IOWA CULTURE & LANGUAGE

c o n f e r e n c e

IOWA
2015 Culture & Language Conference
NOV. 911

Coralville Marriott Hotel & Conference Center

300 East 9th Street, Coralville, IA 52241
Phone: 319-688-4026 Fax: 319-688-4040

TERRY E. BRANSTAD, GOVERNOR

KIM REYNOLDS, LT. GOVERNOR

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
RYAN M. WISE, DIRECTOR

Title III Directors Welcome to ICLC 2015

Dear Colleague,
On behalf of the Iowa Department of Education, and ICLC Planning Committee Members, it is my
pleasure to welcome you to the 30th Annual Iowa Culture and Language Conference (ICLC). We are
sure you feel the same sense of pride we share in belonging to a network of teachers, administrators, faculty
members, parents, school board members, and all others who collectively advocate for our nations English
Learners (ELs).
This years conference promises to be an engaging and high quality professional learning opportunity. It is
focused on ensuring that Iowas diverse learners receive a world class education. ICLC 2015 offers
access to a broad range of sessions focused on Best Practices in the field of Language Education. We
invite you to engage and network with well-respected leaders, national and international experts and
experienced practitioners who will share research-based strategies, practices, and policies that will support
both novice and experienced educators, at the elementary, middle and high school levels. There are
numerous strands for a variety of stakeholder groups focused on best practices for helping ELs meet the
College and Career Ready Standards, preparing for the new English Proficiency Standards and ELPA 21
Assessment, building a better accountability system for all, strategies for closing the opportunity and
achievement gap in a globally competitive era.
A key component in ICLC 2015 is a focus on Closing the Implementation Gap. Leading and learning
together is the first step towards improving student outcomes, however, without a strategic focus on
measuring, monitoring and adjusting the implementation of our learning, we will fail to impact the
opportunity or achievement gaps that exist for some of our most fragile learners. We are all leaders in the
quest for equity and excellence for all students in general and diverse learners specifically, and we must
commit to implementing best practices with fidelity and holding our peers to the same high standards. It is
through our collective shared ownership and leadership as stakeholders from education, government and
the business community; working together in promoting research based programming for ELs; that ensure
we achieve educational excellence and equity.
We also invite you stop by and visit our publishers and sponsors in the Exhibit Area and to peruse the
wonderful resources that support a quality education for our children. Be sure to make time to thank the
vendors who have sponsored the event and assist us in continuing this professional learning opportunity for
years to come. We encourage you to stay actively involved, be an effective leader and advocate for our
English Learners and we hope you have an engaging and illuminating learning and sharing experience over
these next few days.
Best Regards,

Dr. Jobi B. Lawrence

Director, Title III
Iowa Department of Education

Grimes State Office Building - 400 E 14th St - Des Moines IA 50319-0146

PHONE (515) 281-5294 FAX (515) 242-5988
www.educateiowa.gov
Championing Excellence for all Iowa Students through Leadership and Service

Keynote Speakers
Dr. Luis F. Cruz
Dr. Luis F. Cruz is the former proud Principal of Baldwin Park High School, a school located in the Baldwin
Park Unified School District approximately 20 miles east of Los Angeles. Several years ago, Dr. Cruz joined Dr.
Anthony Muhammads leadership and consulting company, New Frontier 21, as an educational consultant
and has since been traveling around the country showcasing the work that is collectively transforming
Baldwin Park High School into an organization closing the achievement gap and saving student lives.
As a result, Dr. Cruz has also gained notoriety as a passionate and motivating public speaker, trainer and
educational consultant in the United States. His combination of enthusiasm, humor, practical application
and sincere zest for student achievement has catapulted Dr. Cruz to become one of the most sought after
rising stars in the profession.

Dr. Kate Kinsella

Kate Kinsella, Ed.D., is a teacher educator at San Francisco State University and a highly sought after
speaker and consultant to school districts throughout the United States regarding development of
academic language and literacy across the K12 subject areas. Her 25-year teaching career focus has been
equipping children from diverse backgrounds with the communication, reading, and writing skills to be
career and college ready. Dr. Kinsella remains active in K12 classrooms by providing in-class coaching and
by teaching an academic literacy class for adolescent English Learners. Her extensive publishing career
includes articles, chapters, English Learners dictionaries, and reading intervention programs. A former
Fulbright TESOL lecturer, Dr. Kinsella was co-editor of the CATESOL Journal from 20002005 and served
on the editorial board of the TESOL Journal from 19992003. Dr. Kinsella lives in California with her family,
including two young adopted children, Jane Dzung from Vietnam and John Carlos from Guatemala.

Sonia Nazario
Sonia Nazario is an award-winning journalist whose stories have tackled some of this countrys most
intractable problems hunger, drug addiction, immigration and have won some of the most
prestigious journalism and book awards. A fluent Spanish speaker of Jewish ancestry whose personal
history includes living in Argentina during the so-called dirty war, she is a passionate and dynamic speaker.
Nazario often is hired by school districts and universities where Enriques Journey is being used in the
classroom to launch discussions around immigration, racial discrimination, U.S. foreign policy, and other
issues. Her expertise in immigration makes her as a popular speaker for legislative, legal and philanthropic
audiences.

Clemencia Spizzirri
Clemencia Spizzirri holds a Masters Degree in Arts and Teaching with an Emphasis in Spanish, English and
an endorsement in ELL from Drake University. She received her B.A. in Second Language Acquisition and
Pedagogy from Universidad Tecnica Particular de Loja in Quito, Ecuador and New York. She previously
taught English at the high school level for several years at Colegio Nacional Pichincha, Liceo Policial del
Ecuador and taught Spanish at Merrill Middle School in Des Moines. She also facilitated middle school
Foreign Languages Acquisition Professional Development for Des Moines Public Schools and worked
at Drake University with the Languages Department in the DULAP Program (Drake Language Partners)
providing conversational Spanish classes at the university level.
Clemencia Spizzirri believes in the power of education and volunteering work. She volunteered at
Lutheran Services of Iowa teaching English and life skills to refugees and served as a site coordinator for a
program called Al Exito helping the Latino Community of Des Moines to learn, promote and advocate for
their children academic success and the pursuing of higher education.

Featured and Invited Presenters

Miriam Burt
Miriam Burt has over 35 years experience
most of it in adult education settings in ESL
teaching, program administration, teacher and
administrator training, curriculum development,
and program planning and evaluation. She has
provided training to programs working with
adults learning English in the United States
and overseas in refugee camps, community colleges, adult education
programs, universities, business schools, and workplaces. Miriam
likes presenting interactive workshops that provide evidence-based,
hands-on activities for instructors to use in the classroom.

Tom Deeter
Mr. Deeter graduated from The Ohio State University (1978) and The
University of Iowa (1983, 1987). A former science teacher and athletic
coach, has worked in Testing for the Evaluation Department of the
Des Moines Public Schools from 1988 through 1999. He has worked
for the Iowa DE for the past twelve years, in the areas of assessment,
accountability, and evaluation. Main duties have included working
with Adequate Yearly Progress requirements of NCLB, contributing to
the development of Iowas accountability plan and approved growth
model, and supporting Title III program evaluation processes with data
analyses and reporting. Most recently has contributed to Iowas NCLB
waiver application.

Dr. Tom Green

Midwest Equity Assistance Center

Tammy King
Tammy has been providing professional development on best practices
in the field of ESL and bilingual education since 2005. Prior to becoming
a trainer, she served as a district language education program director
a highly diverse suburban school district. Before that, she was an ESL
resource teacher, a 4th/5th grade bilingual teacher and an adult ESL
teacher. Whether instructing teachers new to the field in the basics of
second language acquisition, or explaining how to incorporate English
language development standards into lesson planning, Tammy strives
to advocate for the best interests of all students. She is co-author of the
book Implementing Effective Instruction for English Language Learners:
12 Key Practices for Administrators, Teachers and Leadership Teams.
Check it out from our Center Library. Her interests include: program
design and improvement especially in multilingual settings, and
districts with small numbers of ELLs.

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Heather Langenfeld
Heather Langenfeld is the Director of Elementary
School Improvement and Federal Programs for
the Denison Community School District. She has
served on the State ELL Assessment Committee,
the Iowa Culture and Language Committee, and
the ELL MTSS State Work Team. She has worked
for the betterment of EL students not only in her
district but across the state.

