English-Learner Infused Training and Experience

What is Project ELITE?

Project English-Learner Infused Training and Experience (ELITE) is a federally funded five-year grant (Award#T365Z220015), supporting English learners in VPK-Grade 3.

What is the goal of Project ELITE?

The goal of Project ELITE is to provide educators in public VPK through Grade 3 with job-embedded professional learning coupled with individualized coaching that (a) addresses a set of key instructional skills promoting English learner (EL) school readiness and achievement and (b) advances EL parent, family, and community engagement.

Objectives

Prepare 220 highly qualified EL teachers, paraprofessionals, and/or educational leaders.
Increase parent, family, and community (PFC) engagement through developing and implementing the Bilingual Village and Parent Ambassadors Program.
Transition Project ELITE materials and resources to partner school districts and train 40 ELITE completers to implement ELITE within their school districts.

School District Partners

Components

Prepare 220 Highly-Qualified EL Teachers, Paraprofessionals, and/or Educational Leaders

Participants will complete the following professional learning components over the course of one school year.

ELITE Summer Symposium (12 hours) includes Foundational knowledge on PK-3 EL school readiness principles, PFC engagement frameworks, and an overview of Modules 1 and 2
Module 1: Implementing Evidence-based EL Instruction (30 hours)
Module 2: Fostering EL Family and Community Engagement (30 hours)

Bilingual Village and Parent Ambassador Programs

Through these two programs, Project ELITE aims to increase EL parent, family, and community engagement.

The Bilingual Village: Involves businesses and other community organizations with schools to foster school-community and community-school activities.
The Parent Ambassadors Program: Establishes school-family relationships through enhanced communication between schools and EL parents.

Transition of ELITE Materials and Resources to Partners

Sustainability of the project will occur through the transfer of materials and resources to partners and through ELITE train-the-trainer modules that will prepare a cadre of ELITE Facilitators.

Module 3: Foundations of Professional Development Design (18 hours)
Module 4: Implementing ELITE at the School or District Level (18 hours)

Our Team

Marjorie Ceballos is principal investigator and is an assistant professor of educational leadership in the Department of Educational Leadership and Higher Education, College of Community Innovation and Education. She has expertise in instructional leadership and instructional coaching.

Florin Mihai is co-principal investigator and professor of teaching English as a second and foreign language in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, College of Arts and Humanities. He has expertise in assessment and teacher preparation in TESOL.

Joyce Nutta is co-principal investigator and professor of English for speakers of other languages education in the School of Teacher Education, College of Community Innovation and Education. She has expertise in the use of instructional technology in second language learning and teacher preparation.

Vicky Zygouris-Coe is co-principal investigator and professor of reading education in the School of Teacher Education, College of Community Innovation and Education. She has expertise in supporting student academic literacy and teacher education in literacy.