And Justice for ELs

Ayanna Cooper, EdD, is a consultant, advocate for culturally and linguistically diverse learners, and is currently serving on the executive board of TESOL International Association. As owner of ACooper Consulting, her projects involve providing technical assistance internationally and to state departments of education, school districts, and nonprofit organizations. In addition to being an author, Dr. Cooper has contributed to a number of publications, such as the WIDA Essential Actions Handbook and Language Magazine. She also writes a monthly blog focused on the civil rights of English learners for TESOL International Association. As a plenary speaker and frequent conference presenter, she has had the opportunity to share her work across the United States and internationally. In addition to teaching English as a second language, she has held a number of positions throughout her career, such as English learner instructional coach, urban education teacher supervisor, Title III director, and bilingual program specialist. Dr. Cooper is a U.S. Department of State English Language Specialist alumna.

Foreword by Margarita Espino Calderon Acknowledgments About the Author Introduction Chapter 1: English Learners in Your School and What You Need to Know and Do to Support Them Scenario: Awareness and Action for All ELs Knowing Your ELs Urgency in Action Assets-Based, Culturally Responsive Schools Supporting ELs: Eight Important Questions Bringing It All Together Follow-up Questions Further Guidance and Support Resources References Chapter 2: Program Models for English Learners: What's Happening in Your School? Scenario: Selecting Appropriate Service Models for English Learners Adhering to Federal Guidance Program Models Assessing Program Models for Efficacy Staffing Professional Learning Communicating With Parents When Parents Opt Out of Language Support Services Bringing It All Together Follow-up Questions Further Guidance and Support Resources References Chapter 3: Evaluating Teachers of English Learners-Conversations Beyond the Rubric Scenario: Needs improvement, Meets, Exceeds, or Not Applicable Conversations Beyond the Rubric Look Fors: Key Considerations Articulating Needs to Support ELs Supporting Preservice Teachers Bringing It All Together Follow-up Questions Further Guidance and Support Resources References Chapter 4: Action Steps for Job-Embedded Professional Learning With a Focus on English Learners Scenario: A Program by Any Other Name Is Not the Same A PL Cycle of Inquiry PL Action Steps Bringing It All Together Follow-up Questions Further Guidance and Support Resources References Chapter 5: Partnering With Parents of English Learners Scenario: Helping Parents Analyze Their Child's English Language Proficiency Report Connecting Families and Community Parent Communication Preferences Helping EL Families Understand the Academic Calendar Scenario: Early Release/Late Pick-Up Grade Level Placements of ELs and What Parents Need to Know Bullying Scenario: Bullying in Elementary School Supporting Your Staff to Build Positive Relationships With EL Families Bringing It All Together Follow-up Questions Further Guidance and Support Resources References Afterword Index

