In this session, participants will explore evidence-based strategies for enhancing reading comprehension and supporting multilingual learners’ access to academic content. Drawing on insights from IES-funded randomized controlled trials, we will showcase strategies that integrate language and literacy development in grades K-2. Participants will engage with classroom videos, lesson plans, and collaborative activities to learn effective techniques for literacy instruction to multilingual learners. Emphasis will be placed on fostering strong oral language skills, promoting teacher collaboration, and leveraging students’ strengths in instruction. Attendees will leave with practical ideas for how to enhance literacy instruction for multilingual learners.
The educational journey for Multilingual Learners, especially Newcomers in Middle School and 9th grade, is complex, as these students face the challenge of learning English while simultaneously acquiring academic content in subjects like Math, Science, and Social studies. This session will explore a dynamic, learner-centered model designed for Middle School and 9th-grade Multilingual Newcomers at the ESL Academy which integrates English Language Development (ELD) standards with core academic content. Participants will learn how our ESL Academy in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools helps students build essential language skills while mastering the content knowledge needed for future academic success. Through deeper learning, culturally responsive teaching, differentiated instruction, and social-emotional support, we create an engaging, inclusive environment where multilingual students thrive.
Are you ready to transform your approach to teaching English learners and unlock their potential for academic success? This interactive session is designed for educators in grades 6–12 who are eager to enhance their practices in planning, delivering, and assessing standards-based instruction for English as a Second Language (ESL) students.
Math Curriculum and Instruction Specialist, Durham Public Schools
Kenya L. Lawrence is a Goodnight Doctoral Fellow in Learning and Teaching in STEM at NC State University and a Curriculum and Instruction Specialist for Durham Public Schools. In her role, she supports teachers by building their capacity to design equitable, student-centered math... Read More →
Alina Castillo serves as the 6-12 Math Specialist at Durham Public Schools. In this role, she provides instructional math support to schools and assists math teachers with building capacity in mathematics teaching through Professional Development, Professional Learning Communities... Read More →
Unlock the power of vocabulary acquisition by bridging knowledge, practice, and innovation! This interactive session explores how multilingual learners can strengthen vocabulary through meaningful connections—linking new words to prior knowledge, language patterns, and real-world applications. Participants will discover research-based strategies, including morphology, cognates, etymology, and repetition-based exposure while integrating handwriting, AI tools, and tech-supported read-aloud practices for deeper retention. Learn how sentence frames, gamified learning, and multimodal engagement empower students to make words their own. Walk away with practical, adaptable techniques that merge traditional and modern approaches—ensuring vocabulary sticks, grows, and connects across subjects and experiences.
During this session, participants will focus on the initial implementation of the 2024 Standard Course of Study (SCoS) for World Languages, with an overview of the new support tools, updated resources, and 2025-2026 professional development. Policy questions will also be discussed, along with specific materials for classical, dual language/immersion (DL/I), heritage, and modern languages and programs.
This interactive session equips educators with tools to integrate global competencies into everyday instruction. - Align practices with the NC Standard Course of Study, Professional Teaching Standards, and Portrait of a Graduate by embedding global issues into curricula. - Access ready-to-use resources to design lessons that empower students to address real-world issues.
Kelly Schultz entered the field of education in the Spring of 2008 as a secondary English Language Arts teacher. She has since progressed in the field serving as a curriculum coach, MTSS District Coordinator, and NCDPI Education Consultant. Kelly has taught in both Illinois and North... Read More →
This foundational session will help to provide clarity around the connection between the IEP (Individual Education Program) for students with disabilities and NC Standards. This session will support understanding Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) for students with disabilities and how SDI intersects with NC Standards. Participants will develop knowledge about educator roles in SDI, examples of SDI to support collaboration and finally we will apply that knowledge to a secondary case study using ELA and Math NC Standards. Participants will leave with ready-to-implement ideas and strategies to collaborate with exceptional children teachers to support specially designed instruction in any classroom. Note: This session is designed for any educator to attend in any content area to learn more about supporting specially designed instruction in any classroom. The case study using a 7th grade profile, will focus on both ELA and Math standards, but the concepts can be applied to any grade or content area.
In this session, participants will develop an understanding of the math standards through the lens of rigor. We will explore how assessments and instructional practice align to the expectations of the standards. Participants will also have opportunities to collaboratively discuss and plan how to implement these practices.
