In this keynote, explore how technology can benefit multilingual learners (MLs). Together, we discover the power of partnerships in nurturing and supporting MLs on their language-learning journey. Through collaboration and the strategic integration of educational technology, we can create dynamic experiences that empower MLs to grow their content and language learning, enabling them to participate confidently in a global society.

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All Keynote Resources

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Michelle Shory is a veteran language educator with 25 years of experience in five states. She is currently an instructional lead for digital innovation focusing on multilingual learners in Jefferson County Public Schools, Louisville, KY, and also works for Eastern Kentucky University and Indiana University Southeast teaching ESL endorsement courses. 

Let's evolve beyond the limits of the long-term English learner (LTEL) label and embrace a new way of honoring secondary multilinguals’ valuable life experiences and academic potential. By focusing on experienced multilinguals’ strengths and what teachers can do, we will create the conditions for long-term success. Beth and Tan will share the conditions where experienced multilinguals can thrive based on their new book Long-Term Success for Experience Multilinguals. While the examples are from secondary schools, these conditions are applicable to elementary school MLs as well. The goal of this session is to affirm what participants are already doing to serve their MLs and to offer additional approaches. 

The science of reading (SOR) is a hot topic, but insufficient attention is given to what it means for multilingual learners who are learning to read and write at the same time they are learning to speak and understand the language of instruction. This presentation is intended to bridge the research-to-practice gap by defining what SOR is and is not, addressing what research says about SOR for multilingual learners, and describing classroom applications. Since oral language proficiency is a significant contributor to proficient reading, listening, and speaking skills must be strengthened. In this presentation, ideas for integrating language and literacy using SIOP are presented that support multilingual learners in oral language development. Participants are provided a clear understanding of literacy development for multilingual learners as well as "use-tomorrow" ideas for their own classroom practice. 

Dr. Jana Echevarria, Professor Emerita, California State University, Long Beach, is a founding researcher and creator of the SIOP Model. Dr. Echevarria has published widely on effective instruction for multilingual learners, including those with learning disabilities.  

Writing is an important and challenging domain that may present difficulties to Multilingual learners given their unique linguistic needs. As teachers, we are to consider those needs when building writing lessons. In this session, Valentina and Natalia will share practical techniques to support elementary and secondary students at the sentence level that goes beyond word banks. Participants will use sentence level techniques to enhance students' ability to build and communicate ideas. 

Trained in Russia as a translator, Natalia Heckman never thought about becoming a teacher. Natalia has taught English and ESOL classes, assisted teachers as a secondary ELA Instructional Coach, and served as an ESL/Bilingual program specialist. Natalia is an educational consultant with Seidlitz Education and the author of the book Building Better Writers. Read more about Natalia, her experiences, and her strategies on her blog: https://nataliaesl.edublogs.org