Affirming Your Students' Home Language as an Asset |
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As we continue to grow and expand universal transitional kindergarten (UTK) programs across San Diego County, we have an opportunity to design programs that value and affirm students’ languages and cultures.
We know that young children are natural language learners and language plays a central role in children’s cognitive and social development in the formative years. The international research on the positive impact of bilingualism is also clear: bilingualism expands multicultural awareness, cultivates an appreciation for multiple points of view, and increases problem-solving abilities. In California, where more than 40% of children speak a language other than English at home, nurturing quality UTK bilingual programs that maintain and strengthen students’ primary languages extends bilingual benefits to all of our youngest learners.
The Universal Prekindergarten Planning and Implementation Grant emphasizes the importance of implementing language program models where home-languages are viewed as assets. Program models include both bilingual and dual language programs that support the development of English and an additional or primary language. Likewise, The Global California 2030, the California Education for a Global Economy initiative (Ed.G.E.), the California English Learner Roadmap State Board of Education Policy, and the recently released Dual Language Immersion Grant Program all aim to expand the teaching and learning of world languages and ensure the development of students’ primary languages in structured learning environments.
To begin to design robust UTK bilingual and dual language programs, we can intentionally integrate multilingual learning into our instructional design. The following instructional practices support the language development of multilingual learners (adapted from the Center for Research and Education, Diversity, and Excellence):
- Interact with students in ways that respect students’ preferences for speaking that may be different from the teacher’s, such as wait-time, eye contact, turn-taking, or spotlighting.
- Use students’ first and second languages to provide academic instruction and activities.
- Implement active discovery approaches to teaching and learning.
- View dual language and bilingual programs as gifted programs.
- Promote and plan frequent opportunities for student talk about familiar topics such as home and community with each other and the teacher during instructional activities.
- Respond to students’ talk and questions, making "in-flight" changes during conversation that directly relate to students’ comments.
- Connect student language with literacy and content area knowledge through speaking, listening, reading, and writing activities.
- Assist written and oral language development through modeling, eliciting, probing, restating, clarifying, questioning, praising, etc., in purposeful conversation and writing.
- Encourage students to use content vocabulary to express their understanding.
For more information, see the following resources:
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Putting It All Together (PIAT) |
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PIAT Sessions 2 and 3 Highlights |
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Feb. 17
- Workforce Recruitment and Human Resources
- Facilities, Services, and Operations
March 3
- Community Engagement and Partnerships
- Expanded Learning and Expanded Learning Opportunity Program
- Multilingual Programs and English Learners
Following each session, SDCOE department specialists offered office hours for further support our local educational agencies (LEAs). Did you miss the PIAT sessions? You may access the slide decks below:
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Session 4 PIAT March 23 Pre-Checklist
This is the fourth in a series of five virtual sessions to support LEAs with the development of UPK plans. The final webinar is from 1 to 3 p.m. April 5.
Below are checklist items to consider before your team attends the March 23 session.
- Finalize your demographic data collection
- Continue meeting as an LEA UPK team to work through your plan and integrate the recommended/questions in the template to guide team discussions
- Continue to refine your LEA’s vision to include a P-3 lens
- Continue to connect with educational partners such as parents, staff, and community groups
- Continuously think through with your team how your vision supports the P-3 alignment and coherence in your system
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This month, we connected with Nerel Winter, principal of Bostonia Global (TK-12) in Cajon Valley Union School District. We asked Winter to share his experience with leading a dual immersion, transitional kindergarten program. We are excited to share their journey.
At Bostonia Global, regardless of a scholar’s background, cultural experiences, and family history, all individuals have access to educational experiences that present opportunities to excel in academic, social, and cross-cultural settings. As a 90:10 dual language program, Bostonia Global provides students with a multilingual Spanish-immersion program that provides students with a creative learning environment where strengths and individuality are respected and students are encouraged to apply knowledge learned utilizing innovative methods.
Beginning in transitional kindergarten, Bostonia Global’s educational practices are distinguished by a focus on dual language, computer science, blended and personalized learning through 1:1 technology, and presentation literacy skills. All students in every classroom are immersed in a rich dual language immersion program promoting the development of global citizens who solidly possess language and academic skills in English, Spanish, and computer science. In every classroom across the campus, students concurrently develop deep multicultural understandings to prepare them to be successful contributors and effective communicators in an ever-connecting, rapidly-evolving global society.
Bostonia maintains a positive, nurturing school climate fostering strong peer-peer, teacher-student, and school-home relationships. Students have active roles as learners and experts, providing a rich context in which students are willing to take risks and learn from their mistakes. All stakeholders recognize the need to partner to meet mutual goals for student success, as they hold each other accountable for refining their practices.