This session will assist administrators and educators in deeply examining the common framework of the four artistic process strands of Connect, Create, Present, and Respond, the eight standards and 16 learning objective throughlines in Dance, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts. Participants will gain an understanding of how the new structure of the standards promotes interdisciplinary connections between the arts disciplines and other academic content.
At NCDPI since 2019 as the K-12 Music and Theatre Arts Consultant, Brandon came to North Carolina to teach elementary music in Granville County. Brandon has taught General Music and High School Chorus, coached and written music for marching bands and drumlines, put on numerous musical... Read More →
Through collaboration and high expectations. Participants will engage in hands-on writing workshops, peer-feedback activities, and explore tools for collaborative writing. Learn to foster critical thinking, creativity, and excellence in student writing while creating actionable plans to implement in the classroom.
ML Teacher, Instructional Coach, Elon Park Elementary
As an experienced ESL teacher and instructional coach, I am passionate about fostering equitable learning environments for multilingual learners. With a background in English Learning and over a decade of teaching experience, I’ve developed a strong commitment to promoting family... Read More →
In this interactive workshop, we will explore effective strategies for engaging parents in supporting their children's learning journey, with a focus on multilingual (ML) families. Participants will gain insights into how to build strong, trusting relationships with parents from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, foster meaningful communication, and create inclusive environments that encourage family involvement.
Studies have shown how co-teaching can lead to higher achievement among multilingual learners in terms of engagement, language acquisition, and participation (Dove & Honigsfeld, 2021; Lenard & Townsend; & Modfield, 2020). However, one of the core challenges in implementing co-teaching in the classroom is the relationship between the teachers to make sure that it is implemented intuitively. When the implementation of co-teaching in the classroom is fluid, it can simultaneously achieve different objectives in one single action. In this discussion, different activities that were observed to be effective in learning the content in Social studies while also learning the target language, will be shared. We will also discuss each activity’s challenges and the possible areas to look at when adopting it to a different content to ensure that each activity is beneficial to ML learners across all subjects.
Project Learning at its finest! Throughout this journey, students and families engaged in a meaningful learning experience that celebrated culture, tradition, and connection. Together, we:
Explored Agricultural Products – Learned how each country’s geography influences its traditional ingredients. Built Cooking Vocabulary*– Expanded our knowledge of key cooking and food-related terms. Connected Ingredients to Culture – Discovered how these products are used in traditional dishes. Experienced Hands-on Cooking– Prepared an authentic, easy-to-make recipe in class. Created a Cultural Recipe Book– Compiled family recipes and stories into a shared collection, highlighting our diverse backgrounds.
This incredible project fostered a deeper appreciation for different cultures while bringing families together through the joy of cooking.
Learn about a project made possible through the generous support of the Learning Product for Uniting Our World Project, with donations from Participate Learning.
First Grade Dual Immersion Spanish Teacher, Mooresville Graded School District
Dual Language Spanish Teacher Master Degree in Education Chilean teacher with 21 years of experience in Early Years and Elementary Education in English-speaking private schools. 4 years in Public Elementary Education in the U.S. Bilingual International Teacher (Spanish... Read More →
Dual Language Immersion (DLI) programs empower multilingual learners by providing equitable access to education in multiple languages while fostering success in culturally diverse environments. To maximize student achievement, educators must implement research-based practices supporting academic and social-emotional growth. This session will explore best practices for supporting multilingual learners in DLI settings, with a special focus on teaching for biliteracy, ensuring students develop strong literacy skills in both program languages. Participants will gain practical strategies to enhance instruction and promote language development across content areas.
Vivian Simmons is an instructional coach in North Carolina, where she supports multilingual learners and Dual Language Immersion (DLI) programs. With 18 years of experience as a teacher, coach, and professional learning facilitator, she partners with educators and administrators to... Read More →
The content area of social studies provides rich opportunities for ML students of all ages and levels to increase their proficiency in academic English while becoming more knowledgeable in the content area. Explore a variety of proven strategies and resources to capitalize on ML's background knowledge, and scaffold the multimedia and literature rich world of Social Studies to engage newcomers and experienced MLs in the secondary space.
Intended audience: Social Studies Teachers, ML Teachers, ML Coordinator, Administrators.
