Webinar Series

Supporting Readers at the Secondary Level

How can we keep secondary students engaged in literacy lessons while meeting them where they are in reading? In this FREE one-hour webinar, Kathryn Starke will provide an overview of the five components of a high-quality literacy lesson, and show how they can be implemented in any whole group or small group lesson to ensure reading success. 

Scaffolding Instruction for Striving Readers

Teachers are often presented with the challenging task of making grade-level content accessible to students who are reading well below grade level. These students may be in the process of acquiring English or have learning differences that require additional support to access grade-level text. Join us for this FREE one-hour webinar, where we will learn strategies and mental models that we can teach to help scaffold instruction and increase student agency, self-regulation, and independence.

Learning and Connecting Through Life Stories

If you aspire to create an environment where multilingual learners feel seen and connected, this webinar is for you! Join Emily Francis, author of If You Only Knew: Letters from an Immigrant Teacher, for a FREE one-hour webinar on the power of personal stories. Emily will share some of the life experiences featured in her book, as well as ideas for how teachers can use literature as "windows" and "mirrors" on students' diverse cultural experiences. You will walk away with ideas for cultivating connections with students while encouraging them share their own life stories.

The Role of Belonging in Immigrant Education

Join award-winning high school teacher and author Jessica Lander in a conversation about strategies for nurturing a sense of belonging in immigrant-origin students and creating welcoming and inclusive schools. In this FREE one-hour webinar, Jessica will share with us inspiring and essential stories and ideas from her forthcoming book Making Americans: Stories of Historic Struggles, New Ideas, and Inspiration in Immigrant Education (Beacon Press, Oct 4, 2022). Our conversation will cover creative approaches for supporting immigrant-origin students, culturally responsive models that build empathy across the classroom, actionable ideas for policy and practice geared towards teachers, and so much more! 

The ESL & Bilingual Toolkit

Are you new to teaching or working with English learners? Do you need practical classroom ideas and foundational lessons or strategies? Meet Dr. ET and learn about her journey as a bilingual and ESL teacher on the Texas-Mexico border. In this FREE one-hour webinar, she will share tips and best practices she wished she knew when she was starting out as an educator. Come and learn what every bilingual and ESL teacher needs to know to have a successful school year with students!

Deepening Small-Group Conversations with Structured Visuals

Small-group academic conversations help students process their learning, make connections, and most importantly, foster a sense of community in the classroom. Deepening and enriching these conversations only amplify these results, and a simple way to do that is to use structured visuals. In this FREE one-hour webinar, Stephen will show how a structured visual can transform a superficial partner-share into an animated, language-rich conversation between students. Come learn how to make structured visuals, where to find them online, and how to use them in the classroom for better, more academic, and more equitable small-group conversations.

The Three-Step Roadmap to Teaching English learners

   IEVA GRAUSLYS
   ESL/ELL Teacher
   Creator at Simply Ieva ESL

In this FREE one-hour webinar, you will learn about three simple yet powerful steps every teacher should take when teaching English learners. Whether you are working exclusively with newcomers or are tasked with reaching mixed-proficiency level classes, Ieva will share her signature roadmap as well as activities that you can implement in your classrooms right away. 

Portraits of Collaboration: How to Support Multilingual Learners across Program Models and Instructional Contexts 

Setting Up Your Classroom for Productive Learning: Getting to the Right Balance

As the new school year approaches, it’s time for us to consider how to help students transition from summer-brain to school-brain. Considering the trauma our students have experienced over the past few years, we need to ensure our classrooms are safe, welcoming and enjoyable. We also must make sure our classrooms are rich with literature that is culturally inclusive and stimulating of interest. Join Drs. Katie McKnight and Richard Cash as they provide you with ideas for setting the right balance to begin the year off right!

Student-Generated Questions That Lead to Powerful Discussions

You won’t want to miss this power hour. LeAnn will take you through the research about student-led discussions and student questioning. When students come up with questions, they comprehend the content better. These questions ignite better conversations that are high interest because the students created them together. Come learn a process for generating better questions from your students that will guide their deep discussions. LeAnn will give you everything you need to implement this process before, during, and after reading/learning.

Small moves, Big Gains: Building Teacher Habits for Student Success

Help students think more deeply and communicate more effectively with just a tiny adjustment? Yes! Transform a classroom without any additional planning? You bet! In this FREE one-hour webinar, Nancy Motley will share 3 small moves that any teacher can make to dramatically increase students' communication and comprehension across all content areas. These small moves are actionable, low to no prep, and benefit all learners. You'll also receive some researched-based tips for turning these moves into automatic habits in your classroom.

Indigenous Educational Practices in the SLIFE classroom: Cultural Relevance to Build Academic Learning

   JILL A. WATSON, PHD
   Associate Professor of English as an Additional Language & World Language Education
   St. Olaf College

Many students with limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE) come from Indigenous oral cultures that approach learning in ways that are distinctly different from those favored in Western education. In this FREE one-hour webinar, we will explore patterns in how education has traditionally been conducted in oral Indigenous cultures of Africa, Asia, the Americas, and elsewhere. The discussion will focus on common values that Indigenous cultures consider paramount in education, as well as practical suggestions for how Indigenous pedagogical techniques and strategies could be implemented in classrooms to maximize SLIFE academic learning and sense of belonging.

A Place of Pride: Creating a Shame-Free Classroom

   ANN MONROE, EDD
   Assistant Dean, Director of Assessment, and Associate Professor
   School of Education, University of Mississippi

What role does shame play in the experiences of our struggling students? In this FREE one-hour webinar, we will explore this idea with a particular focus on struggling readers.  We will highlight the connection between emotions, cognition, and motivation and examine teacher behaviors and teaching strategies that alleviate shame. Teachers will walk away with ideas to create positive and effective learning experiences where pride takes center stage.

