Come to NJTESOL-NJBE’s 2010 Spring Conference and learn all about 21st Century Learning for ELLs. The focus of the conference will be on incorporating the 21st century themes of technology, globalization, collaboration, and critical thinking skills for ELLs. The Spring Conference will be held at the Garden State Exhibit Center and Doubletree Hotel in Somerset, NJ on May 18th and 19th.

       This year our evening event on Tuesday, May 18th will feature “An Evening with Dr. Allan De Fina.” Dr. De Fina, a favorite NJTESOL-NJBE presenter, will provide the keynote address on De-Romanticizing Our Past Loves: Breaking Up with Literacy Practices for English Language Learners that Don’t Work Out. In this address, he will examine some of those activities that teachers “love” to do that don’t actually work. Practical, hands-on research-based strategies that are easy to implement in classrooms and that actually do work will be presented. Dr. DeFina is the Interim Dean of the Deborah Cannon Partridge Wolfe College of Education at New Jersey City University.

       All scholarship and award winners will be recognized during a delicious dinner celebration prior to Dr. Defina’s address. So we invite you to join us for this special evening. Remember to sign up for “An Evening with Dr. DeFina” in conjunction with the awards celebration when you register.

       Featured speaker Dr. Debbie Zacarian will speak on the challenges teachers of English language learners face when teaching in the content area. She will present strategies to support effective content area instruction for a growing population of ELLs. Zacarian is the co-author, with Judie Haynes, of Teaching English Language Learners Across Content Areas, published by the Association for Supervisors and Curriculum Developers (ASCD). Zacarian is the Director of the Center for English Language Education and Center for Advancing Student Achievement at the Hampshire Collaborative in Massachusetts. She is also the Vice President of the Massachusetts Association of Teachers to Speakers of Other Languages. This featured workshop will appeal to supervisors, mainstream teachers, and content-based ESL teachers. Zacarian will sign copies of her new book at the end of her presentation.

       Karen Nemeth, author of Many Languages, One Classroom (Gryphon House, 2009) is an instructor at William Paterson University. She is also principal consultant with Language Castle LLC. Previously, Nemeth was an Education Program Specialist in the Office of Preschool, NJ Department of Education. She currently serves as a consulting editor and author for the National Association for the Education of Young Learners. Nemeth’s presentation is entitled Got Preschool ELLs? Technology to the Rescue! She will show how technology offers opportunities for teachers to create activities and materials to meet the needs of children with diverse languages and cultural backgrounds. Nemeth will sign copies of her new book at the end of her presentation.

       Dr. Hope Blecher-Sass and Maryellen Moffitt’s featured presentation is entitled See It! Be It! Write It! They will present an instructional method that uses visual and performing arts strategies to prepare students for high-stakes tests. The goal is to help students achieve high scores on standardized tests, and to inspire them to evolve into life-long 21st century writers. Blecher-Sass is the Supervisor of Language Arts, Social Studies and Media for North Plainfield Public School District. Moffitt is the Coordinator of the Gifted and Talented Program for Roselle Public Schools and the Educator Co-Chair for the NJ Association of Gifted Children. Blecher-Sass and Moffitt will sign copies of their new book See It, Be It, Write It: Using the Performing Arts to Improve Writing and Test Scores from Free Spirit Publishing at the end of their workshop.

       Elizabeth “B.J.” Franks and Barbara Tedesco will present What Can You Do with Struggling Learners? The presenters will share a high-quality, research-based framework of interventions that will support your struggling learners and help participants more accurately determine if ELLs are struggling due to the second language acquisition process or because of learning problems. Franks and Tedesco are the co-managers of LLAMAME, LLC. and retired administrators from the Roselle Public Schools. Franks is currently an adjunct professor at both New Jersey City University and Kean University. Tedesco is an instructor as well as the North Jersey Field Coordinator of the NJ EXCEL program. Franks and Tedesco have presented individually and together at numerous local, state, and national levels on topics related to English language learners.

       Judith B. O’Loughlin and Jim Evers will present Building Instructional Partnerships: ESL and Classroom Teachers. This featured presentation addresses how a collaborative teaching model can enhance the diverse learning needs of ELLs. O’Loughlin currently teaches graduate certification courses online for New Jersey City University in methodology and teaching ELLs in the content areas. James Evers, an English teacher for 35 years, has worked as a writing coach for school districts and businesses and co-founded the Writing Institute for Teachers at Dominican College. O’Loughlin and Evers co-taught an eighth-grade English class of ELLs, special education, and mainstream students for four years.

       Dr. Rebecca Freeman-Field will present a two-hour session entitled Differentiating Instruction and Assessment for ELLs. This interactive session shows teachers how to select appropriate instructional and assessment strategies for ELLs at different English language proficiency levels. Feldman-Field is an adjunct professor in the Graduate School of Education of the University of Pennsylvania and Director of the Language and Education Division of Caslon Publishing and Consulting. She is co-editor of English Language Learners at School: A Guide for Administrators (2006).

       Dr. Ana Mistral will present a two-hour featured presentation entitled What’s Culture Got to Do With It? This interactive presentation will focus on instructional strategies about cultural differences that teachers of ELLs can incorporate in their classrooms. Dr. Mistral will also discuss communication with parents and how to help increase their understanding of American schools. Dr. Mistral is a full-time assistant professor at Kean University.

       Raquel Sinai, Lori Ramella, and Erika Reed will present on N.J. State Initiatives in Bilingual and ESL Education. This is the DOE’s annual update to our members about state and federal requirements for bilingual and ESL programs as well as professional development opportunities at the state level. This will include the required assessment for bilingual and ESL students, the revised bilingual education administrative code, Title III of No Child Left Behind requirements. Raquel Sinai and Lori Ramella are with the Office of Specialized Populations at the N.J. Department of Education. Erika Reed is with the Title III Office at the NJDOE.

       Maria Jaume is the on-site Soclo-political concerns representative.