Rhonda Hittenberger Ortiz, Missouri State University

Meeting the healthcare needs of MLs in school often requires cooperation between school nurses and ELD teachers. These partnerships can enhance the awareness of the ways culture impacts our view of health and healthcare. Explore best practices for addressing the unique social, emotional and physiological challenges presented by MLs and their families.

Berri Richardson, ADEAR International

We all know when a student is struggling with language, but do we know how to unlock the brilliance hidden behind the barrier? Move beyond the "label" and into the "lesson" as we shift our lens from English deficiency to multilingual proficiency. Gain a practical tool kit of scaffolding strategies, translanguaging techniques and the confidence to turn every classroom into a sanctuary for diverse thinkers. Don't just watch them navigate the language—give them the map to master it.

Jeanne Allgeyer, EducationPlus

Explore a classroom-ready strategy that leverages short video clips as “visual texts” to help MLs access and identify the main idea, lowering language barriers while building critical thinking skills. Experience the strategy as students would: viewing a clip, capturing observations and collaborating in small groups to find common patterns that point to the central meaning. Gain a replicable routine that uses visual supports and structured peer interaction to move MLs from noticing details to determining what matters most.

Anne Paonessa, Connected Classrooms/National Louis University

Discover practical, research-aligned strategies that elevate ML voice through purposeful connection. Explore strategies in three categories including Partner Talk, Synthesis Tasks and Reflective Pauses. Review a planning template to adapt these tools for your grade level or content area.

Anne Paonessa, Connected Classrooms/National Louis University

Explore how service-learning extends and elevates ML learning beyond the classroom through authentic tasks that build language and confidence. Explore examples such as mini projects, community partnerships and virtual exchanges. Attendees leave with a project planning template.

Carol Salva, Seidlitz Education

Discover research-based sheltered strategies that offer the biggest bang for their buck in Content Classrooms and explore examples from the field. Top tips will be shared based on what is practical in diverse classrooms. The focus is on inclusion of newcomers and SLIFE (students with limited education), while content teachers will appreciate that these strategies boost the achievement of the entire class.  

Ryan Rumpf, Global Educators

Learn how to design mastery-based learning cycles for multilingual learners. Explore a practical framework of building knowledge, sense-making and application that integrates language and content so recently-arrived students can progress toward academic mastery.

Daisy Skelly, Parkway Schools

Explore an engaging, culturally affirming curriculum that helps MLs develop their English literacy skills by writing their own immigration stories. Examine instructional strategies that honor students’ lived experiences while building academic vocabulary, narrative structure and language proficiency. Discover practical lesson sequences, scaffolds for diverse proficiency levels and examples of student-centered activities that encourage expressive, meaningful writing. Gain ready-to-use tools, prompts and frameworks to create a safe and supportive environment where students can share their journeys, strengthen their writing skills and see their identities reflected in the classroom.

Becca Bock, Mehville School District

Struggling to support newcomers in your secondary content? Explore how you can integrate practical tools to support language development alongside rigorous grade-level content standards. Learn how a Secondary Biology course evolved it into a language-rich environment for all learners.

Sarah Hollstrom and Lauren Negrete, Pattonville School District

Learn how Google's AI tools can improve productivity and creativity. Discover how to use Gemini and Notebook LM, as well as creating unique Gems that fit your specific purposes. Learn tips for using these tools during your planning, in addition to using these tools with ML students. Strategies can be easily applied to the secondary level or elementary classroom as well. Explore examples of using AI to create peer-editors, planning collaborators and grammar practice bots, and learn how to make your own!

Sarah Hollstrom and Lauren Negrete, Pattonville School District

This session will showcase real classroom examples of custom AI tools built to support MLs, including a WIDA-style writing and speaking prompt generator, a student peer-editing tool and a collaboration partner that suggests lessons and practice ideas based on your curriculum. Gain a clear picture of what Gems can do for your students.

Reah Morabith, Heart of Missouri RPDC

This interactive session will explore why traditional checks for understanding often fail and how intentional question framing dramatically increases student engagement, language production and depth of thinking.

Amanda Borodin, Ferguson-Florissant School District

Step into your students' shoes to bridge the language gap. Integrating years of classroom experience, explore how empathy fuels engagement. Gain practical strategies to support high school MLs in mastering complex science content through collaboration and connection.

Taya Tselolikhina, PBLWorks

Explore how to create project-based learning experiences to build upon the linguistic and cultural assets that MLs bring to the classroom. Grounded in the research of culturally sustaining pedagogy and translanguaging, examine how validating a student’s home language and background is a cognitive necessity for deep, authentic learning. Engage in research-to-practice mapping, the "Genius Activation Toolkit," and strategy design to discover a fresh perspective and practical strategies to unlock the genius within every student.

