Conference Sessions
Conference Opening Panel
11:45 AM - 12:55 PM
Location: Kochoff Hall BC
Facilitators: Eman Ahmed, M.Ed, Noha Beydoun,PhD, Sheila Charara, Ed.D., Danielle DeFauw, PhD, Khalil El-Saghir, Ed.S., Amanda Lanier, PhD, Matthew Newcomb, MS, Kyngson Park, PhD, and Christina Ponzio, PhD.
Who Should Attend: All Conference Attendees
Audience integrative session provides space for educators across P20 to begin the dialogue and speak on what works for fostering literacy and language development of Multilingual Learners (ML).
Navigate a Path to Lifelong Multilingualism: How to Strengthen Investment across Languages and Over Time
1:00 - 2:15 pm
Location: Room 1227
Facilitators: Amanda Lanier, PhD
Who Should Attend: World Language Teachers
More than 20% of students in the U.S. public schools speak a language other than English at home, but few of them receive the support they need in order to develop all of their linguistic assets. This session aims to dismantle misconceptions that can burden multilingual learners on their journeys toward proficiency and then build a set of strategies for helping them navigate a path to career readiness and meaningful credentials including the Seal of Biliteracy.
Harnessing the Power of Language to Facilitate Literacy Acquisition
1:00 - 2:15 pm
Location: Kochoff Hall A
Facilitators: Sheila Charara, Ed.D
Who Should Attend: Elementary Teachers, ELD Interventionists, EL Coaches
This session will engage educators in evidenced-based practices to develop literacy acquisition in multilingual classrooms. Educators will participate in hands on, cooperative learning activities through experiential inquiry.
Professional Learning Communities (PLC) Instructional Coaches
1:00 - 1:30 pm
Location: Room 1225
Facilitators: Ahlam Bazzi, Ed.D & Summer Turfe, M.Ed
Who Should Attend: Instructional Coaches, Literacy Coaches, Teacher Mentors
Instructional Coaches: Reflective dialogue, sharing of experiences, and best practices. Introduction meeting for establishing future collaborations.
Digital Storytelling Playground
1:00 - 2:15 pm
Location: Kochoff Hall BC
Facilitators: Matt Hamilton, M.Ed
Who Should Attend: Innovative Teachers, YOU!
The digital storytelling playground is an opportunity for educators to explore equipment and resources from Michigan Learning Channel and PBS that can support media literacy and media making across the curriculum. Educators will be able to preview and use the free equipment from MLC and brainstorm ways to bring media learning into their classrooms.
(Repeated Session)
Co-Teaching to Support Disciplinary Literacy Development in English Language Arts: Apprenticing Multilingual Learners’ into Writing “Name Stories”
2:25 - 3:40 pm
Location: Kochoff Hall A
Facilitators: Fatima Salemassi, Ed.S & Christina Ponzio, PhD
Who Should Attend: ELA Teachers, ELD Teaachers, EL Coaches, Curriculum Administrators
This session will provide a model of co-teaching for a middle school unit of study in an English language arts class focused on apprenticing multilingual learners into studying and writing “name stories.” We will begin with a brief overview of Disciplinary Literacy for multilingual learners and an introduction to how to think about co-teaching in support of multilingual learners’ Disciplinary Literacy learning. Specifically, we will highlight the integration of Total Physical Response Storytelling and translanguaging and teaching methods to support language development alongside disciplinary literacy learning. We will then share a unit of study focused on writing in English language arts with examples of how we collaborated to design and teach this unit as co-teachers.
Disciplinary Literacy Teaching and Learning in Math, Science, and Social Studies for College and Career Readiness
2:25 - 3:40 pm
Location: Room 1227
Facilitators: Batoul Abdallah, PhD & Bridget Maher, PhD
Who Should Attend: Math, Science, and Social Studies Teachers
A co-facilitated interactive session providing teachers of Math, Science, and Social Studies examples of strategies and ready resources for embedding disciplinary literacy and language development in tier 1 instruction.
Professional Learning Communities (PLC) Champions of MLs
2:25 - 2:55 pm
Location: Room 1225
Facilitators: Ahlam Bazzi, Ed.D
Who Should Attend: Teachers of dual language learners, ELD Coaches
Teachers of dual language learners: Reflective dialogue, sharing of experiences, and best practices. Introduction meeting for establishing future PLC collaborations.
Digital Storytelling Playground
2:25 - 3:40 pm
Location: Kochoff Hall BC
Facilitators: Matt Hamilton, M.Ed
Who Should Attend: Innovative Teachers, YOU!
The digital storytelling playground is an opportunity for educators to explore equipment and resources from Michigan Learning Channel and PBS that can support media literacy and media making across the curriculum. Educators will be able to preview and use the free equipment from MLC and brainstorm ways to bring media learning into their classrooms.
(Repeated Session)
Empowering adolescent/adult ML learners through integrated content, language acquisition, and literacy skills
3:45 - 5:00 pm
Location: Room 1227
Facilitators: Neam Zalzala, EdS
Who Should Attend: ESL Instructors, ELD Teachers, Arabic Language Teachers
How can we create meaningful learning experiences that support multilingual (ML) learners in both high school and adult education settings? This hands-on session will explore practical strategies for integrating content knowledge, language acquisition, and literacy skills to empower adolescent and adult ML learners. Participants will engage in interactive activities and collaborative group work to experience effective instructional techniques firsthand. The session will focus on scaffolding strategies, engagement techniques, and real-world applications that promote both language development and academic success. Attendees will leave with ready-to-use strategies to enhance learning in diverse classroom settings.
Where the wind takes us: Exploring literacy, language, and learning
3:45 - 5:00 pm
Location: Kochoff Hall A
Facilitators: Fatima Salemassi, EdS & Summer Turfe, M.Ed
Who Should Attend: K12 Teachers, ELD Interventionists, EL Coaches
Interactive session explores the intersection of social constructivism, literacy, language, and cultural inquiry, emphasizing how English learners develop language and literacy through active, student-centered learning. Participants will examine how wind, as both a scientific phenomenon and a cultural element, can be used to foster meaning-making, inquiry, and cross-disciplinary connections. By the end of the session, participants will walk away with practical curriculum strategies for implementing social constructivist, inquiry-based learning to support literacy growth in linguistically diverse classrooms.
Professional Learning Communities (PLC) World Language Teachers
3:45 - 4:15 pm
Location: Room 1225
Facilitators: Ahlam Bazzi, Ed.D
Who Should Attend: World Language Teachers
Teachers of World Languages: Reflective dialogue, sharing of experiences, and best practices. Introduction meeting for establishing future PLC collaborations.
Digital Storytelling Playground
3:45 - 5:00 pm
Location: Kochoff Hall BC
Facilitators: Matt Hamilton, M.Ed
Who Should Attend: Innovative Teachers, YOU!
The digital storytelling playground is an opportunity for educators to explore equipment and resources from Michigan Learning Channel and PBS that can support media literacy and media making across the curriculum. Educators will be able to preview and use the free equipment from MLC and brainstorm ways to bring media learning into their classrooms.
(Repeated Session)
WeEnvision Scholarship Dinner Program
5:30 - 7:30 PM
Location: Habib's Cuisine Hall (6 mins away)
Who Should Attend: All conference attendees who submitted RSVP
Recognition of Nominated Highly Accomplished Seniors From Region 9 & 10 Districts & Iftaar Dinner - Grand Prize Giveaway!!!
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