Episode 3

What ELL Students Wish We Knew With Ilaria Sessa

Published on: 11th June, 2025

NO NUTELLA?!

Dive into a vulnerable conversation about what being an English Learner in our school system really means, and how teachers can support students as they navigate the many challenges that come with immigration.

We discuss Ilaria's story, what practices support language development, academic challenges versus language challenges and how to know the difference. Top it off with a best practices inventory and a whole host of resources to help teachers grow!

This might just be the best episode yet!

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Transcript
Kaitlyn:

Welcome to Essential pd, the Flexible Actionable Professional

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Development Podcast for K 12 teachers.

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I'm Caitlyn Scott.

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Samantha: And I'm Samantha Patterson.

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Kaitlyn: Today we have a really meaningful

conversation lined up, one that speaks

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to the heart of what it means to learn

to belong and to navigate new worlds,

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and how we as educators can help English

language learners or ELL students.

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Samantha: Our guest today is Aria

Essa, whose family immigrated

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from Italy to the United States.

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When she was in middle school as an

English language learner or EL student,

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aria experienced firsthand what it's

like to enter a new country, a new

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school system, a new culture, and a

new language all at the same time.

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Kaitlyn: In this episode, aria shares

her story of adjustment identity and

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resilience, giving us valuable insight

into what it means to be an ESOL student

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in the American public school system.

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Ilaria Sessa: Sign.

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Samantha: We will also be diving

into the important things educators

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need to understand when supporting

EL students like the difference

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between social and academic language,

how cultural differences can shape

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a student's experience, and what

accommodations actually help along

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with what warning science and needs

teachers need to look out for.

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You know, interviewing Aria, there are

very few people who I look to as like the

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prime example of what a good teacher is,

just in every aspect of best practices.

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Besides Mrs.

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Sharpener, who I had in high school, aria

is right there with her on just what it

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means to be not only a good teacher in

terms of a good educator with your peers,

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but also just treating students, right.

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Students of all ability levels.

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That's why I'm so excited to, to have

you as a guest today, because you just,

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Ilaria Sessa: to be

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Samantha: she, you are just

someone that I really look up to

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in every aspect of the profession.

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Ilaria Sessa: that means a lot to

me, coming from you especially.

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I love that.

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Thank you.

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Because I know you mean it.

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You know, like I know

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Samantha: I do.

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Ilaria Sessa: it, and I know that

you're saying this because you mean it.

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So that means a lot to me.

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Thank you.

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Samantha: All right, so

Kate, first question's yours.

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Kaitlyn: Yeah, so we would

just like to ask you to share

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a little bit about your story.

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What was it like moving from Italy to

the United States in middle school?

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Ilaria Sessa: guys, it was horrific.

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Um, I didn't speak to

my parents for a year.

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Like I honestly would say hi and goodbye

and answer questions because they were

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my parents, but like I was so upset.

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Um, we moved in 2002, um, and

I was in the middle of seventh

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grade, so we moved in February.

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So I spoke no English at all, like English

was my worst subject at school in Italy.

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my dad would help me 'cause he knew

English and I was like, I can't do this.

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This is not for me.

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And then we moved here and I was

like, don't know what I'm gonna do.

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So it was really hard.

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We moved in 2002.

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Um, and so it was.

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Pretty close to nine 11 and all

that stuff that had happened here.

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Um, and we, we jumped right in.

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I was the youngest because I guess the way

that school systems work in Italy, like I.

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My birthday's in September, so I

was like the youngest graduating

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high school, like I was seven.

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I was 17, graduating and didn't

turn 18 until it was like

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September, the end of September.

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I really was supposed to be in sixth

grade, but they put me in seventh

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grade and I had an index card.

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That my dad wrote that literally said,

my name is, this is my phone number.

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I don't speak English.

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This is my dad's blah,

blah, blah, blah, blah.

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And I would carry it with me everywhere

I went because I couldn't even speak

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any, like, I didn't know anything.

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Um, so it was, it was hard.

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But we made it through.

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We made it through.

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Um, I remember Tus like a v like two

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Samantha: And then I.

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Ilaria Sessa: So like I remember going

down one hallway and thinking that I could

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just come back in, but when you moved, you

went to the opposite side of the school.

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So I got lost multiple times.

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and I feel like that's another thing,

like coming into middle school, it's

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not like elementary school, at least

you have like your own classroom and

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you kind of travel with them everywhere

and you can just kind of follow.

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I was on my own switching

classes, doing things, so was a

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lot, but we, we made it through.

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Kaitlyn: Was that the same as your

middle school experience in Italy, or

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was the whole like switching classes

and doing all of that brand new as well.

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Ilaria Sessa: Italy, teachers move.

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They don't have a classroom.

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You are with your class

and teachers move from one

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Kaitlyn: Wow.

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Ilaria Sessa: other.

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And so I was like, what do you

mean I'm moving and I have to carry

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all these things and do things

and, and it was just like a shock.

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And then the other thing was like, we

don't eat lunch at school in Italy.

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Like you go home.

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And so I was like, now I have to

like bring lunch and eat with these

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people that I don't know, and I

don't even know what I'm saying.

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Like it was so weird.

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Kaitlyn: And the social aspect too,

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Samantha: Yeah,

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Kaitlyn: of like, now you're thrown

into this brand new situation, you don't

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know English, and you have to like.

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there at a critical like social

moment of a meal together.

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Ilaria Sessa: A meal that

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Samantha: so like,

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Kaitlyn: So scary.

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Ilaria Sessa: either.

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You know what I mean?

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Like, I'm like, what

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Kaitlyn: Yeah.

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Ilaria Sessa: and fries?

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What?

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Where's my pasta?

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Where's my.

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Samantha: So like, do you remember

what it was like that first day?

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'cause like Tuske Will

is a pretty big school.

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Like what it was like walking into

that cafeteria for your first time.

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Ilaria Sessa: God, yes.

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So I remember my first day there,

like I remember mouthing to

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my mom, do not leave me here.

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I don't wanna stay here.

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My mom was like, bye,

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Um, I do remember they did send me

with a student, um, and oh my God, this

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is another thing that happened to me.

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So of course there's not many Italians

in Florida, like, especially in Orlando.

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And so they didn't have anyone

that spoke Italian in the school.

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They did have one student that

was from Italy, but it was a

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boy, and it's like middle school.

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And I'm like, are you kidding me?

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You're gonna pair

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Samantha: The worst.

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Ilaria Sessa: I was like,

this is not happening.

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I remember his name, his name

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Kaitlyn: That's so horrific.

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Ilaria Sessa: and I was like,

oh my God, this is gonna be the

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awkwardest thing of my life.

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Um, and he was the one that kind of

took me back and forth for a little bit.

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And then, so the first day, he's the one

that took me to lunch and he was just

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kind of like, get your lunch and sit.

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But like, he didn't sit

with me because again, a boy

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Samantha: Oh.

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Ilaria Sessa: like, you know what I mean?

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Like it was just

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Kaitlyn: Yeah.

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Ilaria Sessa: I just kind of sat there.

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I'm not kidding.

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It was.

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It was so bad.

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I just sat there and I was like,

okay, like this is gonna go by fast.

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It's gonna go by fast.

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Kaitlyn: I am picturing like

this, like a movie, like sitting

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alone in a big cafeteria.

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That's so sad.

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It's like heartbreaking.

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Samantha: Yeah, that

scene from Mean Girls.

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Ilaria Sessa: yes, that's exactly my life.

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Yes.

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The first few weeks of school for me

were like, okay, I don't know what to do.

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Kaitlyn: I.

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Ilaria Sessa: Here we

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Samantha: Right.

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And you're like, and by that time,

like you're in middle school, so you

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probably have, I don't wanna say the

majority of your executive functioning,

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but you have a good chunk of it.

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And like you are a very

well put together person.

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So like, imagine these kids who are

coming from, you know, these less

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than ideal situations and now they're

just put in that situation too.

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Ilaria Sessa: And then

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Samantha: And maybe they,

they don't have a, a person.

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To walk them around or that one

person that speaks their language.

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Ilaria Sessa: of these kids came from

elementary school together, so it's

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like, it's hard to insert yourself in a

middle school, especially the way that

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it's structured here in the United States

where like these, like how many of our

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kids go to the same middle schools?

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Right?

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And they meet, they know each other

and they keep being with each other.

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And so there was a lot of

cliques and it was hard.

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It was hard.

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Samantha: Mm-hmm.

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Yeah.

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I was with the same

kids from K through 12.

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Ilaria Sessa: And that was

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Samantha: Yeah.

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Ilaria Sessa: what happened,

you know, in our school.

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Like they grew up with each

other, so it was like, okay, cool.

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Hi, help me.

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Samantha: Wow.

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So then when, when do you think,

like you did finally kind of

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start meeting your people?

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How long did that take?

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Ilaria Sessa: It didn't take a long time.

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Like, you know me, I'm very social,

so that didn't take a long time.

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I just, my crew was my easel, my

easel crew, like it was us kids.

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We all were in the same place.

