TEAL MTS PD Day - Strategies to Facilitate EAL Students' Success

Register here: https://memberlink.mbteach.org/Event.axd?e=2807

Keynote - Translanguaging & Task-Based Language Teaching

Translanguaging & Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT): Facilitating Language Growth for Multilingual Learners

In classrooms throughout Manitoba, we are seeing more and more newcomer students. With teachers facing constraints in time and resources, how do they begin to support multilingual learners? How can incorporating students’ home languages help blend language learning with subject content? Having the right tools empowers teachers to effectively plan instruction, assessment, and foster students' independent learning.

This presentation will look at 1) the difference between learning a second language as a school subject and being a multilingual English learner in an academic setting and 2) effective scaffolding techniques that empower language learners to learn and share their knowledge in English. These include: vocabulary selection from a TBLT approach; the benefits of using translanguaging (using all the languages a learner speaks); and how educators can adjust their expectations and support learners at different English stages.

Presenter: Dr. Yvonne Breckenridge, ATS Associate Lecturer-Career, Faculty of Education - International Initiatives, University of Alberta

Dr. Yvonne Breckenridge has taught English language learners from pre-school to graduate school for almost 30 years in a variety of educational settings. She is currently an associate lecturer at the University of Alberta. In addition to her experience as a teacher educator in Canada she has taught in-service and pre-service teachers from Japan, South Korea, Mexico and Germany. Her research is grounded in critical theory, anti-racism, narrative inquiry, and action research with a specific focus on English for academic purposes, task-based language teaching, professional development, and identity. She has also hugged a panda.

Suitable for: All Educators

Time: 8:45 am - 10:00 am

Participant Max: 200

FULL - AM1 - Strategies to Develop Academic Language Skills with Stages 2 & 3 EAL Learners

This practical session will include a variety of effective routines, activities, and resources teachers can use to support the development of academic language skills of stages 2 and 3 learners in an EAL classroom. These strategies can be adapted for use with a variety of topics and teaching contexts. The target audience for this session is teachers in the Senior Years and Middle Years.

Presenter: Andrea Wilson

Andrea Wilson has taught language learners for over 20 years in Canada and Thailand. She currently teaches high school EAL classes in the Seven Oaks School Division and has recently participated in provincial committees to develop EAL support documents. She enjoys the challenge of working with diverse learners and is inspired by her students’ resilience.

Suitable for: Middle Years, Senior Years

Time: 10:30 am - 11:30 am

Participant Max: 25

AM2 - Social and Emotional Learning to Increase Newcomer and Canadian-born Students' Intercultural and Diversity Understanding in K-8 Classrooms (7 spots remaining)

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is a term which encompasses the learning of many important life skills such as self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, communication and other interpersonal skills. SEL can be used to support all students in their understanding and interactions with people of diverse backgrounds and identities. This session will present strategies to intentionally infuse the learning of SEL into daily classroom routines and activities with both newcomer students and their Canadian-born peers, so they can all understand the diverse people living here and how to work with one another.

Presenter: Rachael Fecyk-Lamb

Rachael Fecyk-Lamb instructs in the University of Manitoba’s Bachelor of Education and Post Baccalaureate in Education programs. She has been teaching English as an additional language for over 25 years in Canada, England, Pakistan and Spain. Rachael has developed a variety of curricula for adult EAL, K-12 EAL and TEAL teacher education courses and programs, and she has experience teaching all ages and proficiency levels of English.

Suitable for: Early Years, Middle Years

Time: 10:30 am - 11:30 am

Participant Max: 25

AM3 - Strategies for Engaging EAL Learners in Science

This interactive session will present a variety of strategies that could enhance EAL learners’ exposure and confidence in using subject-specific vocabulary and language. Participants will receive tangible examples of strategies currently used in science classes as well as examine samples of student work. Participants are invited to bring samples of materials that they have used to share and / or assignments that they would like help adapting to engage EAL learners (if they choose).

Presenter: Tara Shepherd

Tara Shepherd (B.Sc., B.Ed., PBDE) has been a Science educator in the St. James-Assiniboia School Division for over 20 years.

Suitable for: Middle Years, Senior Years

Time: 10:30 am - 11:30 am

Participant Max: 25

AM4 - Teaching and Celebrating Cultural Diversity in an Early Years Classroom

This presentation will provide a variety of different lessons and activities designed to cultivate respect and appreciation for cultural diversity in early years classroom. The session will include practical strategies to teach the importance of culture, cultural identity and diversity in an age-appropriate way. Strategies to adapt these lessons for EAL learners (Stages 1-3) will also be discussed. The target audience for this session is early years classroom teachers.

