Putting It All Into Practice: Making the Shift to Accelerate Language and Literacy

Presented by Kelly Forbes, President of the Oklahoma Association for Bilingual Education; Lynmara Colón, Ph.D., Director of Student Opportunity and Multilingual Services, Prince William County Public Schools (VA); Dr. Karen Henery, Director for ESOL/Multilingual Services, Little Rock School District (AR); and Jennifer Hernandez, Emergent Bilingual Solution Account Executive, Lexia Learning

Sponsored by Lexia Learning as part of Emergent Bilingual Week October 17-21. Learn more.

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There is a national shift occurring in classrooms—students’ languages and cultures are being seen as the assets they are. But educators also know that a culturally responsive classroom alone is not enough to help all students succeed.

As Emergent Bilingual Week wraps up, this closing session discusses how to maintain momentum around equity initiatives for Emergent Bilingual students.

Jennifer Hernandez hosts educational leaders from across the nation to explore what educators can do to accelerate both language and literacy acquisition for their Emergent Bilingual students. From the need for differentiated instruction to developing and promoting intrinsic motivation, these education experts dive into what “getting out of the norm” looks like and discuss how to best support Emergent Bilingual students’ academic and linguistic needs.

This edWebinar is of interest to K-6 teachers, ELL/ESOL specialists, school and district leaders, and education technology leaders.

This edWebinar is part of Emergent Bilingual Week: Accelerate Language, Accelerate Literacy.

This five-day event, October 17th – October 21st, consists of a series of webinars that explore important aspects of supporting emergent bilingual students, including the acceleration of English language learning, the role of oral language in literacy instruction, language learning efficacy and research, how educators can leverage artificial intelligence to support Emergent Bilingual students, and much more! Register for the Week.

About the Presenters

Kelly Forbes went from being a Royal Caribbean Singer and Dancer to a Newcomer Teacher teaching 6th through 12th grade newcomer students who represented 7 countries and spoke 8 different languages. His students taught him the value of cultural interconnectivity and the richness of our identities. From there, Forbes has served in a variety of capacities including Instructional Coach, Assistant Principal, Dual Language Head Principal, Director of ESSER, and Director of Dual Language PK-12 Education. Kelly now holds a current Superintendent certification and serves as the Lead Educational Consultant for Kelly B’s Consulting, which provides educational services to support districts and schools in closing opportunity gaps specifically supporting the emergent bilingual population. In 2014 he presented his research and findings at the University Council of Educational Administration in Washington, D.C.

Forbes serves as the current President of the Oklahoma Association for Bilingual Education and serves on the Board of Directors for Palomar which is the 1st Family Justice Center in Oklahoma. He is the recipient of the 2016 Global Citizen in Public Education Award from the World Experiences Foundation, and the 2011 Rising Star Award from the Multicultural Institute at University of Central Oklahoma. Forbes is a current doctoral candidate at Southern Nazarene University researching the role that cultural proficiency plays in providing an equitable education for all students, and he believes that it is through our diversity that we find unity.

Lynmara Colón, Ph.D. is a dynamic leader committed to student learning and growth. She is passionate about technology, access, and equity for all students, and was named in the NSBA 20 to Watch for Innovative Practices. As a former teacher, assistant principal, and principal, Dr. Colón is focused on building healthy cultures by leading with a Disney mentality where all stakeholders are welcomed. She serves as the Director of English Learning Programs and Services in a school division serving over 20,000 English learners representing 140 languages. She is the co-author of Empower Our Girls: Opening the Door for Girls to Achieve More.

Dr. Karen Henery started her career in education in Ontario, Canada working in a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic school district. She taught English learners in grades 6 – 8 who came from very diverse language backgrounds. Today, she works extensively with classroom teachers and building administrators, ensuring delivery of high-quality instruction for English learners. She also works at the district level through the Curriculum and Instruction Department and district leadership on programming and services for ELs and their families.

Dr. Henery holds a doctorate in educational administration, M.Ed., B.A., and B.Ed. Additional certification includes the ESL Endorsement, District Administrator, High School Principal, and certification in Life Science and General Science (7-12). She is a certified Praxis III Assessor and SIOP facilitator. Dr. Henery has provided professional development workshops for K-12 educators nationally, at the state level, and at the district level. She has served as an adjunct professor through Arkansas Tech University teaching an ESOL graduate-level class.

Jennifer Hernandez is an ardent supporter of emergent bilingual students and their families. She is a first-generation Salvadorean immigrant daughter and an emergent bilingual student herself. Her current research focuses on emerging bilinguals as educational leaders in the Pacific Northwest while she completes her doctorate in educational leadership. Jennifer has worked in the field of education for 22 years, supporting dual language and ELD programs. She was the multilingual education director for a large district in Oregon before joining Lexia. She has held positions as a building administrator, migrant education specialist at the state level, and assistant director for the ESL department in Oregon’s largest urban district. She has also served the Washington Association for Bilingual Education as board president and board member for Pacific University Council for Equity.

Learn more about viewing the live presentation and the recording, earning your CE certificate, and using our new accessibility features.

Join the Supporting Emergent Bilingual Students community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edWebinars, and view recordings of previous programs to earn CE certificates.

Lexia® Learning, a Cambium® company, is one of the most impactful and highly respected reading-technology companies in the world. Founded over 35 years ago, Lexia’s research-proven programs help educators deliver personalized reading and language instruction for millions of K–12 students across the world.