QTEL News: A Cure for the October Slump
- plopezh24
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
Teaching & Leading
October and all it brings with it is here. Homecoming, Halloween candy, and the dreaded October slump! With the school year now in full swing, it’s also an advantageous time to ensure a shared vision of quality teaching for all students, with a focus on multilingual learners. This vision requires a principled practice—academic excellence is possible with all students when we share:
agreement on prerequisites for quality instruction
concrete descriptions of quality instruction
examples of quality instruction
Try engaging in this classroom compare and contrast discussion to develop shared understanding of what high-quality instruction looks like across grade levels and build your team’s capacity for meaningful instructional design and feedback:
For a refresher on the QTEL Principles, refer to Chapter 4, “Principles of Quality Teaching for English Learners” in Scaffolding the Academic Success of Adolescent English Language Learners: A Pedagogy of Promise (Walqui & Van Lier, 2010). *If you need a copy of Chapter 4, please email Casey at cmcaldu@wested.org, and we’ll send a copy your way.
Principles of Quality Teaching for English Learners Sustain Academic Rigor by promoting deep disciplinary knowledge and developing central ideas of a discipline Hold High Expectations by engaging students in tasks that are high challenge and high support Engage in Quality Interactions defined as the enactment of interactions that are sustained, deep, and build knowledge in relevant aspects of the discipline Sustain a Language Focus by explicitly developing disciplinary language, discussing how language works, and highlighting the characteristics of different disciplinary genres and discourse Develop Quality Curriculum that has long-term goals, is problem-based, and requires sustained attention beyond a single lesson |
Upcoming Opportunities
Key features of the QTEL Winter Institutes include:
In-depth sessions that address the distinct challenges and possibilities involved in teaching multilingual learners
Engaging discussions that encourage the sharing of insights and effective practices among colleagues
Opportunities for networking with fellow educators and industry experts
Spaces are limited, so be sure to register early to secure your spot! https://www.qtel.wested.org/2026-qtel-winter-institutes
Want to Connect?Share your implementation journey, insights, questions, and comments here: Padlet |
