I am excited to announce a new myTeachstone content series to help teachers support dual language learners (DLLs). We created this content because users have been telling us for years that they would like to learn more about DLL teaching strategies aligned with CLASS professional development. We also wanted to show how these teaching strategies are aligned to effective CLASS interactions.
This is important stuff. In fact, most of our users work with DLLs or support teachers in working with DLLs every day. As of 2015, one-third of children enrolled in Head Start were dual language learners[1] and 86% of Head Start grantees served DLLs.[2] These proportions are expected to continue growing over the next few years. Because four-fifths of DLLs enrolled in Head Start have Spanish as their home language[3], we decided to make these resources our first truly bilingual myTeachstone content. Almost every resource in this series is available in both English and Spanish, allowing coaches to assign the same resource to all the teachers they support regardless of their language preferences.
We have also added a new icon to the myTeachstone resource thumbnails to help you identify DLL-focused content. It looks like this.
What can teachers learn from this content series?
Trying to find these fantastic new resources?
Simply go to your professional development resource library in myTeachstone, enter "DLL" into your search bar, and check out the results that show up!
Interested in learning more about this new DLL content series? Check out this Handy Guide to Using DLL Resources.
Notes
1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration of Children and Families. 2016. Head Start Program Facts, Fiscal Year 2015. Last updated August 24, 2016. Available online: https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/data/factsheets/2015-hs-program-factsheet.html
2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration of Children and Families, Services Snapshot – National All Programs (2013-2014) (Washington, DC: HHS, 2014, available online: https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/data/psr
3. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration of Children and Families, Services Snapshot – National All Programs (2013-2014) (Washington, DC: HHS, 2014, available online: https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/data/psr
We are ecstatic to announce that Teachstone is now a Certified B Corporation! This certification legally requires us to consider the impact of our decisions on our clients, employees, the communities we work in, and the environment. With this new business model informing our work, we are excited to continue to support ECE programs and leaders to ensure every child experiences life changing teaching and teachers are equipped with the tools to best deliver on that goal.
In today’s world, there isn’t much technology can’t do. It can help you stay connected to family and friends, keep you on track to achieving your fitness goals, and can even adjust your thermostat while you’re away from home.
And now, with myTeachstone, it can promote positive child-outcomes through facilitating on-going, meaningful, and continuous improvement efforts.
Educators can now earn college credit while pursuing the Childhood Development Associate (CDA)
On Wednesday, September 23, the Office of Head Start (OHS) announced that it will be suspending CLASS reviews for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021. We sincerely hope this news relieves some of the stress our Head Start partners have felt as they grapple with new challenges related to pandemic conditions.
It is also our hope that programs will use this time to provide specific CLASS support to staff in order to strengthen interactions, regardless of the delivery model in which they are serving children.