
Multilingual Monthly: May 2024
Upcoming Live Events for NYC Public School Staff
Opportunity to Attend Multilingual NYC Educator Conference
Opportunity for Schools to Apply for the Dream Squads Initiative
Guidance on Bilingual and ENL Instruction During the Summer
Share Opportunity to Work as Immigrant Ambassadors
The NYC Extended Certification Programs Application for the 2024–25 School Year is Now Open
Upcoming Lighthouse Collaborative Visits
Resources to Support You with Teaching and Learning for Your Newly Arrived MLs/ELLs
Access Classroom Lessons on TeachHub
Upcoming Live Events for NYC Public School Staff
Review our events below or explore our SharePoint calendar!
FAMILY ENGAGEMENT
- May 18: Resources for Bridging the Gap for Southeast Asian Students and Families (registration form)
INSTRUCTION
- June 6: Empowering and Engaging all Language Learners (registration form)
- August 1 and 2 or August 8 and 9: Advanced Academic Skills Starting in Middle School World Languages (registration form)
- August 21 or 22: Your Advanced Placement Class is a Pathway to the New York State Seal of Biliteracy (NYSSB) (registration form)
Opportunity to Attend Multilingual NYC Educator Conference
You and your staff are invited to attend the Multilingual NYC Educator Conference on June 11 at the Jay Suites Midtown East (515 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022). This conference is an opportunity to celebrate National Immigrant Heritage Month and connect with educators and advocates across the city who support multilingual and immigrant students. Participants will learn about the intersectionality of multilingual and immigrant identities, explore resources, and develop strategies to utilize over the summer and in preparation for the upcoming school year. Participants will have the opportunity to choose from a variety of topics related to serving multilingual and immigrant students.
Please share this information with your staff. Interested participants should register by June 3. Continuing Teaching and Leader Education (CTLE) credit is available.
For questions, email DML@schools.nyc.gov.
Opportunity for Schools to Apply for the Dream Squads Initiative
The DOE invites middle and high schools with large populations of immigrants and multilingual learners to join Dream Squads, an optional year-long initiative consisting of professional learning, ongoing coaching, school-based workshops, and cross-school networking to build a welcoming school environment for multilingual, immigrant, and undocumented students and families.
To participate in Dream Squads, schools must form a team of three or more diverse educators to serve as members of their school’s Dream Squad, and all participants must engage in a six-part professional learning series to design, implement, and sustain a welcoming school plan. Sessions will be a mix of virtual and in-person, with virtual sessions taking place from 2:00–4:00 p.m. and in-person from 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. from September 25–October 30. Please note that schools accepted to the Dream Squad program must:
- Ensure participation of a minimum of three people who can commit to all sessions; and
- Commit to creating and implementing a school plan for supporting multilingual and immigrant students and their families.
Please review the Dream Squads Overview, for the full schedule and expectations. To express your school’s interest in participating, complete this application by May 29. As a reminder, the DOE does not ask about or track student immigration status.
Note that additional funding for this program is contingent on funding availability; the program calendar is subject to budget approval and availability. Those who apply and are accepted should be prepared to implement their Dream Squad initiatives without additional funding.
For questions, email DML@schools.nyc.gov.
Guidance on Bilingual and ENL Instruction During the Summer
According to NYSED’s Summer School Handbook, all multilingual learners/English language learners (MLs/ELLs) must be provided equal opportunity to participate in summer school programs and instructional support, including instruction targeting language and literacy development and access to grade-level content. This may include small-group instruction or one-to-one support through an integrated English as a New Language (ENL) co-teaching and/or standalone ENL instructional model.
- For Grades K–8:
- Students enrolled in a bilingual education program during the 2023–24 school year should be offered instruction in bilingual content areas during Summer Rising, in addition to MLs/ELLs receiving the ENL instructional component.
- Sites should schedule MLs/ELLs with “Entering” or “Emerging” English language proficiency for standalone ENL. ENL teachers who serve ELLs in grades K-8 may utilize the no-cost thematic digital units made available through TeachHub. Teachers may access these lessons by selecting the ENL Standalone Units tile, then selecting the appropriate grade-level folder.
- Grades 9–12:
- High school students enrolled in a bilingual education program during the 2023–24 school year should be offered instruction in bilingual content areas during the summer. To the greatest extent possible, sites serving grades 9–12 should prioritize bilingual content area classes required for graduation when planning summer offerings.
- All MLs/ELLs in grades 9–12 should be scheduled for summer programming that can increase their language, literacy, and content area learning. Schools should also offer programming that addresses the specific needs of ELL subgroups: newcomers, SIFE, long-term ELLs, and dually designated ELLs.
For more information on hiring ENL teachers to provide standalone and/or integrated ENL instruction, review the guidance on the Multilingual Learners InfoHub page. Receiving summer sites may use the RSMR report in ATS, which includes ML/ELL information, to help with program planning and hiring at your summer site. For support with determining needs for staff with bilingual extensions and certified ENL teachers or for additional questions, contact your ML/ELL director.
Share Opportunity to Work as Immigrant Ambassadors
The Division of Multilingual Learners is looking for awesome young people to work with us as Immigrant Ambassadors next year. Eligible Ambassadors will have the following experiences:
- Graduates of NYC Public Schools
- Currently enrolled in a local NYC college or university
- The program prioritizes college students who have lived experience as an English Language Learner, Multilingual Learner, or immigrant in NYC
- Must be at least 18 years old by September 1, 2024
- Must be in good academic standing at their enrolled college or university
- Must be able to participate in the NYCDOE background clearance process, which requires a SSN
Please share the following opportunity with your networks. Consider high school contacts with recent graduates. All candidates should apply as soon as possible and adhere to the expectations, reporting, and responsibilities set forth by the program. Program implementation is subject to budget approvals. If you have any questions regarding the application process or IAP in general, please feel free to reach out to Lois Jenkins at LJenkins9@schools.nyc.gov.
The NYC Extended Certification Programs Application for the 2024–25 School Year is Now Open
The application for the 2024–25 NYC Extended Certification Programs is now open! These programs offer opportunities for qualified, current NYC Public Schools teachers to work towards an additional certification in Students with Disabilities or a Bilingual Extension. NYC Extended Certification Programs are particularly beneficial to a school with Bilingual Special Education vacancies, as they enable that school’s eligible Special Education teachers to work towards an additional Bilingual Extension, and eligible Bilingual certified teachers to work towards an additional Students with Disabilities certification during the 2024-25 school year!
Please review the information below and take appropriate action:
- Refer interested teacher candidates from your school by completing the NYC Extended Certification Programs and NYC STEP Referral Form by June 10.
- Share the NYC Extended Certification Programs Application with teachers directly. Teachers who apply by the May 20 priority deadline will be considered for all cohorts.
For more information, refer to the NYC Extended Certification Programs FAQs. For all questions, contact HIRE Connections.
Upcoming Lighthouse Collaborative Visits
Led by the Division of Educator Development, the Lighthouse Collaborative is a cross-district instructional improvement initiative designed to help share strategies that support the Chancellor’s second pillar to scale, sustain, and restore what works across schools. For schools welcoming migrant and asylum-seeking students who are multilingual learners, this is an opportunity for NYCPS educators to learn about promising practices to support teaching and learning for multilingual learners through select visits (see school visits with “Supporting Multilingual Learners” in the Instructional Focus Area). Review all upcoming visits by instructional focus area and grade level. For questions, email lighthouse@schools.nyc.gov.
Resources to Support You with Teaching and Learning for Your Newly Arrived MLs/ELLs
You can find relevant resources to support newly arrived MLs/ELLs and immigrant students, including newcomer ELLs, on this page on the Multilingual Learners SharePoint. You can also share these resources using this InfoHub document. You are invited to bookmark the page and refer to it periodically to access newly added resources and opportunities. If you have a question about ELL policy, email your ML/ELL Director. If you have questions about ELL instruction, email your ML/ELL Service Administrator.
Bookmark our Resource Sites!
SharePoint site

