(Re)defining Success in Language Learning


Book Description

This book follows four emergent bilingual students in an English-medium pre-kindergarten in the US as they navigate the social and linguistic demands of school. It illustrates how students’ differing classroom social positions shaped their participation in interaction and, in turn, their English language learning across a school year. With a unique focus on both processes and outcomes, the book highlights language strategies that are overlooked if the focus is solely on one language or on group participation, and it emphasizes the importance of assessment choice in shaping which learners appear to be successful. It is a powerful argument for recognising the translingual and multimodal abilities of learners, even in education which is officially English-medium and monolingual.




Evolving Education


Book Description

It's time to create a new normal. It's time to leave behind practices that don't best serve all learners and educators, and to prioritize what matters most: relationships, connection, purpose, flexibility, agency, and authentic learning. Education must evolve. Looking to learners will help us see what's working, what's challenging, and, ultimately, what's possible. To ensure that all of those learners thrive, we'll need to use insight from our own experiences, research from the field, and new tools and approaches to adapt our practices. In Evolving Education, Dr. Katie Martin advocates for a much-needed shift to a learner-centered teaching model. Learner-centered education creates purposeful, personalized, authentic, and competency-based experiences that help students develop skills that empower them to learn, grow, and solve problems that matter to them and others. Following on Martin's previous book, Learner-Centered Innovation, Evolving Education offers a deeper dive into how educators can harness new technologies, learning sciences, and pedagogy that center learners and learning. After all, Martin argues, if we truly want to develop knowledge, habits, and skills in students, we have to know them, love them, and help them see the full beauty of who they are and what they can become. Endorsements "Evolving Education clearly articulates how to redefine success, create powerful learning experiences, and support them with enabling conditions. This would make a great book study for any school faculty or community group." -Tom Vander Ark, CEO of Getting Smart "Katie Martin absolutely nailed it in Evolving Education. A learner-centered paradigm requires that we examine beliefs and biases and disrupt systems that do not serve each and every learner. This work requires innovation, creativity, flexibility, and heart. This book is the perfect mix of incredible storytelling, inspiration, and concrete strategy." -Katie Novak, EdD, author of UDL and Blended Learning




Redefining Student Success


Book Description

Be the leader of a fresh, bold, enduring vision of education for your district or school. The future of learning has arrived, and it requires bold educational leadership and a dramatic redefinition of what it means to be a successful student today. Redefining Student Success invites you to lead this transformation with audacity. It engages leaders with the concepts and actions needed to reimagine schools, address inequities, and help today’s students develop the skills they need for personal, economic, and civic success. This vital guide supports transformative leadership with Concrete guidance on how to create a Portrait of a Graduate and Portrait of an Educator which will help ensure teachers have a unified vision for professional growth and student success. Reflection prompts that help you recognize your strengths, spark discussion among stakeholders, and identify next steps for inspired action. Compelling examples of students already engaged in creative, self-directed problem-solving around issues that matter to them and their communities, together with stories that illustrate how districts and schools have arrived at their own vision of what education must become. Companion guides to 21st century learning for parents and students available online. The time is now to reset educational outcomes, sync schools with the demands of 21st century society, and meet the needs of every learner, in every community.




Re-Defining Success:


Book Description

Life is just like walking through the rain--whether you dance through it (and have fun) or just try to avoid the puddles--you still get wet. Your life has a God-authored plan that can be exciting or can be drudgery--it all depends on how you choose to see each circumstance in your day. Each day, you can be surrounded by circumstances that test who you say you are. Those are circumstances that test your character. Circumstances like financial hardship, failed relationships, unexpected opportunities, unplanned success, or a blow to your self-esteem. Circumstances as trivial as an argument with your spouse, or as difficult as an argument with your spouse. You might think that God has deserted you when you have difficult circumstances in life, but you can find that He is closer than ever before. Re-Defining Success: Finding New Hope lets you know that you aren't the only one who has fouled up in some aspect of life and that you can come out of the situation that you are in stronger and smarter than you were yesterday. Instead of wondering about your future, take this opportunity to step out in faith and begin to learn God's plan for you. As you make a new start in your life, you have the chance to make changes in the person you are and to live in the plan He has for you. Re-Defining Success: Finding New Hope can help you see a larger picture for your life and be encouraged that these circumstances are life-challenges which have a reason.




