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Welcome to #MABE2025! We are still building Sched for you, but check out what sessions our conference is offering. 

  • If you haven’t yet, REGISTER HERE.
    Registration Closes: February 14, 2025
    Late Registration Period: February 15–March 6, 2025, subject to late fee

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  • Attendees will receive an email invitation to create your own schedule towards the end of February. 

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Sunday, March 9
 

8:30am EDT

Opening Ceremony & Keynote
Sunday March 9, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
TBA
Keynote: Educator and Family Leadership for Justice in Dual Language Bilingual Education: Thinking Differently about Effectiveness
Presenters
KM

Kate Menken

Distinguished Professor, City University of New York, Queens College, NY
Kate Menken is Distinguished Professor of Linguistics at Queens College of the City University of New York (CUNY), and a Research Fellow at the Research Institute for the Study of Language in an Urban Society of the CUNY Graduate Center. She is Co-Editor in Chief of the journal Language... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA

9:45am EDT

Collaborative Assessment in a Dual Language School
Sunday March 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
TBA
Discover how analyzing students’ writing in Spanish and English side by side provided deeper insights and better informed our writing instruction. Through video analysis, group activities, and scenario evaluations, participants will gain strategies to implement co-assessment cycles alongside co-instruction. Walk away with actionable ideas to strengthen teacher-teacher connections, leverage biliteracy as an asset, and elevate multilingual learners' progress. Join us to learn how collaboration and holistic practices create meaningful opportunities for impactful learning!
Presenters
avatar for Alma Pezo

Alma Pezo

Assistant Director of Multilingual Education, Chelsea Public Schools, MA
avatar for Lisa Lineweaver (she/ella)

Lisa Lineweaver (she/ella)

Principal, Chelsea Public Schools, MA
Lisa Lineweaver is the principal of the Kelly School, a dual language school located in Chelsea, MA. She has led the transformation of the school from a strand to a full school dual language program. Lisa has worked as an administrator in Boston Public Schools and in Chelsea leading... Read More →
avatar for Jody Klein

Jody Klein

Assistant Principal, Chelsea Public Schools, MA
Sunday March 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Assessment and Accountability

9:45am EDT

Biliteracy Mapping through the Cross-Linguistic Co-Planning Process
Sunday March 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
TBA
Dual language teachers are expected to provide language arts instruction through both program languages, but they aren’t given twice as much time to do it. Using a four-step process for cross-linguistic co-planning, English and partner-language teachers can work together to identify what needs to be taught in each language, what can be distributed across the two languages, and how to help students make cross-linguistic connections either way. Participants will leave the session with practical tools and strategies to support biliteracy mapping and cross-linguistic co-planning in the other content areas.
Presenters
avatar for Shera Simpson

Shera Simpson

Co-founder and Co-CEO, Dual Language Connections
Shera Simpson has worked as a dual language educator for over a decade, primarily in kindergarten and first grade. She is the co-founder Outside the Box Learning Laboratory, in Costa Rica. Additionally, Shera is the co-founder and senior educational consultant at Dual Language Connections... Read More →
LH

Liz Howard

Associate Professor, Co-founder and Co-CEO, Dual Language Connections and University of Connecticut, CT
Elizabeth Howard is an associate professor of bilingual education at the University of Connecticut, specializing in dual language education, biliteracy development, and teacher preparation for multilingual learners. She recently led a federally funded study on sociocultural competence... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Curriculum, Curriculum Design and Scheduling

9:45am EDT

***SNAP! SNAP! *** BOOK CLUBS!: How to Work Smarter, Not Harder to Achieve Independent Thinkers
Sunday March 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
TBA
In this session, we will discuss how to use book clubs to help students be independent thinkers and readers. We will talk about the reasons why you should do book clubs and how it helps biliteracy. Book clubs can also support standards and be a tool to prepare for state assessments. We will ensure you leave the session with practical next steps including: how to organize them, how to select materials, how to create independence, how to meet diverse needs, how to implement these in your specific classrooms, and MORE!
Presenters
KB

Kate Beil

3rd Grade Dual Language Teacher, Lynn Public Schools, MA
Kate Beil has been an educator for almost 10 years, working as an ELD teacher in dual language and SEI, and most recently as a Grade 3 dual language classroom teacher. She has developed curriculum maps for both DL and SEI programs in Massachusetts, leads professional development... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Instruction, Curriculum Design and Scheduling

9:45am EDT

Cornerstones in Action: Dual Language Pedagogy
Sunday March 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
TBA
What does “good teaching” look like in dual language? Learn about the Four Cornerstones of Dual Language Pedagogy, and see it in action by participating in a model lesson. You will come away with effective strategies and a framework that can be used to guide dual language programs. This is a repeat session from the 2025 conference.
Presenters
avatar for Sarah Rodriguez

Sarah Rodriguez

Dual Language Specialist, Windham Public Schools, CT
Sarah Rodriguez works in Windham Public Schools in Connecticut. She is a returned Peace Corps Volunteer who worked in both Honduras and Nicaragua. She has worked in Windham for almost 10 years, and has taught 1st and second grade Spanish and Spanish reading intervention. She currently... Read More →
avatar for Amy Finsmith

Amy Finsmith

Supervisor of Equity and Multilingual Education, Windham Public Schools, CT
Amy Finsmith is a MABE consultant and a Supervisor of Multilingual Education in Windham Public Schools (CT), home to the Compañeros and Dos Ríos Dual Language Programs and known for its commitment to providing equitable access to multilingual learners through its One-way, Two-way... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Instruction, Separation of Language

9:45am EDT

Dispelling Translanguaging Myths in a Dual Language Classroom
Sunday March 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
TBA
Translanguaging (García, 2009) has emerged as a critical and socially just pedagogical and linguistic frame that affirms and leverages multilingual students’ full communicative repertoires in order to successfully access and transform academic spaces and challenges. However, there are many myths that discourage teachers and administrators from accessing its full potential. We would like to address some of the myths around translanguaging and share scholarship that dispels these myths. Specifically, this presentation will look at seven myths around translanguaging and then provide participants with resources and best practices to enact translanguaging - through policy, planning, assessment - with multilingual students.
Presenters
NK

Nicole King

Assistant Professor of TESOL & BDL, University of Rhode Island, RI
Dr. Nicole King is an Assistant Professor of TESOL and Bilingual Education in the Feinstein College of Education at the University of Rhode Island. She holds a PhD in Teaching & Learning, with specialization in Foreign, Second, and Multilingual Language Education from the Ohio State... Read More →
ZT

