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New Research Links Bilingualism with Better Attention and Self Control Bilingualism has long been considered something of an advantage. Children who are taught to learn multiple languages are often better prepared for their lives ahead, not just for the reason that they can converse with people from diverse backgrounds in other countries, but because bilingualism is often an indication of … Read More
3 Ways to Connect Art with Literacy for Preschool
Lectura Books – 3 Ways to Connect Art with Literacy for Preschool 1. Preschoolers are highly visual creatures. They are engaged through sight as much as they are through touch. Bright colors and shiny objects are just some of the items that capture their attention and engage their imagination. By contrast, getting them to understand the basics of literacy can … Read More
What are the New Rules for ELLs in NYC Schools?
In 2016, the New York City Department of Education set forth new standards and rules for English language instruction in all schools. These new rules were intended to guarantee additional language instruction and support to New York’s growing ELL population but, unfortunately, as Parent Herald puts it, “New York schools are having a difficult time implementing these rules.” Read on to learn … Read More
Useful Support Resources for ELL Students in New York
In the state of New York, ELL enrollment was 237,499 students in the state public school system in 2012-2013, making up over 14% of the classroom population. 61% of all ELL students in the state speak Spanish, with Chinese, Arabic, Bengali, and Haitian representing the next four most common spoken languages at 19% combined. The following is a list of … Read More
How an Anti-bias Curriculum Benefits the School Community
An anti-bias preschool curriculum is one that seeks to acknowledge and challenge prejudices in education and works to remove them from the teaching and learning environment. Schools using an anti-bias curriculum are acknowledging that many Western societies, though growingly diverse, continue to function with inherent inequity and racial cultural bias, and that this naturally carries over into education, which is … Read More
The Seal of Biliteracy Initiative
The Seal of Biliteracy is an award given to bilingual students upon high school graduation. The Seal of Biliteracy Initiative began in California and has now been adopted in 17 states, with more in progress. The national Seal of Biliteracy site states that: “The Seal of Biliteracy is an award given by a school, school district, or county office of … Read More
Americans Love Their Local Schools
One major point stood out like a bright light in the dark in the 47th Annual PDK/Gallup Poll about the public’s attitudes toward public schools – Americans love their local neighborhood schools. According to the poll’s analysis, “Americans consistently give the highest grades to the schools that are closest to them and that they may have more experience with and … Read More
Getting Parents of English Learners Involved in California Public Schools
english learners in california California law states, “the government and the public schools of California have a moral obligation and a constitutional duty to provide all of California’s children, regardless of their ethnicity or national origins, with the skills necessary to become productive members of our society, and of these skills, literacy in the English language is among the most … Read More
Award-Winning Bilingual Books & Parent Programs with English Learners
Below are award-winning bilingual books published by Lectura Books for The Latino Family Literacy Project™. Parents who are Spanish-speakers and English-speakers enjoy these bilingual books with their children because these stories are culturally relevant and meaningful. And that means that they have so much more to talk about when they read them with their children. These books are in our … Read More