From Isolation to From Isolation to Community for Community for

Teachers in Low-Teachers in Low-Incidence Settings Incidence Settings

James Whiting, Ph.D. James Whiting, Ph.D. Plymouth State University, Plymouth State University,

Plymouth NH Plymouth NH jcwhiting@plymouth.edujcwhiting@plymouth.edu

Today’s TalkToday’s Talk

Low-incidence ELL teaching in Low-incidence ELL teaching in Northern New EnglandNorthern New England

Some ways isolated teachers have Some ways isolated teachers have established communityestablished community

Northern New England Northern New England School Population 1995-School Population 1995-

2005 2005 ELL ELL PopulationPopulation

Non-ELLNon-ELL

NHNH +257%+257% +1.6+1.6

VTVT +98%+98% -17%-17%

MEME +25%+25% -13%-13%

Low-IncidenceLow-Incidence In these three northern New England In these three northern New England

states, ELLs are found in districts states, ELLs are found in districts statewide. statewide.

However, despite the overall growth in However, despite the overall growth in their numbers, in most districts ELLs are their numbers, in most districts ELLs are a small segment of the overall population. a small segment of the overall population.

Because of these small populations, ELL Because of these small populations, ELL teachers often work one-on-one with teachers often work one-on-one with students and travel among schools to students and travel among schools to provide services to individual students provide services to individual students throughout the district.throughout the district.

IsolationIsolation

These low-incidence, small-These low-incidence, small-population settings can easily lead to population settings can easily lead to isolation for both ELLs and their isolation for both ELLs and their teachers. teachers.

While these students are often the While these students are often the only ELLs in their classes, their only ELLs in their classes, their teachers are likely to be the only teachers are likely to be the only ELL teacher in the school or district. ELL teacher in the school or district.

ELL Teachers in Northern ELL Teachers in Northern New England New England

A 2008 survey of ELL teachers in A 2008 survey of ELL teachers in Maine, New Hampshire and Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont (n=168) found:Vermont (n=168) found:

82% of respondents reported being 82% of respondents reported being the only ELL teacher in their school the only ELL teacher in their school and and

38% reported being the only ELL 38% reported being the only ELL teacher in their district. teacher in their district.

Isolation is CompoundedIsolation is Compounded

Survey found 55% work in more Survey found 55% work in more than one school, and than one school, and

Nearly a third work in three or more Nearly a third work in three or more schools. schools.

These itinerant teachers are on the These itinerant teachers are on the move, not rooted to any one schoolmove, not rooted to any one school

Creating Community Creating Community

ELL teachers are often absent for the ELL teachers are often absent for the informal yet vitally important informal yet vitally important interactions that occur in staff lounges, interactions that occur in staff lounges, hallways and other informal school hallways and other informal school settings. settings.

These interactions between professional These interactions between professional peers are crucial opportunities for peers are crucial opportunities for building community, but ELL teachers building community, but ELL teachers in low-incidence settings must look for in low-incidence settings must look for them in other ways.them in other ways.

Creating CommunityCreating Community

ELL teachers in these low-incidence ELL teachers in these low-incidence settings have addressed this settings have addressed this professional isolation by coming professional isolation by coming together with fellow ELL teachers in together with fellow ELL teachers in three ways.three ways. In all three states electronic state-wide In all three states electronic state-wide

listservslistservs In NH, monthly network meetings.In NH, monthly network meetings. At least one network meeting has At least one network meeting has

established a wiki.established a wiki.

Types of Community Types of Community

Almost 100% of all respondents Almost 100% of all respondents reported that they subscribed to reported that they subscribed to their state’s listservs.their state’s listservs.

80% of respondents in NH reported 80% of respondents in NH reported that they attend network meetings. that they attend network meetings.

ListservListserv

Each of the three states has an ELL Each of the three states has an ELL listserv to which anyone can listserv to which anyone can subscribe.subscribe.

The listservs are places for The listservs are places for participants to post questions, float participants to post questions, float ideas, get advice, or ask for help. ideas, get advice, or ask for help.

Date indicate very high value of Date indicate very high value of listservs for isolated teachers. listservs for isolated teachers.

ListservsListservs An on-line equivalentAn on-line equivalent of the types of interactions of the types of interactions

that colleagues normally have with one another that colleagues normally have with one another on a regular basis in the hallways and staff on a regular basis in the hallways and staff lounges, during breaks or sharing lunch. lounges, during breaks or sharing lunch.

