Engaging English Language Learners (ELLs) in the Library

In this session participants will:

• Explore websites to learn more about ELLs
• Explore websites to help make your library engaging for ELLs
• Explore websites and apps to use with ELLs

Mandi Sanchez

Mandi received a BA in Spanish with a minor in Italian from Ithaca College. She later went back to school and earned an MST in Elementary Education (Pre-K, K-6) from SUNY Potsdam. Mandi began teaching in 2001 as a substitute teacher, and taught long term positions in First Grade and Kindergarten. She then got hired as an ESL teacher for Utica City School District in an elementary building. Utica offered a large population of refugee students including numerous SIFE (Students with Interrupted/Inconsistent Formal Education). After her first year in Utica, she received her second certification, ESOL K-12. Mandi spent 9 years teaching in Utica, primarily in K-2, focusing on early literacy as well as English Language Development. She then went to teach at Indian River Middle School located in Philadelphia, NY. Here she taught ESL to grades 6-8, with a targeted focus on Co-Teaching with 6-8 ELA teachers for 2 years. After leaving Indian River, Mandi began working as a Teacher Trainer for RBERN, and this is her third year in this position.