ERIC Number: EJ782239
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2008
Pages: 4
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0276-928X
EISSN: N/A
Signs of Success: District Gets Specific about the Needs of English Language Learners and Their Teachers
Walsleben, Linda
Journal of Staff Development, v29 n1 p18-20, 22 Win 2008
The Burlington School District has experienced a sharp increase in the number English language learners (ELLs) in its schools over the past several years, as have many schools across the country. As is typical in U.S. schools, Burlington offered newly arriving students pullout instruction to meet their linguistic and academic needs. Yet even with such English language instruction, students still spent the majority of their school day in mainstream classes with little linguistic support. Thus, to address the needs of mainstream teachers and their ELLs, the district developed its own professional development model to help all teachers meet the linguistic and academic needs of English learners. The district sought a partner in the School of International Studies at Saint Michael's College, and in 2001 won a federal Title VII Training All Teachers grant to implement the QUEST program. QUEST (Quality Utilization of Education, Support, and Training) is a professional development initiative aimed at helping teachers learn how to teach ELLs in their classrooms. This article describes the implementation of the QUEST program, its impact on students and teachers, and the lessons learned by the district from the QUEST program implementation.
Descriptors: School Districts, Second Language Learning, Student Needs, Program Implementation, Professional Development, English (Second Language), Second Language Instruction, Teaching Methods, International Studies, Grants, College School Cooperation
National Staff Development Council. 5995 Fairfield Road Suite #4, Oxford, OH 45056. Tel: 513-523-6029; Fax: 513-523-0638; e-mail: NSDCoffice@nsdc.org; Web site: http://www.nsdc.org/news/jsd/index.cfm
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Vermont
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A