Cohort 1

Cohort 1 contained 23 teachers and paraprofessionals, representing 7 districts and 17 schools. As part of participation in the project, these educators completed:

• Five online graduate courses from the University of Delaware over 14 months
• Praxis II (ESOL) test (a score of 149 or higher is required for EL Teacher certification)
• One year of support in a Professional Learning Community (PLC), leading to a capstone project presentation at the annual Delaware Multilingual Learner Conference

What they have to say

“It gave me a lot more confidence in how I support [MLLs]… It helped get rid of biases, like thinking they’re going to be delayed or struggle more. The research and coursework showed me they’re not at a disadvantage—they’re at an advantage.”

“Before, I had no exposure to how I should be instructing MLLs… Now, I’m the one assisting others!”

“As a science teacher, I didn’t realize how hard it is to learn content and language at the same time. Now I understand the process better, and I know how critical it is to give time and support.”

“I hope this program continues. It was so eye-opening. More teachers need this training to feel empowered and equipped.”

.      .