9:00 a.m.

Session Title: Strategies for Improving Speaking Scores. Do your students struggle with the speaking portion of the ACCESS Test? Are their speaking scores stagnant? This session will address the speaking needs of your ELLs as we share how we have worked together to implement strategies that have increased our students' confidence and speaking scores. Target audience: All ESL teachers. 50 minutes.

Kristi Bell was a classroom teacher for 18 years in grades 3, 4, and 5. She transitioned to being an ESL teacher in 2021. She teaches in Warren County Public Schools.

Jenny Hoffmann has taught English language learner (K-12) for 31 years. She currently teaches in Warren County Public Schools.

Session Title: Level One to Level Two: Advancing Students’ Writing. This session will share some resources, strategies, lessons, and software that we use to help move students who are testing at WIDA Level One. This session includes a review of WIDA Key Language Uses and participants will have time to share resources and ideas. Teachers will leave with an idea for a lesson to use in their classes next week. Target audience: Teachers who have ML students in their class and/or teachers of ML students. 1 hour and 50 minutes.

Renee Wilson has taught many grades for 20 years in Chicago, primarily working with families from Mexico, before moving to Louisville, Kentucky, to be closer to family. She now works at Newcomer Academy where she has taught middle and high school.

Session Title: A Primer on Communication and Language Assistance. The Office for Immigrant Affairs provides a wealth of services and resources promoting immigrant integration and belonging. This session will provide information on how our office welcomes immigrants and refugees and assists with policy, outreach, resources, and best practices. Come learn about Louisville’s unprecedented growth, Louisville as a Welcoming City, how we promote inclusion of Louisville’s immigrant and refugee communities and uphold language access.  

Dr. Monica Lakhwani is a National Certified Diversity Professional with over 20 years of experience in both education and program development. She leads intensive English language projects at the international level and serves as the Language Access Coordinator with the Mayor's Office for Immigrant Affairs.

Amos Izerimana is a Burundi-born peacebuilding practitioner and currently serves as the Director of International and Immigrant Affairs for Louisville Metro Government where he oversees all welcoming efforts for the city. He promotes equity, welcoming initiatives, and inclusion of immigrant and refugee communities into the civic, social, and economic life of the city.

Session Title: WIDA on Collaboration: Implementation in the Elementary Grades. Based on the WIDA Focus on Bulletin on Collaboration, attendees will explore the four-step, cyclical process of collaboration between general education teachers and ML teachers. Attendees will be given time to read about and discuss the four-step process: co-planning, co-teaching, co-assessing, and co-reflecting. Attendees will also reflect on examples of collaboration from the elementary classroom in order to think through how to apply their learning to their own educational setting. Target audience: Elementary content and ESL teachers. 1 hour and 50 minutes.

Rachel Miller has a master’s degree in education. She is certified to teach Elementary (k-5), Middle Grades ELA & Social Studies (6-8), and ESOL (k-12). Rachel has been an Elementary ML (Multilingual Learner) teacher for over 15 years and has also taught for three years in the general education setting. She is currently the ML Ambassador at Warren Elementary School, where she has taught most of her career.

Session Title: Improving Systems to Address Struggling Multilingual Learners (MLs). The focus of discussion in this session is the period during which we first determine that a ML student needs extra support, up to the point of referral. We will discuss the importance of knowing about previous school experiences, the characteristics of a strong core instructional approach and the decision-making protocol or moving through intervention phases. We will examine data needed for a potential referral for additional evaluation. Finally, we will outline the myths, misunderstandings and structural barriers that often impede our efforts to support struggling multilingual students. Target audience: School psychologists, guidance counselors, intervention specialists, special education directors and teachers, building and district administrators. 1 hour and 50 minutes.

Skip Cleavinger is the English Learner Program Consultant and Coordinator of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging at Green River Region Educational Cooperative. Prior to GRREC, Skip was a school psychologist and the Director of English Learner Programs in Warren County Schools. Skip’s work with districts focuses on improving core instruction for multilingual students and improving systems of intervention and evaluation for multilingual students who may have a disability.

