[Bianca Capaldi] 12:24:25

All right, hi guys. So, we're going to be doing our podcast today, interviewing Mrs. Ruglo from Freeport Schools.

[Bianca Capaldi] 12:24:31

And we appreciate her coming on today to talk to us. And, um…

[Bianca Capaldi] 12:24:37

Mrs. Rugalo, I… since we're tying in our class sociolinguistics and perspectives, and with your students, I wanted to ask, um,

[Bianca Capaldi] 12:24:46

Do you encourage, like, code switching and translanguaging in your classroom? Like, how, like, I've noticed with my experience while we were on the Zoom that when the girls would

[Bianca Capaldi] 12:24:56

talk to each other, they would do English and Spanish together, which I thought was really cute, and they almost, like, help each other out, and I was just wondering if you encourage that,
or if you want to give some points on that.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:25:06

Oh yeah, totally. Um, first of all, like, for me, like, um, translanguaging is super important, because when you enable the kids to use, like, anything they know in any language,

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:25:18

they're able to really get to every single thing they've learned.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:25:22

If you limit them to one language or the other, they're not going to use their entire linguistic

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:25:28

linguistic reference court to actually, like, tell you everything they know. So, like, you don't want to limit it, you want to encourage that.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:25:34

Um, I don't know if you guys heard, like, when I go ding ding?

[Bianca Capaldi] 12:25:37

Mm-hmm, yeah, yeah, yeah.
beth’s iPhone new] 12:25:38

You ever hear what I'm saying? Um, we, like, I push Cognates a lot with my kids, because, um…

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:25:43

you know, that helps them understand, oh, wait a minute, I might even know this in both languages, kind of thing. So, like, I make them use their Spanish to help them understand the
English.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:25:51

They… it's so funny, so they don't even use the word cognate anymore. They're like, oh, that's a ding ding. I'm like, okay, maybe I need…

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:25:56

Um, yeah, that's a ding ding. So, yeah.

[Bianca Capaldi] 12:25:59

Oh, that's… yeah, I remember, I think it was the word hamburger, it was, like, hamburgessa, and you, like, went ding ding, and then you were all like, oh my god, yeah, yeah, you're right.

[Bianca Capaldi] 12:26:07

So, um, yeah, awesome, thank you. Now Jack is going to ask you our next question.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:26:07

Yeah, so…

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:26:11

Okay.

[jack riegger] 12:26:12

Okay, yeah, so, um, kind of like…

[jack riegger] 12:26:14

like, talking around, like, kind of the same thing, like, about how, um, like, what the students are, like, expected to do in the classroom, but I know that we went over… and, like, when I was
with the kids, we were, um, preparing for, like, the NYS ESLAT speaking tests, right?

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:26:27

Yep, yeah.

[jack riegger] 12:26:28

So, my, like, thought process on that was
jack riegger] 12:26:28

So, my, like, thought process on that was that, like,

[jack riegger] 12:26:32

Um, like, the things it asks for is, like, a little bit, like, different than, like, what you might expect, like, is, like, the best for the students, maybe? Like, in terms of, like, no translanguaging
and stuff, so…

[jack riegger] 12:26:41

Do you think it's a good indicator on, like, students learning English and their ability to, like, be in the classroom?

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:26:48

I hate the nicest lap. Hate it, hate it. Um, and I'll tell you why, because exactly what you just said, it is not a good indicator for a lot of different reasons. I mean, it's better than the testing
we used to use,

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:26:58

But it… it's so…

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:27:01

one… it's, like, very single-minded, the test, because first of all, it only tests, like, um…

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:27:06

like, the speaking… like, you actually used a lot of the samples from the samplers, so you see what it does. So, like…

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:27:11

Sometimes it'll ask a kid a question,

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:27:13

And your normal response is to give a one-word answer to that particular question. It's not the kind of question that makes you want to talk more, so you don't get to see every single
thing the kid has.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:27:23

Number two, it's so…

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:27:26

you know, I mean, it is an English test, like, it just tests how much English the kid knows, but you're not always going to get every single thing that they know from, like, what they give
you. Um, the same thing with the writing. Sometimes they give them prompts,
beth’s iPhone new] 12:27:38

And you saw the problems. It's like, no, like, you're not going to get, like, you know…

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:27:42

they read this whole story, and then, like, a half-related question, you know, like, the whole, oh, read a story about trees.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:27:50

you know, this is how they grow. What kind of tree would you like in your backyard? What are you getting from that kid?

[jack riegger] 12:27:56

Yeah.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:27:56

you know, and then they're looking for, like, all different types of sentences, which…

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:28:01

Some kids don't naturally do. So, um, it's the best we've got right now, not for long, because we're actually changing to a different system next year.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:28:09

Um, but it… you don't get a full picture of everything the kid can do. And then if you get a kid who's not a good reader or not a good writer,

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:28:17

You're no longer assessing their language skills, you're assessing their, like, literacy skills, and so it doesn't really…

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:28:24

you know, it's not a perfect… it's not a perfect test.

[jack riegger] 12:28:27

So, yeah, thank you so much for that. Also, I was gonna ask, like, so I know, like, you, like, touched on a lot of that stuff already, but, like, what, like, would you change about the system,
and, like, so that way different things could be expected from the students, so that way we could, like,

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:28:27

So…

[jack riegger] 12:28:39

get a more fair understanding of what is, like, improving on the students.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:28:45

You mean as far as, like, in schools, or…?

[jack riegger] 12:28:47

Yeah, like, well, that, or also, like, uh, sorry, like, I was gonna say, like, obviously that's a standardized test, so, like, that's, like, what we have to use, right? But what else do you think could be used? Like,
what else could the system be improved upon?

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:28:54

Yeah.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:28:58

Well, next year, we're moving to WIDA.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:29:00

Um, which is, like, almost every state in the whole country uses it. Um, unfortunately, as much as I've tried to, like, access more information, I haven't learned enough about it to speak of it yet.

[jack riegger] 12:29:10

Mm-hmm.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:29:10

Um, I do know that they use different indicators to, like, assess language proficiency, so I'm hoping that will lead us in the right direction.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:29:18

And, like, you guys are bringing up a lot of, like, the translanguaging stuff, and I think that

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:29:22

Within a school building, and even, like, just overall, like, teachers really need to start understanding that our multilingual learners

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:29:29

need to use everything in their brain, and not just English, to show what they know, and to actually interpret what the teacher is giving. Um, and limiting them really does hurt.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:29:40

It really does. So, um, you don't need to be in a bilingual class to encourage a child to think in multiple messages, because you're… you're like, like I said, a million times, and I'll always say it, like, you really
are limiting them. Like, you're holding them back so much if they're not using everything that they can.
[jack riegger] 12:29:56

Yeah, thank you so much for that. Yeah, so now, um, Taylor's gonna be asking you good questions, so yeah.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:30:02

Okay.

[Taylor Tsadilas] 12:30:07

Okay, so my question is…

[Taylor Tsadilas] 12:30:10

What teaching strategies do you use in your classroom to, like, get your kids to…

[Taylor Tsadilas] 12:30:16

have a better understanding of what

[Taylor Tsadilas] 12:30:18

you're really teaching.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:30:20

lots of visuals, lots of visuals. Anything that goes up on the smart board, because, you know, everything is all about the computers now, um, has a picture, or those, like, how do you say it? GIFs, GIFs, like…

[Taylor Tsadilas] 12:30:28

Yeah.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:30:31

Um, I like those… yeah, I like those things because, like, they move. So, like, it really helps with, like, a lot of different things that we're learning. It could be science, social science. There's, like, a GIF for everything.

[Taylor Tsadilas] 12:30:32

GIFs.

[Taylor Tsadilas] 12:30:43

Yeah.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:30:43

real things, like, I'll bring in, like, stuffed animals, or whatever, like, objects that match what we're doing.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:30:50

Um, because that'll bring anything to… to life. Um, I don't know if you guys have done anything with, like,

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:30:55

crashing yet, like, he's one of, like, these, like, major, like, language people. He's a major language acquisition guy.

beth’s iPhone new] 12:31:02

And he talks a lot about comprehensible input, and that's really what you need in any good language lesson, is comprehensible input. You have to, like, make sure you're using gestures,
using all different kinds of pictures,

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:31:12

objects, things like that, to, like, support the kids. So, like, when you're not just talking at them, like, they're getting, oh my god, yeah, I know what she's saying, because I see it.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:31:21

Um, you know, even something as simple as, like, how to fold a piece of paper, like, you know, hold the paper, fold it, you know, you're holding it while you're doing it, um, things like that.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:31:30

And then, like, when you want work from them, it's making sure they have a word bank, making sure they are sentence starters, um…

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:31:38

you know, things like that, this way, like, they feel so supported, um, you know, everything's scaffolded in our rooms.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:31:45

So…

[Taylor Tsadilas] 12:31:46

Do you think most of your students

[Taylor Tsadilas] 12:31:49

are visual learners, and, like, most students now in this generation, or…

[Taylor Tsadilas] 12:31:53

Do I still have some students, not only this year, like last year, too,

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:31:55

Yes.

[Taylor Tsadilas] 12:31:58

that are less of visual learners and more of…

[Taylor Tsadilas] 12:32:02

other types of learners, like…
aylor Tsadilas] 12:32:05

Some people… I know some people…

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:32:05

Um, I still think we have… I still…

[Taylor Tsadilas] 12:32:09

Well, I was just gonna say, because I did field work just now, I…

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:32:11

Oh, go ahead.

[Taylor Tsadilas] 12:32:14

At Gersh Academy, and I was…

[Taylor Tsadilas] 12:32:16

I thought that all the students would be visual learners, but they really aren't. They, like, cram and…

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:32:20

But they're not.

[Taylor Tsadilas] 12:32:22

Yeah, they… especially because it's, um, not regular ed, but yeah, they're not visual learners, they like to repeat and repeat and write stuff down a million times, so…

[Taylor Tsadilas] 12:32:32

Do you think most of the students in your class this or last year are visual, or…?

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:32:38

No, no, definitely not. Like…

[Taylor Tsadilas] 12:32:38

Learners or not.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:32:40

Now, there's all different learning styles, um, so that's why, like, in a typical classroom, like, there's singing, there's, you know, like, we try to do a lot of different things and a lot of different kinds of
activities so that you're reaching every single kid.

[Taylor Tsadilas] 12:32:41

Yeah.
[beth’s iPhone new] 12:32:54

Um, you know, obviously with the screens and everything else, you would think that everybody is a visual learner, but no.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:33:00

Like, everybody has their own learning style. Um, and you guys are gonna see as you go through, and like, when you get into classrooms and stuff, like, you already have, but, like, um…

[Taylor Tsadilas] 12:33:01

Mm-hmm.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:33:08

you know, when you're doing lessons, there are so many different things you have to do to make sure. Like, math, you're always going to bring in manipulatives.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:33:15

Maybe some kids will need to make a picture, some kids will just memorize every single math strategy.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:33:20

So, depending… like, and, like,

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:33:22

because you do, like, now these days, we do everything in small groups, you really get to know the needs of every single kid, and you start tailoring your lessons and your small group activities to what they
need.

[Taylor Tsadilas] 12:33:33

Yeah.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:33:33

So…

[Taylor Tsadilas] 12:33:35

Well, thank you so much for answering my question. Now Olivia is gonna ask you a question

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:33:40

Okay, all right, thanks.

[Olivia Bianco] 12:33:48

Can you hear me? Yep. Okay, okay.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:34:17

actively doing things?

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:34:23

So, like, we'll do, like, a click and drag, like, sometimes there's a culminating activity, sometimes there's just a little thing to, like, break things up.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:34:30

Um, I… I…

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:34:33

We are so inundated with technology, the kids are on the computer for iReady, they computer for the… whatever, the ST Math, and, like, all these other things.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:34:43

I don't want to live on the computer,

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:34:46

And I feel like because I'm in a classroom and I'm with them, um, I like to do stuff that I've made for them.

[Olivia Bianco] 12:34:53

Mm-hmm.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:34:53

be it hands-on things, you know, things like that. So, like, computers have their place, but it's very rare, other than, like, cutesy little things every once in a while within an activity that I'm gonna have them doing that kind of stuff on a computer.

[Olivia Bianco] 12:34:55

Yeah.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:35:05

You know, but that's just me. I'm also, like, you know, a thousand years old, so, um…

[Olivia Bianco] 12:35:06

Yeah.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:35:08

But, you know, I just think it's like… I just think it's, like, sometimes, like, overkill with the computers.

[Olivia Bianco] 12:35:09

No, no.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:35:14

Um, now Gersh's special ed, right?

[Olivia Bianco] 12:35:14

Mm-hmm.

[Olivia Bianco] 12:35:16

Yeah. I was just wondering if you use them just, you know…

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:35:17

Yeah, I thought so. Um…

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:35:21

Yeah. No, honestly, even… I teach special ed summer school, I make them leave their computers home.

[Olivia Bianco] 12:35:26

Oh, really? Yeah.
[beth’s iPhone new] 12:35:27

Yeah, I don't… I just think that, you know, like… like, we've been replacing, like, the authentic things that we can do have been replaced a little bit too much with computers, so I do like to… I prefer to, like, be in it with them.

[Olivia Bianco] 12:35:36

I know.

[Olivia Bianco] 12:35:39

Yeah, I definitely saw that it wasn't as helpful as they think it might be.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:35:39

you know, like…

[Olivia Bianco] 12:35:46

It definitely is with communicating, though, so…

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:35:49

Yeah.

[Olivia Bianco] 12:35:50

And then, um…

[Olivia Bianco] 12:35:53

On my last question would be, do you think that your group of students work better together, or…?

[Olivia Bianco] 12:35:58

Do they work better on their own?

[Olivia Bianco] 12:36:01

Or does it just depend on the student, really?

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:36:04

You know, it depends on the student. Um, culturally, our baby is…

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:36:08

Um, they're very interpersonal.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:36:11

So they love being

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:36:12

You know, it depends on the student. Culturally, like my babies, they're very interpersonal, so they do love being together as a team and like working together to like complete things. But, you know, you do have your kids who like really would rather just do things on their own

[Olivia Bianco] 12:36:25

Yeah.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:36:25

So

[Olivia Bianco] 12:36:27

Okay, and that would be my… that's all my questions.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:36:27

you know, overall, my babies love to be together. Okay.

Bianca Capaldi] 12:37:17

You are a perfect teacher for that. You're amazing with that. You really treat them well, and you really… we really see that you care for them, and I think that's so important within a classroom, and you taught me, like, I see that, like, I feel like when I become a teacher, I'm going to think of you and
how, like, you really engage with each and every one of the students, and you really included every single one

[Bianca Capaldi] 12:37:38

And I want to thank you for that.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:37:40

Oh, it was a lot of fun with you guys, it really was. I will tell you, just be very, very careful in saying that they picked up the language quickly, only because I don't… like, I'm not sure where you guys are in your, like, language stuff, but there's a very big difference between, like, Bix and CALP. I don't
know if you've learned that yet.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:37:59

And people think because a kid is, like, going, hey, how are ya? You know, whatever, like, talking, that they have academic language, and that's, like, the second thing to come. And there'll be… a lot of teachers, like, seasoned teachers who have been around for a million years, like, but they
understand English!

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:38:13

No, they're talking to you and, you know, asking how you are, but not necessarily, like, able to process the information that's coming at them in, like, content areas. So, like, I mean, we have, like, that one especially, you know, that one friend who you know who I'm talking about

[Bianca Capaldi] 12:38:22

I see.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:38:28

Amazing. Amazing. But if we ask that same person to tell us anything they did in like the the like the matter unit that we did with like solids, liquids and gases, you would not be getting the same answers. You know, because like that academic language kind of, like, lags behind, and it takes 5 to 7
years for a kid to really get like

[Bianca Capaldi] 12:38:29

Yeah, yeah.

[Bianca Capaldi] 12:38:42

Right.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:38:49

Good at the academic stuff.

[Bianca Capaldi] 12:38:51

Right. Yeah, thank you for that clarification.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:38:51

So anyway, but yes, it was a lot of fun with you guys.

[Bianca Capaldi] 12:38:54

Yeah, of course. Alright, thank you so much. That's the end of our podcast. I really appreciate you coming on, and it was really nice seeing you.

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:38:54

So

[beth’s iPhone new] 12:39:02

All right, good luck with everything, guys. Thank you so much.

[Bianca Capaldi] 12:39:03

Thank you guys.

[jack riegger] 12:39:03

Yeah, thank you so much.