Accessibility, Language and Skills

Schools must do more to help families overcome language barriers

eSchool News

SEPTEMBER 25, 2024

residents who speak a language other than English at home. I talk to a lot of parents, both as a parent myself and in my work advocating for language services. What I hear is that while public, magnet, and charter schools are legally required to offer language services, schools simply aren’t using interpreters as much as they should.

Language

Language Languages English Schools

Computer science education sees more investment, but access gaps linger

eSchool News

NOVEMBER 26, 2024

And while the increase in states requiring computer science education is encouraging, millions of students still lack the access necessary to learn, and most states have yet to make it a graduation requirement. “The data is clear: computer science equips students with essential skills for future careers in all industries. .

Science

Science Accessibility Education STEM

Steps Toward Creating a More Accessible and Inclusive College Classroom

Faculty Focus

MAY 18, 2025

Assume that students are capable and possess knowledge and skills. Provide multiple sources and access points for assignment requirements and expectations (written descriptions, presentations, instructional videos, examples, rubrics). Create community guidelines for discussions that include intention and impact/anti-bias language.

Accessibility

Accessibility Disabilities Learning Disabilities Special Education

AEF Schools: Empowering Students with Individualized Learning, Social Growth, and Real-World Skills

k12 Digest

MAY 28, 2025

With small class sizes, individualized instruction, and a focus on executive functioning, social-emotional growth, and life skills, AEF offers a unique educational experience tailored to each students needs. At the heart of AEFs teaching methods is the belief that learning should be engaging and accessible.

Skills

Skills Schools Learning Students

What I learned building an AI tool for my own kids (and millions more worldwide)

eSchool News

APRIL 25, 2025

Throw out the traditional app playbook When my family and I moved from Siberia to California in 2014, my daughter Sofia had to adjust to a whole new language at preschool. Watching her struggle, I realized language-learning tools just werent designed for kids. Affordable and accessible tech stands to open up opportunities for them.

Language

Language Languages Learning English

Meeting the rising demand for school-based speech and behavioral support

eSchool News

MAY 8, 2025

As districts and schools nationwide struggle to find qualified therapists, particularly speech-language pathologists and board-certified behavior analysts (BCBAs), theres a growing demand for these specialized professionals. By leveraging flexible staffing solutions, schools can access high-quality therapists at a lower overall cost.

Schools

Schools Special Education Language Languages

Lights, camera, literacy: Student-created book reviews inspire a global reading culture

eSchool News

MAY 12, 2025

Project overview: Reading, recording, and reaching the world As an ESL teacher, Ive always looked for ways to make literacy feel meaningful and empowering, especially for students navigating a new language and culture. Her work demonstrated not only strong literacy skills but also digital fluency and a growing sense of self-expression.

Culture

Culture Reading Students Language

5 tips to help students master foundational skills

eSchool News

NOVEMBER 25, 2022

English language arts (ELA) standards identify a set of foundational skills students must master in their progression to becoming skilled readers. These skills include alphabet recognition, concepts of print, phonological awareness, phonics , high-frequency words, and fluency. But that statistic may soon change.

Skills

Skills English Students Knowledge

3 keys to successful summer reading (regardless of the languages students speak)

eSchool News

MARCH 12, 2024

It was an entry point for me to begin thinking about what a rich profession teaching is, along with how students develop their early reading skills, especially when they are learning multiple languages at once. Here are three best practices that are effective regardless of the languages your students speak at home.

Language

Language Languages Reading English

Arkansas Department of Education Names Curriculum Associates’ Magnetic Reading™ Foundations an Approved English Language Arts Foundational Skills Program for Grades K–2

eSchool News

MARCH 31, 2023

.— The Arkansas Department of Education’s Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) recently named Curriculum Associates’ Magnetic Reading Foundations to its list of high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) for foundational skills in English language arts.

