TALL Activities

1) The TALL Summer Institute

A special complement to the TALL Summer Institute is the use of a new Model Digital Language Learning Classroom at the University at Albany's Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL). This facility is comprised of fluid, flexible workgroups and the projection and manipulation of digitized media and integrated telecommunications. Specially designed institute activities feature participants viewing, manipulating, annotating, recording, and discussing digitally recorded audio and video of exemplary practices. Training will also include a "voices from the field" component whereby computer-using ESOL teachers from the field who work closely with the University will 1) discuss their craft with participants; and 2) participate in fieldwork partnerships with institute participants who will work alongside them in their classrooms to implement technologies-based literacy activities.

2) Training-to-Field and Field-to-Training

Pre-service participants will be supported by the project to take their TALL expertise into our four participating school districts in many forums: "push-in" mentoring, turn-key in-services, trainer-to-trainer, and partner mentoring. Additionally, in-service teachers will be supported by the project to participate in all University-related activities as well as work with pre-service teachers in their own districts in the above-named forums. Special consideration will be given to specialists in Reading who will be recruited from the field and through pre-service networks. Ongoing formative evaluation of these Training-to-Field and Field-to-Training activities will inform both the field and training components of the project.

Participants will collaborate and disseminate classroom research within their assigned districts, provide in-service training to mainstream teachers, develop content-based ESL curricula in collaboration with mainstream teachers, and advocate for intelligent uses of technology with LEP children at the administrative levels of participating schools. Literacy through technology teams will consist of project participants and ESOL teachers, school administrators, State Education Department specialists, parents, Language Education Doctoral students and faculty at the University.