TEAL - Strategies to Support Multilingual Learners

Event is FULL - Currently not accepting registrations

FULL - Keynote- Literacy Supports for Multilingual Learners: Best Practices, Informed Choices

Research confirms that multilingual learners make the greatest academic progress when they are integrated into mainstream classrooms with English-speaking peers. However, integration can spiral into a ‘sink or swim’ situation, particularly when instructional planning targets curriculum outcomes written for English speakers, not English learners. The good news is that with the right kind of support – utilizing strategies that weave language learning into content learning – multilingual learners can succeed when integrated with grade level English-speaking peers.
By selecting specific strategies that target subject area vocabulary, comprehension levels, and engagement with learning tasks, teachers can create scaffolded experiences that allow language learners to participate more fully in classroom learning. Studies have found that struggling learners, particularly those with literacy challenges, also benefit from strategies used with multilingual learners. The key is to make informed choices based on current research and best practices, so that all students can benefit academically.
Note: This presentation will focus on academic strategies that target elementary/high school multilingual learners who are beyond Stage 1 (A1) on the language scale.

Presenter: Nadia Prokopchuk , B. Ed., M. Ed.
Academic Advisor and Program Specialist, English as an Additional Language (EAL) Education, College of Education, University of Saskatchewan. Email nadia.prokopchuk@usask.ca

Nadia began her career as a K-12 teacher in the Ukrainian-English bilingual program in Saskatoon. As the first bilingual education teacher in the province, Nadia’s teaching role expanded to on-site curriculum development for the provincial Ministry of Education. Following several years of classroom teaching, curriculum writing, and senior administrative roles with the Saskatoon Catholic School Division, Nadia became a provincial language consultant and Program Manager for EAL and Languages with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education, a role which she maintained until 2016. Nadia then accepted a new challenge at the College of Education focused on creating a post-degree certificate program for K-12 EAL teacher-specialists. Nadia has written several courses for the program and continues to deliver these courses at the university. Her most recent publication is an open educational text titled Language Learning in K-12 Schools: Theories, Methodologies, and Best Practices (2022).

Location: Fort Richmond Collegiate

Time: 9:00 am - 10:15 am

FULL - AM 1: Planning for Instruction with the EAL Student Specific Plans

This session will provide information regarding the implementation of the Provincial EAL SSPs. The facilitators will provide insights on how to use both content curriculum documents as well as EAL curriculum documents to plan instruction and assessment.

Presenters: Subbalakshmi “Kala” Kailasanathan & Rebecca Perlmutter

Subbalakshmi “Kala” Kailasanathan is in a support position at the Winnipeg School Division. Part of her job responsibilities include supporting schools in the Division with programming for the growing EAL and LAL populations

Rebecca Perlmutter has been an EAL teacher within the Winnipeg School Division for decades. She began her career teaching junior high English and continued as an EAL and Resource teacher throughout the division

Location: Fort Richmond Collegiate

Time: 10:30 am - 11:30 am

Targent audience: Early years level, middle years level , Senior years level

FULL - AM 2: Social and Emotional Learning to Increase Students' Intercultural and Diversity Understanding

Title: Social and Emotional Learning to Increase Newcomer and Canadian-born Students' Intercultural and Diversity Understanding in K-8 Classrooms

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is a term which encompasses the learning of many important life skills such as self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, communication, and other interpersonal skills. SEL can be used to support all students in their understanding and interactions with people of diverse backgrounds and identities. This session will present strategies to intentionally infuse the learning of SEL into daily classroom routines and activities with both newcomer students and their Canadian-born peers, so they can all understand the diverse people living here and how to work with one another.

Presenter: Rachael Fecyk- Lamb

Rachael Fecyk-Lamb instructs in the University of Manitoba’s Bachelor of Education and Post Baccalaureate in Education programs. She has been teaching English as an additional language for over 25 years in Canada, England, Pakistan and Spain. Rachael has developed a variety of curricula for adult EAL, K-12 EAL and TEAL teacher education courses and programs, and she has experience teaching all ages and proficiency levels of English. Rachael’s professional and research interests include EAL students learning in mainstream classes, anti-racism education, social and emotional learning, and literacy education

Location: Fort Richmond Collegiate

Time: 10:30 am - 11:30 am

Target audience Early years level, Middle years level

FULL - AM 3: Strategies to Develop Learners’ Listening and Speaking Skills in the EAL Classroom

This practical session will include a variety of effective routines, activities, and resources teachers can use to support the development of English speaking skills, with a focus on Stages 1 & 2 language learners. The focus will be on both conversational and academic structures that are engaging and useful to students. Participants will try some of the strategies during this session.

