Welcome to NYS Manhattan/Staten Island Regional BETAC website!
Bilingual/ESL Technical Assistance Centers (BETACs)
The Bilingual/ESL Technical Assistance Centers (BETACs) are centers that provide staff development and technical assistance to all educators. Staff at the 14 centers offer resources and training on issues pertaining to English Language Learners (ELLs). They are funded through grants from the New York State Education Department’s Office of Bilingual Education and collaborate with the Office of Bilingual Education/Foreign Language Studies (OBE/FLS) to serve educators throughout the State to meet the needs of English Language Learners (ELLs).
Mission of the BETACs
The mission of the BETACs is to enhance the development of knowledge and competencies of educators, parents, and local communities needed to support academic excellence of ELL students. BETACs provide the highest quality technical assistance to promote equity and excellence in the education of English Language Learners in New York State schools.
Goals of the NYS Manhattan/Staten Island Regional BETAC
The NYS M/SI BETAC developed the following goals to enhance the quality of services that instructional practitioners provide to ELLs in their region:
- To provide professional development that enhances the skills of all educators who work with ELLs
- To maintain the BETAC Resource Center with current classroom-based instructional and assessment materials, subject area lesson plans for ELL students, and children’s literature books for practitioners who work with ELL students
- To incorporate new technologies to enhance learning for ELL students
- To continue and expand the BETAC’s website to disseminate information, archive materials related to workshops, and provide web-based instructional materials for teaching ELLs
- To assist NYSED, Office of Bilingual Education, and the DOE-OELL with its initiatives to provide services to ELL students
- To provide technical assistance on policies and regulations, availability of funding, and other educational resources
- To support educators to engage parents of ELL students in their children’s education by providing them with information on educational topics that affect ELLs
News and Recent Updates
- National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition Begins New Contract
- In pursuit of Puerto Rican Studies (Dr. Edwin Melendez) on September 25
- Information on Picturing America to Bring Great American Art to the Nation's Classrooms is available
- Information on Orientation on Student Enrollment in NYC Public Schools is available
- Information on The United States Senate Youth Program is now accepting applications is available
- New Technologies for Teaching ELL Students on June 3, June 4, 11, 12, and 18
- Using Internet Resources that Support Content Area Learning for English Language Learners with Limited Formal Schooling on May 27, 2008
- Developing Literacy for SIFE ELL through Technology on May 13, 2008
- NCLB Symposium and Principals' Institute on April 29, 2008
- Social Studies for ELLs Creating Bonds with Children from Other Cultures through Multicultural Stories and Storytelling on April 11, 2008
- Technology for NLA Workshop on February 5, 2008
- Dr. Kate Kinsella "Vocabulary is the KEY to Comprehension for English Language Learners" on January 26, 2008