9:00 a.m.

Session Title: Online Language Teaching and Core Instructional Features. Online education has become more common since the pandemic, but the number of online classes had increased in education even before the situation (National Center for Education Statistics, 2015, 2019). This session will show different types of online classes and discuss core instructional features that teachers need to be aware of. These include clarity, flexibility, autonomy, communication, collaboration, innovation, authenticity, and multimodality. The audiences will be able to understand and learn (a) similarities and differences among different types of online classes, (b) educational features that language teachers need to know, and (c) instructional strategies and activities. Target audience: Online language teachers at all levels, students in online classes, and administrators. 50 minutes.

Dr. Ho-Ryong Park is an associate professor of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) in the Department of English and Philosophy at Murray State University.

Session Title: Collaborating with Content Teachers to Build Expressive Language Proficiency. How do you help your Els grow their Expressive Language? Learn strategies on how to help close language gaps and get your Els to grow in their vocabulary, grammar, fluency, and interpretation across content areas. Gain feedback insight to help students understand how to improve their performance in their expressive language production. Target audience: K-12 teachers. 50 minutes.

Cathy Oshel is the Vice President of Customer Experience at Flashlight Learning. She has over 24 years of experience working with school districts across the country. Her career focus has been working with ESL Coordinators, Teachers, and Multilingual Directors. She has an MS in Human Development and Family Studies.

Session Title: Co-Teaching for Equity. This presentation grew out of the interest of higher education professionals as they navigated (re)designing coursework to address the complexities of equitable co-teaching, combining the expertise of Mathematics and ELL methods teacher educators. In the presentation, these teacher educators will explain their co-teaching curriculum choices, which were based on the alignment of Gorski’s (2014) Equity Literacy framework and teaching structures for their teacher candidates during their elementary mathematics methods. Participants will be able to identify effective and equitable co-teaching practices for their classroom settings. Target audience: K-12 teachers and teacher educators. 50 minutes.

Dr. Kelli. D. Bernedo is an Assistant Professor and Coordinator of ENL/ESL Education Programs at IU Southeast.

Dr. Molly A. Riddle is an Assistant Professor of Elementary Mathematics Education at IU Southeast.

10:00 a.m.

Session Title: It Takes a Village: Collaborative Synergy Between TESOL-Content Teachers to Empower EL Students. Explore the transformative power of partnership in our session focused on uniting TESOL and content teachers. Delve into essential strategies and tools for creating inclusive learning environments that challenge stereotypes and shift away from dominant narratives. This interactive session will cover effective communication methods and collaborative approaches to ensure EL students' success extends beyond language learning. We will also investigate how technology and AI can be harnessed to enrich teaching practices and student engagement. Discover how breaking educational silos can lead to a shared commitment to holistic EL student development. Target audience: TESOL teachers, Content Teachers, Instructional Coaches, and Administrators. 50 minutes.

Dr. Basel Touchan is the Multilingual, Migrant, and Refugee Lead at Fayette County Public Schools' Unity, Belonging, and Student Efficacy Office. He is also a Syrian American Learning and Development Consultant and an M.D. graduate from Aleppo University. Committed to educational advocacy, Dr. Touchan serves as a Board Member for the Kentucky Coalition for English Learners and chairs the LGBT+ Special Interest Community at the National Council for the Social Studies.

Session Title: The Value of the Collaboration between EPPs and P-12 Educators to Create a Seamless Continuum of Support for ELL Students. There will be a brief presentation to discuss some of the benefits of this partnership and the steps to be taken to forge this important collaboration. Subsequently, participants will have a chance to discuss and share their successful experiences collaborating with ELL and pre-service teachers. Target audience: P-12 schools and EPPs. 50 minutes.

Dr. Gera Nelson is an assistant professor at Morehead State University, where she teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in literacy and language development. She has taught ELL students at P-12 schools for 23 years, both in Georgia and Kentucky. She earned a doctoral degree in Curriculum and Instruction – Literacy from Georgia Southern University, and a master’s degree in Middle School Education from Georgia Southwestern State University, and an ESOL Endorsement from Valdosta State University.

