Key Steps for Implementing a Schoolwide Approach That Supports K–8 Emergent Bilingual Students

Education leaders have many responsibilities for creating systems and structures that support students who are learning in a new language at school and ensuring that they receive tailored and relevant instruction. Join Lori Helman, author of the ASCD book Learning in a New Language, to learn about essential pieces of program improvement, explore ways to create linguistically inclusive environments, and envision steps for facilitating professional learning that extends beyond the English language development staff. Participants will also get ideas for what to look for in short visits to self-contained or content-area classrooms.

In this webinar, you will learn how language and cultural diversity intertwine to influence success for students at school. You will also be inspired to find straightforward next steps toward greater equity of opportunity on-site. As schools become more and more linguistically diverse, there is no better time to reflect on and take action to enhance opportunities for emergent bilinguals at your school so that they are understood, feel connected, and experience curricula that promote their multilingualism and rich background knowledge.

Lori Helman is a professor of curriculum and instruction at the University of Minnesota, where she teaches and mentors graduate students, literacy specialists, and future teachers and serves as director of the Minnesota Center for Reading Research. She received her master's degree in education administration and supervision and her doctorate in curriculum and instruction (literacy education).

During her career, she has been a bilingual elementary school teacher, a district literacy coordinator, a new teacher program development leader, a teacher educator, and an educational researcher. Helman's research is focused on literacy development, reading difficulties, effective teaching practices for multilingual students, and the implementation of schoolwide systems of support.

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