Breaking Down Silos: SPED and EL Teams Working Together to Support All Learners

   ADELICIA BRIENZO
   Education Specialist
   Illinois Resource Center

In this FREE one-hour webinar, participants will be challenged to envision a high-quality learning environment that supports the whole child, moving beyond labels of "EL" or "Special Education." With a focus on equity and inclusion, participants will learn the five main components needed to break down silos in their own programs.

Going Beyond Translation: Boosting Metalinguistic Awareness for Multilingual Students 

In this FREE interactive one-hour webinar, we will discuss ways to help multilingual learners boost their metalinguistic awareness. The presenters will share examples of this from newcomer classrooms, offering ideas to help students bridge their home languages to the target language of instruction.

Coffee with Katie and Richard: Making Grade-Level Text Accessible, Grades 4–12

So often, our students can decode text, but as soon as we ask them to dig more deeply we find that they are unable to do so. Understanding the author’s message, the main idea, or theme can be challenging. What can we do for students who need support with reading comprehension? Join Dr. Katie McKnight and Dr. Richard Cash in this FREE one-hour webinar to learn classroom-ready strategies that all content-area teachers can use to help students become stronger readers.

Maximize Your Teaching with Responsive, Effective Mini-Lessons

   PATTY VITALE-REILLY
   Education Consultant, Author & Speaker

Many teachers use the workshop structure to teach writing, and central to this structure is the writing mini-lesson. In this FREE one-hour webinar, we will explore the four-part architecture of the mini-lesson with an eye toward multilingual learners. Participants will explore ideas on how to angle each portion of the mini-lesson for increased comprehensible input to ensure MLs are successful. Included in this exploration will be tips on how to choose the methodology, tools, and settings that make mini-lessons efficient and engaging.

First Steps to Welcoming our Newcomers

   DR. DENISE FURLONG
   Assistant Professor & Director, Reading Specialist Program
   Georgian Court University

   CECILIA ZIMMER, MEd
   Supervisor of Bilingual/ESL Programs 
   Freehold Borough Schools, NJ

Newcomers arrive in classrooms throughout the year. Are you prepared to set them up for success on day one? In this FREE one-hour webinar, we will discuss what educators need to do right away when a Newcomer arrives to meet academic, physical, and social-emotional needs. 

 Parent Communication in the Home Language: Translation Tech Tools

Communicating with parents in their home languages has never been easier thanks to advances in educational technologies that allow for real-time translation. In this session, we will discuss the pros and cons of machine translation and review translation tools currently available, including some of the lesser-known features and recent software updates in Google Slides, PowerPoint, and SeeSaw. Attendees will also learn how translated communication fosters an asset-based culture of inclusivity where the home language is viewed as a linguistic resource instead of a hindrance to language acquisition. 

Bringing Equity to Classroom Assessment for Multilingual Learners

What if multilingual learners, teachers, and educational leaders all had opportunities to plan for and use assessment data in multiple languages? What if multilingual learners and their teachers in dual-language settings had opportunities to use assessment data in multiple languages to make decisions? In this FREE one-hour webinar, Margo Gottlieb will examine these questions and discuss equitable assessment practices for MLs based on her 2021 books, Classroom Assessment in Multiple Languages: A Handbook for Teachers and Assessment in Multiple Languages: A Handbook for School and District Leaders.

Introducing Go! Decode: Phonics Books for Tweens 

Long-Term English Learners (LTELs): Challenging Labels, Disrupting Assumptions, and Creating Pathways for Multilingual Success

This FREE one-hour webinar will disrupt some of the common language and assumptions around “LTELs,” including challenging the misleading label itself. We’ll set this particular demographic of multilingual learners in an affirmative light. Then, we’ll explore tools to meet students labeled as LTELs where they are, capitalize on existing strengths, and promote movement along the continuum of language acquisition. Participants will have access to a Padlet which will include resources shared during the workshop session. 

Yes, Newcomers Can Produce Fantastic Writing!

What can we do to encourage newcomers to write? In this FREE one-hour webinar, Emily Francis will share how she scaffolds writing in her classroom to enable students to work to their full potential. Bring ideas and tips from your own classroom to contribute to the chat and leave with fresh inspiration for helping your newcomers put pen to paper. 

Maximizing Language Opportunities for MLs in Science

Constructing scientific understanding is a collaborative and language-intensive process that can be intimidating for students who feel insecure about expressing their thoughts to peers and teachers. By embedding intentional linguistic supports and visuals throughout instruction, we can maximize opportunities for all students to develop robust academic language and content knowledge, while simultaneously building their self-image as scientists and contributing members of their classroom community. 

Coffee with Katie and Richard: Critical Thinking as a Foundation to Literacy Development 

Critical thinking is a process through which students make sense of complex ideas. All students must have a grasp on reasoning to be proficient in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. During this FREE one-hour webinar, you will learn the fundamentals of critical thinking and receive graphic organizers and tools to increase students’ reasoning skills. Additionally, we will explore the relationship between text-dependent and conceptual questions in an effort to increase students’ literacy development. 

We Go Together: Collaboration Strategies for Multilingual Learners

Teacher collaboration is a critical factor for academic success with multilingual learners. In this FREE one-hour webinar, we will provide strategies for content teachers to work effectively with co-teachers or push-in teachers for the benefit of MLs. We will discuss the importance of building and nurturing relationships, describe what collaboration looks like in various class settings, and explore the role of each member of the teaching team.