English

English Grades Art Curriculum

Almost 2,000 Schools and Districts Choose Lexia® English Language Development™ to Support Emergent Bilingual Students’ English Language Acquisition

eSchool News

APRIL 1, 2025

BOSTON (March 31, 2025) In recent months, almost 2,000 schools and districts have purchased or renewed licenses for Lexia English Language Development (Lexia English) from Lexia , a Cambium Learning Group brand. The numbers show just how much students and educators have needed access to a culturally responsive language learning solution.

English

English Language Languages Social Studies

How to teach writing skills in the ChatGPT era

eSchool News

JULY 27, 2023

No wonder: This language model algorithm is smart enough to produce logical and grammatically correct texts for any prompt. It won’t go anywhere, and teachers can’t separate students from access to this technology.

Writing

Writing Skills Plagiarism Teaching

Universal Design for Learning and Blended Learning: Representation

Catlin Tucker

SEPTEMBER 14, 2020

I shared strategies designed to develop self-regulation skills, sustain effort and persistence, and recruit interest. In this post, I want to explore the principle of representation, which is focused on providing students with access to multiple ways of experiencing or receiving information. Click here to access instructions.

Universal Design

Universal Design Blended Learning Learning Feedback

Look to the Science: Understanding how Mind, Brain and Education Science can Inform Educational Practices

k12 Digest

MAY 19, 2025

As insights from neuroscience increasingly inform educational practices, we are seeing old theories and practices, such as whole language, challenged and new approaches more aligned to the science of learning emerge. Lets examine a few examples from the research. Learning is still, and always has been, a social activity.

Science

Science Education Motivation Lecturing

6 ways to make math more accessible for multilingual learners

eSchool News

APRIL 4, 2025

Key points: All students are math language learners, regardless of their home language Fostering metacognition and AI integration for ELLs How to support multilingual learners in STEM For more news on language learners, visit eSN’s Innovative Teaching hub Math isnt just about numbers. Its about language, too.

Math

Math Accessibility English Language

Virtual art meets language learning: A tech-enhanced ESL experience

eSchool News

APRIL 14, 2025

For English Language Learners (ELLs), its more than an expressive outlet. Virtual museum visits extend this magic even further, granting students access to the worlds cultural treasures. This article presents a standards-aligned lesson plan that uses virtual museum visits as a foundation for deep language learning.

Language

Language Languages Art English

Formative Assessment: Collecting Data & Designing Differentiated Learning Experiences in Class or Online

Catlin Tucker

MARCH 1, 2021

What will students understand (content knowledge) or be able to do (skills) at the end of the lesson or learning cycle? The standards guide teachers as they design learning experiences for students; however, the standards are not written in student-friendly language. Can you craft success criteria that you can measure progress against?

Learning

Learning Knowledge Writing Discussions

How 4 districts use AI tools to transform education

eSchool News

APRIL 25, 2025

Gemini also explains concepts and lesson material to students in simple and different ways if students don’t have access to a teacher–for instance, during homework or over a holiday break. Students also use Gemini for real-time academic help, such as asking follow-up questions and details about a particular topic.

Education

Education Quizzes Coaching Special Education

Gale In Context: Literature Launches to Promote Critical Thinking Skills and Better Learning Outcomes in ELA for High School Students

eSchool News

JUNE 9, 2023

The company has launched Gale In Context: Literature, a new resource for literature instruction and learning that helps high schoolers engage and thrive in English language arts (ELA). Full Text: access to select full works of literature in an easy-to-use eBook format. Download/view screenshots of Gale In Context: Literature.

Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking Learning Outcomes High School High School

EY and Microsoft equip the next generation with AI skills

eSchool News

FEBRUARY 21, 2025

This free online program is part of an ongoingsocial impact collaborationfocused on supporting young people and those furthest from opportunity to build the AI skills necessary to thrive in today’s AI economy. According to Randstad research , demand for AI skills in job postings has surged by 2,000%.

Skills

Skills Ethics Intelligence Participation

6 ways to support multilingual learners in STEM

eSchool News

JANUARY 17, 2024

STEM can help with English language development by allowing students to engage with language in a variety of ways. Part of “doing STEM” means learning to speak the language of STEM. For MLs, grappling with STEM terms while also navigating a new language can make it extra challenging.

