ELL News Headlines

The quarantine is hitting the book industry hard, although some say people are reading more than ever. In the end, what other windows to the world do we have? The Internet, yes, but the reading experience provides what no other art provides, a stimulus to the imagination of complete freedom where the reader becomes, in his own way, a co-creator of the story. To celebrate International Book Day, we have visited some of the most interesting and beautiful Latino bookstores in the United States that, as you can imagine, not only promote reading but have strong community ties. Will you join us?

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture today launched Talking About Race, a new online portal designed to help individuals, families, and communities talk about racism, racial identity and the way these forces shape every aspect of society, from the economy and politics to the broader American culture. The online portal provides digital tools, online exercises, video instructions, scholarly articles and more than 100 multi-media resources tailored for educators, parents and caregivers—and individuals committed to racial equality.

Since Fred Rogers' death, evidence has mounted that he was on to something – namely, that love and kindness truly are healthful, and that people who express them regularly really do lead healthier lives.

Today, there are many publishers and imprints that seek to spotlight and promote diverse, inclusive stories and work by creators of color, but 30 years ago, that was not the case. Noting that lack of multicultural voices in children's literature, Thomas Low and Phillip Lee launched Lee & Low Books in 1991. This week, Low died of cancer, but he leaves behind a legacy of booklists, careers launched, and a publishing house to continue the mission. "He was proud each and every season we released a new list of books," his son Jason Low, publisher and co-owner of Lee & Low, wrote in an email. "We have heard from librarians who have recommended our titles; educators who use our books in their classrooms; authors and illustrators who have published with us; and agents who have brought manuscripts to Lee & Low for years. The common theme people tell us is that the work that we do is important, that diversity matters, and that even though they are sad to hear of Tom's passing, they are glad that his legacy will live on through us."

Booker Innovative Elementary School learning strategist Juliana Urtubey was named Wednesday as the 2021 Nevada Teacher of the Year. Gov. Steve Sisolak and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jhone Ebert made the announcement during a virtual ceremony, with members of the Booker school community in attendance. Urtubey, who was born in Bogota, Colombia, is a member of Ebert's Teacher Advisory Cabinet. She's passionate about "closing cultural and linguistic gaps that can exist between educators, students, and families" and works with students who face learning, mental, emotional or physical challenges, according to the release.

How should teachers respond when a colleague says or does something — knowingly or unknowingly — that is racist? Today,  Dr. Sawsan Jaber, Denise Fawcett Facey,  and Felicia Darling "wrap up" this three-part series with their thoughts.

What has your online learning experience been as a student this fall?  What is working for you and why?  What is not working for you and why? 

This new series will highlight contributions from students in Larry Ferlazzo's classes.

When so much is out of our control, the act of volunteering puts some control back in our hands. And with the normal rhythms of life still very much disrupted, it’s a good way to occupy and engage children who might otherwise feel stuck. For families who want to volunteer in this new landscape, what options are there? Quite a few, says Karen Daniel, vice president of programs at Youth Service America. “We have a project ideas database on our website, where people can search by the issue area that they care about and by their spark, which is what they love to do. We really believe in helping kids start with something they love so that the project is fun for them, too.”