UC Berkeley School Psychology 47th Annual Conference

Supporting English Language Learners: Policy, Assessment, and Common Core

SPEAKERS

Claude Goldenberg, Ph.D.
Stanford University, Graduate School of Education

Claude Goldenberg’s researches how to promote academic achievement among language minority children and youth. A native of Argentina, Goldenberg is currently a Professor of Education and Chair of Curriculum Studies and Teacher Education (CTE) at the Stanford University Graduate School of Education. He was previously at California State University, Long Beach, where he was a Professor of Teacher Education, Associate Dean of the College of Education, and Executive Director of the Center for Language Minority Education and Research (CLMER). He has taught junior high school in San Antonio, TX, and first grade in a bilingual elementary school in the Los Angeles area. Goldenberg’s most recent books are Promoting Academic Achievement among English Learners: A Guide to the Research, co-authored with Rhoda Coleman (Corwin, 2010) and Language and Literacy Development in Bilingual Settings, co-editing with Aydin Durgunoglu (Guilford, 2010). His current projects focus on improving literacy achievement among English learners in elementary and middle school, language and literacy development among Mexican children in Mexico, and developing a measure of classroom quality for English learners. Goldenberg was on the National Research Council’s Committee for the Prevention of Early Reading Difficulties in Young Children and on the National Literacy Panel, which synthesized research on literacy development among language-minority children and youth.

Claude Goldenberg will situate the day’s discussions in the current reality for English Language Learners and their teachers in mainstream classrooms. He will cover key issues in policy, language development, and best classroom practices for serving English Language Learners.

Samuel O. Ortiz, Ph.D.
Associate Professor at St. John’s University

Samuel Ortiz is an Associate Professor of Psychology and former Director of the School Psychology Program at St. John’s University. He was elected Vice President for Professional Affairs of Division 16 of APA in 2003. Dr. Ortiz has studies the assessment of culturally and linguistically diverse individuals, applications of modern intelligence theory in testing through CHC Cross-Battery assessment methods, differentiating cultural and linguistic differences from disorders, and development of the CHC Culture-Language Matrix as a method for determining the primary influence of culture and language on test performance. He recently authored three chapters in NASP’s Best Practices IV on nondiscriminatory assessment, contemporary intellectual assessment, and working with culturally and linguistically diverse children and families. Dr. Ortiz is bilingual (Spanish) and bicultural (Puerto Rican).

Samuel Ortiz will cover major issues that face educators and psychologists conducting evaluations of CLD students and will provide the requisite knowledge regarding critical variables, instruction on procedures that permit evidence-based and systematic evaluation, and a practical framework for conducting fair and equitable evaluations. The information, procedures, and framework presented in the workshop will serve as a guide to best practice in nondiscriminatory assessment.

Andrea Thomas
English Learner Specialist, Davis Joint Unified School District

Andrea Thomas is the English Learner and Common Core Professional Development Planner and Trainer for Davis Joint Unified School District in Davis, California. She is also an English Learner Specialist for the district. She has her Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the University of California, Davis, with a year of study at the University of Madrid, Spain. She received her Masters in Educational Leadership from Sacramento State University. Ms. Thomas’ 14 years of experience as a trainer for the California Reading and Literature Project (emphasis on English Learners) has given her understanding of the Northern California school districts’ needs in supporting long-term English Learners. In addition, her three years on the PacTIN grant team developing a web-site providing lessons, videos, and related materials to help teachers with the language demands of the Common Core State Standards, has given her an in-depth perspective of the CCSS. Ms. Thomas’ first ten years in education were spent coordinating and teaching Gifted Education, giving her another vital perspective on student learning in light of the new Common Core Standards. Her 24 years in education has primarily been in elementary education (K-8), where she has been a teacher, administrator, trainer, and instructional leader.

Andrea Thomas will demonstrate simple ways to reach English Language Learners under the CCSS alongside the instruction the educator is already providing. Participants will then engage in small group breakouts to apply this method to grade level standards.