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December 2016

 MATSOL - Massachusetts Educators of English Language Learners 

Table of Contents

  1. MATSOL News
  2. Community News
  3. Links & Resources
 
Submission Welcome
Submit an item for publication in the monthly MATSOL E-Bulletin. Details... 
 

MATSOL 2017 Conference

Registration for the MATSOL Conference will open on January 3, 2017!

Visit the conference website for updates...


MATSOL News

MATSOL Calendar 

  • Dec 9: MELLC Meeting #2
  • Dec 19: Low Incidence SIG Meeting & SLIFE SIG
  • Jan 3: MATSOL 2017 Conference Registration Opens
  • Jan 5: Dual Language Special Education Network Event* - Senses and Sensibilities: An Inside View on Autistic Sensory Issues
  • Jan 25: Dual Language Special Education Network Event* - Topic on Practice: A dialogue with health care professionals on assessments of dual language learners

View MATSOL Calendar...

*The Dual Language Special Education Network is a collaboration between MATSOL, Massachusetts Association for Bilingual Education (MABE), and Massachusetts Council for Exceptional Children (MCEC)Find out more...


Community News

Next Generation ESL Project: Model Curriculum Units (ESL MCUs)
The Office of English Language Acquisition and Academic Achievement (OELAAA) led the field-based "Next Generation ESL Project: Model Curriculum Units" in a key partnership with the Massachusetts Association of Teachers of Speakers of Other Languages (MATSOL), along with Northeast Comprehensive Center/WestEd and the support of other organizations such as the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) and WIDA. The project included participation of over 30 districts across the state, as well as collaborations and consultations with state and national curriculum experts. Resources include the Next Generation ESL Curriculum Resource GuideESL Model Curriculum Units, Collaboration Tool, and 
Videos of the units in action. View resource...

MATSOL Discount for new Bilingual/English Learners with Disabilities (ELL/SPED) Certificate program
Through a partnership with Lasell College, MATSOL and MABE members can take advantage of a special discount to enroll in Lasell’s Bilingual/English Learners with Disabilities (ELL/SPED) Certificate program. 

  • Fundamentals of Bilingual Special Education: Policies, Laws, and Practice (January 2017)
  • Removing Barriers for Classroom Assessments and Instruction of Bilingual Students (March 2017)
  • Assessment for Equity and Inclusion of Bilingual Students with and without (Dis)Abilities (June 2017)
  • Culturally Responsive Individualized Educational Planning for Bilingual Students with Disabilities (July 2017)

This new online program starts January 2017. The program offers four, six-week courses with either PDP's or academic credit. The discount pricing applies for the PDP option, and is available to current MATSOL members at $500 per course for PDPs (regular $700) or $900 per course for academic credits. Two informational webinars on this program will take place via Adobe Connect on Tuesday, December 13 at 6:30 pm and Thursday, December 15 at 4:00 pm. View information and registration links.

Commissioner's Update on ACCESS for ELLs 2.0
From News from Commissioner Mitchell Chester & the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, December 2, 2016

Massachusetts administered the new ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 English proficiency assessment for the first time in January and February using a combination of computer- and paper-based forms for students in grades 1-12. Results were reported in May.

During the summer, WIDA, supported by their partner, the Center for Applied Linguistics, conducted a study and set new limits defining the lower and upper ends of each proficiency level on ACCESS 2.0. This online message discusses the results of the study and how it will affect how students are classified. The ELL Assessment Update sent on November 28 to English language learner directors also provided details on the revised reclassification criteria for 2016-2017.

For more information about the placement and reclassification of English learners, contact the Office of English Language Acquisition and Academic Achievement at [email protected] or 781 338-3584. For more information regarding ACCESS results or the proficiency levels on the test, please contact Student Assessment Services at either [email protected] or 781-338-3625.  

Attorney General's Civil Rights Violation Hotline
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey's office has launched a Hotline to report harassment in the wake of the presidential election. Residents can call 1-800-994-3228 or fill out an online civil rights complaint form if they've witnessed or experienced bias-motivated threats, harassment or violence against immigrants; racial, ethnic and religious minorities; women; and LGBTQ individuals. The Hotline and complaint form are available in English and Spanish. Potential hate crimes – including bias-motivated assault, battery, and property damage – should also be reported to the local police. If you fear for your immediate safety should call 911.

"Know Your Rights" Resources
From MIRA Coalition


Links & Resources

NEWSLETTER
TESOL Connections 
MATSOL members receive free access to TESOL Connections, TESOL's monthly online newsletter.  The latest issue includes 
Connecting Authentic Texts to Authentic Tasks, Grammatically Speaking: Present Progressive Tense, and Teaching Shakespeare to Language Learners on All Stages. Read the latest issue...

REPORT
After Election Day, The Trump Effect: The Impact of the 2016 Presidential Election on Our Nation’s Schools
In the first days after the 2016 presidential election, Teaching Tolerance administered an online survey to K–12 educators from across the country. Over 10,000 teachers, counselors, administrators and others who work in schools have responded. The survey data indicate that the results of the election are having a profoundly negative impact on schools and students. Ninety percent of educators report that school climate has been negatively affected, and most of them believe it will have a long-lasting impact. This report offers a synthesis of our survey results and recommendations for how to meet the post-election challenges participants described. From Teaching Tolerance. View report...

RESOURCE
(Re)Building Classroom Community Post-Election
In the wake of the divisive United States election, educators are in a unique position to help students develop their skills as civic actors, thinkers, upstanders, and problem-solvers. This work isn’t easy in the best of times, but it’s particularly challenging during times of deep division and intolerance. The following resources—from Facing History and our partners at StoryCorps—are designed to help your students gain critical thinking skills, empathy and tolerance, and a sense of civic responsibility. From Facing History and Ourselves. View resource...

REPORT
Untapped Talent: The Costs of Brain Waste among Highly Skilled Immigrants in the United States
Nearly 2 million immigrants with college degrees in the United States -- one out of every four -- are relegated to low-skilled jobs or are unable to find work. This skill underutilization -- often referred to as brain waste -- comes at a significant cost to families and the U.S. economy. From Migration Policy Institute. View report...

View past issues of the MATSOL E-Bulletin online!

 

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