Thanks to an NEF Teacher Innovation Grant, South Salem Elementary ESOL teacher Olivia Adams has new tools to help English language learners in grades K-5 build their language and literacy skills. The grant funded English Language Development activity cards, Scholastic News classroom magazines, and Daily Language Practice journals for students from kindergarten through fifth grade.
Adams works with about 40 students and partners with classroom teachers so that English learners can access the same grade-level standards as their peers. The new materials are used in her classroom alongside the skills being taught in general education classes, and they can be matched to the specific language needs of students at different levels. The ready-to-use resources also make it easier to plan effective lessons in the limited time she has with each student.
To measure progress, Adams is tracking student growth through universal screeners, progress monitoring, ACCESS scores, and other assessments, with a goal of at least 10 percent growth in literacy domains from the beginning of the year to the end.
NEF is proud to support South Salem Elementary’s commitment to helping every learner succeed in English. Support innovative teacher projects like this one – donate today!