning and Educational Solutions, Inc.
MATSOL News
MATSOL Calendar
- May 8: Low Incidence & SLIFE SIG Meetings
- May 19: MELLC Meeting
- May 31: MATSOL Pre-Conference Institutes
- Jun 1-2: MATSOL Conference
View MATSOL Event Calendar - information & registration
MATSOL Member Survey Last year, we asked our members to complete a survey focusing on professional learning. This year, the survey focuses on MATSOL member benefits. Complete the survey and enter to win a $100 Amazon giftcard! View survey...
New! Massachusetts SEI Smart Card Course The SEI Smart Card is an observational guide for school leaders to use as they walk through sheltered content classrooms. This course teaches school leaders how to utilize the SEI Smart Card during learning walkthroughs and instructional rounds. Starts May 31. View course information...
MATSOL Open Registration Courses This spring, MATSOL is offering regional open registration courses. These courses are open to teachers and administrators through registration on the MATSOL website. A full menu of courses will be available next fall around the Greater Boston Area. View MATSOL Course Catalog ...
- Implementing English Language Development Standards in Massachusetts Classrooms - Starts May 6
Nonprofit Excellence Award Finalist We are trilled to announce that the Language Opportunity Coalition (including MATSOL, MABE & MaFLA) is an 2017 Nonprofit Excellence Award Finalists in Collaboration for our work launching the Seal of Biliteracy Pilot Project in Massachusetts. The award winners will be announced on June 5 at Nonprofit Awareness Day at the State House. More...
Legislative Update The legislation supported by the Language Opportunity Coalition is moving forward Massachusetts state legislature. There was a hearing for S.311 in April with testimonies giving unanimous support, and we are awaiting a hearing on the Seal of Biliteracy legislation. Please contact Helen Solorzano at [email protected] if would like to get involved with advocating for these bills.
- Seal of Biliteracy: H.285/S.311 An Act to promote global trade and economic development through biliteracy
- English Learner Education: S.232 An Act for language opportunity for our kids/H.2839 An Act to reform English language learning education.
We came very close in the last legislative session and are hopeful that the bills will pass in this session. Visit the Language Opportunity website for updates.
Community News
May 11: “I Came Here to Learn”: The Achievements and Experiences of Massachusetts Students Whose First Language is Not English The popular discourse around young people learning English in America has often been one of deficits and academic difficulty. The Center for Promise research team found a different story. From analyzing student-level data and interviewing young people throughout Massachusetts, the researchers heard stories of strength, motivation, and a search for a better future. View invitation...
May 12: MCAE Network 2017 Join the Massachusetts Coalition for Adult Education for another inspiring conference featuring high quality workshops that give you the tools you need to shine in the classroom! There's something new every year, no matter what you teach or what your role is at your program. In Marlborough MA.
- Network with more than 500 of your colleagues
- Learn from experts in more than 50 workshop sessions
- Celebrate with award winners who are leaders in the field of ABE
- Meet with exhibitors to preview exciting new products and materials
Registration deadline extended to May 3. Register...
May 20: Rally for Public Education Public Education on Saturday, May 20, in Boston (location to be announced shortly). Event sponsored by the Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance. More...
- Stand up for students, public schools and colleges.
- Fight efforts to gut our education system.
- Demand full funding, debt-free higher education and the schools our communities deserve.
June 1: Give Liberty a Hand 2017 The Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition's annual fundraiser and our 30th anniversary celebration. Our Gala will also honor Attorney General Maura Healey, a champion of civil rights, and Jeffrey Bussgang, of Flybridge Capital Partners, a tremendous voice for immigrant and refugee integration. More...
June 18-20: TESOL Advocacy & Policy Summit An opportunity for educators to learn about U.S. federal education issues and advocate for policies that support English learners and the field of English language education.
- Learn from experts and insiders about the latest federal education policy
- Enhance your leadership skills with hands-on advocacy training
- Share a powerful message with your members of Congress
- Join your colleagues from across the United States to make a difference
The MATSOL Board sends a representative to this event each year, but any TESOL member can attend (pre-registraiton required; travel, hotel and registration costs are not covered). If you plan to attend, please contact the MATSOL office so that we can put you in touch with other Massachusetts representatives. Information & registration...
Links & Resources
NEWSLETTER TESOL Connections MATSOL members receive free access to TESOL Connections, TESOL'sm onthly online newsletter. The latest issue includes MasterChef Teacher: Assembling a Fresh Menu of Timely Lessons Fast, Source Documentation 101: Developing Intertextuality, and The Rising Focus on ELLs in the Early Years. Read the latest issue...
RESOURCE Attorney General's Advisory on Equal Access to Education Regardless of Immigration Status Attorney General Maura Healey released an advisory reminding local public school districts of their obligation under state and federal law to provide all students with equal access to primary and secondary education, irrespective of citizenship or immigration status. The advisory provides three bullet points for what school leaders statewide must do: 1) allow all students to attend; 2) avoid asking for information that might discourage or deny access based on race, national origin, or immigration or citizenship status; and 3) protect all students from bullying and harassment. View Advisory...
RESOURCE New ESL Model Curriculum Unit Grade 1-2, Language of Social Studies (LoSS) & Language of Language Arts (LoLA), Proficiency Levels 1-2: Justice, Courage, and Fairness.
To access the units, please visit the Model Curriculum Unit page: http://www.doe.mass.edu/candi/model/download_form.aspx You will be asked to register. Access is free and granted immediately. Scroll down to find "ESL Units."
As a reminder: Resources around the Next Generation ESL Curriculum Project are housed in the OELAAA Curriculum and Instruction page. There you will find links to the ESL Curriculum Resource Guide, a short video of one of the units in action (ELP 1-2, grade band 6-8), and Frequently Asked Questions.
REPORT Not Lost in Translation: The Growing Importance of Foreign Language Skills in the U.S. Job Market There is a growing demand for bilingual talent in major industries in the United States. This report from New American Economy looked at online job postings, and found that over the past five years, demand for bilingual workers in the United States more than doubled. In 2010, there were roughly 240,000 job postings aimed at bilingual workers; by 2015, that figure had ballooned to approximately 630,000. Read report...
ARTICLE Which job seekers are in hot demand? Bilingual workers. From The Boston Globe, this article examines the local growth in demand for bilingual workers in Massachusetts. Read article...
RESOURCE PBS Learning Media PBS LearningMedia™ provides for direct access to thousands of classroom-ready, curriculum-targeted digital resources. PBS LearningMedia builds on the strength of public media and is designed to improve teacher effectiveness and student achievement. Resources are aligned to Common Core and national standards and include videos and interactives, as well as audio, documents, and in-depth lesson plans. You can browse by standards, grade level, subject area, and special collections. (Includes some multilingual resources). View website...
RESOURCE Central American Immigrants in the United States From Migration Policy Institute: Over the past several years, Central American migration to the United States has been the focal point of significant media and public policy attention, as the number of unaccompanied children and families fleeing gang violence and poverty has risen dramatically. In 2015, approximately 3.4 million Central Americans resided in the United States, representing 8 percent of the 43.3 million U.S. immigrants. Eighty-five percent of Central Americans in the United States were from the Northern Triangle, formed by El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. View report...
View past issues of the MATSOL E-Bulletin online!
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