Introducing GO! SEL Tween Literacy Library

In this FREE webinar, we will highlight our new GO! SEL Tween Literacy Library, a unique collection of fiction and nonfiction books designed for upper elementary and middle school students. Join us to learn about the versatility of this new resource, from building emotion-related vocabulary to helping tweens think about and discuss topics critical to successful social interactions. Attendees of the live broadcast will be entered into a drawing to win a GO! SEL Tween Literacy Library additional book set.  

7 Steps to a Language-Rich ASL Classroom

   ANNA MATIS
   Author & Consultant
   Seidlitz Education

   DAPHRYNE MANNING
   ASL Teacher
   Denison ISD

   BETHANY DAVIS
   ASL Teacher
   Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD

Rapidly growing in popularity and demand, more and more high school students in the United States are registering to learn the critical skill of American Sign Language (ASL). Like any language, teaching ASL requires high-impact and engaging strategies to facilitate learning. In this FREE one-hour webinar, Anna Matis, the author of 7 Steps to a Language-Rich, Interactive Foreign Language Classroom, will be joined by ASL teachers Bethany Davis and Daphryne Manning as they share how to implement the book's techniques for ASL instruction with general education students. This session is appropriate for ASL teachers in a general education setting or deaf educators who would like to learn more about the 7 Steps to a Language-Rich, Interactive Foreign Language Classroom. 

Growth-Based Grading: The Why and How for Multilingual Learners 

Growth- or mastery-based grading systems measure a student's performance and improvement over time. For multilingual learners, and in particular for newcomers and SLIFE, this type of grading helps teachers more accurately measure academic development and identify target areas of struggle for students. In this FREE one-hour webinar, we'll dive into the why and how growth-based grading creates a more nuanced approach to student success in the classroom.

Moving Beyond for Multilingual Learners: Beyond Inspiration

In this FREE one-hour webinar, we will explore the various ways that we seek to build up the students we serve through practices that empower them to dream big! We will examine ways to affirm students’ identities, nurture a sense of pride in our cultures, develop our passions, set goals, and dream wildly. We will discuss specific ideas that educators can implement in their practice. Let’s move beyond for the multilingual learners we serve.

Teens Love to Argue: Teaching Evidence-Based Writing in the Disciplines/Content Areas (Grades 5–12) 

Teens love to argue. Effective argumentation is an intellectual process using evidence to support a claim. In this FREE one-hour webinar, learn how to build students' fundamentals of writing evidence-based arguments with rich source texts (featuring Saddleback materials). Grab an afternoon cup of coffee and join Drs. McKnight and Cash as they share ready-to-use activities to build the basics of good argumentation in student writing and applying it across the disciplines.

Beyond Crises with Secondary Multilingual Learners: Programs, Practices, and Policies

Crises can happen with no warning or with certainty. The epic numbers of multilingual learners experiencing these phenomena is as diverse as are the types of language programs, instructional practices, and schoolwide policies they are provided. Our ever-changing educational landscape often evokes uncertainty as to how to work with these students and their families. In a conversational style, this FREE one-hour webinar engages participants along with the authors of Beyond Crises: Overcoming Linguistic and Cultural Inequities in Communities, Schools, and Classrooms in tackling some of the pervasive issues that educators of older multilingual learners face today and how some schools are addressing these successfully. 

Differentiation Strategies for Multilingual Learners in Secondary Classrooms: A Panel Discussion

Many teachers are searching for the best ways to serve students with a wide range of language proficiency levels in their classrooms. Differentiation and grouping are the keys to successful student learning, but how does that look in middle and high schools? Join us in this FREE one-hour webinar for a panel discussion with three practicing educators around setting up differentiation structures in your classroom. Points of discussion will include the logistics of setting up groups at the secondary level, intentional student grouping, and asset-based approaches to working with newcomers. 

Shifting to Student-Centered Learning for ELLs with Instructional Technology

In this FREE one-hour webinar, Dr. Katie DiGregorio will share strategies, methods, and tips to shift instruction for English language learners to deepen their understanding, create authentic work, and have student agency all while infusing the appropriate technology. When ELLs are provided the opportunity to make their own meaning of content and participate in project-based learning and inquiry-based projects, the mastery of content follows. These instructional shifts allow learners to engage at levels that meet their linguistic needs as well as provide the teacher the opportunity to facilitate the learning. The tools and strategies shared by Dr. DiGregorio will help when designing lessons to promote autonomy, discussion, and collaboration. Dr. DiGregorio will showcase ways to have students acquire language with various instructional technology tools, participate in project-based learning, and master content while acquiring language. 

Growing Digital and Print Agile Readers Through Techquity

The digital revolution is dramatically altering the way we read. In addition to reading paperback and hardcover books, students are using more digital devices than ever before. In this FREE webinar, we will explore how reading on screens differs from reading on paper and learn strategies to support English learners when reading print and digital texts.

Disrupting ML Silence via Shadowing and Oracy Strategies

  WITH IVANNIA SOTO, PHD
  Professor of Education, Whittier College
  Author of Shadowing Multilingual Learners

According to Diane August of the Center for Applied Linguistics, Multilingual Learners spend less than 2% of their school day in academic oral language development. This is problematic, as academic oral language is the foundation for literacy and meaning making for Multilingual Learners. Shadowing Multilingual Learners (Soto, 2021) is a way to experience a day in the life of an ML and to begin to disrupt silence on behalf of this group of students. During this webinar, you will learn about the shadowing process and one research-based strategy that will assist you with disrupting silence in your classroom. 