Dr. Lindsey Leacox

Dr. Leacox is a certified speech language
pathologist working with Spanish-English dual
language students in the Chicagoland area (2nd
largest school district in Illinois). Her clinical and
research interests are dynamic and evidencebased assessment, bilingual interventions
for vocabulary learning and speech sound
interventions, and bilingual SLP collaboration for working with
culturally- and linguistically-diverse students.

Leticia Magdaleno, Civil Rights Attorney at U.S.

Department of Education Office of Civil Rights

Leticia Magdaleno has served as an attorney for the Office for Civil
Rights (OCR)-Chicago Office for 15 years during which time she has
investigated, analyzed and resolved complex civil rights issues involving
elementary, secondary, and post-secondary institutions in complaints
and compliance reviews. Ms. Magdaleno has developed an expertise
in issues addressing equal educational opportunity for national origin
minority students under Title VI and she mediates matters where both
parties agree to voluntarily engage in mediation at OCR. Prior to joining
OCR, Ms. Magdaleno was a litigator at a public interest legal organization
and a law professor in a law school in Chicago where she supervised law
students in all aspects of client representation and case handling. Ms.
Magdaleno obtained her Bachelors degree from Loyola University of
Chicago and her Juris Doctorate degree from Northwestern University
School of Law.

Scott Moran
Scott Moran is the Broadway Elementary Principal
and Director of Secondary School Improvement
for the Denison Community School District. He
has served on the Iowa DEs ELL MTSS work team
and the Science Standards review committee.
Prior to being an administrator, he was a high
school science teacher and coach.

Featured and Invited Presenters (cont.)

Jessie L. Myles
Jessie L. Myles served as the Multicultural/Urban
Education Project Director for the Nebraska
Department of Education, Equal Opportunity
Education Programs for twenty years (19882008). He currently serves as a Diversity
Consultant, in the Academic Support Center,
for Doane College in Crete, Nebraska, and as
the Coordinator of Diversity/At Risk Programs for the Midwest Equity
Assistance Center, in Manhattan, Kansas.

Tamara Perry
Civil Rights Attorney at U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil
Rights

Judith B. OLoughlin
Judith B. OLoughlin is an education consultant
and teacher trainer, working with general
education
and
ESL/bilingual
teachers,
school districts, and state departments on
standards-based instruction and assessment,
sheltered instructional lesson planning and
implementation, and curriculum guidance
projects.
She is an experienced K-12 educator with teaching credentials and
extensive teaching experience in the areas of ESL/bilingual education,
English language arts, and special education/learning disabilities
teacher-consultant. In addition, Ms. OLoughlin is an adjunct graduate
professor for online and blended graduate courses for bilingual/ESL
endorsement and M.Ed. programs, currently in New Jersey and Missouri.

Dorina Sackman
Dorina Sackman is the 2014 Florida Teacher of
the Year and one of four National Finalists for
National Teacher of the Year. Before joining the
Professional Development Team this August,
Dorina Sackman was an 8th grade AVID ESOL
Language Arts teacher for Orange County
Public Schools in Orlando, Florida. For the
past 16 years, Dorina has educated and believed in English language
learners. Whether in an elementary, high school or college setting, Miss
Sackman treats her classroom as a stage for students to celebrate their
diverse backgrounds whilst building solid relationships for a successful
learning experience. Dorina also travels the country as an educational
motivational speaker empowering educators to B.E.L.I.E.V.E.! in all
students. Miss Sackman speaks five languages and received a B.A. in
French and International Economics, a Masters Degree in Applied
Linguistics/Bilingual Education and is currently working on her Ed.D. in
Teacher Leadership and Education Policy.

Dr. Jobi B. Lawrence

Dr. Jobi B. Lawrence currently serves as the
Title III Director at the Iowa Department of
Education. Prior to her recent appointment at the
Department, she served as Tenured Associate
Professor of Education at William Penn University,
She holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership,
a Master of Arts in Elementary Education, with
endorsements in ESL (K-12), Multi-categorical Resource (K-6), and Reading.
Her professional work has focused in the areas of second language
acquisition, diversity education, and literacy/biliteracy.
Dr. Lawrence has served as Project Director for multiple grants awarded
by the U.S. Department of Education providing the English as a Second
Language (ESL) endorsement for pre-service and in-service teachers,
training for administrators, as well as an Associate of Arts in Leadership
Studies degree for teacher associates to meet the highly qualified
mandates of No Child Left Behind. She has also served as a consultant
for multiple federal grants in a number of states at both K-12 and higher
education levels. She serves in a leadership capacity as an Executive
Board Member for the ELPA 21 CCSSO Board, in addition to her recent
appointment to the Iowa Reading Center Advisory Council. She has been
nominated to serve as a Board Member for the National Association of
Title III Directors.
Dr. Lawrence has presented at the international, national, state and local
level with featured presentations at conferences in the contiguous United
States, as well as Hawaii, Puerto Rico, England, and Spain. Most proudly, Dr.
Lawrence was invited to make a presentation to the Oxford Round Table
in Oxford, England. She was honored to share her expertise in the area
of Family/Community Involvement Through Stakeholder Assessment.

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Monday (November 9, 2015)

Registration 7:00 a.m. 8:30 a.m. Foyer

Breakfast 8:00 a.m. 8:45 a.m. Exhibit Hall

PRE-CONFERENCE SESSIONS 9:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m.

Pre-Conference #1

Coral Ballroom A

Dr. Wayne Wright

Introduction for New Teachers on the Foundation for

Teaching ELLs
This pre-conference session will provide an introduction to the foundations for providing effective instruction for English language learners.
Session will include theory and research-supported strategies and
techniques for helping ELLs develop oral language, reading and writing
proficiency in English, along with strategies for making content-area
instruction comprehensible for ELLs.
Pre-Conference #2

Coral Ballroom B

Dr. Debbie Zacarian

Unleashing the Power of Academic Language

Whether we measure achievement by test scores or graduation rates,
the outcomes for some groups of students have not changed significantly. An important means for understanding the opportunity gap is
to understand it as an academic language and literacy gap between
students who carry academic language and literacy practices to, in,
and from school and the growing number of students who are learning academic language and literacy practices while simultaneously
attending school. This professional development draws from extensive
research to provide a four-pronged asset-based model for addressing
the needs of academic language and literacy learners and to promote
family engagement.
Pre-Conference #3

Coral Ballroom C

Dr. Andrea Honigsfeld and Dr. Maria Dove

Successful Collaborative and Coteaching Practices for

the Sake of English Learners
The purpose of this workshop is to explore a framework for collaborative
practices ESL, general education teachers, and instructional specialists
(e.g., special education, literacy) may engage in and to review, evaluate,
and adapt seven coteaching models that promote an integrated service delivery for the sake of ELs in K-12 instructional settings. Heartland
AEA participants will receive a copy of the coauthored book entitled
Collaboration and Coteaching: Strategies for English Learners. Books
will be mailed to participants following the Pre-Conference. It is highly
recommended that coteaching pairs attend this workshop together.
Pre-Conference #4

Coral Ballroom D

Tim Blackburn

Teaching and Learning for English Learners in an Era of

New Standards
The New English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards represent a
dramatic shift in teaching and learning. With a new focus on gradelevel access, the new ELP Standards map directly to College and
Career Ready Standards (i.e., Common Core, Next Generation Science

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Standards) and highlight what a student must know and be able to

do with language. This transition impacts all of Iowas English learners,
and requires a shift in instructional practices for both English Language
Development Specialists and mainstream teachers alike. This session
will actively introduce participants to the ELP Standards through
engaging, classroom ready strategies that are designed to illustrate the
new standards in action.
Pre-Conference #5

Coral Ballroom E

Dr. Lia Plakans

Challenges and Opportunities for ELs in Mathematics

and Science Learning
Lia Plakans, Renka Ohta, Crissa Stephens, and Warren
Merkel
In this workshop, we will focus on bridging language, mathematics,
and science for English Learners. Participants will develop strategies to
recognize English Learners challenges in these content areas. We will
then consider approaches to transforming these challenges into learning opportunities. Mathematics and science lessons and assessments
will be reviewed and revised by participants. The workshop activities
will link to the four language domains (reading, writing, listening, and
speaking) as well as to academic standards in science and mathematics.
Pre-Conference #6

