Executive Summary

EDU220: Introduction to English Language Learners is a foundational course offered for students pursuing an education degree across Maricopa District. This course focuses on culturally sustaining and linguistically responsive pedagogy, aiming to raise pre-service teachers’ awareness about how to teach and advocate for culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. The course project centers on the development and implementation of Open Educational Resources (OER), which include module readings, podcasts, interactive Advanced Reading Organizers, and mini-lessons.

OER Readings and Podcasts
All reading materials have been revised and aligned with the latest standards from the Office of English Language Acquisition Services (OELAS) and A.R.S. 15-756, as required for teacher certification by the Arizona Department of Education. Topics covered in the readings include:

Defining culturally responsive teaching (3 sections)
English Language Development (ELD) programs in Arizona (5 sections)
Creating a culturally responsive classroom (4 sections)
Building connections and vocabulary (4 sections)
Making content meaningful (4 sections)
Supporting academic conversations (4 sections)
Formative feedback and assessment (4 sections)

Each topic features multiple sections, developed based on current theory and revised with AI tools, ChatGPT and NotebookLM, for improved readability. To complement the readings, each module includes a podcast created with NotebookLM (an AI platform), offering an engaging overview of the content. Additionally, every module provides a glossary and reference page to support further learning.

Interactive Activities and Assignments
To reinforce reading comprehension, each module includes an Advanced Reading Organizer (ARO), designed as a formative assessment tool. There were 7 organizers created to align to second language acquisition theory presented in the module. These organizers are accessible across digital devices such as computers and tablets, and include interactive prompts, guiding questions, charts, and media to help students actively engage with the material.

Interactive Mini-lessons (Presentations and New Quizzes)
Mini-lessons on second language acquisition theory are delivered through content presentations enhanced with audio files and transcripts. These presentations were developed using Google Slides, with transcripts generated using ChatGPT. Audio files were then created using VoiceMaker and embedded into each slide.

By leveraging the “Stimulus” feature in Canvas New Quizzes, we enabled a split-screen view: the presentation with audio and transcript appears on the left side of the screen, while corresponding questions are displayed on the right. This format allows students to engage with the content and respond to questions simultaneously. Each mini-lesson was divided into 3–5 sections per module. As a result, data indicated an increase in academic performance when this layout was used.

Another factor contributing to improved performance in current course sections was the enhanced differentiation of quiz questions. Quiz content was generated using ChatGPT to provide a wide variety of question types suited to diverse learning styles and abilities. These formats included, but were not limited to, drag and drop, fill in the blank, hot spot, matching, categorization, and multiple choice.

At the end of the semester, analytics from quiz reports across course sections were reviewed to assess the effectiveness of each question. Based on the findings, necessary revisions were made to improve clarity, accessibility, and alignment with learning objectives.
Broader Application and Accessibility

This course is integrated across multiple educational pathways, with materials designed for easy reuse and redistribution by a range of stakeholders. The curriculum is well-positioned for adoption not only by other Maricopa colleges but also by institutions nationwide that offer introductory courses on teaching English learners. Furthermore, P–12 school districts may find the resources valuable for professional development, particularly in implementing the Four LDA Principles and Structured English Immersion (SEI) program models. Given ongoing demographic changes across the country, the materials also hold potential for broader educational use beyond Arizona.

Final Product

Contact Information

Beth Alsen. beth.alsen@mesacc.edu

Ashley Brandon. ashley.betkowski@mesacc.edu