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We all were moved from different

parts of the country and we

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just stuck together like, like.

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The whole time.

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I mean, even through high school, um,

my Diego, he was one of my best friends.

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He was from El Salvador.

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Um, then we had, uh, a student

from Japan, um, Casa Yuki.

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I'll never forget him.

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And then that's where I met my like.

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First best friend in the United

States, , Joanna, and she actually

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is married to a famous MLB player.

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Um, and yeah, it was so cool.

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But yeah, like we kind of stuck together.

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That's where I learned Spanish because

I could always understand it, because

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Italian and Spanish are very similar.

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So when people would speak, I'm

like, I know what they're saying.

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I just couldn't speak it.

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Um, but that's where I

learned to also speak Spanish.

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But like we kind of just stuck

together because we were.

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Going through the same experiences.

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We were all going through the

same traumas together, and that's

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kind of like how we did it.

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And we just, you know, new student

would come in, we'd like, come on in.

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You're part of our gang.

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here to help you, so.

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Kaitlyn: It's so impactful for, for me

to hear you describe it kind of as a

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certain trauma of kind of being dropped

in this new place with these new people

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and having to survive and make those bonds

so quickly and then being so protective.

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That's what it sounds like to

me of just like your little pod

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was so protective of each other.

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Ilaria Sessa: on survival mode,

you know, like, who's coming in

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next and who's gonna bother us?

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And it's like, Nope, nope.

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This is our little, you know,

this is our little clique and

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we're here for each other.

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And kind of how it went.

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Samantha: And it, it's so interesting

because I think it definitely is like

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a trauma and a survival mode, but I

also think it's so interesting how.

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The ESOL students, they don't

typically react like the students

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who are in trauma and survival

mode, like they hide it so well.

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They do such a good job at masking it.

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Ilaria Sessa: because like in, you

know, every trauma is so different

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and I feel like when we say trauma,

you think about something so.

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Horrible, right?

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Like a parent passing away a sibling.

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You know, things like that.

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And you don't think of the trauma

that we as easel kids go through,

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because really our parents are

trying to give us a better life.

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so it's like, it's not really a

trauma, but for us in it, it is.

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Especially when you have like, I

feel like I even had a disadvantage

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'cause no one speaks Italian.

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I didn't have Italian tv.

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I mean, it was like everything was.

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Strange.

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Like I grew up on Nutella.

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We could not find Nutella anywhere.

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And I was like, I think

I'm going to die like this.

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Is it like that's my peanut butter?

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Like where am I going to eat?

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You know?

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And so I feel like people don't think

of the traumas that easel students

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go through because it's like, well,

you're here, you're gonna have a

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great life here in the United States.

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But like, but we left

everything we've always known.

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And we might never go back to that.

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And so that's scary.

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And that is a trauma that those

kids go through every day.

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Samantha: Definitely, and I think I

remember, correct me if I'm wrong,

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but when you were learning new

languages, you actually learned

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Spanish first before English, right?

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Ilaria Sessa: Yeah, I picked up

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Samantha: What was, what was that like?

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Ilaria Sessa: I mean, honestly, like

I said, because we didn't have TV or

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anything in Italian, I would watch

like Spanish channels because I'm

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like, I understand those more than

I understand the English channels.

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Um, and so it kind of started like that

too, and I would just watch things.

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And then, um, I remember when I started

becoming friends with Joanna, she.

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Didn't, at that point I had learned

a little bit of English, and so

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like in the classroom, I was the

one that had learned the fastest.

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And so like, I was kind of like the

leader to help them, like communicate with

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other people in the school or whatever.

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And I remember telling her

like, speak to me in Spanish.

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I'll answer in English, but like, I

can understand what you're saying.

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And so that's how it all began.

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And then I just picked it up.

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Um, but yeah, I started, I

learned Spanish before really.

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I learned.

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English because it was just

easier to pick up than English.

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It was very similar, in a lot

of things like phonetically

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and writing, like all of it.

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So I kind of was like,

okay, I can do this.

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This is easy.

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Samantha: What were some of the

biggest challenges you faced as an

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ESOL student in those early years?

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Ilaria Sessa: I mean, um, at

school, I mean, I think the social

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part was really hard for me.

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Um, I think coming into middle school

where everything is dramatic as it

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is because you're growing and things

are happening to your body and you

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know, like everything is changing.

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I mean, even like thinking about

style, like I went, I came into

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the school, nobody dressed like me.

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Nobody had the same things that

I had because here it wasn't the

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style that people wore, you know?

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I remember telling my mom, I need

this GAP sweater, and my mom was

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like, I don't know what that is.

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Gap.

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Um, and I was like, everybody wears it.

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I don't know, we have to get it.

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Mom was like, I don't know where

to get this thing, you know?

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And so, I mean, even little

things like that and people

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would make fun of us, you know?

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And me especially, I remember,

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Samantha: It's just

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Ilaria Sessa: forget this lady,

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Samantha: a.

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Ilaria Sessa: this girl who

her life is not very nice.

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Now.

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I'm like, karma is, you know what?

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And she used to make

fun of me all the time.

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I was really good at playing soccer.

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And so the guys used to, the boys

used to love playing with me because I

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liked to play nothing, anything else.

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Um, and I remember her like making

fun of me and throwing things

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at me when I played soccer and.

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It was very tr like all these things were

traumatic because like, I didn't speak

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English, so like I couldn't answer back.

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Like if that were now, I'd

be like, could sit down.

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Thank you.

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I don't need her.

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You know what I mean?

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Like, I just, nobody could defend me.

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My parents weren't there.

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And so, like, even things like

that, like, it was very hard for me.

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I, I'm very social.

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I couldn't be social.

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I didn't have any friends.

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I mean, even like I said, like

make being made fun of because of

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the way you dress, so the backpack

that you have on or everything.

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'cause everything is different and

people don't think of things like that.

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You know what I mean?

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So that was like the most traumatic, I

think, I would say with that part of it.

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in school I thought school

was easier academically.

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Like I thought, wow, I could

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Samantha: That checks out.

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Ilaria Sessa: like math.

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I was like, I'm in it.

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This is easy.

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My math teacher was actually like.

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Italian, like from family.

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So she would speak like

very broken Italian.

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But like, math was easy for me

'cause like it's math, right?

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than ward problems.

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Um, but like, I just thought the

way that things ran, I was like, oh,

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this is, I mean, I have straight A's.

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This was like, it was like, I, I

was, I mean, I would study at home

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and do things at home, but like.

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I was like, oh, this is, it's not hard.

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Like, it, like schools in

Italy are very difficult.

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Samantha: Mm-hmm.

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Ilaria Sessa: and so that

part was better, but yeah, no.

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Samantha: So touching on like, you

know, you said you struggled with

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word problems obviously because

you were learning the language.

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Were there any like coping things that you

were able to like accommodate yourself on?

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Or what did the teachers

do to help you with that?

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Ilaria Sessa: They didn't,

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Samantha: I

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Ilaria Sessa: back then,

not much like other

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Samantha: right.

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I.

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Ilaria Sessa: teacher.

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I feel like they relied

a lot on the ESL teacher.

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So like if I was struggling, let's say

in social studies, they will call her.

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And say she needs help with this and that.

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It was almost like on her to help

all of us in learning English and

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all the subjects that we were in.

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in middle school, back in the day,

they used to have two EO classes.

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One of 'em was like your ELA

class, and then the other one was

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like the one to learn English.

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So we were with her for two periods and

then, you know, we have social studies,

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geography, whatever it was, but like,

they kind of relied on her, but like.

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gave me like sentence stems or, you

know, like visuals or none of that.

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None of that

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Samantha: Yeah, and I feel like

that's exactly why I wanted to do

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an, an episode focus on esol because

I feel like that is kind of the most

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shoved in the corner group that I see.

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You know, we, whether we're an MTSS

or a team meeting, or just having

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a discussion and, you know, the

kid comes up and they're an ESOL

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student, and I ask, you know, what

accommodations are you providing for them?

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They'll say, oh, yeah, I'm, I'm,

yeah, I'm providing accommodations.

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They'll ask for specifics and.

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More times than not, they cannot gimme

a single specific on what they're doing.

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And I go into the class and they're

sitting at the back of the classroom

387

:

or you know, I just, I just feel like

this is one of the groups that just gets

388

:

passed over so easily, unfortunately.

389

:

Ilaria Sessa: like talking about

the MTSS process, I feel like always

390

:

like we just had this conversation.

391

:

I have a student that's ol, but I believe

she's language as well and like, but she's

392

:

ol and I'm like, yeah, but she can also

have a learning disability, Like being

393

:

easel just means that you don't know

English and you're learning the language.

394

:

But that doesn't mean that

they're not gifted or ESC

395

:

or, uh, you know what I mean?

396

:

Like, I feel like that gets missed a lot.

397

:

Um,

398

:

Samantha: Mm-hmm.

399

:

Ilaria Sessa: gifted too, right?

400

:

Like I had kids

401

:

Samantha: Yeah.

402

:

Ilaria Sessa: that were totally

gifted and I was like, you're gifted.