To communicate to all segments of the learning community, they rely on student exhibitions of work, social media, and traditional lines of communication. The school operates in multiple languages continuously, reinforcing the focus on global competencies and community connectivity. They regularly assess and monitor the effectiveness of our practices. Surveys, community forums, and interviews inform school leadership.
The leadership team is most proud of the fact that all students entering Bostonia Global are provided with an "educational environment focused on creating a multilingual, multiliterate, and multilingual community where all students (regardless of grade level, background, or ability) are able to: help others become successful and responsible citizens of the world, nurture diverse skills and personalities, welcome and inspire creative ideas, work as a team to innovate and solve real world problems, exhibit positive attitudes and high expectations, and promote the development and pride of competencies for all". Bostonia is a product of the work of educators coming together for a shared purpose: academic excellence in multiple languages. They strive to break free from the traditional elementary school model through innovation, thereby becoming a model of excellence at all levels.
Bostonia Global is fully committed to equity. The community of learners celebrates the uniqueness of each individual and provides equitable access to programs and opportunities while promoting academic and social-emotional well-being for all. Meaningful ties among community members foster a trusting, caring, and mutually respectful culture. Intentionally diverse and integrated learning environments create a community-wide culture of achievement so that each learner thrives in a multicultural, global society. The school team is making a bold claim; Bostonia believes all students can meet and exceed learning expectations in all coursework, given appropriate time and support. Their recommendation to all colleagues beginning a transformative transitional kindergarten program is to focus on your students, families and communities and to think of the following guiding questions:
- Who are your students, families, and community?
- What are their passions?
- What are their dreams and aspirations?
- What are their strengths, interests, and values?
Create a transitional kinder program that aligns with these values and provides students with a strong foundation through which to find success in all avenues.
Thank you, Principal Winter, for sharing your transitional kindergarten journey with the SDCOE UPK-P3 team!
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Students engaged in collaborative conversations and hands-on learning. |
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Learning as a team is a foundational pillar of Bostonia Global — one school, one family, one community |
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Universal Prekindergarten Planning and Implementation Grant |
By ensuring that each child in California has access to a year of high-quality prekindergarten, Assembly Bill 130 sets students up for success in kindergarten and beyond.
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April 15, 2022
June 1, 2022
Planning teams meet with the county office of education to discuss the LEA’s draft, including local constituency input, by June 1, 2022.
June 30, 2022
Under state law, the plan must be developed for consideration by the LEA’s governing board or body at a public meeting on or before June 30, 2022. The CDE must encumber funds by June 30, 2024. LEAs will have until June 30, 2025, to use the funds.
After July 30, 2022
CDE will be collecting information on the answers to the “required questions” via survey format. LEA must provide data, as specified by the state superintendent of public instruction, to the CDE.
July 31, 2022
Following the presentation of the plan to the LEA's school board, the LEA shall respond to the CDE's subsequent requests for information no later than July 31, 2022.
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UPK Planning Template Office Hours |
Need additional support? The following office hours are being offered in the specific topic areas:
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Structured English Immersion Programs: from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- March 9 — Registration link
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Community Engagement and Partnerships from 10 to 11 a.m.
- March 10 — Registration link
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Bilingual and Dual Language Programs — Registration link
- March 10 — 8 to 9 a.m.
- March 15 — 11 a.m. to noon
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Expanded Learning Opportunities Program from 11 a.m. to noon
- March 10, April 6, May 12, June 16 — Information flyer
- Join the SDCOE Expanded Learning Network — Register here
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Early Education - California State Preschool Program and UPK from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- March 21 — Registration link
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The CDE Early Education Division has released Management Bulletin 22–02, announcing a request for applications for the availability of $130 million to expand California State Preschool Program (CSPP) services statewide. The application is due April 7, 2022.
These funds are available to LEA applicants to provide full-day and full-year and part-day and part-year CSPP services beginning in fiscal year 2021-22. Funding will be allocated by county, and within each county by the Local Planning Council priority area.
LEAs currently looking for additional ways to provide nine hours of service may consider applying for a CSPP contract or apply to expand their current contract. The UPK Planning and Implementation Guidance, Volume 1 document highlights the use of CSPP as a model to meet the needs of children and families. The CSPP contract can be operated by the district or subcontracted to a local community-based organization.
To learn more about the fiscal and administrative requirements of implementing a CSPP contract, please attend the CDE webinar on March 10, 2022. Access the meeting using this Zoom link and passcode 206948. |
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If you have any questions or comments about P3-UTK newsletter, email SDCOE Executive Leadership Coach Erin Dare or call 858-295-8913.
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Get up-to-the-minute information about what's happening at SDCOE and in our districts across the county. |
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