ConnectED Conversations

ConnectED Conversations
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We’re Trisha & Brandi 👋, two international educators helping teachers, leaders, and families make sense of global education. Through real stories and practical insights, we unpack what parenting and teaching abroad really look like. From choosing schools and navigating contracts to settling in overseas, each episode helps you connect, collaborate, and compare international education with confidence.

  1. قبل يوم واحد

    Ep 28: Patty’s ELL & Grammar Teaching Tips

    How can international teachers better support multilingual learners without lowering expectations or leaving language development to one department? In this episode, we speak with Patty McGee, a literacy consultant, speaker, educator, and author whose work helps teachers bring clarity, joy, and purpose into literacy instruction. Together, we explore how English often becomes the access language in international schools, why conversational fluency can hide deeper academic language needs, and how teachers can make grammar, writing, and content learning more accessible for multilingual learners. This conversation is especially useful for international educators, EAL teachers, classroom teachers, and school leaders looking for practical international teacher resources, stronger multilingual learner support, and clearer systems for language development across international curriculum comparison contexts. Inside the episode: Why grammar instruction does not have to feel dry, isolated, or worksheet-drivenHow grammar manipulatives can help students build sentences, test ideas, and practice academic languageWhy explicit instruction needs clarity, modeling, and usable stepsHow teachers can separate language proficiency from content understandingWhy assessment for learning matters for multilingual learnersWhat happens when language support is treated as one department’s responsibility instead of a whole-school commitmentHow WIDA Can-Do Descriptors can help teachers understand what multilingual learners can do, almost do, and not yet doWhether you are teaching overseas, leading EAL development, comparing international school systems, or looking for practical strategies to support multilingual learners, this conversation offers grounded insight for the global educator network. Links & Resources 📌WIDA English Language Development Standards: https://wida.wisc.edu/resources/wida-english-language-development-standards-framework-2020-edition 📌Patty McGee’s website: pattymcgee.org 📌Not Your Granny’s Grammar by Patty McGee: https://www.amazon.com/Not-Your-Grannys-Grammar-Instruction/dp/1071941674/ 📌Writer’s Workshop Made Simple by Patty McGee: https://www.amazon.com/Writers-Workshop-Made-Simple-Essentials/dp/1987332016 📌Feedback That Moves Writers Forward by Patty McGee: https://www.amazon.com/Feedback-That-Moves-Writers-Forward/dp/1506349927 📞Book a consultation with us! We’re here to personalize support for whatever choices you are facing. 😊https://connectedglobal.org/book-a-consultation/ 🍬 Find lots of other global education goodies at: https://connectedglobal.org 💬 Have a question or story of your own? Drop it in the comments! We’d love to feature listener topics in future episodes. 💓 Don’t forget to like & subscribe if you're navigating life, learning, and leadership abroad.

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  2. قبل يوم واحد

    Ep 27: How Can Teachers Support Multilingual Learners?

    How can teachers support multilingual learners without redesigning every lesson from scratch? In this Teacher Toolbox episode, we close our ELL mini series by moving from awareness to action, sharing practical strategies teachers can use to plan for language, reduce linguistic overload, and create clearer access to learning in multilingual classrooms. We explore what this looks like across push in and pull out support models, safer participation structures, fairer checks for understanding, and stronger first steps for new arrivals, while naturally connecting to international teacher resources, global teacher support network, end of year transitions international schools, and supporting your child in a new school. Throughout the episode, we stay grounded in the lived realities of international schools and the small, consistent choices that help multilingual learners feel more confident, capable, and included. Inside the episode: How to plan for content, language, and output before the lesson beginsWhat teachers can do inside push in and pull out support modelsFive simple ways to reduce English load during live teachingHow to create safer, clearer participation for multilingual learnersWays to check understanding without over measuring English productionHow to respond when behaviour may be carrying language overloadWhat to prioritise in the first six weeks for new multilingual arrivals Whether you are teaching, leading, or parenting in an international school community, we hope this episode leaves you with practical next steps you can use right away. Links & Resources 📌⭐Multilingual Learner Support Toolkit - COMING SOON! 📞Book a consultation with us! We’re here to personalize support for whatever choices you are facing. 😊https://connectedglobal.org/book-a-consultation/ 🍬 Find lots of other global education goodies at: https://connectedglobal.org 💬 Have a question or story of your own? Drop it in the comments! We’d love to feature listener topics in future episodes. 💓 Don’t forget to like & subscribe if you're navigating life, learning, and leadership abroad.

