REGISTER NOW •
DLEC 2025 •
REGISTER NOW • DLEC 2025 •
Dual Language Educator Conference 2025
May 31st, 2025 | 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM | HJ Patterson Hall, University of Maryland
Registration: $35 for individual, $30 for groups of 3+, $25 presenter
DLEC 2025 is a conference by and for DL educators, current or new. Join teachers, school leaders, and district staff for sessions on leadership, novice teacher support, literacy/biliteracy, program development, content and language integration, family engagement, and assessment. This year’s theme is “Together We Grow: Connecting and Collaborating in Dual Language Bilingual Education.”
Sessions are listed at the bottom of the page!
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Stay tuned for parking details!
Post-Conference Resources
Resources are organized based on session and presenter.
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Click here to view slides from Maria del Carmen Teijeiro’s DLEC 2025 presentation.
Full session descriptions from DLEC 2025 are available below
Dr. Katherine Barko-Alva
Keynote Speaker
“Dual Language Education for all: Creating sustainable language and content learning opportunities through connection, access, and hope”
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Dr. Katherine Barko-Alva is an Associate Professor and Director of the ESL/Bilingual Education program at the William & Mary School of Education. A former McKnight Doctoral fellow at the University of Florida, she holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction in the area of ESL/Bilingual Education. As a bilingual scholar, her research agenda is rooted in classroom practices and explores how Dual Language Bilingual Education (DLBE) /English as a Second Language (ESL) educators make sense of language in culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) K12 contexts, how to promote equitable and inclusive practices in order to serve CLD students and their families, and how to create sustainable practices to prepare DLBE/ESL in-service and pre-service teachers. With more than fourteen years of professional experience teaching as well as designing and implementing job-embedded professional development practices at the national and international level, her lived experiences as an English learner/Emergent Bilingual in U.S. schools guide the nature of her work and commitment to families, teachers, and students.
Dr. Barko-Alva was awarded the Virginia Latino Advisory Board Latinx Leadership Award in Education and the Janet Brown Strafer Award (William & Mary School of Education) recognizing her efforts for promoting equitable and inclusive learning spaces in our classrooms and community. In 2021, she received the Jefferson Teaching Award at William & Mary. At the national level, she has been selected as a member of the iCivics ESL National Advisory Council to support making civics education accessible for English learners/Emergent Bilinguals using video game platforms. She is currently a Co-Director for W&M Scholars Undergraduate Research Experience (WMSURE/2020-2026) and served as a fellow for the Center for the Liberal Arts (CLA) at William & Mary in 2019-2021. She is currently a Reveley Interdisciplinary Faculty Fellow 2024-2027. Her latest book published by Teachers College Press Columbia University (Equity in school-parent partnerships: Cultivating community and family trust in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms) examines fossilized practices within today’s educational system that marginalize and devalue the contributions and cultural biographies of families, particularly CLD families. This book creates opportunities for reflection and provides suggestions for school communities seeking to re-envision the meaning of family engagement.
About DLEC 2025
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Cultivate a network & community of Dual Language Bilingual Education (DLBE) educators & leaders to work toward the four Pillars of DLBE
Amplify visibility & elevate the voice of the DLBE community centered in equity
Collaborate with other educators in the DMV to create, develop, & sustain DLBE programs
Share promising practices, instructional strategies, & experiences that promote equity & quality in DLBE
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Centering our DLBE students & communities
Building on our students’ & communities’ assets
Aligning with the goals of DLBE (bilingualism & biliteracy, academic achievement in both languages, sociocultural competence, critical consciousness)
Engaging in shared learning through active listening & collaboration
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45 minutes
Intended for educators & leaders working in DLBE schools
Interactive & participatory
Languages other than English are welcome
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Leadership
Novice Teachers
Literacy/Biliteracy
Program Development
Content and Language Integration
Family and Community Engagement
Bilingual Education Assessment
Schedule
Multiple presentations run concurrently during each session. Attendees choose their desired session to addend.
