Highest Aspirations

How can educators shift their practice from tearing down students for translanguaging or using “Spanglish” to building this up? How can tactics like co-teaching and professional learning opportunities be leveraged to support multilingual students and create more equitable classrooms? What can educators do to incorporate their students’ entire linguistic repertoire and validate their experiences in the classroom to build confidence? Spanglish has historically been discouraged in both English and Spanish classrooms across the US. However, by discrediting this blended language we are not allowing students to use their entire linguistic repertoire. Not only is Spanglish, which is the blending of word parts from both Spanish and English, a significant part of many heritage Spanish speaking students’ identities, it is a valuable form of translanguaging. To explore this topic in depth, we spoke with Alexandra Medrano, a teacher in Colorado who shares her journey from discouraging to celebrating Spanglish in her clas

What are culture learning targets and why are they critical for creating non-oppressive learning environments? How can individual teachers lesson plan in a way that can disrupt the status quo of a monolingual centric approach to learning? How can educators support their multilingual learners in making cross-linguistic connections and fostering a practice of metalinguistic awareness? Welcome back to Season 9 of the Highest Aspirations podcast, a show where we explore how we can help make an impact on our nation’s highest growing student demographic multilingual learners. Our first guest of the season is Dr. José Medina. Dr. Medina is the founder and Chief Educational Advocate for Dr. José Medina: Educational Solutions. Prior to establishing the boutique consulting firm, Dr. Medina served as Research Scientist and Director of Dual Language and Bilingual Education at the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) in Washington, DC. José provides dual language technical assistance, professional development, and job-emb

Why is it necessary to explicitly teach and foster listening skills, specifically for language learners? What tools and activities can be used to practice listening in a culturally responsive and engaging way for all students? What do authentic conversations and listening comprehension activities sound like, and how can educators more effectively encourage these in their students? Those topics and much more with Theresa Blanchard and Paul Hernandez from Sanger Unified School District in California - two educators who have designed and implemented successful strategies to help their students succeed in a variety of ways. Find the full episode transcript here. Visit our EL Community page for show notes, additional resources, multimedia content and much more. As always, thanks for listening to Highest Aspirations. The conversation continues when Season 9 begins in August, but every episode from Season 1-8 is available for you anywhere you get your podcasts. Enjoy the summer! --- Send in a voice message: https

What are some of the biggest obstacles for multilingual learners in many widely used intelligence tests? How can assessments be altered to more accurately test thinking rather than language skills or content knowledge? As more students are identified as gifted and talented with more accurate testing, how can teachers begin to better support these students? We discuss these questions and much more with Dr. Jack Naglieri. Dr. Naglieri is widely known for his efforts to increase participation of traditionally under-represented students in gifted education. He is currently a Senior Research Scientist at the Devereux Center for Resilient Children and Emeritus Professor of Psychology at George Mason University. You’ll find multimedia resources - including a transcript of this episode, accompanying blog posts, videos, collaboration opportunities, and more - on our learning community. For episode resources and additional content visit our EL Community page. Find the full episode transcript here. --- Send in a voic

What vital roles do social and cultural capital play in determining the opportunities available to new arrivals? How can peers be leveraged to help newcomers cross the we/them divide while growing academically? What does it mean for new arrivals to “cross the finish line” and what are a few key steps educators can take to help them get there? We discuss these questions and much more with Pamela Broussard. Pamela Broussard is a passionate keynote speaker, presenter, and high school New Arrival Center teacher from Houston, Texas. She has more than  30 years of teaching experience ranging from elementary to master's degree prep courses. She has taught Regular Ed., Special Ed.,  ESL/EL/ML, SLIFE, and New Arrivals.  She has taught in the USA and abroad.  In addition to teaching, she is Rotary International Peace Fellow. She has traveled to more than 35 countries including working in Afghanistan for seven years. She has spent time in: refugee camps, war zones, orphanages, trash heaps, and human

How can concepts like “teacher identity” and “learning leader” transform how educators show up in the classroom? What is the difference between directive and generative scaffolding, and how can one be significantly more constructive for ELs? What roles can deep culture, identity, and instructional power play in crafting more equitable teaching styles? We discuss these questions and much more with Tanji Reed Marshall, who was highly recommended by our friend Jeff Zwiers form Stanford Graduate School of Education. Tanji Reed Marshall, Ph.D., is the director of p-12 practice, leading Ed Trust’s Equity in Motion assignment analysis work. Prior to joining Ed Trust, Tanji worked in the Office of Academic Programs at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University to prepare the school of education’s accreditation with the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation. Before that, she supported prospective secondary English teachers who were working to obtain licensure through the school of education. Y

