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«Back to all edWebinarsMultilingual Perspectives on Structured Literacy: What Multilingual Learners Need to Succeed
Tuesday, March 25, 2025 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT
Presented by Dr. Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan, President, Valley Speech Language and Learning Center; Dr. Alexandra Babino, Associate Professor, Texas Women’s University; Renae Skarin, Senior Advisor, Content, English Learners Success Forum; and Maya Valencia Goodall, Chief Strategy Officer, CORE Learning
Co-hosted by CORE Learning and The Reading League
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Multilingual Learners bring valuable language skills to the classroom, but not all literacy instruction is designed with them in mind. Some educators question whether Structured Literacy—a systematic, explicit approach to teaching reading—supports language development for students learning more than one language. Others have seen how it can be adapted to build strong literacy skills while honoring multilingualism.
This first edWebinar of the Structured Literacy for Every Learner Summit will explore what Structured Literacy looks like when implemented with Multilingual Learners in mind. Panelists will discuss how explicit reading instruction can work alongside language development, ensuring students gain strong literacy skills without losing their linguistic identities. With a special focus on Spanish-speaking students, the conversation will highlight ways to make Structured Literacy both effective and affirming. Attendees will learn:
- How Structured Literacy can support reading development in more than one language
- Ways to adapt instruction to leverage Multilingual Learners’ language strengths
- How to ensure literacy instruction values and integrates students’ home languages
This session is designed for K-12 educators, administrators, and advocates committed to ensuring Multilingual Learners receive high-quality literacy instruction that supports both their reading development and their linguistic identity. There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation.
This edWebinar is part of the Structured Literacy for Every Learner Summit.
About the Presenters
Dr. Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan is a bilingual speech and language pathologist, celebrated for her innovative work in language and literacy education. As the founder and President of the Valley Speech Language and Learning Center in Brownsville, Texas, and a collaborator with the University of Houston, she specializes in creating transformative assessments and interventions for English learners. Dr. Cárdenas-Hagan’s expertise in dyslexia therapy and academic language therapy underpins her approach to evidence-based instruction. Her dedication is not just to teach but to empower, ensuring that every student, regardless of linguistic background, achieves academic success. Her leadership and vision continue to inspire and shape the future of educational excellence.
Dr. Alexandra (Ale) Babino is an Associate Professor and the Director of the Multilingual and Multicultural Studies Master’s program at Texas Woman’s University. Her experiences as a second-generation Mexican American and classroom bilingual teacher, curriculum writer, facilitator, and specialist deeply inform her work as a teacher-researcher. Over the last 18 years, Dr. Babino has received multiple awards for her teaching and research in bilingual education. She is particularly interested in how power, systems, and languaging (re)form the identities and biliteracies of emergent bilinguals and their teachers.
Renae Skarin has nearly 30 years of experience supporting English learners and minoritized communities through research, advocacy, and program development. She is the Senior Advisor for Content at the English Learners Success Forum (ELSF), leading research on high-quality instructional materials for multilingual learners. Previously, she was an associate researcher at Stanford’s Understanding Language. She holds an M.A. in second language studies from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and pursued doctoral studies in educational linguistics at Stanford.
As Chief Strategy Officer, Maya Valencia Goodall ensures that the vision and mission of CORE Learning’s products are based on scientific pedagogy, applied linguistics, and asset mindset. Maya has over two decades of experience in educational publishing and educational technology. Prior to joining CORE, she developed products for Multilingual Learners at Lexia and Lingual Learning, a company she co-founded and sold to Rosetta Stone. Maya began her career as a classroom teacher, both nationally and internationally, teaching in both English and Spanish. Her expertise is found at the intersection of theory, LX design, and practical use in the classroom.
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For 25+ years, CORE has pioneered evidence-based and research-grounded professional learning experiences and school supports that equip educators with the tools they need to advance rigorous instruction, high-quality materials, and effective assessments. CORE partners with educators to strengthen the foundations of teaching and learning, ensuring all students experience a rigorous, relevant, and inclusive public education.
The Reading League is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the awareness, understanding, and use of evidence-aligned reading instruction. Their mission is to ensure all educators employ practices rooted in the science of reading, leading to successful literacy outcomes for every student. Committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, The Reading League offers resources such as professional development partnerships, an annual conference, a peer-reviewed journal, and various educational materials. By fostering collaboration among educators, researchers, and policymakers, they strive to transform reading education and empower all learners.
