The RETELL (Rethinking Equity in the Teaching of English Language Learners) Program  was designed to help teachers codify and address the performance gaps among our ELLs; the Teacher Endorsement course is one facet of RETELL. Teachers who successfully complete this course will fulfill the requirements that all core academic teachers who have one or more ELLs in their classroom earn the SEI endorsement.

This course will focus on current effective practice and evidence-based research related to the teaching of ELLs in our schools. Effective teaching strategies will be modeled and participants will apply what they have seen and experienced in the course in their classroom teaching practice. Participants will also be able to evaluate their own practice and engage in supportive sharing with and feedback from colleagues.  Teachers will enhance their teaching practice with new skills, knowledge and dispositions that focus on the successful learning of our ELLs. In one Capstone session, teachers will give a 10-15 minute presentation using skills and knowledge gained from the course.

About the Instructor

Laurie Zucker-Conde, a veteran educator with over 25 years of experience teaching ESL K-12 and administering ELL and foreign language programs, is committed to helping all educators provide the sheltered instruction that EL students require to achieve academic success. She is an experienced Sheltered English Instructor and has taught this course in multiple Massachusetts districts. She holds three master’s degrees and a doctoral degree in English, Applied Linguistics (ESL), Administration (C.A.G.S), and Leadership in Urban Schools (EL Education focus). She currently teaches at the Franklin Elementary School in Newton.