Teacher (tee-cher) One who educates, inspires and guides the minds of others. See Also: Rockstar

Two men and two woman talking to each other at a table with papers in front of them. In this article written for Colorín Colorado, Bright Ideas author Kristina Robertson offers an overview of WIDA’s new Essential Actions handbook and shares a step-by-step process for using this tool as part of a professional learning community focused on meeting ELLs’ academic language needs.

https://www.colorincolorado.org/article/essential-actions-15-research-based-practices-increase-ell-student-achievement

You’re Already a Leader

Much like Amy and Michelle describe, you are already a leader on behalf of ELLs in some ways even if you might not feel like one or aren’t necessarily recognized as one (yet). While leadership is indeed more complex and my framework is still evolving, I find these four leadership actions have a direct correlation to supporting ELLs on an academic as well as socioemotional level. They draw from TESOL’s new standard and are:

1. Taking initiative to make changes and advocate
2. Proactively serving as a resource
3. Being an effective communicator
4. Continuing your own professional development

These leadership actions definitely come into play when you might be the only ESOL teacher in a grade level, school, or multiple schools. You may also notice how one leadership skill that I describe below might also be present in another. For example, you’ll need to be an effective communicator to proactively serve as a resource in support of ELLs and vice versa. As you read about these skills, consider how you may already possess these leadership skills and how they play out in your context.  

Examples of Situations in which ESOL Teachers Demonstrate Leadership

Leadership Actions	Example for Supporting ELLs
Taking initiative to make changes and advocate for ELLs and yourself	A co-teaching team has different ideas on how to utilize the ESOL teacher’s skills in the third grade team. The ESOL teacher senses something is not quite right and thinks about her approach to addressing the issue. At the beginning of the grade level planning meeting, the ESOL teacher helps establish norms, rules, and expectations for the meeting. When the conversation gets a bit heated, she refocuses the group on the tasks at hand (determining how to utilize the ESOL teacher’s skills) while recognizing the team members’ emotions. The group then successfully determines a path forward to support the grade’s ELLs thanks to the ESOL teacher’s leadership.
Proactively serving as a resource	An ESOL teacher consults with her school’s test coordinator early in the academic year to find out what supports are allowed on state content exams for ELLs to increase their accessibility for ELLs. The ESOL teacher ensures that he is included in assessment planning meetings in which state content tests are discussed. The ESOL teacher works with the guidance department to produce a list of the ESOL students, their English language proficiency levels, and the state assessments they’ll be taking that year. The ESOL teacher collaborates with the students’ content teachers to develop a plan for which students receive which supports on their assessments and in instruction throughout the year. The ESOL teacher follows up with school administrators to ensure ELL parents are informed of the supports in their home languages and, in some cases, with a phone call in their home languages.
Being an effective communicator	In an IEP meeting with teachers and parents of an ELL, the ESOL teacher asks the ELL parents to sit at the head of the table, signaling respect for them. She is cognizant of making eye contact with the ELL parents and makes sure she does not interrupt them when they speak. She arranges for an interpreter to be present at the meeting and spends time briefing the interpreter on what is going to take place during the meeting before the meeting begins. She is sure to recognize how the parents support their daughter’s education and are involved in her schooling. In meeting with ELL parents, she makes them feel welcome, which develops their mutual trust.
Continuing your own professional development	An ESOL teacher learns about a webinar on ELL research and strategies that’s happening after the school day in two weeks. He asks his grade level colleagues and assistant principal if they would like to join him for the webinar. During the webinar, he takes notes and also asks his colleagues to share their take-aways and questions that remain. A few days after the webinar, the ESOL teacher shares his group’s learning at a staff meeting. He then approaches his assistant principal to begin a book study to delve into the strategies further, inviting a larger group of colleagues and leading the book study sessions.