Monthly Archives: January 2019

Conference Networking Sessions – Call for Proposals

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The MATSOL Conference Committee is seeking proposals from members to plan and facilitate networking sessions at the MATSOL 2019 Conference.

networking_session2019Networking sessions are informal facilitated sessions that provide opportunities for members to connect and share ideas with other members around areas of common interest. The sessions take place each day of the conference for 30 minutes after the lunch and keynote. A networking session may be repeated on two or three days, to allow conference participants to attend a different session on each day. Networking sessions may have more than one facilitator.

See the 2018 Networking Session list for topic ideas, but we welcome other topics and formats that encourage connection between members, discussion, and sharing.

Find out more!

Call for Nominations – 2019 Awards

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MATSOL awards and grants recognize excellence, creativity, and innovation in our field. Awards are presented at the annual MATSOL conference.

Nominations and proposals are due Monday, March 25, 2019. View MATSOL Awards…

MATSOL Teacher of the Year

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2018 MATSOL Teacher of the Year Nicoleta Filimon with President Vula Roumis

The MATSOL Teacher of the Year Award was established to recognize excellence in the education of English language learners.

  • Successful teaching of English language learners as shown through evidence of best instructional practices and incorporation of students’ linguistic and cultural backgrounds within the classroom.
  • Long-term commitment to the education of ELLs.
  • Leadership roles at the school, district, and/or state level on behalf of English language learners.
  • Mentoring and supporting of new teachers to the field through both informal and formal induction programs.
  • Strong relationships with the community and (for K-12) parents of ELLs.

The Anne Dow Award for Excellence and Creativity

The Anne Dow Award for Excellence and Creativity is given annually to a professional who has made outstanding efforts that reflect enthusiasm and creative, energetic, independent thinking. This professional displays the ability to take risks, solve problems, support colleagues, and model ethical behavior. Specific criteria vary from year to year, to reflect the many facets of Anne’s career and interests. The 2019 award will be granted for culturally and linguistically responsive teaching. The award includes a $1,000 honorarium

Linda Schulman Innovation Grant

The Linda Schulman Innovation Fund welcomes proposals for projects that promote English language learning and embody a spirit of creativity, sensitivity and community. We give grants of approximately $500 – $1,000 for pedagogical plans that benefit English language learners by improving their language competency or increasing their understanding of American culture.

New Course! Expeditions in Collaborative Practice: The Collaboration Tool and Multilingual Learners

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This new course Expeditions in Collaborative Practice: The Collaboration Tool and Multilingual Learners draws on the deep and practical knowledge and experience of educators of multilingual learners across our Massachusetts school districts, and the emerging body of research and evidence-based collaborative practices that undergird high-quality, coherent and connected curriculum, instruction and assessment of multilingual learners. The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is generously sponsoring 4 different opportunities to take the course this Spring! See the registration flyer!

Cost: Free!

DESE will sponsor the participation of each registered team.

DESCRIPTION

This course provides active engagement and exploration of two important aspects of teaching multilingual learners. First, for language and content teacher teams who participate, the course builds competency around collaborative pedagogical practices and tools that create shared knowledge of students, and coherent curriculum (written and taught) across or within classrooms, given different teachers may provide different components or hold different teaching roles for students who are multilingual learners. Second, the course provides participants with more in-depth knowledge of both academic language development and integration of language and content standards, for purposes of strengthening and sustaining curriculum, instruction and assessment of multilingual learners and creating coherence across classrooms. The course is set up as a series of collaborative expeditions (in class, in your school and online) using the evidence-based Collaboration Tool as a central guide. These expeditions draw on your knowledge and current classroom contexts, build collaborative experiences of your team, leverage and expand your language and content knowledge, and strengthen your shared responsibility for the educational progress and success of multilingual learners in their grade or schools. See the registration link for more information and all course dates.

New EL Course for School Leaders

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Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Schools: Leading for English Learner Equity and Achievement

Sponsored by MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Schools: Leading for EL Equity and Achievement is a leadership course for decision-makers serving English language learners in our increasingly diverse schools. School leaders will hone their skills in developing collaborative relationships and practices to better identify, evaluate and plan improvements to build equity and achievement for English learners.

This course is designed to build upon the understandings presented in the Massachusetts Sheltered English Endorsement Administrators course through an update on current responsibilities and expectations of leaders, research related to promising practices, and the application of current tools to support educator inquiry and school improvement. This course features interactive tasks and discussions, review of current research, connections to other state initiatives, action planning, text/video analyses and the application of deepened understandings of promising instructional and collaborative strategies to leadership roles and responsibilities.

This course will provide leaders with opportunities to deepen their knowledge base, reflect, plan, and act on their school’s policies and systems in order to implement school and district improvement plans and initiatives that ensure equitable and achievement opportunities for English learners.

AUDIENCE

This specific course is reserved for school leaders in pairs or teams that include a principal (or vice principal, superintendent, etc.) and an EL director. This workshop is designed for administrators who are responsible for school-level policies, leading school improvement planning and data analysis processes, and making decisions about programs and professional development. Preferred Qualification:  SEI Administrator Endorsement Course Completion

Cost: Free!

Course Schedule

Option #1: Two Days
Thursdays, March 21 & March 28, 2019 ● 8:30 AM-3:30 PM
New Bedford, MA

Option #2: Four Afternoons
Mondays, April 8, 22, 29 & May 6, 2019● 4:00-7:00 PM
Hudson, MA

Option #3: Two Days
Fridays, May 10 & May 24, 2019● 8:30 AM-3:30 PM
Andover, MA

Information & Registration…