Volume 31, No.2

Winter 2008

Contact Information pg. 2 Conference Coverage pg. 4 Executive Board Minutes pg. 6 Membership is FREE! pg. 8 Member News pg. 12 Upcoming Events pg. 14 Relevant Discussions pg. 16

In this issue:

The Newsletter of the Carolina Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages

From the President’s Desk...

Dear Everyone,

Happy New Year! I have so many

things to say to you, but as we enter

2008, I thought it would be fitting to

start this year with a letter of encour-

agement. I hope you all had a wonder-

ful year in 2007, personally and pro-

fessionally. As we look forward to the

surprises and to the challenges of

2008, I want to remind us that

as teachers of English to Speakers of

Other Languages, we make a differ-

ence in the lives of our students and

that we should all be proud of what

we do.

It is easy to get caught up in our day-to-day

tasks and responsibilities that we sometimes

forget who we are and why we are ESOL

teachers, (and not stock brokers or restaurant

managers). As I started to write this article, I

thought about how rewarding it is to be an

ESOL teacher. Helping a child or an adult

learn to communicate in English is truly a no-

ble job.

Continued Pg. 8

2

Roberto Gonzalez

Vice President

jrge30@hotmail.com

Carolina TESOL Carolina TESOL Carolina TESOL Carolina TESOL Executive BoardExecutive BoardExecutive BoardExecutive Board

Advisory BoardAdvisory BoardAdvisory BoardAdvisory Board----Special Interest ChairsSpecial Interest ChairsSpecial Interest ChairsSpecial Interest Chairs

Executive Board AppointmentsExecutive Board AppointmentsExecutive Board AppointmentsExecutive Board Appointments

The Carolina TESOL Newsletter is published quarterly. Subscription is a benefit of membership in Carolina TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages). Membership is open to any person who is concerned with teaching English to speakers of other languages or dialects and with related intercultural areas. Annual membership of $25 is renewable in August. To join or for changes or address, contact Debbie O’Neal, Membership Coordinator, mmbrown@email.uncc.edu. Carolina TESOL is an affiliate of TESOL, Incorporated; 700 South Washington St., Suite 200, Alexandria VA 22314.

Yvonne Mitchell President

ydmitchell@hotmail.com

Toby Brody NC Higher Education SIC

tbrody@social.chass.ncsu.edu

Angela Cozart SC Higher Education SIC

cozarta@cofc.edu

NC Adult Education SIC Position Open:

Contact Yvonne Mitchell

SC Adult Education SIC Position Open:

Contact Yvonne Mitchell

Peggy Ayers NC K-12 SIC

Peggy.ayers@bcsemail.org

Nicky Martínez SC K-12 SIC

MatinYC@spart6.org

Connie Banks SC K-12 SIC

BanksCD@spart6.org

Joy S. McLaughlin Political Concerns SIC

jmclaughlin@asheboro.k12.nc.us

Roberto Gonzalez SC K-12 and Political Concerns SIC

jrge30@hotmail.com

Larry Savage Conference Coordinator lsavage@nc.rr.com

Rosemary Schmid Publishers Liaison

rschmid@email.uncc.edu

Catherine Neff, SC SDE Title III/ESOL Coordinator cneff@sde.state.sc.us

Joanne Marino

jmarino@dpi.state.nc.us

Amy Hurka-Owen Web Page Grand Master

webmaster@carlinatesol.org

Historian Position Open:

Contact Yvonne Mitchell

Yvonne Mitchell SE Regional TESOL Representative

ydmitchell@hotmail.com

Pat Majors 2008 Fall Conference Chair pmajors@bellsouth.net

Chandrika Rogers 2007 Fall Conference Chair

crogers@wcu.edu

Pat Majors June Mini-conference Chair pmajors@bellsouth.net

Cindy Bowling, Newsletter Editor cbot42@yahoo.com

Karen Brown, Past President kareneslbrown@aol.com

Gail Rogers, Secretary grogers@rock-hill.k12.sc.us

Larry Savage, Treasurer lsavage@nc.rr.com

Debbie O’Neal, Membership Coordinator ECU School of Education/ESL Licensure

Pat Majors, Assistant Newsletter Editor pmajors@bellsouth.net

Suzannah Blackwell Upstate SC Regional Rep. sblackwell@rock-hill.k12.sc.us

Ivanna Mann-Thrower Western NC Reg. Rep. jrge30@hotmail.com

Andrea Belletti Eastern NC Regional Rep. abellet@nhcs.k12.nc.us

Linda Ferguson Low Country Regional Representative

Honorary Board MembersHonorary Board MembersHonorary Board MembersHonorary Board Members

3

Metro. Area RepresentativesMetro. Area RepresentativesMetro. Area RepresentativesMetro. Area Representatives

Asheville: Catawba/Hickory Thomas Destino Susan Witherspoon Charlotte: Gilda Rubio-Festa Marianne Palafax gilda_rubio-festa@ marianne_palafax@ cpcc.edu cpcc.edu Chapel Hill/Durham: Fayetteville:

Position Available Janis Holden-Toruno Greensboro/High Point: Raleigh:

Lynda Burroughs Karen Brown LBAB8081@aol.com kareneslbrwon@ Aol Sandhills: Greenville: Deborah Wilkes Kim Bunn dwilkes.ls@lee.k12.nc.us bunn4500@aol.com Winston-Salem: Wilmington: Position Available Position Available

Aiken: Charleston:

Sandra Polk Chris Hagy polkadotted@aol.com Chris_hagy@ charleston.k12.sc.us Columbia: Florence: Becky Krantz Lynda Puddy bkrantz@ex5.k12.sc.us Foothills: Greenwood: Position Available Robin Gibson robingibson@ wctel.net Georgetown/Horry Greenville/Spartanburg:

Chris Devlin Cindy Rogers cdevlin@ billcindyrogers@ csec.htc.k12.sc.us netzero.com Jasper/Beaufort York/Lancaster/Chester Karen Penahles Position Available Rock Hill Kevina Satterwhite

Share what’s happening in your neck of the woods!