Oakdale Ballroom 1

Dr. Joanne Knapp-Philo

Planned Language Approach: Systems of Support

to Develop Language and Literacy in Young Dual
Language Learners
This preconference session will introduce participants to the Planned
Language Approach, a comprehensive system of support developed
by the Head Start National Center for Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness to ensure children whose first language is not English and
those for whom English is their first language are both ready for kindergarten. It is a comprehensive, intentional and research-based approach
for young children, birth to age 5, that targets key areas of learning that
research shows support school success. The preconference will focus
on five key elements that need to be in place: policies, practices and
systems of support for dual language learners (DLLs); home language
support; specific strategies that support DLLs; Classroom Language
Models and the solid universal literacy instruction that includes the big
five (background knowledge, oral language and vocabulary, phonological awareness, book knowledge and print; and alphabet knowledge
and writing). Participants will begin to work on a program self-assessment and preparedness checklist.
Pre-Conference #7

Oakdale Ballroom 2

English Language Learner Administrator Academy

(closed session)

Tuesday (November 10, 2015)

Registration 7:00 a.m. 8:30 a.m. Foyer

SCHEDULE
7:30 am 8:30 am

BREAKFAST

10:00 am 11:30 am

Exhibit Hall

WELCOME, ANNOUNCEMENT
8:45 am 9:45 am

Exhibit Hall

Disrupting Classroom Discourse: Preparing Students and

Teachers for Advanced Schooling and Workplace Register
Demands
In many classrooms and communities, English learners are surrounded
by peers striving to make strides with English. For many, the only
reliable context for rich and varied exposure to advanced social
and academic English is the classroom. From kindergarten to
higher education, students in mixed-ability linguistically diverse
classrooms must have successful experiences engaging in structured,
accountable academic interaction across the school day to meet the
performance expectations of Next Generation assessments. They must
also be exposed to an unswerving articulate command of English
in every class and benefit from consistent school-wide instructional
principles and practices. Using expert modeling and illustrative
classroom video footage, Dr. Kinsella details how schools can establish
school-wide academic discourse norms and practices. She provides
practical ways in which teachers can expand students command
of advanced vocabulary and sentence structure through mindful,
precise language modeling and consistent use of academic register.
Without daily exposure to eloquent delivery from teachers in every
class and opportunities for advanced interaction, English learners and
under-resourced peers will never develop the communication skills to
actualize their personal and academic goals.
9:45 am 10:00 am

BREAK

Exhibit Hall

Many English learners experience trauma, violence, and chronic stress.

Discover how to include an empathetic approach; a safe, trusting, and
welcoming environment; and policies and practices that support this
growing population while helping educators to combat compassion
fatigue from working in a helping capacity.
10:00 am 11:30 am

Dr. Kate Kinsella

Coral Ballroom C

#47 Tools for Launching an Academic Competency Focused

Vocabulary Campaign
The 2011 NAEP Vocabulary Report highlighted the dire need for
schools to provide English learners and youths from under-resourced
households with informed, consistent vocabulary instruction
aligned with critical academic competencies such as comparing,
making inferences, and describing causes and effects. Productive
word knowledge, the ability to competently use a word in speech
and writing, is pivotal to both school and workplace reading
comprehension, formal communication, and written response.
Drawing on scholarship and extensive classroom experience, Dr.
Kinsella introduces research-based instructional principles and
practices to prepare mixed-ability classes for the vocabulary demands
of text analysis, discussion and written response. She provides a
schema for prioritizing vocabulary for robust instruction and illustrates
informed word selection with practice texts. She demonstrates explicit
instruction of high-utility word families (e.g., compare, comparison)
underscoring competent academic communication and explains how
to design application tasks and formative assessments that deepen
productive word knowledge. Participants observe video footage and
review sample lessons, note-taking guide formats, and competency
aligned word lists to establish a program-wide high-utility vocabulary
initiative.
10:00 am 11:30 am

10:00 am 11:30 am

Dr. Wayne Wright

Coral Ballroom B

#45 Reaching English Learners Living with Trauma and

Chronic Stress

8:35 am 8:45 am

KEYNOTE SESSION
Dr. Kate Kinsella

Dr. Debbie Zacarian

Coral Ballroom A

#43 Foundations for Effective English Oral Language

Development for ELLs: An Introduction for New Teachers
This session will provide teachers with an introduction to foundational
theory and research how to put it into effective practice with
strategies to address the language and academic needs of English
language learners. A particular focus will be given to developing
students oral language proficiency in English as a foundation for
effective literacy teaching and learning.

Tim Blackburn

Coral Ballroom D

#49 Language Development through Argumentation

At the heart of the overlap between College and Career Readiness
Standards, argumentation is a high-leverage practice that students
must engage throughout their school day. Implicit in all of this
argumentation as an analytical practice has specific language forms
and functions. Furthermore, the language forms and functions
students need for argumentation are also specific to a particular
discipline. This session will dive deep into argumentation, building
upon themes established in the pre-conference session. Participants
will connect to strategies to support students as they negotiate this
complex academic practice.

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Tuesday (November 10, 2015)

SCHEDULE
10:00 am 11:30 am

Bureau Refugees Services- ELL Panel

Coral Ballroom E

#51 Refugee 101

The presentation will provide a basic overview of the refugee
resettlement program, how refugees get to Iowa, and the services
available to refugees. Challenges facing refugee students and parents
will be discussed along with some suggestions on how to create a
welcoming environment for refugees. Resources available to assist
teachers, parents and students will be highlighted.

Oakdale Ballroom 1

#53 A Planned Language Approach: The Big Five

Decades of research have defined the key areas of language and
literacy that ALL young children (English speaking children AND
Dual Language Learners) need to master if they are to be successful
readers by the end of third grade. However early childhood
programs support DLLs, it needs to be based in five key areas of
skills and knowledge which include: Background Knowledge, Oral
Language and Vocabulary, Alphabet Knowledge and Early Writing,
Book Knowledge and Print Concepts, Phonological Awareness. This
highly interactive session will provide teaching staff and leaders with
uUpdated information on the Big Five, strategies that assure that each
child (DLLs and others) participates in critical experiences with each
of the Big Five on a daily basis throughout the first 5 years of life, and
suggestions for engaging families to share Big Five experiences with
their children in their home.
10:00 am 11:30 am

10:00 am 11:30 am

Jesse Myles

Oakdale Ballroom 5

#78 School Culture and Emotional Safety

10:00 am 11:30 am

Dr. Joanne Knapp-Philo

Dr. Leacox is a bilingual speech language pathologist and assistant

professor at the University of Northern Iowa. She will be presenting
an in-depth review of the literature on vocabulary and word learning
instruction for English language learners (ELLs). Instructional practices
will include home-to-school language bridging, such as cognates and
technology use. Critical elements of vocabulary interventions will be
reviewed for populations at-risk for language and literacy barriers.

Oakdale Ballroom 2

Closed Session Technical Assistance for LAU Planning

This interactive workshop will focus on strategies educators can use

to create a positive and emotionally safe school climate for all of
their students. To take advantage of the unique benefits of a diverse
school, educatorsp must create an environment where all students
feel respected and valued, and parents of all backgrounds become
active partners. This workshop will assist participants in answering the
question of whether their school is emotionally safe.
10:00 am 11:30 am

Julie Bradley

Benson Room Upper Floor

#6 Mindfulness Matters
Second language learners are often bombarded with new auditory
and visual input in a classroom setting. This can be overwhelming,
especially to our younger language learners and a common reaction
is to tune out or shut down exactly opposite of what we would like
our students to do! Using some very basic, easy-to-learn mindfulness
techniques, students can gain a sense of control over their thoughts
and emotions. The practice of mindful awareness has a variety of welldocumented impacts, including a reduction in toxic stress, an increase
in emotion regulation, and an improvement in sustained attention,
focus and executive functioning.
10:00 am 11:30 am

Cathy Angel

10:00 am 11:30 am

Sally Huddle

Oakdale Ballroom 3

#59 Fluency and Vocabulary Intervention for Adolescent

English Language Learners
This presentation examines fluency intervention and the systematic
addition of vocabulary instruction for adolescent ELLs with reading
disabilities and difficulties. During this presentation practitioners
will examine sources of reading difficulty and use data to select
and implement effective components of reading intervention for
adolescent ELLs with reading disabilities.
10:00 am 11:30 am

Dr. Lindsey Leacox

Oakdale Ballroom 4

#61 Crossing the Bridge from Home-to-School Languages:

Vocabulary Instruction for ELLs

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Boriaug Room Upper Floor

#41 Teach So They Learn: Critical Content +

Effective Delivery = Reading!
Fostering successful readers has to be the primary focus of every
teacherespecially those teaching English Language Learners! We
need to ensure we know the critical content that must be taught
and have the necessary tools to effectively teach it. We also must be
utilizing and training students with effective strategies that enable
initial learning as well as retention of that learning. Finally, quality
teachers must prepare students for independent application so
learning can continue to develop, even after the student walks out of
their room!

