Welcome!

During the soft closure of schools in Utah, you will find daily updates on this page.

Weekly Messages
Check out our NEW Newsletter!
Previous Daily Messages
Announcements
Website Resources
The ALS Team

WEEKLY MESSAGE:

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

• We have a new Newsletter! Check it out here.
• NearPod added an EL component. It is amazing! Check it out here.
• Please check your SPAM Folder for emails from parents and students using an email outside of the district.
• We have a bilingual Spanish/English adult aid who has offered to help edit any translated documents. Her email is maria.adame@jordandistrict.org 
• We have more Reading Horizons licenses if you would like to use that for your ELD classes while students are at home. Email shasta.burton@jordandistrict.org

WEBSITE RESOURCES:

• Practical Strategies and Resources For EL Distant Learning (Check out number 3!)
• WIDA's key resources:
  • NearPod for ELs
  • Newly updated and revamped ACCESS for ELLs and Alternate ACCESS for ELLs interpretive guides for score reports
  • WIDA’s Parent Guide for ACCESS for ELLs Score Reports and Parent Guide for Alternate ACCESS for ELLs Score Reports can help you discuss student scores with families
  • The Individual Student Score Notes Template is another resource to support you during conversations with students and their families
  • Lesson Plans for talking with students about ACCESS testing and results
  • Speaking and Writing rubrics for classroom assessment
  • An infographic for educators providing more information on how to analyze ACCESS scores, communicate results, collaborate with colleagues, and take action.
• Teaching Multilingual Learners Online
• 50 Incredibly Useful Links for ELL Educators
• It is hard for us to process what is happening in the world and we are adults.  Imagine how the kids are feeling.  Check out this workbook that explains corona and lets students express their feelings. https://www.mindheart.co/descargables
• Reading Horizons: Phonics, fluency, and reading comprehension for beginners: rhelevate.com 
  • Find teacher resources to help kids have less screen time rhaccelerate.com
  • Live Virtual Direct Instruction offered by Reading Horizons Tues-Thurs (previous sessions are recorded and available)
  • How to proctor your own live virtual session using Reading Horizons.
• Imagine Learning:
  • Imagine Language & Literacy (Pre K-6)
  • Imagine Math Pre K-2
  • Imagine Math 3+.
• BrainPop.com

THE ALS TEAM

Other Resources: Title I,  Educational Support Services, & Nursing Services.

PREVIOUS MESSAGES:

March 18, 2020: “Every day may not be good... but there's something good in every day.”  Today started out pretty scary. A 5.7 Earthquake shook us alert. I am reminded of courage and kindness as family and friends all scramble to check-in with each other. Do you have someone checking in on you? We are here to help!  Shasta Burton (ALS Teacher Specialist)

March 19, 2020: With earthquakes, viruses, schools closures and social distance, everyone is exposed to the stress of things unknown. It is challenging to have routines disrupted. Stress and unexpected life developments can affect people emotionally. Writing about thoughts and feelings is a great way to help cope with the emotional stress of such events. It can help better regulate emotions and perhaps even help many break free from the stress. Although teachers and parents are very overwhelmed and uncertain, it is important for adults to reassure students of the good things. We can remind them that while we want to be happy, it is normal to feel scared, to be sad and to miss friends. To help students process their feelings, it is a good idea to have students write what they are feeling and experiencing. Like all students, English learners need to process. A few supports to help English learners with writing are word banks with pictures, graphic organizers, drawings, etc. For other writing ideas, please see the following link. https://m.busyteacher.org/11878-help-learners-through-writing-13-strategies.html Please reach out to our ALS team for ideas on writing and for other supports. We want to help ensure that English learners and all students continue to progress academically, but even more we want to make sure they feel safe and secure during this unique time. Krista Mecham: Teacher Specialist

March 20, 2020:

“Not everything will go the way you want...When this happens, you can pause, take a few deep breaths, and practice listening with your heart.”--Gabi Garcia

Educators and those in the educational field put their hearts into helping students become life-long learners. Administrators, teachers, students, support staff and parents have made online learning a success this week. It is time to take a deep breath and say, “It’s Friday! I’m alive. Life is good.”

Provided below is a list of suggestions for how you and your students can rejuvenate at home this weekend:

• Watch a fun movie with your family
• Read a good book aloud to each other
• Download Duolingo and begin to learn a new language
• Complete a puzzle
• Journal or blog
• Meditate
• Listen to music
• Play board games
• Cook/bake something fun
• Crafts
• Indoor scavenger hunt
• Reflect and celebrate your survival of a tough week
• Rest and relax

Spend a few minutes breathing and listening with your heart. Take some time for yourself before you prepare for another week! Do something that makes you smile and recharge your batteries!

Sheri Sample: Teacher Specialist

March 23, 2020: Moving lessons online so quickly has been challenging. It can be difficult for teachers and students because of missing face-to-face daily contact. How can teachers keep connected with students during this time of online learning?

Here are tips from educators who have created healthy and effective learning environments that allow students to thrive in this new virtual setting.

• Stay healthy and charged: Encourage students to take breaks between lessons to stretch, hydrate, or just unplug.
• Stay focused: Encourage students to find a quiet place where they can focus on the lesson with minimal distractions.
• Stay connected: School is important from a social perspective. Not seeing their friends face-to-face every day can be hard for students. Help them adjust to this new reality by encouraging them to schedule a lunch session with classmates to stay connected through technology or an online discussion.
• Motivate your class: Students can create projects (Powerpoints, quiz questions, etc.) or do some action research on a topic.
• Provide frequent feedback: Students will be motivated to work hard if you provide frequent feedback to help them celebrate successes and work on weak areas.
• Bring lessons to life: Have students use a camera to solve a math problem or demonstrate their art skills.
• Connect with students individually: It can be difficult to gauge how students are faring without seeing them in person, so connecting individually is very important. You can support students by creating a safe space for students to ask their questions or get the extra help they need. ----Adapted from weareteachers.com

Sheri Sample- Teacher Specialist