Team Up, Speak Up, Fire Up! Educators, Students, and the Community Working Together to Support English Learners, Dec/2019

Cohan, Honigsfeld, and Dove bring together current research, authentic examples of best practices, and voices from the field to champion the power of purposeful collaboration and provide educators with resources that will empower them to support English learners (ELs) and their families. Guided by four core principles—common purpose, shared mindset, diverse team membership, supportive environment—the authors explain how to meet the challenges of collaborating with ELs and help all stakeholders—administrators, teachers, students, parents, community leaders—develop new and effective ways of working together for the success of each learner.

Endorsements

The research-based strategies and applications in Team Up, Speak Up, Fire Up! are invaluable—I would want this book in my personal library for those alone. But what I find most compelling and most important about this book is how the authors incorporate concerns about equity, not as a separate chapter or note, but as an integral consideration woven through every narrative, strategy, and concept. This is what applied equity looks like for teachers of English learners.
—Paul C. Gorski, founder and lead consultant, Equity Literacy Institute

The authors approach teamwork with a fresh perspective—between teachers and students, other educators in a school, and community—in a way that enhances outcomes for ELs. The book offers tools and resources that can be used by teachers to support the great ideas offered for their classroom use and collaborative activities with other teachers. Great resource for all teachers with ELs!
—Margarita Espino Calderón, professor emerita, Johns Hopkins University, and coauthor of Success with Multicultural Newcomers & English Learners: Proven Practices for School Leadership Teams

Colleagues Cohan, Honigsfeld, and Dove show us the powerful possibilities that can and do happen when we work collaboratively with students, families, schools, and the community on behalf of English learners.  They masterfully weave examples from the field to highlight current research-based approaches for co-creating a common purpose, shared mindset, supportive environment, and a diverse team that draws from the strengths and assets that everyone possesses.  If you are seeking a book about collaborating on behalf of English learners’ success, this should be a go-to reference.
—Debbie Zacarian, author, director of Zacarian and Associates

Another great book by Cohan, Honigsfeld, and Dove to reinforce the importance of teamwork in support of English language learners.  The authors present a comprehensive framework that is woven throughout the book to encourage collaboration in the classroom, the school building, and the community. It is a must-read!
—Carol Wertheimer, educational consultant

Ensuring equitable access for all students requires collaborative efforts among educators, parents, and students.  This thought-provoking book offers solutions to address critical issues of academic, language, and social-emotional learning that directly impact English learners' educational experiences.
—Glenda Harrell, ESL director, Wake County Public School System, NC

In their newest book, Team Up, Speak Up, Fire Up!, Audrey Cohan, Andrea Honigsfeld, and Maria G. Dove offer a fresh perspective on collaboration for ELLs/MLLs.  Each chapter begins with a case study presenting the challenges inherent in this approach.  By adhering to four core principles—common purpose, shared mindset, diverse team membership, supportive environment—the authors explain how these challenges can be overcome and how to successfully engage all stakeholders—administrators, teachers, students, parents, and community leaders—in the collaborative process.
—Rochelle Verstaendig, ENL teacher, former ENL coordinator, Plainview-Old Bethpage School District, professional development consultant, Nassau BOCES, NY