Presenter: Lanette Griffith

Lanette Griffith was a classroom teacher in early years for 8 years and has experience teaching Grades 1 through 5. She is currently an EAL support teacher and LAL teacher in Saint James-Assiniboia School Division. Lanette is also a sessional instructor at the University of Manitoba.

Suitable for: Early Years

Time: 10:30 am - 11:30 am

Participant Max: 25

AM5 - MLL Literacy in Social Studies, History & Geography (8 spots remaining)

This interactive session will focus on strategies to assist English Language Learners in developing subject-specific and general literacy skills in the Social Sciences (Social Studies, History, and Geography). We will share specific teaching strategies and tools that will help EAL learners access humanities content and show what they know across the grade levels.

Presenters: Shawn Porteous & Anita Riedl

Shawn Porteous has worked with English Language Learners in variety of contexts over the past several years, including in general program courses, specialized EAL/LAL courses, and resource/support environments at the high school level. He is currently employed as the Senior Years Divisional Inclusion Specialist EAL in the River East Transcona School Division.

Anita Riedl has been a teacher and advocate for the past 20 years in Newcomer Education. She is dedicated to engaging, student-centred and culturally responsive classroom teaching that is anchored in strong relationships with EAL students, their families and communities. Anita is currently employed as a Division Inclusion Specialist for K-12 in the River East Transcona School Division.

Suitable for: Early Years, Middle Years, Senior Years

Time: 10:30 am - 11:30 am

Participant Max: 25

FULL - AM6 - EAL Resources 101

This session is a “choose your own adventure.” Attend it if you would like time to explore various recommended print and online resources for teaching EAL students, including the Manitoba EAL Framework and the EAL Intake Process documents. You can discuss ideas with colleagues as you research and/or visit the organizations featuring displays in the gym.

Presenter: TEAL Executive Members

Suitable for: Early Years, Middle Years, Senior Years

Time: 10:30 am - 11:30 am

Participant Max: 25

PM1 - Do I have to make 5 different activities? Adapting activities for multilevel classrooms (2 spots remaining)

One of the challenges of multilevel classrooms is designing activities that are engaging for all students, and do not require teachers to create multiple activities. This workshop will demonstrate how focusing on a task can be a more effective way to include ELLs and give them specific language feedback. Participants will have the opportunity to learn more about task-based language teaching using Willis & Willis’s (2007) task-based language teaching model and Bilash’s (1998) four quadrants for selecting tasks. They will also complete a writing activity and generate writing activities that accommodate different language levels while covering course content.

Presenter: Dr. Yvonne Breckenridge

Dr. Yvonne Breckenridge has taught English language learners from pre-school to graduate school for almost 30 years in a variety of educational settings. She is currently an associate lecturer at the University of Alberta. (Please see keynote information for complete bio.)

Suitable for: Early Years, Middle Years, Senior Years

Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Location: Fort Richmond Collegiate, 99 Killarney Avenue, Winnipeg, MB

Participant Max: 25

PM2 - As SY Math Teachers, What We've Learned While Teaching LAL Numeracy

In this session, we will discuss key ideas that help EAL students become successful Math learners. We will share resources and activities that can be used tomorrow in any classroom and for any student, regardless of the student’s first language.

Presenters: Val Craig & Tracy Johnson

Valerie Craig and Tracy Johnson are math teachers at Fort Richmond Collegiate. They each have more than 20 years of teaching experience and both have work in various roles within schools.

Suitable for: Middle Years, Senior Years

Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Participant Max: 25

FULL - PM3 - Reading for Greater Comprehension

We will explore how to teach close reading strategies in fiction texts for EAL students at various levels using the six reading “signposts” described in Notice and Note (Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst, 2012). This approach encourages EAL students to explore fiction texts and find evidence to support their inferences through a simple-to-understand system that adapts to any reading level.

Presenter: Ian Lindal

Ian Lindal started his teaching career with EAL learners at an international school in Thailand, before joining Fort Richmond Collegiate. Over the past 6 years as a teacher, he taught E-courses in English, Science, Computers, History, and Geography.

Suitable for: Middle Years, Senior Years

Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Participant Max: 25

PM4 - Teaching and Celebrating Cultural Diversity in an Early Years Classroom

This presentation will provide a variety of different lessons and activities designed to cultivate respect and appreciation for cultural diversity in early years classroom. The session will include practical strategies to teach the importance of culture, cultural identity and diversity in an age-appropriate way. Strategies to adapt these lessons for EAL learners (Stages 1-3) will also be discussed. The target audience for this session is early years classroom teachers.