8:00 - 8:30: Breakfast
HJ Patterson Hall, Room 2130
8:30 - 8:45: Welcome & Opening Remarks
HJ Patterson Hall, Room 2130
8:55 - 9:40: Session 1
HJ Patterson Hall (Various Rooms)
9:50 - 10:35: Session 2
HJ Patterson Hall (Various Rooms)
10:45 - 11:30: Session 3
HJ Patterson Hall (Various Rooms)
11:40 - 12:40: Lunch
Grand Ballroom, STAMP Student Union
12:40 -1:35 Keynote Speaker: Dr. Katherine Barko-Alva
Grand Ballroom, STAMP Student Union
1:45 - 2:45: Collaborative Conversations
Grand Ballroom, STAMP Student Union
2:45 - 3:00: Raffle
Grand Ballroom, STAMP Student Union
3:00 - 4:00: Social Hour, Peru in the House Presentation & Dance Lesson
Grand Ballroom, STAMP Student Union
Session 1
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Speaker: Maria del Carmen Teijeiro (American University)
Sesión de español
Esta sesión se propone reflexionar acerca de la integración de herramientas digitales en entornos de educación bilingüe, poníendo el énfasis en su uso estratpegico e intencional para el desarrollo de competencias de alfabetización en ambos idiomas. A partir del análisis de ejemplos concretos y prácticas efectivas, se ofrecerán criterios para seleccionar y aplicar tecnología de manera que favorezca aprendizajes significativos y sostenibles en contextos multiculturales.
Objectivos:
Analizar el potencial pedagógico de herramientas digitales en la alfabetización bilingüe.
Idetificar criterios para el diseño de e-actividades según procesos cognitivos básicos y complejos.
Explorar prácticas que integren intencionalidad didáctica, tecnología y sensibilidad cultural.
Los participantes saldrán de esta sesión una mirada reconociendo algunos criterios prácticos en la selección e integración tecnológica y procesos de comprensión más profunda en el vínculo entre pedagogía, tecnología y desarrollo lingüístico en contextos bilingües.
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Speaker: Gloriana Raquel Vargas Artavia (Bancroft Elementary, DCPS)
Sesión de español
Dual STEM: Matemáticas en Español que Unen Escuelas y Familias
En esta sesión, los maestros explorarán estrategias pedagógicas innovadoras que integran tecnología, pensamiento crítico y aprendizaje basado en proyectos STEM, fomentando el desarrollo del lenguaje académico de los estudiantes y la participación activa de padres y educadores a través del trabajo en equipo. Mediante ejemplos prácticos y métodos probados, se demostrará cómo cerrar la brecha entre el hogar y el aula, potenciando el rendimiento estudiantil y fortaleciendo la comunidad educativa en entornos bilingües a través del aprendizaje de las matemáticas en español con escenarios de la vida cotidiana.
Objetivos de aprendizaje:
📌 Objetivo de lenguaje: Desarrollar el lenguaje académico en español a través del razonamiento matemático, promoviendo la comunicación oral y escrita en la resolución de problemas matemáticos.
📌 Objetivo de aprendizaje en STEM: Implementar estrategias de aprendizaje basado en proyectos para resolver problemas matemáticos del mundo real, integrando tecnología y pensamiento crítico para fortalecer la comprensión conceptual.
Los participantes saldrán de esta sesión con estrategias efectivas y recursos prácticos para mejorar la enseñanza de matemáticas en español, involucrando a las familias y conectando el aprendizaje con la vida cotidiana.
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Speaker: Paola Ibarra (Brown Station Elementary, MCPS)
Bilingual session (English, Español)
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Speaker: Sara Shoemaker (Emmorton Elementary, Harford County Public Schools)
English session
In this session, participants will explore teaching reading in Spanish through multi-modal syllabic structure, utilizing color-coded fluency lists to support reading cues. The practice progresses from patterned to random syllable order, helping students build fluency in syllable recognition, which they will then apply to word decoding. This approach is particularly effective for beginner Spanish language learners, though it can also serve as a valuable small group tool for students facing challenges in decoding and fluency.
Participants will learn how to strategically use music, colors, and visual scaffolding to support students' language growth and reading fluency. The presenter will provide sample materials and video examples of how this intervention has been used with students. Participants will also have time to use the cuing materials to practice this strategy so they feel comfortable implementing it on their own.
Participants will walk away with a plan on how to scaffold fluency for their students using this method.