Culturally Responsive Teaching for Multilingual Learners

In this FREE one-hour interactive webinar, Drs. Diane Staehr Fenner and Sydney Snyder will present a framework for culturally responsive teaching for multilingual learners. We will first explore the definition of culture and its role in teaching and learning. Next, we will discuss five guiding principles for developing a culturally responsive school climate for multilingual learners, sharing practical tools and strategies framed around these five principles. Throughout the webinar, we will provide opportunities for you to apply these strategies to your context. You will leave the webinar with a Padlet full of tools and strategies you can use in your practice.

Encouraging Critical and Creative Thinking Through Reading, Writing, and Speaking

By using a critical thinking approach, your students build background knowledge, strong academic vocabulary, and enhanced content understanding. In this FREE one-hour webinar, Saddleback is partnering with Engaging Learners to bring you an episode of Coffee with Katie and Richard. Join us as Katherine McKnight, PhD, and Richard Cash, EdD, share ideas for constructing challenges that develop critical thinking throughout any content area, especially in an online platform. Virtual learning should not eliminate the need to think deeply—it should enhance it!

Building Language Through Bell-Ringers

Making the most of our instructional minutes means getting kids listening, reading, writing, and speaking from the moment they walk into the room. Join us for this FREE one-hour webinar where we’ll explore several bell-ringers, or warm-up strategies you can use at the beginning of class, for building language skills. These take ten minutes or less and are designed to be completed independently, in pairs, or as a whole class. We'll discuss differentiation options as a form of scaffolding for all students as well as tips for structuring this crucial time.

Equity Strategies for Multilingual Learners

This FREE one-hour webinar is based on a shared belief that achieving equity for multilingual learners must be nonnegotiable. As we are planning for the new academic year, we must also commit to the notion that we cannot go back to “normal.” Instead, let us plan ahead and approach our work with MLs through an equity lens. The presenter will unpack four key strategies to achieve this goal and participants will apply them to their own context during this interactive and highly engaging webinar.

Students at the Center: Fostering Secondary Newcomer Student Agency

When we design learning from our students’ perspectives, we show them that we stand in solidarity with who they are, what they bring to our classrooms, and what their learning means to their unique experiences. Join us for this FREE one-hour webinar to discover and reflect upon ways to center the lives of our students so that they can exercise their agency in the classroom and beyond.

Self-Regulation Skills to Help ALL Students Succeed!

How can we best help students to focus, control their emotions, and adjust to change and challenges in school and in life? Join us for this FREE one-hour webinar, where we will discuss how self-regulation skills are essential for students to manage stress, feel confident, and succeed in the classroom. This interactive session will provide you with many practical tools to promote resilience in your learners and help them develop greater social-emotional well-being.

Supporting High School Newcomers on the First Day and Beyond

In this FREE one-hour webinar, we will explore processes for the intake of newcomers and ways to make their transition to a new school as smooth as possible. We will discuss the necessary tools for student and teacher success including supplies, paperwork, and strategies for making your newcomers feel comfortable in their new environment. 

Making Math Accessible for English Learners

How can we best prepare to engage our English learners in mathematics in the new school year? Join us for this FREE one-hour webinar where we will discuss equity in mathematics education, explore how to systematically address language in math, and learn a few strategies for developing math and language simultaneously. 

Setting Up an Emotionally Secure and Literacy-Grounded Classroom, Post-Pandemic

There is light at the end of this exceptionally long pandemic tunnel! As students move back to in-person learning, we must understand that their self-regulatory and literacy-learning skills may have diminished during the time of virtual instruction. In this FREE one-hour webinar, Saddleback is partnering with Engaging Learners to bring you an episode of Coffee with Katie and Richard. Join us as Katherine McKnight, PhD, and Richard Cash, EdD, share how to set up an emotionally secure classroom where literacy skills are the foundation of success. 

Accelerate and Engage with Project-Based Learning

If you are ready for engaging, relevant instruction that gets students excited about learning, then Project-Based Learning (PBL) is for you.  We will explore the numerous benefits you and your students will enjoy through PBL including:

          ·streamlined interdisciplinary planning
          ·a focus on essential standards
          ·using a student-developed essential question to guide inquiry
          ·capitalizing on digital and in-person tools for learning both in and outside the classroom
          ·accelerating student learning post-COVID
          ·differentiating learning with less planning 

This FREE one-hour webinar is for teachers both new to and experienced in PBL. You will leave with ready-to-use tools and differentiation strategies for all students as well as specific support strategies for newcomers.

Creating a Multilingual ESL Classroom

Students acquiring English are by default bilinguals who bring more than one language with them into the classroom.In this free one-hour webinar, Dr. Mandy Stewart will share how all teachers (even if you don’t speak multiple languages) can create a multilingual ESL classroom to support students’ academic as well as social-emotional success. Learn how to engage students with diverse texts in English as well as their home language(s) to serve as mentor texts for their multilingual writing. Discover how real teachers are doing this in ESL classrooms and the impact it has on student learning, class participation, and literacy engagement.

LTELs in Content Area Classes: Unleashing their Superpowers

Do you ever wonder why some English learners continue in ESL programs long after they master oral fluency? In this FREE webinar, Jody Nolf will introduce you to four students who have been in an ESL program for six years or more. She will discuss traits that many long-term ELs share and dispel some common myths teachers might have about their learning. Join us as Jody shares the many talents long-term ELs possess and presents strategies for unleashing the superpowers of these unique learners.

Empowering English Learners to Achieve in Math

Helping our English learners achieve in math is a critical component to helping them succeed in life. Join one of the country’s top math teachers, drawing on over 20 years of teaching in schools with high EL populations, for a bold and honest look at how we can help English learners grasp one of education’s most intimidating subjects. You will be inspired by stories of triumph and resilience and leave with fresh ideas and strategies that can be immediately implemented to support EL students on the path to success.

