Category Archives: Dual Language

DLTL Alum – Featured in Roosevelt Review

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Jessica Fong, ’18 | Dual Language Leaders

DLTL 2018 Graduate, Jessica Fong is featured in the current issue of the Roosevelt Review.

In it, she talks about the need for dual language teachers and leaders to foster bilingualism in the next generation.   Jessica is a teacher, wife, mother, leader, and is currently pursuing her principal endorsement in the DLTL Principal Pathway – a unique program that offers DLTL graduates the opportunity to build on the DLTL teacher leader standards and qualify for the principal endorsement in only 3 semesters.

As an administrator, Jessica wants to speak her families’ language — not just Spanish, but their culture and their neighborhood. Now more than ever, childhood education needs both innovation and inclusion to meet diverse student needs.

Click here for information about the DLTL program or the DLTL Pathway to Principalship. For more information contact program director, Tammy Oberg De La Garza or program advisor, Alejandro Ramirez.

“I think the biggest piece was creating that dual language community among ourselves. At the end, we were like a family.”  —Jessica Fong (MA DLTL, ’18)

DLTL Student wins ISBE Award

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Join us in Congratulating Heidi Nelson, one of our current DLTL students in the Schaumburg cohort!

Heidi was honored last weekend at the ISBE Those Who Excel Awards in Bloomington-Normal as one of six Awards of Excellence in the Outstanding Early Career Educator Category.

Heidi says “It was a great event full of amazing and inspiring educators, and she even thanked Dr. Ayala, IL Superintendent of Education in Spanish for all of her work for language learning students.”

Way to go Heidi!!

ANNOUNCING Travel Abroad 2020 – 10 days in CUBA

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Registration begins early November for this 10-day, DLTL Travel Abroad 2020 experience to Cuba from July 30-August 8, 2020.

Click on Travel Abroad Cuba to learn more about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

To register for this trip email Alejandro Ramirez – ARamirez53@Roosevelt.edu

Not a current Roosevelt Student? Apply as a Student-at-Large at https://www.roosevelt.edu/admission/apply

Spanish for Music Teachers: A New Book Co-Authored by DLTL Candidate

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DLTL Student / Author

One of our very own DLTL candidates, Heidi Nelson, recently co-authored a new resource for music teachers that serve DLL and Spanish-speaking students Spanish for Music Teachers.
In Spanish for Music Teachers, authors Jacob Prosek, an elementary general music teacher, and Heidi Nelson, a fourth grade Spanish dual language teacher, bring you:
-Ready to Implement ELL strategies to incorporate in your music classroom tomorrow
-Photocopy-ready bilingual labels for your music classroom
-Practical Spanish words and phrases for your music class (with English translations)
-Customizable, bilingual communications for concert invites, concert reminders, and more
-15 authentic songs in Spanish across the Spanish speaking world with teaching suggestions and English translations
-15 English songs accessible for your language learning students
-Tips for selecting culturally relevant repertoire
Spanish for Music Teachers is a needed resource so that our language learning students can receive ELL supports, Spanish supports, and culturally relevant Latinx folk songs in their music classes now too! Language learning extends in ALL parts of the school day, INCLUDING the fine arts.
Spanish for Music Teachers is for you if:
  1. You are a music teacher, learning coach, administrator, pre-service music teacher, or music education college professor
  2. You serve Spanish speaking ELL students in your music space
  3. You speak English and have any Spanish background from the world “Hola” to being a native Spanish speaker
For more information on Spanish for Music Teachers and to order your copy today, please go to: https://www.giamusic.com/store/resource/spanish-for-music-teachers-book-g9932

Travel Abroad 2019 – Spain

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The Travel Abroad 2019 destination was Spain – Madrid, Sevilla, & Granada. It was an action-packed adventure which featured a variety of Spanish culture, language dialects, architecture, and tours. Some of the highlights included:

Tour of the Royal Palace in Madrid

Olive farm visit & olive oil tasting

Moorish Tea service & sweets

Visit to Alhambra Palace and GeneraLife Gardens

    

Bookstore tour in the Literary neighborhood of Madrid (a la Cervantes)

Flamenco performance and dance lesson

 

Vino & Tapas

   

Prado Art Museum

Dancing and Spanish guitars

And more!

     

This unforgettable travel abroad experience to Spain was filled with language, cultures, camaraderie and fun times. For more information and pictures follow us on Facebook – Dual Language Teacher Leadership.

