Professional Development for Teachers

Monday, 22 May 2006

Lead and helped facilitate a professional development workshop today on ESLL teaching strategies for our staff. For three hours, we talked about strategies, talked about the new Hawai'i ESL standards, and created lessons adapted for ESL students. The most powerful part was when we had a translator teach a lesson in her native Chuukese (a Micronesian language, and a large population of ESL students here in Hawai'i.). Teachers felt what it was like to be an ESL student, not understanding the lesson, and trying to figure out a new language. Many teachers and staff gave me positive feedback on the workshop and now have a renewed appreciation for what English as a Second Language teachers do for our students.