Zhongfeng Tian

Assistant Professor of Bilingual Education, Rutgers University - Newark, NJ
Zhongfeng Tian (田中锋), Ph.D. is Assistant Professor of Bilingual Education in the Department of Urban Education at Rutgers University–Newark. He holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in Language, Literacy, and Culture from Boston College and a M.Ed... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Instruction, Translanguaging

9:45am EDT

Operationalizing Sociocultural Competence in Dual Language Bilingual Education
Sunday March 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
TBA
This presentation will focus on the operationalization of sociocultural competence (SC) in DLBE programs and will be grounded in Palmieri's (2021) research on teacher perceptions of sociocultural competence in DLBE. This session will provide participants with a) an overview of the current research on SC in DLBE, b) pedagogical practices to operationalize SC in the DLBE classroom, c) an opportunity to share ideas with other DLBE educators around the operationalization and conceptualization of SC, and d) space for critical reflection and dialogue around SC, guided by the Guiding Principles for Dual Language Education. Participants will learn about six pillars of sociocultural competence (Palmieri, 2021) a) critical consciousness, b) student identity development, c) teacher identity development, d) target culture/s development, e) Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, and f) student empathy development and cross cultural awareness.
Presenters
AP

Angela Palmieri

Founder and CEO, Institute for Multilingual Education
Dr. Angela Palmieri is a bilingual education researcher, professor, reading specialist, and consultant with over twenty-five years of experience as a scholar-practitioner in dual language and bilingual education. As the CEO and founder of the Institute for Multilingual Education... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Instruction, Advocacy, Leadership, Curriculum Design and Scheduling, Sociocultural Competence in DLBE

9:45am EDT

Unlocking Bilingual Brilliance through Crosslinguistic Teaching
Sunday March 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
TBA
Discover innovative strategies to create cross-linguistic connections. Learn how to identify and leverage language skills to meet your lesson objectives effectively. Get inspired with a variety of extension activities designed to reinforce and expand learning.

We'll guide you through the entire planning process, ensuring you feel confident and prepared to deliver cross-linguistic lessons in your dual language program. You’ll have the opportunity to watch compelling videos that bring concepts to life and provide practical insights. See how these strategies are applied in classrooms, making the content relatable and actionable.

Don't miss this opportunity to elevate your teaching methods and connect with fellow educators.
Presenters
avatar for Lisa Lineweaver (she/ella)

Lisa Lineweaver (she/ella)

Principal, Chelsea Public Schools, MA
Lisa Lineweaver is the principal of the Kelly School, a dual language school located in Chelsea, MA. She has led the transformation of the school from a strand to a full school dual language program. Lisa has worked as an administrator in Boston Public Schools and in Chelsea leading... Read More →
avatar for Cynthia R Escribano

Cynthia R Escribano

Principal, Springfield Public Schools, MA
Principal Cynthia (Cyndy) Escribano, a proud Latina of Dominican descent, grew up in Lawrence, MA, where she experienced inequities in public education. Determined to make a difference, she excelled academically, becoming the first of 19 grandchildren to attend university. While at... Read More →
avatar for Sol Ivette Santiago

Sol Ivette Santiago

Kindergarten DL teacher, Springfield Public Schools, MA
Sol-Ivette Santiago has been a dedicated kindergarten teacher at Gerena Community School since 2007. With a passion for bilingual education, she earned her bilingual education endorsement from UMASS Amherst. Sol-Ivette is committed to fostering a love for learning in her young students... Read More →
DG

Desiree Garcia

Kindergarten DL teacher, Springfield Public Schools, MA
Desiree Garcia has been a committed kindergarten teacher at Gerena Community School for the past nine years. Her unwavering dedication to bilingual education is evident through her recent achievement of a bilingual endorsement from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. In recognition... Read More →
CM

Cynthia McCarthy

Instructional Leadership Specialist, Springfield Public Schools, MA
Cindy McCarthy is an instructional leadership specialist at Gerena Community School in Springfield, MA, where she has dedicated 18 years of service. Passionate about bilingual education, Cindy recently embraced the role of dual language coach at Gerena. Her commitment to fostering... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Instruction, Cross-linguistic Connections

9:45am EDT

Leadership Voices: Navigating Challenges and Building Dual Language Success Through the WMBH Partnership
Sunday March 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
TBA
Join this dynamic panel of district leaders as they share promising strategies and solutions to build and sustain Dual Language Bilingual Education (DLBE) programs in Massachusetts. Drawing from diverse contexts and experiences through the Western Massachusetts Bilingual Hub (WMBH) Partnership, panelists will discuss overcoming challenges such as staffing, funding, and community engagement. Attendees will gain actionable tools to advocate for bilingualism, enhance program models, and engage stakeholders effectively. This interactive session offers practical insights, networking opportunities, and a deeper understanding of how to navigate the complexities of DLBE implementation, leaving participants equipped to strengthen bilingual education in their own districts.
Presenters
KR

Katie Richardson

Multilingual Education Administrator, Amherst Public and Amherst Pelham Regional Public Schools, MA
Katie Richardson is the Multilingual Education Administrator for the Amherst Public and Amherst Pelham Regional Public Schools. She has worked in Amherst for 10 years and as an educator for 17 with a focus on English learner education. She oversees the district ELL and Biliteracy... Read More →
JA

Jennifer Albury

Multilingual Education Director, Holyoke Public Schools, MA
Jennifer Albury has served as the Multilingual Education Director for Holyoke Public Schools for the past three years. Before stepping into this role, she worked as an instructional coach for the district’s English Language Development (ELD) department and taught ELD and special... Read More →
avatar for Daniel Toro Gonzalez

Daniel Toro Gonzalez

Coordinator, UMass, CT
Daniel Toro-González (Moderator) is the Western Massachusetts Bilingual Hub Coordinator, he holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Washington State University and has more than two decades of experience in the education sector. His expertise focuses on the design, implementation, and impact... Read More →
JM

Jill Michelhaugh

Assistant Principal for Dual Language, Springfield Realization Academy, MA
Jill Michelhaugh is the Founding Assistant Principal for Dual Language at Springfield Realization Academy (SRA). SRA is a stand-alone secondary Dual Language school in its fourth year. She has ten years of experience working in bilingual education in the US and Spain and is a doctoral... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Program Structure, Curriculum Design and Scheduling, Attrition/Student Commitment to DLBE, Student Mobility (Late Entry, New Arrivals), Teacher Recruitment & Retention, Student Entry Requirements

