“It’s a new day! We’ve learned language acquisition in school isn’t linear and rote but rather dynamic, meaningful, and collaborative. Multilingual learners thrive through the production of oral and written language.”

—Dr. Nancy Akhavan

Are you ready to teach multilingual learners with instruction that reflects current English Language Development (ELD) standards? Language acquisition expert Dr. Nancy Akhavan provides a flexible resource that delivers what students need most, experiences that teach language skills through intellectually engaging texts, tasks, and lively communication with peers.

This dynamic curriculum offers five units based on a writing performance task that aligns to commonly taught genres and key reading skills. The research-backed instructional framework maximizes students’ participation through a series of listening, speaking, and writing activities.

About the Author

Dr. Nancy Akhavan possesses more than thirty years’ experience as an educator and consultant. Her work focuses on student support through literacy instruction and intervention, English Language Development, leadership development, and organizational systems to increase student achievement.

An Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership at California State University, Fresno, she is the founder of Nancy Akhavan Consulting, Inc. Dr. Akhavan’s positions included: bilingual teacher; principal of three schools; and district administrator of a large, urban district for English Language Acquisition (ELA), Math, Social Studies, Science, and World Languages. She also served as Assistant Superintendent Secondary Division in a large urban school district. Dr. Akhavan is recognized for her expertise in teaching literacy practices and has published twelve books that focus on instruction to increase student achievement. She has worked with districts and county offices nationally and internationally to increase student achievement in reading, writing, and in content areas.

Book Review 1:

"Nancy Akhavan has brought together a set of carefully designed lessons that address the specific language-acquisition needs of English Language Learners. Each 30 minute lesson is designed to help multilingual learners acquire English through content, which supports lesson planning and delivery. Dr. Akhavan’s work ensures success by demystifying the process of teaching and learning."

Cinnamon Scheufele

Executive Director, Curriculum and Instruction

Lindsay Unified School District, Lindsay, CA

Book Review 2:

"As a teacher educator, this curriculum is exactly what I wished I had to give my early career teachers - who needed structure, scaffolding, and support in fine-tuning their instruction. The unit design - with the foundations, pave the way, lead the way, and assess - serve as the foundation upon which each lesson rests. The lessons are laser focused to standards and learning outcomes, and the assessment perfectly aligns. I enthusiastically support this curriculum, which has the potential to promote significant changes in the literacy trajectories for students and districts."

Molly Ness

VP, Academic Content

Learning Ally