4

TESOL Conference 2007

Asheville, NC

Kevina Satterwhite Rock Hill, SC Regional Representative

After attending the TESOL conference

and sharing with colleagues, I always

walk away with more relevant infor-

mation, support and new ideas to

use in my classroom.

Commentary on Carolina TESOL conference

This year I particularly

enjoyed the informa-

tional sessions about

Rosetta Stone and Na-

tional Board Certification. I was impressed with the

technology that Rosetta Stone uses to inspire and

retain student interest and to effectively convey

word meaning and sentence structure in a real life

manner. This session demonstrated the highlights of

the program and made me very interested in apply-

ing it to my classroom.

Dr. David Mendelsohn address one of the

conference’s plenarys

In Attendance were Carolina TESOL’s presi-dents from the past, present and future!

5

The National Board session gave real life teacher ex-

periences of analyzing ESOL classroom activities and

assignments and suggested methods to enhance self

evaluation. I was in-

trigued by these

teacher’s stories and

have a better under-

stand of the purpose

and the process of Na-

tional Board Certifica-

tion.

. Overall, this conference is para-

mount in providing networking

with colleagues from across the

Carolinas, gaining valuable in-

sight from experienced individu-

als and presenting opportunities

to obtain valuable resources.

Chandrika Rogers was Asheville’s “picture perfect” Conference Coordinator!

CarTESOL’s secretary, Gail Rogers found time to socialize during the luncheon on Saturday.

6

CarTESOL Executive Board Minutes;

November 2, 2007

Renaissance Hotel, Asheville, NV

Greetings and Introduction:

Yvonne Mitchell, President, called the meeting to order at 6:30p.m. Yvonne acknowledged and welcomed everyone. New members were introduced. Attendees: Yvonne Mitchell, Roberto Gonzales, Larry Savage, Ivanna Mann-Thrower, Connie Banks, Pat Majors, An-gela Cozart, Linda Ferguson, Suzannah Blackwell, Gail Rogers, Karen Brown, Rosemary Schmidt, Debbie, Cindy Bowling Conference Chairs: Chandrika Rogers and Chris Blake Minutes for September 2007 board meeting were approved. Conference Update:

Conference chairs, Chandrika Rogers and Chris Blake reported on conference details and fees. Dinner meet-ing for the E-Board was sponsored by Continuing Education. WCU printed materials. Equipment (except for rented mikes and extension cords), they managed the equipment, $16 per person was paid to the Dept. of Continuing Education at WCU for registration, printing, equipment, publicity and technology. Put every-thing in the database for us. WCU will provide an invoice plus a breakdown of the expenses. Chandrika reported that they are unhappy with the Sheraton, but the contract was signed. Thus, they pro-vided a free breakfast. Issues: # of pre-registrants. 701 attendees, 626 paid attendees, 20 volunteers 20-25 proposals were rejected, but 85 were accepted. Yvonne thanked everyone and acknowledged the hard work of all involved. Exhibitors Report:

Rosemary Schmid, Publishers Liaison, provided information regarding exhibitors. She stated 27 exhibitors were presented, 24 publishers, one educational institution. A substantial gift was provided by Pearson Digi-tal Products. They arranged for and paid for conference bags. Some vendors were unhappy they could not participate on Saturday. Logistics became a problem. Yvonne thanked Rosemary for her expertise and help with publishers and exhibitors. Rosemary was approached by a publisher who would like to work with CarolinaTesol and will discuss with us at a later date. Rosemary would like for the board to discuss where the conference is going. It is time to think of different venue. She would like to discuss someone else doing the registration. Since we now have over 1500 K-12 NC teachers and many SC teachers we are seeing a tremendous growth in conference attendees. Karen sug-gested a bid for proposals to manage conferences. An executive director might be something we would want to consider. We need to think about the venue.

7

Membership: Debbie O’Neal, Membership Coordinator, stated we are up to 1800 members. The number one issue with membership is the database of membership has not been updated. We do not have a method for determining if members want to continue with membership. The question is how should we make contact in updating membership. It was suggested that members renew each year. Debbie has attempted to update membership. Debbie asked if unnecessary columns in the membership data could be deleted. Suzannah made a motion that we delete membership ID. numbers (the number serves no purpose) Connie seconded the motion. Mem-bers agreed.

Term of Service:

The term of service for board members was discussed. Guidelines and length of service was reviewed. Change in Bylaws: Roberto Gonzalez, Vice President, discussed that before the next election changes need to be made in the bylaws. In order to change bylaws the membership must approve any changes. What is the best way to pre-sent to members that we need to make changes? Bylaws must be gone through and reorganized with what we are doing at this point. Motion will be presented to members on Nov 3 regarding amending bylaws for voting and any changes deemed appropriate by the Executive Board.

Newsletter option: Cindy Bowling, Newsletter Editor, reported on the Fall 2007 newsletter. Debbie brought to the floor con-cerns of providing a hard copy of the newsletter due to the high cost. It is costing approximately $2200 for newsletters at this time The cost is $1.00 per issue. At least 30 hours is spent preparing the newsletter. Debbie O’Neal suggested we take the newsletter to a webmaster and provide online newsletters. Due to growth of organization outsourcing should be considered. Roberto stated we can’t make the decision until we see what we can do monetarily. Debbie asked what is the actual purpose of our newsletter. She stated that most people pay for educational information and literature. Could we ask our members to pay for the newsletter in order to offset costs. Cindy stated members could be asked if they would prefer to receive the newsletter by paper or email. If they wanted hard copy they could pay $5.00 per year. Larry will contact ESOL Globe to see how it is sent out. Yvonne stated the question of outsourcing should be discussed at a later date. Debbie will attempt to contact WCU regarding merging membership database. Roberto made a motion we purchase a laptop and software that will enable Cindy to create the newsletter and send out elec-tronically. Suzannah seconded and members approved. Larry made a motion we publish our next news-letter online. Ivanna seconded it. Everyone agreed. Awards: Presidential Award and Service Awards. Three awards will be handed out on November 3, 2007. The Presidential Award will be given to Judge Howard Manning. Service award was given to Pat Majors. Treasurer’s Report:

Larry Savage, Treasurer, provided the following report. We have a total of $40,362.95 in the bank. Checking: $8,480.00 Money Market: $31,882.95 At this time we have a small cushion. Hopefully once all of the bills are paid for the Fall 2007 conferences, we will have cleared additional funds. Attempts will be made to keep the next conference at the same cost per attendee. Continued pg. 11

8

I am reminded that our work is not limited in the classroom just

teaching our students to speak, write, read and listen in English.

Yes, we do all these, but there have been times when I have been

asked whether I was only a tutor or a mentor. (I guess having only

one or five students in a closet of a classroom is sure give away!) In

my mind, I want to scream, “I am a professional teacher, highly

qualified and certified!” But you know, being mentors and tutors are

part of who we are. But oh, we are more than these! We are also ad-

vocates for our students, who most often do not have the voice or

the words to express their needs, their joys or their frustrations. We

become their voices as we tell principals or guidance counselors

what classes they need to take or how teachers should modify their

instruction. At times, we are their social workers, helping them to

find the right doctors or finding some agency to help them with their

light bills or groceries. On occasion, we become part of their ex-

tended families as we get invited to birthdays, weddings or bap-

tisms, or get asked by the parents of our students to take them to

the colleges they are interested in attending. We also serve as ex-

perienced consultants in our own schools as we share with main-

stream teachers how to best address the linguistic and aca-

demic needs of our students. We are also cultural brokers as we

help them navigate their way into the American culture and under-

stand why Americans do what they do. We teach them not only to

learn English in order to actively partici-

pate in the classroom or perform every-

day errands, but also to be able to share

the uniqueness of their own cultures to

the native speakers. But one of my favor-

ite roles as an ESOL teacher is being a

friend to the whole family. Some may say,

that is not teaching. Yes it is! We teach

with our kindness, with our smiles, with

our concerned voices, or even just with our presence. We don't even

have to speak the same language. In being a friend and advocate for

the family, we learn a lot from each other. In the process of teaching

and learning, we are all changed. Continued pg. 10

9

10

A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT, Continued............

So, as we start 2008, let us begin with the attitude that we are not

JUST ESOL teachers! We should proudly say, “Yes, Madam/Sir, I AM

an ESOL teacher, and if you have time, let me tell you about my

very special students.” (I even show them my kids’ pictures like a

proud Mama.) May this New Year bring us all more opportunities to

change the lives of our students, for the better. As we attend more

staff development trainings, exchange ideas with our colleagues,

network with other Carolina TESOL members, submit articles for

our newsletters, present in conferences, and serve as member of

the Board (!) we will continue to grow professionally and person-

ally. And yes, it will show in our faces, that we are so glad and so

proud to be ESOL teachers!

From, all of us in the Carolina TESOL Board, we want you to know

that we appreciate every single one of you. Thank you for what

you are doing for all the English language learners in North Caro-

lina and South Carolina. Please let us know how we could best

serve you. Contact anyone of us through our website and let us

hear from you.

Sincerely,

Yvonne D. Mitchell

President, Carolina TESOL

11

Minutes: Continued from pg. 8

Audit: Roberto stated that bylaws state an audit should take place within 5 weeks after a new presi-dent is instated. Larry will get an outside CPA to complete the audit by Christmas. Roberto made a motion Larry will get an outside CPA to complete the audit. Suzannah seconded the motion. Board members agreed. Election Committee: Roberto, Karen and Suzannah They will be recommending awards criteria for the future.

Revisiting our mission statement:

If mission statement does not reflect what we feel we may have to change it. Yvonne and Roberto stated changes need to be made. Roberto stated mission statement should state what we are going to do, not state who we are. Mission statement committee will meet and discuss. 2008 Conference: Pat Majors, Conference Chairperson 2008, details regarding the Charleston, SC 2008 Fall Confer-ence. It will be held from Friday, Dec. 5-Sunday Dec. 7, 2008. The conference will be at the Frances Marian Hotel in Charleston. There will be a mainstream teachers strand as well as conferences for ESOL teachers. Pre-conference will be held on Friday, December 5. Dinner Plenary will highlight evening. Breakfast on Sunday. Conference will conclude after breakfast. Dr. Cozart has done a tremendous job leading up to 2007 conference. Dr. Cozart contacted colleges and universities regarding conference and sent the letter regarding the conference. Dr. Cozart has a list of colleges for future use.

Conference Coordinator:

Larry Savage is our Conference Coordinator. This is an appointed position. Roberto stated a pro-posed budget should be provided along the way to board members. Karen stated Conference Coordinator is more comprehensive than just financial. Roberto stated Con-ference Chair should submit a timeline to board providing financial and conference updates. New Board Members:

Official Induction of new officers by Karen at luncheon on Saturday. Suzannah made a motion we adjourn, Roberto seconded it. Meeting adjourned at 9:15. Respectfully submitted, Gail Rogers Secretary