Andrea Honigsfeld, Keynote Speaker

Explore one of the nine dimensions of scaffolding introduced during the keynote. Linguistic scaffolding is necessary for all learners to engage in academic discourse and to develop disciplinary literacy, but it is a lifeline and a nonnegotiable for MLs. Supporting students to access complex academic language and to meet language-based expectations along with grade-level academic content attainment is no small feat! Review and evaluate key linguistic scaffolding techniques connected to the three levels of academic language (word, sentence and discourse) and multiple modes of communication (listening, speaking, reading, writing, and visually accessing and representing). Gain tips to apply them to your own planning, instruction and assessment practices.

Rachel Emanuel-Prude and Meghan Schultz, Parkway Schools

Numberless word problems provide a powerful way to support elementary MLs by shifting the focus from computation to comprehension, language development and mathematical reasoning. Explore how removing numbers from word problems creates space for students to make sense of context, discuss relationships and engage in meaningful mathematical discourse before solving the problem.

Rob Greenhaw, EducationPlus

Multimodal scaffolding is an intentional design move to provide multiple access points to content without reducing cognitive complexity. Grounded in 9 Dimensions of Scaffolding for Multilingual Learners by Honigsfeld et al., this session highlights how multilingual learners thrive when content is delivered through multiple modalities—known as “message abundancy”—and when they have meaningful choices in how they demonstrate understanding. Through real classroom examples and the three UDL lenses—representation, engagement and expression—participants will gain practical strategies they can apply immediately.

Genevieve Caffrey, Schema Curriculum & Consulting

Explore the P.O.W.E.R. Framework, a research-based and practical tool for designing equitable learning experiences across curriculum and instruction. Learn how to use five guiding dimensions to evaluate curricular resources and engage in a hands-on activity to sort and label materials as part of a mock unit design. The process demonstrates how applying The P.O.W.E.R. Framework can affirm student identities, create belonging, strengthen content comprehension and build agency, particularly for MLs and students from historically marginalized communities.

Lonni Long, Lincoln County R-III School District

While Project Based Learning can be demanding for multilingual learners due to its emphasis on language use, it also creates engaging and rewarding opportunities that build essential skills for their future. Explore options for using Canva AI and other digital options to help develop writing skills.

Rhonda Hittenberger Ortiz, Missouri State University

Small group reading time with MLs can fly by without an intentional plan in place. Discover tips for maximizing your time, attacking texts and keeping students engaged. With a focus on the mindful mix of oral communication woven into phonics, morphology and reading comprehension, explore how to bring words to life.

Marie Heath, Seidlitz Education

Discover a framework for understanding all of the components that are interconnected within a multilingual program. Explore six interconnected pillars that shape effective programming—Compliance & Data, Curriculum & Instruction, Staffing, Professional Learning, Family & Community Engagement, and Pathways to Graduation. Examine common system stress points that limit student progress and learn how intentional design drives success. Gain a practical blueprint to assess program health and guide strategic decision-making.

Rob Greenhaw, EducationPlus

Experience the "Stronger and Clearer Each Time" strategy firsthand — a structured discussion routine that helps students, especially MLs, practice using academic language to make their thinking clearer and more precise through repeated peer interaction. Gain a routine ready to use in your classroom.

Kelly Heidt, Francis Howell School District

Help students practice their speaking in a low(er) stress way through Speaking Journals. Speaking Journals are a practical and engaging speaking activity that allow individual students to practice a variety of different speaking skills at their level with equal participation across a class. Explore a variety of different types of prompts, reflection strategies and feedback that help students improve their speaking skills over time.

Carol Salva, Seidlitz Education

Talk, Read, Talk, Write (TRTW) is a practical approach to classroom instruction that helps students meet and exceed the state standards for learning in the core classes while also developing the literacy skills needed for success in the 21st century. Experience the routine as a learner and leave with a planning resource that can be used right away.

Lori Hanna, WIDA

Learn the legal requirements for meeting the needs of MLs who have an identified disability. Examine the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) alongside instructional planning considerations from WIDA’s English Language Development (ELD) Standards Framework. Explore specific considerations for instruction that support both language development and accessibility.

Lori Hanna, WIDA

Explore ways to implement the WIDA English Language Development Standards Framework, 2020 Edition in practical ways. Learn the importance and purpose of mentor text to make language visible to students. Engage in exploration of materials and additional resources to support classroom implementation.

Marie Heath, Seidlitz Education

Discover how to empower MLs by harnessing their "bicultural superpower" through reflective literacy. Explore the critical link between a student's acculturation experience and their academic success. Learn research-based strategies to bridge home and school cultures, highlight unique strengths, and foster resilience. Engage in practical activities designed to support students during their transition, enhancing both their academic and linguistic readiness. Gain the tools needed to create a supportive, inclusive learning environment that truly celebrates and leverages cultural diversity.

