English Language Acquisition

Program Manuals

• English Learner Guidance for School Districts
• English Learner Checklist for School Districts
• OCR Requirements for English Learners
• WIDA English Language Development Standards Framework, 2020 Edition K-12

 

Forms

• Montana Home Language Survey 2024-2025
• All State-Approved Forms, Parental Notifications and Available Translations
• Language Observation Checklist

 

Title III Grant Information

• Purpose of Title III
• Acceptable use of Title III Funds
• Title III Grant Application Checklist
• Title III Districts and Consortia
• Title III Consortium Guidelines 
• Title III Intent to Apply (Current Districts)
• Title III Intent to Apply (New Districts)
• Title III FAQs

 

Emergency Immigrant Information

• Emergency Immigrant Education Program
• Title III Emergency Immigrant Recipients

OPI Modules of Guidance

• Module 0: Screening and Identifying ELs/MLs  
• Module 4: Staffing and Resources  
  • Handout: Staffing needs checklist
• Module 5: Monitoring and Exiting ELs/MLs  
  • Handout: Exited ELs monitoring tool
  • Handout: Monitoring and exiting ELs discussion tool
  • Handout: Monitoring former ELs checklist tool

 

Federal Guidance

• ED and DOJ 2015 Dear Colleague Letter
• OELA English Learner Toolkit
• ED Newcomer Toolkit
• OCR Guide to EL Programs

 

Montana Educator Spotlight

• Irina Mills (Great Falls): Forming EL/ML Committees  
  • Handout EL Team Checklist Tool 
• Susan Davis (Belgrade): Creating a District EL/ML Website  
• Bridget Kevane (Bozeman): Summer EL/ML Camp
• Samantha Suazo and Barbara Rowley (Big Sky): What made a difference for this EL  
  • Noticias Montana

Resources for General Education Teachers

• WIDA PRIME: An incredible tool with language-focused instructional materials across all grades and content areas!
• Megacognition and Review in Language Learning
• Module 6 Part 1 of 3: Guidance on Instructional Supports for ELs/MLs  
  • Core EL Instructional Practices Teacher Reflection Guide
• Module 6 Part 2 of 3: Modifications and Accommodations  
  • Classroom Modifications and Accommodations for ELs
• Module 6 Part 3 of 3: Language Development
  • WIDA ELD Standards Framework 2020
  • Handout: Academic Language Functions Toolkit for ELs
  • List of Resources on Instructional Practices for ELs
• Webinar: Equitable Grading Practices for ELs  
  • Equitable Grading EL Tool
  • Equitable Grading Guidelines
• Webinar: Authentic Writing with ELs Part 1 of 2  
• Webinar: Authentic Writing with ELs Part 2 of 2  
  • Authentic Writing Resources
• Reading Tip Sheets for Educators

 

Creating a Language Instruction Educational Plan (LIEP)

• Module 1: LIEP Foundations  
  • Handout: EL/ML Team Checklist Tool
• Module 2: LIEP Design Tools  
  • Handout: LIEP Comprehensive Checklist 
  • Handout: LIEP Student Population Discussion Tool
• Module 3: LIEP Models of Instruction  
  • Handout: Recommended Minute Requirements per WIDA Proficiency Level

• MELIN (Montana English Learner Instructional Network): EL coordinators helping each other
  • Learn from your Montana colleagues in monthly meetings! Or sign-up to stay informed! 
    • Email Serena Wright to join the email list.
      • MELIN meeting dates
        • December 4, 2024
        • January 15, 2025
        • February 12, 2025
        • March 12, 2025
        • April 16, 2025
        • May 14, 2025

• NEW WIDA Self-paced eWorkshops for Teachers
  • 2025 eWorkshops available until Aug. 31, 2025 
    • Get Renewal Units For eWorkshops! Email Serena Wright your certificate of completion

• NEW Sessions at Summer Institute June 16th-19th (Registration information and agenda coming soon!
  • WIDA will present 3 sessions LIVE
    • Expanding Reading Instruction with MLs (presented twice on different days)
    • Let's Play! ML Children's Joyful Learning in PreK-3
  • Other sessions by OPI staff
    • Home Language Survey roundtable discussion
    • Instructional Strategies

• NCELA supports the U.S. Department of Education's Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA)
  • Sign up for their ListSERV
• NCELA offers a variety of resources for educators to work with ELs as well as support to work with EL families
  • Educator support including Toolkits, Webinars, Grant Programs, Briefs, and a Resource Library
  • Student and Family Support including Toolkits, Infographics, Podcasts, and a Resource Library
  • Research and Data includes Fact Sheets, Reports, and a Resource Library