12

Valuable Resources at your Fingertips: Did you know that Carolina TESOL has both its own website and a Yahoo Groups site? Our official website, http://www.carolinatesol.org is the site that represents our organization. It is our public face. This site contains information about our organiza-tion and its events and contains external links useful to ESOL professionals. This is the site to go to for information about our bylaws, board, conferences and symposi-ums. It also has a collection links categorized by interest section and topic. Carolina TESOL also has group site on YahooGroups. The CarTESOL Ya-hooGroups site hosts our news list and allows members to post photos, events and links. All messages are archived at this website allowing group members to search for past messages on a given subject. The site is easy to navigate and has a great HELP file if you need assistance. You can join our YahooGroup by going to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cartesol , clicking the "Join This Group" button and following the directions . You will be asked to write a short sentence or two telling why you want to join this group as we want to keep spammers out. Don’t fret the sentence. “I’m an ESL teacher” is enough. Once a member, you can post and receive messages using your regular email software (However, all messages you send, must be sent from the email ad-dress you used when signing up for your YahooGroups account.) If you don’t want the newsgroup messages sent to your email software, you can change your user preferences to “no mail” and just log on to the site to read messages. I would like to encourage you all to join this group and start using it. This could be a great place to ask advice or share ideas related to working with English Lan-guage Learners in the Carolinas. It could be a great way for us to start sharing useful forms we have created, lessons that have worked and activities that students have loved.

For more info,

please contact:

CarTESOL Web Master: Amy Hurka-Owen -

webmaster@carolinatesol.org

www.carolinatesol.org http://groups.yahoo.com/group/

cartesol

Public site Member site

Information about our organiza-

tion, its events.

Links

Message board

Files Area

Photos Area

Events

Links

Webmaster posts information Anyone can post information

Anyone can access You must join YahooGroups and the

CarTESOL group to access files

13

Congratulations National Board Certified English-as-a-New-Language Teachers!

Did you know that North and South Carolina rank second and third, respectively, in the number of National Board Certified Teachers (NBCT’s)? (Florida ranks first.) 1Among the new 1,442 NBCTs from North Carolina and 651

NBCTs from South Carolina are thirty who earned certificates in English as a New LanguageEnglish as a New LanguageEnglish as a New LanguageEnglish as a New Language.

We congratulate all on their accomplishment!

All of South Carolina’s NBCT’s earned certificates in Early and Middle Childhood:Early and Middle Childhood:Early and Middle Childhood:Early and Middle Childhood:

Rhonda Kelly, Leesville

Trent Moss, Columbia

Virginia Mota, Sumter

Patricia Timmons, Charleston

There are seventeen new Early and Middle Childhood Early and Middle Childhood Early and Middle Childhood Early and Middle Childhood NBCTs in North Carolina:

Eilem Arellano, Sanford

Ambar De Mejia, Wilsons Mills

Martha Gensemer-Ramirez, Durham

Thresalamma George, Greensboro

Laura Graham, Wilmington

Adriana Hart, Monroe

Suzanne Jenkins, Morehead City

Jessica Lang, Durham

Jessica Loose, Manteo

Mary Merhar, Conver

Elizabeth Pratt, Charlotte

Nixaliz Rose, Kenly

Joni Saffari, High Point

Leigh Thomasson Shore, Yadkinville

Ana Tobar, Pine Level

Mary Wilheit, Clemmons

There are ten new Adolescent through Young AdultAdolescent through Young AdultAdolescent through Young AdultAdolescent through Young Adult NBCTs in North Carolina:

Alicia Allton, Asheville

Nancy Bulloch, Charlotte

Justine Busto, Charlotte

Angela Garcia, Hickory

Brian Jordan, Graham

Allison Mcintyre, Raleigh

Kamala Mukerji, Charlotte

Trina Poythress, Charlotte

Cynthia Seaford, Charlotte

Emma Tantum, Wendell

1Information was retrieved from www.nbpts.org, the National Board website.

14

UPCOMING EVENTS

MARK YOUR

CALENDARS EARLY!

5th TALGS ConferenceFebruary 16, 2008

hosted by East Carolina UniversityEnglish Department, Linguistics & TESL Emphasis

Conference website: http://core.ecu.edu/engl/talgs/conference/conference.htm

Date: February 16, 2008, 9:00 am – 6:00 pmLocation: East Carolina University, Greenville, NC

Keynote speaker: Walt Wolfram, North Carolina State University Southern-Bred ESL: Hispanic English in the Mid-Atlantic South

How do dialects, particularly Southern dialects, affect the acquisition of English as a second language? Is it preferable--or even possible--to learn a dialect-neutral version of English?The presentation considers the emerging English of Hispanics in the Mid-Atlantic South based on current sociolinguistic research in representative urban and rural contexts of North Carolina.

TALGS (TESOL/Applied Linguistics Graduate Students) conference provides a relaxed but serious environment for public school teachers, graduate students, and others interested in language learning/teaching and ESL-related issues to present their work and receive feedback. Presentations will include reports on action research (inside and outside the classroom), works in progress/ completed studies, and pilot research, as well as discussion sessions and workshops. Pre-registration deadlines: January 13 & February 3, 2008.

The event, a continuing education opportunity for North Carolina teachers, is co-sponsored by Carolina TESOL.

15

CAROLINA TESOL CONFERENCE CAROLINA TESOL CONFERENCE CAROLINA TESOL CONFERENCE CAROLINA TESOL CONFERENCE –––– DECEMBER 5DECEMBER 5DECEMBER 5DECEMBER 5----7, 20087, 20087, 20087, 2008

DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON, SCDOWNTOWN CHARLESTON, SCDOWNTOWN CHARLESTON, SCDOWNTOWN CHARLESTON, SC

The conference planning team had a recent peek at what Downtown Charleston looks like in early December with the park between the Francis Marion Hotel and the Embassy Suites lit up for the holidays. Wow! You’ll be in for a real treat December 5-7, 2008, when you come for the Carolina TESOL Conference. The main hotel for the conference will be the Francis Marion, with additional sleeping rooms and sessions only one block away. There will be time to dine out in Charleston and to browse in the Farmer’s Market in the park between the two hotels.

