This document outlines an activity to demonstrate knowledge of consent decrees and policies related to teaching English learners. It divides participants into five groups, each assigned to research a different legal case or policy site. The groups will then present on how the knowledge gained from their assigned resource can inform and improve instruction for English learners. After presentations, participants will review additional state and federal laws that support Florida's consent decree and describe how these policies can benefit English learner education. The activity addresses TESOL and Florida teacher standards around applying research and policies to teaching English learners.

1. Consent Decree Activity
This activity is aligned to the following ESOL Standards:
TESOL Standard 5.a. ESL Research and History
Demonstrate knowledge of history, research, educational public policy, and current practices in the field of ESL
teaching and apply this knowledge to inform teaching and learning.
Florida Teacher Standards for ESOL Endorsement
Domain 3: Methods of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
Standard 1: ESL/ESOL Research and History
Demonstrate knowledge of history, public policy, research, and current practices in the field of ESL/ESOL teaching
and apply this knowledge to improve teaching and learning for ELs.
Objective:
To demonstrate knowledge of ways to inform and improve teaching of and
learning for ELs in the PreK-12 classroom.
Instructions: Divide into five groups. Each group will review their assigned website(s)
and present how this knowledge may inform and improve teaching and
learning for ELs, i.e., based on the URL you reviewed, what polices,
research, and/or practices should educators be aware of in fostering and
promoting learning for ELs?
Group 1:
National Clearing House for English Language Acquisition
http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/ / Go to: Data and Demographics
Group 2:
Florida Department of Education: http://www.fldoe.org
Bureau of Student Achievement through Language Acquisition (SALA) at
http://www.fldoe/aala.
Go to: Laws/Rules and Legislation (left sidebar),
scroll down to Consent Decree and review the six sections.
Group 3:
Lau vs. Nichols (1974)
http://www-tc.pbs.org/beyondbrown/brownpdfs/launichols.pdf
or
http://www.stanford.edu/~hakuta/www/LAU/IAPolicy/IA1aLauvNichols.htm
Group 4:
Casteñeda vs. Pickard (1981)
http://www.stanford.edu/~hakuta/www/LAU/IAPolicy/IA1bCastaneda.htm
Group 5:
Plyer vs. Doe (1982)
http://www.americanpatrol.com/REFERENCE/PlylerVDoeSummary.html
After class presentations, review other state and federal laws that support the framework
of the Florida Consent Decree (1990). Describe how these laws and policies inform and
improve instruction for ELs.
@ESOLINHIGHERED, LLC