Leading Students from Independence to Self-Direction

Meeting the needs of diverse learners can be challenging. Join Dr. Richard Cash and Dr. Katherine McKnight in this free one-hour webinar as they provide easy-to-implement strategies to challenge ALL students to move beyond independence and become self-directed learners. This webinar will feature instructional designs like the Learning & Literacy Centers Models that can be used to stretch each of your students.

What’s Next? Trauma-Informed Strategies for Helping ALL Students (and Teachers) Succeed!

This engaging and interactive one-hour webinar will explore an urgent and growing issue—childhood trauma—and its profound effect on learning and teaching. As an educator, you don't need another research article to validate what your gut and your experience have already told you is true: a student's life outside school matters. What’s next? How do you prepare for the upcoming year? Join us to gain practical skills and strategies for creating a trauma-informed classroom.

Introducing GO! ELL Literacy Library

Enhancing ESL Instruction with Strategies from the Foreign Language Classroom

In many districts, the foreign language or LOTE (Languages Other Than English) and ESL departments are separate and teachers rarely collaborate, yet LOTE and ESL teachers have the same goal for their students: language acquisition! How can ESL and LOTE teachers learn from each other? In this FREE webinar, we will dive into the possibilities of collaboration between the two departments, explore tips for getting our language learners motivated, and discuss high-yield strategies for providing comprehensible input and low-stress opportunities for output, whether that is with English or a foreign language.

The Power of Writing in Social Studies

Secondary students are notorious for their brevity when it comes to writing in the content areas. Join us for this FREE one-hour webinar where we'll explore several strategies for increasing student output in academic writing during social studies instruction. We'll discuss differentiation options as a form of scaffolding for all students as well as tips for fostering empathy through this crucial content area.

Multilingual Learners and Special Education: Process and Practicalities

Are you unsure of what the process is for referring multilingual students for the special education process? Not sure how to navigate the process in your school or district? In this FREE one-hour webinar, Orly Klapholz will take us through the legal process of referring multilingual learners for special education evaluation and services, as well as discuss the practical challenges educators and special education coordinators face and how to deal with them. 

The ABCs of Working with Long-Term ELs

Long-Term English Learners (LTELs) make up an increasing percentage of all secondary English learners in the United States. This webinar will provide some concrete strategies that can lift LTELs into higher levels of language proficiency and help them access complex grade-level texts. We’ll have time for some of your questions as well.

Literature as a Lens: Using Texts to Broaden Students' Perspectives

Are you working to build an inclusive literacy classroom for all students? In this FREE one-hour webinar, we will discuss potential challenges that might exist as teachers try to diversify their classroom literature. We will review strategies for incorporating diverse texts and examine a planning tool that can help teachers to create inclusive reading experiences for students.

High-Impact Writing Tools for K–12 Classrooms

Do you want to make sure that your students think deeply about what they read and discuss in class and transfer their learning into long-term memory? Join us for this FREE one-hour webinar where we will learn about high-impact writing tools and the research that supports them. We will look at several examples and discuss how to implement and differentiate these tools for your classroom. The ideas we will explore include explicitly teaching the needed writing skills, criteria for success based on the standards, and feedback from the teacher, peers, and self. This webinar is appropriate for K–12 classrooms and all content areas—even math writing!

Ensuring Techquity for Multilingual Learners

The Inclusive Literacy Classroom: What Is It Exactly, and How to Build It

Our classrooms are filled with dynamic students with diverse learning needs.  Join us for this FREE one-hour webinar where you will learn the fundamentals of the inclusive classrooms for developing literacy skills including effective teaching strategies and differentiating instruction.

Scaffolding Classic Texts for Secondary ELs: Illustrated Shakespeare 

This FREE webinar is for teachers who strive to make complex texts accessible and enjoyable for English learners. Join Natalia Heckman as she discusses how she used the Illustrated Shakespeare series by Saddleback as a stepping stone into grade-level texts for her secondary English learners, rendering timeless classics palatable for newcomers and long-term ELs of various proficiency levels. She will share several techniques for implementing adapted texts within the framework of an ESOL I and ESOL II curriculum.

Supporting Content-Area Writing for Secondary English Learners: Scaffolds for Success

Writing is an integral part of all instruction, no matter what subject you teach. If you are a secondary content-area teacher serving English learners, join Jody Nolf for this FREE webinar to learn how to integrate writing into your lessons. We will discuss writing scaffolds and quick assessment techniques to make grading less tedious and also share a user-friendly template to make planning easier.

Language Deprivation in Children Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Children who are deaf or hard of hearing face unique language acquisition challenges. If you are an educator who serves these students, join us for this FREE webinar on the basics of language deprivation among DHH children. We will define it, identify its characteristics, and describe strategies for teachers to help mitigate its effects on overall learning.

Minimize Teacher Talk, Maximize Student Output: Strategies for Teaching Secondary ELs Virtually

As secondary teachers navigate the virtual classroom, we are continually looking for ways to ensure our students are engaged with content. This FREE webinar will explore strategies to reduce teacher talk time and get our emergent bilinguals involved by creating output. We will also look at some examples of what output may look like in content-based classes with appropriate scaffolds.

Student Engagement and Oral Language via Distance Learning 

In this FREE webinar, you will learn creative ways to get your English learners speaking and listening during both synchronous and asynchronous instruction. Even educators who claim they are not tech-savvy will be able to navigate the platforms and tools we show with step-by-step tutorials. We will also explore activities to keep your most reluctant learners engaged in the work. Developing language skills is more fun with faux TikToks, homemade GIFs, and cardboard boxes. Let’s try out ways to keep our learners on their toes!