My Reason: A Poem that Reveals Why We Do This

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At the 2019 Chicago DLTL Award Ceremony, Judith Arroyo shared an original poem that provided an intimate look into the reasons behind her decision to pursue a graduate degree and become an advocate for bilingualism, biculturalism and biliteracy. Judith presented her work in both Spanish and English, and is a graduate of the 2019 Chicago Cohort.

My reason

by Judith Arroyo

I do it to honor the effort my parents made in coming to a new country.

For all the times I heard it was too difficult, sometimes in my own mind.

My education is not only my success.

This is for every pair of  little eyes that see me and say – if she could do it, I can too.

This is for everyone who follows my footsteps.

I want to pave the way for success for my family members and to have them learn from my mistakes.

I do it to represent every Latino who has been discriminated against for speaking broken English because some don’t understand the value of knowing more than one language.

I do it to declare “de aqui somos y de aquí no nos vamos”. We belong here.

We are the educators that this country needs.

To teach these bright minds to choose love instead of hate, intelligence instead of ignorance and compassion instead of hatred.

That their minds are so bright that they can think, speak, read in two languages.

I want to give my students the best version of me.

That when I stand in front of them, I can appreciate their culture and differences.

I want to empower them, that  one day they understand that they have a voice.

That they understand the power of knowing who they are and where they come from.

That they understand the value of being bilingual, bicultural and biliterate.

This is why I do what I do and I wouldn’t change this experience for anything.

 

Mi Razon

por Judith Arroyo

Lo hago para honrar el esfuerzo que mis padres hicieron en venir a un nuevo país.

Por todas las veces que escuche decir que era muy difícil, a veces en mi propia mente.

Mi educación no solo es mi éxito.

Esto es para todo, par de ojitos que me ven y dicen –si ella lo pudo hacer, yo tambien.

Esto es para todos los que me siguen.

Quiero allanar el camino al éxito para los miembros de mi familia y que aprendan de mis errores.

Lo hago para representar a todo latino que ha sido discriminado por hablar el inglés mocho porque algunos no entiende el valor de saber más de un idioma.

Lo hago para declarar que de aquí somos y de aquí no nos vamos.

Somos los educadores que este país necesita.

Para enseñarles a estas mentes brillosas que hay que escoger el amor en vez del odio, la inteligencia en vez de la ignorancia y la compasión en vez de la antipatía.

Que sus mentes son tan brillantes que pueden pensar, hablar, leer en dos idiomas.

Le quiero dar a mis estudiantes la mejor versión de mi.

Que cuando me pare frente a ellos, pueda apreciar su cultura y diferencias.

Quiero empoderarlos a que un dia entiendan que tienen una voz.

Que entiendan el poder de saber quienes son y de dónde vienen.

Que entiendan el valor de ser bilingües y  biculturales.

Estas son las razones porque hago lo que hago, Y no lo cambiaría por nada del mundo.

“Where I’m From” – an Intimate Look at the 2019-2020 DLTL Cohort in Schaumburg

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Led by Dr. Allison Slade, the two newest DLTL cohorts collaborated on a culturally responsive writing activity in their DLTL 443 class – Academic Language Development Across Content Areas. Using mentor text poem “Where I’m From” each class wrote one poem that expressed their identities and culture. Presented here is the poem written by our Schaumburg DLTL Cohort:

 

Where I’m From – Schaumburg DLTL Cohort, Summer 2019

I am from a barren land

          And scorching sun

From mofongo, parranda, bomba

          And coqui, coqui are a voice.

I am from chocolate abuelita con bolillos

          And hearing the “paletero bells” right after Sunday mass.

From large extended family parties

          And cousins as siblings

Soy del olor a café Prieto a las 5 am

          Y del canto del coqui a la hora de dormir.

From where the beaches are beautiful,

          And sunlight fills us with energy.

I am from birthday parties, piñatas

          And pozole

From M + M Mcflurries

          And matzah ball soup

Yo soy de donde las alas de la mariposa monarca vuelan a tu alrededor

          And the windy city airs that blow you away.

I am from the island of eternal summers

          And now the land of snow, snow and more snow!

I am from Nacho el yardero

          And Chabela la limpia casas.

From Cuidad de México, Neza

          And la casa de mi abuelita

I am from my great grandmother’s name

          And my grandma’s niña.