"And Justice for ELs is an excellent guide for practitioners who seek to provide their English learners with high quality instruction in all subject areas. Too often such students are relegated an education that marginalizes them academically and fails to develop their native language skills. We can and must do a better job for these students and in this book Ayanna Cooper shows us how. Written in a clear and straight forward manner, this book will be an invaluable resource for educators who seek to make a difference." -- Pedro A. Noguera "School leaders will appreciate that Dr. Cooper's text takes them beyond legal compliance and moves their school toward real equity, excellence, and meaningful engagement for their English learners. Her essential questions will promote action focused conversations that move the needle significantly towards justice and excellence for all." -- Tim Boals "Dr. Ayanna Cooper's And Justice for ELs is a must-read for school leaders and other educators who wish to move their schools and districts from equity to excellence in order to fully serve their ELs. Framed in research, law, and policy, yet rooted in practical actions, this book will provide a clear path to educators who desire to do what's right and just for their students and families." -- Diane Staehr Fenner "Dr. Ayanna Cooper has made an incredible contribution to the field of education. And Justice For ELs equips educational leaders with the knowledge and confidence to create sustainable change as schools across the United States strive to meet the unique needs of English Learners." -- Sharon H. Porter, Ed.D. "Far too often English Language Learners (ELLs) are viewed as a 'problem' that drains resources for the mainstream. Dr. Cooper turns this assumption inside out with a thoroughly asset-based perspective: ELLs and their families bring a rich array of language and cultural diversity to classrooms and schools. But clearly, there is work to be done to create the equitable schools in which ELLs can thrive. The book is for school leaders and provides a state-of-the-art working tour in what is involved in advocating for linguistically diverse learners with responsiveness and flexibility. The book is broad enough for a wide range of contexts to benefit from and yet specific enough for leaders to build their own tailor-made professional learning plans. Ayanna Cooper extends a hand of empowerment to school leaders who have often been left out of the conversation. Dr. Cooper brings to her work not only her expertise in TESOL, but her experience as a teacher, teacher educator, and consultant." -- Elfrieda Lepp-Kaethler, Ph.D., ExA.Dip "Every educator is struggling with supporting ELs in a systemic, sustainable way. This book simplifies what's necessary while advocating for a sense of urgency to review data, assess models, and support EL teachers utilize best practices and ongoing professional learning." -- Dana Salles Trevethan "This book provides campus and district leadership with clearly defined reasons for supporting an equitable campus program for all learners especially EL's. The scenarios and guiding questions are useful in initiating relevant discussion and provoking thoughtful discussions. Ayanna Cooper writes in a manner that will enhance EL advocacy for leaders regardless of EL experience. " -- Joseph Cerna "A great resource for school leaders and English Language Directors. This book is a complete resource to assist with launching or enhancing an English Language Program in any school." -- Laura Schaffer Metcalfe "And Justice For All is a rich and relevant body of scholarship bent towards an arc of educational justice and equity for our nation's most marginalized learners. Dr. Cooper challenges educators to realize the power of language and literacy as necessary levers to academic liberation. This text should be required reading and professional development for all educators, pre-service and beyond, who benefit from pragmatic pedagogy, consultancy, and practices designed to elevate how we educate ELs." -- Craig Martin "This book is a practical and useful tool for building administrators and all who are interested in assessing their current models for supporting EL learners with an eye to improving their programs. It's practical and easy to read with great suggestions that you can use and implement immediately. " -- Marianne Lucas Lescher, "This book highlights the importance of administrators developing the skills, supports, and structures in order to support English Learners to achieve academic success and strengthen wellbeing. Cooper presents an array of considerations for administrators including: reflecting on personal knowledge, identifying areas for personal learning, building staff capacity and recognizing this must be through a job-embedded model, staffing, targeting instruction to reduce linguistic gaps for learners, and working to support parents with information and collaborating as partners." -- Maryam Hasan "This book offers a compelling message of hope for our linguistically diverse learners. An easy read for busy educators and a resource for administrators. This is the one tool needed that is research based and proven to enhance the professional learning model of one's organization to support student achievement. " -- Debra Paradowski "This is an easy to read and easy to implement book. Each chapter is carefully broken down and easy to read. Educators will find a lot of useful ideas within each chapter. The questions that are posed as a way of taking inventory of what you are currently doing in your school is extremely helpful and easy to use." -- Lindsay Morhart And Justice for All: Creating and Sustaining Equitable Schools with English Learners is a must-have book. In this lively how-to for teaching ELs equitably and successfully, Ayanna Cooper provides a practical approach to developing best-practices in schools. Her step by step method, written clearly and succinctly, asks important questions, explores crucial answers, shares instructive anecdotes, and proposes familiar scenarios. She leads the reader to consider the broad possibilities of good instruction for ELs as well as the details of implementing evidence-based programs. Dr. Cooper's style draws us in as if she were sitting across from us at a coffee shop describing best practices. Her conversation with us in the book is necessary, important, and fun to read -- Peter Kozik