Seizing the Power of Academic Esports to Engage Reluctant Readers

Do you have students who seem more interested in playing video games than reading? Esports, or organized competitive video gaming, can open up a world of learning and dynamic possibilities for disengaged students. In this FREE webinar, you’ll discover how to tap the power of academic esports using a research-based approach to elevating student achievement. Learn how to channel your students’ passion for gaming into teaching core ELA skills. Immediately usable ideas and tools to serve the needs of underperforming students will be provided.

Building a Self-Regulated Classroom in an E-Learning Context

Critical for college and career readiness is our students’ personal abilities to appropriately manage their affect, behaviors, and cognition (ABCs). Self-regulation for learning is the ability to effectively balance the ABCs to pursue worthy academic goals. Join this session to learn a holistic approach to assisting all students (from special education to gifted education) in gaining greater social/emotional well-being, developing scholarly behaviors, and acquiring valuable thinking tools to be successful in school and beyond.

Get Real with Project-Based Learning

As educators look for more meaningful ways to teach and assess students this year, project-based learning (PBL) is rising in prominence. Whether you are new to the idea or have tried it with varying levels of success, PBL deserves thoughtful consideration as a teaching method. In this FREE webinar, Dr. Michelle Yzquierdo returns to present an overview of Project-Based Learning. You’ll learn what it is, why it is so effective, and how to implement it.

Supporting Secondary SIFE: Integrating Reading and Writing Foundations in the ELA Content Classroom

Students with limited or interrupted formal education frequently enter our classrooms in need of targeted reading and writing support, but educators are often at a loss for how to deliver this type of instruction. In this free webinar, Orly Klapholz will share research supporting the explicit teaching of reading and writing foundational skills, how to determine which skills to focus on, and how to integrate teaching these skills with age- and grade-appropriate content.

New Year, New Boundaries: Self-Advocacy for Becoming Your Best

Teaching and leading in the age of COVID-19 has challenged us in ways we never could have anticipated. As we enter 2021, join Dorina Sackman-Ebuwa for this FREE empowering and timely webinar. She will discuss the power of partnering with school leaders to set boundaries and realistic goals for teacher and student success for a strong finish to the school year.

Supporting Secondary Content-Area Teachers With ESL Strategies

Bringing Language and Content to Life in Your Virtual Classroom: A Simulated Science Lesson in German

Delivering engaging and impactful content instruction in a virtual environment is a challenge, but doing so for language learners is even tougher! In this session, you will engage in a science lesson delivered in German (no knowledge of German required!). Discover for yourself how targeted teaching techniques and explicit learner behaviors come together to make language and content learning come alive. Leave with a concrete lesson example and a long list of strategies for use in implementing effective, integrated instruction in your virtual (and face-to-face) language-learning classroom.

Amplifying Literacy Through Social Studies: Best Practices for Reaching All Learners

As a content area, social studies has the unique ability to connect students to their past, explain their present, and fuel their dreams of a better future. With a few adjustments, social studies instruction can also be used to increase students’ overall literacy. In this FREE webinar, we will examine several practices and resources that ELL, social studies, and reading teachers can use to maximize students’ understanding of the past while simultaneously helping them to grow as readers.

The Literacy Triangle: High-Impact Tools for Every Child

Do you want to have a powerful impact on student engagement and achievement? The Literacy Triangle uses high-impact reading, writing, and discussion tools to maximize learning for struggling students. Join us for this FREE webinar, where you will receive strategies that can be immediately implemented to help students read for deeper comprehension, activate discourse tools, and write with a purpose. Presenter LeAnn Nickelsen will provide practical examples, classroom resources, and a template to make the planning process faster!

Assessing Student Learning During Remote Instruction

Assessment of student learning is a crucial component of effective instruction whether our classes are online or in person. As teachers rapidly change their instructional practices in response to the COVID-19 crisis, many questions remain regarding assessment. In this free webinar, we will explore alternative and varied approaches to monitor students’ learning as we settle into what may be our new normal for the foreseeable future.

Teaching from a Distance: Increasing Collaboration, Interaction, and Student Voice

Help! I Love My Saddleback Books But Don’t Know How to Use Them! Implementation and Differentiation Ideas for Welcome Newcomers

Are you wondering how teachers and students can best use Saddleback Educational Publishing’s Welcome Newcomers library? If so, then this is the webinar for you! From teachers who have always wanted Saddleback newcomer materials to those who already have them but need fresh implementation ideas, we’ve got you covered! Join Liz Mangus and Dorina Sackman-Ebuwa for this FREE webinar to get answers to your implementation questions. Dorina will share her expertise as a teacher who successfully used Welcome Newcomers with her students. Options for hybrid and remote learning will be discussed.

Bilingualism and Disabilities: Shedding Light on the Intersections 

As teachers of English learners, it can be difficult to determine if a student is simply struggling with language acquisition or if the student also has learning disabilities. Join us for this FREE webinar, where Solange Lopes-Murphy will share a framework for better understanding the interface of language learning and learning disabilities along with guides for reflection and tips for practice when working with multilingual students with disabilities.

That’s The Way We’ve Always Done It (TTWWADI): Disrupting the Systems to Provide Equity and Access for English Learners with Disabilities

Across the educational field, a topic that has been identified as top priority is equity and accessibility for dually identified students. There is a great sense of urgency in "getting it right" for our ELs who have disabilities and a great need for understanding the complexities of how to "get it right."  This session will provide participants with valuable, concrete information on how to meet the needs of ELs with disabilities in the classroom. 