Mainstream Teacher Strand for lead teachers, department chairs, teacher trainers, and other non-ESOL educators will feature workshops and a plenary on the College of Charleston campus on Saturday, De-cember 6th. The Strand will provide intensive ESOL professional development at a very reasonable cost. Please talk to teacher leaders in your schools and send contact information to me at pma-jors@bellsouth.net so that we can send specific information directly to principals and others. The Strand will run concurrent to the conference and is a one-day event to make it cost-effective for districts.

Tentative Agenda - Friday, December 5

12:00-8:30 Registration 1:30-3:30 Two concurrent pre-conference workshops 2:45-3:30 Round One of sessions 3:30-4:00 Refreshments in the Publishers’ area off the lobby 4:30-5:30 Plenary 5:30-6:30 Social with light appetizers and entertainment 6:30- ? Dinner on your own – a plethora of restaurants are an easy walk away!

Saturday, December 6

7:30-8:30 Registration 8:30-9:30 Plenary 9:45-10:30 Round Two of sessions 10:45-11:30 Round Three of sessions 11:30-1:30 Lunch on your own, publishers’ exhibits 1:30-2:15 Round Four of sessions 2:30-3:15 Round Five of sessions 3:30-4:30 Annual Business Meetings with refreshments 5:00-6:00 Plenary 6:00- ? Dinner on your own

Sunday, December 7

8:00-9:00 Continental breakfast 9:00-9:45 Round Six of sessions 10:00-11:00 Plenary and closing

*A list of downtown churches (many are historically and architecturally significant!) will be available for those who wish to attend.

Important: Check www.carolinatesol.org for updates on the conference, the Call for Presentations, and registration information. Plan to submit a proposal to present. Plan to come. Invite mainstream colleagues to the strand, and ask them to contact me so that their names and e-mail addresses will be on the contact list.

Pat Majors, Conference Chair Yvonne Mitchell, Co-chair Angela Cozart, Co-chair

16

Upcoming January Meeting of Area TESOL Members

Kevina Satterwhite

As the Metro Rep for the Rock Hill District area, we are planning a meeting of TESOL members this January to discuss relevant topics, similar challenges and lesson plans that work with our students. This meeting will also be an opportunity to get to know some of our ESOL colleagues in the area, exchange ideas and provide support. The meeting will be set for January, the exact date is to be determined soon. This meeting should last approximately 1 to 1.5 hours and will be at a local restaurant in Rock Hill. We are looking forward to providing structured support and assisting ESOL teachers in areas where there may be needed.

More

Opportunities!

17

Did you attend the Southeast Regional Conference last month? If

so, Please share your experiences, contacts and new ideas you

gained!

CarTESOL is now accepting articles for the next edition of the

Newsletter and Website!

Contact

webmaster@cartesol.org—Amy Hurka-Owen, Webmaster

Cbot42@yahoo.com—Cindy Bowling, Newsletter Editor

18

ON WEARING MY PANAMA HAT

By Toby Brody Director of ESL North Carolina State University

Submitted on October 22, 2007

As I write this, I am living in an apartment on Avenida Balboa, a six-lane road that skirts the Bay of Panama in Panama City, Panama. I have had the privilege of receiving a Fulbright Scholar Award to conduct teacher training at the Technological University of Panama (UTP). This has truly been a rich and rewarding opportu-nity in ways that I had hoped for, and in many unexpected and surprising ways as well. The participants in the training, teachers of English at UTP, generally implement a traditional, grammar-based curriculum that serves as the foundation of instruction. Although conventional methodologies dominate in Pa-nama, teachers here are aware of the trend away from those approaches in the U.S., toward more communica-tive formats. This has allowed me to use “communication” as a starting point to introduce current effective practices in the domain of second language acquisition: cooperative learning, task-based instruction, student-centered classes, and the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (a systematic content-based instructional approach), among others. As we work through this process, I have observed how Panamanian culture is in-separably intertwined with thought and pedagogical practices in the classroom. Although I could have intellec-tualized that obvious interconnectedness prior to this experience, as an “outsider” in this setting I have been struck by the realization. I can see it and hear it as I observe and analyze the interactions between teachers and students. The environment at UTP has allowed me to understand how educators here conceptualize instruction and, at the same time, I have been able to provide teachers with a new palette of ideas to engage their students. I had expected to find my time spent to be professionally rewarding, and it has thus far exceeded my expecta-tions. Other expectations revolved around food and lifestyle. Central American food enjoys an excellent reputation, and I have found tasty local culinary creations that do not disappoint. The arroz con pollo and parrilladas are exceptional, and the empanadas are crisp and flavorful! The lifestyle is a reflection of a generally content and relaxed populace. That they take genuine pleasure in simple things is striking, but not surprising. All of the his-toric and cultural threads that are interwoven---music, food, clothing, art---are part and parcel of the colorful and intricate mosaic seen in everyday life. The neighborhoods are vibrant and stimulating enclaves, with crowds of local folks from diverse origins blending onto the bustling streets and market places. And then there are the surprises. It has truly amazed me how quickly Panama is being transformed from a third world into a first world country. Avenida Balboa is a mass of skyscrapers rising over the Bay of Panama. A panoramic view of the city from across the bay bears a striking resemblance to the Miami Beach skyline, where the hovering structures define the city. The recent Panama construction is in stark contrast to the poorer and working class neighborhoods that dot the city. Government and private industry have joined forces to modernize Panama City and create a magnet for investment and tourism. Many of the property purchases are from foreign speculators. The major concern being voiced spirals around whether the infrastructure can sustain the building boom. Panama City has been referred to as a “heat island”, as a way to underscore the effects of massive construction projects on the resulting rise in average daily temperatures. The environmental changes will eventually impact on almost all aspects of life in the city. As I write this, there are 155 new high-rise buildings under construction. The city is expanding upward at a dizzying rate. The “new” Panama City is a reality in the making. A second surprise involves the intensity of Fulbright-related activity. Shortly after arriving, I was asked by the U.S. Consulate to serve on two Fulbright interview committees, one to determine the student candidates who would receive scholarships to U.S. institutions, and the other to select faculty who would receive awards to pursue graduate degrees in the U.S. In addition, I was invited to attend the First Central American and Carib-