Tuesday (November 10, 2015)

SCHEDULE
10:00 am 11:30 am

Tom Deeter

10:00 am 11:30 am

Chapman Room Upper Floor

#57 Student Achievement and the Context of Academic

Challenge: Reprise
This session will provide an update on student achievement, using
a school performance index, to illustrate how well students who
are members of historically academically challenged groups are
performing. Data analysis will focus on historically disenfranchised
groups, including English language learners, students in poverty,
and students with disabilities. A description of methodology will
be provided, and districts will have an opportunity to request local
evidence.

Sarah Thao

Wallace Room Upper Floor

#32 Adult Education: Its Not just like Teaching Children

When working with adults, especially those with low levels of English,
it may seem like a good idea to use materials designed for children.
However, Malcolm Knowles was one of the first educators to point
out that adults bring a lot to the table as learners. In this session, we
will discuss Knowles five assumptions about adult learners and how
to address them. Participants will be encouraged to share ideas or
materials that have and havent worked in their classes based upon
these assumptions.
10:00 am 11:30 am

10:00 am 11:30 am

Amy Russell

Joan Nielsen & Dr. Luann Haase

Clark Room Upper Floor

#23 What Works: Reaching and Teaching Adult Low-Literacy

ESL Learners
Since the 1970s, there has been a new wave of immigrants and
refugees arring on our shores with limited educational backgrounds
and little or no literacy skills. For some, their first encounter with
literacy (print) may have been when they entered the U.S. Traditional
ESL language programs are based on the assumption that adult
learners have the basic educationa and literacy skills to learn a second
language. However, language programs that reflect the traditional,
academic, and text-rich approaches to teaching ESL are not meeting
the needs of our low-literacy adult learners.
So ... What works? How can we effectively reach and teach this
population of learners.
This session will review the limited literature that intersects SLA and
literacy development, make evidence-based observations of what
works, and provide some hands on strategies to more effectively
teach our low-literacy adult ESL learners.

#14 Does Earning an ESL Endorsement Change Classroom

Teaching?
Does taking a course change professional classroom practice? Is
there evidence that taking 18 hours of coursework required for an
ESL endorsement results in any impact on teaching and learning?
Participants will be actively engaged in describing and viewing
effective teaching practices using the Inventory of Situationally
and Culturally Responsive Teaching which has evolved from CREDE
(Center for Research on Education, Diversity, and Excellence) research.
Information will be shared about research in progress showing the
changes that occur in teaching as participants of Project Proficient (a
National Professional Development grant program) progress through
the sequence of required courses. Changes made to curriculum
content as a result of information will also be shared.
10:00 am 11:30 am

April Brandt

Wilson Room Upper Floor

# 62 ELPA21 Overview
This session will introduce K-2 educators to the K-2 tests within
ELPA21.

10:00 am 11:30 am

Gina Kuker and Dr. Janet Kehe

Wood Room Upper Floor

Slater Upper Floor

#12 Achieving through the Power of Words

This presentation will highlight vocabulary development and learning
strategies to enhance comprehension and word recognition for
culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. Through these
strategies, both academic language and language development will
be stressed. Technology will be integrated where appropriate.

10:00 am 11:30 am

Jessica Romaniello

Van Allen Upper Floor

#39 From Rice Field to Corn Belt

With a substantial and growing Southeast Asian population in Iowa,
it is important for teachers, staff, and administrators to learn about
the Burmese, Thai, Vietnamese and other Southeast Asian students
entering our schools. Southeast Asia is a vibrant and culturally diverse
region, and the school experiences that students have there differ
in significant ways from those they will experience here in the U. S.
By learning about educational norms and initiatives in this region
and strategies for supporting these students in Iowa schools, we can
increase our understanding of students and think creatively to engage
students background knowledge and skills to help them meet new
objectives and standards.

15

Tuesday (November 10, 2015)

SCHEDULE
10:00 am 11:30 am

Marlin Jeffers

1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Kirkwood Room Upper Floor

#10 Real Colors for Better Communication

Real Colors allows participants to understand their personality
temperament styles and preferences. Participants will take the Real
Colors Temperament Assessment and will do the following:
Assist participants to communicate for effectively with others
Engage in a variety of discussions designed to demonstrate

temperament preferences
Focus on strengths of each temperament style
Consider work with students and others
Learn how to see and name temperament characteristics of other

people
Learn the basic theory behind Real Colors.

This session would be helpful for teachers, administrators, teacher

leaders, paraprofessionals and parents.

Exhibit Hall

11:45 am 12:45 pm

ICLC LUNCHEON AND

CULTURAL SHOWCASE

Exhibit Hall

12:45 pm 1:00 pm

BREAK

Exhibit Hall

1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Dr. Wayne Wright

Coral Ballroom A

#43 REPEAT SESSION

Foundations for Effective English Oral Language
Development for ELLs: An Introduction for New Teach
This session will provide teachers with an introduction to foundational
theory and research how to put it into effective practice with
strategies to address the language and academic needs of English
language learners. A particular focus will be given to developing
students oral language proficiency in English as a foundation for
effective literacy teaching and learning.

16

Coral Ballroom B

#46 How to Use Imagine Learning to Accelerate English

Acquisition
Come see why Imagine Learning is serving over 7500 English
learning students in Iowa through partnerships with 8 of the 9 AEAs.
We provide native language support in 15 languages to accelerate
language development and help students transition to full activity
in the classroom. Imagine Learning uses videogame-like graphics,
activities, and songs to engage students at a high level and then
provides them with an environment where they can be successful and
build their confidence. Each student receives their own individualized
instructional path that adapts throughout the school year. Student
progress, writings, and recordings are available to teachers and
administrators through the dynamic teacher tools built into Imagine
Learning. Come check it out!
1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Dorina Sackman

11:30 am 11:45am

BREAK

Justin Hewett

Coral Ballroom C

#48 Brain Based Research for the Bilingual Brain: Tips, Talks
and Techniques for Increased Learning Gains!
Teachers are brilliant. There I said it. We are so awesome; we are
instrumental in improving a newer science: educational neuroscience.
See neuroscientists arent the only researchers fascinated by the
complex makeup of our childrens brains. Teachers have entered
the world of brain based research to better comprehend how our
kids learn. In this session, educators and lovers of how people tick
will be enlightened as to how the structure of the brain and all
its components can greatly influence how we teach and lead out
students to success. Are you ready to have your mind blown? Are you
ready to take your creative teaching to another level? Well, come join
methat is, if you B.E.L.I.E.V.E.!!
1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Leticia Magdaleno, Esq. and

Tamara Perry, Esq.

Coral Ballroom D

#50 Title VI and Equal Educational Opportunity for English

Language Learner Students
OCRs mission is to ensure equal access to education and to promote
educational excellence throughout the nation through vigorous
enforcement of civil rights, including enforcement of Title VI of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964 which is a Federal law that prohibits discrimination
on the basis of race, color, or national origin in educational programs
and activities receiving Federal financial assistance. An example
of prohibited discrimination under Title VI may include providing
inadequate educational resources to national origin minority English
language learner (ELL) students. OCRs presentation will address legal
obligations of recipient school districts to ELL students under Title VI
by discussing applicable legal standards and OCR policy.

