NJDOE Home Families Students Educators Community

NJDOE News
For More Information Contact the Public Information Office:
    Richard Vespucci
    Kathryn Forsyth
    609-292-1126

For Release: November 22, 2004

New Tutorial Developed to Enhance Skills of Teachers of English Language Learners

The Department of Education has just made available an on-line tutorial designed to assist teachers of English language learners. The tutorial, "English Language Learners in the Mainstream" gives examples of effective practices, research findings, suggestions and a list of resources to support all school personnel in aiding students whose first language is not English.

The tutorial, available at no charge to all New Jersey educators, was developed as a joint project between the Office of Specialized Populations, Bureau of Bilingual / ESL Education and by the New Jersey Professional Education Port (NJPEP). To access the tutorial, visit NJPEP at www.state.nj.us/education/njpep/ and click on Tutorials, or visit the department’s bilingual education web-site at http://www.nj.gov/njded/bilingual/ and click on Professional Development.

"New Jersey’s educators do a great job of meeting the needs of our students whose native language is not English," said Acting Governor Richard J. Codey. "This new guide will further enhance their abilities to help these children."

"English Language Learners in the Mainstream" is designed for educators to learn on their own, via study groups, or as part of an in-school or district-wide professional development series. It was piloted by a group of New Jersey educators last summer.