9:45am EDT

Success and Challenges of a Veteran Dual Language Middle School Program in New Mexico
Sunday March 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
TBA
Seasoned educators present the essential components of Truman middle-school’s dual language program and explore its 25+ years of ups and downs in preparing dual language students for success in high school and beyond. Participants will leave this session with practical solutions to program challenges, common when working with multiple elementary feeder programs who don’t all have a quality dual language program but serve the same historically underserved community. Getting it right takes time, flexibility, persistence, as well as advocacy!
Presenters
avatar for David Rogers

David Rogers

Executive Team Member, Educators for a Multilingual Multicultural America and Dual Language Education of New Mexico
David Rogers - David is a founding member of Dual Language Education of New Mexico, and a respected leader in the dual language community working with professional organizations like the Center for Applied Linguistics and Educators for a Multilingual Multicultural America to develop... Read More →
DS

Dana Salvadore

Bilingual Program Coordinator, Albuquerque Public Schools, NM
Dana Salvador holds a BA in English Secondary Education with an ESL endorsement from the University of Northern Colorado. In 2008, she earned her MFA at the University of New Mexico, and in 2015, she earned her National Boards for Certified Teachers. She has worked as an English Language... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Program Structure, Advocacy, Leadership, Curriculum Design and Scheduling, Transitions from elementary to middle school dual language education

9:45am EDT

Together We Lead! Collaborative Leadership for Transformative and Equitable DLE
Sunday March 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
TBA
DLBE programs thrive best when a range of stakeholders’ practices are firmly grounded in systems of collaborative, shared leadership. In this way the design, implementation, and evaluation of programs can better rest on the four pillars of DLBE. Anchored to the Lachance and Honigsfeld framework for Collaboration in DLBE (2023), this workshop is ideal for pairs or small teams of teacher leaders and/or their administrators to attend together. We will explore tools for collaborative leadership to then reflect on current and/or planned programming. Participants from districts/schools with DLBE programs both as stand-alone or strand configurations will interact within the workshop to consider effective approaches for developing and fostering collaborative partnerships norms.


Workshop participants use tools aligned with GP Strand 1, Effective Leadership. These tools emphasize cohesion, collegiality, and collaborative planning. Outcomes focus on program leadership, advocacy, and model development centered on collaboration; Outcomes are aligned to EMMA Standards 5-6.
Presenters
avatar for Dr. Joan Lachance

Dr. Joan Lachance

Associate Professor, UNC Charlotte, NC
Dr. Joan Lachance is an Associate Professor of Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she directs the TESL graduate programs and undergraduate TESL Minor. She is the co-author of the National Dual Language Education Teacher... Read More →
avatar for Michael Gary

Michael Gary

ELD Teacher, Hudson Public Schools, MA
Michael Gary is President of Multistate Association for Bilingual Education, NE and an English Language Development Teacher at Quinn Middle School in the Hudson Public Schools. Mike has served as a teacher, administrator, and language development coach. He has collaborated with colleagues... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Program Structure, Advocacy, Leadership

9:45am EDT

Empowering Bilingual Learners with Ethical AI: Personalized, Efficient, and Responsible Teaching in the Digital Age
Sunday March 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
TBA
Discover how the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) can transform English language learning by creating personalized, efficient, and engaging teaching experiences. This session will explore practical strategies for educators to promote the ethical and responsible use of AI tools while training students to think critically and act responsibly in the digital age. Participants will gain insights into how AI can enhance dual language education by supporting bilingualism, biliteracy, and academic achievement. Attendees will leave with actionable steps to implement AI-driven tools in culturally responsive and equitable ways, ensuring a meaningful and inclusive learning experience for all learners.
Presenters
MS

Marcelo Sousa

ESOL Specialist & Coach, North Haven Public Schools, CT
Marcelo Sousa is an experienced ESOL Specialist, instructional coach, and published author with over 17 years of experience in K-12 education. Currently serving at North Haven Public Schools in Connecticut, Marcelo specializes in culturally responsive teaching, curriculum development... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Support and Resources, Curriculum Design and Scheduling

10:00am EDT

A Data-Driven Approach to Progress Monitoring for DLE with LAS Links Español Online (SPONSOR)
Sunday March 9, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
TBA
During this session, participants will engage with one another via strategies like Classroom Mingle and Sentence Stems/Frames with one another. The session will review LAS Links Español as a progress monitoring tool to support Spanish language acquisition, and how to triangulate academic achievement and language proficiency data to inform instructional planning and student language growth plans. All participants will receive a free copy of LAS Links Instructional Strategies.
Presenters
CR

Chelsea Rivera

Data Recognition Corporation (DRC)
Chelsea Rivera, M. Ed., is an Assessment Solutions Consultant at Data Recognition Corporation (DRC), for the Northeast. At DRC, Chelsea provides support in identifying assessment solutions for preK – adult learners to enhance learning outcomes. Chelsea provides professional learning... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Assessment and Accountability, Curriculum Design and Scheduling, Translanguaging, Using assessment data to inform instruction, Vendor

11:15am EDT

Moving Beyond Secondary Compliance to Bilingual Brilliance by Design
Sunday March 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
TBA
In recent years, secondary schools have seen drastic changes in the students and communities they serve forcing leaders to consider how to best serve their needs. Learn how one district is re-envisioning bilingual programming to serve its changing community. Participants will see the programmatic shifts needed to account for the various bilingual programs needed and the strategic changes necessary to support these shifts. Participants will also learn about how the district used course curriculum and teacher coaching as entry points to the asset-based instructional improvements needed to ensure bilingual brilliance by design.
Presenters
avatar for Alexandra Güilamo

Alexandra Güilamo

TaJu Educational Solutions, TaJu Educational Solutions
As a language learner herself, Alexandra Güílamo has spent more than twenty years serving a wide range of language learner programs. Alexandra is a former teacher, academic coach, elementary school principal, and district-level director in highly diverse urban and suburban school... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA

11:15am EDT

Equitable Measures of Learning Towards Bilingualism and Biliteracy (SPONSOR)
Sunday March 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
TBA
In Dual Language and Bilingual Education programs, our goal is to develop bilingual and biliterate students who can reach academic proficiency and encompass the socio-cultural competence and critical consciousness to be positive contributors in communities. However, we often have to guess how well we are reaching that goal. In this session, we will explore ways we can measure towards bilingualism and biliteracy while considering the learning tools we choose to use. Participants will review the type of data that is currently used or is missing and make a plan for data-informed practices that will increase bilingualism and biliteracy in students.
Presenters
PX