403

:

You just seem to learn the language.

404

:

But I feel like teachers don't

see that they have a hard time.

405

:

that and just thinking they're

low, but no, they're not low.

406

:

They just dunno the language

so they can't perform

407

:

Samantha: Right,

408

:

Ilaria Sessa: kids can.

409

:

Samantha: and we've actually switched

to a nonverbal screener where we are

410

:

to actually address those issues so

that it completely takes their English

411

:

proficiency out of the question

412

:

Ilaria Sessa: awesome.

413

:

Samantha: to help identify those students.

414

:

Yeah.

415

:

Kaitlyn: When you look at a class like

that, , are there specific things that

416

:

you look for to kind of give you clues

about secondary exceptionalities?

417

:

Um, I think.

418

:

Something that teachers struggle with

is a lot of times kids arrive to you

419

:

with labels, and so it can be really

hard to kind of look beyond them and

420

:

see other signs of, giftedness or, um,

learning disabilities, having your ESOL

421

:

experience is, has that like colored the

way that you see in your own classroom?

422

:

Ilaria Sessa: I think so.

423

:

I mean, I guess I also have an

advantage that I can speak Spanish.

424

:

Right.

425

:

But like for example, I had a student

last year who was per se, in the

426

:

STAR test on i-Ready SL first year.

427

:

But like the way that he spoke

Spanish, the way that he wrote

428

:

in Spanish, I could tell that he

was gonna be just fine, right?

429

:

Like, I was like, oh, the student is

like writing paragraphs in Spanish, so

430

:

that means he's, he's just gonna be fine.

431

:

He just needs time to learn the language.

432

:

He's thriving.

433

:

He got a level three this year,

like amazing to where then I had

434

:

another student last year where

I could tell that she was also

435

:

struggling in her own language.

436

:

So I'm like, okay, so now

we're having an issue.

437

:

It's not just an easel issue, a

language issue, but it could be

438

:

a processing, it could be so.

439

:

I feel like sometimes teachers are very

like, oh, the student just came in.

440

:

They can't speak English.

441

:

We need to tear them.

442

:

And it's like, hold on, pump the brakes.

443

:

Like, let's see how they do.

444

:

They have to adjust.

445

:

I feel like a lot of times very shy

when you, like you're walking into a

446

:

classroom when you stu, when you teachers,

when you students, you everything.

447

:

So it takes a little bit

to get into your groove.

448

:

But then let's look at how they do.

449

:

You know, is it an English thing?

450

:

Is it, you know what I mean?

451

:

I just feel like they don't

know the difference sometimes.

452

:

Um,

453

:

Samantha: Yeah, we had a student like

that recently where, you know, you look

454

:

at her file and she's in and outta the

country about every year and a half.

455

:

So she's to the point now where

she's back in the country, she

456

:

goes into her assigned grade,

457

:

Ilaria Sessa: mm-hmm.

458

:

Samantha: doesn't speak any English.

459

:

By the end of the year she was

scoring level fours on everything.

460

:

And now, you know, in her second year

here, she is one of the top students,

461

:

if not the top student in the grade.

462

:

Ilaria Sessa: She's thriving.

463

:

She just needed a

464

:

Samantha: Right.

465

:

Ilaria Sessa: Mm-hmm.

466

:

Samantha: Yeah.

467

:

And all we did is we, we got her, um,

actually the primary reading computer

468

:

program, and she did that as a center

and it took her a couple months before

469

:

she was up to speed with everyone else.

470

:

Ilaria Sessa: That's awesome.

471

:

Like, I always advocate for those kiddos.

472

:

Um, you know, as soon as they get

somebody in their classroom, oh,

473

:

they're in third grade, they don't

know any English, they're not gonna

474

:

pa I'm like, okay, well let's,

475

:

Samantha: I.

476

:

Ilaria Sessa: look at the whole picture.

477

:

Let's just give them a time to like,

to learn like they will learn English.

478

:

Like they're going to learn.

479

:

They're young, especially in

elementary school, I feel like.

480

:

see it even faster than in middle

school and high school that they

481

:

learned the language super fast.

482

:

Um, and I just, I just feel like

there has to be more of that,

483

:

like more trainings on that.

484

:

Um, I took like, I'm gifted certified,

so we had a whole gifted course that

485

:

talked about like ESC students that

are also gifted and, you know, easel

486

:

students that are also gifted and how.

487

:

Awesome.

488

:

That is, and I feel like a lot of the

times there's a hard time understanding

489

:

that and it's just because they don't

know, not because they're like, don't

490

:

want, like, you know what I mean?

491

:

Like they don't want them

to be gifted students.

492

:

I just think there's just

no knowledge of that.

493

:

Kaitlyn: Yeah, I think it's always like,

I think teachers really do generally have

494

:

the best of intentions, but going through

the motions, the processes of the day,

495

:

like it, it gets away from you until you

slow down and, and really intentionally

496

:

look at each student independent

of, your whole class and you can of

497

:

evaluate those things more thoroughly.

498

:

And so, I think it definitely takes.

499

:

A person like you to help bring those

things to to teachers' attention.

500

:

Ilaria Sessa: it just, it helps

because I can give them like

501

:

examples of what actually does

happen and like how these kids feel.

502

:

'cause I've been through it.

503

:

. Samantha: So like looking at, thinking

back, what, is there anything that

504

:

you wish in particular that your

teachers or even your classmates

505

:

would've done differently to help

support you as an English learner?

506

:

Ilaria Sessa: Samantha, you don't know

what happened to me in eighth grade.

507

:

So seventh grade I

508

:

Samantha: Oh, goodness.

509

:

Ilaria Sessa: this is,

you know, okay, great.

510

:

We had a great end of the year.

511

:

I'm like, okay, I'm feeling better.

512

:

I'll have a few friends.

513

:

We get into eighth grade, first day.

514

:

I am not in eol.

515

:

I am in a regular ELA classroom drowning.

516

:

Literally, as I'm walking

in, I'm like, am I here?

517

:

Okay.

518

:

First thing the teacher says, okay,

you guys, you're gonna work with a

519

:

partner and you are going to introduce

yourselves, who's next to me?

520

:

A boy, of course.

521

:

And I'm like, O mg.

522

:

And the way that she wanted us to do it

was, you're going to introduce each other.

523

:

I had to introduce my partner and

my partner had to introduce me and

524

:

I'm like, oh, this is not good.

525

:

This is not good.

526

:

And so like he's telling me

his name, his name was Mark.

527

:

And I wrote Bark, like Barking dog.

528

:

And I was like, oh my God,

this is so embarrassing.

529

:

And I was like, I don't

speak English, I'm sorry.

530

:

Then he was like, it's okay.

531

:

He was really nice, honestly.

532

:

And he was like, it's okay.

533

:

Like, so I remember coming out

of that classroom and was like,

534

:

somebody has to take me out of here.

535

:

And my amazing easel teacher, Mrs.

536

:

Vini, I'll never forget her.

537

:

She was like, I got you.

538

:

Don't worry.

539

:

You're coming to me.

540

:

I was like, take me out of here.

541

:

And I remember her going to the front

office and like, you know, the scheduling

542

:

and all of that, and being like, she does

not belong in a regular English class.

543

:

She needs to be with me.

544

:

And that was a scariest thing ever.

545

:

Like that was so scary like that.

546

:

Like my easel teacher was my everything.

547

:

Like anything that went

wrong, I would go to her.

548

:

You know what I mean?

549

:

Like even if it was something

with a student, if it was

550

:

something in the cafeteria, like

she was our person, you know?

551

:

And I was like, oh my God, this is so bad.

552

:

But, so think things like that, you

know, that people don't think about,

553

:

but that was very traumatic for me.

554

:

Um, I also feel like in middle

school is a lot different.

555

:

I think in elementary school

we have a lot more support.

556

:

I think the teachers have.

557

:

More, not more time.

558

:

'cause we never have time, but just

like you have your own classroom, so you

559

:

wanna help every single student, right?

560

:

'cause you have your 2021 kids

in middle school, they have

561

:

six periods of 20, 30 kids.

562

:

So you're just another number.

563

:

And so there's just not a lot of

support when it comes to, like I

564

:

said, like I never had visuals, I

never had, I never sat down next

565

:

to somebody that could help me.

566

:

You know, I was treated like

everybody else in the classroom.

567

:

And so that was hard because it's

like, I need help, I need somebody.

568

:

So I would go with my little dictionary.

569

:

But like, that's another

thing, like in Italy, they're

570

:

big about using dictionaries.

571

:

So like I knew how to use it, but

we have a lot of kids that come

572

:

here from different countries.

573

:

They don't even know

how to use a dictionary.

574

:

So giving them a dictionary

is like giving them nothing.

575

:

Um, and so I feel like, you know,

middle and high school, I think that's

576

:

the hardest part too, is just like.

577

:

There's not a lot of help when you go to

the different classrooms that you're in.

578

:

Samantha: And I feel like too, like

just even American students don't know

579

:

how to use the dictionary anymore.

