Julie Antill, Southeast RPDC
Position the MLs in your classroom for success! Experience how strategy games from around the world develops critical thinking skills and community within the classroom.
Strand: Instructional Practices for Multilingual Learners (MLs)
Suzanne Marsh and Kelly Millian, City of St. Charles School District
Explore how to collaborate across counseling, social work and classroom settings to meet the needs of our MLs with high trauma. Explore research, and gain resources and strategies to help students feel safe and included in their new school.
Strand: Student & Family Support
Rhonda Hittenberger Ortiz, Missouri State University Agency for Teaching, Leading, and Learning
When MLs struggle academically, it is difficult to decipher the root cause. Explore the stages of language acquisition, culture’s impact on how we teach and learn, DESE resources and ways to form a collaborative multidisciplinary team to ensure MLs’ unique needs are considered.
Strand: Instructional Practices for Multilingual Learners (MLs)
Mary Shive and Julie Jamieson, Fort Zumwalt School District
FZiAM is a district-wide program that was created to acknowledge, educate and celebrate our differences. Our district has a mission to grow and develop social and global awareness, moral responsibility, cultural proficiency and promotion of acceptance among students and staff. Our fundamental keys to success are awareness, connection and engagement.
Strand: Leadership & School Culture
Lonni Long, Troy Middle School/Lincoln County R-iii School District
Many of our newcomers and SLIFE students do not have literacy skills or they may be also lacking in their first language. This means that when they come to the U.S., they are unable to transfer reading skills to English. When we have these students, we have to start at ground zero with literacy instruction. Particularly with older students, this can be a challenge because materials and tasks are usually based around very young students. Learn how to adapt and adjust these activities for all students, including older ones.
Strand: Instructional Practices for Multilingual Learners (MLs)
Stacey Kastner, Francis Howell School District
Serving students who qualify for both EL and Special Education services requires thoughtful coordination and informed decision-making. Explore the intersection of these two programs, learn effective pre-referral strategies and gain tools for monitoring progress and supporting dually identified students. Examine best practices for exit criteria and procedures to ensure services remain responsive and appropriate.
Strand: Student & Family Support
Marissa Geyer, Discovery Education
Explore engaging, multimodal resources available on the Discovery Education Experience platform, designed specifically to motivate and support multilingual language learners. Unlock practical, high-level strategies aimed at enhancing oral language development, fostering academic vocabulary growth and incorporating scaffolded writing opportunities. Discover intentional instructional techniques that empower educators to create a dynamic learning environment, ensuring every language learner thrives in their speaking, reading and writing. Don’t miss this chance to enrich your tool kit with effective strategies that make a difference.
Strand: Instructional Practices for Multilingual Learners (MLs)
Sonya Murray-Darden, EducationPlus
Engage in a design sprint to explore how multilingual data analysis can drive stronger Tier 1 classroom instruction—beyond identifying students for interventions. Discover strategies that move educators beyond simply completing data templates and instead empower them to analyze language-rich insights that support MLs equitably. Learn how to structure and facilitate data meetings that ensure Tier 1 instruction is responsive, inclusive and designed to meet the diverse linguistic needs of all students.
Strand: Summative and Formative Assessment
Mary Hendricks-Harris, EducationPlus
Struggling to engage with colleagues? This interactive session equips educators of MLs with practical strategies to build stronger relationships and navigate professional challenges. Through hands-on activities—like role-playing and group discussions—you’ll explore both proactive approaches to prevent pushback and reactive techniques to resolve conflicts effectively. Expect real talk, actionable insights and collaborative problem-solving that will enable you to engage in productive teamwork. Gain fresh strategies to create a more supportive and cooperative teaching environment!
Strand: Leadership & School Culture
Betsy Trapp, St. Louis Public Schools
Do you find yourself spending time searching for research-based strategies to meet the various needs of your MLs? The GO TO Strategies document from Project EXCELL contains over 75 research-based strategies addressing all four language domains specifically for instructing MLs. Strategies are embedded throughout the session for participants to experience while they explore the document and understand how it is organized. This session is recommended for ESOL and content teachers working with MLs in grades K-12. Educators will be invited to include the Go To Strategies in a future lesson during hands-on planning time.