Tuesday (November 10, 2015)

SCHEDULE
1:00 pm 2:30 pm

ELL Panel CultureAll

1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Coral Ballroom E

Ruben Newell

Oakdale Ballroom 3

#52 Explore the World in Your Classroom

#65 Evolving in a Diverse District

Objectives for the Workshop:

Over the past few years, Mr. Newell has become an active advocate
for evolution and change in music education. Mr. Newell will share the
success story of the Denison Community Schools instrumental music
program and how they evolved their program to be more relevant
in a diverse community. While the data and anecdotes of his session
will center around the instrumental music program in Denison, the
same principles and out of the box thinking can be applied to any
curricular area of any school to fit their population.

To introduce educators who serve ELs in the state of Iowa to the

services
To build awareness of what educators can do in their own

communities
1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Dr. Joanne Knapp- Philo

Oakdale Ballroom 1

#54 A Planned Language Approach: The Importance of

Home Language

1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Tim Blackburn

Oakdale Ballroom 4

The common myth that children will read English more successfully
if they concentrate on learning English only as soon as possible has
been shown to be completely false. Study after study have shown that
children with a strong base in their primary language (be that English
or another language) by age five will read successfully in English by
the end of third grade! This interactive session will discuss the research
base for supporting home language, explore the developmental
reasons for this fact, share video and written materials for use with
teaching staff, family engagement staff, and families, and discuss
specific strategies to use to support children to continue to develop
their home language as they are also acquiring English. Participants
will develop a plan for taking these ideas and materials home and
consider ways to share this critical information in their workplaces and
communities.

#80 Apprenticeship-Fostering Language Development

through Meaningful Student Discourse

1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Iowa Student Learning Institute

Judy OLoughlin

Oakdale Ballroom 2

#58 Creating Passageways to Academic Success:

Helping Refugees Become Resilient Learners
For refugees to become resilient, schools must help students
discover their own internal strengths. Factors fostering resilience
include, building strong relationships with students and families,
creating appropriate models of instruction, and providing school and
community resources and opportunities. The presenters model how
to help refugees develop resilience for academic success.

Its a tricky thing to get our students to use academic language in

authentic, purposeful ways. Too much structure, and the student
responses sound wooden and inauthentic. Not enough structure,
and conversations often run off topic, or depend little on our target
language structures. This is a fine line to walk, but a careful focus on
apprenticeship the slow development of a particular practice
through consistent exposure and meaningful practice results in
classroom conversations that are indeed constructive. Participants will
connect to structures to foster discourse, and language development
strategies for particular forms and functions.
1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Oakdale Ballroom 5

#66 Hey, We Matter Too: The Student Perspective

ESL students from Sioux City and West Des Moines Valley will host a
moving presentation about their background, desires to be welcomed
and involved in their school communities, and offer advice of how
teachers and students can help them achieve that goal.
1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Wendy Farr

Benson Room Upper Level

#38 iTeach ELLs: Engaging in a Culture of Change

In this session participants will expand their knowledge regarding
issues and a college wide curriculum reform that surround preparing
pre-service teachers to work with English Language Learners (ELLs).

17

Tuesday (November 10, 2015)

SCHEDULE
1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Sarah Thao

1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Borlaug Room Upper Level

David Harycki & Gretell Scott

Slater Upper Level

#31 Listening and Speaking Activities for the College and

Career Readiness Standards

#18 Words into Data: Using Word Tags to Assess ELL/ESL

learners

The Common Core has been introduced to adult education in

the form of College and Career Readiness Standards. There are six
listening and speaking standards which are designed to help students
develop their communication and interpersonal skills. Though most
English classes focus on conversation, teachers need to be intentional
about covering all six of these standards. This session will review the
standards and provide participants with a variety of activities teachers
can easily incorporate into their classrooms. There will be activities for
different levels and it will be appropriate for ESL classes that do not
have to meet these standards.

Word clouds, Wordle and tag clouds allow teachers to easily change
an ELL learners language into quantifiable, numerical data. Words
become numbers. The old proven methodology of content analysis
has received a modern face lift. Numerical data may show a students
growth over time with simple statistics. It allows teachers to assess
students and even compare their proficiency to a pre-determined
text. These methods and programs, available for free on the internet,
allow teachers to assess any language and to revert the numerical
data as words displayed in different font sizes. Come learn how.
1:00 pm 2:30 pm

1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Olga Cyphers & Nancy Peterson Chapman Room Upper Level

#26 English Language Learners and Formative Assessment
How ELLs fit into Formative Assessment? This session will focus on
how to assist ELLs in general education classrooms through the
Formative Assessment process. Clinton Community School District
has a proud history of ELL success because of implementation of
RTI, FA, and PLC resulting on high graduation rate, career readiness,
and postsecondary education for ELLs. Participants will have an
opportunity to experience engaging activities and bring home new
ideas on Formative Assessment.
1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Dr. Tom Green

Clark Room Upper Level

#67 Information About the Midwest Equity Assistance Center

Information about MEAC will be shared and request for support
in Iowa will be gathered during this session. The Midwest Equity
Assistance Center service region (Region VII) consists of four
states, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. Any school public
school, school district, including charter and magnet school in this
region can become a client district and request MEAC services. At
the request of public school districts, charter schools, state and
local educational agencies, center staff provide a variety of free
services including professional development workshops, seminars,
conferences, in-service training, technical assistance, and information
dissemination. We provide technical assistance professional
development information dissemination in race equity gender equity
national origin equity to teachers administrators parents from public
schools charter schools magnet schools state departments in Iowa
Kansas Missouri Nebraska. The center works closely with both federal
and community based organizations such as the Office for Civil Rights
and Comprehensive Assistance Centers to coordinate and maximize
effectiveness of services.

18

Carol Kane

Wallace Room Upper Level

#1 Reading for Meaning-Fluently

This presentation demonstrates how to combine the research-proven
strategies of teacher modeling, repeated reading, and self-monitoring
of progress into a single, powerful strategy to accelerate the reading
achievement of readers of all ages including Title I, special education,
ELL, regular classroom students and adults.
The presentation sensitizes educators to the importance of fluency
in attaining literacy, describes research based strategies to improve
fluency in developing readers, and provides educators with a
description of how to implement the strategy. Participants will be
actively involved in learning the strategy that can be used with any
classroom materials.
Each participant will receive a packet of materials that defines
classroom procedures, implementation strategies and assessments for
correct placement of students.
1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Tara Plouff & Lucas Plouff

Wood Room Upper Level

#24 Incorporating Digital Literacy Skills in the Adult ELL

Classroom
This interactive workshop will include activities and tips for
introducing and improving the digital literacy skills for adult
students within an English-language curriculum. Topics will include:
fundamental physical interactions (such as typing and mouse skills),
basic software navigation and use, and adopting the Internet as a
tool for the advancement of adult ELLs lives and education. We will
also discuss specific digital skills that promote transition, retention,
and success among ELLs who seek further education. In addition,
this presentation will cover the positive impact these skills have had
on the CASAS scores of our students. Participants are encouraged to
bring a laptop or tablet.

Tuesday (November 10, 2015)

SCHEDULE
1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Simona Florentina Boroianu

1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Wilson Room Upper Level

#19 Understanding the Stages of Second Language

Acquisition: Implications for Teaching, Assessment and
Mainstream Instruction of ELL Students
ELLs are a diverse group with specific linguistic needs related to
the process of acquiring a second language. This process happens
in five stages: Preproduction, Early Production, Speech Emergence,
Intermediate Fluency, and Advanced Fluency.
Understanding the way ELLs acquire a new language, and identifying
the student behaviors particular to each stage of language
development, will allow teachers to select effective strategies, plan
individualized instruction, and assess every ELL student, thus enabling
ELL students to access core instruction.
This interactive workshop will help beginning ELL teachers, as well
mainstream teachers who have ELL students in their classrooms, to
accomplish the following goals:
1) identify the characteristics of ELLs at each stage of language
development;
2) use the stages of second language acquisition chart as a resource
to plan, teach and assess ELL students in order to support both
language acquisition and content comprehension for ELLs.
1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Eric Bodin

Van Allen Upper Level

#30 Nevada Educational Savings Accounts: Building a

Culture of Achievement?
First Ill give an overview of SB302 and what the Educational Savings
Accounts are and how Nevada families can access and use these
savings accounts as well as briefly address some of the questions
that still remain. Next Ill present the implications for Nevada families
and schools according to several different sources including the
Nevada TESOL (CATESOL) lobbyist and other groups familiar with the
legislative and educational scene in Nevada. Finally, Ill preview some
things that Iowa policy makers should be watching Nevada for in
the next few years as this potentially dramatic change reverberates
throughout the educational landscape.