580

:

Like I, I remember in elementary school

when we were spelling like our new

581

:

spelling list, or I would ask a teacher

how to spell the word and she'd be

582

:

like, look it up in the dictionary.

583

:

And I'd be like, I don't

know how to spell it.

584

:

I don't know how I'm gonna look it up

in the dictionary, but I figured it out.

585

:

, Kaitlyn: Language aside, what kind

of cultural or emotional hurdles did

586

:

you encounter and how did they kind

of affect your learning experience?

587

:

Ilaria Sessa: I mean, I just told the

story to somebody 'cause I was like,

588

:

you guys, this is a big deal for people.

589

:

I went to Publix and I thought

it smelled like the worst thing

590

:

that I have ever been inside.

591

:

I.

592

:

Like, was like, why are we in here?

593

:

It smells so gross to me and

like, so people that things that

594

:

you know, you don't think about

is even smells are different.

595

:

And so I remember going into

Publix, which I love Mia.

596

:

Publix now, like Publix is my place.

597

:

But I remember telling my mom,

why does it smell like that?

598

:

It smells weird.

599

:

Um, so little things like that too.

600

:

Like going to a grocery store,

not seeing the things that you're

601

:

used to eating and drinking.

602

:

You know, going to anywhere where like,

like even driving, I remember my uncle

603

:

picking us up from the airport and

being like, are there a million lanes?

604

:

Because in Italy it's like two str,

like one, one way and the other way.

605

:

Like it's just like every little thing

is different and I think it affects you.

606

:

Right?

607

:

So like even things like that,

like nothing is just normal.

608

:

Everything is different.

609

:

Everything, feels okay,

you know what I mean?

610

:

Like, it's just weird.

611

:

Um, but I remember that specific of

like going into a store and just feeling

612

:

like, oh my God, it smells so bad.

613

:

And mom was like, it doesn't smell bad.

614

:

I think we're just not used to it.

615

:

You know?

616

:

Um, but like things like that too, it

affects you and how you react to things.

617

:

I think I've really owned into like.

618

:

Academics because I

really wanted to do well.

619

:

And when I realized that like school

here is a little bit easier and I was

620

:

getting good grades, I was like a C

average student in Italy, I was like,

621

:

oh, this is gonna be my thing here.

622

:

Like, and I just really like dedicated

myself into like getting A's and B's and

623

:

like that was like the thing that I like

focused on so that I could kind of forget

624

:

all the other things that were happening.

625

:

Kaitlyn: So much changed for you all

at once, like literally everything down

626

:

to the smells of the grocery store.

627

:

Ilaria Sessa: so silly, but it's true.

628

:

Samantha: Yeah,

629

:

Kaitlyn: Yeah.

630

:

Samantha: so like what advice would you

give a current ESOL teacher or a teacher

631

:

with ESOL students who are seeing their

students struggling or failing to adjust?

632

:

Ilaria Sessa: I think just putting

themselves in their shoes, like I

633

:

always say to people, what would you

do if you went to Italy right now?

634

:

And you are thrown into a classroom with

people that have already known each other.

635

:

They have bonds, they hang out outside

of school, you know, with your family.

636

:

I didn't have anybody here.

637

:

We had no family.

638

:

Like my cousins, my grandma, my

grandpa, everybody was in Italy.

639

:

thinking about that, like my birthday,

I don't have anyone here to celebrate

640

:

with like little things like that

that people don't think about.

641

:

I always tell Esos, you know, teachers.

642

:

Think about how you would feel

if you went somewhere else.

643

:

Like I feel like that's the

biggest thing and be feeling alone.

644

:

You know?

645

:

Like you just feel isolated.

646

:

You feel isolated.

647

:

It almost feels like the movie.

648

:

Well, you know, when it's like.

649

:

You like the person is thinking, but

everything is going around them and

650

:

you're just like, they're just zoned in.

651

:

Like that's what it feels like

because you don't understand

652

:

what's going on around you.

653

:

Your whole world just went

by like somewhere else.

654

:

I mean, and like I moved in 2002,

like things are a little bit

655

:

easier when it comes to like being

able to connect with your family.

656

:

There's WhatsApp, is

Zoom, there's everything.

657

:

Now.

658

:

When I moved, we were writing letters.

659

:

And it took 10 days for my letter to get

to Italy, you know, for my cousins to

660

:

get it, to receive it, to have time to

write their own, to then send it back.

661

:

So like, that was like our

communication and you know, it's just,

662

:

thinking about like that stuff too.

663

:

It's just, it's hard.

664

:

And then you have families

that financially can't force,

665

:

you know, certain things here.

666

:

And so they don't have the

means that we have and the

667

:

things that other students have.

668

:

And it's just, it's hard.

669

:

And I feel like.

670

:

don't think of the little things.

671

:

I think the teachers just look at the

academic side of stuff and they don't

672

:

realize that it's more than that.

673

:

And there's a lot more

than that going on at home.

674

:

I also feel like my family was a,

like, we were good when I come,

675

:

like my mom and dad were together.

676

:

We didn't move because

of anything traumatic.

677

:

We moved 'cause my dad lost his job,

but how many kids move here because

678

:

of running away from a parent?

679

:

Or you know, like.

680

:

The greater things that happened to my

681

:

Samantha: Cartels and yeah.

682

:

Ilaria Sessa: like violence, whatever

it is, gangs like, and that's scary.

683

:

And so like I just, you have to understand

that these kids are going through a lot.

684

:

Kaitlyn: Something you said just

really hit home for me is like,

685

:

we're still talking about children.

686

:

Like these things are

big, scary ideas for me.

687

:

You said like, think about

if you went to Italy.

688

:

Right now I'm an adult, like I

have agency and I have my own money

689

:

and I have, you know, resources.

690

:

But as a kid, you, you're in this

brand new place, whether that was a

691

:

scary transition for you or it felt

like a safe one where everything is

692

:

different and you're still a kid you

still don't get to make choices for

693

:

Samantha: Mm-hmm.

694

:

Kaitlyn: you still don't

have your own resources.

695

:

And so I just think about all those

kids that I've taught in the past

696

:

who, who did come here, who were, you

know, English learners, and I'm like,

697

:

wish I could give them another hug.

698

:

Samantha: Yeah.

699

:

Ilaria Sessa: know.

700

:

Samantha: I, I think about, I, you know,

I moved from Indiana to Florida when I

701

:

was 30, and just how big of an adjustment

that was for me as a 30-year-old.

702

:

I, yeah, I, I, I cannot

imagine doing it as a kid.

703

:

And then on top of that, not speaking

the language and being able to

704

:

communicate as a very social person.

705

:

Ilaria Sessa: And that, that, I think

that was the biggest thing for me.

706

:

I'm like, you know, I'm very, like,

my sister is not very social, right?

707

:

So to her it was very hard.

708

:

But she was also younger, so she

didn't understand a lot of things.

709

:

She actually came to Evans, that was her

first school, which is where I teach now.

710

:

Um, and they actually

got her a translator.

711

:

, That would come in like twice a week

and kind of check in with her, the spoke

712

:

Italian, which I thought was really cool.

713

:

It's a lot that they go on and you

just as a te and it's not the teacher's

714

:

fault, they just don't understand it.

715

:

You know what I mean?

716

:

Like, I feel like until you go through

it and like Samantha, you said just

717

:

even moving states is different and

you know, having to restart your life

718

:

a little bit, your friends, everything.

719

:

Right.

720

:

Um, so imagine a kid and

like you said, K two, like.

721

:

You don't make any decisions.

722

:

Your parents are making decisions,

you know, and just, you're just kind

723

:

of like, okay, I guess this is what

I'm gonna do and this is what I'm

724

:

gonna have to go through and that

that is the good decision, you know?

725

:

Kaitlyn: Switching gears a

little bit, but you as an.

726

:

Educator, are things that you've

done or how have you designed your

727

:

classroom environment for ESOL students?

728

:

What does it kind of look and

feel like to be in your classroom?

729

:

I'm learning English.

730

:

Ilaria Sessa: I make my classroom

the safe space that my easel teachers

731

:

were for me, I had a lot of ESO

students last year, um, lots and lots.

732

:

And so every time someone new would

come in, I had a lot of kids from

733

:

China last year, and I remember one

of my students being like, miss essa,

734

:

do you know how to speak Chinese?

735

:

And I'm like.

736

:

No, I'm sorry.

737

:

I know how to speak Italian and Spanish,

but like my kids started writing things

738

:

and labeling my classroom that's such just

the environment we had in our classroom.

739

:

And they started labeling

everything for him.

740

:

And like he had come a little bit later

in the year and he was struggling a lot.

741

:

and it kind of reminded

me of me a little bit.

742

:

He was just like not having it and he

was acting out and just like the mom

743

:

was like, I don't know what to do.

744

:

And I'm like, I get it.

745

:

Like I went through it, like it's okay, I

just think like the safe space for sure.

746

:

I label stuff for them.

747

:

So, everything that they need that

they might be scared to ask, like

748

:

pencils and glues, like sure that

they know where everything is.