Session Title: Supporting Elementary Multilingual Learners in Content Area Instruction. Elementary educators are instructors of foundational literacy and also content area teachers to a variety of young learners, including multilingual learners (ML). Depending upon the home country, these ML students are arriving to schools in the United States with various levels of education, life experiences, and background knowledge. Some students have interrupted learning experiences, while others might speak and understand their heritage language (often referred to as the L1) but cannot read or write in their L1. This session will provide simple strategies and scaffolds elementary educators can use to make academic content more accessible to this diverse population of learners. Attendees will see these strategies modeled in content area lessons in elementary settings. Target audience:  Educators serving ELL students. 50 minutes.

Kim Miller has taught for 16 years in elementary and intermediate education, as an Instructional Coach and Language Acquisition Specialist. Kim is currently a Literacy Engagement Specialist with Vista Higher Learning supporting the Central U.S. Team. She works and consults with districts and educators with product implementation, professional development, and best practice for teachers and students to meet the needs of students.

Session Title: Reaching English Learners: Strategies for ALL Students. This presentation is based on the principle, “What is essential for English learners is great for all students.” Participants will explore classroom examples of building background knowledge, activating prior knowledge, differentiating, scaffolding, making lessons visual, cooperative learning strategies, and utilizing AI technology to assist English learners. The participant learns strategies from educational theory, research-based, published authors, and classroom experience in practical ways for every teacher. The strategies can be taken immediately from the presentation and be implemented in the classroom. Target audience: Classroom teachers, EL teachers, and administrators. 1 hour and 50 minutes.  

Jessica Cline holds a bachelor’s degree in music education, a master’s in teacher leadership, Rank I in school administration, and is completing a doctorate in educational leadership. Mrs. Cline has been in education for ten years, five years as an EL teacher, and five years as the District EL Consultant for Warren County Public Schools.

Session Title: AI: Revolutionizing Learning in Classrooms and Beyond. In this session, we will explore the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in enhancing the English and content learning experience for Multilingual students. The focus will be on showcasing cutting-edge AI technologies that cater to the unique needs of MLs, both within the classroom environment and in their daily lives. Additionally, this session will highlight how AI tools can bridge cultural linguistic gaps, making learning more accessible and engaging for students from diverse backgrounds. Target Audience: TESOL teachers on all levels. 1 hour and 50 minutes.

Dr. Irina McGrath is an Assistant Principal at Newcomer Academy. She serves as the President of KYTESOL and holds positions as an adjunct professor at the University of Louisville, Indiana University Southeast, and Bellarmine University.

Dr. Michelle Shory is an ESL teachers and instructional coach at Seneca High School. She also teaches graduate ESL courses at Indiana University Southeast and Eastern Kentucky University. Michelle helped establish Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Louisville, Kentucky.

11:00 a.m.

Session Title: Fusion of English and Technology Instruction: Google Maps - An Example. Embark on an experiential learning session where participants can see an example of how English language teaching can seamlessly intertwine with digital literacy. The focus of this presentation will be English and using Google Maps for directions. Target audience: Adult Education language educators. 50 minutes.

Logan Armstrong is an Adult ESL Teacher for Computer-Based Instruction at Catholic Charities of Louisville.

Session Title: Hitting all Domains Every Week AND Staying Sane. Do you feel like Listening and Speaking practice gets drowned out by the constant demands of Reading and Writing? Check out how to easily integrate all domains EVERY week. This is good for students because they are practicing all domains, and it is great for educators because it is an easy routine to plan and implement. Target audience: New EL teachers, overwhelmed EL teachers. 50 minutes.

Nichole Little has taught English learners in grades K-12 for 11 years. She also taught business for two years. Nichole earned her master’s degree in TESOL from Murray State University in 2015. She currently teachers high school Level 2 ESL, and co-teaches Algebra 1, Biology, and English 1 in Bowling Green.