STEM

STEM English Language Languages

How instructional audio amps up physical education classes

eSchool News

MAY 19, 2025

teachers work with diverse groups, often with varying language backgrounds and ability levels, in both indoor and outdoor settings. Clear verbal and nonverbal communication build trust and respect, making students feel heard and helping them more effectively develop motor skills.

Physical Education

Physical Education Education Communication Motivation

Bite-Size Learning, Big Results: Why Microlearning is the Future of Education

k12 Digest

MAY 15, 2025

For example, mobile flashcards and microlearning videos- short, focused lessons accessible via smartphones- allow students to review and reinforce knowledge in brief intervals, boosting retention and engagement [2]. Students in remote areas can access the same quality of instruction as those in educational hubs.

Education

Education Learning Knowledge Feedback

Removing Barriers with UDL and Blended Learning

Catlin Tucker

MAY 11, 2021

The same class may have students who don’t have the necessary prior knowledge or language skills to understand the information presented. So, if a teacher wants to present information, UDL encourages them to present that information in multiple formats, allowing students to engage with information in a way that feels accessible.

Blended Learning

Blended Learning Learning Universal Design Disabilities

Equity and Access at the Core of Learning Without Tears’ Breakthrough Literacy Program, Phonics, Reading, and Me™

eSchool News

MARCH 20, 2023

Cabin John MD – Early learning leader, Learning Without Tears, today affirmed that equity and access are at the core of Phonics, Reading, and Me —its K–3 supplemental literacy program designed to help students learn the skills they need to become proficient readers.

Reading

Reading Accessibility Learning Elementary School

3 Reasons Teachers Should Use the Playlist Model

Catlin Tucker

MARCH 25, 2024

Learning a Language: Acquiring a new language involves mastering vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and cultural nuances. Each student progresses differently based on prior knowledge, learning preferences, and exposure to the language. Teachers can use this one-on-one or small group time for a range of tasks.

Teachers

Teachers Art Feedback Writing

Beyond translations: Effective scaffolds to support ELLs

eSchool News

NOVEMBER 26, 2024

Key points: Scaffolds help ELLs learn the language and master academic content This ESL teacher ensures students learn the language–and feel the love How edtech is transforming bilingual education in the U.S. Math Though math is often seen as a universal language, the academic vocabulary can create significant barriers for ELLs.

English

English Language Languages Social Studies

Peer Feedback: Making It Meaningful

Catlin Tucker

APRIL 27, 2021

Teachers working with younger students or second language learners can create a choice board with sentence frames to provide students with additional support as they give each other focused feedback. Based on what a student sees in the work they are reviewing, they may be drawn to one option on the choice board over another.

Feedback

Feedback Peer Review Assignments Online Learning

Use Digital Notebooks to Facilitate Book Clubs and Literature Circles at the Secondary Level

Catlin Tucker

FEBRUARY 24, 2019

Instead of creating readers, this approach can alienate students who struggle to access books at a particular reading level or do not care for the genre of the books on their class reading list. Each section prompts students to examine the characters, themes, and language of their texts. Here is the template you can copy: bit.ly/HSbookclub.

Coaching

Coaching Motivation Reading Assignments

How to combat misuse of AI in student writing

eSchool News

JUNE 28, 2024

The bottom line: When students are confident in their writing skills, they will be less tempted to run directly to AI to generate a writing assignment. Offering students different options through which to demonstrate their understanding and their writing skills is another way to discourage them from automatically using AI. “We

Writing

Writing Essay Plagiarism Assignments

Why Sending Students Home with Writing Assignments Might Not Be The Best Idea

Catlin Tucker

DECEMBER 12, 2023

Competence: Students may not feel confident in their writing skills generally or their ability to answer a particular question specifically. Family members might not be fluent in the language of the writing assignments, or they may lack the necessary writing skills to assist their students effectively. Pre-order Available!