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Speaker: Beth Carmichael (Powell Bilingual Elementary, DCPS)
Bilingual session (English, Español)
This bilingual presentation is aimed at providing educators and administrators with strategies for offering strategic welcome information and continuous linguistic support for Spanish language learners in a dual language school. Key learning objectives included:
Understanding how to create effective, culturally responsive welcome materials that address the needs of non Spanish-speaking families and students.
Exploring strategies for integrating linguistic support in the classroom to promote academic success for Spanish language learners.
Gaining insight into the benefits of an after-school Spanish Club in providing additional language development and cultural engagement opportunities.
Identifying resources and tools to help create a more inclusive, supportive school environment for Spanish-speaking students.
Participants will walk away with practical strategies for welcoming Spanish learners and their families, enhancing classroom instruction for language learners, and implementing after-school programs that foster language acquisition. They will also gain ideas for promoting social integration and academic success for Spanish learners, ensuring a more inclusive and supportive school community.
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Speaker: Sandra Barrueco (University of Maryland, Baltimore County)
Bilingual session (English, Español)
This interactive workshop focuses on knowledge and skill building in dual language learner family and community engagement. It begins with highlighting key results from national studies of effective practices to increase family and community engagement with dual language learners. Participants will subsequently engage in small- and large-group activities to share current practices, discuss current challenges, and develop plans to enhance future practices in DLBE with families and communities. Participants will walk away from this workshop with increased knowledge and skills in DLBE family and community engagement, implementation strategies, and an enhanced network among participants.
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Speaker: Elizabeth Howard, University of Connecticut
English session
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Speakers: Marcela Montoya Hoyos Belen Quellet & Julieta Juaregui (The Learning Quest Virginia)
Bilingual session (English, Español)
This session presents The Learning Quest’s innovative Spanish Immersion program, designed for young learners in Montessori and learner-centered environments. Rooted in a Spanish-only approach, the program supports natural language acquisition through play, storytelling, art, nature exploration, and hands-on projects. It emphasises joy, belonging, and cultural identity while aligning with child-led pedagogy.
Attendees will learn how the program is structured to maintain an immersive environment without translation, using techniques that nurture comprehension and confidence. We will explore how project-based learning and thematic units—like Taco Tuesday, Cocina Thursday, and Art in Spanish—create authentic contexts for meaningful communication.
Participants will gain insight into the role of the Spanish-speaking guide, strategies for engaging families, and how immersion supports whole-child development. The session will also address challenges such as mixed-age groups, varying exposure levels, and assessment beyond vocabulary memorisation.
This presentation offers a replicable, flexible framework for educators looking to launch or strengthen Spanish immersion in both traditional and alternative educational settings, including micro-schools, Montessori programs, and community initiatives.
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Speakers: Alina Thouyaret (American University) and Panel, Katia Santana & Lorena Rosario (DC Bilingual), Maria Gomez & Beth Carmichael (Powell Elementary School)
Sesión de español
En esta charla intersectorial, se elevará la importancia de planificar y proveer capacitaciones de calidad en español para maestros de español. Dos maestras y dos asesoras pedagógicas de Powell Elementary y DC Bilingual, en Washington DC, proveerán sus percepciones sobre la historia y el estado actual del desarrollo profesional pensado en español para docentes de habla hispana. Conversaremos sobre los desafios y las estrategias que estas dos escuelas han utilizado para priorizar el desarrollo de los maestros de español asi como los beneficios que han obtenido al invertir en esta problematica tan relevante hoy en día.
Los participantes saldrán de esta sesión inspirados y equipados con estrategias e ideas concretas para fortalecer la capacitación de todos sus maestros y así elevar su programa bilingüe.
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English session
Dual Language is not always limited to two languages! Our session focuses on an effective way to involve parents, families, and the community in a school-sponsored Language Night. We will share how we planned and implemented our school’s annual evening event, featuring parents and community members as presenters. At our 50-50 Dual Language school in Takoma Park, all instruction is in English and Spanish. Approximately 85% of our students’ home language is Spanish; however, we also have over a dozen other languages represented in our community. Language Night is the time for those third languages to shine! From the multilingual announcements to the international fashion show to the instructional sessions in French, Mam, Yoruba, and Arabic, our school shows off its multilingual colors! Participants will walk away with the materials, skills, strategies, and inspiration to stage their own Language Night at their school!