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  3. ٤ مايو

    Ep 26: How Does Language Affect Student Identity?

    What happens when a student’s language needs are misread as a behaviour problem?  In this episode, we look at how identity, belonging, and behaviour are shaped by language in international schools, especially in contexts connected to international curriculum comparison, supporting your child in a new school, and international schools and expat families. We reflect on the difference between social fluency and academic language, the emotional load multilingual learners carry, and the ways withdrawal, frustration, or over compliance can mask linguistic overload rather than defiance. Along the way, we connect this conversation to wider needs around international teacher resources, global teacher support network, and more thoughtful support for students learning through an additional language. Inside the episode: Why language development is deeply tied to identity and confidenceHow the gap between thought and expression can affect student participationThe role of translanguaging, processing time, and the silent period in multilingual developmentWhy withdrawal, disruption, frustration, and over compliance can all be linked to language loadHow behaviour systems can misread linguistic overload as non complianceThe difference between social fluency and academic belonging in schoolWhy multilingual learners can appear socially included while still feeling academically invisible Whether you are teaching, leading, or parenting in a multilingual school community, we hope this episode helps you see student behaviour with more clarity, empathy, and context. Links & Resources 📌WIDA English Language Development Standards: https://wida.wisc.edu/resources/wida-english-language-development-standards-framework-2020-edition 📞Book a consultation with us! We’re here to personalize support for whatever choices you are facing. 😊 https://connectedglobal.org/book-a-consultation/ 💬 Have a question or story of your own? Drop it in the comments! We’d love to feature listener topics in future episodes. 💓 Don’t forget to like & subscribe if you're navigating life, learning, and leadership abroad. 🍬 Find lots of other global education goodies at: https://connectedglobal.org

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  4. ٢٧ أبريل

    Ep 25: What Does “ELL Support” Actually Mean?

    What does ELL support actually mean once a multilingual learner is sitting in the classroom? In this International Files episode, we examine why the phrase “we have ELL support” can sound reassuring while still leaving teachers unsure about planning, assessment, and expectations in international schools. We walk through the most common ELL support models used in international schools, reflect on why home country frameworks do not always translate well, and look at how parent expectations can shape what support feels possible in practice. Throughout the conversation, we connect these realities to broader needs around international teacher resources, global teacher support network, and how to choose an international school for your child.  Inside the episode: Why “we have ELL support” can mean very different things across schoolsThe difference between perceived support and functional supportCommon ELL support models in international schools, including pull out, push in, additional language periods, and classroom led supportWhy UK and US based ELL models do not always transfer cleanly into international school settingsHow unclear benchmarks, tracking, and staffing create system strainThe role parent pressure can play in shaping language support decisionsWhy inclusive ELL practice depends on clarity, coordination, and shared expectationsWhether you are teaching, leading, or navigating school decisions as a family, we hope this episode gives you language for the challenges you are seeing and a clearer lens for what strong support should actually look like. Links & Resources 📌Systems Health Check for Your School's ELL Provisions: COMING SOON 🍬 Find lots of other global education goodies at:⁠⁠ https://connectedglobal.org 📞Book a consultation with us! We’re here to personalize support for whatever choices you are facing. 😊 https://connectedglobal.org/book-a-consultation/ 💬 Have a question or story of your own? Drop it in the comments! We’d love to feature listener topics in future episodes. 💓 Don’t forget to like & subscribe if you're navigating life, learning, and leadership abroad.

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  5. ٢٠ أبريل

    Ep 24: Why Do International Schools Struggle With EAL Support?