Pangjua Xiong

Chief Schools Officer, Vista Higher Learning
Pangjua Xiong, EdD is the Chief Schools Officer at Level Learning. Dr. Xiong has worked in schools with language programs for over 26 years. She started in education as an English Learners teacher and has worked as a supervisor of Multilingual Programs, elementary school principal... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Assessment and Accountability, Advocacy, Leadership, Translanguaging, Vendor

11:15am EDT

Empowering Multilingual Education Advocates
Sunday March 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
TBA
This panel will share highlights from the Coalition for a Multilingual Rhode Island’s Train the Trainer: Multilingual Education Advocacy program which launched in Fall 2025. Panelists will share outcomes from training in six areas, including bilingual and dual language programs, advocacy strategies, and parent and student rights. They’ll discuss how they’re driving systemic change for multilingual students, educators, and communities. Attendees will learn about the program’s impact, its role in fostering equity, and strategies for replication in other regions. Join us to explore how trained advocates are creating lasting change in schools, districts, and communities statewide.
Presenters
AP

Alicia Pratt

Coordinator, Coalition for a Multilingual Rhode Island
Alicia Pratt is the Coordinator of the Coalition for a Multilingual Rhode Island (CMRI), a collective of 30 Rhode Island-based organizations dedicated to expanding multilingualism through advocacy and educational opportunities. A graduate of Pratt Institute with a BFA in Creative... Read More →
CM

Cindy Miranda

Coalition for a Multilingual Rhode Island
Sunday March 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Family and Community, Advocacy

11:15am EDT

From Community Cultural Wealth to Self-Advocacy: Exploring and Harnessing Students' Linguistic and Cultural Assets
Sunday March 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
TBA
This dynamic workshop is designed to equip educators with practical knowledge and a tool to help students recognize and utilize their cultural and linguistic resources. Participants will engage with the Community Cultural Wealth Framework through interactive activities that include reflective writing, drawing, and coloring. This hands-on session aims to provide educators strategies to foster students’ self-advocacy and leadership, emphasizing the value of bilingualism and cultural diversity as assets in both personal and community advocacy. Expect to leave with practical tools for nurturing student-driven advocacy in diverse educational settings.
Presenters
avatar for Dr. Violet Jiménez Sims

Dr. Violet Jiménez Sims

Managing Director of Academic Programming and Legislative Affairs, CT Teacher Residency Program
Dr. Violet Jiménez Sims is the Managing Director of Academic Programming and Legislative Affairs for the CT Teacher Residency Program. A Dominican-born U.S. immigrant, Dr. Sims is bilingual, bicultural, and a first-generation college-educated professional. With over two decades in... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Family and Community, Advocacy, building cross-cultural understanding

11:15am EDT

Organizando a los padres para una educación más bilingüe en Boston
Sunday March 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
TBA
"Organizando a los padres para una educación más bilingüe en Boston"
Esta sesión explora estrategias efectivas para involucrar y empoderar a los padres en la promoción de una educación bilingüe inclusiva y equitativa. A través de actividades dinámicas y discusiones prácticas, los participantes aprenderán a desarrollar iniciativas comunitarias, tomando en cuenta las campañas que estamos liderando en Boston, y cómo esto puede facilitar la comunicación entre familias y escuelas, y fomentar el bilingüismo como una fortaleza cultural. Los asistentes saldrán equipados con herramientas y recursos concretos para implementar cambios significativos en sus comunidades educativas.
Presenters
SR

Simel Rodriguez

Coordinadora del Programa de Padres Mentores, St. Stephen's Youth Programs, MA
Simel Rodriguez, Es Coordinadora del Programa de Padres Mentores en St. Stephen 's Youth Programs desde el año 2022. Vive en Boston desde el año 2011, tiene 3 hijos, uno de ellos asiste a una de las Escuelas Pública de Boston, desde el año 2023, ha trabajado muy duro por la educación... Read More →
MM

Maria Mejia

Coordinadora del Programa de Padres Mentores, St. Stephen's Youth Programs, MA
Maria Mejia Es Coordinadora del Programa de Padres Mentores en St. Stephen 's Youth Programs, desde del año 2021. Vive en Boston desde el año 2012, tiene un niño que asiste a una de las Escuelas Pública de Boston, Ha sido una fiel defensora de los derechos de los Estudiantes Aprendices... Read More →
SR

Sugey Rondon

Organizadora de Familias, St. Stephen's Youth Programs, MA
Sugey Rondon es madre de tres hijos. Se unió a St Stephen’s Youth Programs en 2019, comenzando como líder de padres voluntarios y luego como miembro del personal. Actualmente es organizadora familiar y enseña a las familias la importancia de involucrarse en las escuelas de sus... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Family and Community, Advocacy, Leadership, Teacher Recruitment & Retention, Involucramiento de Familias

11:15am EDT

Beyond Boundaries: Leveraging Translanguaging in Dual Language and Bilingual Programs
Sunday March 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
TBA
How can educators effectively leverage multilingual students’ full linguistic repertoires to promote language development and academic success? Translanguaging—the practice of using two or more languages during instruction—can and should be utilized in bilingual and dual language classrooms. This session will examine practical strategies and structures for implementing translanguaging while addressing challenges specific to these programs. Participants will explore how to support the fluid language practices of their multilingual students and ensure strong development of both program languages. Through interactive discussions, attendees will gain practical tools and actionable insights to foster equitable and effective multilingual learning environments.
Presenters
avatar for Chrissy Bowman

Chrissy Bowman

Education Specialist, CREC Resource Group, CT
Chrissy Bowman is a consultant for the CREC Resource Group, specializing in assisting educators create and refine programs, policies, and practices that support multilingual learners while fostering language and academic growth. Chrissy’s 15+ years experience in the field, including... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Instruction, Translanguaging, Separation of Language

11:15am EDT

Impact of Music Activities on Bilingual Education
Sunday March 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
TBA
The presentation will discuss the impact of music activities on bilingual education. Its approximate duration will be 75 minutes. The presentation will cover how teachers can use multicultural music in their lessons to support sociocultural competence, multilingual songs to support biliteracy and bilingualism, and singing/songwriting to reinforce subject areas outside of music support high academic achievement.