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Speaker: Marcela Latorre and Gricell Medley (Rock Creek Forest Elementary School, MCPS)
Bilingual session (English, Español)
In this presentation participants will recognize the importance of combining transcription skills with word recognition to develop Spanish literacy. This session will highlight the connection between these competencies and present effective practices to enhance reading and writing in Spanish. Attendees will gain strategies to help students build a strong foundation in literacy.
Educators will identify effective teaching practices to enhance students' handwriting skills, reading fluency, and vocabulary development. This includes assessing individual needs, employing diverse strategies for various learning styles, and using engaging activities for practice. Tools like dictation tests, phonics activities, and vocabulary-building games will support a comprehensive approach to improving literacy skills and building student confidence.
By the end of the session, participants will gain a variety of new instructional practices aimed to develop Spanish literacy. Educators will be able to compare the processes of acquiring literacy in both Spanish and English, enabling them to develop the most effective practices for bilingual classrooms.
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Speaker: Guillermo Brown (Archbishop Borders, Archdiocese of Baltimore)
Bilingual session (English, Español)
By sharing techniques to reflect with students on the themes of communication, cooperation and conflict management, this session will:
Share ideas and perspectives on the importance of SEL in a dual language context.
Integrate participants in activities that model bilingual SEL sessions through cooperative games that emphasize participation, inclusion, respect and connections.
Facilitate sources, ideas and activities that participants can take with them to incorporate in their classes.
Demonstrate how students can make connections with the themes developed.
Elicit ideas from participants as to how to incorporate this into their particular areas.
In this workshop, participants can expect to participate actively in techniques that can be applied to their classes, incorporating SEL themes into their lessons. There will be a handout that participants can access suggested sources on the theme. Facilitation of the activities will be in English and Spanish. La facilitación de las actividades se hará en español e inglés.
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Speaker: Jasmin Guerrero (Bancroft Elementary School, DCPS)
Sesión de español
En esta presentación exploraremos cómo las estrategias del discurso oral potencian la expresión escrita en estudiantes de primer grado de una escuela dual. Compartiremos cómo los estudiantes desarrollan su lenguaje oral, a través de conversaciones significativas sobre temas relacionados a las familias alrededor del mundo, sus culturas y tradiciones y cómo estas prácticas orales facilitan la transición a la escritura.
Además, destacaremos cómo el enfoque en temas cercanos a la vida de los estudiantes generan interés y motivación, especialmente en una población con gran diversidad cultural. Se compartirán ejemplos prácticos de actividades que promueven la conexión entre el discurso oral y la producción escrita en un contexto dual.
Conoceremos algunas estrategias que se han usado en aula para favorecer el lenguaje oral, entre las que se destacan:
Pensar, emparejar, compartir
Reportar a un socio,
Mesa redonda,
Espalda con espalda
Conversación productiva.
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Speaker: Philimena Owona (Maya Angelou K-8, PGCPS)
Séance de français
Join us for an interactive workshop that uses food as a universal experience to explore and celebrate cultural diversity. Through conversation and reflection, discover how sharing stories and traditions about food can build stronger, more inclusive classrooms and communities, and be a powerful tool for advancing equity and belonging.
Session 2
Session 3
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Speaker: Jose Patiño (Powell Bilingual Elementary School, DCPS)
Bilingual session (English, Español)
Students in a 3rd grade math classroom at Powell ES receive math instruction in Spanish and this can present a challenge for the Spanish language learners. Bridging can help overcome this challenges and boost students' learning of the Spanish language as well as help mastering the math concepts. This presentation will describe how bridging happens in various opportunities in our classroom and how it has a positive effect in students’ learning outcomes and self confidence since in a period of over 3 years, students test scores have shown a boost. The presentation will start with a description of the educational context at Powell ES. Then, it will be followed by a definition of bridging and its importance. Afterwards, I will give specific details regarding the when and how bridging happens in our classroom. The participants will walk away with a clear idea of the benefits of bridging in a math classroom regardless of the language of instruction and when and how implementation can take place.