749

:

I think that's like the most like

visual things that I would do.

750

:

They ha we always have a common

corner, so they always knew about that.

751

:

But we always use Google Translate

and it was fun for us to learn.

752

:

Um, I know with last year we were

like, we wanna learn one word a week.

753

:

And so like.

754

:

Once a week we would ask him

how to say like, hello or stop,

755

:

you know, like silly things.

756

:

And he would teach the whole class.

757

:

The class loved it.

758

:

He felt so special that he

could do that with them.

759

:

And I feel like things like that, just

building those relationships, I think I.

760

:

Building a classroom that is like a

family is what I'm like, do all the time.

761

:

And I tell my kids, like the

first day, we're a family.

762

:

We treat each other like a family.

763

:

We do not argue with like, you know,

we're just there for each other.

764

:

And I feel like that's just

how my classroom always ran.

765

:

And so it was just like,

okay, , we got you.

766

:

Like, so I think, but I, he loved teaching

us different words, so that was cool.

767

:

Samantha: Yeah, and it's such like

an empowering move too for him.

768

:

Ilaria Sessa: Yes.

769

:

Right.

770

:

Like he felt so important and he

was like, then the following week

771

:

he would wanna tell us what, like

he wanted to teach us, right?

772

:

Because at first he was a little shy.

773

:

So we would just be like,

well how do we say yes?

774

:

Or how do we say hello?

775

:

And he would just tell us and

he would laugh at us, you know?

776

:

'cause we would say it wrong.

777

:

And he would just like, oh

yeah, this is so funny for him.

778

:

You know?

779

:

like, we're learning too.

780

:

like, we don't know your language.

781

:

And like, I think that

made him feel special.

782

:

Samantha: Yeah.

783

:

And so like that even might be

the answer to the next question.

784

:

Next question.

785

:

But you know, if there was one,

like super small but powerful thing

786

:

that you would tell somebody to do

to today to, to better support to

787

:

make their life easier at school,

in the classroom, what would it be?

788

:

Ilaria Sessa: I mean, building

relationship, I think is number

789

:

one, making them feel special.

790

:

I remember, whenever we did some

cultural things or like social studies,

791

:

I always made sure that I would cover

the cultures of our classroom to make

792

:

them feel special and to tell us about

it and to teach us about their culture.

793

:

I know in second grade we have lots

of, books that are very cultural,

794

:

like our first unit in Wonders.

795

:

It's all about.

796

:

There's a, there's a story about

Brazil and there's another story

797

:

that I think it's in, um, Turkey.

798

:

And so like, I made a whole thing

about that because I'm like, okay,

799

:

well we have different cultures here.

800

:

Let's learn about the different cultures.

801

:

And I remember making that like one of

the centers where I took all those books

802

:

out and we just learned about each other.

803

:

And I think that builds that

family classroom because now like

804

:

you know each other and you know

where you're coming from and.

805

:

It feels comfortable to, to be

okay and it feels comfortable

806

:

not to have good days, right?

807

:

Because it doesn't feel like you're coming

into a place where everything is unknown.

808

:

So I feel like having those things in

the classroom helps those kids a lot.

809

:

I made sure that I had

books of their cultures.

810

:

Like was like a big thing for me and I,

I mean, obviously because it hits home,

811

:

but I think that would help so much.

812

:

Samantha: Yeah, that's really similar

to something that I've started to do

813

:

on the morning announcements this year.

814

:

Not necessarily just with the ESOL

kids, but at my school we have a lot

815

:

of different cultures and religions.

816

:

So what I've done is invited, a kid from

either a culture or religion for one

817

:

major holiday from each, and then they

get to come on the announcements and.

818

:

Share about it and do like a quick,

like three to five sentences about it.

819

:

Um, you know, whether it's Ali

or you know, why are all these

820

:

students fasting, what's Ramadan?

821

:

Um, and it's really helped open

the door for conversations.

822

:

Um, we have some students who

every year they'll bring in, um.

823

:

Treats for Ramadan and dates,

and they'll explain it and

824

:

like, this is why I'm fasting.

825

:

This is why you don't have,

can't have water during the day.

826

:

And it's so just eye opening.

827

:

And the kids have really liked it.

828

:

They've really loved sharing about

themselves, and the parents are

829

:

really appreciative of it too.

830

:

Ilaria Sessa: I love that.

831

:

That's awesome.

832

:

Kaitlyn: I was gonna ask, do you have

any specific tips that you think would

833

:

really work in a middle school or high

school classroom where students are

834

:

rotating more frequently and it takes

way longer to build that family culture

835

:

because they're switching so often.

836

:

Ilaria Sessa: Um, I think having guidance

counselors, like somebody maybe like

837

:

that's not a classroom teacher where

they can like, rely to or have like a.

838

:

Like, almost like, you know, like

a center, like a cultural center.

839

:

Like we have that at UCF, right?

840

:

We have the cultural center at UCF

and like if anybody ever has an issue,

841

:

like they go to that center where they

have people that speak their languages

842

:

or have, or have resources they can

use to help those students that are,

843

:

um, coming from different countries.

844

:

Like I remember having that

at UCF and I thought it was

845

:

amazing, but something like that.

846

:

I also think like just

communication, right?

847

:

Communication between staff

members and just having that open

848

:

communication with the easel teacher.

849

:

I do think that a lot is on that easel

teacher when it comes to high school and

850

:

middle school, but like my high school.

851

:

Easel teacher was amazing and she built

like her own little, like we were all

852

:

like a family and we knew we can go to

her, you know, if we ever had any issues.

853

:

So, and she was an advocate for all of us.

854

:

Like if anything ever happened,

she would go talk to the teacher.

855

:

Because the other thing is like.

856

:

Easel students.

857

:

Most of our of Easel students

don't have parents that can

858

:

come to the school and advocate.

859

:

A lot of them don't speak English.

860

:

A lot of them, like my parents,

my mom didn't speak any English.

861

:

My dad was working.

862

:

He had no time to come to the school and

try to advocate for me and my sister.

863

:

So that was important too, because I feel

like a lot of the times, like our, you

864

:

know, our kids, their parents are very

involved, their their emails and like.

865

:

It's a cultural difference

like that doesn't work like

866

:

that in any other countries.

867

:

And so like a lot of our ESO kids parents

don't even know we have a Facebook

868

:

page because that's not something

they would do in their country, right?

869

:

To where they can communicate.

870

:

Um, and so I just feel like.

871

:

Stuff like that would help.

872

:

Like having a center where kids can

go or having a person they can go to.

873

:

Um, I know they have like, you know,

in high school I know they have

874

:

like five to six guidance counselors

and maybe one of them could be that

875

:

person for the easel kids where they

can go to her or him and have those

876

:

conversations, you know, and be, and

they could be like their person that can

877

:

speak for them and be there for them.

878

:

Kaitlyn: Yeah, I'm thinking about

how important it would be to have

879

:

somebody advocate, like someone that

you feel comfortable going to and, and

880

:

talking about, you hard things or silly

things or, or incidents that happen.

881

:

And having someone who I.

882

:

Can go to bat for you, you know, knowing

the language and also being available.

883

:

So helping kids kind of find a

match in, in an adult who feels

884

:

like a safe person for them.

885

:

I think it's really natural in

an elementary school classroom,

886

:

like that's your teacher.

887

:

So in middle school and high

school, we have to kind of

888

:

find ways to incorporate that.

889

:

Like you said, having a physical place

or having a physical person be that

890

:

designated, , kind of advocate or.

891

:

I mean, I'm even just thinking

about, you know, oh, could we do

892

:

this as like a, an extracurricular

club or like make it an option for

893

:

them to join or something like that.

894

:

Ilaria Sessa: like they did have

that at my high school where we

895

:

Kaitlyn: I.

896

:

Ilaria Sessa: clubs like the

Easel Club, but then we made

897

:

it into a multicultural club.

898

:

And you know, with the languages

that are being taught in high school,

899

:

there's like anal, there was an Italian

club in Oviedo because they did have

900

:

Italian as a option for languages.

901

:

You know, they have all those types of

things that make you feel like a little

902

:

bit more at home and do things that you

know are your culture and your language.

903

:

But yeah, I think having.

904

:

A person or a space where they can

just go and you know, talk about

905

:

what's going on in their life.

906

:

I think that would be very impactful.

907

:

Samantha: Did you ever take the

Italian class in high school?

908

:

Ilaria Sessa: did.

909

:

Samantha: I love that.

910

:

That reminds me, have you seen those

SNL sketches that are like when the, you

911

:

know, the, the kid from Mexico or Puerto

Rico enrolls in high school Spanish

912

:

Ilaria Sessa: my Italian

913

:

Samantha: that like the teacher asks

them and they just rattle off this

914

:

super quick Spanish of everything.

915

:

Ilaria Sessa: My two years of

language were AP Spanish and Italian

916

:

four, and then I took AP Italian.

917

:

And Italian teacher was not

fun of me because I mean, okay,

918

:

Samantha: You corrected her, didn't you?

919

:

Ilaria Sessa: never disrespectful to her.