Through our years of experience, we have appreciated how teaching music works on the social and cultural area of our students. We have used both languages in the musical repertoires we choose to teach our lessons. We have held concerts in which we celebrate Hispanic heritage. We have recorded musical projects in Spanish to highlight musical styles such as la Bomba and el Festejo, genres highly related to Puerto Rican and Peruvian culture, respectively. Likewise, we have worked on Latin rhythms by using instruments such as the flamenco cajon, bongo, güiro, maracas, congas, etc.

As teachers in elementary schools with bilingual education programs, we have used music to help students develop vocabulary and translanguaging skills, as well as supporting early literacy and other content areas through the use of songs.

Attendees will have the opportunity to learn and practice songs from multiple languages, practice translation and translanguaging skills by examining song texts, and apply musical skills to their own content areas, developing songs that reinforce vocabulary and concepts from their areas.
Presenters
ER

Enoch Robbins

Music Teacher, Windham Public Schools, CT
He is the music teacher at W. B. Sweeney in Windham Public Schools, home of the district's Dos Rios one-way bilingual education program. He has a bachelor's degree in music education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and a master's degree in Curriculum from Appalachian... Read More →
avatar for Dr. Carlos Rivera-Ocasio

Dr. Carlos Rivera-Ocasio

Music Teacher, Windham Public Schools, CT
Music teacher at Natchaug Elementary School, 23 years of experience; former part time professor at University of Puerto Rico in Arecibo P.R. Ed. D in curriculum and Teaching, MA in Music education, BM in Music Education: Interamerican University of Puerto Rico.
Sunday March 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Instruction, Less Common Partner Languages (i.e. Vietnamese, Haitian Creole, Mandarin, French), Translanguaging, Separation of Language

11:15am EDT

Leveraging Biliteracy: Building Language Proficiency in 2 languages in Early Learning
Sunday March 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
TBA
Participants in this session will be provided with examples of what contributes to the development of biliteracy in the early years. Participants will be provided opportunities to engage in strategies that can be used in the classroom to increase language proficiency in both L1 and L2. They will also learn pedagogies proven to be effective in developing language that is directly related to literacy acquisition in L1 and L2. This session will be packed with the latest in the science of reading and its influence on bilingual education and the complexities of acquiring literacy skills while developing language in two languages.
Presenters
avatar for Emy Tomita

Emy Tomita

District Literacy Coach, Aldine ISD Houston, TX
Emy Tomita has been a bilingual educator for the past 14 years. She was a 4th grade bilingual teacher in transitional and dual language programs (one-way, two-way, 50/50 & 80/20 model) for 8 years. She was also a school librarian and 5th & 6th language arts resource teacher. In Aldine... Read More →
avatar for Gloria Guerrero

Gloria Guerrero

District Literacy Coach, Aldine ISD Houston, TX
Gloria Guerrero is a District Literacy Coach in Aldine ISD in Houston, Texas. Gloria is a certified bilingual educator. Her journey began as a Speech Pathologist Assistant. She then acquired her teaching certification through an Alternative Certification program through which she... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Instruction, Curriculum Design and Scheduling, Translanguaging

11:15am EDT

Te Quiero y Te Necesito: Bridging Pedagogical Translanguaging and Language Separation for Holistic Dual Language Success
Sunday March 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
TBA
In recent years, many dual language programs have seen confusion among teachers regarding the concept of translanguaging, which has led to the interpretation of translanguaging as providing instruction through concurrent translation. This workshop uses the Spanish phrase “Te quiero o no te quiero” (I love you or I don't love you), to analyze the tensions between embracing translanguaging in the classroom while maintaining language boundaries. Just as the phrase captures a complicated relationship, educators must navigate beyond the either/or interpretation (te quiero o no te quiero) of translanguaging and language separation and move towards a balanced approach (te quiero o te necesito). In this workshop participants will leave with a nuanced understanding of how translanguaging (te quiero) and language separation (y te necesito) can work together as well as practical strategies to balance these approaches in their classrooms that they can implement immediately.
Presenters
JS

Jackeline Similia-Coach

Biliteracy Coach, Worcester Public Schools, MA
I currently serve as the Biliteracy Coach at Worcester Dual Language Magnet School in Worcester Public Schools. With nearly 20 years of experience in early childhood education, ESL, and Dual Language education, I also teach as an Adjunct Instructor for the Bilingual endorsement at... Read More →
RG

Rachel Gately

6th grade dual language teacher, Worcester Public Schools, MA
I currently serve as a 6th grade dual language teacher at Worcester Dual Language Magnet School in Worcester Public Schools. I have taught dual language in grades 3-6 in both Worcester, MA and Dallas, TX for over 10 years. I also teach the Foundations of Dual Language and Bilingual... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Instruction, Translanguaging, Separation of Language

11:15am EDT

Usando cuentos de ciencia para desarrollar la indagación, curiosidad y el lenguaje en estudiantes multilingües
Sunday March 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
TBA
Using science stories to develop inquiry, curiosity, and language in multilingual students
This session explores strategies from the NSF-funded SISTEM project to support STEM thinking in young multilingual learners and the importance of reading aloud science-related narrative stories. Participants will discuss and evaluate these strategies, create activities for students to share findings, and explore resources promoting inquiry. Bilingual science book titles (English and Spanish) will be shared.
Presenters
avatar for Cindy Hoisington

Cindy Hoisington

Project Director, Education Development Center
Janna Kook, Ph.D. is a research scientist at Education Development Center (EDC) in Waltham, MA and has been studying early childhood education for over 15 years. Her research focuses on effective strategies and programs to enhance children’s STEM learning in the classroom, at home... Read More →
LM

Luz Maria C. Salazar

Curriculum Instructor, Education Development Center
Luz Maria C. Salazar, is a Curriculum and Instructional Design Specialist at Education Development Center (EDC) in Waltham, MA. Before joining EDC, Salazar taught Spanish in both the public and private sectors, from preschool through middle school, including Spanish immersion programs... Read More →
JK

Janna Kook

Research Scientist, Education Development Center
Cindy Hoisington is a project director at Education Development Center (EDC) in Waltham MA. where she leads early science professional learning and curriculum development initiatives with a focus on oral language development, MLLs, and communities historically marginalized in science... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Instruction

