10: Data Analysis and Effective Instructional Planning for ELLs: Expectations for Academic Success
Audience: General, special, and ESL educators; and administrators.
Grade Level: 1 - 2
Rosiane Barbosa de Aguiar Olivea, ESL Teacher
Danbury, Connecticut Public Schools
Analyzing data helps teachers to plan instruction that improves the academic
performance of students who are ELLs. This session will examine research comparing
LAS Links results and DRA levels of first and second graders and discuss how these can
impact instructional planning and expectations. Participants will identify effective
strategies for use with students who are ELLs to maximize their success.
11: Diversity and Cultural Sensitivity
Audience: Early childhood, general, special, and ESL educators;
student support services professionals; administrators; and family members.
Grade Level: PreK - 12
Ramona Winner, Author and Speaker
Santa Barbara, California
This thought-provoking session introduces “My Brown Eyes,” a story about a young
immigrant child and his experiences on the first day of school. Participants will discuss
their feelings and observations in small groups. Through this activity, participants will
discover how cultural sensitivity can enhance a child’s classroom experience and expand
educators’ understanding and use of diversified instructional tools.
12: Motivating Students who are Unmotivated
Audience: General, special, and ESL educators;
student support services professionals; administrators; and family members.
Grade Level: 4 - 12
Ron Glodoski, Author and Speaker
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
This session by a national expert on bullying, resiliency, and substance abuse will offer a
fresh perspective on how to effectively connect with unmotivated students. The
presenter will discuss the correlation between family patterns, peer pressure, and poor
performance in the classroom due to destructive decisions, and describe steps for
working with students at risk. Participants will learn how to encourage and inspire
students to take charge of their learning and their lives, and gain strategies for dealing
with issues hindering students from performing at peak level.
13: Successful, Interactive Strategies and Techniques for Making Content Comprehensible for All Students
Audience: Early childhood, general, special, and ESL educators;
and administrators.
Grade Level: PreK - 12
Leslie Rychel, Elementary Principal
Gila River Indian Community Public School
Phoenix, Arizona
This session will draw upon audience participation to demonstrate effective, interactive
activities that can be incorporated into instruction to enhance learning in all content
areas. Upon completion of the session, participants will have learned a number of
enjoyable strategies that they can immediately implement into daily teaching. In
addition, these tools will be beneficial for administrators to use during faculty meetings,
trainings, and retreats.
14: Developing Oral Language Skills in the Classroom
Audience: General, special, and ESL educators;
student support services professionals; administrators; and family members.
Grade Level: 2 - 5
Agnes Chavez, Owner and Program Developer
Sube, Inc.
El Prado, New Mexico
SUBE language learning is a unique, multi-sensory approach to language skill
development that demonstrates the power of addressing diverse learning modalities in
second language learning. As a building block teaching strategy centered upon
thematic curriculum, it creates an interactive learning environment that encourages
student confidence and motivation, and engages them on a cognitive level. Participants
will learn to incorporate scaffolding and isolation techniques to develop and reinforce
oral interpretation skills.
15: Picturesque Writing for All Students
Audience: Early childhood, general, special, and ESL educators;
student support services professionals; and paraprofessionals.
Grade Level: PreK - 12
Kim Waltmire, General Educator
Colchester, Connecticut Public Schools
“A picture is worth a thousand words.” In this innovative and interactive session, this is
indeed true, as participants will learn how to use picturesque writing with all students,
including English language learners. This creative approach to written expression can be
incorporated into any classroom curriculum. Participants will examine visual imagery to
move students toward visual memory, and learn to use valid visualization techniques to
enhance narrative, expository, descriptive, and poetic genres.
16: What Does it Take to Teach Me?
Audience: General, special, and ESL educators;
student support services professionals; and administrators.
Grade Level: 9 - 12
Panel of High School Students
Public High Schools Across Connecticut
Hear firsthand what students say teachers must do in order to help them achieve
success. Participants will have the opportunity to dialogue with high school students
from districts across Connecticut. Students will discuss challenges and triumphs from
their experiences in the classroom, and explore “what it takes” to successfully teach
them. Participants will hear students’ perspectives about what makes one an effective
teacher and culturally responsive communicator.
17: Cultural Competence as the Starting Point to Learning
Audience: Early childhood, general, special, and ESL educators;
student support services professionals; administrators; and family members.
Grade Level: PreK - 12
William Hunter, Author and Speaker
East Largo, Maryland
This powerful presentation will address culture and cultural competence by focusing on
ethno-cultural lines between different sub-cultural identities. Participants will learn
effective educational practices grounded in psychology, sociology, and anthropology;
gain skills and techniques for understanding students’ identities; and develop crosscultural
and inter-cultural competence to effectively support culturally and linguistically
diverse students and families.
18: Equitable Education for Students who are ELLs and/or Underserved
Audience: General, special, and ESL educators;
administrators; and family members.
Grade Level: K - 12
Jaime Almanzan, Associate
Pacific Educational Group
San Francisco, CA
This dynamic and interactive session will explore challenges and solutions as they relate
to equitable education for students who are ELLs and/or underserved. The keynote
speaker from the pre-conference will share strategies, methods, and procedures for
promoting and achieving equity. Participants will discover fresh, cutting-edge ideas to
enhance the quality of diversified instruction to better serve all students.
