November 2011 has been a very productive month for DSF Consulting in working with teachers, administrators, researchers, and policymakers to ensure that English learners (ELs) succeed in the K-12 environment and beyond.
Just in case you’re not familiar with us, DSF Consulting is a woman owned small business founded by Dr. Diane Staehr Fenner and based in the Washington, DC area. We translate advocacy for ELs into action by specializing in the achievement of ELs in K-12 settings in the United States.
One of Diane’s biggest accomplishments in November was submitting the complete manuscript for a book she coauthored with Natalie Kuhlman on the application of the TESOL P-12 Professional Standards for three audiences and purposes: ESL teacher education program design, NCATE/CAEP recognition, and professional development. The book will be published by TESOL in 2012.
On Election Day Diane gave two presentations to New York City teachers during their professional development day at the American Museum of Natural History in NYC. She co-presented with Maritza MacDonald, AMNH’s Senior Director of Education and Policy, on using media with ELs. We presented strategies to teach ELs academic content and scaffolded a science lesson and video on acid oceans to make it accessible to ELs.
This month Diane also brought on some consultants to provide her support as the need for the services DSF Consulting provides grows grows. The addition of these consultants with ESL classroom, policy, and program evaluation experience will certainly expand the company’s capacity to serve ELs in more ways.
DSF Consulting also worked with Diane August and Peter Kozik to prepare and deliver a presentation at New York’s Race to the Top Network Team Institute in Albany, NY on November 29. Diane August and Peter’s presentation was on supporting ELs and Students with Disabilities as they access the Common Core State Standards. DSF Consulting will continue to work with Diane and Peter to scaffold a unit engageNY has developed on the Gettysburg Address so it is accessible for ELs and SWD.
Some upcoming events in December:
Diane will provide a ½ day presentation at the Learning Forward conference in Anaheim, CA on December 6. Her presentation with Karlene Lee, (link) former assistant superintendent of Clark County Schools (NV) is called The Road to the Common Core State Standards: Building a Bridge for ELLs.
Diane will attend an Expert Form on evaluating teachers of ELLs hosted by Diane August at the American Institute for Research’s National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality.
She will also serve as an expert advisor at a series of meetings hosted by the American Federation of Teachers as they implement the second year of their i3 grant on the Educator Evaluation for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Consortium.