RESOLUTION ON RECOGNIZING STANDARD ENGLISH LEARNERS
Background:
In California, African American, American Indian, Southeast Asian American, Mexican American, and Native Pacific Islander are the language variations of a significant number of students commonly referred to as Standard English Learners or SELs. These language variations that SELs speak are not to be confused with slang, which is not dependent on a host language’s grammatical or syntactical structure. SEL students are identified as English Only and/or Initially Fluent English Proficient, but they often demonstrate limited English vocabulary and syntactical, grammatical, and phonological differences indicative of a distinct language group.
However, the language of the school and classroom is Standard English, and every student must demonstrate mastery and proficiency in all aspects of the English language in order to be college and career ready upon high school completion. Building on the strengths of a student’s first language is the most effective means to develop proficiency in a second language, and to enjoy full access to classroom discourse and to a rigorous curriculum. These historically marginalized students face barriers to learning when their language varies from the Academic Standard English used in classroom discourse and in textbooks, and thus may not always access equitable opportunities to learn. This results in SEL students consistently lagging behind English Only students who use Standard English and behind SEL students who receive structured Academic Standard English support.
This inequity results in unequal opportunities to access the school curriculum, and contributes to the overrepresentation of SEL students in special education, suspension rates, and high school dropout rates.
Whereas there are significant numbers of students with various language differences who do not achieve English Language proficiency by the time they graduate; and
Whereas language is essential to children’s cognitive and social development, transmits knowledge to the learner, stimulates understanding and learning, and permeates all learning standards; and
Whereas CATE seeks to ensure every student has equitable opportunities to learn as both a human right and a civil right, and seeks to ensure access to linguistically and culturally responsive instruction for equitable access to the curriculum;
Resolution:
Be it therefore resolved that CATE call upon all teachers PK-16 to recognize, validate, and affirm that SEL students’ home languages are language systems as relevant as other languages; and
Be it further resolved that all school districts ensure that professional development be infused with linguistically and culturally responsive, evidence-based strategies to ensure that teachers are able to provide students with support in acquiring Academic Standard English to enable them to master the cognitive and social expectations of the Common Core Standards.
To:
California Department of Education
California English, CATE
English Journal, NCTE
California State Superintendent of Public Instruction
California County Superintendents Educational Services Association
California Teachers Association
Governor Gavin Newsom
RESOLUTION ON 21st CENTURY SKILLS (DIGITAL MEDIA LITERACY) PEDAGOGY
Background:
In 2019, LinkedIn reported that employers are looking for employees skilled in creativity, collaboration, persuasion, analytical reasoning, and adaptability with the ability to create technology dependent projects (e.g., video/audio production, game development, animation, social media marketing, coding, etc).
Whereas the California Department of Education has developed A Blueprint for Great Schools Report which outlines the need for the development of 21st century skills instruction; and
Whereas students are continually surrounded by digital devices which have had an increasingly notable impact upon students’ behavior and thinking, and upon their consumption of digital media; and
Whereas technology companies market to educational institutions under the guise of digital literacy, yet are primarily driven by motivation for profit and frequently encourage the digitization of conventional learning; and
Whereas, although some students who are digital natives primarily consume news media and engage in public discourse through digital platforms, navigating these platforms rationally, civilly and empathetically requires English Language Arts teachers to model and coach rhetorical, metacognitive, and social-emotional skills and strategies; and
Whereas technology and digital media literacy offers enormous potential for engaging and empowering students, and project-based and inquiry-based learning allows students to cultivate 21st century skills;
Resolution:
Be it therefore resolved that CATE recommend educational institutions provide English teachers and credential candidates with professional development focused on teaching 21st century skills through a project-based and inquiry-based learning approach that is more student-centered and relies on active and collaborative learning in the creation of digital media and products for authentic audiences.
To:
California Department of Education
California English, CATE
English Journal, NCTE
California State University Office of the Chancellor
California School Library Association
California State Superintendent of Public Instruction
California County Superintendents Educational Services Association
California Teachers Association
Governor Gavin Newsom
RESOLUTION ON REQUIRING ONGOING PROFESSIONAL GROWTH
Background:
Until 2007, credentialed teachers in California were required to submit evidence of ongoing, professional growth in order to renew their credentials (150 clock hours).
As a cost-saving measure for the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC), and without any consultation with professional teaching organizations, this requirement was dropped for all credential renewals besides Child Development, for which the hours are still required. Currently, the only requirement for renewal is a $102.50 fee.
Whereas the California Standards for the Teaching Profession (CTC 2009) state that “Teachers …. establish professional goals and engage in continuous and purposeful professional growth and development” (Standard 6); and
Whereas quality professional growth opportunities are often linked to continuing education units, recognized at the university level and usually transferable from district to district; and
Whereas working in a fast changing, multicultural and multilingual environment requires teachers, in particular, to be constantly adjusting to new technological, social and intellectual innovations; and
Whereas one of the central ideas of a profession is the principle that continuous education is necessary in order to be current in one’s field, and most professions require evidence of ongoing professional training in order to renew certifications; and
Whereas other states do require specific hours of professional growth, university-level semester credit, or a combination of both (e.g., Oregon requires 125 clock hours and Washington requires 100 clock hours of professional growth; Nevada, Utah and Michigan all require 6 hours of university credit along with district sponsorship);
Resolution:
Be it therefore resolved that CATE call on CTC to reintroduce a revised professional growth requirement in order to encourage the ongoing use of best and most relevant classroom practices; and
Be it further resolved that CATE call on school districts to support such professional growth in every way.
To:
California Department of Education
Commission on Teacher Credentialing
California English, CATE
English Journal, NCTE
California State Superintendent of Public Instruction
California County Superintendents Educational Services Association
California Subject Matter Project
California Mathematics Council
California Science Teachers Association
California Council for the Social Studies
California Music Education Association
California Art Education Association
California Teachers Association
Governor Gavin Newsom