Special Interest Group (SIG) Forums

 

IEP/Higher Education SIG Forum

Friday, October 24, 10:15-12:00, Jefferson Grand Ballroom

 

The TOEFL iBT:  Three years later

 

Susan Fouts, Dana Harper, Bruce Rogers, Jessica Eldridge

 

It has been three years since the new TOEFL iBT was released.  How successful is the test in determining academic readiness for ESL students?  What are some of the challenges faced by students and instructors teaching TOEFL iBT preparation skills?  How does Educational Testing Service regard the success of this new format?  Panel members will discuss progress, challenges, and concerns with the new test and will address audience questions and comments.

 

Susan Fouts holds an MA in foreign language education from the University of Texas-Austin.  She teaches at the International English Center at the University of Colorado Boulder and is a TOEFL iBT speaking rater.

 

Dana Harper teaches TOEFL at Emily Griffith. Dana has been involved with the TOEFL iBT since the summer of 2006 and was a co-presenter introducing it that year.

 

Bruce Rogers is the author of The Complete Guide to TOEFL: iBT Edition (Heinle/Cengage).  He is the incoming president of CoTESOL and currently teaches test-prep in Colorado and Indonesia. 

 

Jessica Eldridge received her BA in linguistics with a TESL emphasis (2004) and an MA in linguistics at the University of Iowa in 2006. She has taught for the International English Center CU Boulder and has worked for Educational Testing Service since last spring.  

Socio-Political Forum

Friday, October 24, 10:15-12:00, Evergreen

 

P-20 and the future of ESL?

 

State House Representative Debbie Benefield, Barbara M. Medina, Gavin Dunnet

 

The governor’s committee on P-20 education is reconsidering how education should be structured in Colorado.  The state legislature has attempted to mandate changes that would affect ESL education, such as trying to pass an English language proficiency exam for all students.  How does the ESL community respond to this debate?  This panel discussion by members of the P-20 committee, higher education, and the governor’s office will consider what might be done to enhance ESL education in Colorado.

 

Representative Debbie Benefield’s political activism began through membership in the PTA and included serving on Colorado PTA’s Board of Directors. Representative Benefield has served in the Colorado House of Representatives since 2004.  She currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Finance Committee and as a member of the Education Committee.  Debbie was also named the JCEA Friend of Education and the Jeffco Schools Friend of World Languages.  Representative Benefield serves on the Data and Accountability Subcommittee of the Governor’s P-20 Council.  

 

Barbara M. Medina is the director of the English Language Acquisition Unit (ELAU) at the Colorado Department of Education.  She was appointed to serve on Governor Ritter’s P-20 Council.

 

Gavin Gunnet teaches language acquisition and linguistics at the University of Colorado Denver.  He is also an ELL resource teacher and staff developer for Jefferson county schools. 

Adult Education SIG Forum

Friday, October 24, 1:30-3:15, Jefferson Grand Ballroom

 

Family success through language and parent involvement

Claire Boyles, Diane Catlin, Jan Marie DeLay, Tawa Ellis, Hannah Grant-Boyajian, Orly Penny, Shannell Sedgwick

 

Second language parents and school district staff alike value parent involvement to support children's educational success.  Presenters will describe the implementation and results of Poudre School District's Adult ESL/Parent Involvement Project, which builds upon this shared belief.  Program results, sample curriculum and activities, and suggestions for adaptation will be included.

Claire Boyles is the ESL Parent Involvement Project coordinator.

Diane Catlin is the coordinator for the district's K-12 ELA programs and is the co-director of the ESL Parent Involvement Project.

 

Jan Marie DeLay directs the district’s Title I and McKinney programs and is the co-director of the ESL Parent Involvement Project.

Tawa Ellis is the district’s outreach coordinator.

Hannah Grant-Boyajian is a teacher in the program.

 

Orly Penny is a teacher in the program.

 

Shannell Sedgwick is an ELA teacher in the program at Eyestone Elementary.   

Elementary/Secondary Education SIG Forum

Saturday, October 25, 10:15-12:00, Golden

K-12 Initiatives

Liz Henry, Ann Haro, Paula Wolf, Jill Serratos, Lorrie Joseph

How can teachers of English Language Learners implement new, enriching programs into their instruction  while covering standards based curriculum?  Panelists will share information on special strategies and the latest programs that have successfully enhanced instruction in their classrooms and meet the unique needs of their students.

 

Liz Henry works with Front Range Earth Force, a service learning organization.  She trains teachers to engage youth in their communities in order to implement sustainable solutions.  Liz holds degrees in Spanish and curriculum and instruction.

 

Ann Haro has worked in special education for 22 years with ELL students at all levels.  She has taken over 200 hours of instruction in strategies to support English language learners in her special needs classroom.

 

Paula Wolf is the coordinator of Kids Care, a service learning program which teaches life skills in addition to reinforcing reading, writing, and mathematics curriculum.

 

Jill Serratos has been a bilingual educator for many years.  She is a graduate of UNC.  She has participated in Earth Force projects and is piloting a new program for Spanish speakers called RISE.

 

Lorrie Joseph is currently instructional leader for ESL and world languages at Jefferson High School in Edgewater, where she has taught for three years. Prior to that, she worked at Stein Elementary for a year and Aurora Public Schools for three years as an ESL coordinator and language arts teacher.   

Teacher Education / Action Research

Saturday, October 25, 1:30-3:15, Jefferson Grand Ballroom

 

Taking an inquiry stance on teaching

Presenters:  Maria Thomas-Ruzic, Elizabeth Grassi, Connie Kowal, Natalie Kraft, Jane Miller, Natalie Kraft

 

From their work in teaching, teacher education, professional development and research, the presenters outline principles and processes for an inquiry, action-research approach to teacher learning. Several projects carried out by teachers in their own contexts will illustrate the power of building from what teachers think, know, feel and do.

 

Maria Thomas-Ruzic works in Linguistically Diverse Teacher Education at the University of Colorado Denver and at Boulder. 


Elizabeth Grassi is a professor of education at Regis University.

Connie Kowal heads up professional development for Multicultural Student Services, Jefferson County Public Schools.

Natalie Kraft teaches language arts and will begin serving as an ESL resource teacher at Ken Caryl Middle School in Jefferson County Public Schools.

Jane Miller is the state professional development coordinator for adult educators in Colorado. She trains teachers state-wide on behalf of the Colorado Department of Education.