Registration is now closed for the first cohort of the ELL-U study circle targeting professional developers at the state, regional, and program level; however, a few spaces are left in the second cohort scheduled for three online sessions on March 14, April 4, and May 2, 2013 from 3:30 – 5:00 PM EST.
The study circle, How Professional Developers Can Use ELL-U to Enhance Teacher Effectiveness (SC22), is designed for professional development facilitators to explore the resources available through ELL-U and determine ways they might utilize these resources to support teachers of adult English language learners (ELLs) in their states, regions or programs. Participants will sample learning activities available to teachers of adult ELLs through ELL-U to include ELL-U’s online courses, study circles, trainings, book groups, field trips, and library of resources. Current approaches for using ELL-U’s resources will be shared and professional development facilitators will have many opportunities to discuss the particular context of their state, region, or program and share best practices for effective professional development in their environment. Participants will also have the opportunity to draft a plan to integrate ELL-U into their professional development offerings to meet the needs of the teachers they work with. The goal for this study circle is to provide a structure for professional development staff to formulate customized approaches for utilizing ELL-U resources that will work best in their particular context.
This study circle will explore the following ways in which professional development facilitators can utilize ELL-U’s resources with ESL teachers:
- Work with individuals or groups of teachers completing an ELL-U online course to provide follow up discussion/reflection;
- Lead groups of teachers in a study circle and/or training utilizing the ELL-U framework, training materials, and resources;
- Moderate a book group and/or field trip using ELL-U’s discussion questions; and
- Work with individuals or groups of teachers to provide follow up discussion/reflection for those completing goals in an ELL-U Learning Plan.
The study circle will be facilitated by Dr. Susan Finn Miller, the ESL Specialist for the state of Pennsylvania. Dr. Finn Miller has successfully embedded ELL-U activities into the state professional development requirements and has facilitated multiple ELL-U study circles and training events, and is the moderator of the Teaching Vocabulary club.