Ways To Build ‘Authentic Engagement’ & Not ‘Strategic Compliance’

Originally posted on Larry Ferlazzo's Education Week Teacher Column: Student participation is a very important aspect in classroom learning for teachers and students. There are several strategies that teachers can implement and practice in their classroom to support student participation. These strategies are long term pedagogical goals for teachers. It is the hope that if they … Continue reading Ways To Build ‘Authentic Engagement’ & Not ‘Strategic Compliance’

Ways To Help Students Develop Digital Portfolios

This post was originally published on Education Week for Larry Ferlazzo's EdWeek Teacher blog: Digital portfolios can be a very useful tool to enhance students' social and cultural learning in an English Language classroom. Teachers can use digital portfolios as a platform for students to show their work. More importantly, students can use them as … Continue reading Ways To Help Students Develop Digital Portfolios

Empowering English Language Learners with Digital Stories

My latest post is on Teaching Tolerance. Last year, I took a big risk by including blogging as part of the curriculum for my first-year college English course. Around half of my students were English language learners (ELLs), and I wasn’t sure that they would be comfortable with this medium. (Read about blogging in my … Continue reading Empowering English Language Learners with Digital Stories

The importance of talking about race/culture & the immigration experience

I wrote an article for PBS Newshour on the importance of discussing race/culture and the immigration experience with students: Last summer I received a message from family in Iraq letting me know that a few of my second cousins were volunteering to join the Iraqi army to fight the Islamic State group. Miles and continents … Continue reading The importance of talking about race/culture & the immigration experience