Understanding Language
Stanford University: ell.stanford.edu
"Understanding Language aims to heighten educator awareness of the critical role that language plays in the new Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards. The long-term goal of the initiative is to increase recognition that learning the language of each academic discipline is essential to learning content. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information; articulating and building on ideas; constructing explanations; engaging in argument from evidence—such language-rich performance expectations permeate the new Standards."
Serp Institute: http://www.serpinstitute.org
"SERP’s mission is to develop and support highly productive collaborations among forward thinking education practitioners and outstanding researchers, developers, and policy makers to solve the most intractable problems facing American education. SERP is accomplishing this goal by establishing a set of strategically-placed field sites—school districts that enter into long-term partnerships with SERP-recruited researchers to engage in joint problem-solving and continuous improvement rooted in scientific research and development. SERP work addresses urgent problems that the school districts identify, building on the existing work of the world’s best researchers and rigorously testing innovations in a variety of real school settings."
WestEd: http://www.wested.org/area_of_work/english-language-learners/
"West-Ed directs numerous projects and services that help address the dual needs of students who must master academic content and the English language simultaneously. WestEd’s Quality Teaching for English Learners, for example, builds the capacity of educators to help all students, particularly English language learners, achieve success in the era of Common Core and other standards that emphasize college and career readiness. Many of WestEd’s initiatives focus on language development in the context of rigorous subject matter such as science, math, English language arts, and history."
Center for Mathematics Education of Latinos/as: cemela.math.arizona.edu
"The Center for the Mathematics Education of Latinos/as (CEMELA) is an interdisciplinary, multi-university consortium focused on the research and practice of the teaching and learning of mathematics with Latino students in the United States. CEMELA brings together experts in mathematics education, mathematics, language, and culture to collaboratively work on improving the mathematics education of low-income Latino students. CEMELA aims to understand the interplay of mathematics education and the unique language, social and political issues that affect Latino communities. CEMELA's holistic approach involves the various interested parties in the education of children: parents, school administrators, and teachers. CEMELA will be relevant not only to Latinos but also to other groups of linguistically and culturally diverse students through the development of theory and practice for how to turn language and cultural diversity into educational assets for the mathematics education of all students."
TODOS: Mathematics for All: http://www.todos-math.org/
Five goals define the activities and products of TODOS: Mathematics for ALL:
1. To advance educators' knowledge and ability that lead to implementing an equitable, rigorous, and coherent mathematics program that incorporates the role language and culture play in teaching and learning mathematics.
2. To develop and support educational leaders who continue to carry out the mission of TODOS.
3. To generate and disseminate knowledge about equitable and high quality mathematics education.
4. To inform the public and influence educational policies in ways that enable students to become mathematically proficient in order to enhance college and career readiness.
5. To inform families about educational policies and learning strategies that will enable their children to become mathematically proficient.