Linda Park, Stephen McTier,

& Jessica Haight-Angelo

Kirkwood Room Upper Level

#33 Techniques to Maximize Efficiency in English Language

Acquisition Writing Courses
A challenge of higher education is achieving the learning goals of
a course in a limited class time. ELA Writing courses (Level 1-5) at
Kirkwood meet for only 55 minutes, twice a week. This minimal class
time per semester limits students abilities to meet the aforementioned
learning goals. There is not yet a singular method that maximizes
writing class efficiency. The presenters currently and collectively teach
four sessions of Writing courses: Two at Level 2 and two at Level 3.
Two methods will be attempted in these classes over the course of
six weeks. The first method is to utilize connecting lessons in two
sequential courses, e.g.: Level 2 and 3. The second method is a set
of tactics to manage classroom activities related to the curriculum.
The findings in this study will potentially help fellow Writing teachers
maximize their use of class time to better engage student learning.
2:30 pm 2:45 pm

BREAK

Exhibit Hall

2:45 pm 4:00 pm

KEYNOTE SESSION

Dr. Luis Cruz

The Emergence of the Global Economy, Free Trade, and the

Perfect Time to Embrace Bilingualism as a Necessity for All
Students
Gone are the days when students educated in the United States
competed solely with other American students for social position and
economic prosperity. Due to the emergence of a global economy,
today our students will compete with other students from around
the world for professional careers and economic gain. Is this then not
the most ideal time to embrace the ability to speak more than one
language and once and for all change the often negative view of
efforts to produce bilingualism in schools from a problem that must
be eradicated to a resource that should and must be developed.
Join Dr. Luis F Cruz as he passionately encourages participants to not
only continue to be elite educators but revolutionaries who promote
the benefits and necessity of bilingualism in schools. Leave both
enlightened and encouraged as Dr. Cruz infuses enthusiasm, humor
and undeniable appeal in his quest to change and enhance public
school education once and for all.
4:30 pm 6:00 pm

ICLC Networking Reception

Foyer by Exhibit Hall

Mariachi from Denison Community School District

19

Wednesday (November 11, 2015)

SCHEDULE
7:00 am 8:30 am

ELL NETWORK

10:00 am 11:30 am

Coral Ballroom A

Dr. Luis Cruz

Coral Ballroom A

#68 Learn How School Communities Infuse Characteristics

Associated with a PLC

7:30 am 8:30 am

Breakfast

Exhibit Hall

Learn how school communities infuse characteristics associated

with a PLC to produce learning for its English Language Learner
population. This breakout will detail the components of a PLC that
teacher leaders utilize to help close the achievement gap for students
learning English as a second language. Discover how leadership in the
form of a task force that simultaneously re-cultures and re-structures
while introducing best practices, enhances learning for all students
including students learning English as a second language.

8:35 am 9:45 am

Keynote Speaker Sonia Nazario

Exhibit Hall

Enriques Journey: Traumas Immigrant Children Bring to the

Classroom
One in four children in public schools across the U.S. are now
immigrants or the child of an immigrant. Nearly all immigrant children
have been separated from a parent in the process of coming to the
U.S.
Nazarios presentation will discuss the tremendous traumas many
of these children have faced even before they land in American
classrooms the conditions that pushed them out of their home
countries, the modern-day odyssey many of these children go on to
reach the U.S., and the difficulties they encounter once they settle
into this country and face enormous conflicts with parents who have
become strangers to them.
Nazario will show how critical it is to understand and address these
traumas if immigrant children are to learn through the story of one
boy, Enrique, whose mother leaves him in Honduras when he is just
five years old to go work in the U.S. After not seeing his mother for 11
years, Enrique braves unimaginable hardship and peril to set off on his
own to find her. He makes a harrowing journey clinging to the tops
of freight trains through Mexico. He faces bandits, gangsters, corrupt
cops, and El Tren de la Muerte The Train of Death in his drive to
reach her.
Enriques Journey is a timeless story of families torn apart and hearing
to be together again, of determination, and it is a story of what so
many students have gone through. To report Enriques Journey,
Nazario retraced Enriques steps and spent months clinging to the
tops of freight trains to recount his story. She will talk about Enriques
experience, her experience, and the most effective strategies
educators can use to help these immigrant children learn.
9:45 am 10:00 am

BREAK
Sonia Nazario Book Signing

20

Exhibit Hall

10:00 am 11:30 am

Sonia Nazario

Coral Ballroom B

#70 The Trauma of the Journey

Sonia Nazario will talk about the traumas immigrant and refugee
children have faced in their home countries, on their journeys north,
and once they arrive and live in the U.S., and what specific things
educators must do to help these children [immigrant children or
the children of immigrants will soon be 30% of the K-12 school
population] get past these traumas so they can focus on their learning
and progress
10:00 am 11:30 am

Dorina Sackman

Coral Ballroom C

#48 Brain Based Research for the Bilingual Brain: Tips, Talks
and Techniques for Increased Learning Gains!
Teachers are brilliant. There I said it. We are so awesome; we are
instrumental in improving a newer science: educational neuroscience.
See neuroscientists arent the only researchers fascinated by the
complex makeup of our childrens brains. Teachers have entered
the world of brain based research to better comprehend how our
kids learn. In this session, educators and lovers of how people tick
will be enlightened as to how the structure of the brain and all
its components can greatly influence how we teach and lead out
students to success. Are you ready to have your mind blown? Are you
ready to take your creative teaching to another level? Well, come join
methat is, if you B.E.L.I.E.V.E.!!

Wednesday (November 11, 2015)

SCHEDULE
10:00 am 11:30 am

Miriam Burt

10:00 am 11:30 am 1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Coral Ballroom D

#74 Developing Adult Immigrants Reading, Financial

Literacy, and Web Navigation Skills
Adult immigrants and others with limited English literacy often
find themselves prey to scams that confuse them at best and drain
their bank accounts at worst. This bring-your-own-device session
introduces an online resource for teaching financial literacy content
while promoting development of reading and web navigation skills.
Presenter demonstrate the resources features including lesson
plans with differentiation for beginning and intermediate and levels;
participants explore the resource and discuss using the plans in their
instructional contexts.
10:00 am 11:30 am

Tammy King

Coral Ballroom E

#76 Four Common Classroom Practices: Improving ELL

Instruction across all Classrooms
In this session, ESL, literacy, and content teachers will learn how
to improve and coordinate instruction for ELLs using a common
language and common practices. Participants will receive templates
and suggestions to initiate collaboration among all teachers who
teach their ELL students. They will learn effective strategies within four
essential ELL teaching practices: using big ideas to plan instruction,
developing comprehensive vocabulary activities, activating and
building prior knowledge, and implementing student interaction.
10:00 am 11:30 am

Jessie Myles

Oakdale Ballroom 1

#78 REPEAT SESSION

School Culture and Emotional Safety
This interactive workshop will focus on strategies educators can use
to create a positive and emotionally safe school climate for all of
their students. To take advantage of the unique benefits of a diverse
school, educators must create an environment where all students
feel respected and valued, and parents of all backgrounds become
active partners. This workshop will assist participants in answering the
question of whether their school is emotionally safe.

Dr. Joanne Knapp-Philo

Oakdale Ballroom 2

# 55 A Planned Language Approach: Supporting Dual

Language Learners with Key Systems and Educational
Strategies
To support Dual Language Learners (DLLs) in reaching their full
potential it is essential that early childhood programs understand who
DLLs are, what the research tells us helps them to thrive, and how to
implement proven teaching strategies and how to assure that early
childhood organizations are designed and equipped to fully engage
DLLs and their families and set them on the path to academic success.
This practical session will engage participants in considering specific
strategies that support DLLS, implementing key teaching strategies,
and developing systems of support at the program or district level
which ensure these strategies are used and being effective.
10:00 am 11:30 am

Required Meeting for District

Corrective Action Session

Oakdale Ballroom 3

10:00 am 11:30 am

Judy OLoughlin

Oakdale Ballroom 4

#81 Persuasion and Argument: New Focus in Writing

Instruction in the Common Core
With the introduction of the Common Core State Standards, ESL
teachers are faced with new challenges for curriculum development
and lesson planning. For ELLs, with limited academic language skills
in English, the challenges of new standards is daunting. Writing from
sources, providing evidence, and focusing on argument, rather than
narrative summaries or compare/contrast essays will take carefully
crafted instruction. The presenter introduces how to write persuasively
using picture book models to introduce argument in text. She walks
participants through the steps from analyzing argument to drafting
and creating persuasive responses. Suggested model picture books for
writing argument are shared.