Session Title: Breaking Through the Noise: What Nurtures Literacy in Multilingual Learners? In today’s rapidly evolving educational landscape, the “Science of Reading” (SoR) has emerged as a cornerstone for effective literacy instruction. As educators and districts embrace this body of research, a critical question surfaces: How can we ensure that these findings integrate with the rich tapestry of languages and cultures that make up our classrooms? Join us to delve into the intricacies of the Science of Reading and its application to multilingual learners. Target audience: K-12 teachers, administrators. 50 minutes.

Rebecca Elias is the Director of Professional Development for Summit K12. She has spent 20 years working in education in New York to ensure high-quality bilingual programs and programs in English as a new language. Rebecca has served as a teacher, regional resource specialist, and instructional coach.

1:40 p.m.

Session Title: Collaborating to Increase Cultural Competence. This session will be inclusive of many projects completed in collaboration with the ESL teachers at Wilkerson and multiple people throughout their building. Attendees can expect to gain some ideas about partnerships they can create in their buildings and learn about how they can build bridges with their staff in an effort to create joint projects and asset-based thinking. Target audience: All ESL teachers who are interested in collaborating with others across their district. 50 minutes.

Contea Allan is an ELD teacher are Wilkerson Elementary in the Jefferson County Public School District. She is a member-at-large on the KYTESOL board. Contea has been teaching for 10 years.

Yesenia Ochoa is an ELD teacher at Wilkerson Elementary in the Jefferson County Public School District. She has experience teaching 3rd and 4th grade, reading and math interventions K-5, and learning/behavioral disorders self-contained k-5.

Session Title: Teaching Black History in Kentucky to ESL Students. The history and culture of African Americans/Blacks has not always been shared or taught in the Kentucky classrooms. Their influence upon Kentucky is very deep and there are numerous individuals who have made a huge impact on the Commonwealth of Kentucky. To ensure their historical accomplishments as well as achievements are known and wide range of individuals who have made our society better will be shared and made known to English as a Second Language students. The newest persons in our community need to be aware of the diverse make-up and influence that all persons have had in the state of Kentucky. Target audience: ELL teachers. 50 minutes.

Chris Clements is an English as a Second Language (ESL) adjunct professor in the areas of reading, grammar, and writing at Jefferson Community and Technical College (JCTC). He has been doing this for 7.5 years at the downtown campus. In addition to being an ESL teacher, Chris works as the Program Coordinator for Louisville Metro Government Office of Resilience and Community Services (RSVP) where he helps oversee 350 older volunteers and nearly 50 nonprofit organizations.

Session Title: Improving Test Scores with Thinking Pro. The presenters will share their experience using THINKING PRO, a proven-effective intervention that connects reading and thinking skills with the writing process using a student-centric, project-based approach. THINKING PRO helped multilingual learners build their English speaking, reading, and writing skills and improved students’ scores on the WIDA ACCESS test. In this session, participants will discover activities that engage students in discourse on issues they care about, learn about a reliable process for students to interpret, analyze, and evaluate informational text, and discuss how teachers can collaborate and personalize the lesson plan to improve student outcomes. Target audience: Middle school and high school teachers. 50 minutes.

Dr. Vicky Barnes is the Director of the Newcomer Academy with the Christian County School System, supporting ELL students at all levels. Vicky is a specialist in ESL and foreign languages. Before the Newcomer Academy, Dr. Barnes taught French and Spanish and has been in education for over 22 years.

Ainny Berenguer is an ESL teacher with the Christian County School System. Ainny works with Dr. Barnes at the Newcomer Academy in implementing new strategies for ELL student success. Ainny taught Spanish before joining Newcomer Academy.

