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San Jose, CA

Expanding Language Learning Beyond the Classroom

Grant Amount

$20,000

Year Awarded

2025-2026

Project Coordinator

Jennifer Black

Grant Type

Team

Local Association

East Side Teachers Association

Focus Area

Literacy, Language, and Communication

About the Project

This project is a real-world, community-based language program at Oak Grove High School that immerses English Language Development (ELD) and World Language students in practical, engaging experiences. Students will practice their target languages in authentic settings—such as restaurants and stores—where they’ll order food, calculate tips, and manage financial transactions. They will also create written and digital content like Yelp reviews, thank-you notes, and video critiques in their target languages. The project prioritizes equity, access, and cultural relevance by removing financial barriers and encouraging inclusive participation from multilingual and diverse learners. By building language fluency through hands-on learning, collaboration, and community engagement, the program prepares students for academic success and future careers in an interconnected world.

Meet the Project Coordinator

Jennifer Black

I am an English and ELD teacher, EL mentor, and ELD department chair at Oak Grove High School in San Jose, California, currently teaching AP English Language and Composition and ELD 1.  For several years, I also served as a site representative for our local union, East Side Teachers Association.  Last year Oak Grove ELD teacher Melissa Peth used the ELD 2 skills and standards to develop a field trip to a local restaurant and department store so that the students could practice their communication skills in the real world, and later the entire ELD department was able to take students to the Tech Interactive and local restaurants in downtown San Jose.  These field trips were such a valuable experience for our students that we wanted to repeat that success in the next school year.

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