• Conference Feb. 20-22, 2025

Video Resources

• Welcoming Families - First Steps
  • This video details how important a family's first impression or feelings are when entering a school to enroll their child(ren).
  • Tips and ideas on how to make the student feel comfortable are included
  • This video is primarily for Newcomer families, but it also valid for any multilingual family

• Cultural Awareness - Practices 
  • This video includes culturally responsive teaching practices and ideas for ALL staff
  • Mostly towards Newcomer students, but includes best practices for all EL students
  • Lesson ideas - Importance of our names
  • Ideas for preparing a welcoming classroom
  • There is also information regarding the Stages of Cultural Accommodation

• Family Engagement - Engaging EL Families
  • This video provides strategies to engage with multilingual and multicultural families
  • Ideas are beneficial for all staff and all ELs

Cultural Intelligence and Responsiveness

• Cultural Intelligence in Education Part 1
• Cultural Intelligence in Education Part 2  
• Culturally Responsive Instruction for EL/MLs  
  • Culturally Responsive Discussion Tool Accessible 
• Learning for Justice Classroom Resources  
• Multicultural Children’s Books
• Multicultural Stories from Around the World
• Books that Celebrate Diversity

 

Native American/American Indian ELs

• Audra Waite and Jacie L. Jeffers (Billings): Best Practices for American Indian ELs  
• Documentary: Why Save a Language
• Indian Education Classroom Resources  
• Indian Education Videos

 

Refugees

• K-12 Resources for Afghan Refugees

 

Spanish Heritage Resources for Teachers

• Toolkit for Educators of Hispanic Families
• Smithsonian Learning Lab: Hispanic Heritage Resources
• National Endowment for the Humanities: Hispanic Heritage and History  
• PBS Spanish Learning Tools

 

Heritage Language Retention

• Posters for Families to Encourage Heritage Language Retention (16 Languages)  
• Teaching Heritage Languages  
• Head Start: The Importance of Native Languages  
• Children’s Library: Free Online Books in Multiple Languages

School Resources

• Module 7: ELs/MLs Family and Student Rights  
  • Handout: Checklist for Meaningful Communication with LEP Parents 
  • Handout: Communicating with Parents Reflection Tool 
  • Fact Sheet 1: Ensuring EL Students Can Participate Meaningfully and Equally in Educational Programs 
  • Fact Sheet 2: Information for LEP Parents and for Schools/Districts that Communicate with them
  • Fact Sheet 3- Rights When Enrolling in School 
  • Handout: Important Landmark Cases 
• English Learner Family Toolkit  
• Engaging EL/ML Families Toolkit  
• Explaining EL Status (English)
• Explaining EL Status (Spanish) 
• Explaining EL Status (German)
• Explaining EL Status (Chinese)
• Explaining EL Status (Russian) 

 

Family Resources

• Asegurar que los estudiantes aprendices del inglés participen de forma significative y equitativa en programas educativos
• Información para padres y tutores con dominio limitado del idioma inglés y para las escuelas y distritos escolares que se comunican con ellos 
• Derechos de los padres y guardians de los estudiantes que aprenden inglés como nuevo idioma en el estado de Montana
• Advice for Parent-Teacher Conferences
• Consejos para conferencias de padres y maestro
• Reading Tips Sheets for Parents in Multiple Languages  
• Helping Your Child to Read  
• Ayudar a sus hijos a aprender a leer  
• Consejos generals para padres  
• Literacy Guides for Parents  
• Literacy Checklist for Home
• Accessible U.S. School System Brochure
• U.S. School System Brochure
• Recursos para familias sin hogar

 

Resources for Learning English for the Family

• Voice of America: Learning English for Kids and Adults  
• BBC: Learning English  
• Stories for Kids in English

OPI Resources

• ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 FAQ  
• Alternate ACCESS Eligibility Criteria  
• Webinar: WIDA Screeners  
• Webinar: ACCESS for ELLs

 

WIDA Resources

• Preparing for ACCESS Testing
• ACCESS for ELLs Scores and Reports  
• Interpretive Guide for ACCESS Score Reports

 

EL Accessibility Resources

• Designated Supports for ELs on Math, ELA, and Science Assessments
• Designated Supports for ELs on ACT

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English Learners and Special Education

• IEP Translation by OSEP
• Module 8: Dually Identifying and Serving EL/SPED Students  
  • Handout: Checklist to Identify Whether an EL has a Disability 
  • Handout: Comparison of Language Differences vs. Disabilities 
  • Handout: Checklist for IEP Teams 
  • Sample Referral Procedure: Early Intervention Flowchart 
  • Belgrade’s SPED EL Referral Control Document 
    • Video: Susan Davis Explains SPED Referral Control Document  
  • Sample Parent/Caregiver Interview 
  • Handout: Dos and Don'ts for Accommodations 
  • Handout: Evaluation of Accessibility Supports
  • Handout: Accessibility Selection Questions for Teams