920

:

she wrote something on the board that

was not an Italian, it was in Spanish.

921

:

so I was talking to my friend very

quietly and I said, that's not an Italian.

922

:

know, in Italian, it's this.

923

:

She must have overheard me,

or that girl maybe told on me.

924

:

I don't remember that,

but she was so mad at me.

925

:

She called her husband and

her husband was like, she's

926

:

right, you did spell it wrong.

927

:

I was like, oh my God,

this is so embarrassing.

928

:

But she was like American,

Italian, like she knew Italian

929

:

from her parents, but like her

husband was like us, who you know.

930

:

I here from Italy, so she called

him and she go, she goes, did

931

:

I spell this in correctly?

932

:

And he's like, yes.

933

:

And I was like, God, it's so embarrassing.

934

:

But I did take it.

935

:

It was great.

936

:

I loved it.

937

:

Samantha: I love that.

938

:

Kaitlyn: Yeah, me too.

939

:

That's so fun.

940

:

Ilaria Sessa: Yeah.

941

:

I mean, and then

942

:

Kaitlyn: I feel like, uh.

943

:

Ilaria Sessa: me like we're

friends on Facebook and she's

944

:

actually, she lives in Italy now.

945

:

Um, and she message with me, she goes, I'm

retiring if you wanna take my position.

946

:

I was like, I can't go in high school.

947

:

Kaitlyn: How did learning English

affect your sense of identity?

948

:

Both as an Italian and as a young

person, like growing up in a new country?

949

:

Ilaria Sessa: I had a hard time with that.

950

:

Like I had a hard time with letting go of

who I was as like someone from Italy like.

951

:

I remember I still

listened to Italian music.

952

:

I still watched my Italian shows.

953

:

But I just always wanted to feel

like I wasn't letting go of that.

954

:

Like I always felt like I need to

know what the new pop songs are

955

:

or what the new movie is in Italy

that everybody's talking about.

956

:

Like I didn't, I never wanted

to let that go if that.

957

:

Makes any sense.

958

:

So I always kept up with all of that.

959

:

I am very big about my culture.

960

:

Like I love speaking Italian.

961

:

Like I, I ride in Italian.

962

:

I never forgot how to, like, I feel

like my sister not Italian at all.

963

:

Right.

964

:

And she'll say that,

she's like, I'm American.

965

:

Like I, I mean she wasn't first

grade when she moved here.

966

:

Um, so it was a little

bit different, but like.

967

:

She doesn't have that at all.

968

:

And she went to Italy this summer and

she would text me things like, yes,

969

:

Lorenza, you don't remember that?

970

:

And she was like, I forgot all of this.

971

:

Like she kind of like almost

like put it in a box, right?

972

:

Like I'm just letting go of that part

of my life and this is my life now.

973

:

To where I was very opposite.

974

:

And I'm still very cautious about that.

975

:

Like I still wanna know and

I still like speak Italian

976

:

and write an Italian and I'm.

977

:

You know, I mess, you know, I'm

always talking to my cousins and my

978

:

aunts and uncles and like, I feel

like that's still a big part of me

979

:

and I wanna teach the girls Italian.

980

:

I wanna make sure that they know and.

981

:

But I think Lorenza going to Italy

this summer really made her realize

982

:

that part of like, I think I let

that ident, like that part of me go.

983

:

Um, and then she was like, it was

just so weird, like, you know,

984

:

forgetting certain things that she

just kind of forgot because it was

985

:

probably a trauma for her, you know?

986

:

Like it wasn't like she forgot

because she doesn't remember.

987

:

It was more of that.

988

:

Kaitlyn: You saying that is of it,

it's all connecting for me, right?

989

:

Like you have who kind of have that

reaction of, of maybe putting it in a

990

:

box and saying, I, I have to forget.

991

:

Right?

992

:

I have to focus on how do I,

you know, speak the language.

993

:

How do I make friends here?

994

:

How do I assimilate into this culture?

995

:

Versus students who have such a hard

time letting that go and don't want

996

:

to learn the language and don't want

to learn the culture, um, because

997

:

they're so proud and sad and that

they left and are missing things.

998

:

Um, yeah,

999

:

Ilaria Sessa: mean like even

:

00:46:45,246 --> 00:46:45,726

Kaitlyn: I've just.

:

00:46:45,755 --> 00:46:47,855

Ilaria Sessa: World Cup, like

I don't go for the United

:

00:46:47,855 --> 00:46:49,505

States, I'm Italy all the way.

:

00:46:49,505 --> 00:46:49,865

Right.

:

00:46:49,865 --> 00:46:53,855

Like, and, and you know, my sister

will laugh at me and she's not a

:

00:46:53,855 --> 00:46:57,605

sports person, but I bet, I bet

that if she were a a sports person,

:

00:46:57,605 --> 00:46:58,655

she would go for the United States.

:

00:46:58,825 --> 00:47:01,855

Like that's, we've been here

longer now than we were in Italy.

:

00:47:01,855 --> 00:47:06,355

But for me, that's such like a big thing,

like watching soccer with my nono and

:

00:47:06,355 --> 00:47:10,645

like watching soccer now with my dad and

like, you know, if our team is on, my

:

00:47:10,645 --> 00:47:13,195

dad will text me like, Hey, UUs is on.

:

00:47:13,195 --> 00:47:14,575

And it's like a thing for us.

:

00:47:14,575 --> 00:47:18,685

And it's like, it's a prideful

thing for me and like, you know, and

:

00:47:18,685 --> 00:47:23,035

Joey will make fun of me, but like

Orlando Magic has an Italian player.

:

00:47:23,270 --> 00:47:25,130

His dad is Italian from Italy.

:

00:47:25,130 --> 00:47:28,820

His name is Paolo Quero, and I told

him, we gotta get the girls Eros

:

00:47:28,820 --> 00:47:30,860

jerseys, like, because they're Italian.

:

00:47:31,790 --> 00:47:37,130

And Joe's like, okay, but like, but

you know, like little things like that.

:

00:47:37,130 --> 00:47:41,630

And like I get very emotional, like when,

you know, I'm listening to music from

:

00:47:41,630 --> 00:47:45,530

Italy, like when my parents went in Italy

this summer, like I had a hard time like.

:

00:47:45,845 --> 00:47:48,215

Not getting emotional because

I was like, oh my God.

:

00:47:48,245 --> 00:47:51,215

Like, yes, I remember this and I

remember that and they're doing this

:

00:47:51,215 --> 00:47:55,265

and they're here and you know, it's

just, it's a part of me and I, you

:

00:47:55,265 --> 00:47:58,115

know, that's how I've dealt with it.

:

00:47:58,115 --> 00:48:01,925

It's just making it part of me where

I think my sister was the opposite and

:

00:48:01,925 --> 00:48:04,505

was like, that's not part of us anymore.

:

00:48:04,505 --> 00:48:07,445

And you know, and I've had kids like that.

:

00:48:07,445 --> 00:48:10,505

I've had kids that even want

the other kids to know they're

:

00:48:10,505 --> 00:48:11,585

from a different country.

:

00:48:12,710 --> 00:48:15,620

Because they think it's like

embarrassing almost, you know?

:

00:48:15,620 --> 00:48:20,090

And I've had kids where, I mean, I speak

Spanish, but I wanna speak English.

:

00:48:20,840 --> 00:48:24,020

Don't speak to me in Spanish, or

don't speak to me in my language.

:

00:48:24,020 --> 00:48:24,470

You know?

:

00:48:24,470 --> 00:48:26,810

And so I think it's just

how you deal with it.

:

00:48:27,752 --> 00:48:30,902

Samantha: So now that you've gone through

the system, you went through middle

:

00:48:30,902 --> 00:48:33,002

school, you went through high school.

:

00:48:33,512 --> 00:48:35,342

You know, college multiple times.

:

00:48:35,642 --> 00:48:43,052

What message do you want educators and

schools as a whole community to just hear

:

00:48:43,052 --> 00:48:46,802

loud and clear about ESOL experiences?

:

00:48:47,390 --> 00:48:50,330

Ilaria Sessa: the biggest thing to me

is like you have to be there for them.

:

00:48:51,140 --> 00:48:53,510

Um, you don't have to understand it.

:

00:48:53,660 --> 00:48:57,710

You just have to be there

and know that these kids, you

:

00:48:57,710 --> 00:48:59,510

are their literal everything.

:

00:48:59,960 --> 00:49:01,490

If you're in elementary school.

:

00:49:02,120 --> 00:49:04,550

You are their everything

as a classroom teacher.

:

00:49:04,580 --> 00:49:07,400

If you're middle school and high

school esol, you're their everything

:

00:49:07,400 --> 00:49:11,870

because you are the person that's

going to guide them through school

:

00:49:11,870 --> 00:49:14,570

and experiences and all the things.

:

00:49:14,600 --> 00:49:17,300

Like I said, like my mom was not

very involved because she didn't

:

00:49:17,300 --> 00:49:20,510

speak English and, and so when

things would happen at school.