Strand: Instructional Practices for Multilingual Learners (MLs)
Maysoon Shiaa, Ritenour School District
Explore strategies for building MLs’ self-confidence and keeping them engaged in their learning. Topics will include setting realistic goals, encouraging participation, valuing diverse accents, incorporating interactive games, fostering curiosity about students' backgrounds and motivating learners to take risks. Discover how educators can model language acquisition and support students in developing key motivation and self-monitoring skills.
Strand: Leadership & School Culture
Caroline Koetting and Margaret Karl, St. Francis Cabrini Academy
Learn how school leaders can foster a culture where all students—especially MLs—feel welcomed, valued and supported. Explore how relationship-building, student-centered leadership, and a deep understanding of family and community contexts can transform a school’s approach to MLs. Reflect on how your leadership practices can shape inclusive policies and daily decision-making that uplift every learner.
Strand: Leadership & School Culture
Dr. Laura Grayson, Benchmark Education Company
Discover the knowledge and tools needed to lead effective and equitable English Language Development (ELD) instruction for MLs of English. The information provided will be based on OELA’s 5 Evidence-Based Instructional Practices for English Learners. Through the examination of a model ELD lesson, practical approaches for differentiating instruction across various proficiency levels will be provided. Additionally, an equity-focused checklist will be shared to enhance the ability to observe and support ELD practices. School leaders will leave with actionable insights to ensure compliance while fostering an inclusive and supportive learning environment for all students.
Strand: Instructional Practices for Multilingual Learners (MLs)
Karuna Dwivedi, Riverview Gardens School District
Explore effective assessment strategies for MLs, from daily formative checks to summative evaluations. Learn to scaffold assessments, analyze student data and use tools like WIDA Can Do Descriptors, Quizizz and Padlet. Gain strategies to track language growth and support ML success.
Strand: Summative and Formative Assessment
Julie Antill, Southeast RPDC
Explore how important elementary science is in developing literacy, engagement and language for MLs. Discover how the Missouri Learning Standards and WIDA Key Language Uses work together to create multilingual scientists. Join the fun as we experience science in action!
Strand: Instructional Practices for Multilingual Learners (MLs)
Heather LeCureux, Missouri State University
Discover projects implemented by educators in Missouri that promote multiliteracy within their classrooms and schools, with the aim of developing their own goals in this area. Explore relevant examples with an opportunity to reflect on these practices and brainstorm ideas that could be effectively adapted to your own educational contexts. Potential funding sources to support the implementation of these initiatives will be shared.
Strand: Student & Family Support
Anne Truran, Together Language
Prepare educators in all roles with practical Spanish that would be most relevant for building relationships with Spanish-speaking students and families in the school setting.
Strand: Student & Family Support
Heather Milo, Washington University / Institute for School Partnership (ISP)
Science often feels like its own specialized language, so how do we support MLs to make sense of science while also learning English? Experience the instructional planning and strategies that support not only ML students, but ALL students! Although we will engage in a mySci K-8 lesson, the strategies experienced can be applied to any science instructional materials!
Strand: Instructional Practices for Multilingual Learners (MLs)
Watch the short documentary "Translators" and reflect on the powerful—though often unfair—roles many ML students take on as family interpreters. The film reveals the deep responsibility our MLs often carry and how, through navigating adult spaces, they develop leadership, advocacy and strengths that too often go unrecognized in schools. What does it mean for a child to translate the adult world, and how can we, as educators, recognize both the cost and the capacity in that experience?
Strand: Student & Family Support
Viktoriia Kisil, Cape Girardeau Public Schools
Learn and test a variety of AI tools that can be used to modify and scaffold content materials for MLs at different levels of language proficiency on their literacy and proficiency-building journeys. Discover how to create modified assignments in different content areas for MLs at various levels along with teaching techniques that can assist MLs in content classrooms.
Strand: Instructional Practices for Multilingual Learners (MLs)
Keynote Speaker Jo Napolitano
Some schools are finding ways to support older newcomers— even when they aren’t legally required to do so. In California, where general education students over 17 have limited enrollment protections, the cash-strapped Oakland Unified School District has prioritized these learners. Meanwhile, another district—once in the spotlight for losing a lawsuit over denying enrollment—has reinstated barriers that can cut a student’s education short. What can we learn from these two contrasting approaches? Explore the critical gap between policy and practice and uncover strategies to ensure every newcomer has access to learning, regardless of age.
Strand: Leadership & School Culture