Language & Culture Workshop Series

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2008-2009 Workshop Series
Language and Culture Bulletin Series | Art and Culture Workshop Series

Language and Culture Bulletin Workshop Series:
Teaching Writing to English Language Learners: Best Practices

Lessons from the Telling Room                                                 
Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008
This interactive workshop will highlight strategies for getting students to open up and get writing. The Telling Room is a nonprofit writing program dedicated to meet each student’s passion for writing, to provide role models for those looking to further their writing, and to honor the act of storytelling as a vital means of expression and community building.
Presenter: Gibson Fay-LeBlanc, Executive Director of The Telling Room (www.tellingroom.org)

The Challenge of Writing for ELLs                                                
Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2008
This workshop addresses the numerous social, cultural, and linguistic issues that cause challenges for ELL writers.
Presenter: Don Bouchard
Related Language and Culture Bulletin: Vol. 12, Issue 1

Exploring Writing Practices for ELLs                                                       
Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2008
Embedding academic language through writing needs to be a constant focus for teachers and ELLs. This workshop examines how this can be accomplished through the content areas.
Presenter: Don Bouchard

Scaffolding Writing for ELLs across the Curriculum                               
Thursday, Jan. 8, 2009
Writing as a part of learning can be integrated in a multitude of ways. This workshop specifies through content-related activities how ELLs can grow their language knowledge in the curriculum.
Presenter: Don Bouchard

The Power of Journaling for ELLs                                                  
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Language and depth of knowledge can be increased through journaling. This workshop revisits this useful tool for learning.
Presenter: Don Bouchard

ELL Writers at the Post-Secondary Level                                             
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
This hands-on workshop will identify the writing skills needed by ELLs for success in post-secondary studies. Content will include explanation of the writing instruction in USM's ESOL courses--the how and the why, the challenges and the expectations.
Presenter: Barbara Trentacosta, Coordinator ESOL Program at the University of Southern Maine

Content-Based Learning to Promote Advanced ELL Writing                
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Academic language has its own special language. This workshop explores the structures and vocabulary inherent in the content areas and offers ways to inductively use them delivering instruction.
Presenter: Don Bouchard

Art and Culture Workshop Series: Cultivating the Artistic Spirit
Behind the Scenes with PCA Great Performances                                          
Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2008
Take a special “behind-the-scenes” peak at the inner workings of PCA Great Performances Education & Outreach program. Learn about PCA’s exciting new student-time performances, resources for students and educators and share your thoughts on how to make the performing arts an integral part of your classroom.
Presenters: Barri Lynn Moreau, Director of Education and Outreach; Aimee M. Petrin, Executive Director of PCA Great Performances

Textiles are one of the oldest forms of material culture. From the time the most rudimentary cloth was woven, textiles have served to convey important ideas about human history, social values and personal identity. Alice will show and discuss the textiles she has collected on her travels to China, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Bhutan, Guatemala and other countries around the world and explain their role in inspiring her paintings. She will demonstrate the hand-made and ‘found’ stencils she uses in her work and suggest ideas about how students might explore ideas about textiles and pattern in their classes. This workshop coincides with the exhibit, Fabricating Time: Paintings and Collected Textiles, Nov. 13, 2008 - Jan. 11, 2009 at the University of New England Gallery of Art in Portland.
Presenter: Alice Spencer

Cultural Awareness Through Photography                                                     
Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2008
This workshop explores how to use imagery in working with students to engage them in meaningful dialogue about issues of culture, values, beliefs, prejudices and stereotypes. Participants will leave with tools designed for helping students understand and evaluate how their own responses to cultural situations shape their reactions and interactions with others as deemed ”different”.
Presenter: Laura Val

Diavolo Dance                                                                                               
Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2009
Diavolo redefines dance through dynamic movement, creative expression, the inventive use of sets and props, and innovative musical selections. It also uses the kinesthetic power of dance to explore the sciences of the body and physics along with principles of trust, teamwork and individual expression. This movement-oriented workshop is designed to help teachers take dance and kinesthetic learning into the classroom, bridging the gap between the arts and other school subjects. This workshop will be a valuable aid understanding the Diavolo Dance school performance (grades 2-8) Friday, January 23 at 10:30 am Merrill Auditorium.
Presenter: Jacques Heim, Artistic Director and choreographer of Cirque de Soleil        
Location: PATHS Dance Studio

Children are under a tremendous amount of stress. Yoga for children is a natural way for children to relax, reconnect and strengthen mind/body/spirit connections. In schools yoga helps children channel their sensory/motor stimulus in positive ways.
Presenter: Keita A. Whitten, MSW

This panel representing various artistic disciplines will share how their various art forms connect with cultural influences. In this interactive workshop participants will discuss how the arts can be a bridge between cultures, and illuminate the complex issues of cultures in contact.
Panel Presentation

This book profiles 25 recent immigrants, in large photos and stories based on interviews wit them The many different kinds of immigrants, including refugees, describe their lives growing up in their homelands, why they came here, and their experiences in Maine. (Photographs by Jan Pieter van Voorst van Beest, Text by Pat Nyhan, with a foreword by Reza Jalali.)
Presenter: Pat Nyhan

All workshops conducted at the Multilingual and Multicultural Center (171 Auburn Street, Portland) unless otherwise noted.
To register: email Suzanne Hardy at hardys@portlandschools.org or call 874-8117.

2007-2008 Workshop Series

Assisting ELLs in the Classroom
Last academic year’s focus was on aspects of teaching to English Language Learner (ELLs) population to help impact their learning in a positive manner. As in previous workshops, the focus was both on content and application, i.e., how the topics can be “translated” into classroom practice for all K-12 teachers. Course List

Teaching ELLs: Best Practices
Last year's workshop series addressed topics of teaching and learning to English Language Learners (ELLs) that relate to the classroom strengths and experiences of Portland and other area ELL teachers.  The emphasis was on the resources and experiences of our very experienced Portland Schools staff in their work with ELLs that can be of great benefit to all staff in the district. Course List