Critical questions

1. What are the key considerations for designing a successful and articulated K-12 program that leads to a variety of post-secondary options? (See, for example, Guiding Principles for Dual Language Education)
2. Who are the key stakeholders to include in your program design?
3. How do you include state and higher education individuals when designing your program?
4. How do you ensure long-term sustainability?
5. What resources exist to assist in designing your program? (See, for example, Guiding Principles for Dual Language Education; DLI Teacher Rubrics, University of Minnesota)
6. How do you assess your program?

 

Strand description

Program design is the foundation that ensures that a dual language/immersion program achieves its goals of high academic achievement, bilingualism and biliteracy, and sociocultural competence. This strand’s sessions will focus on those main components and how equity and access, strong leadership, and continual program improvement support effective and sustainable K-12 programs that lead to a variety of postsecondary paths for learners.

Critical questions

1. What are research-based strategies that increase learner achievement?
2. How do we create an equitable and inclusive learning environment for all learners?
3. How do we structure learning experiences to cultivate literacy in all content areas?
4. How do we develop (multi)literacy in all phases of instructional frameworks?
5. How and why can technology increase learner engagement, motivation, and self-regulation?

 

Strand description

Instructional Strategies that result in the integration of language, content, and culture to increase multilingualism, multiliteracy, and intercultural competence for all learners. How do we create an inclusive and equitable learning environment where all learners feel safe and have a sense of belonging? Instructional practices may include assessment, academic language, classroom management, immersion, partner teacher collaboration, lesson planning, scaffolding and support, counterbalance instruction, and integration of technology.

Critical questions

1. How do we define community?
2. How do we engage communities to advocate for immersion education?
3. How do we partner with communities to strengthen DLI programs?
4. How do we leverage communities to promote equity, access and inclusion?
5. What is the current research on this topic?
6. What is a successful story that can serve as a model for other DLI communities?

 

Strand description

With equity and inclusion at the center, DLI schools often collaborate and engage with a variety of communities and stakeholders for successful implementation of immersion education. To include but not limited to: cultural and linguistic communities, home, classroom, and school communities, state, regional, national, and global communities, public and private partnerships, K-12 - university partnerships, professional community, etc.

Critical questions

1. How do leaders support and sustain DLI programs with an equity mindset?
2. What are the essential skills needed for successful DLI leaders and teachers?
3. What structures need to be in place for ongoing teacher collaboration and professional learning?
4. What are the promising practices in teacher recruitment and retention?
5. What makes for effective practices in teacher education programs?
6. How do leaders build cohesion in their school community?

 

Strand description

This strand presents research and strategies that develop administrator and teacher capacity through pre-service programs, professional learning, and structures with an equity mindset at the state, district, and building level. Sessions focus on the practices of leaders, instructional coaches, and university instructors that support teacher and program success.