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Speaker: Patricia Donati (Marie Reed Elementary School, DCPS)
Sesión de español
This session will equip Spanish teachers with a systematic approach to decoding that integrates both phonics and syllabic methods, allowing students to transfer their knowledge seamlessly between languages. Instead of learning separate decoding strategies for Spanish (syllabic) and English (phonic), students develop the flexibility to choose the method that best supports their reading process.
Learning Objectives:
• Understand how phonemic and syllabic decoding can be integrated.
• Learn strategies to help students transfer decoding skills across languages.
• Explore practical classroom applications that empower student choice in reading strategies.
Session Outline:
1. The Science Behind Decoding: Phonics vs. Syllabic Methods
2. Bridging Language Transfer: How Students Apply What They Know
3. Instructional Strategies & Implementation: Classroom Applications
4. Hands-on Practice & Discussion: Interactive Activities for Educators
Key Takeaways:
Participants will leave with a clear framework for implementing a dual decoding approach, practical strategies for instruction, and insights into fostering biliteracy through student-driven decoding choices.
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Speakers: Nancy Cintron Anaya, Carmen Fernandez, Joyce Wilderrama (Capitol Heights Elementary School, PGCPS)
Bilingual session (English, Español)
En el taller se pretende que los maestros adquieran conocimiento no tan solo de algunas estrategias cooperativistas sino que tambien puedan aplicarlas segun el contenido de sus clase. Se indicara algunas estrategias y se analizaran en cuales contenidos de clases serian mas eficaz. Usando estas estrategias como herramientas de ensenanza y modelo en sus clases para que los estudiantes adquieran mejor el aprendizaje . Creando una experiencia divertida no solo para los maestros sino para los estudiantes sin perder el proceso de evaluacion. Cada estrategia presentada en este taller estara intensionalmente prepararada para aplicar en clases de grupos bilingues.
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Speakers & panel: Erin Lowry, Ashley Pickering, Patty Silver, Katie Vaselkiv, Lauren Watson
John Ruhrah Elementary Middle School, BCPSS
English session
In this panel presentation, staff and partners from John Ruhrah Elementary/Middle School in Baltimore City will share their experiences of successfully leveraging current family and community resources to build a new dual language strand program. The audience will hear panelists discuss how their school community and its partners built on existing structures and partnerships to engage and educate families, grow new ELD and dual language teachers and future students, and provide student support that was previously not available, making a significant impact on the students.
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Speaker: Noelia Gomez Alvare (Shirley Chisholm Elementary School, DCPS)
Bilingual session (English, Español)
This session will delve into strategies for enhancing reading comprehension among Spanish language learners. The session will explore the context of Shirley Chisholm ES, where 96% of students learn Spanish as a second language, and where comprehension in grades 3-5 has been identified as an area for growth. The session will outline the school's approach, including SLA LEAP (focusing on data review, planning, observation, and feedback) and Biliteracy LEAP, emphasizing questioning techniques before, during, and after reading. Participants will gain insights into effective small group planning in Spanish, strategies for data-driven instruction, and methods to implement targeted interventions to improve students' comprehension skills. Key takeaways include practical strategies for immediate application in their own schools and classrooms.
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Speaker: Jennifer Troy (Hillcrest Elementary School, FCPS)
English session
This presentation explores the SIOP (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol) strategy of Comprehensible Input and its application in addressing the needs of English Learners (ELs). We will examine the purpose and key components of Comprehensible Input, emphasizing the use of diverse techniques to enhance understanding. A focal point will be analyzing verbs commonly found in learning and language objectives, associating them with visual aids, and developing corresponding gestures to reinforce meaning and retention. Attendees will receive a comprehensive document to facilitate the integration of these strategies into their instructional practices.
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Speaker: Jennifer Kouakeu (Instituto Mundo Verde)
English session
Join us as we introduce The Fellowship, a federally funded program by the Department of Education, created by Instituto Mundo Verde in collaboration with DLENM. This tailored learning solution is designed to meet the unique needs of bilingual educators nationwide, providing practical tools and strategies for academic language development through content instruction. Ideal for lead teachers, teaching assistants, paraprofessionals, and anyone working directly with multilingual students. Participants will learn how our flagship program incorporates research on impactful teacher training, while aligning with the goals of effective DLE programming, offering actionable insights and resources for enhancing bilingual education.