11:15am EDT

Dual Language Programs: Lessons from School Leaders
Sunday March 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
TBA
Knowledgeable leaders are essential to the success of a Dual Language Program. What do building leaders need to know to effectively lead and advocate for a Dual Language program? Join a panel of school leaders from Windham Public Schools as they discuss strategies for building and sustaining effective dual language programs. Using the Guiding Principles for Dual Language Education, panelists will share insights and challenges from both experienced and new leaders in one-way, two-way, and secondary programs. Participants can expect to leave with a variety of perspectives and strategies to support their own learning and growth as Dual Language leaders.
Presenters
avatar for Amy Finsmith

Amy Finsmith

Supervisor of Equity and Multilingual Education, Windham Public Schools, CT
Amy Finsmith is a MABE consultant and a Supervisor of Multilingual Education in Windham Public Schools (CT), home to the Compañeros and Dos Ríos Dual Language Programs and known for its commitment to providing equitable access to multilingual learners through its One-way, Two-way... Read More →
CD

Carlos de la Barrera

Principal, Windham Public Schools, CT
Carlos de la Barrera is an experienced educational leader with over 20 years in education. He is currently Principal of Windham Middle Schools in Connecticut, where he oversees dual language and unilingual programs. Carlos specializes in school culture improvement and academic ac... Read More →
JE

Jeannine Enamait

Principal, Windham Public Schools, CT
Jeannine Enamait serves as the principal of Natchaug Elementary School in Willimantic, CT. With over 16 years in education and more than three years as an administrator in Windham Public Schools, Mrs. Enamait is dedicated to fostering excellence in education. Under her leadership... Read More →
EM

Emily Malan

Assistant Principal, Windham Public Schools, CT
Emily Malan is the Assistant Principal at North Windham School in Windham, CT, serving students in grades K-5, including two of Windham’s dual language programs, Companeros and Dos Rios. With 13 years of experience in education, Emily began her career as a 5th-grade teacher, later... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Program Structure, Leadership

11:15am EDT

Translanguaging From the Student Up: Coaching Conversations With Sheltered Content Teachers of Newcomer MLs
Sunday March 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
TBA
Content teachers play a vital role in the education of older newcomer MLs. Too often, though, these teachers join our teams without a high level of metalinguistic awareness or much training in language acquisition. Translanguaging is a concept that is frequently misunderstood. How can targeted coaching conversations and ongoing job-embedded professional development guide content teachers? Is it possible to develop a shared understanding of translanguaging pedagogy across a team of 30+ educators? I will share our approach (ever a work in progress) at the International Academy, a newcomer program located at Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven, Connecticut.
Presenters
KB

Kristin Bengtson Mendoza

Lead Teacher & Instructional Coach, New Haven Public Schools, CT
Kristin Bengtson Mendoza is the lead teacher and instructional coach of the International Academy at Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven, CT. With two decades of experience in public schools in Guatemala, New York City, and Connecticut, her areas of interest include programming... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Staff Quality and Professional Development, Leadership, Translanguaging, Teacher Recruitment & Retention, Third Language Students

2:10pm EDT

DBLE Guidance Document Revisions
Sunday March 9, 2025 2:10pm - 2:50pm EDT
TBA
Coming Soon!
Presenters
avatar for Meg Burns

Meg Burns

Director of Professional Learning, MABE
avatar for Phyllis Hardy

Phyllis Hardy

Executive Director, Multistate Association for Bilingual Education, Northeast
Phyllis Hardy is Executive Director of the Multistate Association for Bilingual Education-Northeast, Inc. MABE views Bilingualism and multiculturalism as assets that provide cognitive, social, emotional, educational, and employment advantages for all students. We identify, promote... Read More →
EI

Elenita Irizarry Ramos

Senior Strategist of ML Learning and DLE, MA DESE
Sunday March 9, 2025 2:10pm - 2:50pm EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA

2:10pm EDT

Educator and Family Leadership for Justice in Dual Language Bilingual Education: Thinking Differently about Effectiveness
Sunday March 9, 2025 2:10pm - 2:50pm EDT
TBA
A continuation of the conversation started at the Keynote Address.



Presenters
KM

Kate Menken

Distinguished Professor, City University of New York, Queens College, NY
Kate Menken is Distinguished Professor of Linguistics at Queens College of the City University of New York (CUNY), and a Research Fellow at the Research Institute for the Study of Language in an Urban Society of the CUNY Graduate Center. She is Co-Editor in Chief of the journal Language... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 2:10pm - 2:50pm EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA

2:10pm EDT

Un día con Pura Belpré: Spanish Elevation Outside the Classroom
Sunday March 9, 2025 2:10pm - 2:50pm EDT
TBA
Pura Belpré pioneered bilingual storytimes, using puppets and performances to resonate with her community. Through dynamic reenactments, we brought Belpré's inspirational biography to life and performed her beloved tale "La Cucarachita Martina." Students also participated in a creative puppet-making workshop.
This groundbreaking initiative addressed a critical gap in dual language education by providing kindergarten students with rare exposure to fluent academic Spanish outside the classroom setting. The event was designed as a multifaceted celebration that went beyond traditional language instruction. It combined literary appreciation with interactive activities, all conducted in Spanish, to promote language comprehension and cultural connection.
By showcasing a respected Latina author, the project provided students with relatable role models in the literature, reinforcing the value of their bilingual and bicultural identities. We drew inspiration from the pioneering work of Pura Belpré, the first Latina librarian in New York City, who created an educational space where learners could see reflections of Afro-Caribbean culture.
This approach aimed to boost students' engagement with the Spanish language and enhance their academic Spanish proficiency. The project's significance lies in its potential to bridge the gap between classroom language instruction and real-world language application. By creating an immersive Spanish language environment centered around literature and cultural celebration, offered a unique opportunity for students to practice and expand their language skills in a meaningful context.
This research project not only contributed to the field of dual language education but also addressed broader issues of cultural representation and inclusivity in educational spaces. The outcomes of this initiative provided valuable insights for educators and policymakers, potentially influencing future approaches to bilingual education and multicultural literacy programs.
Presenters
avatar for Yokaira López-Tifa

Yokaira López-Tifa

PhD Candidate, UMass Amherst, MA
Yokaira is a fifth-year doctoral candidate in Children, Families, and Schools at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her research interests focus on languages other than English (LOTE) teachers, racial justice and bilingual education, drawing from her extensive experience in... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 2:10pm - 2:50pm EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Family and Community, Community Engagement

