Professional Development for ELL

SEPTEMBER 17, 2007

MACOMB, IL -- In Illinois alone, nearly 80 percent of the English language
learner (ELLs) population is Spanish speaking. To help teachers dealing with
the influx of ELLs in their classrooms, two Western Illinois University
faculty members are working with schoolteachers in Beardstown and the Quad
Cities region so they can better accommodate their students.

Gloria Delany-Barmann and Carla Paciotto of Western's Educational & Interdisciplinary
Studies Department recently received a $299,980 grant from
the U.S. Department of Education for their program "Project Estrella."
Beginning September, Paciotto will travel to Beardstown to begin teaching graduate-level
education courses with a bilingual-bicultural focus to teachers in that district. The
18-credit hour program is comprised of six courses. Teachers will take three
courses per year and will be certified English as Second Language (ESL)
educators following successful completion of the program. Delany-Barmann and
Paciotto will offer the program to Quad Cities-area teachers at the WIU-Quad
Cities campus beginning Spring 2008.

"Through this grant, participating teachers will receive $450 for each class
and they may also use their district's tuition waivers," Delany-Barmann
explained. "This is a wonderful opportunity for teachers who are working
with more and more ELLs in their classrooms."

According to Paciotto, 34 percent of students in the Beardstown School
District are classified as ELLs. Nearly 60 percent of those students are at
the elementary-school level and Spanish is the primary language spoken in
the home.

"Ten years ago this percentage was about one percent," Delany-Barmann added.

Paciotto pointed out that in Illinois there are 132 different languages, and
the state is the fifth largest population of English Language Learners with
the dominant language being Spanish.

The grant also provides support to 30 WIU undergraduate students who choose
the bilingual-bicultural major. This intensive program has strict criteria for its students including
tutoring elementary-age students, participating in professional development
activities, conducting research and studying abroad in a Spanish language
country, which is a requirement.

In Fall 2008 the bilingual-biculturalprogram will begin providing a semester-long
seminar on teaching ELLs to all students enrolled in Western¹s elementary and
secondary education programs.

For more information on Western's grant-funded program for teachers in Beardstown
or the Quad Cities region, contact Delany-Barmann or Paciotto at
309/298-1183.