19

bean Fulbright Conference held here in September. All of the presenters and attendees had been Fulbright recipients at one time, either as students or faculty. The range of expertise was impressive: economists, envi-ronmentalists, sociologists, educators, and biologists. Presentations focused on problems common to this re-gion and the desire to remedy ills such as poverty, disease, depletion of natural resources, devastation of natural areas and wildlife, and the perpetuation of economic policies unfavorable to indigenous and other minority populations. My attendance at that event was an eye-opener. I have accepted an invitation to a sec-ond Fulbright event, a ceremony and dinner to honor the newly elected officers of the Panama Fulbright or-ganization. In addition to cultivating relationships with UTP colleagues, I have had the good fortune to be able to branch out and meet a community of professionals from diverse backgrounds and professions within the Fulbright network. The camaraderie among “Fulbrighters” in this part of the world is solid, and the “members” seem to share a vision to serve their home communities as agents of change. Their energy and commitment are extraordinary. Although my Fulbright Scholar Award was defined as a teaching award, I have decided to incorporate a small research project into my tenure. This was not on my radar screen prior to my arrival, but the idea took shape once I began to inquire about K-12 education. My interest in bilingual education is a natural conse-quence of my work at NC State, and once I discovered the existence of local bilingual programs, I seized the opportunity to learn how they function. As we know, there is much discussion in North Carolina about the educational backgrounds of our immigrant students and how prior schooling might affect academic perform-ance. Whether or not a student has second language experience before entering the U.S. can be a key factor in tailoring instruction. Given the reality of a growing immigrant population in North Carolina and concerns about English profi-ciency, the pursuit of my newly conceived project made sense. I wanted to know the extent to which students in this Latin American country are exposed to English instruction. Bilingual education in Pa- nama City is primarily a private school phenomenon. Public schools may have some English instruction, but absent a rigor- ous program, the expectations are low. Despite a recent an- nouncement by the government that a new “English for All” initia- tive has begun, a plan has not been formulated to implement the initiative. The energy driving bilin-gualism lies primarily outside the reaches of public schools and in the private sector. Private bilingual schools accommodate families of financial means, as well as those with few resources, so these institutions are not considered elitist. I have visited five private schools, all promot-ing bilingualism, where varying amounts of English and Spanish are incorporated into a content-based cur-riculum. There are no models of “Two-Way Immersion” programs, a type commonly found in the U.S. that simultaneously accommodates language majority and language minority students. Bilingual instruction here is delivered in a single direction, with Spanish speaking students attending schools where instruction is in both Spanish and English. Unlike in the U.S., where models of bilingual education are generally well-defined, there are no prescribed “models” that I have observed here. Decisions of modality are totally flexi-ble and left up to individual schools to design. There are other notable observations. There is no mandated curriculum in any subject area, only vague goals promulgated by the Ministry of Education. Curriculum is at the discretion of individual schools and based on the content of the books they select. Schools also establish their own student learning objectives, and testing and assessment procedures. The concepts of site-based management and local control are clearly the forces that drive K-12 education. (One oddity: in some private schools it is the teachers who wear uniforms, not the students!) This has been a great time to be in Panama; fascinating, stimulating, and full of surprises. The experience has been all of these, and it isn’t over quite yet.

20

Why Content-Based ESL Instruction?

When I studied educational philosophy in grad school, I came to the conclusion that the “big names” in the textbook were generally irrational extremists. Why must we choose between phon-ics and whole-language reading instruction? Between TPR (Total Physical Response) and audio-lingual language instruction? I have always believed that wise and reasonable educators stand in the middle ground, allowing their students to reap the benefits of multiple strategies. Now, I sup-pose, there are those who would consider me an extremist, too, because content-based ESL in-struction has my whole-hearted and unshakeable support. Here are some of the reasons why…

Natural language acquisition occurs in contextual use [Krashen, 1982; 1985]. Memorization of vocabulary and verb conjugations and completion of worksheets do NOT constitute context, as form and meaning cannot be effectively separated in language learning [Light brown & Spada, 1993; Met, 1991; Wells, 1994]. Content-based instruction provides a context for meaningful communication [Curtain, 1995; Met, 1991].

Recognition of the difference between academic (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency—CALP) and conversational (Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills—BICS) language sup-ports the concept of learning academic language in the context of academic content [Cummins, 1981].

LEP students are at a disadvantage in content classrooms, because their lack of English profi-ciency makes it difficult to understand and participate in normal classroom instruction. Due to the quantity and complexity of the content, LEP students in higher grades risk falling be-hind academically at a faster rate than those in lower grades. Delaying content instruction to wait for more advanced language development causes students to lose ground academically while simultaneously ignoring their needs, interests, and cognitive levels [Byrnes, 2000].

Teaching language through content lowers the Affective Filter [Krashen, 1982] and makes lan-guage learning more concrete than in traditional language instruction, which focuses on the language itself [Genesee, 1994].

Content-based language instruction allows students to experience the changing use and mean-ing of language in authentic contexts [Genesee, 1994]. Students need an explicit focus on relevant and contextually appropriate language in context to support content learning [Lyster, 1987; Met, 1991; Swain, 1985].

This list only scratches the surface of the support for content-based instruction. In second-language immersion educational settings, content-based instruction is the most effective way to help students learn both the academic language and the content necessary to assure academic success. We ESL teachers lament that many content teachers will not accept the responsibility to adapt their instruction to LEP students’ needs, yet many of us find excuses not to teach through content. Do you know the theory of content-based instruction but lack practical training in its use? Do you teach pull-out ESL, or multiple grade levels, or have some other situation that makes you unsure of how to employ content-based instruction? No matter what is the source of your difficulty, find a way to learn what you need to know. Take a class, ask your district to provide professional development, talk to experienced teachers who are using content-based instruction, do an online search on the topic—do whatever is necessary to add content-based instruction to your profes-sional repertoire. Your students will reap the benefits.

