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Home REL Southwest About REL Southwest Southwest English Learner Literacy

Southwest English Learner Literacy

REL Southwest is partnering with educators across New Mexico to improve English learner student literacy. The Southwest English Learner Literacy (SWELL) partnership will study the Write to Succeed professional learning program to help teachers improve their literacy instruction. Teachers within a school will participate in Write to Succeed as a school-based team as they learn about evidence-based literacy practices and are supported to integrate those practices within existing instructional units.

REL Southwest will integrate two supports that were developed and initially piloted in New Mexico as part of a prior partnership. Specifically, the focus on effective literacy practices will be enhanced by integrating support for effective teacher peer collaboration, and the delivery approach will be enhanced to support teachers with practicing culturally and linguistically responsive instruction through role-play before implementing the routines in the classroom with students.

Partner organization: New Mexico Public Education Department

Current Projects

REL Southwest is providing training and coaching to build the capacity of instructional coaches and grades 4–8 teachers in using evidence-based literacy practices within their existing instructional units. The project consists of two phases. In the adaptation phase, REL Southwest will review and refine the Write to Succeed program materials to support their successful implementation in the varied education contexts in New Mexico. Next, in the implementation phase, REL Southwest will hold training institutes in the fall and spring for participating instructional coaches and provide ongoing support to these coaches as they train and support teachers to implement the evidence-based literacy practices.
REL Southwest is partnering with New Mexico school districts to conduct applied research to optimize and test the efficacy of the Write to Succeed professional learning program. This research-based program provides scaffolded writing instruction designed to support all students, including the language needs of English learner students. First, REL Southwest is conducting an optimization study to examine whether the Write to Succeed program is feasible, useful, and supports progress toward desired outcomes. Next, REL Southwest will conduct an initial efficacy study using a multisite cluster randomized trial design to assess the impact of participating in the Write to Succeed program compared with business-as-usual professional learning.

No completed projects at this time.

Product Type: Blog | Publication Date: September 04, 2024
This past spring, REL Southwest staff connected with educators across our region to share evidence-based practices to support teacher and student success.
Product Type: Video | Publication Date: September 2024
Professional learning can lead to improvements in classroom instruction and student learning. Equipping both English learner specialists and content teachers with the skills to deliver evidence-based literacy instruction has the potential to improve outcomes...
Product Type: Blog | Publication Date: April 18, 2024
An instructional coach at Eagle Ridge Middle School describes her experience working with Write to Succeed, a 4–8 professional learning program to help teachers improve literacy instruction and peer collaboration.
Event Type: In-person Event | Event Date: April 05, 2024
Conference session | 1:20–2:35 p.m. (Mountain Time) Location: New Mexico Association for Bilingual Education Conference, Albuquerque, New Mexico Supporting equitable educational opportunities and achievement for English learner (EL) students is a high...
Event Type: In-person Event | Event Date: March 29, 2024
Conference session | 4:10–5:00 p.m. Central Time Location: National Association for Bilingual Education Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana Supporting equitable educational opportunities and achievement for English learner (EL) students is a high priority...
Event Type: Training Material | Event Date: January 22, 2024 - January 23, 2024
Time: 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Mountain Time Location: Rio Rancho Public Schools, Rio Rancho, NM In this REL Southwest training session, instructional coaches across New Mexico gathered to deepen their understanding of the purpose and content of Write to Succeed...
Product Type: Blog | Publication Date: December 04, 2023
On November 10, 2023, members of the Regional Educational Laboratory Southwest English Learner Literacy partnership presented a collaboration framework at the La Cosecha Dual Language Conference to show how educators can effectively work with their busy...
Event Type: In-person Event | Event Date: November 10, 2023
Workshop | 10:50 a.m. – 12:05 p.m. Mountain Time Location: La Cosecha 2023 Dual Language Conference, Albuquerque Convention Center, Albuquerque, NM Incorporating opportunities for teacher collaboration to improve instructional practice holds promise...
Product Type: Infographic | Publication Date: October 2023
New Mexico prioritizes equitable educational opportunities and achievement for English learner students. One of the state's literacy goals is focused on helping educators deliver high-quality literacy instruction that supports the development of stronger...
Product Type: Fact Sheet | Publication Date: April 2023
REL Southwest partners with educators and decisionmakers in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas to support the use of evidence and data to improve student learning. In particular, REL Southwest seeks to address priorities related to the...
Product Type: Blog | Publication Date: March 21, 2023
In New Mexico, English learner students comprise nearly 17 percent of statewide student enrollment, the third highest percentage in the United States.

REL Southwest Logic Model (File pending)

REL Southwest Logic Model