Presenter: Andrea Wilson

Andrea Wilson has taught language learners for over 20 years in Canada and Thailand. She currently teaches high school EAL classes in the Seven Oaks School Division and has recently participated in provincial committees to develop EAL support documents. She enjoys the challenge of working with diverse learners and is inspired by her students’ resilience.

Location: Fort Richmond Collegiate

Time: 10:30 am - 11:30 am

Target audience Middle years level, Senior years level

FULL - AM 4: Trauma in the Classroom: Strategies & Interventions

Chronic exposure to multiple childhood experiences (ACEs) has a traumatizing impact on the trajectory of brain development. As a result, students with trauma can display a spectrum of problem behaviours, such as poor impulse control, negative thinking, attention difficulties, poor emotional regulation, learning difficulties, and aggression to self and others. Evidence-based strategies that target these areas of need will be presented. Because there is a cost to caring, stress-management tips for school staff will also be discussed. Teachers will walk away with useful strategies they can use in their classrooms when working with students experiencing loss, grief, and trauma.

Presenter: Dr. Maria Phelps

Dr. Maria Phelps has been a psychologist with the St. James Assiniboia School Division Educational Support Services for 15 years. She serves on the divisional Mental Health Promotion, Staying Well, and Violence/ Threat Risk Assessment committees. She is a member of the Multi-year Teachers’ Idea Fund project entitled, “Circle of Courage and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy: Enhancing Resilience.” She likes dogs and Bloody Caesars!

Location: Fort Richmond Collegiate

Time: 10:30 am - 11:30 am

Target audience: Early years level, middle years level , Senior years level

FULL - AM 5: EAL Cafe for MY & SY Teachers

This session is an opportunity for teachers to share ideas, ask questions and network with other educators who are working with English language learners. It can be an ideal place to gather ideas if you are new to teaching EAL, or are experienced and interested in hearing about the realities in other classrooms. Participants will be asked to sit with peers who are teaching students at the same level. Please come with questions to discuss. For this timeslot, we invite teachers in the middle years and senior years streams.

Presenter: Mojgan Asili

Mojgan Asili is an EAL teacher at Fort Richmond Collegiate, Pembina Trails School Division. She has many years of experience as a classroom teacher, EAL advisor, International Student teacher liaison, EAL adult instructor and elementary resource teacher. Mojgan shows great potential in supporting newcomer students and their families.

Location: Fort Richmond Collegiate

Time: 10:30 am - 11:30 am

Target audience Middle years level, Senior years level

FULL - PM 1: Effective Classroom Support for Displaced Learners from Ukraine

What does it feel like to be displaced from one’s home, school, family, and friends? What kind of trauma remains within children after an overnight invasion of one’s country? The published diary of 12-year old Yeva Skalietska, titled You Don’t Know What War Is, will be the catalyst for a discussion focused on the academic, social, and psychological needs of displaced Ukrainian children in Canadian schools. Teachers in this session will have an opportunity to share their classroom experiences with newcomer students from Ukraine. The role of first language and culture will be highlighted as important elements of each student’s healing journey and continued academic growth in a new environment.

Presenter: Nadia Prokopchuk

Nadia Prokopchuk is an Academic Advisor and Program Specialist for English as an Additional Language (EAL) Education at the University of Saskatchewan. As well, while at the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education, she was the principal author or co-developer of over twenty documents for Ukrainian bilingual education, immigration and EAL Education. She has also been a course instructor for teachers in Ukraine.

Location: Fort Richmond Collegiate

Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Target audience: Early years level, middle years level , Senior years level

FULL - PM 2: Navigating Two Worlds

Rawia Azzahrawi, Dannah Aljada, and Kim Hewlett will present on Navigating Two Worlds (the process of adjusting to a new culture and language while still maintaining and preserving the first language). This presentation highlights, through a series of simulations, how kindergarten to grade eight teachers can support multilingual learners in different content areas.