21

If we want to help our students to achieve their best in school, and if we know that content-based instruction has been proven to provide that foundation, how can we—in good conscience—teach in any other way?

—Andrea Belletti, abellett@nhcs.net

Byrnes, H. (2000). Languages across the curriculum—interdepartmental curriculum construction. In M-R. Kecht & K. von Hammerstein (Eds.), Languages across the curriculum: Interdisciplinary structures and internationalized

education. National East Asian Languages Resource Center. Columbus, OH: The Ohio State University.

Curtain, H. A., & Pesola, C. A. (1994). Languages and children: Making the match (2nd ed.). NY: Longman.

Cummins, J. (1981). The role of primary language development in promoting educational success for language minority students. In Schooling and language minority students: A theoretical framework (pp. 3-49). Los Angeles:

California State University, Evaluation, Dissemination, and Assessment Center.

Genesee, F. (1994). Integrating language and content: Lessons from immersion. Educational Practice Report 11. National Center for Research on Cultural Diversity and Second Language Learning. http://www.ncbe.gwu.edu/

miscpubs/ncrcdsll/epr11.htm

Krashen, S. (1982). Principles and practices in second language acquisition. NY: Pergamon Press.

Krashen, S. (1985). The input hypothesis: Issues and implications. NY: Longman.

Lightbrown, P.M. & Spada, N. (1993). How languages are learned. NY: Oxford University Press.

Lyster, R. (1987). Speaking immersion. The Canadian Modern Language Review, 43(4), 701-717.

Met, M. (1991). Learning language through content: Learning content through language. Foreign Language An-

nals, 24(4), 281-295.

Swain, M. (1985). Communicative competence: Some roles of comprehensible input and comprehensible output in its development. In S. Gass & C. Madden (Eds.), Input in second language acquisition (pp. 235-253). Rowley,

MA: Newbury House.

Wells, G. (1994). The complementary contributions of Halliday and Vygotsky to a "language-based theory of

learning." Linguistics and Education, 6, 41-90.

22

Silent Epidemic: Dropout Rates among Latino Students

According to a report by the South Carolina Commission on High School Redesign, America’s high

schools have remained relatively the same instead of changing to keep up with a rapidly evolving world (South

Carolina Commission, 2006, chap.1). In 2007, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation , conducting research on

high school graduation rates, found three out of every ten high school students were unable to graduate within

the typical four-year timeframe. Results from their research also revealed that for Latino students, the number

unlikely to graduate within four years is more than five in ten (Gates Foundation, 2007). With the advent of

federal guidelines from the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and mandates from state departments of educa-

tion across the country, high schools are under increased pressure to motivate students to stay in school and

complete their education. As a result, high schools are seeking ways to improve the graduation rate for all stu-

dents, especially student populations at risk for potentially dropping out of school. For concerned and passion-

ate educators, addressing this silent epidemic is critically important. School leaders across the nation are tack-

ling the high school dropout crisis among Latinos to support the achievement of Latinos to significantly in-

crease graduation rates among this population of students.

The Latino population is the fastest growing minority group in the United States, representing 44.3 mil-

lion people as of July 2006 (Bigg, 2007). According to Fry (2007), Latinos represented 19.8% of all students

attending public school in 2005-06, up from 12.7% in 1993-94. Greene and Winters (2006) found that only 53

percent of all Latino students graduated from high school on time, compared to 78 percent of Caucasian stu-

dents. Furthermore, the National Center for Education Statistics reported that Latinos immigrating to the

United States accounted for 25.3% of all dropouts in 2004. Additionally, only 48 percent of Hispanic males

will graduate from high school (Kohler & Lazarín, 2007). Students failing to graduate are more likely to be

unemployed, to earn less money when they eventually find work, and are more likely to receive public assis-

tance than graduates who do not go on to college (NCES, 1999). Recent studies have tried to identify causes

impacting graduation rates among Latinos. According to a study conducted by Azzam (2007), Latino students

reported five key reasons for not completing their high school careers. Of the students surveyed, 47% stated

23

they were bored with school; 43% stated they missed too many days and could not catch up;

42% stated they spent time with people who were not interested in school; 38% stated they had

too much freedom and not enough rules in their lives; and, 35% stated they were already fail-

ing. To combat the dropout crisis among Latinos, educators must utilize clear and challenging

teaching standards, investigate and implement innovative technology and teaching strategies,

provide extracurricular activities, and develop personal relationships with an educator.

To decrease dropout rates, studies indicate that clear teaching standards provide

guidance when planning for Limited English Proficient (LEP) students. Standards provide

equal access for all students regardless of their ethnicities or ability levels. In high schools to-

day, Latino students experience difficulties meeting the required units for graduation. Educa-

tion Trust (2003) found that less than one-half Latino students have taken Algebra Two or other

higher level math classes compared to two-thirds of their Caucasian peers. Currently, South

Carolina (Special Analysis 2007 High school Coursetaking) requires 24 units for students to

receive a diploma; four units are in English/language arts, three in Social studies, three in

Mathematics, three in Science, one in Health/physical education, and one in foreign language.

One can understand why Latino students are overwhelmed. The process currently in practice is

neither providing adequate time nor instructional strategies LEP students to prepare them for

the High School Assessment Program (HSAP) and End of Course test. Teacher utilizing

Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TEOL) standards in conjunction with na-

tional and state standards are better able to address the academic needs of the Latino students.

Empowering teachers with training in Shelter Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP)

and Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE) benefit all students at-risk

for dropping out of school. Students engaged in experiential learning, such as SIOP and

24

SDAIE, allow struggling students opportunities for success. Education Trust (2003) suggest

educators provide extra instruction; use homework for practicing newly acquired skills; provide

instruction in their home language to enhance their literacy level; and, provide the best teachers

for students with the greatest need.

