English Language Learning Interactive

I teach Multilingual learners in Federal Way, WA, one of the most diverse school districts in the country. I began my teaching career in 1993 in Japan on the JET program. My 3 years living in Japan gifted me with insight on language acquisition. The key is to engage the learner in social activities that prompt original language. In addition to teaching in both rural Japan (Takahata-shi, Yamagata-ken) and suburban Japan (Asaka-shi, Saitama-ken) I taught in my hometown of San Bernardino, CA at Arrowview Middle school. My 6 years working at Arrowview, whose free & reduced lunch population is 83%, gifted me with insight on how to make content relevant and accessible to all teenage learners.

I create structured lessons with predictable learning routines. My lessons are centered around whole class Total Physical Response (TPR) activities. I create situational opportunities for students to create original language. I scaffold for students by creating interactive games and providing visual supports.

I published 120 daily lessons on Canvas for Federal Way School district's ML/ELL Newcomers classes based on the INSIDE the USA National Geographic curriculum. Find these in the Canvas Commons using #MLFWPS24-25. I created the Social Studies Curriculum for Mt. Rainier Institute based on Washington state history. I am a National Board Certified Teacher in English Language Arts Early Adolescence. I spent a year studying Global education as a participant in Teachers for Global Classrooms (IREX, Fulbright, US Department of State). This included 2 weeks spent co-teaching at a high school in Morocco, and creating my website https://globaleducation253.weebly.com/. As a participant in as a participant in Bridging Cultures, a US Department of Education program in conjunction with Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSI) for Secondary Educators, a US department of state program, I spent a week learning from and collaborating with with 25 distinguished teachers visiting from 20 different countries

I hold an M.A. English Language Learners. I have WA state endorsements in ELL, English Language Arts & Social Studies and CA state CLAD credential. My B.A. is in English.

I am currently re-vamping my TPT store. When I started in in 2023 I didn't know what I was doing. I just jumped in after years of being told that I should put my stuff on TPT. All my new stuff will not have my signature heart logo. I have worked on several scope and sequence, curriculum development and curriculum adoption teams for various subjects including science, social emotional learning, social studies, language arts and ELL/ML.