In many high school classrooms, students are learning complex academic content while also learning English at the same time.
Through the Cindy Edelman Excellence in Teaching Fellowship, two teachers from Atlantic Coast High School traveled to the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Conference in Long Beach, California, to gain new strategies for supporting English language learners in content-area classrooms.
The Cindy Edelman Excellence in Teaching Fellowship provides educators with opportunities to study, travel, and learn in ways that directly enhance their teaching. By bringing back new ideas and resources, fellows help strengthen instruction not just in their own classrooms, but across their schools and the broader education community.
Dr. Argel Hipol and Michelle Beck’s experience at the national TESOL conference deepened their understanding of language acquisition, provided practical strategies for supporting multilingual students, and created opportunities to share those resources with colleagues at their school.
Understanding how students learn language
At the conference, the teachers attended sessions that explored the psychology and motivation behind language learning at all levels, from elementary students to adult learners. These sessions helped them better understand the challenges their own students face, especially when it comes to vocabulary development and comprehension in content-heavy classes. The insights gave them a stronger foundation for supporting language growth alongside academic instruction.
Exploring practical strategies and new tools
They also attended sessions focused on instructional strategies, including the use of artificial intelligence to support language development in the classroom. While many sessions focused on teaching English as a subject, they sought out content-based strategies they could apply directly in their own courses. These sessions provided practical tools they can use to help students access rigorous material while continuing to build their language skills.
Bringing resources back to their school community
Back at Atlantic Coast High School, the teachers immediately began sharing what they learned. They provided materials and insights to their administrative team and to a group of educators who support a large ESOL population at the school. The team meets regularly to discuss best practices, and the fellowship resources will be shared during an upcoming meeting so more teachers can incorporate the strategies into their classrooms.
The fellowship experience not only expanded the teachers’ own knowledge but also strengthened their school’s collective approach to supporting multilingual students. By learning from educators across the country and around the world, they returned with new ideas, tools, and inspiration to help every student succeed.
What began as a trip to a conference in California is now shaping classrooms back in Jacksonville, where more students are finding the support they need to learn, grow, and thrive.