From soft grass between my toes

          And the fft-fft of the sprinkler.

I am from summer days with my dad

          And evenings with my mom.

I am from dirt, construction zones

          And 2x4s.

From motor oil in the asphault

          And graffiti spray cans.

I am from roller skating at the Rainbow Roller Rink while my mother watched,

          And the DJ played the song “Africa” by Toto

Soy de cruzar el Puente

          Y Beall Elementary School

I am from double dutch

          And Red Light, Green Light

I am from jelly shoes

          And barefoot baths in the sink

From moving trucks

          And permanent boxes in the garage

I am from basketball

          And Michael Jordan

Yo soy de libertad al aire, baños en la Lluvia

          Y corridas en el monte

From the land of fire

          And where being naughty is my attire

From menudo on Sunday mornings

          And scaring my brother till the chancla came flying towards me.

I am from buying tamariondo candy from my neightbor

          And riding my bike by the cornfields

Soy de criarme con muchos animals

          Y darle Cristiana sepulture hasta los más pequeñitos.

 

The newest Schaumburg DLTL Cohort completed their 3 intensive courses in June, 2019, and is currently enjoying a well-deserved summer break!

“Where I’m From” – an Intimate Look at the 2019-2020 DLTL Cohort in Chicago

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Led by Dr. Allison Slade, the two newest DLTL cohorts collaborated on a culturally responsive writing activity in their DLTL 443 class – Academic Language Development Across Content Areas. Using mentor text poem “Where I’m From” each class wrote one poem that expressed their identities and culture. Presented here is the poem written by our Chicago DLTL Cohort:

 

Where I’m From – DLTL Chicago Cohort 2019-2020

I am from mama y papa

From el campo

From “no se dice que se dice Mande”

And taza de canela y pan dulce

I am from Guanjuato where I long to go every summer to hug and laugh

            With my family

From “If you are going to do something do it well”

            And “If you are going to be a tree, be the best tree on the block”

I am from the smell of CPS elementary cafeterias

            And the nostalgia of them

From salsa music blasting in the living room

            And novelas blaring on the kitchen TV

I am from salty breeze, fried fish

            And coconut rice

I am from the frustrated dreams of my father

            And the stubbornness of my mother

From my mother’s womb

            And my father’s heart

I am from English speaking at home

            And Español con tías, tíos y abuelitos

From laughter and dancing in the kitchen

            And a strong matriarch to hold us up

I am from whispers in the morning

            And Yelling long distance phone calls

From parents’ roots

            And walks on the beach

I am from heating my dad’s diesel truck make it home

            And tejandas, banda, familia y tequila

From hip-hop

            And freestyling on the porch

I am from salsa y aguacate

            And inspirando en el balcón

I am from the land of the lakes

            And meet me at the green thing.

From Los Bukis and Metallica

            And a one bedroom apartment para 4.

I am from a hard-working couple

            And who loves her children to infinity and beyond

I am from up and at ‘em

            And tired eyes

From busy streets

            And reading books

I am from humble beginnings

            And big dreams

 

The Chicago cohort is currently in their 3rd course of the program – Biliteracy Program Design and Development– and will be completing their intensive Summer coursework at the end of this week.

 

DLTL Graduate Advocates for Dual Language

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Sagrario Wang Moreno, a 2019 DLTL graduate, recently published an article The Benefits of the Dual Language Education Model (Los beneficios del modelos de educación de lenguaje dual). The article advocates for dual language education; emphasizing improved cognitive abilities, better attendance, and higher test scores. Sagrario urges parents to discuss the benefits of dual language education with local school board members to strengthen their communities.

This article was published in the July 12, 2019 edition of Reflejos, la Voz Suburbana de los Hispanos, (voice of Suburban Hispanics). Click on the link to download the full article (page 7).

 

 

 

 

DLTL Practicum Explores the Community

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The DLTL 2019 Schaumburg Cohort amped things up in the second week of practicum at Forest View Elementary School in CCSD59.

This week several groups went on field trips across the community – to the fire department, the library, and the village hall to learn about Sonia Sotomayor, how town hall meetings work, and how the leaders of the community make rules.

One group of students explored natural disasters and made volcanoes. In small groups they discussed the effects on the community/people, and were able to appreciate the magnitude of destruction.

Small groups of students create volcano replicas and discuss the effects of natural disasters on communities and people.