Supporting English Learners: Resources for Leaders

This course provides a set of resources designed to support educational leaders in driving educational change for English Learners. These resources guide educational leaders through a process of examining existing systemic thinking and structures around the education of English Learners, using organized tools to look more deeply at practices for ELs, and developing or refining a plan to propel systemic change and shift practices. The overall goal is for participating educators to better understand ELs in their context, including their schooling experiences, needs, and successes, and use what they learn to design and implement higher quality educational experiences that build disciplinary knowledge and skills. Educators in the course will have access to videos, readings, and activities that help them to understand the EL context in their setting, create guiding frameworks such as a vision statement and language development framework, and craft a plan to improve teaching and learning for ELs. Where appropriate, the course will address state-specific frameworks related to ELs, such as the New York State Blueprint for ELL Success, or the California EL Roadmap, and how participants can use guidance from these frameworks to shape their efforts.