June 2016
In This Issue
Meeting the Needs of English Language Learners and Bilingual Immersion Programs
Illustrator Spotlight
Tips and Tools
Grants
Free Download
Find Free Spirit
Special offer: 30% off bilingual books and other resources. Learn more.
Meeting the Needs of English Language Learners and Bilingual Immersion Programs  
A recent article in Education Week tells us that nearly 75 percent of classrooms contain at least one English language learner (ELL). We also know that language immersion programs are more popular than ever. One of the most effective means to raise fluency in both native and adopted languages is quality bilingual materials. As another added benefit, parents of ELL students can take an active part in their child's education when materials are offered in their native language. For these reasons, Free Spirit is dedicated to offering an ever-increasing selection of bilingual (English-Spanish) books. We publish our own dual-language editions and partner with publishing houses around the world on translations of our work.

This month's Upbeat News features a blog post on the importance of bilingual education and offers an example of our high-quality back matter for parents and educators in bilingual form!

SNEAK PEEK

Toddler Tools We're excited to add two new bilingual titles to our best-selling Toddler Tools® series.
 
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FREE DOWNLOAD

Germs Board Book Time to color! Enjoy this free coloring page from Germs Are Not for Sharing.

Download Now (PDF)

FIND FREE SPIRIT

Upcoming events and conferences:
June 5-8: National Association for the Education of Young Children Professional Development Conference, Baltimore, MD

June 23-28: American Library Association Annual Conference, Orlando, FL

June 25-29: National Charter School Conference, Nashville, TN

July 12-14: Quality Rating and Improvement Systems National Meeting, New Orleans, LA

October 5-7: Heartland Fall Forum, Minneapolis, MN

October 9-12: Association for Middle Level Education Conference, Austin, TX

October 19-23: Frankfurt Book Fair, Frankfurt, Germany
"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops."--Henry Adams, American historian
Marieka Heinlen
Illustrator Spotlight
Marieka Heinlen
Marieka Heinlen received her BFA at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and also studied at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London. She launched her career as an award-winning children's book illustrator with Hands Are Not for Hitting and has illustrated all of the books in the Best Behavior ® and Toddler Tools ® series.

From the Free Spirit Blog
Tips and Tools
Legal Protections for Kids with LD
Rhoda Cummings, Ed.D., author of The Survival Guide for Kids with LD navigates the federal legislation that protects kids with LD.

Tattling vs. Reporting: Two Scenarios to Show the Difference
How do we teach children to discern between tattling and reporting a real problem? Guest blogger Allison Wedell Schumacher provides two situations to help kids understand the difference.
Grants
Educational Grants Available for Your School or Organization
Engaging Students in Learning Mathematics Grant: Grades 6-8
The purpose of this grant is to incorporate middle school classroom materials or lessons that actively engage students in tasks and experiences to deepen and connect their content knowledge. For 2017-18, grants of up to $3,000 each will be awarded to persons currently teaching mathematics in grades 6-8.
Prize: $3,000
Deadline: November 4, 2016
    
Teach Earth Travel Fellowship
Each year, Teach Earth selects talented teachers from all subject areas to work alongside world-class scientists on field research expeditions around the world. From the edge of the Arctic to the coast of Maine, these teachers collect data on climate change, ecology, wildlife, and more. Teachers have the opportunity to learn the scientific process firsthand and help solve some of the world's most pressing environmental challenges. Teachers return to the classroom with new perspectives and knowledge, invigorated and inspired to share the experience of real discovery with their students.
Prize: A Teach Earth Fellowship includes the full cost of your assigned expedition, including meals, accommodations, and on-site transportation. Fellows also receive a travel award grant to offset out-of-pocket travel expenses to and from the expedition site.
Deadline: December 18, 2016


SpecialSpecial Offer 
Order from our Bilingual section* and receive 30% off! Offer ends June 30, 2016. Use code BILINGUAL30 at checkout. View resources.

*Excludes already discounted sets.