    What happens when international schools say multilingualism is normal, but their systems are not built to support it?  In this episode, we open our EAL mini series by looking closely at why so many teachers and leaders feel stretched when trying to meet language needs across the curriculum, and why this challenge matters for anyone navigating international education, moving abroad as a teacher, or teaching overseas with family. We reflect on the gap between conversational fluency and academic language, the hidden assumptions that shape classroom decisions, and the school structures that often leave support unclear or inconsistent. Along the way, we connect this conversation to broader questions around international school contracts explained, international teacher resources, global teacher support network, and international curriculum comparison.  Inside the episode: Why EAL support in international schools is structurally different from home country systemsHow language functions as access, identity, and power across the school dayFive recurring realities teachers report in multilingual international classroomsThe difference between social fluency and academic language, including BICS and CALPFour common myths that can lead educators to misread student understandingThree major barriers to EAL success, including rolling admissions, staff turnover, and limited staff trainingWhy whole school clarity matters more than relying on individual teacher heroicsThis episode is for international educators and parents who want a more honest, practical understanding of what multilingual support really requires in schools abroad. Links & Resources 📌FREE ConnectED infographic: Why School Struggles with EAL Support: https://connectedglobal.org/product/why-international-schools-struggle-with-eal-support 📌CLIL handbook for teachers: https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/images/22191-tkt-clil-handbook.pdf 📌BICS & CALP information and differences: https://www.colorincolorado.org/faq/what-are-bics-and-calp  🍬 Find lots of other global education goodies at:⁠⁠ https://connectedglobal.org 📞Book a consultation with us! We’re here to personalize support for whatever choices you are facing. 😊 https://connectedglobal.org/book-a-consultation/ 💬 Have a question or story of your own? Drop it in the comments! We’d love to feature listener topics in future episodes. 💓 Don’t forget to like & subscribe if you're navigating life, learning, and leadership abroad.

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  6. ١٣ أبريل

    Ep 22: What Actually Helps Classroom Behavior?

    What actually helps when behavior starts to go off track in your international classroom? In this Teacher Toolbox episode, we move fully into practice. We focus on what teachers can do day to day to create calmer classrooms, clearer expectations, and more stable behavior systems in international schools. As Trisha & Brandi, we share concrete routines, language, and frameworks that support students across cultures, languages, and constant transitions. This episode is designed for teachers who are already abroad and feeling the strain of managing behavior in highly mobile, culturally diverse settings. We explore how explicitly teaching expectations, making routines visible, and responding with clarity and dignity reduces escalation and protects relationships. Whether you are navigating job changes abroad, seeking teaching overseas burnout support, or strengthening your place within an international school teacher community, this episode offers tools you can use immediately. Inside the episode: How to teach behavior like curriculum from the first weeks of schoolWhy visible routines reduce confusion and anxiety for international studentsHow to reinforce behavior without relying on labels or competitionWhat culturally responsive correction looks like in the momentHow to support students through transitions and mobilityWhy repair builds stronger behavior systems than punishmentHow to structure parent conversations around shared understanding If you are looking for international teacher resources that support real classroom practice and help you stay grounded while teaching overseas, this episode is an essential listen for international educators committed to clarity, consistency, and care Links & Resources 📌ConnectED Behavior Routines & Systems Toolkit: https://connectedglobal.org/product/behavior-systems-routines-toolkit 📌UNESCO Positive Discipline in the Classroom Guidance PDF https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000149284 📌PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Supports) https://www.pbis.org/pbis/what-is-pbis 📌Delaware MTSS Technical Assistance Center https://www.delawarepbs.org/school-support/ 📞Book a consultation with us! We’re here to personalize support for whatever choices you are facing. 😊https://connectedglobal.org/book-a-consultation/ 🍬 Find lots of other global education goodies at: https://connectedglobal.org 💬 Have a question or story of your own? Drop it in the comments! We’d love to feature listener topics in future episodes. 💓 Don’t forget to subscribe if you're navigating life, learning, and leadership abroad.

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  7. ١٢ أبريل

    Ep 23: How Can Leaders Strengthen Behavior Systems?

