Sobrato Early Academic Literacy Project

1. Sobrato Early Academic Literacy Project A Preschool -Third grade pilot for Spanish-Speaking English Learners

2. The Context - The Challenge • Demographics of our Time • An enduring and increasing achievement gap • Inadequate English development • No Child Left Behind • Importance of preschool education - an early start, a strong foundation • Increasingly strong research-base on English Learner best practices, bilingual development - but separate PreK and K-12 “worlds”

3. The Sobrato Family Foundation • Silicon Valley based • Mission: “to help create and sustain a vibrant and healthy community where all Silicon Valley residents have equal opportunity to live, work and be enriched”

4. WHY SEAL? • To invest in the children, families and institutions in the region • To create a much-needed model of Preschool - Third grade powerful schooling for Latino English Learners • To close the achievement gap • To build high levels of literacy in two languages • To develop confident, motivated, engaged learners

5. The SEAL “Pilot” big picture • Define a research-based model • Start with a few sites • Build programs that support children from preschool through third grade (5 years) through customized and co-designed plans, data, resources and support • Monitor/track progress through a strong evaluation that will contribute to the knowledge base • Develop tools for replication  add sites

6. Defining the research-based model • National advisors • Drawing upon both the recent research on language and bilingual development in early childhood AND on language and bilingual development K-12 (a literature review)

7. Strong research base….. • Linguistics (how a first and second language develops) • Neuroscience/brain research • Effective instruction • Program evaluation

8. From the research: • High quality early childhood education reduces disparities in outcomes • There is a developmental continuum of language/literacy development in young children • The window of development (ages 2-6) is a unique opportunity for language • Two systems, two pedagogical traditions -- and challenges in the transition from one to the other (“School readiness”)

9. SEAL’s approach • An age-appropriate, coherent and articulated preschool program that prepares children for academic success in elementary school and beyond, and that provides a seamless transition from preschool into the K-12 system

10. The SEAL Model: 6 components • Academic language and literacy in English and Spanish • Rich oral language development • Text-rich environment and curriculum • Language developed through enriched curriculum • Affirming learning environment • Teachers and Parents working together

11. Inter-related components - can’t have one without the other • Not a “curriculum package” - can be implemented to support, enrich and strengthen core programs

12. #1: Academic Language and Literacy in English and Spanish • At birth, all infants have the innate human capacity to learn more than one language • Bilingual development is a common and normal childhood experience • Internationally, it is estimated that there are as many children growing up learning TWO languages as one

13. Confront the myths….. • Myth: learning two languages will confuse children • Myth: With less exposure to each language, neither becomes developed fully - and they will not attain proficiency equal to monolingual children in either language • Myth: Time spent in home language is wasted time for developing English • Myth: More and earlier immersion in English is the best way to acquire English

14. The early childhood world …….. • Affirming a child’s home language is key to healthy identity development and family connection • Use and development of the child’s home language will benefit the child in acquiring English (CDE “Principles for Promoting Language, Literacy and Learning in Preschool English Learners” - 2007) ……. but How?

15. The K-3 world…… • Are we allowed to do primary language? • Won’t this undermine the path towards proficiency in English?

16. #2 Rich oral language development • Four domains of language • Oral language is foundation • Spoken language and reading have much in common. Reading depends heavily on the reader’s oral language abilities - particularly with regards to understanding the means of words

17. #3: Text-rich environment and curriculum • Active engagement with books and writing • Meaningful interactions with a variety of print media • Talking about books contributes to comprehension, vocabulary. • Seeing “self” in books is crucial to literacy

18. #4 Language developed through enriched curriculum • Language as a vehicle for learning and expression • To close achievement gap requires access to full curriculum • Equity issue • Science and the arts are powerful subjects and opportunities for language development

19. #5 Affirming Learning Environment • Affective filter and language learning • The HIGHEST expectations • A culture and climate of respect and inclusion • Relationship between healthy socio-emotional development and sense of safety

20. NAEYC Position Statement on Language and Cultural Diversity “Recognize that all children are cognitively, linguistically and emotionally connected to the language and culture of their home and family.”

21. #6 Teachers and Parents work together • Education for ELs is enhanced when schools and families partner around children’s education • Parents can facilitate literacy development by using the language they know best and by using it in varied and extensive ways • School need to address barriers to involvement • Relationship between school and home is a crucial factor in healthy development of identity, and sense of belonging.

22. Selecting the Sites • We elected sites with the basic capacity and commitment to be able to implement the model • San Jose Unified School District: 1 Dual Language school, 1 early-exit bilingual program/SEI school, 3 feeder preschool sites (community based, plus state-funded preschools) • Redwood City School District: 1 early exit bilingual/SEI school, 3 feeder preschools

23. The Sites • From 72% to 97% Hispanic • High “free and reduced lunch” population • One school in PI Year Three

24. Working with the sites • The SEAL pilot is about BUILDING towards the model • No “one size fits all”, exact replication model or process • SEAL Lead teams are helped to reflect on their practices, build on their strengths, identify and plan to address gaps

25. The SEAL process • Worked closely with district to align work and support • Set up an infrastructure of support (full-time facilitator/coach per site, resources as needed, access to powerful programs and professional development, collaboration time) • Reflective practice - continuing throughout the life of the pilot • Deep immersion in research, access to top research and researchers in the field, focused on data

26. Intentional program design and language management • In Preschools - minimum of 50% Spanish, minimum of 25% English during teacher-directed and teacher-facilitated work • Bilingual programs - 80:20 in K, to 50:50 in third • All classrooms (bilingual and SEI) High quality language development and emphasis on transfer and contrastive analysis

27. Professional Development • Silvia Duque Reyes, “Side by Side” - standards based planning for SLA/ELD/ELA • Kathy Escamilla, “Literacy Squared” - approaches to simultaneous bilingual development • GLAD and PreK GLAD • California Reading and Literacy Project - Transfer and Houghton-Mifflin • Explicit Direct Instruction

28. Programs/Activities • Schmahl Science Workshops • Bilingual Authors • Families United for Literacy and Learning • Summer Bridge programs (PreK-K, K-1) • Early Childhood Language Development Institute (SMCOE)

29. National Hispanic University: a partnership and opportunity • Preschool instructional assistants and teachers working towards A.A. or B.A. degree with an emphasis on early childhood biliteracy • Scholarships and books • Practicum hours done in SEAL classrooms/work sites • Grant continuing education credits for the SEAL Forum Series

30. The Evaluation/Research • Dr. Kathryn Lindholm-Leary • Longitudinal design following cohorts of students from entering preschool through third grade • Data points/analysis - PreK entry, K entry, First grade entry, end of third grade

31. Student Measures: Pre K • Desired Results DRDP Revise (Spanish/English) • Pre LAS (Spanish/English) • Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test • Kindergarten School Readiness Checklist

32. Student Measures: K  • CELDT • Social Rating Scale • Self-Description Questionaire • Lindholm-Leary Student Attitude Scale • CST • Aprenda - Reading

33. Classroom measures • Preschool - ECERS-R and ECERS-E • Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) - measures emotional and instructional climate • Language Use in Classroom • Staff quality and training

34. Family Context • Adaptation from ECLS Longitudinal Student and Lindholm-Leary Parent Scales - focus on language and literacy practices • Family involvement in school and child’s education

35. Between now and 2014…. • Videos of classroom practices • Reflection tools/observation tools • Email notifications of new resources identified • Research updates as data on cohort becomes available • Information on replication forums • Visits to the sites

36. If YOU know of powerful programs to visit or resources…. Please let me know!

37. Thank you! For more information, contact: Laurie Olsen Lolsen@sobrato.org