Skinner (Ozman & Craver, pg 204) found that aggression was an internal part of human

nature that could positively. To exemplify, Tomas, a former student used aggression to learn

English in school and practice it on the soccer field. In addition, Skinner also suggested technol-

ogy could be used to support student learning. Many educational programs exist for teachers to

assist their LEP students. Computer programs provide independent work and immediate feed-

back, while allowing teachers to tutor students one-on-one. With computer assisted instruction,

teachers are able to interact with students, helping them realize their potential (Ozmon & Craver

pg. 228).

Extracurricular activities combined with personal relationships with at least one adult in

the school increase the probability that students will graduate (Azzam, 2007). Students migrat-

ing to the United States should be encouraged to participate in non-academic school functions,

where special interests pique. Personal interest, such as sport or music, could provide incentive

for staying in school. Educators use athletics, art, music, international and ethnic clubs, voca-

tional trades, and teacher cadet programs, to lure LEP students to participate in extracurricular

activities. These suggestions combined with a personal relationship with an adult at the school

will offer students opportunities for language development.

Educating LEP students is a moral responsibility for all teachers not just the English as

Second or Other language (ESOL) teachers. LEP students are not different from other students.

All students seek direction for their lives. By addressing their need through utilization of stan-

25

dards, technology and innovative strategies, extracurricular activities, and personal relation-

ships, LEP students can achieve academically and graduate from high school to become suc-

cessful contributors to society.

Works Cited

Alliance for Excellent Education. (2007). Latino students and U.S. high schools fact sheet. Retrieved on December 9, 2007, from http://www.all4ed.org/files/archive/publications/Latino_FactSheet.pdf.

Azzam, A. M. (2007). Educational leadership, v64 n7 p 91-93. Why students drop out. Retrieved November 27, 2007 from http://web.ebscohost.com Bigg, M. (2007). U.S. minority populations tops 100 million. Retrieved on December 4,

2007, from http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN16272108.

Education Trust. (2003). Latino achievement in America. Retrieved on December 6, 2007, from http://www2.edtrust.org

Fry, R. (2007). The changing racial and ethnic composition of U.S. public schools. PEW

Hispanic Center. Retrieved on December 9, 2007, from http://pewhispanic.org/reports/report.php?ReportID=79.

Gates Foundation. (2006). The Challenge Facing Our Nation. Retrieved December 5,

2007, from http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Education/TransformingHighSchools/RelatedInfo/TheChallenge.htm.

Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options. (2006). What is the crisis in

Latino education? Retrieved on December 9, 2007, from http://www.hcreo.org/content/article/detail/580/.

National Center for Education Statistics. (1999). Dropout rates in the United States: 1999.

Retrieved on December 6, 2007, from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2001/dropout/introduction.asp

Ozmon, H. & Carver, S.M. (2003). Philosophical foundations of education. Merril,

Ohio: Prentice Hall. Report of the South Carolina High School Redesign Committee. (2006). Retrieved

December 5, 2007, from http://www.myscschools.com/reports/hsrd/default.cfm. Connie Banks ESOL Teacher Spartanburg, SC

26

Beadwork and Beauty Cheryl Parr

School District of Newberry County

I remember the silent, tiny girl who moved into our middle school ESOL class months after school had begun. For weeks, it seemed, there was no response to any question. She finally worked up to a smile, but only when we worked one-on-one, even in our small group of three students.

The big boys were younger than she was, and served as brothers in helping her understand the environment of this strange new place. Shyly, they engaged in conver-sation, but basically, only to clarify a difficulty when discovered by the nosey ESOL teacher. By the year’s end, our ESOL class had merged into a community, but still the oral responses were few. However, the smiles quietly emerged from this little one who had been thrust into the teeming halls of seventh grade. An envelope was placed in my hand by that shy one. She had created an tiny macramé alligator made of pink glisten-ing beads…just for me. Four years later, suddenly, I realize that the baby from Rosalinda’s house has be-come a kindergarten student in our school. It took a while, but eventually, there was enough confidence built, that I could ask about big sister. My sources of information about my former student were: sister’s report that she was “fine” along with high school ESOL rosters…she was still in school. Now, five years since our first meeting, I literally bumped into dear Rosalinda at a parent-teacher conference evening for her little sister. She smiled that gentle smile, and told me that she was “fine”. Her eye caught on my key chain, featuring a small reptile made so long ago. The next week, little sis rounded the corner to the bus, but stopped to dig through her book bag. Inside she found an envelope which she gave to me with the words, “Rosalinda said to give you this.” Opening the package, I found a bright, shin-ing new beaded alligator. A month later, a fellow ESOL teacher told me about her plan to honor those stu-dents who passed the High School Assessment Program test with a special outing and meal. As I wondered at the enthusiasm and energy of the teacher, she added: “And Rosalinda wants you to be her guest.” My heart nearly exploded with gratitude for the chance to share in her success.

27

Thank you, Carolina TESOL…Thank you, Carolina TESOL…Thank you, Carolina TESOL…Thank you, Carolina TESOL…

I was completely surprised and honored to receive the 2007 Service Award. In accepting the award I was humbled as I scanned the audience and recognized the many col-leagues who have worked with me. We, as colleagues, share a passion for our work – that of helping immigrants transcend language and cultural barriers to make new lives. I have been honored to have had many opportunities through Caro-lina TESOL to grow professionally, to network with col-leagues, and to make a difference. I thank the Carolina TE-SOL board and look forward to sharing new challenges in 2008. Sincerely, Pat Majors

Dr. Cozart announced the service award for Pat Majors.

28

FROM:

Membership Coordinator:

Debbie O’Neal ECU College of Education

ESL Licensure 216A Ragsdale Greenville, NC

Visit us on the Web! www.carolinatesol.org

TO: