Live e-Workshop Series
Academic Vocabulary for Pre-K to Grade 2 English Language Learners

Target Audience: Pre-kindergarten through 2nd grade teachers are the primary audience. However, we welcome college instructors, preK directors, and school and district administrators.

Presenter: Pamela Spycher, Ph.D., Director of English Learners and the Language Arts (ELLA) at WestEd

Dates: February 3, 10, 17, 24, & March 3, 2010 *

Time: 3:00 - 4:30 pm (PST)

Cost: $400 (Please see "Group Options" below for quantity pricing)

Live e-Workshop Series Description:

In this live, online professional development series, participants will learn and implement research-based methods of academic vocabulary instruction for English language learners in pre-kindergarten (pre-school, age 4) through 2nd grade classrooms. These methods will not only help teachers to boost vocabulary knowledge in students, they will also make instruction more engaging and fun for both students and teachers.

Participants will explore current research on vocabulary instruction for English language learners in the early years of schooling, have opportunities to share their ideas with colleagues, and receive support to practice implementing strategies in their own classrooms. Download a flier to share with a colleague.

For an introduction to this live e-Workshop series topic and the webinar technology, please watch and listen to Pamela Spycher’s free, archived SchoolsMovingUp webinar, English Learners and the Language Arts (Encore Presentation).

You may use the following American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) funds to pay for this e-Workshop series:

• Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Title 1, Part A
• Enhancing Education through Technology

Your registration fee includes:

• A series of four live professional development sessions using online learning technologies to allow participants to interact with a national expert
• One required orientation session to familiarize participants with the webinar format and technologies
• One Internet connection to the live series
• An online community of educators with which to share resources and discuss strategies
• Online office hours with the presenter (Times TBD)
• An online filing cabinet with resources from the presenter
• Online access to the activities explored in the workshop for classroom implementation
• A certificate of completion indicating ten hours to be used for professional development.

Group Registration

• At least five people from the same agency or organization, each using an individual login ID
• Each person in the group can use their own login and e-mail account to chat and interact with the instructor/coach during office hours, submit lesson plans & receive feedback, and receive a certificate for professional development hours
• Cost: $300 per person (P.O.s accepted for this option ONLY)
• Download group registration form.

For questions about the e-Workshop content or technology, please e-mail schoolsmovingup@wested.org or call (510)302-4248.

Outcomes—participants will:

• Identify multiple, research-based strategies for teaching vocabulary to young English language learners
• Describe successful methods of teaching vocabulary used in their classrooms or observed in others' classrooms
• Apply instructional strategies for teaching vocabulary in their classrooms
• Read and discuss recent research on vocabulary instruction for English learners
• Develop ways to observe and track students' vocabulary use in the classroom
• Establish an action plan for teaching vocabulary and
• Identify resources available for further learning

For more information, please see this e-Workshop series syllabus.