Presenters: Rawia Azzahrawi, Dannah Aljada, and Kim Hewlett

Rawia Azzahrawi is a passionate educator and researcher committed to language education and multiculturalism. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Second Language Education at the University of Manitoba, Rawia's research focuses on translanguaging and language maintenance among Arab students. Her work delves into the intricate relationship between language and identity, specifically exploring how Arab students navigate the preservation of their native language while acquiring a second language.

Dannah Aljada is a motivated high school student with a strong drive for education and community engagement. Beyond her academic pursuits, Dannah is deeply passionate about positively impacting others and actively involving herself locally and internationally. In her efforts to contribute to her community in Canada, Dannah has actively participated in various simulation workshops designed for teachers. These workshops aim to raise awareness about the experiences of new students, helping educators create a more inclusive and supportive learning environment.

Kim Hewlett (Ph.D) has a diverse portfolio of leadership and assessment related to language and literacy and an extensive teaching background of multilingual learners from nursery to post-secondary.

Location: Fort Richmond Collegiate

Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Target audience Early years level, Middle years level

FULL - PM 3: Strategies to Develop Learners’ Reading and Writing Skills in the EAL Classroom

This practical session will include a variety of effective routines, activities, and resources teachers can use to support the development of reading and writing skills. Since they are adaptable to various topics, the teacher can recycle them with new topics, leading to increased student comfort and engagement. Suggestions to make adaptations for a multi-level (Stages 1-3) EAL classroom will be discussed. The target audience for this session is teachers in the Senior Years and Middle Years.

Presenter: Andrea Wilson

Andrea Wilson has taught language learners for over 20 years in Canada and Thailand. She currently teaches high school EAL classes in the Seven Oaks School Division and has recently participated in provincial committees to develop EAL support documents. She enjoys the challenge of working with diverse learners and is inspired by her students’ resilience.

Location: Fort Richmond Collegiate

Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Target audience Middle years level, Senior years level

FULL - PM 4: A Multimodal Approach to Writing Stories for K-12 EAL Students

This presentation will explore incorporating different modes such as visuals, art, music, technology, storytelling, and gestures in writing stories for K-12 EAL students. It will also discuss age and level-appropriate modes in writing stories based on the Manitoba EAL stages. During the presentation, attendees will have an opportunity to do a few activities and share their reflections.

Presenter: Eunhee Buettner

Eunhee Buettner currently teaches academic writing courses designated for EAL students, intercultural communication, and rhetorics of identity courses at the Department of Rhetoric, Writing and Communications at the University of Winnipeg. She taught Introduction to TEAL, Supporting and Teaching Refugee Students, and Multicultural Education courses at the Faculty of Education at the University of Winnipeg before joining the Rhetoric Department. Her research interests are intercultural communication, the impact of language on identity, the benefits of storytelling and journal writing in language education, and multimodality in writing.

Location: Fort Richmond Collegiate

Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Target audience: Early years level, middle years level , Senior years level

FULL - PM 5: EAL Cafe for EY & MY Teachers

This session is an opportunity for teachers to share ideas, ask questions and network with other educators who are working with English language learners. It can be an ideal place to gather information if you are new to teaching EAL, or are experienced and interested in hearing about the realities in other classrooms. Participants will be asked to sit with peers who are teaching students at the same level. Please come with questions to discuss. For this timeslot, we invite teachers in the early years and middle years streams.

Presenters: Daria Orloff & Lori Osterman

Daria Orloff is an EAL Curriculum Support Teacher for Early and Middle Tears and works at the Professional Staff Development Centre in the St. James Assiniboia School Division. Daria has over 20 years of teaching experience at the early year’s level. Teaching and traveling through Asia sparked an interest in the field of EAL, which led to the completion of her M.Ed in Second Language Acquisition.

Lori Ostermann works as an EAL Curriculum Support teacher, focusing on both Early and Middle Years in the St. James Assiniboia School Division. She is part of a team that works toward the positive social, emotional, and academic growth of all EAL learners. Lori also collaborates with teachers in adapting material, instruction, and assessments.

