OAKLAND, Calif., April 30, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In U.S. schools, the number of students who are English language learners (ELL) has grown by more than 50 percent in the last decade — with some states experiencing increases of up to 800 percent. Yet, the academic performance levels of ELL students are significantly below those of their peers in nearly every measure of achievement. To help educators gain new insights into how to help ELL students make significant gains in their reading and language skills, Scientific Learning Corp. (OTCQB:SCIL) will present a free webinar, titled "How the ELL Brain Learns," by international educational consultant and author David A. Sousa, Ed.D.
In the live webinar, scheduled May 14 at 12 p.m. Pacific (3 p.m. Eastern), Dr. Sousa will reveal the latest research about the English language learner's brain. He will provide an overview of how the young brain acquires the first language, and then examine how learning a second language affects brain development. He will discuss the challenges ELL students face when learning conversational and academic language simultaneously, and explore ways educators can help them. Finally, he will debunk some misconceptions about ELLs and English language acquisition. The webinar is free, but registration is required. To register or for more information, visit http://www.scilearn.com/webinars.
Sousa is the author of several books that suggest ways educators and parents can translate current brain research into strategies for improving learning. He has conducted workshops in hundreds of school districts on brain research, instructional skills, and science education at the preK-12 and university levels. He served as a teacher, K-12 director of science, supervisor of instruction, and district superintendent in New Jersey schools. He has also been an adjunct professor of education at Seton Hall University and a visiting lecturer at Rutgers University.
About Scientific Learning Corp.
We accelerate learning by applying proven research on how the brain learns. Scientific Learning's results are demonstrated in over 270 research studies and protected by over 55 patents. Learners can realize achievement gains of up to two years in as little as three months and maintain an accelerated rate of learning even after the programs end.
Today, more than 2.2 million learners have used Scientific Learning software products. We provide our offerings directly to parents, K–12 schools and learning centers, and in more than 45 countries around the world. For more information, visit www.scientificlearning.com or call toll-free 888-810-0250.