How does the teaching outlined in his book 7 Steps to a Language Rich classroom help bridge the gap between research and practice? What outcomes or impact has John and his team seen on student performance in classrooms where the 7 steps methodology has been implemented? What would John say to educators who may be interested in trying the 7 Steps but may have lingering questions about the potential loss of agency or the level of fidelity needed to effectively implement? On this episode, we bring back our friend John Seidlitz to catch up on the work he has been doing for the newest version of his well known 7 Steps to a Language Rich Classroom book. It is always great to connect with John but the interview you’re about to hear is just one part of our exploration of this topic. You’ll find multimedia resources - including a transcript of this episode, accompanying blog posts, videos, collaboration opportunities, and more - on our learning community. For episode resources and additional content visit our EL Commu

How can relationship building and interpersonal connection play a vital role in English learners developing a love of reading? What can educators do to encourage students to move outside of their comfort zone at school, especially when it comes to reading academic content? How can providing students with leadership opportunities enhance learning and inspire students to think in new ways? We discuss these questions and more with Shreya Rohatgi, a first-year college student at the University of Oklahoma who earned one of Ellevation’s scholarships last year. Shreya is a biochemistry major with a minor in psychology. She is also intentionally taking classes that invoke her creative side, which she feels is an important part of a well-rounded education. She is also a member of the Presidents Leaders Club, where she has been lucky to be part of what she calls patchwork of people whose individual talents and experiences come together to create something powerful. We caught up with Shreya in the middle of our applica

What is the relationship between decoding and comprehension when reading, and why is it important for educators to prioritize both? Why are key literacy resources like school librarians or educational media specialists and classroom libraries growing scarce and what are the consequences? How can listeners begin to take steps on a micro and macro level to improve flawed education policies that are impacting multilingual learners? We discuss these questions and much more with Dr. Kathy Escamilla and Dr. Sue Hopewell. For episode resources, additional content and much more visit our EL Community page. Find the episode transcript here.  Dr. Kathy Escamilla is a Professor Emerita of Education in the Division of Equity, Bilingualism and Biliteracy at the University of Colorado, Boulder. She held the Bob and Judy Charles endowed chair in this division. Dr. Escamilla’s research focuses on issues related to the development of bilingualism and biliteracy for Spanish-speaking emerging bilingual children in US schoo

We are back with part two of our series exploring the challenges that US born children of immigrants. In part one of the series we spoke with sociologist, author and professor Dr. Joanna Dreby about the work she has done in this space. This week we hear from three undergraduate and graduate students who understand this experience firsthand and worked with Dr. Dreby on her research. These interviews will give listeners a powerful firsthand look at how they can better serve these students in their schools. For more episode resources and takeaways, plus additional content on other topics in multilingual education, visit our EL Community Page. Watch Falmari’s full interview or read the transcript here. Watch Rachel’s full interview or read the transcript here. Watch Iliana’s full interview or read the transcript here. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/highest-aspirations/message

How are the challenges and experiences of English learners born in the US different than those who have recently arrived and why is so important for educators to understand them? In what ways does family members’ citizenship status and fear of deportation or separation affect these students? What kinds of social-emotional supports can educators leverage to help support these students in the classroom, and what policy changes can they advocate for at a local level? We discuss these questions and much more in a special two-part series with University of Albany professor and author Dr. Joanna Dreby and three of her former and current students who are also English learners born in the US. In this episode, Dr. Dreby shares her experience and expertise in working with students who have grown up as children of immigrants. As you'll hear in our conversation, the challenges they face stretch well beyond learning English. All too often, these students find themselves growing up far too quickly as a result of their pare

Here are some questions we discuss in this episode with our guest Marcy Voss. Why are multilingual learners so often overlooked and underrepresented in gifted and talented programs in schools? How can educators better identify the many gifted English learners, and adopt an asset-based approach moving forward? What are some strategies teachers can use to support language needs without compromising the depth and complexity of the content and instruction? We discuss these questions and more with Marcy Voss. Marcy is an Educational Consultant who has recently retired after 36 years in public education. During her career, Marcy taught elementary and middle school students, as well as coordinated Gifted and Special Programs in several districts. As Special Programs Coordinator for Boerne ISD, Marcy helped develop and implement their Two-Way Dual Language Program. Marcy currently serves as an ELL Coach, curriculum writer, and staff development trainer. Her passion is helping ELL students to think at higher levels th

Given the fact that passive listening is happening all the time at school, why is creating deliberate, high-quality listening exercises for multilingual learners so important? What are some authentic ways to assess listening comprehension that will better gauge ELs’ understanding while also preparing them for important state assessments? How can in-class listening activities help ELs to build background knowledge and master academic vocabulary - two of the biggest hurdles facing language learners? We discuss these questions and much more with our guest Monica Brady-Myerov. Monica Brady-Myerov is a content area specialist in audio and its use in the classroom and an expert in podcasting, fact-based reporting and narrative storytelling. She is a 25-year veteran public radio journalist, and is the founder and CEO of Listenwise, a listening skills company.  She is the author of the upcoming book: Listen Wise: Teach Students to Be Better Learners to be released by Wiley in April 2021. The book has personal an

