This workshop is for dual language (DL) administrators and teachers. First we define biliteracy, and explain why DL educators need to focus on biliteracy. Then we explore how different types of DL programs can organize for biliteracy, with attention to curriculum development and assessment planning. We discuss what counts as evidence of students’ biliteracy development, and articulate the kinds of biliteracy outcomes DL educators can expect.

1. Rebecca D. Field
rdfield@casloninc.com
Caslon Publishing
www.caslonpublishing.com

2. Description
This interactive workshop is for dual language (DL)
administrators and teachers.
 First we define biliteracy, and explain why DL
educators need to focus on biliteracy.
 Second, we explore how different types of DL
programs can organize for biliteracy, with attention to
curriculum development and assessment planning.
 Third, we discuss what counts as evidence of students’
biliteracy development, and articulate the kinds of
biliteracy outcomes DL educators can expect.

3. Ice Breaker
What contexts for biliteracy do we represent?
 One-way dual language  for students from Spanish-speaking homes (or another
minority language)
 Two-way immersion  for students from English-speaking and Spanish-speaking homes
 Dual immersion  for students from English speaking homes
 Spanish for Spanish speakers
 World language classes
 Elementary, middle, high school
Turn and talk: Introduce yourself to a partner who you will work with
throughout this session. Tell your partner the answers to the following
questions…
1. What type of context for biliteracy do you work in?
2. What evidence of biliteracy do you collect?
3. How do you use that evidence?
4. What question do you have about biliteracy in your context that you
might like to explore? Keep this in mind because we’ll return to it later
in the session.

4. What is biliteracy?
Activity: Vocabulary Notebook
Word Connections
Where have I heard it?
What does it remind me of?
Meaning(s)
From class
From texts (dictionary, articles)
Biliteracy
Holistic biliteracy
framework
Paired literacy
Trajectories toward
biliteracy

5. Escamilla et al, (2014, p. 6).
A holistic biliteracy framework

6. Paired Literacy
Biliterate Reading Trajectory Biliterate Writing Trajectory
 Holistic bilingual reading
assessment in action
 EDL2 and DRA2
 Biliterate reading zones
 Biliterate reading
benchmarks
 Quantitative evidence
 Holistic bilingual writing
assessment in action
 Literacy Squared writing rubric
 Bilingual writing strategies at
the discourse, sentence, and
word levels
 Qualitative and quantitative
evidence
Escamilla et al, (2014, pp. 83-138)

7. Analyze student writing in Spanish and English, side-by-side.
Directions
1. Read Amanda’s writing in Spanish and English. Talk
with your partner about what you see.
2. Use the Literacy Squared Writing Rubric to evaluate
Amanda’s writing in Spanish and English, with
attention to the bilingual strategies she uses. Talk with
your partner about what this process reveals.
3. Read the analysis that Escamilla et al provide of
Amanda’s writing. What else do you see?

11. How can I use samples of my students’ writing in
Spanish and English as evidence of biliteracy?
1. Working with other dual language teachers, coaches, and
administrators, identify the genres that you want to assess.
2. Make a timetable for when you will collect paired samples of
student writing in Spanish, English, or both. Good to collect
data before report periods.
3. Collect writing samples in Spanish and English: one week in
one language and the next week in the other language. Focus
on the same genre and topic.
4. Use the biliterate writing rubric to qualitatively and
quantitatively analyze the writing in two languages, side-by-
side.
5. Organize a pivotal portfolio that includes samples of student
writing in a range of academic genres in two languages. Use
the portfolio to collect evidence of student growth over time.

12. Why focus on biliteracy?
Teachers who know what their students can do with biliteracy are able to…
 Build on their students’ language and literacy strengths in two languages
for learning
 Accelerate biliteracy development in two languages
 Provide evidence of students’ trajectories toward biliteracy in reading and
writing (Escamilla et al, 2014)
Administrators and educational leaders who know what their students can
do with biliteracy are able to
 Provide evidence of student performance and growth in two languages
 Document effectiveness of DLBE program
 Share effective biliteracy policies, programs, and practices with other
schools, districts and universities.
Evidence of biliteracy is power.

13. Stories from the field…

14. A Multilingual Perspective on Biliteracy
Dual Language Programs
- One-way
- Two-way
- Dual Immersion
Leadership * Professional learning
- Shared responsibility
- Teacher/team-directed
- Results-oriented cycles of inquiry
Assessment and instruction
- Holistic, dynamic, side-by-side
- Scaffolded and differentiated
- Culturally-responsive
- Authentic materials and assessments
Focus on
Biliteracy
Biliteracy Curriculum
- Holistic, dynamic
- Side-by-side ; paired literacy
- The bridge and bridging
- Biliteracy content and genres

15. K-12 pathways to biliteracy: Students
first!
1. Programs and accountability
systems for biliteracy
2. Curriculum, materials,
instruction, assessment
3. Leadership and professional
learning
Who are the students?
• ELLs: monolingual
Spanish or other partner
home language; SLIFE;
indigenous languages
• Bilinguals
• Non-ELLs: monolingual
English home language;
vernacular varieties of
English
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
101
1
12
Biliteracy
Seal of
Biliteracy

16. K-12 pathways to biliteracy: Selecting
appropriate types of program
1. Programs and accountability
systems for biliteracy
2. Curriculum, materials,
instruction, assessment
3. Leadership and professional
learning
1-way DL
2-way DL
Dual immersion
Heritage language
World language
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
101
1
12
Biliteracy
Seal of
Biliteracy

17. Talk to your partner.
• Why might this be a good question to explore?
• How might you proceed?

18. Identify trajectories toward biliteracy
Escamilla et al, (2014, p. 85)

19. Results-oriented cycle of Inquiry (ROCI)
Focus on biliteracy
1. Teachers and
principal set short-
term and long-term
goals
2. Grade-level teams
and individual teachers
develop instructional
plans to pursue these
goals.
3. Teachers
act and
implement
instructional
plans
4. Educators
implement
formative
and
summative
assessment
5. Teachers
reflect (discuss
observations and
assessments) and
adjust
Dual language teacher
meetings
Dual language coaches
and teachers
School leadership team

20. Closing
 What stood out?
 What did you learn?
 What can you use?
 What question do you have?
Thank you.

21. Resources by Caslon Publishing
 Beeman, K. & Urow, C. (2012). Teaching for Biliteracy: Strengthening Bridges
between Languages.
 De Jong, E. (2011). Foundations for Multingualism in Education: from Principles
to Practice.
 Escamilla, K., Hopewell, S., Butvilofsky, S., Sparrow, W., Soltero-González, L.,
Ruiz-Figueroa, O., & Escamilla, M. (2013). Biliteracy from the Start: Literacy
Squared in Action.
 Freeman, R. (2004). Building on Community Bilingualism.
 García, O., Ibarra Johnson, S., & Seltzer, K. (2016). The Translanguaging
Classroom: Leveraging Students’ Bilingualism for Learning.
 Gottlieb, M. & Nguyen, D. (2007). Assessment and Accountability in Language
Education Programs: A Guide for Administrators and Teachers. A Guide for
PreK-3 Administrators.
 Isola, R. & Cummins, J. (in production). Transforming Sanchez School: A Story
of Local Control.
 Valdés, G., Menken, K., & Castro, M. (2015). Common Core, Bilingual, and
English Language Learners: A Resource for All Educators.