2:10pm EDT

Demystifying Translanguaging - What it is, what it's not, and how to approach this in a bilingual environment
Sunday March 9, 2025 2:10pm - 2:50pm EDT
TBA
Otheguy, García and Reid (2015) have defined translanguaging as “the deployment of a speaker's full linguistic repertoire without regard for watchful adherence to the socially and politically defined boundaries of named (and usually national and state) languages” (p. 283). But what are the implications of it to language teaching and learning? In this presentation we are going to dive into the concept of translanguaging, the prejudice around it, and its importance in a bilingual education environment. We will also explain it through the lenses of sociolinguistics - so that we can understand it as a social and cultural phenomenon.
Presenters
CH

Carlos Henrique Trindade

ELL and World Languages Department, Martha's Vineyard Regional High School, MA
Carlos Henrique Trindade is a bilingual education specialist teaching Portuguese, Spanish and ELL at Martha's Vineyard Regional High School, Massachusetts. He holds a degree in Portuguese and English Language Teaching, a specialist title in bilingual education, and an MBA in Business... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 2:10pm - 2:50pm EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Instruction, Advocacy, Leadership, Curriculum Design and Scheduling, Translanguaging, Separation of Language, Third Language Students

2:10pm EDT

From Dormancy to Digital with EdTech: Reviving the Taíno Indigenous Language
Sunday March 9, 2025 2:10pm - 2:50pm EDT
TBA
Discover how educational technology and dual language principles are being used to revive the Taíno Indigenous language, dormant for nearly 500 years. This session explores innovative curriculum design, translanguaging strategies, and tools like gamification, spaced repetition, and Declaratively Accelerated Blended Learning (DABL). Learn how technology facilitates the flipped classroom approach, enabling students to engage with content at home and apply knowledge in collaborative classroom activities. Attendees will explore how tech supports cultural revitalization while fostering bilingualism, biliteracy, and sociocultural competence. Walk away with actionable insights on integrating EdTech and culture to preserve endangered languages and enhance student-centered learning.
Presenters
PC

Priscilla Colón

Founder | Co-chair Ad-hoc Group 1, International Decade of Indigenous Languages, Casa Areyto
Priscilla Colón is a Taíno educator with over 20 years of experience in language programs for diverse learners, from public school students to government linguists. Passionate about curriculum development and language learning technology, she founded Casa Areyto to help Taíno descendants... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 2:10pm - 2:50pm EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Instruction, Less Common Partner Languages (i.e. Vietnamese, Haitian Creole, Mandarin, French), Curriculum Design and Scheduling, Translanguaging, technology to support Indigenous language revitalization

2:10pm EDT

The importance of routines in an Elementary Dual Language classroom (Examples of the evolution from K to 5th grade)
Sunday March 9, 2025 2:10pm - 2:50pm EDT
TBA
Routines can be a great ally for teachers. They help educators teach, and students acquire content and skills, while integrating the cultural essence that is so important in dual-language teaching. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate and realize how routines may evolve from the early levels of education to the transition into middle school. The presenters will share bits of their experience so that other professionals can benefit from them and incorporate them into their classrooms.
Presenters
KG

Krista Gil

1st grade homeroom teacher, Dos Ríos, Windham Public Schools, CT
Krista Gil is a 1st grade teacher at Sweeney Elementary School in Windham, CT, where she also taught Kindergarten for the previous three years. Prior to this, she worked at three different schools in the Canary Islands (Spain) in different positions such as ESL, Kindergarten and Elementary... Read More →
ML

Marta Lopez Teran

5th grade Homeroom teacher, Dos Ríos, Windham Public Schools, CT
Marta Lopez Teran is a 5th grade teacher at Natchaug Elementary School in Windham, CT. Previously, she worked for 18 years at a bilingual school in Madrid, focusing her professional activity on the upper grades of primary education. Additionally, she served as the school's bilingual... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 2:10pm - 2:50pm EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Instruction, Curriculum Design and Scheduling, Translanguaging, Separation of Language, Transversal skills

2:10pm EDT

Latin@ Elementary Student Sense of Belonging in a Spanish-English Dual Language Program
Sunday March 9, 2025 2:10pm - 2:50pm EDT
TBA
This presentation will share the findings of a recent study conducted regarding students’ sense of belonging in a Spanish-English dual language immersion program. Results illuminate students’ views on contributors to their sense of belonging in school, such as teacher care and separation of language, among others. TWBI teachers and administrators will learn about classroom practices and a program model that together can potentially resist the typical decrease in Latin@ students’ sense of belonging within TWBI programs at the upper elementary/middle school levels. TWBI bilingual and monolingual staff will also learn about translanguaging practices in grades 3-6 that impact belonging.
Presenters
LF

Lily Fleming

Undergraduate Researcher, Boston College, MA
Lily Fleming is currently completing her final year as an undergraduate at Boston College. She is majoring in Elementary Education, Transformative Educational Studies, and Perspectives on Spanish America. She is a McNair scholar, whose research focuses on Latin@ students' sense of... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 2:10pm - 2:50pm EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Program Structure, Translanguaging, Separation of Language, Student sense of school belonging

2:10pm EDT

Addressing the Educator Shortage: Supporting Pathways to the Teaching Profession for Multilingual Paraeducators
Sunday March 9, 2025 2:10pm - 2:50pm EDT
TBA
The increasing presence of Multilingual Learners in U.S. public schools highlights the need for multilingual educators to ensure academic success and promote multiliteracy. Currently, there is a shortage of qualified educators, with many multilingual individuals working as paraeducators who could transition into teaching roles. This presentation examines the historical exclusionary practices in U.S. education that contribute to teacher shortages, discusses the advantages of having congruent educators for diverse students, showcases successful paraeducator-to-teacher preparation programs, and identifies barriers multilingual candidates face in entering the profession, along with strategies to overcome these challenges.
Presenters
avatar for Elizabeth Llorca

Elizabeth Llorca

Assistant Professor, Stonehill College, MA
Elizabeth Llorca joined the Graduate Teacher Education program at Stonehill College in 2024. Formerly, she served as the Bilingual Hub Liaison at University of Massachusetts Amherst and worked as a dual language teacher for five years. She is currently working on her dissertation... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 2:10pm - 2:50pm EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Staff Quality and Professional Development, Advocacy, Teacher Recruitment & Retention

