34 Annual Bilingual/ESL Conference th

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!