Presenter: Lanette Griffith

Lanette Griffith was a classroom teacher in early years for 8 years and has experience teaching Grades 1 through 5. She is currently an EAL support teacher and LAL teacher in Saint James-Assiniboia School Division. Lanette is also a sessional instructor at the University of Manitoba.

Suitable for: Early Years

Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Participant Max: 25

PM5 - MLL Literacy in Social Studies, History & Geography

This interactive session will focus on strategies to assist English Language Learners in developing subject-specific and general literacy skills in the Social Sciences (Social Studies, History, and Geography). We will share specific teaching strategies and tools that will help EAL learners access humanities content and show what they know across the grade levels.

Presenters: Shawn Porteous & Anita Riedl

Shawn Porteous has worked with English Language Learners in variety of contexts over the past several years, including in general program courses, specialized EAL/LAL courses, and resource/support environments at the high school level. He is currently employed as the Senior Years Divisional Inclusion Specialist EAL in the River East Transcona School Division.

Anita Riedl has been a teacher and advocate for the past 20 years in Newcomer Education. She is dedicated to engaging, student-centred and culturally responsive classroom teaching that is anchored in strong relationships with EAL students, their families and communities. Anita is currently employed as a Division Inclusion Specialist for K-12 in the River East Transcona School Division.

Suitable for: Early Years, Middle Years, Senior Years

Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Participant Max: 25

PM6 - Supporting Refugee Students from Countries in Conflict (8 spots remaining)

As refugees from countries currently in conflict continue to register in our schools, they come with tremendous trauma, grief, and loss. This session will further participants' understanding of the effects of trauma on refugee students and provide strategies to support them. Participants will also learn more about refugee student experiences.

Presenter: Jayesh Maniar

Jayesh Maniar is a recently retired educator, who believes in an equitable education for every child and that every child can reach their full potential. He has been a classroom teacher, a school administrator, and a Divisional as well as a Provincial EAL Consultant.

Suitable for: Early Years, Middle Years, Senior Years

Time: 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm

Participant Max: 25

PM7 - Strategies to Develop Conversational Language Skills with Stage 1 Learners (9 spots remaining)

This practical session will focus on routines, activities, and resources that are specific to the unique needs of beginner language learners. These strategies are suitable to use with small groups of stage 1 learners or a stage 1 EAL class. Participants will try some of the strategies during this session. The target audience for this session is teachers in the Senior Years and Middle Years.

Presenter: Andrea Wilson

Andrea Wilson currently teaches high school EAL classes in the Seven Oaks School Division and has recently participated in provincial committees to develop EAL support documents. (Please see AM1 session for complete bio.)

Suitable for: Middle Years, Senior Years

Time: 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm

Participant Max: 25

PM8 - EAL Students: Learning Math as Engineers

How can we prepare our students for the 21st century in Math? As educators, we need to constantly find new ways to approach the needs of our students. Touch to Learn: Learning Math as Engineers brings into my classroom 4 educational elements: 1) Design, build and test things to solve a problem; 2) Research; 3) Work in teams and 4) Share ideas. Secondly, learning concepts through manipulatives and projects facilitates a better understanding and creates an atmosphere where students are busy from the beginning of the class to the end. Come explore the benefits of this approach for EAL students.

Presenter: Guillermo Vodniza

Guillermo Vodniza has been teaching grade 7, 8 and 9 Mathematics for almost 5 years in Winnipeg School Division. He is currently working on the concept of “Learning Math as Engineers: “Touch to Learn.” Guillermo has several awards and has published several articles.

Suitable for: Middle Years

Time: 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm

Participant Max: 25

PM9 - Social and Emotional Learning to Increase Newcomer and Canadian-Born Students' Intercultural and Diversity Understanding in K-8 Classrooms

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is a term which encompasses the learning of many important life skills such as self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, communication and other interpersonal skills. SEL can be used to support all students in their understanding and interactions with people of diverse backgrounds and identities. This session will present strategies to intentionally infuse the learning of SEL into daily classroom routines and activities with both newcomer students and their Canadian-born peers, so they can all understand the diverse people living here and how to work with one another.

Presenter: Rachael Fecyk-Lamb

Rachael Fecyk-Lamb instructs in the University of Manitoba’s Bachelor of Education and Post Baccalaureate in Education programs. She has been teaching English as an additional language for over 25 years in Canada, England, Pakistan and Spain. Rachael has developed a variety of curricula for adult EAL, K-12 EAL and TEAL teacher education courses and programs, and she has experience teaching all ages and proficiency levels of English.

Suitable for: Early Years, Middle Years

Time: 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm

Participant Max: 25