When talking about equity in the classroom, there is a nonnegotiable premise: Knowing your students! This presentation will deepen teachers’ understanding of the wide breadth of differences between ELLs, a somewhat pragmatic, yet effective approach to assessing ELLs language and literacy strengths, an example of a differentiated English-ESL class (levels 1 & 2), and an open discussion on the equity and effects of our current grading practices. Participants will be presented with examples of student work, pictures, and video clips that will help them understand how students’ seaming oral fluency can easily create a false sense of literacy competence.