21

Wednesday (November 11, 2015)

SCHEDULE
10:00 am 11:30 am

Justin Hewett

10:00 am 11:30 am

Oakdale Ballroom 5

#46 REPEAT SESSION

How to Use Imagine Learning to Accelerate English
Acquisition
Come see why Imagine Learning is serving over 7500 English
learning students in Iowa through partnerships with 8 of the 9 AEAs.
We provide native language support in 15 languages to accelerate
language development and help students transition to full activity
in the classroom. Imagine Learning uses videogame-like graphics,
activities, and songs to engage students at a high level and then
provides them with an environment where they can be successful and
build their confidence. Each student receives their own individualized
instructional path that adapts throughout the school year. Student
progress, writings, and recordings are available to teachers and
administrators through the dynamic teacher tools built into Imagine
Learning. Come check it out!
10:00 am 11:30 am

Tom Deeter

Benson Room Upper Level

This session will review the requirements for Title III AMAO
accountability, clarify the methodology used to calculate results of the
AMAOs, and provide statewide summary of results. Districts will be
able to inquire about their own local results.
10:00 am 11:30 am

Borlaug Room Upper Level

10:00 am 11:30 am

Carol Kane

Chapman Room Upper Level

#3 Word Warm-ups: Quick Exercises for Word Mastery

The Word Warm-ups program combines the three research-based
strategies of teacher modeling, repeated reading and progress
monitoring to support reading development. Participants will
learn how to utilize these three effective strategies in the quick,
timed, independent, supplemental curriculum which supports the
development of phonemic awareness, phonics and automaticity in
applying decoding skills, which impact fluency, comprehension and
overall reading achievement. Attendees will view the program steps
and participate.

22

Clark Room Upper Level

#29 Pre-literate Learners in the Adult ESL Classroom

Adult students of English as a second language come to the
classroom with a wide range of previous education and literacy skills.
Those who come to the classroom with little or no exposure to literacy
in any language present a unique challenge for the ESL teacher. This
workshop will define ranges of literacy, such as non-literate, preliterate, and semi-literate, and what this means in the classroom. We
will then take a glimpse into the student experience of non-literate
and pre-literate learners, especially refugees, as well as a background
on the principles that guide teaching and learning when working
with these students. The workshop will conclude with demonstration
and practice of strategies and activities to help non-literate and preliterate learners build on their strong oral language skills and develop
beginning literacy skills in English.
10:00 am 11:30 am

Un-Conference

#21 Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives:

2015 Iowa Results

Un-Conference

Sarah Keller & Caryn Kelly

Slater Room Upper Level

10:00am 11:30 am

LaDonna Wicklund

Wallace Room Upper Level

#5 A Literacy Boost through Joyous Songs

Pre-K, Head Start, kindergarten, and ELL teachers will love this
presentation on a joyous song-based intervention that helps all
children (but especially at-risk and ELL children) learn essential early
literacy skills. Discover singing and dancing strategies that teach
children the foundations of reading and writing including sight
word introduction and print concepts. Learn the theory through
interactive activities. See the research. Learn ways to engage parents
in supporting their children at home. Participants will receive copies of
the songs so that they can immediately use the strategies to boost the
children in their care in language and reading and writing.
10:00 am 11:30 am

Corinne Stanley &

Julia Oliver Rajan

Wood Room Upper Level

#9 Identity and Heritage: How to Form a Latina Conversacion

Circle
Sandra Guzman states, Every Latina needs to surround herself with
a tight-knit group of like-minded women. A Latina Conversation
Circle reaches back into the Aztec times of a talking circle and
encourages Latina women to bond and avoid a sense of isolation in
work and school. Offering specific guidelines for forming the Latina
Circle, Corinne Stanley and Julia Oliver Rajan will discuss a Latina
Conversation Circle at the University of Iowa which uses books and
films as a platform to address bi-cultural themes while improving
Heritage Spanish skills.

Wednesday (November 11, 2015)

SCHEDULE
10:00 am 11:30 am

Marcela Hermosillo,
& Kenia Calderon

10:00 am 11:30 am

Wilson Room Upper Level

#35 Beating the Odds: Increasing the Number of

Underrepresented Students Who Complete an Education
Beyond High School
Students career interests are influenced by outcome expectation
and self-efficacy (Bandura). Underrepresented students often have
barriers related to their socioeconomic status, gender, ethnicity that
may construct a negative outcome limit their future expectations and
behaviors. In this interactive session, participants will be exposed to
primary and secondary sources of data regarding the barriers students
face with their career planning and educational plans beyond high
school. At the end of this session, participants will be provided with
resources to assist them with the barriers underrepresented students
usually face as they explore an education beyond high school.
10:00 am 11:30 am

Terri Hansen-Blair

Van Allen Room Upper Leve

#11 Introduction to Real Colors

Un-Conference

Kirkwood Room Upper Level

11:30 am 11:45 am

BREAK

Exhibit Hall

Sonia Nazario Book Signing

11:45 am 12:45 pm

LUNCH BREAK

Exhibit Hall

AWARDS & KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Clemencia Spizzirri
Teaching Leadership Mindset
How through seeing ourselves as leaders we can advocate for
culturally or linguistically diverse students and their families to
become part of the culture of achievement.
12:45 pm 1:00 pm

BREAK

Exhibit Hall

Real Colors is a dynamic workshop experience providing participants

with the skills to:
understand human behavior
uncover motivators specific to each temperament
improve communication with others
The basis of this introductory workshop is the Real Colors Personality
Instrument: a user-friendly, intuitive tool that identifies four personality
types common to all people Gold, Green, Blue, and Orange.
In this Introduction to Real Colors workshop, participants will:
gain an understanding of the four colors (each corresponding to a
personality type)
discover where they fall as an individual on the Real Colors
spectrum
learn to recognize characteristics of each of the four colors
discuss with fellow workshop participants what its like to be each
color
From the very beginning, participants begin to see the world from a
new perspectiveand have fun doing it!
Interested participants will have the opportunity to sign up for the
Fundamentals workshop, which is the foundation for advanced
workshops designed to address common organizational topics such
as stress, workplace issues, teams, and leadership.

23

Wednesday (November 11, 2015)

SCHEDULE
1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Dr. Luis Cruz

1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Coral Ballroom A

#68 Learn How School Communities Infuse Characteristics

Associated With a PLC
Learn how school communities infuse characteristics associated
with a PLC to produce learning for its English Language Learner
population. This breakout will detail the components of a PLC that
teacher leaders utilize to help close the achievement gap for students
learning English as a second language. Discover how leadership in the
form of a task force that simultaneously re-cultures and re-structures
while introducing best practices, enhances learning for all students
including students learning English as a second language.

Tammy King

Coral Ballroom E

#76 REPEAT SESSION

Four Common Classroom Practices: Improving ELL
Instruction across all Classrooms
In this session, ESL, literacy, and content teachers will learn how
to improve and coordinate instruction for ELLs using a common
language and common practices. Participants will receive templates
and suggestions to initiate collaboration among all teachers who
teach their ELL students. They will learn effective strategies within four
essential ELL teaching practices: using big ideas to plan instruction,
developing comprehensive vocabulary activities, activating and
building prior knowledge, and implementing student interaction.