Angelica Mitchell and Martha Piñones, Ritenour School District

Educators of multilingual learners are navigating a great deal right now, and creative practices can offer a meaningful reset. Junk journaling—transforming scraps, clippings, and found materials into something beautiful—requires no experience and embraces imperfection. A bilingual therapist and newcomer teacher will share how this joyful practice fosters rest and renewal, and how it can be incorporated into your classroom. All experience levels are welcome. Some materials will be provided; feel free to bring your own.

Ryan Rumpf, Global Educators

Explore strategies and structures designed to provide a soft landing to recently-arrived students and their families. Review intake process through the first 30-90 days of school. Engage with tools that reduce the language barrier and accelerate the sense of belonging and attachment to their new community.

Merica Clinkenbeard, Springfield Public Schools

How do effective program leaders adapt when everything shifts: policies, personnel, budgets or student needs? Explore a grounded and practical approach to leading ELD programs during times of uncertainty, transition or disruption. Whether you’re starting from scratch or trying to sustain a well-established initiative, learn research-backed strategies to lead with clarity, resilience and impact. Gain actionable tools and a renewed sense of purpose to guide your teams and programs forward.

Angelica Mitchell and Martha Piñones, Ritenour School District

A bilingual therapist and a content teacher working with immigrant newcomer students share the most pressing questions from students and families, and how educators can respond with care and confidence. Topics include data privacy concerns, school safety policies, and talking with young children about fear and uncertainty.

Christina Mendoza and Jillian Baldwin Kim, Lindbergh Schools

This newcomer education collaborative session will explore shifting demographics, experience a refugee journey simulation and gain hands‑on, asset‑based strategies, including math, to build inclusive school communities. Gain impactful lesson plans with next day application.

Julie Hahn and Chris Kilbride, Ritenour School District

As immigration laws and policies shift, many students and families experience fear and uncertainty that directly impacts learning and well-being. Discover how schools can provide stability through trauma-informed practices, culturally responsive supports and clear communication. Explore practical strategies to protect confidentiality, strengthen family partnerships and ensure every student feels safe, supported and connected—regardless of status.

Stacey Kastner, Francis Howell School District

Have you ever suspected an ML may have a learning disability, but do not know where to go next? Does your team have a clear process in place to guide teams? Learn about critical data pieces that must be considered for MLs. Once the data is collected and organized, the team will have a clear picture on next steps. Using this method will help answer the question: language acquisition or language disability?

Daisy Skelly, Parkway Schools

Learn how to use AI tools to design quick and effective formative assessments. Explore simple prompting techniques that generate exit tickets, comprehension checks and differentiated tasks in minutes. Learn how to refine AI outputs to match learning objectives and support multilingual learners and discover strategies for checking the accuracy and appropriateness of AI-generated assessments. Gain ready-to-use prompts and examples they can implement immediately.

Stacey Kastner, Francis Howell School District

In 2026 and beyond, educators have powerful opportunities to design learning experiences that meet the diverse strengths and needs of all students. Learn practical, ready-to-use strategies that help proactively remove learning barriers while maintaining high expectations for every learner. Explore efficient, effective scaffolding techniques that support student success without adding hours of planning and prep.

Cammy Goucher, Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Explore practical, equitable grading approaches that support MLs across all grade levels and content areas. Explore the purpose behind grading, the role of student resilience, the M.A.P. strategy, effective accommodations and the power of meaningful feedback. Educators and administrators will gain tools to help every learner show what they truly know.

Lauren Rea Preston, Hazelwood School District

When and how do we measure reading for MLs? Learn to use diagnostic tools like phonics screeners, maze, ORF and spelling, plus family interviews to catch literacy problems in grades 4-12. Practice administering these tools and analyze data to distinguish language gaps from foundational needs.

Rick Wormeli, Keynote Speaker

Some students are ready for the first steps of a topic and others are ready for advanced assignments and assessments in that topic. How do we tier assignments and assessments to maximize their learning? Explore a practical and thought-provoking look at what constitutes mastery, and how we can increase and decrease complexity while meeting the needs of standards and their benchmarks. We will include two helpful lesson sequences: the Anchor and the Football, as well as great attention moves, student "orbitals," personal agendas, tips on how to get students to work autonomously and much more. This is a "how-to" and "why-we-do-it" workshop for those just getting their feet wet with tiering assignments and assessments or those already swimming in differentiated instruction who want more ideas.

Sonya Murray-Darden, EducationPlus

Learn to shift data meetings from identifying struggling students to strengthening core instruction for all learners. Using the SERVE framework and Tier 1 Data Review Protocol, practice analyzing student work for misconceptions and connecting insights to instructional adjustments. Gain actionable strategies to implement weekly data cycles that improve whole-class teaching.