Low-Tech, No-Tech, No Problem: Creative Approaches to Remote Learning for English Learners (or any students) with Limited Technology

Remote instruction does not always have to equate to digital instruction. As many students, including the most vulnerable of learners, have unequal access to technology tools, low-tech and no-tech approaches are necessary to provide instruction in equitable and meaningful ways. Join Dr. Yzquierdo as she presents creative tips and authentic activities for engaging and connecting with learners and mitigating the impact of the digital divide.

Emergent-Level Fiction for Newcomers in Grades 4–12

Discover Saddleback’s two newest book series for students who have just come to the U.S. and are at the early stages of learning English in this FREE webinar. Welcome Fundamentals (for grades 9–12) and GO! Welcome Fundamentals (for grades 4–8) are realistic fiction books with a focus on important topics for newcomers, from school and money to community services and transportation options. Both series are written at emergent reading levels with Lexiles of 90 and below. Join Saddleback’s Director of Literacy, Jill Haney, for a preview of these unique books that help tween and teen newcomers thrive.

Integrating Reading Supports with Educational Technology: Tools for Explicit Multisensory Instruction

This FREE webinar will focus on technology tools that can support differentiated and individualized engagement during reading instruction, many of which can be used during virtual learning. Join Sharon Plante, teacher and Chief Technology Integrator at The Southport School, as she discusses how comprehension, decoding/encoding, and fluency instruction can be enhanced through the application of interactive screens, iPads, apps, and websites. The featured tools and information are appropriate for teaching students with dyslexia and related learning disabilities.

Part 1: Four Ways to Create Effective E-Learning

  WITH DR. KATHERINE MCKNIGHT
  Founder
  Engaging Learners, LLC.

Join Saddleback and Dr. Katherine McKnight for this FREE webinar where you’ll find out how e-learning is different from classroom learning and also explore the many important ways in which it is the same. You’ll discover how to avoid getting distracted by all the “bells and whistles” that are available and, instead, select high-leverage tools that will help your students stay on track. We’ll conclude by looking at grading and assessment options.

Part 2: Grading and Assessment for E-Learning and the Modern Classroom

  WITH DR. KATHERINE MCKNIGHT
  Founder 
  Engaging Learners, LLC

The A, B, C, D, F grading system is as obsolete as a typewriter. The inherent issue isn’t that grading exists; it’s how we’re grading. Deep down we know there are better ways to evaluate student learning than assigning a percentage, a number, or a letter grade. Informed educators are aware of the substantial evidence indicating that the new paradigm of Skills/Standards-Based Grading (SBG) contributes greatly to meaningful learning. In this FREE webinar, you will learn how to develop Skills/Standards-Based Grading, even if you are required to use traditional letters and numbers as grades. You will also receive great resources to get started on your journey toward grading and assessment strategies that grow student achievement.

The Power of Your School Librarian in a COVID-19 World: Harnessing Technology, Literacy, and Community

As you prepare for a school year like no other and seek resources to effectively utilize technology, develop literacy, and build community relationships, look no further than your school librarian. Join Washington, D.C., public school librarians K.C. Boyd, Sherri Jones, and Christopher Stewart for this FREE webinar where they will highlight the extraordinary knowledge and tools librarians bring to our new schooling reality. From rolling out digital learning plans to distributing books and supplies, this webinar will open your eyes to the power of these often overlooked professionals during these unpredictable times.

Creating A Culturally Responsive Learning Environment

Last spring ended like no other. Instruction varied from district to district, campus to campus, and household to household. The beginning of this new school year will be critical for establishing stability for our English learners, whether instruction is traditional, remote, or blended. Join Valentina Gonzalez for this FREE webinar as she discusses how honoring students’ experiences and cultures can set the tone for a successful school year. We will share effective and easy-to-implement practices that will help students thrive. 

Gamification in the Classroom for English Language Learners

  WITH DR. SANDRA HEMPHILL
  The Language Lady

Games have always been an integral part of learning for students from infancy into young adulthood. It is important to explore the elements of games that resonate with children and teenagers. In this FREE webinar, we will explore different types of games that can be embedded into a lesson to teach language skills to foster collaboration, literacy skills, problem solving, and confidence. This webinar will allow teachers to think about how taking a different approach in their lessons can turn passive learners into active learners. Examples of games, technology tools, websites, and additional resources will be shared.

Teaching ELs from a Distance: Tips for Fall Planning

In this FREE webinar, join ESL educators Esther Park, Caterina Lazor, and Maria Montroni-Currais as they discuss the tools and strategies that worked for their students during distance learning and how they plan to approach the upcoming school year. Our discussion will include technology tips, reading and conversation practice tips, and much more!

MITIGATING TRAUMA IN CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY DIVERSE SETTINGS: TOOLS FOR THE  TRADITIONAL OR VIRTUAL CLASSROOM

We are teaching and learning through unprecedented times. As educators, this requires us to add new resources to our instructional toolbox. In this FREE webinar with Louise El Yaafouri, participants will develop a better understanding of trauma, with a particular lens on culturally and linguistically diverse populations. We’ll then explore strategies to mitigate trauma in ways that can be embedded into traditional or virtual classroom settings.

ENGAGING EL FAMILIES IN A VIRTUAL WORLD

As we wrap up the school year and begin to think about next year, let’s take a moment to reflect on what worked (and didn’t work!) as we engaged our EL families in this virtual world. In this FREE webinar, Laura Gardner will discuss what steps can we take now—and what partners can we put in place—to ensure our students and their families have an equitable experience as we move forward, however next year may look.