:

00:49:21,181 --> 00:49:24,751

I remember like, you know, whenever

like forms go home to be signed, like

:

00:49:24,751 --> 00:49:27,871

I had to wait until my dad got home

and my dad would ask me questions

:

00:49:27,871 --> 00:49:29,251

and sometimes I wouldn't know.

:

00:49:29,401 --> 00:49:32,821

And I remember I had to go back to my EL

teacher and she would have to explain to

:

00:49:32,821 --> 00:49:36,489

me what that was so I can go back home

and explain to my parents like there's

:

00:49:36,489 --> 00:49:39,129

a lot going on in their personal lives.

:

00:49:39,129 --> 00:49:42,099

There's a lot going on in their

academics and you just have to be

:

00:49:42,099 --> 00:49:44,589

there for them and just be that here.

:

00:49:44,589 --> 00:49:46,569

Like, you know, hear them out.

:

00:49:46,929 --> 00:49:48,819

Listen to them, what do they need?

:

00:49:48,819 --> 00:49:50,259

Ask them what do you need?

:

00:49:50,259 --> 00:49:53,259

And sometimes they just need to

be there, you know, and just sit

:

00:49:53,259 --> 00:49:54,849

at a desk and not do anything.

:

00:49:54,849 --> 00:49:55,869

And that's okay.

:

00:49:56,259 --> 00:50:00,189

And I also think just giving them

time, grace and time, I feel like

:

00:50:00,189 --> 00:50:01,659

sometimes we forget about that.

:

00:50:02,349 --> 00:50:07,239

Um, I just think those two things

being there for them and Grace in time.

:

00:50:09,225 --> 00:50:10,375

Kaitlyn: Thank you so

much, aria, for talking

:

00:50:10,414 --> 00:50:10,734

Ilaria Sessa: welcome.

:

00:50:11,005 --> 00:50:11,875

Kaitlyn: to us today.

:

00:50:11,949 --> 00:50:12,879

Ilaria Sessa: guys.

:

00:50:13,030 --> 00:50:14,115

This was so fun for me.

:

00:50:14,519 --> 00:50:16,934

Samantha: Yeah, I, it was, I think this

was gonna be a really good episode.

:

00:50:17,617 --> 00:50:17,647

Ilaria Sessa: Aw,

:

00:50:17,878 --> 00:50:18,258

Kaitlyn: Me too.

:

00:50:19,167 --> 00:50:19,882

Ilaria Sessa: But thank you girls.

:

00:50:20,067 --> 00:50:21,057

It was so fun.

:

00:50:21,057 --> 00:50:21,627

I loved it.

:

00:50:23,389 --> 00:50:25,519

Kaitlyn: In this next part of our

episode, we're gonna go through an

:

00:50:25,519 --> 00:50:30,139

activity that helps us inventory

what things we're already doing to

:

00:50:30,139 --> 00:50:31,789

support English language learners,

:

00:50:32,263 --> 00:50:35,803

and what things we can incorporate

more often or with more fidelity

:

00:50:35,969 --> 00:50:37,229

to up that level of support.

:

00:50:38,241 --> 00:50:40,611

In the show notes of this episode,

you're gonna see a link to a

:

00:50:40,611 --> 00:50:43,341

Google form and to a Google Doc,

:

00:50:43,562 --> 00:50:47,212

this is a self-assessment activity, so

you can take the Google form version,

:

00:50:47,242 --> 00:50:50,692

screenshot your completed results,

and send that off for approval.

:

00:50:51,082 --> 00:50:54,202

Or you can go through the inventory on

Google Docs, mark your answers there,

:

00:50:54,472 --> 00:50:57,232

and have access to some extra resources.

:

00:50:57,832 --> 00:51:00,622

I'm gonna go ahead and open

the Google Doc version.

:

00:51:00,721 --> 00:51:03,451

But either version will show you

the prompts for best practices

:

00:51:03,501 --> 00:51:04,761

to support English learners.

:

00:51:05,991 --> 00:51:09,651

A benefit of using the Google Doc is

that there is a fourth column called

:

00:51:09,651 --> 00:51:12,291

Next Steps and Development Resources.

:

00:51:12,451 --> 00:51:19,536

This column has links to articles, PDFs,

videos, all about, what the strategy

:

00:51:19,536 --> 00:51:24,336

is, how it can be implemented, and why

it's good for English language learners.

:

00:51:24,572 --> 00:51:26,162

Let's get started on the inventory.

:

00:51:27,803 --> 00:51:32,213

I build background and content knowledge

before introducing new material.

:

00:51:32,949 --> 00:51:35,169

Always, sometimes, never.

:

00:51:35,939 --> 00:51:39,375

I provide access to bilingual

word to word dictionaries.

:

00:51:40,874 --> 00:51:42,894

Always, sometimes, never.

:

00:51:43,618 --> 00:51:48,988

I intentionally speak at a slower

pace and articulate words clearly to

:

00:51:48,988 --> 00:51:51,298

support English learners' comprehension.

:

00:51:52,451 --> 00:51:56,411

I provide extended wait time

before requiring responses.

:

00:51:57,821 --> 00:52:02,081

I use visuals to connect

new vocabulary and concepts.

:

00:52:03,251 --> 00:52:07,541

I repeat key points and I encourage

students to echo responses.

:

00:52:08,936 --> 00:52:14,366

I provide scaffolds such as graphic

organizers and anchor charts and ensure

:

00:52:14,366 --> 00:52:18,656

that they're accessible to support English

learners understanding and engagement.

:

00:52:19,876 --> 00:52:22,756

I offer oral or written

translation when needed.

:

00:52:23,086 --> 00:52:25,276

Always, sometimes, never.

:

00:52:26,806 --> 00:52:32,386

I allow translanguaging students using

their native language alongside English.

:

00:52:33,549 --> 00:52:38,169

I pair ELs with helpful peers

for support and collaboration.

:

00:52:39,429 --> 00:52:44,229

I provide cheat sheets with classroom

expectations, vocabulary or content.

:

00:52:44,679 --> 00:52:46,929

Always, sometimes never.

:

00:52:48,429 --> 00:52:51,459

I communicate with families

using tools like interpreters and

:

00:52:51,459 --> 00:52:53,139

Google Translate when necessary.

:

00:52:54,669 --> 00:52:58,029

I provide testing accommodations

per state guidelines.

:

00:52:59,642 --> 00:53:04,795

I offer reasonable extensions on

assignments, always, sometimes, never.

:

00:53:05,546 --> 00:53:06,116

That's it.

:

00:53:06,326 --> 00:53:07,706

That's the whole inventory.

:

00:53:08,156 --> 00:53:13,046

What I'd like you to do now is go back

and look at your sometimes or never, those

:

00:53:13,046 --> 00:53:16,036

are the places that you're gonna wanna

look at the extra resources available.

:

00:53:16,086 --> 00:53:19,566

In the next steps and development

resources column, you're gonna

:

00:53:19,566 --> 00:53:21,906

see lots of different things.

:

00:53:21,906 --> 00:53:26,156

So there are a resource link to the

strategy of intentionally speaking at a

:

00:53:26,156 --> 00:53:32,516

slower pace and articulating more clearly

is a speak more clearly YouTube video.

:

00:53:32,876 --> 00:53:35,036

This is actually a speech therapy video.

:

00:53:35,276 --> 00:53:38,716

I watched this video and engaged

in some of the exercises and it was

:

00:53:38,716 --> 00:53:42,976

really eye-opening to see how much

it actually slowed me down and had me

:

00:53:42,976 --> 00:53:45,256

thinking about the way I was speaking.

:

00:53:48,016 --> 00:53:51,076

We know that speaking more slowly

will help English learners, but I

:

00:53:51,076 --> 00:53:53,956

also think that when we're talking

about content related things in our

:

00:53:53,956 --> 00:53:59,056

classrooms, speaking more slowly will

actually help all of our students.

:

00:54:00,583 --> 00:54:04,153

There's a resource here about

providing extended wait time

:

00:54:04,153 --> 00:54:06,013

before requiring responses.

:

00:54:06,283 --> 00:54:09,433

When I was first thinking about

this strategy, I was thinking

:

00:54:09,433 --> 00:54:14,402

about waiting five to seven seconds

before expecting a response.

:

00:54:14,672 --> 00:54:19,952

But there's actually a lot of creative

ways to build in extended wait

:

00:54:19,952 --> 00:54:24,302

time in practices that you probably

already use in your classroom.

:

00:54:24,902 --> 00:54:29,582

This link will take you to a Kent State

University resource page, all about

:

00:54:29,582 --> 00:54:34,652

extended wait time, how to use it in

your classroom, and some specific ways

:

00:54:34,948 --> 00:54:36,898

to incorporate this authentically.

:

00:54:37,768 --> 00:54:42,042

You've probably already heard

of, think, pair, share, turn, and

:

00:54:42,042 --> 00:54:44,142

talk, or even jigsaw activities.

:

00:54:44,712 --> 00:54:49,422

This article gives you some practical

ways to build in extended wait time

:

00:54:49,422 --> 00:54:51,492

in these authentic experiences.

