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Californians Together

Championing the Success of English Learners

Common Core

Raise Your Voice on Behalf of English Learners: The English Learners and Common Core Advocacy Toolkit

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Californians Together views the advent of the Common Core Standards as an opportunity to strengthen the schooling of English Learners. We also recognize that any reform that increases rigor and does not address how English Learners will be supported to master that rigor can exacerbate the barriers and achievement gaps that have characterized the education of English Learners for too long.

To ensure that the Common Core Standards are implemented in a way that fully includes English Learners and that meets their unique language development and access needs, we have published “Raise Your Voices for English Learners: The English Learners and Common Core Advocacy Toolkit”. This Advocacy Toolkit has prepared talking points for use by educators, policy makers, parents and community members in dialogues at the local, district and state levels – raising concerns, pushing for the supports needed to realize the Common Core for English learners, and advancing the vision of English Learner education that the Common Core can make possible.

The Toolkit includes:

  • Background paper on the opportunities and challenges that the Common Core Standards present for curriculum, instruction and assessment of English Learners
  • Talking points for policy makers, school site, district and count level educators to insert the needs of English Learners in Common Core Standards dialogues
  • A palm card with key issues to be raised that can support the needs of ELs in any Common Core conversation
  • Power point presentation to address the needs of English Learners which implementing the Common Core Standards
  • A CD containing the PDFs of all the documents in the kit plus two resource articles

Background Paper Talking Points for Policy Makers and Community Members Palm Card Talking Points for Educators

English Learners and the Common Core: A Parent Toolkit

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“English Learner Success in the Common Core State Standards (CCSS):

Your Voice, Your Advocacy: A Guide for Parents on How Your Support and the CCSS can Help Your Children Succeed in School” Available in English and Spanish

This guide has been developed to help parents understand what the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are and how these standards will impact the academic success of English learners once they are implemented in the classroom. The guide provides information for parents to use when speaking with their child’s teacher, principal and other school staff to make sure he or she receives the learning supports to succeed academically. The Toolkit includes: • Background information on the opportunities and challenges that the Common Core Standards present for curriculum, instruction and assessment of English Learners • Focus on Common Core teaching practices and what instruction should look like in the classroom • Description of extra help English learners will need to meet the new Standards • Talking points and questions for parents to insert the needs of English Learners in Common Core Standards dialogues and discussions at their district or school site and the CCSS can Help Your Children Succeed in School

Parent Guide English Parent Guide Spanish 

Common Core and English Learners Workshop

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“Academic English for English Learners Through the Listening and Speaking Common Core Standards” Grades 4 -12

The Common Core Listening and Speaking Standards provide opportunities for active student engagement through oral language development.  This session will present scaffolding strategies to provide English learners support and access to these standards.  The session will focus on building academic language essential to the Common Core Standards.  Through interactive participation, viewing and reflecting on video lessons, participants will leave with knowledge of the standards and instructional strategies unique to the language and academic needs of English learners.

Presented by:
Dr. Ivannia Soto Hinman
Author and Associate Professor Whittier College
and
Shelly Spiegel-Coleman
Executive Director, Californians Together May 14, 2013Almansor Court Banquets and Restaurants
700 S. Almansor St., Alhambra, CA  91801Register on line at http://tinyurl.com/May14thworkshop or download the registration brochure

Write to State Board of Education to Approve New English Language Development Standards

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On November 7, 2012 the State Board of Education will vote to adopt the newly revised and aligned English Language Development Standards (ELD) to the English Language Arts Common Core Standards.  Letters need to be sent to the State Board of Education President, Dr. Michael Kirst.  Email the letter below now!

Sample Letter to State Board of Education

SB 1719 (Fuentes) ELD Supplemental Materials Aligned to the Common Core

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AB 1719 would provide supplemental instructional materials aligned to the California Common Core Standards for language arts and English language development standards for use for kindergarten and grades 1 to 8.  This is necessary because educators have called for creating a bridge of support to the California Common Core standards since it is projected that the full instructional materials in mathematics and English language arts will not resume at the earliest until 2014 and 2016 respectively.  Sign and send this letter.

AB 1719 Support Letter

AB 124 (Fuentes) English Language Development Standards

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AB124 (Fuentes) is one of the most important education bills providing critical support to students who are English learners. AB 124 would require the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, in consultation with the State Board of Education, to update, revise and align the English Language Development standards to the new State Common Core Standards in English Language Arts adopted August 2, 2010.

Send letters of support to Governor Brown by Email. Email: www.gov.ca.gov

please send letters via email to ensure expeditious receipt of support letters by the Governor. Please act NOW!