Assignments

Assignments Writing Feedback Motivation

Combatting the Challenges of Whole Group Lessons with Blended Learning

Catlin Tucker

OCTOBER 5, 2021

What: Teaching techniques designed to meet the needs of a diverse group of learners with varied needs, skills, abilities, and language proficiencies. Differentiating the content, or how students access knowledge, understanding, and skills. There are three main ways to approach differentiation.

Blended Learning

Blended Learning Metacognitive Skills Learning Motivation

End-of-the-Year Housekeeping: Reflect & Organize

Catlin Tucker

JUNE 6, 2021

Consider reorganizing your documents by topic, unit, skill set, or time period and color-code them for easy access. She currently teaches Language Arts and Technology at a bilingual public middle school. This can be a tedious task, so I recommend doing it in small bursts with frequent breaks. .

Art

Art Online Learning Language Languages

Clark County School District Gives Educators in 241 Elementary Schools Access to Lexia’s LETRS Professional Learning

eSchool News

JANUARY 31, 2023

BOSTON – Clark County School District (CCSD) in Nevada, has made Lexia LETRS ® (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) professional learning programs available to most elementary schools in the district with a plan to continue expanding the program to additional elementary and early childhood teachers and administrators.

Elementary School

Elementary School Elementary School Accessibility Schools

5 CTE trends to track in 2025

eSchool News

JANUARY 21, 2025

Key points: CTE positions students to develop critical postsecondary skills Connecting learning to career exploration Real-life work experiences: The unseen curriculum for high school success For more news on CTE, visit eSN’s Innovative Teaching hub What do today’s students need to know before they jump into the workforce?

Skills

Skills High School High School Language

Beyond digital literacy: Why K-12 educators must prioritize data literacy

eSchool News

APRIL 23, 2025

In todays technology-rich classrooms, digital literacy is becoming a foundational skill–students are learning to navigate devices, use educational software, and collaborate online. Teaching data literacy helps students succeed academically and develop the civic skills theyll need to navigate the wider world.

Ethics

Ethics Education Culture Social Studies

Be a Quick Learner: 6 Tips to Learn Any Language Faster

Ask a Tech Teacher

JANUARY 27, 2025

Learning a language is a long process, often filled with ups and downs. The Ask a Tech Teacher team has these six tips to help you learn any language faster: Be a Quick Learner: 6 Tips to Learn Any Language Faster Learning a new language may be overwhelming, but it can also be enjoyable and rewarding when you apply the right strategies.

Language

Language Languages Learning Motivation

Discovery Education and TrueSport Partner to Present a Unique, Virtual Town Hall Exploring the Life Skills Students Need for Success Beyond Sports

eSchool News

JANUARY 27, 2022

Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) dedicated to transforming the culture of youth sport – and Discovery Education today announce a partnership providing powerful educational tools to equip students with resources that help build life skills and core values for success on and off the field of play. Powered by the experience and values of the U.S.

Skills

Skills Culture Coaching Art

Designing fair and inclusive tests for non-native speakers

eSchool News

NOVEMBER 3, 2022

million people (equal to the population of France), speak a language other than English at home, according to the Center for Immigration Studies. When it comes to taking tests not in their first language, these groups can be at a notable disadvantage – especially for tests that influence a test-takers’ future.

Fairness

Fairness Testing Language Languages

Teacher Engagement Part I: Understanging Cognitive Engagement in Blended Learning Environments

Catlin Tucker

DECEMBER 22, 2021

What accessibility features might make this space more user-friendly? What skills, abilities, language proficiencies, interests, and/or learning preferences are present in a class? Where are they seeing growth in their skills and/or content knowledge? What are their needs and preferences?

Blended Learning

Blended Learning Teachers Learning Grades

Ensuring Equity for English Learners (ELs)

Catlin Tucker

MAY 30, 2023

Identifying the Needs of English Learners English learners (ELs) have unique needs requiring targeted instructional approaches to support their language acquisition and academic success. ELs need instruction tailored to their language proficiency level. ELs deserve access to the same content and curriculum as their peers.