ELL teachers in low-incidence settings, who ELL teachers in low-incidence settings, who want advice from a fellow ELL teacher but want advice from a fellow ELL teacher but rarely see one in the course of their normal rarely see one in the course of their normal work day, utilize the listserv for these types of work day, utilize the listserv for these types of exchanges. exchanges.

The listserv becomes a virtual learning The listserv becomes a virtual learning community that offers support, advice, and community that offers support, advice, and feedback for professional development, which is feedback for professional development, which is especially meaningful for ELL teachers working especially meaningful for ELL teachers working alone alone

Network MeetingsNetwork Meetings

The regional network meetings in NH The regional network meetings in NH are venues for teachers to come are venues for teachers to come together at the end of the school day, together at the end of the school day, once a month for a couple of hours. once a month for a couple of hours.

The network meetings are usually The network meetings are usually maintained by a volunteer coordinator. maintained by a volunteer coordinator. Each member earns professional Each member earns professional development hours for attending. development hours for attending.

Network Meetings Network Meetings

Opportunities to come together with Opportunities to come together with people who teach the same subject people who teach the same subject in similar circumstances, with in similar circumstances, with similar challenges and populations. similar challenges and populations.

May be the only time during a May be the only time during a typical month that colleagues have typical month that colleagues have an opportunity to speak face-to-face an opportunity to speak face-to-face with someone else who teaches the with someone else who teaches the same subject.same subject.

Network MeetingsNetwork Meetings

In Northern New England, unique to In Northern New England, unique to New Hampshire.New Hampshire.

On-going data collection indicate On-going data collection indicate these meetings serve to lessen these meetings serve to lessen isolation and promote professional isolation and promote professional community building.community building.

WikiWiki

Members of one regional network meeting have Members of one regional network meeting have also formed a wiki, a social networking website also formed a wiki, a social networking website with multiple, ongoing discussion boards and with multiple, ongoing discussion boards and resource pages.resource pages.

Allow for more extended discussions. It is also Allow for more extended discussions. It is also useful for those unable to get to an in-person useful for those unable to get to an in-person meeting. meeting.

Allows teachers to stay connected to regional Allows teachers to stay connected to regional ELL teacher colleagues; the wiki is private but ELL teacher colleagues; the wiki is private but any teacher who goes to the monthly network any teacher who goes to the monthly network meetings can access and participate in it. meetings can access and participate in it.

WikiWiki

The wiki allows teachers to have a The wiki allows teachers to have a more regular, sustained community more regular, sustained community than monthly meetings allow for, than monthly meetings allow for, and, since members already know and, since members already know one another, is more intimate than one another, is more intimate than the listserv. the listserv.

The wiki interactions and the The wiki interactions and the network meetings support each network meetings support each other.other.

WikiWiki

The wiki also opened up The wiki also opened up communication.communication. Some professional exchanges that in the Some professional exchanges that in the

past were limited to one other person, for past were limited to one other person, for example emailing a question to a friend example emailing a question to a friend from the network meeting, have now from the network meeting, have now migrated to the wiki, so such professional migrated to the wiki, so such professional queries are open to a group of peers. queries are open to a group of peers.

Greater communication and connection Greater communication and connection among the group. among the group.

Low-incidence ELL Low-incidence ELL teachers’ unique challengesteachers’ unique challenges Often do not have any other Often do not have any other

professional ELL colleagues with professional ELL colleagues with whom they come into face-to-face whom they come into face-to-face contact on a daily basis. contact on a daily basis.

Often geographically isolated from Often geographically isolated from other ELL teachers, and other ELL teachers, and

Typically the only ELL teacher in the Typically the only ELL teacher in the district and/or the school. district and/or the school.

Addressed Isolation with Addressed Isolation with Community Community

Through monthly network support Through monthly network support meetings and two different types of meetings and two different types of virtual learning communities, these virtual learning communities, these ELL teachers in low-incidence settings ELL teachers in low-incidence settings have bridged their geographic and have bridged their geographic and professional boundaries, thus professional boundaries, thus lessening their isolation, advancing lessening their isolation, advancing their professional development, and their professional development, and aiding their students’ learning. aiding their students’ learning.

Other possibilitiesOther possibilities

Social Networking sites Social Networking sites WebsitesWebsites

Low-IncidenceLow-Incidence

In a 2008 survey of ELL teachers in In a 2008 survey of ELL teachers in Maine, New Hampshire and Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont (n=168), Vermont (n=168),

68% reported that they taught in 68% reported that they taught in schools with 20 or fewer ELLs and of schools with 20 or fewer ELLs and of these teachers, these teachers,

30% work in schools with fewer than 30% work in schools with fewer than five ELLs. five ELLs.