C.I.R.C.L.E.

Curriculum Integration for Responsive, Cross-cultural, Language-based Education

Applicant: Western Washington University

Western Washington University (WWU) a comprehensive, regional university with 12,500 students, is the lead institution.  WWU has a 100-year history preparing future teachers and administrators and providing professional development for in-service teachers in the region

Title of the Program: Curriculum Integration for Responsive, Crosscultural, Language-based Education (CIRCLE)

Participants: 40 FTE teacher education faculty will be involved in professional development and curriculum integration over five years.  40 in-service teachers and administrators will receive training each year for five years.  We project that 100 will receive Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) certification and 200 will receive training in integrated English as a Second Language (ESL) and bilingual education (BE) course work by the end of the grant. 

Partners: Ferndale School District, Nooksack Valley School District, Lynden School District;, Mt. Baker Public Schools.

Project Description: The core of CIRCLE is curriculum integration across our teacher and administrative professional development programs for culturally and linguistically responsive elements in all methodology courses with the ultimate goal that all Woodring graduates are prepared to work effectively with diverse limited English proficient (LEP) learners.  CIRCLE includes a partnership with school districts that need to fill critical teacher and administrator positions with personnel trained to work with diverse LEP and linguistically impacted students from homes where a language other than English is spoken.  The districts also will serve as practicum and interaction sites for pre-service teacher participants.  The participating school districts serve significant populations of Russian, Spanish, Nooksack, and Lushootseed speakers.  CIRCLE includes both pre-service and in-service teachers and administrators in the TESOL sequence as we phase in the unique integrated ESL/bilingual education (ESL/BE) content courses over the term of the grant.  A critical component of CIRCLE is professional development in ESL/BE for Woodring teacher education faculty and the infusion of ESL/BE methodology into all content area courses. Teaching and learning experiences abroad are an option for faculty so we really practice what we preach about opening up and embracing culturally and linguistically responsive education. By building and embedding ESL/BE integrated content professional courses into all licensure programs,   CIRCLE will ensure that all new administrators, teachers and special educators have the opportunity to complete a TESOL certificate and experience working effectively with diverse LEP students.At least 40 education professionals will enter and complete CIRCLE course work each year of the program.  At least 100 education professionals will receive TESOL certificates, and at least 200 education professionals will receive quality training by the end of the grant in how to provide instruction that accelerates LEP participants’ acquisition of language (including the acquisition of academic language skills), literacy, and content knowledge.

Priorities: CIRCLE addresses Invitational Priority #1: Goal 1) to improve the ability of WWU faculty in preparing prospective teachers to teach LEP participants; and Goal 2) To improve and develop teacher education curricula that (a) are aligned with State content standards and State English language proficiency standards (b) prepare all teacher candidates in WWU to provide instruction that accelerates LEP participants’ acquisition of language (including the acquisition of academic language skills), literacy, and content knowledge.

Contact Information: The Project Director is Dr. Catherine Collier, 360-650-4673, Catherine.Collier@wwu.edu.