USING PAIRED FICTION TO TEACH SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SKILLS TO TWEENS

Join Saddleback’s Director of Literacy, Jill Haney, for a FREE webinar featuring our newest SEL book series for upper elementary and middle school students. These fiction pairs focus on important SEL topics from relatable tween perspectives. Learn about this unique series and how comparative stories can spark conversation and reflection in your classroom.

FALL PLANNING ALREADY? CHANNEL CREATIVITY TO BENEFIT YOUR STUDENTS

How can educators use the summer to recharge while preparing to serve students during an uncertain fall? Join Saddleback author Evan Jacobs for this FREE webinar as he connects the power of the creative process to planning and problem-solving for the upcoming school year.

Using Writing and SEL Stories to Emotionally Empower our #StayAtHome Students

As we finish the school year and look ahead to the fall, we know that students will face continued emotional and academic challenges. How can we design rigorous writing instruction that closes academic gaps and simultaneously addresses social-emotional learning? This FREE webinar will model a lesson using the "WRITING RECIPE" and Saddleback's SEL Teen Literacy Library, with special emphasis on newcomers and English learners. 

ACCELERATING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS' LITERACY SKILLS

Boost vocabulary. Improve reading skills. Accelerate language acquisition. Join Dr. Danny Brassell for this FREE webinar to discover helpful tips and valuable strategies you can use to enhance the literacy skills of your English language learners. Plus, you’ll explore how to promote greater cultural understanding in your classroom by building on the varied backgrounds of your students.

PART 1 OF 2 PART SERIES:
THE READING GAP & HOW WE CAN CLOSE IT

You know the reality. Over 65% of our students are not reading on level. This is a staggering statistic, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. What practices can educators leverage to close the gap? What does the research really indicate about grade-level text and differentiated reading? This FREE webinar will burrow into these questions, and you’ll emerge with some concrete answers and vision to create engaged and proficient readers in all disciplines.

We teach diverse readers. In this FREE webinar, we will focus on how to differentiate reading (in all subjects) for grades 6–12. How do you select texts based on choice and complexity to motivate and engage readers? Dr. McKnight will show you how to do this and provide examples of differentiated text sets that include resources from Saddleback!

USING TECHNOLOGY TOOLS TO TEACH READING COMPREHENSION STRATEGIES: PREPARING FOR AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE

With the uncertainty around when schools can officially reopen, teachers and administrators are preparing for both traditional and remote learning possibilities for summer and fall. Join us for this FREE webinar pairing tried-and-true reading comprehension strategies with free digital tools that can be used in both traditional and remote environments, and get a head start on planning for summer learning or next school year. 

SOCIAL STORY NARRATIVES FOR REMOTE LEARNING: A SOLUTION FOR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND NEWCOMERS

Explaining the coronavirus and the need for remote learning can be especially challenging for students who have special needs as well as students who are just learning English. Social story narratives featuring full-color photos and easy-to-understand text are an effective visual solution for communicating important facts. Join Saddleback’s Director of Literacy, Jill Haney, for a FREE webinar featuring two social story narratives to read with students during this time as well as general strategies for meeting educational goals while learning remotely. All participants in the webinar will receive two FREE ebooks as well as links to additional resources.

Recent current events are causing teachers to feel more stressed than ever. With the “new norm” of remote or distant learning, we feel increasing pressure to ensure our children are safe, equitably educated, and loved. In this highly engaging FREE webinar, participants will learn about Transformational Emotional Intelligence (TEI) and how, with personal and professional reflective practice, we can learn to appropriately respond to our current reality and effectively educate ALL children with equity and empathy.

SUPPORTING ELs WITH REMOTE READING LESSONS

With the recent transition to online learning due to the COVID-19 virus, many teachers are seeking examples of how to teach language and literacy skills to English learners online. For this FREE webinar, we've partnered with nationally recognized ESL teacher Emily Francis to bring you a model reading lesson. Join us as we learn how to engage and differentiate for English learners from a distance.

FIVE EASY-TO-USE RESOURCES FOR TEACHING ELS DURING SCHOOL CLOSURES

  WITH LIZ MANGUS
  Literacy Specialist
  Saddleback Educational Publishing

With the recent transition to at-home learning due to the COVID-19 virus, educators are seeking straight-to-the-point resources and ideas for working with English learners. We've searched several online communities to find the most useful tools for keeping students engaged while schools are closed. Join us for the brief FREE webinar highlighting educator-created, easy-to-implement resources for English learners.

SUPPORTING ELS WITH INTERRUPTIONS IN EDUCATION

  WITH CAROL SALVA
  Educational Consultant
  Seidlitz Education

Carol Salva will discuss considerations we need to keep in mind as we serve one of our most vulnerable populations. How can we be productive for students who have missed formal education ... or those who are missing it right now? Carol will discuss ways to help these learners find success as we move forward in this new reality. 

HANDS-ON READING STRATEGIES THAT CAN BE DELIVERED REMOTELY

  WITH JILL HANEY
  Director of Literacy
  Saddleback Educational Publishing

  AND LIZ MANGUS
  Literacy Specialist
  Saddleback Educational Publishing

With the day-to-day uncertainty that schools and communities are facing with the COVID-19 virus, many schools are turning to remote learning as a potential solution for the weeks ahead. As part of our commitment to support educators and promote reading for all students, Saddleback is offering a FREE webinar to share hands-on strategies that increase student engagement and build critical reading skills. Co-hosted by Saddleback's Director of Literacy, Jill Haney, and Texas Literacy Specialist, Liz Mangus, this webinar provides easy-to-implement strategies and a free resource for all attendees.