What benefits does guided reading offer when compared to more traditional whole group instruction? How can guided reading be used to better support multilingual learners and foster cultural responsive teaching strategies? How can schools and districts design and implement professional learning opportunities to support teachers as they roll out guided learning strategies? What different factors and considerations should happen at a school in order to successfully implement the lesson study model of teaching? We discuss these questions and much more with our guests from Kingsbury Charter Elementary School in California. Joining me are Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, Melanie Sembritski, Superintendent Dr. Wesley Sever, and second grade teacher Kelsi Itturralde. You can find their full bios on our show notes and in the accompanying blog post at ellevationeducation.com/ellcommunity/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/highest-aspirations/message

What is the difference between active and passive vocabulary and how does the transfer from one to the other happen? What are some simple yet effective ways that educators can build in opportunities for multilingual learners to internalize and be able to use academic vocabulary in speaking or writing? How can we build students’ confidence in speaking as they develop new language skills in and out of the classroom? We discuss these questions and much more with Natalia Heckman on this episode of Highest Aspirations. Trained in Russia as a technical writer and a translator, Natalia never thought about becoming a teacher, but after her first year in a classroom, she knew that teaching was her calling and her mission. Natalia has taught English and ESOL classes, assisted teachers as a secondary ELA and Social Studies Instructional Coach, and served as an ESL/Bilingual program specialist. She currently pursues her passion for linguistics and education as an educational consultant with Seidlitz Education. The traini

How might we design and ensure access to equitable professional learning opportunities, specifically to address the unique needs of multilingual learners? What are some tools that can be used to monitor the progress of educators through professional learning and how do we measure its impact on student progress and learning? What are some strategies to design and implement equitable professional learning opportunities that are both introspective and connected to practice? We discuss these questions and much more with Silvia Romero-Johnson and Mariana Castro, authors of the new book, Advancing Equity in Dual Language Education: A Guide for Leaders. One note on the title - Silvia and Mariana define leaders with a wide lens. The information and resources shared in the book and in this episode are relevant and useful for any educator working with multilingual learners - particularly in dual-language programs. We would actually go so far as to say that it is useful for ALL educators. In this interview, we focused o

In this episode, we talk about some exciting changes and improvements we have planned for Highest Aspirations. We also preview some of the topics we will be covering beginning with our first episode on January 18th. Learn more and stay up to date by joining our community at bit.ly/getmlresources. You’ll receive our weekly community brief with news and multimedia resources you can use with your colleagues and students right away. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/highest-aspirations/message

The lack of teachers who have the training necessary to effectively support multilingual learners has been plaguing school districts across the country for years. The pandemic has only exacerbated the problem putting multilingual learners at greater risk. Panel members from school districts and organizations around the country came together during our annual Impact Conference to discuss how they are responding to this challenge and the plans they have moving forward. Special thanks to Amaya Garcia from New America for moderating the panel and providing perspective on what the research data is telling us. Thanks also to our panelists - Dr. Yolanda Rios, Alice Solis, Magda Grape, and Jeremiah Lack. This episode was taken from our Impact Conference that took place on December 6, 7, and 9. We will be sharing more resources and content from all Impact sessions on our weekly Community Brief email, which you can get by joining our community here: bit.ly/mllresources. Highest Aspirations will be back in January 2022.

How can we help colleagues, families and community members become advocates for dual language programs? What does it mean to truly embrace biliteracy? Why is embracing bilingualism good for all students? We discuss these questions and more in part 2 of a 2 part series with Sandra Medrano-Arroyo. Sandra Medrano-Arroyo presently works at Ellevation Education as the Dual Language Instructional Content Specialist, where she has spearheaded the creation of two new instructional practices specific to the needs of Dual Language programs.  In over 23 years in education, she has served the needs of emergent bilinguals and various sub-groups in a number of roles: teacher, academic coordinator, school director, recruiter, instructional specialist, and program planner. Prior to Ellevation, Sandra served as the Manager of Multicultural Education for the 11th largest school district in the US, overseeing the ESOL program for over 34,000 students, including a two-way dual language program that served over 9,000 student

On this special episode of Highest Aspirations, we're sitting down to speak with 2021 Ellevation Scholarship Winner Jesse Ding. Jesse Ding graduated as the class valedictorian from Wilmington High School in Wilmington, Massachusetts. She is planning to study computer science at Carnegie Mellon University. In the future, she hopes to become a robotics software engineer and utilize her knowledge and expertise to program personalized assistive robots for those in need. As you'll hear in the episode, Jesse is very dedicated to giving back to her community and using her strengths in STEM and robotics to find ways to improve the lives of those around her. We hope you enjoy our conversation, and to hear more conversations with scholarship recipients, check out the Scholarship Winners playlist on our Spotify.  If you have an idea for a topic or guest for a future highest aspirations episode, please feel free to reach out to me at stevens@ellevationeducation.com. You can find additional resources and episode take