Highest Aspirations

This is the first episode of our “Look for the Helpers” series on the impact of coronavirus related school closures on English learners. During this challenging time, we believe it is more important than ever to amplify educators’ voices. For that reason, we are inviting anyone who works with English learners to share their stories on Highest Aspirations . Whether you have tips on keeping students...

Why is reading culturally relevant books such an important part of language acquisition? What can educators do to make sure students have access to relevant and engaging reading materials - both at home and at school? How can providing access to books for immigrant families help promote educational equity?  We discuss these questions and much more with Hermenegildo Paulo, an inspirational edu...

How can Newcomer Academies help immigrant students get off to a good start in on their academic journeys? Why is community and family engagement so important and how can educators implement strategies that work? How do we go about streamlining EL programs while also mitigating concerns around change management? We discuss these questions and in the first in a series of episodes featuring Ellevatio...

This is a very special episode of Highest Aspirations, not only because of our well known and highly respected guest, but also because almost all of the questions come directly from our listeners. We’d like to thank everyone who contributed to this episode by submitting questions for Sonia Nazario, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author of Enrique’s Journey and we’d love to keep the conversa...

How does Exc-ELL help teachers better serve their English learners and Dual language learners? How do we go about coaching others when observing classrooms and how does using observation protocols help administrators understand what teaching vocabulary, reading comprehension, and other strategies look like? How might we create a culture of giving and receiving feedback? Plus, we come back to the S...

On this episode of Highest Aspirations, we feature part 1 of a 2 part series with Dr. Margarita Calderón, former Professor Emerita and Senior Research Scientist at Johns Hopkins University and author of several publications about multilingual education. During our conversation, we address the following questions: Why is it that many students are not receiving the Seal of Biliteracy after being on...

How do we move the needle from over-scaffolded, over-scripted dialogues to student-generated conversations that leverage academic language? What does a math-based conversation look like in a linguistically and culturally diverse classroom?  Why is it so important for teachers to come together to talk about communication in the classroom and how it fosters learning?  We discuss these...

What does a language rich math classroom look and sound like? How do we get past simple repetition to reach a “harmony of concept and language” for English learners in math classes? How do we move from simply getting the right answer and move toward building metacognitive skills and why is this particularly important for English learners? We discuss these questions and more in part 2 of our 2 part...

How can building routines for reasoning help reduce cognitive load and anxiety for English learners in math classes? How can strategies like Ask-Yourself Questions, Annotation, Sentence Frames and Starters, and The Four Rs help provide equitable access to mathematical thinking? What are some effective ways of teaching students the academic vocabulary necessary to have a seat at the math table? We...

In this episode, we bring you a conversation Ellevation co-founders Teddy Rice and Jordan Meranus.  Jordan and Teddy talk about how Ellevation’s origin story is directly connected to an EL teacher working to maximize impact on her students, how diversity and inclusion contribute to innovation, what organizations like ours need to do to stay connected with schools, and what you can expect from...

How do we ensure English learners experience equitable access to rigorous content in math classes? What can we do to bridge the gap between research and practice in dual language programs? How do we ensure all students learn the academic language necessary to succeed in content classes? What supports do English learners and undocumented students need along the route to college admission? We cover...

As you may know, Ellevation gives five $2,000 scholarships to deserving English learners every year. On this episode, we talk with Take the Pledge Scholarship winner Paola Martinez. Paola graduated from high school in Soledad, California and is currently studying business administration at the University of California Irvine. Like our other scholarship winners, Paola brings an important stude...

Have you ever avoided calling someone by name for fear of mispronouncing it? Have you given students nicknames to make it easier for you and fellow students to address them? How can mispronouncing, altering, or altogether changing students’ names affect their personal, educational, and social trajectories? Why is it important to change the narrative around names that some might consider difficult...

What are some misconceptions about dyslexia and how do they affect English learners? What are some strategies educators can use to help identify dyslexia in English learners? How does family engagement come into play once a student is diagnosed with dyslexia and what challenges might emerge with families of English learners? We discuss these questions and much more in our conversation with Dr. Kel...

Michelle Benegas, of Hamline University and the ELM Project dropped by to talk about site-based EL teacher leadership, the evolving (and elevated) role of the EL teachers, and how Ellevation is serving as a conduit for conversations about EL progress. Learn more about EL teacher leadership and professional development by listening to our full interview with Michelle and her colleague Amy Stolpesta...

Dr. Yue Vang, Director of the Office of Multilingual Learning at St. Paul Schools in Minnesota stopped by the booth to discuss equity for multilingual learners, a collective approach to EL education, and how the new ESSA regulations might make a positive impact for EL programs

Kristina Robertson, EL Program Administrator at Roseville Public Schools in Minnesota, chatted with us about the our collective responsibility to educate English learners, how ESSA might helping support teachers who work with ELs, and her favorite features of Ellevation for both administrators and teachers.

Laura Gardner of Immigrant Connections stopped by to discuss the ABC’s of family engagement, looking at EL students holistically, and a new awareness of what it means to create a welcoming environment for EL students and their families. For more on family and community engagement strategies, check out our full interview with Laura . 

David Holbrook of TransACT stopped by our booth at the WIDA Conference in Providence, RI to talk about the impact of ESSA on EL programs, shifts from Title 3 into Title 1, and family engagement. You can read David's bio and find his recent contributions  on TransACT's website . To learn more about ESSA's impact on English learners, be sure to listen to our full podcast episode David...

What are civil rights of English learners and how can schools sometimes unintentionally violate them? How can civil rights issues affect EL reclassification rates, access to advanced courses, and more?  Why do violations happen and how can schools avoid them? We discuss these questions and more with Dr. Ayanna Cooper. Dr. Ayanna Cooper is an author, keynote speaker and advocate for cultu...

How might a conceptual framework help educators better communicate around EL program management, instructional practices, and more? How can using a framework encourage educators to assess their practice and identify where they can improve? What benefits does all this have for multilingual learners? We discuss these questions and much more with Ellevation’s own Adam Howard. Adam is currently a proj...

How does growing up in a diverse community impact the educational outcome of English learners? What kinds of learning experiences have the most impact on diverse learners? What advice would a recent high school graduate and former English learner give to students facing similar challenges? We discuss these questions and much more in our conversation with Take the Pledge scholarship winner Camila G...

What does the research say about the benefits of bringing teachers of color into our classrooms? Are teacher licensure exams creating barriers to enter the teaching profession - particularly for teachers of color? How might alternatives like community based assessments help bring in more aspiring teachers of color? We discuss these questions and much more with Emery Petchauer. Emery Petchauer is a...

What is translanguaging and how does it affect language learning and pedagogy? What are the implications of language loss in both school and home environments? What kind of support do teachers of multilingual learners need most as they progress through their careers? We discuss these questions and much more in part 2 of our 2 part conversation with Dr. Sera Hernandez of San Diego State University....

What has changed in bilingual teacher education over the last 5-10 years and how have those changes affected the field? How have policy changes and initiatives like the Seal of Biliteracy affected dual language programs and bilingual education? What are some of the most effective ways of preparing preservice and inservice teachers to work with dual language and English language learners?  We...