1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Clemencia Spizzirri

Coral Ballroom B

Dr. Shelley Fairbairn

#64 The Teacher of the Future

In this session educators will reflect upon their current roles,
challenges and what the future in education will look like in regards
of culturally relevant teaching to improve academic achievement.
Educators will share in groups their reflections based upon some
questions to consider, and will walk out of this session with some
insights about their roles as educator to lead students to experience
academic success, develop and maintain cultural competence and
develop critical consciousness.
1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Dorina Sackman

Coral Ballroom C

#73 B.E.L.I.E.V.E.! in The Writing Recipe: Foolproof Writing

Strategies for the English Learner!
Remember the days when your favorite recipes were written on
index cards? Well, students can do the same with their prized pieces
of writing! Come and see how this interactive, hands-on DI driven
activity empowers any English Learner to create quality essays that
grow with their language acquisition. Its time to make writing a
delicious experience! A sample of the Writing Recipe in action can be
seen on the Teaching Channel here: https://www.teachingchannel.
org/videos/ell-essay-structure-lesson
1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Miriam Burt

Coral Ballroom D

#75 Preparing English Learners for High School Equivalency

Exams
Adult English learners may struggle with the language, content, and
cultural information needed to pass high school equivalency exams.
In this workshop, participants try out collaborative tasks using highschool equivalency content and identify the language skills required
for developing content and cultural knowledge while also building
problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

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1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Oakdale Ballroom 1

#25 Accurate Analysis of English Learner Data: Applying the

EL Lens
Many researchers agree that English learners (ELs) content test scores
may not provide an accurate picture of what these students know
and can do (e.g., Abedi & Gandara, 2006; Menken, 2000). As such, a
broad range of data on these students must be analyzed through an
EL Lens in order to more precisely understand ELs levels of academic
achievement. In this workshop, the presenter describes steps to
develop this EL Lens and then enumerates non-traditional data
sources that must inform an understanding of EL content learning.
EL and non-EL interpretations of these sources of data are discussed,
with attention to the implications of these data for ELs. Finally, the
presenter will provide the opportunity to consider a specific student
in this EL-specific data analysis process.
1:00 pm 2:30 pm 10:00 am 11:30 am

Dr. Joanne Knapp-Philo and Tom Rendon Oakdale Ballroom 2

SESSION #4
#56 Transitioning From Preschool to Kindergarten:
Issues For Dual Language Learners
Lets have a conversation What do preschool staff want
kindergarten teachers to know? What do kindergarten teachers need
children to be prepared for when they enter? How can we join to
assure childrens success?
Preschool staff and Kindergarten staff from the audience will discuss
ways they can ensure the children who are Dual Language Learners
thrive in preschool and are ready for school when they enter
kindergarten. Staff from both groups should attend to share your
goals and strategies with children who are DLLs and discuss unique
ways that you can best work together to achieve the shared goal
that DLLs thrive in preschool, continue to learn their home language
and English, and make steady progress as they move up through the
grades.

Wednesday (November 11, 2015)

SCHEDULE
1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Heather Langenfeld and Scott Moran

1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Oakdale Ballroom 3

Arif Bakla

Benson Room Upper Level

#60 Using a Multi-Faceted Approach to Closing the

Achievement Gap for ELs

#37 Interactive Videos in Language Education: An New

Gadget in Your Toolbox

The Denison Community School District was the recipient of one

of the ELL Literacy Grants awarded from the Iowa Department of
Education last fall. They will walk you through their journey of how this
process has lead to closing the achievement gap for EL students in
their district. The areas of focus will be engaging building and district
leadership, family and community connections, developing a climate
and culture for learning, building a Multi-Tiered System of Supports,
and effective professional development practices.

The use of videos in education has a long history, and there are a
number of ways that they can be used in teaching and learning
languages. Digital developments now add to this versatility in
language instruction. This study discusses affordances of adding
interactivity to video lectures or any video that can be used in the
classroom for a variety of purposes. The presenter also looks at how
to make videos interactive and reviews major tools that can be
used to add interactivity to videos on YouTube or similar platforms
with respect to various criteria, such as the amount of interactivity
provided, user-friendliness, cost and so forth.

1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Dr. Lindsey Leacox

Oakdale Ballroom 4

#61 Crossing the Bridge from Home-to-School Languages:

Vocabulary Instruction for ELLs
Dr. Leacox is a bilingual speech language pathologist and assistant
professor at the University of Northern Iowa. She will be presenting
an in-depth review of the literature on vocabulary and word learning
instruction for English language learners (ELLs). Instructional practices
will include home-to-school language bridging, such as cognates and
technology use. Critical elements of vocabulary interventions will be
reviewed for populations at-risk for language and literacy barriers.
1:00 Pm 2:30 pm

Nilda Aguirre

Oakdale Ballroom # 5

1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Carol Kane
#2 Vocabulary: Aim High

A well-developed vocabulary is essential for reading success!

Students differ greatly in the rate at which they learn language, and
reading comprehension becomes more challenging for students
who lack adequate word knowledge. In this presentation, attendees
will experience effective, research-based strategies to accelerate
vocabulary development, align with Common Core Standards, and
provide appropriate instruction and intervention that can be used
with their current curriculum.
1:00 pm 4:00 pm

#82 Jazz Up Your Class: Six Thinking Hats

IRRC

The six hats represent six modes of thinking and are directions to think
rather than labels for thinking. That is, the hats are used proactively
rather than reactively.

Closed Meeting

The method promotes fuller input from more people. In de Bonos

words it separates ego from performance. Everyone is able to
contribute to the exploration without denting egos as they are just
using the yellow hat or whatever hat. The six hats system encourages
performance rather than ego defense. People can contribute under
any hat even though they initially support the opposite view.

Cindra Porter

The key point is that a hat is a direction to think rather than a label for
thinking. The key theoretical reasons to use the Six Thinking Hats are
to:
encourage Parallel Thinking
encourage full-spectrum thinking
separate ego from performance

Borlaug Room Upper Level

Chapman Room Upper Level

1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Clark Room Upper Level

#36 Implementing MTSS with English Learners

English Learners (ELs) have historically been disproportionately
remediated for intervention or special education services. We know
that some ELs require extra support to be academically successful, but
the biggest challenge facing educators is knowing when a student
is struggling academically due to natural language development or
alternative factors. This session will provide guidance on essential
considerations required prior to intervention or problem solving
referral. Guiding documents also will be provided to help educators
initiate discussions with their colleagues; to encourage collaboration
and communication that will inform services for ELs across all school
settings. Issues associated with FAST assessments connected to Iowas
Ch. 62 legislation will also be addressed in the discussion. While this
session targets the elementary setting, MTSS session topics apply to
K-12 EL support.

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Wednesday (November 11, 2015)

SCHEDULE
1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Caryn Kelly, Fatuma Aynab,

Tika Bhandhar, & Rejina Kiir

1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Slater Room Upper Level

#34 Understanding the Learning Needs of Adult Refugees

Refugee adults come to our classes with diverse educational
backgrounds, learning needs, and long-term goals. In this session,
hear from former students from Congo, Somalia, Sudan, and Bhutan,
as they share what works for adults learning English. Explore the steps
you as teachers can take in your classroom to encourage student
success.

Amy Rojas & Tori Albright

Wilson Room Upper Level

#17 Putting it All Together: SLA, Kagan, SIOP

Come and strengthen your knowledge of second language
acquisition and how to support your students at each level of
language development. Participants will hear the latest research
on how the brain acquires a second language, engage in learning
strategies to aid language acquisition at all levels, and leave with new
items in their toolbox to implement tomorrow in their own classroom.
1:00 pm 2:30 pm

1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Un-Conference

Un-Conference

1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Tony Morrow

1:00 pm 2:30 pm

Wood Room Upper Level

#7 Engaging Students in Deep Practice with Creative

Problem Solving
Practice sessions, like everything else, occur along a broad spectrum of
effectiveness. Well discuss how to design practice where everything
clicks; everyone is engaged and working productively. In sports,
greatness comes from practice. At school, educators must fill students
heads with more rigorous math, earlier and have very little time
to lock in the skills with practice. Well discuss how students retain
what theyre taught in class through DEEP PRACTICE in procedural
fluency with no load on teacher time in the grit building Iowa Online
Math Competition based on the 24game. Students have access to
K-8 content; enter at their own level in different areas of math and
improve problem solving and higher-order thinking skills as they
explore, experiment and persevere! Regarding ELLs, most activities
are numerical but there are many that involve words related only to
subject areas with comparisons to build vocabulary including time,
money and measurement. Free First in Math teams for participants
through July, 2016!

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Van Allen Room Upper Level

Wallace Room Upper Level

Un-Conference

Kirkwood Room Upper Level