News Archive: 2009

April/May 2009

NEEAC Staff Present at the 2009 MATSOL Conference

New England Equity Assistance Center (NEEAC) staff presented three workshops at the Massachusetts Association of Teachers of Speakers of Other Languages (MATSOL) 2009 Conference , which was held on May 7 and 8 in Leominster, Massachusetts. These workshops helped participants develop knowledge and skills that they can use in their districts, schools or classrooms.

Phyllis Hardy co-facilitated a workshop titled "Differentiating Learning Differences Through Culturally Responsive Assessment Practices." The workshop presented a culturally responsive framework for working with English language learners (ELLs) through child study teams, teacher support teams, and/or a Response to Intervention (RTI) process. Participants explored the linguistic and socio-cultural factors that affect learning and behavior for ELLs with learning difficulties.

Randy Ross led a session titled "Utilizing Cross-Cultural Empathy for the Education of English Language Learners." This session examined the latest brain research on empathy development and explored the relationship between cross-cultural empathy and culturally responsive teaching for ELLs. Participants explored specific strategies for reducing harassment while nurturing non-ELL students' empathy for ELLs.

Donalda Silva's session, "ELL Parents' Voice: Affirming Equity in Education," presented effective cross-cultural strategies for involving parents from diverse backgrounds. Participants explored the factors that inhibit or enhance parental involvement as well as ELL parents' views about their role in the education of their children. A "strengths perspective model" served as a guiding tool for developing culturally responsive parental interaction.