ACE-STEM Saturday Workshop 8
On May 4, 2024, George Mason University’s Johnson Center buzzed with excitement as the ACE-STEM program hosted its eighth in-person workshop from 10 am to 1 pm. This event marked a significant milestone for Cohort 1 teachers who have spent the past two years deeply engaged in enhancing their pedagogical frameworks and instructional strategies to better serve PK-12 multilingual learners.
Following the opening remarks, the event moved into the capstone presentation segment, which provided a platform for each Cohort 1 teacher to share the rich knowledge they’ve gained and successfully applied over the past two years.
ACE-STEM Saturday Workshop 7
On the morning of Saturday, February 24th, Dr. Laura C. Chávez-Moreno, an award-winning researcher and assistant professor at UCLA, led a compelling virtual workshop, “Enhancing Multilingual Learners’ Critical-Racial Consciousness in STEM Education.” The session, held from 10 am to 1 pm (EST), unfolded as a profound exploration into the intersection of language, race, and STEM learning.
During the workshop, Dr. Chávez-Moreno skillfully navigated the complexities of systemic racism, emphasizing and illuminating the impact of racialization in educational settings as well as across intersecting societal structures. The workshop also delved into the important aspect of teaching critical racial consciousness. Drawing from excerpts from her soon-to-be published book, Dr. Chávez-Moreno prompted participants to analyze real-world teaching practices, shedding light on the negotiation process educators face in making sense of race and racialization in schools.
In this dynamic blend of theory and practical application, Dr. Chávez-Moreno’s expertise transformed the virtual space into a dynamic learning environment. Educators departed with not only a heightened understanding of critical-racial consciousness but also thought-provoking questions toward transformative education practices in their schools and classrooms, marking the workshop as a pivotal moment in advancing inclusive education practices.
ACE-STEM Saturday Workshop 6
On Saturday, October 28th, from 9 am to 12 pm, Dr. Luciana C. de Oliveira, a distinguished figure in the field of teaching multilingual learners (MLs), delivered an enlightening workshop titled “A Language-Based Approach to Content Instruction (LACI): Implementing a Functional Approach in Content Areas.” This virtual event aimed at guiding educators in the transformative journey of teaching MLs in content areas.
Dr. de Oliveira’s workshop started with the introduction of LACI; a teacher preparation model born from over two decades of research in content classrooms. LACI provides teachers with ways of scaffolding instruction for MLs in meaningful ways through implementation of a functional approach to language development. Furthermore, the workshop encouraged active participation with engaging activities that revolved around the TLC Planning Tool handout. The ensuing discussion allowed attendees to exchange valuable insights and ideas regarding their own practice of implementing LACI. In conclusion, the event served as a platform for educators to delve into the LACI, gaining valuable insights and strategies for supporting MLs in content areas. Dr. de Oliveira’s expertise and engaging presentation style left attendees with a newfound understanding of how to empower students from diverse linguistic backgrounds to succeed in their academic journey. This workshop was a significant step towards more inclusive and effective education practices.
ACE-STEM Saturday Workshop 5
Last Saturday, on September 30th, our engaging Saturday Workshop 5 unfolded from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, bringing together our cohort 1 teachers, MCs, and pre-service teachers in a virtual gathering. Dr. Heidi Faust, a distinguished figure in English language teaching, was the keynote speaker. With her rich background in supporting multilingual learners and advocating for equity in education, Dr. Faust facilitated an informative and inspiring session for content and ESOL teachers, focusing on what WIDA frameworks can afford for classroom teachers of multilingual learners. Specifically, the workshop highlighted the theme ‘Designing Instruction and Assessment for Multilingual Learners Using WIDA Standards for Content Classrooms.’ Dr. Faust, during her two-part workshop, shared invaluable insights on the synergy between language and content in education through theoretical underpinnings behind WIDA frameworks and concrete examples for different grade levels and subject areas. Attendees not only became acquainted with the WIDA framework but also learned how to create inclusive learning opportunities tailored to the diverse language proficiency levels of multilingual learners. The interactive event featured breakout rooms, reflection periods, and a lively Q&A session, allowing participants to engage deeply with the topics presented. This event successfully empowered educators with valuable insights into designing instruction and assessment for multilingual learners using the WIDA framework.
ACE-STEM Saturday Workshop 4
The fourth ACE-STEM Saturday Workshop was held on March 11, 2023, online through Zoom. The research team invited Dr. Lorena Llosa from New York University as the guest speaker of the workshop. Dr. Llosa is a professor of education in the Department of Teaching and Learning and Director of TESOL, Bilingual, and World Language Education.
Using as an example the Science and Integrated Language (SAIL) curriculum, Dr. Llosa illustrated how teachers can create learning environments that allow multilingual learners to engage all of their meaning-making resources as they engage in content learning. She also demonstrated the importance of expanding how we elicit students’ ideas and what we count as evidence of learning to fully recognize and support multilingual learners’ participation in the content classroom.
ACE-STEM Saturday Workshop with Dr. Lorena Llosa from New York University
ACE-STEM Saturday Workshop 3
The third ACE-STEM Saturday Workshop was held on February 11, 2023, online through Zoom. The research team invited Dr. Kate Seltzer as the guest speaker of the workshop. Dr. Seltzer is an Assistant Professor of Bilingual and ESL Education at Rowan. A former high school English Language Arts teacher in New York City, Dr. Seltzer currently teaches pre- and in-service teachers of bilingual students at Rowan University.
Through Dr. Seltzer’s presentation and various activities, participants unpacked and critiqued deficit-oriented perceptions of multilingual students; gained new lenses for understanding language, multilingualism, and multilingual students; and connected translanguaging theory to classroom-based practices and see
ACE-STEM Workshop 3
ACE-STEM Saturday Workshop 2
The second ACE-STEM Saturday Workshop was held on November 5 online through Zoom. The research team invited Dr. Borup and Dr. Shin as the guest speakers of the workshop.
The workshop is designed to explore useful frameworks for guiding effective online and blended instruction that will help you engage your multilingual English learners through interactive and creative uses of technology.
Together with the guest speakers and ACE-STEM research team members, teachers took part in practical activities that use technology in new ways. They also got a chance to share some of their own tech-savvy teaching strategies.
ACE-STEM Saturday Workshop 1
The first ACE-STEM Saturday Workshop was held on October 1, online through Zoom. The research team invited Dr. Lisa Dorner as the guest speaker of the workshop.
Dr.Dorner is an Associate Professor of Education at the University of Missouri-Columbia. The workshop focused on discussing two questions: Who are the multilingual students in your classrooms? and How do we develop engaging family-school partnerships with them?
The guest speakers used various hands-on activities to help teachers define practices in family-school engagement, break down stereotypes of immigrant and multilingual families, and brainstorm and develop new best practices in family-school engagement.