    What helps a school behavior system stay calm, credible, and consistent when real pressure hits?  In this Teacher Toolbox episode, we close our behavior mini series by looking at behavior through a leadership lens and exploring how we can strengthen school culture through consistent language, cyclical staff recalibration, parent alignment, visible leadership, and documentation that protects fairness rather than creating extra burden.  We also ground this episode in the lived realities of international schools, where staff mobility, cultural difference, parent expectations, and constant transition shape how systems hold. Whether we are moving abroad as a teacher, moving schools internationally as a teacher, or navigating job changes abroad, we know that leadership culture shapes the daily experience of school life just as much as policy does. Inside the episode: How we can treat consistency as a leadership behavior rather than a classroom demand Why cyclical reinforcement helps staff stay aligned without adding pressure How we can bring parents into behavior systems before issues escalate Why low stakes leadership visibility builds trust across the school community How behavior expectations can be retaught as learned skills, not enforced as static rules How documentation can protect teachers, support equity, and strengthen decision making A short leadership diagnostic to help us reflect on what our system is quietly teaching people Whether we are international educators or parents trying to understand school culture across borders, we hope this episode offers practical language, steady reflection, and useful perspective for the communities we are building together. Links & Resources 📌ConnectED Behavior Routines & Systems Toolkit: https://connectedglobal.org/product/behavior-systems-routines-toolkit 📞Book a consultation with us! We’re here to personalize support for whatever choices you are facing. 😊 https://connectedglobal.org/book-a-consultation/ 🍬 Find lots of other global education goodies at:⁠ https://connectedglobal.org 💬 Have a question or story of your own? Drop it in the comments! We’d love to feature listener topics in future episodes. 💓 Don’t forget to subscribe if you're navigating life, learning, and leadership abroad.

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  8. ٩ مارس

    Ep 21: How Do Parents Influence School Behavior Policy?

    What really happens when parent expectations collide with school behavior systems abroad? In this episode, we turn our focus to one of the most influential and misunderstood forces in international schools. We unpack how culture, mobility, privilege, and anxiety shape parent responses to behavior and why these dynamics so often place teachers in impossible positions. As Trisha & Brandi, we reflect honestly as both educators and parents navigating international schools ourselves. This conversation sits within our International Files series, where we zoom out to examine the systems and relationships shaping international education. We explore how schools define parent and teacher roles, why silence does not always mean disengagement, and how unclear boundaries turn behavior into negotiation. Whether you are moving abroad with kids, teaching overseas with family, or working within an international school teacher community, this episode offers perspective that is both practical and deeply human. Inside the episode: Why parents hold so much power in international school behavior systemsCultural differences in discipline roles between home and schoolHow privilege and access are often misread as entitlementThe impact of system skipping on consistency and trustWhy proactive communication reduces behavior conflictHow schools can onboard parents into behavior expectationsWhat strong leadership does to protect teachers and systems If you are seeking expat parenting advice, navigating international schools vs local schools, or building stronger relationships within international schools and expat families, this episode invites you to rethink behavior through a wider cultural and systemic lens. Links & Resources ⭐Behavior Foundations Guide: https://connectedglobal.org/product/behavior-foundations-guide/?v=9c049173fad5 ⭐Parent Dynamics & Communication Toolkit: https://connectedglobal.org/product/parent-dynamics-communication-toolkit/?v=9c049173fad5 ⭐Schools Behavior Systems Audit: https://connectedglobal.org/product/schools-behavior-systems-audit/?v=9c049173fad5 📞Book a consultation with us! We’re here to personalize support for whatever choices you are facing. https://connectedglobal.org/book-a-consultation/ 🍬 Find lots of other global education goodies at: https://connectedglobal.org 💬 Have a question or story of your own? Drop it in the comments! We’d love to feature listener topics in future episodes. 💓 Don’t forget to subscribe if you're navigating life, learning, and leadership abroad.

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حول

We’re Trisha & Brandi 👋, two international educators helping teachers, leaders, and families make sense of global education. Through real stories and practical insights, we unpack what parenting and teaching abroad really look like. From choosing schools and navigating contracts to settling in overseas, each episode helps you connect, collaborate, and compare international education with confidence.

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    ConnectED Conversations
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    © ConnectED Conversations
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    ConnectED Conversations