How to Access it: You can find our SharePoint by clicking this link, or by navigating to the SharePoint application in your browser and searching for Multilingual Learners. You can also sign up for email alerts. Visit this SharePoint page to learn how!
InfoHub

How to Access it: You can find our main Multilingual Learners page by signing into the Employee InfoHub, then searching for “Multilingual Learners.”
Instructional Resources and Professional Learning Google Site

How to Access it: Find the link on our main Multilingual Learners page or bookmark it.
Multilingual and Immigrant Student Support Site

How to Access it: Find the link on our main Multilingual Learners page or bookmark it.
Access Classroom Lessons on TeachHub
- Standalone English as a New Language (ENL): In TeachHub, select the “ENL Standalone” tile under “Educator Resources” on the K-12, Elementary School, Middle School, High School, or DOE Created tabs. Add this tile to the favorites section of your TeachHub home page by clicking on the heart.
- World Languages: In TeachHub, select the Middle or High School Google Drive, then the Spanish folder. For guidance on these lessons, please see the Introduction to Lesson Sequences for World Language Teachers and NYC World Languages video library.
- Home Language Arts/Spanish Grades K-5: In TeachHub, select the Elementary Google Drive, the grade, and then HLA.
View instructional videos to support multilingual learners and English language learners across content areas. Teacher- and student-facing videos are available to bring classroom lessons to life.
Questions?
Do you have questions about supporting MLs/ELLs? Reach out to your ML/ELL Points on the EduDirectory.
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