Kolak Group Inc. provides a variety of opportunities related to the academic achievement of English language learners for both teachers and administrators. We are happy to customize any training topic so that targeted objectives can be met through tailored activities designed with the needs of your district in mind. topics that we have provided at both the state and local levels are listed below. Other supports that Kolak Group Inc. provides include:

• Modeling sheltered lessons or techniques in the classroom so that teachers can observe
• Facilitating videotape reviews of teacher performance or our performance in the classroom
• Coaching/mentoring teachers and administrators
• Guiding lesson planning and curriculum design
• Providing on-going follow-up opportunities through our forum, face-to-face interactions/meetings.

Professional Development Courses

ESL Strategies that Work

During this one-day interactive workshop, participants will engage in strategies that address the cognitive, affective, and linguistic needs of intermediate and advanced leveled English language learners. Participants will leave this presentation with:

• Strategies that they can easily implement the very next day that they return to their classrooms.
• A better understanding of how to close the achievement gap for English language learners.

Working With Recent Immigrant Students

Improve the academic achievement of recent immigrant students through a better understanding of second language acquisition. Learn second language learning methods and techniques. Use assessment data to improve instructional interventions using oral language proficiency tests (OLPT), achievement tests, informal observations, and TELPAS approaches.

Spelunking the Depths of Culturally Responsive Leading and Learning

Build trust in intercultural relationships. Investigate the root sources of surface problems in public schools such as teacher attrition, student motivation, apathy, and intercultural/racial tensions. Learn valuable skills to work with diverse learning communities towards common goals.

Spelunking the Depths of Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning

Build trust and stimulate student motivation through culturally responsive learning activities for the classroom. Practice using tools to help you learn more about your students' diverse backgrounds while gaining a better understanding of what motivates them to adapt and grow in changing learning environments.

Building Connections in the Content Areas through Sheltered Instruction

This three-day session introduces the ten essentials of Sheltered Instruction to content area teachers. Participants adopt and adapt a variety of teaching strategies to help English language learners gain greater access to academic language and related knowledge and skills in the content areas. Demonstrated sheltered lessons highlight this experience.

Sheltered Instruction in the Elementary Math Classroom

This one-day workshop focuses on general strategies and techniques to effectively shelter instruction in math grades K-5. Learn how to better address the TEKS to varied levels of student English proficiency.

Sheltered Instruction in the Algebra I Classroom

This one-day provides algebra I teachers with an overview of the sheltered instruction observation protocol and features a demonstrated sheltered instruction lesson. Learn to better accommodate English language learners as they acquire both conversational and academic language in mathematics.

Sheltered Instruction in the Secondary Math Classroom

This one-day professional develop workshop focuses on general strategies and techniques to effectively shelter instruction in math grades 6-12. Learn how to better address the TEKS to varied levels of student English proficiency.

Sheltered Instruction in the Elementary Science Classroom

Learn methods to effectively shelter instruction in the science classroom in this one-day session while integrating many activities to effectively implement the TEKS related to TAKS.

Sheltered Instruction in the Secondary Science Classroom

Learn methods to effectively shelter instruction in the science classroom in this one-day session while integrating many activities to effectively implement the TEKS related to TAKS.

Sheltered Instruction in the Integrated Physics and Chemistry Classroom

Learn strategies to better accommodate English language learners in IP&C. This one-day training provides a general overview of sheltered instruction along with powerful methods to help students build their academic English repertoire in chemistry and in physics. An emphasis will be placed on helping students move from conceptual understanding to academic literacy (reading, writing, speaking, and listening for academic purposes) in science.

Sheltered Instruction in the Elementary Language Arts/Social Studies Classroom

Learn methods to effectively shelter instruction in the language arts and social studies classroom in this one-day session. Learn to accelerate the English literacy of your English language learners through a variety of strategies that can support all students.

Sheltered Instruction in the Middle School Reading/Language Arts Classroom

Learn methods to effectively shelter instruction in reading and language arts in this one-day session. Learn to make literature experiences and the writing process more accessible for English language learners.

Sheltered Instruction in the English Language Arts Classroom in High School

Learn methods to effectively shelter instruction in reading and English language arts in this one-day session. Learn to make literature experiences and the writing process more accessible for English language learners.

Sheltered Instruction in the Middle School Social Studies Classroom

Learn methods to effectively shelter instruction in the middle school social studies classroom in this one-day session. Learn to accelerate the English literacy of your English language learners through a variety of strategies that can support all students.

Sheltered Instruction in the World Geography Classroom

Tackle the world geography TEKS in ways that will make instruction and learning more accessible for the English language learner. Review the sheltered instruction observation protocol, and then participate in active strategies that will promote success for all students.

Sheltered Instruction in the High School Social Studies Classroom

Learn methods to effectively shelter instruction in the high school social studies classroom in this one-day session. Learn to accelerate the English literacy of your English language learners through a variety of strategies that can support all students.

Accelerating Learning through ESL Methods that Work

This two-day session will introduce participants to research-based teaching methods in second language acquisition. Select from an assortment of approaches to meet the needs of English language learners such as Accelerated Learning and the Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach (CALLA).

Accelerating the Literacy Process of English Language Learners

Enable English language learners to make the greatest advancements possible in the literacy process. This two-day training session will focus on providing interventions to facilitate English acquisition and the reading fluency of recent immigrant students. Further, the training will focus on reading comprehension strategies to meet the needs of intermediate and advanced ESL students.

Effective Writing Instruction for ESL Students

This two-day interactive session provides research-based methods and strategies to help participants reach the ESL writer. Practical ideas for engaging beginning writers as well as strategies for engaging more English proficient students in the writing process is explored through case studies that require participants to focus on student strengths as a platform from which to design instructional interventions.

Investigating Cross-Cultural Communication through Simulations and Inquiry

Site-based decision making teams, parent-teacher conferences, interdisciplinary teams, academic departments - school is about people. This two-day session will enable participants to engage in simulations that will stimulate discussions about intercultural communication styles. Participants will also participate in group interactions, then review them through stimulated recall using videotape. This will enable participants to gain deeper insights into diverse interactive approaches with regards to how they themselves, (the participants) choose to respond.

Implementing Sheltered Instruction Through Coaching and Inquiry Through Stimulated Recall

Learn strategies and network with other participants implementing sheltered instruction. Balance and customize the roles of coach and inquirer when reviewing videotapes of teaching performance. Build learning communities while equipped with tools that will promote both interpersonal and intercultural communications among all stakeholders in the learning process. Receive a copy of the book Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott.

Growing-up Mexican American

"It's hard to be Mexican-American..."  - From the motion picture Selena
This one-day training session builds awareness of the different cultural nuances and complexities involved in growing-up Mexican-American in Texas. Explore how these complexities impact the academic achievement of Mexican-American students, and learn what can be done to provide appropriate instructional interventions.