Understanding Bilingualism, Bilinguality, and Bilingual Education in an Era of Globalization


Book Description

Understanding Bilingualism, Bilinguality, and Bilingual Education in an Era of Globalization is written by Dr. Ai-Ling Wang, and provides a comprehensive guide for scholars seeking to expand their knowledge of bilingualism and its impact in the modern world. The book is divided into three parts, with the first part focusing on the theoretical background and definitions of bilingualism, bilinguality, and bilingual education. The second part examines bilinguality from cognitive, neuro-linguistic, socio-linguistic, and psycho-linguistic perspectives, exploring how bilingual speakers benefit from their cognitive development and what areas of cognitive advantage bilingual speakers enjoy. The final part of the book discusses bilingual education and how bilinguals choose a particular language depending on the situation, interlocutors, topic, and personal preference and proficiency. Dr. Wang emphasizes that bilingualism is not limited to speaking two languages, and multilingual and multicultural aspects must also be considered. Throughout the book, the author explores various aspects of bilingualism, including its formation, benefits, and challenges, and discusses whether bilinguals are provided with equal opportunities to schooling and whether bilingual programs actually help students with mainstream language while maintaining their home language. Overall, this book provides a comprehensive understanding of bilingualism and its impact in the era of globalization.




Ecological Perspectives in Early Language Education


Book Description

This book presents ecological perspectives towards early language education that conceptualise the phenomenon of interactions between child language-based agency, teachers’ agency, peers’ agency and parents’ agency, consequently furthering insights into the lives of young children growing up in multilingual homes. Drawing on rich empirical research evidence, the book explores teachers’ and family strategies and practices aimed at enhancing children’s interest in home language maintenance and enrichment as well as in the novel language learning. It defines early language education as the education of children up to the age of 6 and considers international evidence of children’s language from diverse sociolinguistic backgrounds and indigenous, endangered, heritage, regional, minority, majority, and marginalized languages, as well as foreign and second languages in education at home and out-of-home settings. It claims that only through collaboration between teachers, families, peers, and close environment, can the child be engaged in early language learning and fully experience his or her potential to act as agent in a novel language learning. The book will be of great interest to researchers, academics, and postgraduate students in the fields of language education, multilingualism, applied linguistics, and early childhood education. Practitioners in these fields may also find the volume a valuable resource.




Dare to Connect


Book Description

Dare to Connect addresses the whole teacher and how to create success in school, outside of school, and in retirement through connections with stakeholders utilizing the 6 P’s of the professional teacher: present, prepared, part of the team, positive, proactive, and patient. It concludes with the future of education: leading changes from the classroom: teachers as respected professional leaders and collaborators with their stakeholders.




Redefining Success


Book Description

After his father passed away, author Michael Biarnes struck out to learn more about happiness, fulfillment, and balance in his life. During his journey he spoke with countless individuals who, regardless of career accomplishments, at some point struggled to feel truly happy or fulfilled with life. He discovered that they had undergone a transformation like he had, one that highlighted the need to redefine success and embrace a new mindset. Redefining Success: Stories, Science, and Strategies to Prioritize Happiness and Overcome Life's "Oh Sh!t" Moments explores the intersection of the science of happiness and society's definition of success. Among the many stories included in this book, you'll meet eight-time Olympic medalist Apolo Ohno, Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington, and ESPN's Matthew Berry, reliving their experiences and learning powerful lessons along the way. With a mix of stories, science-backed strategies, and practical exercises that are included in interactive workbooks, Redefining Success has something for everyone. There is no secret formula to success that any "guru" can share. Scientific research confirms that you hold the power to redefine success for yourself in order to achieve greater happiness and fulfillment in your own life.




The Handbook of Dual Language Bilingual Education


Book Description

This handbook presents a state-of-the-art overview of dual language bilingual education (DLBE) research, programs, pedagogy, and practice. Organized around four sections—theoretical foundations; key issues and trends; school-based practices; and teacher and administrator preparation—the volume comprehensively addresses major and emerging topics in the field. With contributions from expert scholars, the handbook highlights programs that honor the assets of language-minoritized and marginalized students and provides empirically grounded guidance for asset-based instruction. Chapters cover historical and policy considerations, leadership, family relations, professional development, community partnerships, race, class, gender, and more. Synthesizing major issues, discussing central themes and advancing policy and practice, this handbook is a seminal volume and definitive reference text in bilingual/second language education.




Radically Inclusive Teaching with Newcomer and Emergent Plurilingual Students


Book Description

"Learn how to enact curricular, pedagogical, and policy shifts that nourish students' linguistic repertoires. Drawing on their experience working with educators and students in grades 7-12, the authors challenge readers to transform their approach to languaging, agency, and authority in the classroom. Strategies come alive through classroom vignettes and examples of student work"--