Tag Archives: ELL

Communication, General, Resources, School Media Specialist

Language immersion at schools in the CMLE system!

At CMLE, we are always excited when schools in our area get some well-deserved attention!

Check out this article about the language immersion programs taking place at several school locations within the St. Cloud School District!

This spring marks the 10th anniversary of the St. Cloud School District’s Chinese and Spanish immersion programs. The article details a typical day in an immersion classroom, and includes interviews with past students who have grown up to appreciate the advantage that the immersion program has given them. In fact, third – eighth graders that were in the immersion programs performed higher than average in the math and reading MN Comprehensive Assessments.

There are great benefits to participating in language immersion programs. Check out this article from NPR about the potential brain benefits from immersion education. This article from the Atlantic gives a teacher’s perspective – and she is an immersion teacher in Minneapolis!

For more information on the St. Cloud School District’s program, visit their page here, and watch their video:

 

Communication, Guest Blogger, Public

Bridging the Language Gap

 

This post was written by a CMLE Guest Blogger: Connie Laing is a Patron Services Librarian with Great River Regional Library.

A few weeks ago at the Long Prairie Public Library, I was part of a unique collaboration of teachers, students and librarians. We had a common goal of sharing information about using Great River Regional Library services with a class of English language learners, but we spoke three different languages. How did this work, you ask? Here are the highlights:

  • The environment was noisy and chaotic.
  • Many voices were talking at once.
  • My agenda did not go according to plan.
  • I did not cover all the material I brought.
  • It was about the most inspiring class I have been a part of!

Background: The Library Services Coordinator in Long Prairie, Nancy Potter, has developed a relationship with the local instructor of Adult Basic Education classes in her area, which includes this class of English Language Learners. Amy, the instructor, is determined to get her students out of the classroom and into the community, and the first place she thought of to visit was the local library! After she contacted Nancy Potter in Long Prairie, Nancy contacted me for reinforcement, since one of the duties of the three Patron Services Librarians at GRRL is to assist at any of our 32 branches with class visits and information presentations. I was charged with creating a presentation on GRRL services for the adult ELL students.

Continue reading Bridging the Language Gap →