 Shelley Fairbairn |
Shelley Fairbairn, assistant professor of education, devoted two years to a project that has resulted in the publication of a book titled “Differentiated Instruction and Assessment of English Language Learners: A Guide for K-12 Teachers.”
Fairbairn is co-author of the book along with Stephaney Jones-Vo, an English as a Second Language (ESL) and diversity consultant at Heartland Area Education Agency and former adjunct instructor of ESL Methods at Drake.
Both Fairbairn and Jones-Vo taught ESL together in the Urbandale Community School District years ago and regularly conduct professional development workshops and conference presentations focused on the effective teaching and assessment of English Language Learners (ELLs).
Their book was inspired by numerous teacher requests for guidance regarding how to differentiate for students at different levels of English language proficiency. The book comes with a poster of level-specific instructional and assessment strategies that’s designed for teachers to post in their classrooms.
“This book and poster are a labor of love to the many educators who serve English language learners,” Fairbairn said. “It is our hope that the guidance that we provide will enhance the teaching and assessment of these students across the nation.”
Tim Boals, a national leader in the field of ESL education and director of the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment Consortium, has described the book as a guide for any teacher who is eager to assure that ESL students are learning comprehensively.
“This guide is packed with ideas for purposeful and differentiated language instruction and assessment that can be applied throughout most classrooms,” Boals said.
For more information or to order a copy of the book, visit www.caslonpublishing.com.