Session Title: Fostering Teacher Collaboration Through Collective Goal Setting. Our session goals are threefold. As EL teachers AND as content teachers, we will explore what we want for each of our students, each child in the chair. We will challenge our collective definition of curriculum to go beyond just academic standards to create a pathway that connects academic standards with English Language Development (ELD) goals. With a clear understanding of content standards, ELD goals and a design mindset, we enable teacher teams to determine acquisition, meaning and transfer goals that support student learning with a 40, 40, 40 mindset; what we want students to know in 40 days, 40 weeks, and most importantly, in 40 years. In this session, we will support teacher teams to intentionally design focused and meaningful deeper learning because they are all OUR students. Target audience: All content teachers and instructional leaders. 1 hour and 50 minutes.  

Jennifer Roederer has had a career in education that spans coasts. She has worked as a math teacher, an instructional coach, school administrator, and Education Recovery Leader with the Kentucky Department of Education, and currently as a Learning Acceleration Specialist with the Ohio Valley Education Cooperative. From Louisville to Los Angeles, Jennifer has worked to support schools in building teacher and leader capacity as designers, curriculum and instruction designers, system designers, and culture designers. 

Session Title: English Learners with Disabilities: Creating an Efficient Multidisciplinary Team.
When supporting Multilingual Learners (MLs) with (potential) disabilities, the collaboration between the EL, Special Education and General Education personnel, and family is key. In this session, we will discuss how the diverse expertise of a multidisciplinary team can support MLs with (potential) disabilities. We will identify characteristics of effective multidisciplinary teams and review key guidance and beneficial tools that help structure collaboration. Target audience: EL, general education and special education teachers, teacher leaders, and district learners. 1 hour and 50 minutes. 

Shasta Hensley is a State Transformation Specialist (STS) at the Kentucky Department of Education in the Office of Special Education and Early Learning, Division of IDEA Implementation and Preschool. She has experience in Special Education, Elementary Education, English Learners, and Family Engagement. Shasta is the English Learners with Disabilities consult for the KDE. She also partners with Kentucky’s Special Education Regional Technical Assistance Centers (SERTACs) in integrating and sustaining the Transformation Zone work statewide.

2:40 p.m.

Session Title: The World is Your Classroom: Teach with English Language Programs. Learn from alumni how you can make a difference globally through in-person and virtual teaching projects designed by the U.S. Department of State for experienced TESOL professionals. English Language Fellows, Specialists, and Virtual Educators provide language instruction, conduct teacher training, and develop resources, while being cultural ambassadors. Target audience: K-12 and postsecondary TESOL educators. 50 minutes.

Ollie Rashid has 10+ years of English language teaching experience, and she currently serves as vice president of KYTESOL. She is an Assistant Professor and Coordinator of the ESL program at Bluegrass Community and Technical College. From 2017 to 2019, Ollie was an English Language Fellow in Guinea and was recently an alumni ambassador for English Language Programs.

Session Title: Community Collaborations and Transformative Institutions. This presentation explores a set of principles and practices that help facilitate community collaborations. It also addresses some pitfalls related to well-intentioned institutional support. It uses three case studies to consider the issues: (1) a community ESL class for parents, (2) a media literacy project for long-term English learners, and (3) a university service-learning project serving newcomers. The presentation highlights three core values: empowerment, ownership, and selflessness, while credit-seeking and rigidity are identified as pitfalls. Target audience: Teachers, community members, and institutional leaders. 50 minutes.

Naiz Khadem serves as secretary for the Regional Bahi’I Council of Appalachia. He volunteers with multilingual newcomers at the Louisville Baha’I Center. He is interested in the way communities take ownership of their own path of development.

Session Title: Creating and Running a Muslim Student Association. The presenter will share his experience of starting Muslim Student Associations in two different middle schools. One started as a small group counseling program designed for Muslim boys at Newcomer Academy, and the other started due to lack of support at a comprehensive school. Both are designed to support Muslim students and give them a sense of belonging. Target audience: Teachers, counselors, administrators, and coaches. 50 minutes.

Thomas V. Crookshank is a German teacher turned counselor who has experience with several ML groups from children to adults. We are the first impression of education in this country, and it is very important that we help students and families have the best experience possible!