Location: Fort Richmond Collegiate

Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Target audience Early years level, Middle years level

FULL - PM 6: Trauma in the Classroom: Strategies & Interventions

Chronic exposure to multiple childhood experiences (ACEs) has a traumatizing impact on the trajectory of brain development. As a result, students with trauma can display a spectrum of problem behaviours, such as poor impulse control, negative thinking, attention difficulties, poor emotional regulation, learning difficulties, and aggression to self and others. Evidence-based strategies that target these areas of need will be presented. Because there is a cost to caring, stress-management tips for school staff will also be discussed. Teachers will walk away with useful strategies they can use in their classrooms when working with students experiencing loss, grief, and trauma.

Presenter: Dr. Maria Phelps

Dr. Maria Phelps has been a psychologist with the St. James Assiniboia School Division Educational Support Services for 15 years. She serves on the divisional Mental Health Promotion, Staying Well, and Violence/ Threat Risk Assessment committees. She is a member of the Multi-year Teachers’ Idea Fund project entitled, “Circle of Courage and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy: Enhancing Resilience.” She likes dogs and Bloody Caesars!

Location: Fort Richmond Collegiate

Time: 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm

Target audience: Early years level, middle years level , Senior years level

FULL - PM 7: Social and Emotional Learning to Increase Students' Intercultural and Diversity Understanding

Title: Social and Emotional Learning to Increase Newcomer and Canadian-born Students' Intercultural and Diversity Understanding in K-8 Classrooms

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is a term which encompasses the learning of many important life skills such as self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, communication, and other interpersonal skills. SEL can be used to support all students in their understanding and interactions with people of diverse backgrounds and identities. This session will present strategies to intentionally infuse the learning of SEL into daily classroom routines and activities with both newcomer students and their Canadian-born peers, so they can all understand the diverse people living here and how to work with one another.

Presenter: Rachael Fecyk- Lamb

Rachael Fecyk-Lamb instructs in the University of Manitoba’s Bachelor of Education and Post Baccalaureate in Education programs. She has been teaching English as an additional language for over 25 years in Canada, England, Pakistan and Spain. Rachael has developed a variety of curricula for adult EAL, K-12 EAL and TEAL teacher education courses and programs, and she has experience teaching all ages and proficiency levels of English. Rachael’s professional and research interests include EAL students learning in mainstream classes, anti-racism education, social and emotional learning, and literacy education

Location: Fort Richmond Collegiate

Time: 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm

Target audience Early years level, Middle years level

FULL - PM 8: Strategies to Develop Learners’ Listening and Speaking Skills in the EAL Classroom

This practical session will include a variety of effective routines, activities, and resources teachers can use to support the development of English speaking skills, with a focus on Stages 1 & 2 language learners. The focus will be on both conversational and academic structures that are engaging and useful to students. Participants will try some of the strategies during this session.

Presenter: Andrea Wilson

Andrea Wilson has taught language learners for over 20 years in Canada and Thailand. She currently teaches high school EAL classes in the Seven Oaks School Division and has recently participated in provincial committees to develop EAL support documents. She enjoys the challenge of working with diverse learners and is inspired by her students’ resilience.

Location: Fort Richmond Collegiate

Time: 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm

Target audience Middle years level, Senior years level

FULL - PM 9: A Multimodal Approach to Writing Stories for K-12 EAL Students

This presentation will explore incorporating different modes such as visuals, art, music, technology, storytelling, and gestures in writing stories for K-12 EAL students. It will also discuss age and level-appropriate modes in writing stories based on the Manitoba EAL stages. During the presentation, attendees will have an opportunity to do a few activities and share their reflections.

Presenter: Eunhee Buettner

Eunhee Buettner currently teaches academic writing courses designated for EAL students, intercultural communication, and rhetorics of identity courses at the Department of Rhetoric, Writing and Communications at the University of Winnipeg. She taught Introduction to TEAL, Supporting and Teaching Refugee Students, and Multicultural Education courses at the Faculty of Education at the University of Winnipeg before joining the Rhetoric Department. Her research interests are intercultural communication, the impact of language on identity, the benefits of storytelling and journal writing in language education, and multimodality in writing.

Location: Fort Richmond Collegiate

Time: 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm

Target audience: Early years level, middle years level , Senior years level