34th Annual Bilingual/ESL Conference Forging an Upward Path: The Access of ELLs to Higher Education Recognized as one of the most stimulating education forums, the William Paterson University Bilingual/ESL Conference explores the best way to meet the educational needs of language-minority students. Friday, December 5, 2014 Snow Date, Saturday, December 6, 2014 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. 1600 Valley Road, Wayne, NJ Currently English language learners graduating from US secondary schools lag far behind their English-proficient peers in their access to college and degree attainment. While almost half of native-speaking students advance directly to four-year colleges and universities upon high school graduation, only 19% of ELLs do so. Conference explores diverse barriers, both educational and familiar, that render the pathway to higher education exceedingly difficult. Over the course of its 35 years, this Conference has been highly recognized as one of the most stimulating language education forums in the U.S. This success stems from its commitment to exploring the best ways of meeting the educational needs of language-minority students. The Conference continues to offer access to in-depth, applied research, and up-to-date pedagogical techniques. Topics and thought-provoking plenary sessions sharpen the language professional’s mind for pedagogical insight. The keynote speaker for this year’s event is Dr. Yasuko Kanno, an associate professor in the College of Education at Temple University and director of the TESOL program Her interest in linguistic-minority students’ recognition of educational opportunities within instructional settings has resulted in two single-authored books, Negotiating Bilingual and Bicultural Identities (Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2003) and Language and Education in Japan (Palgrave, 2008), and one co-edited volume, Linguistic Minority Students Go to College: Preparation, Access, and Persistence (with Linda Harklau, Routledge, 2013). ). Her work has also appeared in American Educational Research Journal, TESOL Quarterly, Modern Language Journal, Applied Linguistics, Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, among others. She serves as Forum and Research Notes Editor of the Journal of Language, Identity, and Education. Please join us for an enriching, productive and inspirational day. Agenda 8:00-9:00 a.m. Registration and Coffee 9:00-10:15 a.m. CONCURRENT SESSION I A. Fixing Broken Joints: Aligning HS and College Language Requirements The workshop will compare common core standards with typical college entry requirements and analyze the frequent misalignment in the actual written samples produced by High School graduates when they are tested for college. We will look into the fallacies of Writeplacer (Accuplacer test of Writing) and examine possible ways of better preparing HS students for the rigors of college work in English. Elena Nehrebecki, Hudson Community College B. Learning English, Learning Not to Bully Workshop Purpose: The aim of the workshop is to assess K-12 Bilingual/ESL practitioners’ general knowledge of bullying, specifically the New Jersey’s 2011 AntiBullying Law. Are Bilingual/ESL practitioners aware that bullying is not just physical in nature. Are there other forms of bullying that can leave students emotionally and mentally scarred? Dr. Hansel Pérez, St. Peter’s University C. A Focused Look on ELLs: The Who and the How English Language Learners (ELLs) are a growing and diverse group of students in today's education system in the U.S. Their varied cultural, socioeconomic, and linguistic background presents both unique needs and assets to the community. In this presentation, we will report the heterogeneity of this population, and identify the strengths and weaknesses of the ELLs. We will also present some empirical research on how educators, schools, and districts can best address diverse learning needs of the ELL students. Dr. Yan Yu, William Paterson University 10:30 — 11:45 a.m. D. PLENARY SESSION Presiding Dr. Bruce Williams, Director, Bilingual/ESL Graduate Program, William Paterson University Welcome - Kathleen Waldron, President, William Paterson University Conference Remarks Dr. Kara Rabbitt, Dean, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, William Paterson University and Dr. Candace Burns, Dean, College of Education, William Paterson University Introduction of Keynote Speaker – Dr. Ellen Frye Keynote Speaker — Dr. Yasuko Kanno, Temple University "ELLs: Access to Higher Education and Structural Barriers” 11:45 — 12:30 p.m. — Lunch 12:45 - 2:00 p.m. CONCURRENT SESSION II E. Balancing the Interpersonal and Academic Language Use Demands for Cognitive Success Both interpersonal communication skills and academic language skills are required for understanding, evaluating and responding to higher level academic achievement goals. Too often either BICS (basic interpersonal communication skills) or CALP (cognitive academic linguistic proficiency) is stressed at the expense of the other whereas both are important. Interpersonal communication skills are no less cognitively demanding than academic language use. Strategies will be explored in this workshop for mapping and balancing both types of proficiency skills for academic success. Mary F. Carpenter, New York University F. Promises, Promises: What the Common Core Standards and Evaluations Mean for Emergent Bilinguals and Teachers The need for educational reform in the U.S. has been echoed repeatedly in recent years by American leaders and politicians. The use of a universal set of curriculum standards for K-12 students has been highlighted as promising better educational outcomes, in particular for at risk populations such as English Language Learners. Not only learners but also teachers are being judged by students' performance on tests linked to the Common Core Curriculum Standards. This presentation presents data from questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups, exploring the thinking of Pre and In-service ESL and Bilingual teachers and teacher educators regarding the Standards and associated student and teacher evaluations in the NY/NJ Metropolitan area. Miriam Eisenstein Ebsworth, PhD, New York University Timothy John Ebsworth, The College of New Rochelle, Dr. Gail Verdi, Kean University G. ELLs’ Pathway to Success: A Lexical Enhancement Approach Speech Language Pathologists are in a unique position to promote language development and achievement in ELLs. ELL students who participate in specialized language enhancing programs reach and exceed grade level academics by middle school, increasing the prospect of college access. Tatyana Elleseff, Rutgers University Behavioral Healthcare, Smart Speech Therapy 2:15 — 3:30 p.m. CONCURRENT SESSION III H. Who Are the Circassians? Understanding a Culturally and Linguistically-Diverse Student Population The urban/suburban area immediately surrounding William Paterson University is home to one of the largest Circassian communities outside of Russia and the Middle East. Yet teachers tend to know little about this hybrid ethnicity. Workshop provides a brief overview of Circassian culture from its roots in the North Caucasus to its diaspora in the Middle East and beyond. It offers strategies for best preparing ELLs having roots in this fascinating ethnic group. Dina Kataw-Aidabole, Circassian Education Foundation Jonty Yamisha, Nassip Foundation Sinar Dishack, Fairleigh Dickenson University I. Teaching Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students In this workshop, we will examine and discuss the schooling experiences of students from diverse socio-economic, linguistic, and cultural backgrounds and the qualities of teachers, teaching, and schooling that foster their learning. We will critically examine our own assumptions and perceptions about sociocultural and linguistic identity, and understand how these beliefs shape our perceptions of ourselves and others. We will also discuss activities that incorporate the linguistic and cultural experiences of students in the classroom, and analyze strategies to help teachers develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to successfully teach children of all backgrounds and experiences. Dr. Fernando Naiditch, Montclair State University J. Communication and Cognitive Processing in ELLs One of the challenges that ELLs report in education is slower speed of reading and communicating in L2. Research indicates that instruction in phonological awareness (PA) and vocabulary in L1 promote PA in L1 and L2. Additionally, improving vocabulary, working memory, and PA influence both languages positively. Dr. Betty Kollia, William Paterson University 330 — 4:45 p.m. Debrief, Socialize and Network This session is open to anyone who is interested in debriefing after the conference and establishing professional networks. Please indicate your intention to participate in the informal session on your registration form. Come, relax, and enjoy!