:

00:54:52,707 --> 00:54:57,177

I'd also like to draw your attention

to the go-to strategies PDF.

:

00:54:57,657 --> 00:55:01,137

It's linked to the idea of

providing scaffolds such as graphic

:

00:55:01,137 --> 00:55:02,847

organizers and anchor charts.

:

00:55:03,297 --> 00:55:09,477

The information I found most helpful was

actually bullet pointed lists of ideas

:

00:55:09,477 --> 00:55:12,537

or activities or strategies to implement.

:

00:55:12,750 --> 00:55:18,390

When trying to support specific skills, so

for example, on page 10 of the document,

:

00:55:18,780 --> 00:55:24,270

you'll see principle one, a focus on

academic language literacy and vocabulary.

:

00:55:24,960 --> 00:55:27,840

There are primary strategies

and additional strategies.

:

00:55:28,200 --> 00:55:33,210

Some of these include sentence frames

or sorting tasks, picture walks.

:

00:55:33,600 --> 00:55:39,150

There are also things on this list

like I have who has and Cornell notes.

:

00:55:39,600 --> 00:55:42,680

I really like this list because

sometimes I just need something to jog

:

00:55:42,680 --> 00:55:46,670

my memory about a strategy I learned

a long time ago and also this list

:

00:55:46,670 --> 00:55:50,210

has a lot of things I've never heard

of before, so I really can just copy,

:

00:55:50,210 --> 00:55:53,415

paste and give it a quick Google

before implementing it in my classroom.

:

00:55:53,762 --> 00:55:58,082

Another resource I found particularly

helpful was a YouTube video that

:

00:55:58,082 --> 00:56:01,382

shows Translanguaging in action.

:

00:56:01,712 --> 00:56:05,492

This video is only about three

minutes and 15 seconds long, but

:

00:56:05,492 --> 00:56:09,517

it shows a small group of students

using their native language alongside

:

00:56:09,517 --> 00:56:11,582

English to complete an academic task.

:

00:56:11,882 --> 00:56:17,732

It also shows the interaction of their

teacher and how she leans in to support.

:

00:56:17,732 --> 00:56:21,594

This instead of only

encouraging them to use English.

:

00:56:21,894 --> 00:56:25,104

In the video you'll see that these

students who speak the same native

:

00:56:25,104 --> 00:56:28,734

language are all at different points

in their development of English.

:

00:56:29,684 --> 00:56:33,764

I think that that's a great strategy,

especially when you have multiple English

:

00:56:33,764 --> 00:56:37,544

language learners in your classroom

who speak the same native language.

:

00:56:38,755 --> 00:56:41,995

The last thing I wanna draw your

attention to is actually all the

:

00:56:41,995 --> 00:56:46,465

way at the bottom of the Google Doc

and in the other resources section.

:

00:56:48,655 --> 00:56:53,875

The Coloring Colorado website is the

most comprehensive English language

:

00:56:53,875 --> 00:56:59,395

learner resource page I have found to

date , their mission is specifically to

:

00:56:59,395 --> 00:57:04,645

be a bilingual site for educators and

families of English language learners.

:

00:57:05,095 --> 00:57:09,355

As a teacher, you can go on this

website and find information about.

:

00:57:09,498 --> 00:57:14,298

How to support your students in the

classroom, what best practices are, what

:

00:57:14,298 --> 00:57:18,978

kind of accommodations you can provide,

but also you can give this website out

:

00:57:18,978 --> 00:57:21,558

to parents of English language learners.

:

00:57:22,008 --> 00:57:26,148

On the website's homepage, they actually

have a tab that says four families.

:

00:57:26,448 --> 00:57:30,061

This would be a great place to

direct parents who have questions

:

00:57:30,061 --> 00:57:32,911

about how to support their

English learner in your classroom.

:

00:57:33,170 --> 00:57:36,410

As you use up your allotted professional

development time, I highly encourage

:

00:57:37,520 --> 00:57:38,810

you give this website a scroll.

:

00:57:39,171 --> 00:57:43,011

When you've completed your assessment,

either on the Google form or on the Google

:

00:57:43,011 --> 00:57:47,072

Doc, go ahead, screenshot and send it

off to your administrator to make sure

:

00:57:47,072 --> 00:57:50,432

that you actually earn your professional

development points for listening

:

00:57:50,582 --> 00:57:52,232

and participating in this activity.

:

00:57:52,791 --> 00:57:56,601

As we head into summer, I really

hope that either you're already

:

00:57:56,601 --> 00:57:59,061

enjoying the sun and family time,

:

00:57:59,571 --> 00:58:02,061

or if you're still in school,

that you're finding ways to

:

00:58:02,061 --> 00:58:03,346

enjoy those last couple of days.

:

00:58:05,511 --> 00:58:08,241

Samantha and I are gonna release

an episode right in the middle of

:

00:58:08,241 --> 00:58:12,861

the summer, and we hope that you

will join us in creating this.

:

00:58:13,073 --> 00:58:17,243

We know that you have stories to

tell and we would love to hear them.

:

00:58:17,468 --> 00:58:21,398

What crazy situation came up for you

this year and how did you handle it?

:

00:58:21,788 --> 00:58:23,888

What lessons did you have

to learn the hard way?

:

00:58:24,367 --> 00:58:28,087

We wanna hear your stories about

things gone wrong, how you've

:

00:58:28,087 --> 00:58:29,857

turned it around and made it right.

:

00:58:30,247 --> 00:58:32,887

What were some mistakes that

you made, lessons that you

:

00:58:32,887 --> 00:58:35,047

learned, relationships you formed

:

00:58:35,097 --> 00:58:37,472

and how you prepare for a new school year.

:

00:58:38,280 --> 00:58:42,985

send us an email at KAIT.

:

00:58:43,465 --> 00:58:47,125

That's kate@essentialpdpod.com

:

00:58:47,635 --> 00:58:51,445

or samantha@essentialpdpod.com.

:

00:58:51,715 --> 00:58:55,556

We are so excited to hear from you and

hopefully we can share your stories.

:

00:58:56,369 --> 00:58:59,759

I'd love to shout out everyone

who has joined our email

:

00:58:59,759 --> 00:59:02,729

list over@essentialpdpod.com.

:

00:59:03,056 --> 00:59:06,646

When you join, you'll actually receive

some printable freebies that you

:

00:59:06,646 --> 00:59:08,266

can use in your classroom next year.

:

00:59:08,606 --> 00:59:11,636

And you'll be up to date on all of

the episodes that we have coming out.

:

00:59:13,266 --> 00:59:14,646

Thank you so much for listening.

:

00:59:14,826 --> 00:59:17,706

Whatever platform you listen on,

if you could go ahead and give

:

00:59:17,706 --> 00:59:22,446

us a like or subscribe, rate our

podcast, leave us a review, that'll

:

00:59:22,446 --> 00:59:23,976

help other teachers find us.

:

00:59:24,156 --> 00:59:27,996

We're so excited to build this community

and this has been such a fun project

:

00:59:28,026 --> 00:59:29,616

for us the last couple of months.

:

00:59:29,856 --> 00:59:33,036

So you'll hear from us again this

summer and we will be back to

:

00:59:33,036 --> 00:59:34,806

our regular content in August.

:

00:59:35,106 --> 00:59:37,506

Have a great summer everybody.

:

00:59:37,806 --> 00:59:38,226

Bye.

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About the Podcast

Essential PD
Flexible, Actionable Professional Development for K-12 Teachers
Whether you are tuning in for inspiration, practical strategies, or to earn PD credit, Essential PD will help you grow! Kait, an actual classroom teacher, and Samantha, an actual school administrator, talk openly with guests who actually work with students! From classroom management to mental health, from tech integration to behavior and curriculum design, each episode features valuable insights and actionable advice. In our signature segment "Ten Minute Try On" our guests guide us through ways to try out new strategies with just ten minutes or less! Essential PD is designed to leave you feeling motivated, empowered, and inspired to make an impact, all on your schedule. Pop in your headphones while you tidy up your classroom, or finally check your mailbox, you will be earning PD credit every step of the way!

About your hosts

Kaitlyn Skat

Profile picture for Kaitlyn Skat
As a teacher, Kait has worked across grade levels and in diverse school settings since she started teaching in 2020. (Yeah, her first year was in the middle of a global pandemic.) Kait has hobbies like hosting and cooking and swearing she's going to take up reading. She enjoys true crime podcasts and drinking iced coffee. What she does not enjoy is sitting in a busy cafeteria on a Wednesday afternoon trying to listen to a presenter while being mentally exhausted and desperately needing to see the sun. That is how Essential PD started.

Samantha Patterson

Profile picture for Samantha Patterson
Samantha has devoted nearly 20 years to public education, bringing her expertise and passion to teaching music across all levels—elementary, middle, high school, and collegiate settings. As a former union leader and a current school-based administrator, she is committed to supporting educators by delivering meaningful and practical professional development that addresses the needs of busy teachers and their students. Samantha’s dedication to fostering growth and learning in both students and educators has been a cornerstone of her career.