Paper to Practice

Teachers of English language learners in 21st-century classrooms face a daunting task. The nature of language is complex, learners' needs are diverse, academic content challenges students, and the demand for accountability is an educational reality. Paper to Practice: Using the TESOL English Language Proficiency Standards in PreK-12 Classrooms offers sound advice and practical steps for confronting these challenges. As a companion to TESOL's 2006 PreK-12 English Language Proficiency Standards, Paper to Practice illustrates how the TESOL Standards can function as a starting point for action in all classrooms serving English language learners. Paper to Practice is organized in two sections. Section I, on how to approach the standards, analyzes the language of school, elaborates on the components of the TESOL English language proficiency standards, and examines how the standards exemplify the academic language required for student achievement. Section II, on how to implement standards-based instruction and assessment, encourages collaboration among educators in their efforts to use the English language proficiency standards in developing meaningful curricula and instructional practices for English language learners. In each chapter, guiding questions stimulate discussion, vignettes contextualize the content in a variety of settings, tasks spark new ideas, and reflect and respond sections encourage application of the key themes. The book's format is ideal for use in personal study as well as preservice or in-service workshops. Paper to Practice offers a wealth of information and ideas for educators seeking to infuse the TESOL English language proficiency standards into curriculum, instruction, and assessment. By working together to implement a standards-based language curriculum framework, teachers can contribute to a cohesive and equitable educational system for all.