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Workshops

Join the transformative experience of a dynamic, high-energy workshop where concepts are applied through interactive, hands-on activities and collaborations.

OWL workshops reflect the values of student-centered classrooms and high engagement. Students feel empowered to guide their learning and become active participants and leaders. By building community in a proficiency-based environment, students move forward in their language as teachers create spaces for acquisition. We explore the vital role that literacy plays in language development as students learn to interact with both their peers and the text.

We do not believe in one-stop professional development. Our intent is to create a sustainable professional development partnership with you and your program to provide the best possible support as you continue your journey towards best practices.

Implement

This sequence is designed to introduce teachers to techniques and strategies for high-performing classes.

OWL Foundations

This workshop explores the foundational understandings of proficiency and second language acquisition. The training will reveal a structure that creates an interactive, student-directed classroom. Participants experience the strategies through demos with students, when possible, and in whole and small groups. The focus is on an immersive, target language environment where students are highly engaged and intrinsically motivated. Teachers leave with new techniques and relationships for continued collaboration!

Workshop outcomes:

  • Proficiency foundation
  • Techniques for high student engagement
  • Second language acquisition foundation
  • Exploration of the 100% second language environment
  • Strategies for eliciting student production
  • Introduction to the PPATH structure
  • Novice and Intermediate demos
  • Intro to questioning strategies

OWL Application

Through further exploration of  the strategies & techniques introduced in the Foundations workshop, this training builds on the concepts and allows time for feedback and collaboration. The focus is on how to continue to develop an effective, engaging space for acquisition by practicing and honing skills.

Workshop outcomes:

  • Application of State & National Standards
  • Application of Second Language Acquisition research
  • Creation of proficiency-based lesson plans
  • Now What? New Ideas for the Circle
  • Feedback and Practice on the Circle and PPATH structure 
  • Practice Questioning Strategies
  • Creating a Structure (Planning) and Post-Planning
  • Introduction to Student Feedback
  • Role of the Organic Roadmap
  • Introduction to de-unitizing

OWL Structures

This workshop is designed for participants who would like systems to support their proficiency-based journey. This training goes beyond PPATH to collaborate and discuss structures to support efficient learning environments.

Workshop outcomes:

  • Integration of student interest in lesson planning through threads & progressions
  • Fluid incorporation of interactive literacy
  • Integration of purposeful assessments
  • Strategies to create a structure with purpose & literacy
  • Introduction to curriculum framework
  • Structures for student feedback
  • Feedback and practice on circle
  • How to maximize the use of the organic roadmap
  • Introduction to the organic structure of the circle
  • Structures for de-unitizing
  • Improving questioning strategies
  • Dilemma protocol

OWL Systems

This workshop is designed for participants who want to develop systems to support proficiency-based learning. Once the PPATH framework and other structures are in place, a teacher or district is ready to create systems that will support the learning and growth of students language, while supporting the teacher in their school and classroom expectations.

Workshop outcomes:

  • Development of student-directed curriculum
  • Creation of proficiency and standards-based grading systems
  • Systemic feedback for students
  • Introduction to spontaneity while organically guiding the curriculum
  • How to systematically integrate the organic structures of the circle
  • Hone the post-planning skills through natural integration of literacy
  • Natural integrating questioning strategies with the curriculum
  • Feedback and practice on the circle
  • Dilemma protocol on grading systems
  • Systems for de-unitizing
  • Introduction to working with student work

OWL Synthesis

This workshop brings together all the elements of the previous workshops and focuses on how to feel comfortable guiding a classroom in an organic learning and curriculum, while growing students language level. Participants will be further exploring the student-directed element of class, systems and structures.

Workshop outcomes:

  • Hone skills on how to react spontaneously and effortlessly to guide curriculum
  • Strategies to create a consistent FLOW in class, with literacy and questioning
  • Techniques on how to react to student work and effortlessly guide students to the next level
  • Student-directed self-reflection and feedback
  • Solution-oriented dilemma protocols
  • Curriculum framework to support de-unitizing
  • Putting all the pieces together in a fluid continuum

Hone Skills

This sequence is designed to create a stronger flow in class and hone skills to create an even more effective space for acquisition.

Next Steps

This workshop is for the participant who has been incorporating the techniques & strategies introduced and expanded in the OWL1 and OWL2 workshops. After systems have been set in place, and there is a stronger understanding of the strategies and activities, this workshop will take you and your students to the next level of language learning.

Intermediate Implementation

Designed for the teacher who is seeking collegiality and support systems, this workshop encourages reflection of practice and collaboration of ideas. By looking at student work and discussing the elements of proficiency-based practice, participants utilize effective teacher discourse to move forward in their practice.

Looking at your practice: Experienced OWL Teachers

Building on the Intermediate Implementation workshop, this workshop is for the OWL teacher who is striving to have a classroom with ‘flow’. Further development and collaboration pushes participants closer towards creating student-empowered environments.

Grow

This sequence is designed for those teachers who want to seek personal and professional enrichment.

OWL Artistry

This workshop will focus on the elements of a highly successful classroom and what is means to be a teaching artist.

Research & Personal Growth (1-2 days)

This workshop is intended for the experienced OWL teacher who is interested in exploring research and its implications in the classroom.

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