English

English Blended Learning Language Languages

A look at AI use in schools across the country

eSchool News

NOVEMBER 18, 2024

“‘With respect to students, it is the Board’s policy that they are required to rely on their own knowledge, skills, and resources when completing school work,’ according to the district’s policies.

Ethics

Ethics Schools Intelligence Assignments

4 predictions for computer science education in 2022

eSchool News

JANUARY 7, 2022

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, school districts across the country have seen an influx of funding for student devices, internet access, and a variety of edtech tools. This practical change has made it easier to incorporate computer science lessons into core subjects taught across the day, like math and language arts.

Science

Science Internet Education Art

Designing For Deeper Learning: Identifying Challenges and Prototyping Solutions

Catlin Tucker

MARCH 28, 2023

Designing for Deeper Learning The sign of deeper learning is the ability to transfer or apply knowledge and skills to new and novel contexts. Cognitive The cognitive domain refers to the content knowledge and skills students must acquire to engage in deeper learning. These internal skills are vital to cultivating expert learners.

Blended Learning

Blended Learning Universal Design Learning Motivation

Schools must do more to help families overcome language barriers

Computer science education sees more investment, but access gaps linger

Trending Sources

Steps Toward Creating a More Accessible and Inclusive College Classroom

AEF Schools: Empowering Students with Individualized Learning, Social Growth, and Real-World Skills

What I learned building an AI tool for my own kids (and millions more worldwide)

Meeting the rising demand for school-based speech and behavioral support

Lights, camera, literacy: Student-created book reviews inspire a global reading culture

5 tips to help students master foundational skills

3 keys to successful summer reading (regardless of the languages students speak)

Arkansas Department of Education Names Curriculum Associates’ Magnetic Reading™ Foundations an Approved English Language Arts Foundational Skills Program for Grades K–2

Almost 2,000 Schools and Districts Choose Lexia® English Language Development™ to Support Emergent Bilingual Students’ English Language Acquisition

How to teach writing skills in the ChatGPT era

Universal Design for Learning and Blended Learning: Representation

Look to the Science: Understanding how Mind, Brain and Education Science can Inform Educational Practices

6 ways to make math more accessible for multilingual learners

Virtual art meets language learning: A tech-enhanced ESL experience

Formative Assessment: Collecting Data & Designing Differentiated Learning Experiences in Class or Online

How 4 districts use AI tools to transform education

Gale In Context: Literature Launches to Promote Critical Thinking Skills and Better Learning Outcomes in ELA for High School Students

EY and Microsoft equip the next generation with AI skills

6 ways to support multilingual learners in STEM

How instructional audio amps up physical education classes

Bite-Size Learning, Big Results: Why Microlearning is the Future of Education

Removing Barriers with UDL and Blended Learning

Equity and Access at the Core of Learning Without Tears’ Breakthrough Literacy Program, Phonics, Reading, and Me™

3 Reasons Teachers Should Use the Playlist Model

Beyond translations: Effective scaffolds to support ELLs

Peer Feedback: Making It Meaningful

Use Digital Notebooks to Facilitate Book Clubs and Literature Circles at the Secondary Level

How to combat misuse of AI in student writing

Why Sending Students Home with Writing Assignments Might Not Be The Best Idea

Combatting the Challenges of Whole Group Lessons with Blended Learning

End-of-the-Year Housekeeping: Reflect & Organize

Clark County School District Gives Educators in 241 Elementary Schools Access to Lexia’s LETRS Professional Learning

5 CTE trends to track in 2025

Beyond digital literacy: Why K-12 educators must prioritize data literacy

Be a Quick Learner: 6 Tips to Learn Any Language Faster

Discovery Education and TrueSport Partner to Present a Unique, Virtual Town Hall Exploring the Life Skills Students Need for Success Beyond Sports

Designing fair and inclusive tests for non-native speakers

Teacher Engagement Part I: Understanging Cognitive Engagement in Blended Learning Environments

Ensuring Equity for English Learners (ELs)

A look at AI use in schools across the country

4 predictions for computer science education in 2022

Designing For Deeper Learning: Identifying Challenges and Prototyping Solutions

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