The Language Lens Book Study Course

15 Hour Course for ALL Educators of Language Learners

Elevate Your Approach for Equitable Tier 1 Instruction

Transform Your Instructional Approach

A Language Lens® in Every Classroom

This Course is Based on the Best-Selling Guidebook by Sarah B. Ottow

LOVED BY EDUCATORS WORLDWIDE * SEE THE LOVE ON SOCIAL BELOW FROM THE 1ST EDITION

Course

Objectives:

  • Explain the strengths and needs that MLLs/ELLs and ALL students bring to the classroom

  • Articulate specific practices to enhance an equity-based approach to teaching and learning

  • Analyze academic language demands in order to provide differentiated language scaffolds

  • Integrate strategies that engage students in oral language and literacy in your content area(s), including a refresher of SEI and Tier 1 strategies for MLL/ELL students and ALL students because we are all Academic Language Learners

  • Create an action plan to apply new practices with students in your own classroom or, if you support teachers and/or work with a team, with the teachers you support and/or collaborate with

✔️ 4 Facilitated Synchronous Sessions by Confianza Consultant Dalila Mendoza

✔️The Language Lens Guidebook (1st Edition) Included

✔️ Practical Assignments and Readings

✔️ Guidance for implementation to impact students…long after the course is over!

We do not have an open course available for individual purchase. Sign up for our mailing list at the bottom of the page to learn about future book study course offerings.

Looking for a closed course for a group? Purchase orders welcome.

 Length 15 Hours (6 Synchronous Hours + 9 Asynchronous Hours)
 Course Type Asynchronous reading and reflections + 4 Synchronous Zoom Workshops Facilitated by Confianza Coaches
 Price $425 USD which includes the book The Language Lens (1st edition) by Sarah B. Ottow
 Activities Interactive discussions + modeling of strategies + reading + video analysis + reflection + action plan for classroom
 Platform Zoom
 Certificate For 15 PD hours upon course completion
 Approved Vendor MA DESE SEI + RIDE ECN + Check your local requirements
 Additional Resource Included The Language Lens for Content Classrooms (1st Edition, 2019; NOTE: Not the 2nd Edition, 2023)

This course fulfills the following continuing education offerings from Confianza (Check your local requirements):

Who is this course for?

  • Classroom Teachers: Whether you're new to working with multilingual learners or have years of experience, our book study course is designed to elevate your “language lens” approach.

  • Specialist Educators: From MLL/ELL to Special Education and elective teachers – refine your specialty role with practices that work in any content area and grade level.

  • Support & Leadership: Instructional coaches, guidance counselors, school psychologists, deans, district administration, and more – our practical course assists you with systems-level change.

What other educators have said about this course:

  • I used to think that academic language supports were necessary for ELs and supportive of all students, but now I understand that they are necessary to all students, as academic language learners.

    Hilary Bresnahan, Instructional Coach

  • I knew that mirrors are important in class literature and conversations, but now I see more clearly how it directly affects how students view books and their world, and how it can help them feel represented.

    Kerry Hebert, 2nd Grade Teacher

  • I used to think I was fairly clear with instruction and teaching for my ELLs but now I know I can do so much more.

    Vicki Sullivan, Secondary Social Studies Teacher

  • I used to just think about planning the lesson with the Content Objective in mind but now I also need to think about the Language Objective when I plan my lessons to make sure that the students get the opportunity to Read, Write, Listen, and Speak everyday.

    Emily Walker, Middle School Science Teacher

  • As a result of taking this course I now include many more visuals within my daily lessons in an effort to better support vocabulary development. In addition, the concept of windows and mirrors resulted in me taking the time to inventory the decodable texts that I use with students in an effort to ensure that the students' ethnicities and cultures were represented.

    Tammi Swenson, Reading Specialist

  • I absolutely recommend this professional learning from Confianza! First of all, the book is so well written and easily accessible. I genuinely enjoyed reading it. Second of all, the coaches are so kind and mindful about the different roles we have at our school and value all of our contributions. Last but not least, the sessions provided us with a place to learn from and inspire each other. How wonderful is that!

    Yanshen Lucki, ESL Teacher

Course Instructor, Dalila L. Mendoza

Dalila L. Mendoza holds an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction and has worked for over 20 years in a public-school setting. Dalila's experience with English as a second language began with her parents who immigrated here from the Azores, Portugal with Portuguese is her first language and English is her second language. Dalila uses her experience as a student in a bilingual setting and a child of immigrants to advocate for students learning English to be the most successful in school. Previous to taking her current position as MLL Program Director in Taunton Public Schools, MA, Dalila has been a bilingual teacher, second and third grade teacher, instructional coach in both math and literacy, and an assistant principal.

Course Facilitator, Ellen Parkhurst

Ellen Parkhurst has been supporting educators for over 18 years and before that was an ELL teacher in both Spain and North Carolina. She has been working with Confianza for six years, initially as a facilitator of online courses, and more recently as an instructional coach for individual teachers and teams of co-teachers. She is also a WIDA Licensed Facilitator and has provided countless PD sessions on WIDA’s standards and assessments in the US and Internationally. Ellen loves supporting teachers in a collaborative way and sharing best practices for MLL and ALL students.

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