Professional Development Abstracts
Developing Biliteracy
Through the Use of
Bilingual Alphabet Books
San Benito ISD Bilingual Education Professional Development
Bridging the Achievement Gap Through Culturally Relevant Literature: Celebrate Hispanic Heritage All Year Long With “Probaditas de Cultura” (people, places, realia, customs, traditions)
Participants will use books from a bibliography of Hispanic literature to brainstorm, discuss, and develop activities for Hispanic celebrations throughout the year. They will examine and choose books suitable for lessons for Hispanic Heritage Month, Día de los Muertos, Christmas, and Valentine's Day, among others. They will also have the opportunity to add more culturally relevant children's books to their bibliography.
Region 20 ESC Language Conference
Developing Biliteracy through the Use of Bilingual Alphabet Books
R.T. Garcia Early Childhood Winter Conference
The use of culturally relevant bilingual alphabet books provides children the opportunity to use their prior knowledge to understand the text. Most importantly, it will enable them to develop biliteracy as they interact with two languages. This session discusses strategies and activities for classroom use.
Biliteracy - A Challenge for the Hispanic Learner
Texas Association for Bilingual Educators (TABE) State Conference
The purpose of this session on biliteracy is to provide bilingual education teachers with a greater understanding of the differences and similarities between the English and Spanish languages. Oftentimes, bilingual education teachers who were educated in English need professional assistance as they plan and deliver instruction in academic Spanish.
Portrayal of Culture in Poetry: Bridge to Cognitive Development
Texas Association for Bilingual Educators Rio Grande Valley (TABE RGV) Chapter Conference
The use of poetry can very effectively help address the ever increasing demands of developing higher order thinking skills in children. In approaching cognitively challenging tasks, it is very important that children be able to use their background knowledge to decipher academic implications. Hence, the use of poetry that reflects their own culture provides them with such opportunity as they read and interact with culturally relevant literary works. The use of poetry enables children to look at the world through a different lens because poetry, as opposed to prose, has its own language and format.
Creating Champions /
Cosechando Campiones
Zapata County ISD Parental Involvement Conference – Keynote Speaker
Harvesting champions, particularly our own champions, is possible. It is just a long process - usually at least 18 years - and certainly a labor of love of the most genuine kind. But, the rewards for a parent whose children turned out to be productive citizens are immeasurable.
El cosechar campeones, especialmente nuestros propios campeones, es posible. Sólo que es un proceso largo - por lo general a lo menos 18 años y definitivamentate una obra de amor del más genuino. Sin embargo, la recompensa para un padre cuyos hijos logran convertirse en ciudadanos productivos es incalculable.
Using the book ¡Todos a Comer! A Mexican Food Alphabet Book - Implications for the Classroom
Zapata County ISD Bilingual Education Department Training
Comparative Analysis between the English and Spanish Languages
Texas Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TexTESOL) State Conference
This session will enlighten bilingual education teachers on the many differences and similarities between the English and the Spanish languages. Areas discussed will include vocabulary for classroom, use of cognates, idiomatic expressions, and popular sayings. Participants will have the opportunity to take pretests to assess their background and discuss topics.
The purpose of this workshop is to provide bilingual educators with a greater understanding of the differences and similarities between the English and Spanish languages. Oftentimes, bilingual educators in this country were educated in English, or they are products of transitional bilingual programs which yield low level of Spanish language proficiency (Cummins). As a result, they need professional assistance as they plan and deliver instruction in Spanish or bilingually.
Topics will include vocabulary for the bilingual classroom, composition in Spanish, culture, idiomatic expressions, and popular sayings. Pretests will be available for self assessment of topics, and participants will roleplay scenarios and present tasks in small as well as whole group discussions. In essence, this is a practical application session to address the many issues related to the differences and similarities of the English and Spanish languages and the essential background that educators need to possess in order to effectively teach in the bilingual classroom.