2:10pm EDT

Exploring the Effect of Bilingual Education Licensure Policies in Massachusetts: A Qualitative Exploratory Case Study
Sunday March 9, 2025 2:10pm - 2:50pm EDT
TBA
Dual language (DL) programs are highly specialized. In Massachusetts, educators providing instruction in the partner language within a bilingual education setting are required to obtain the bilingual education endorsement (BEE); however, there is not a licensure requirement specific to dual language practices for school leaders. The problem is some principals in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts do not have an understanding of bilingual education practices due to a lack of training. The purpose of this qualitative case study is to explore the perceived challenges principals face in fulfilling their responsibilities to oversee bilingual education programs without standardized training. There is a gap in the literature pertaining to leadership competency recommendations for overseeing dual language programs. Servant leadership theory provides the theoretical framework for the study. Research questions include what the challenges of leading DL programs without standardized training in bilingual education in Massachusetts, how are leaders obtaining the competencies necessary to lead bilingual programs, and what gaps exist in leadership competencies specific to bilingual education programs. The target population is the 59 current dual language principals in Massachusetts who do not hold the BEE. All participants who satisfy the inclusion criteria will be invited to complete an electronic open-ended questionnaire. Simple random sampling will be used to select a sample of 15. Creswell and Poth’s data spiral will be used for data analysis.
Keywords: bilingual education, dual language, leadership, Massachusetts, principals
Presenters
JM

Jill Michelhaugh

Assistant Principal for Dual Language, Springfield Realization Academy, MA
Jill Michelhaugh is the Founding Assistant Principal for Dual Language at Springfield Realization Academy (SRA). SRA is a stand-alone secondary Dual Language school in its fourth year. She has ten years of experience working in bilingual education in the US and Spain and is a doctoral... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 2:10pm - 2:50pm EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Staff Quality and Professional Development, Leadership

2:10pm EDT

Grow Your Own: From Teaching Assistant to BDL Certified Teacher College Unbound’s Transformative Education Pathways (SPONSOR)
Sunday March 9, 2025 2:10pm - 2:50pm EDT
TBA
CU’s TEP, in partnership with the ExcEL Leadership Academy, program offers an integrated pathway leading to ‘triple certification’ in Elementary Education, Special Education, and Bilingual Dual Language (including ESOL).

Hear from graduates of the College Unbound Program who are pursuing their BDL certification in Rhode Island. For teachers this program represents more than just an academic program, it’s a pathway to empowerment, skills development, and expanded career opportunities. You will also have the opportunity to interact with a district administrator to explore how this program is putting highly qualified teachers in classrooms in urgent shortage areas.
Presenters
LA

Laureen Avery

Director, The ExcEL Leadership Academy
Laureen Avery is the Director of UCLA’s Center X Northeast Regional office, as well as the Director of the ExcEL Teacher Leadership Academy. In these roles she has been developing and implementing competency-based professional development programs for teachers working with multilingual... Read More →
AS

Aubrey Schabowsky

Director of the Transformative Educator Pathway, College Unbound
Aubrey Schabowsky is a teacher at heart and believes that all students & teachers deserve a quality education, diverse opportunities, and the necessary resources to pursue their passions, build a life of stability, and positively impact their communities. In her current role as Director... Read More →
JM

Jason Midwood

Senior Advisor to the Superintendent, Central Falls School District, RI
AF

Arelys Figuereo

Teacher, CU/ExcEL Program Participant, International Charter School, RI
RO

Rosemely Osorio

Teacher, CU/ExcEL Program Participant, Learning Community Charter School, RI
Rosemely Osorio graduated from College Unbound in 2022, worked as an ESL intensive teacher in the Central Falls School District and is now an MLL Teacher at the Learning Community Charter School. She is currently attending the Excel Leadership Academy to obtain her ESOL/ Bilingual... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 2:10pm - 2:50pm EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Staff Quality and Professional Development, Leadership, Less Common Partner Languages (i.e. Vietnamese, Haitian Creole, Mandarin, French), Teacher Recruitment & Retention, Vendor

2:10pm EDT

Using Self-Study to Strengthen Teacher Practice and Identity in Bilingual and Dual Language Education
Sunday March 9, 2025 2:10pm - 2:50pm EDT
TBA
Are you looking for ways to enhance your teachers' practice and strengthen their professional identity? This interactive session is for district leaders and teachers supporting ongoing professional growth. Drawing from the book Integrando STEAM: A Guide for Elementary Bilingual and Dual Language Programs, we will explore how self-study can be powerful for reflection and professional learning. Self-study encourages critically examining teaching practices, collaborating with peers, and making meaningful changes that support both instruction and social justice. Participants will hear examples of self-study in action where teachers developed disciplinary expertise and equity commitments. Together, we’ll discuss ways to implement growth-oriented professional communities in your own school or district.
Presenters
avatar for Marialuisa Di Stefano

Marialuisa Di Stefano

Associate Professor, UMass Amherst, MA
Dr. Marialuisa Di Stefano is an Associate Professor at the College of Education. She is a first-gen multilingual and multicultural educator, researcher, and advocate for historically minoritized groups in bilingual and dual language (BDL) education. Her research focuses on enhancing... Read More →
EB

Emma Britton

Postdoctoral Fellow for the Study of Deeper Learning, UMass Amherst, MA
Dr. Emma Razifard Britton currently works as a Postdoctoral Fellow for the Study of Deeper Learning with the American Educational Research Association. She also teaches courses for bilingual educators and doctoral students at UMass Amherst and University of Missouri-St. Louis. She... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 2:10pm - 2:50pm EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Staff Quality and Professional Development, Leadership, Teacher Recruitment & Retention

2:10pm EDT

Bilingual tools: Identity, Well-Being and Academic Success
Sunday March 9, 2025 2:10pm - 2:50pm EDT
TBA
We know that emotional well-being influences academic success, but what do we do to make our students feel better? Do we really know our students?
The objective of this session is to learn about the relationship between social-emotional well-being and academic success through scientific evidence, as well as to participate in activities that act as a bridge between the social-emotional and academic factors while we have fun and we get to know each other. In addition, the most effective strategies in bilingual education will be presented.
If you are interested in bilingual education and interpersonal relationships this is the workshop for you.
Presenters
OE

Olatz Etxebarria

Professor, University of the Basque Country, Spain
Olatz Etxebarria-Perez-de-Nanclares is a professor in the Department of Language and Literature Didactics at the University of the Basque Country. She holds a PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of the Basque Country with an international stay at Harvard University... Read More →
Sunday March 9, 2025 2:10pm - 2:50pm EDT
TBA UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, 1500 Main St, Springfield, MA
  Support and Resources, Advocacy, Translanguaging, Attrition/Student Commitment to DLBE
 
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