Educators from across the state of California learned how to close achievement gaps, create equitable learning environments, and help students find their place in the global community, thanks to a conference at Whittier College.
At the Second Annual Equity and Academic Language Conference, Whittier College Associate Professor Ivannia Soto joined Gary Howard, the founder of the REACH Center for Multicultural Education, and others to showcase research-based practices that enhance instructional effectiveness with English Language Learners and diverse student populations. About 175 educators from across the state attended the event this past Friday and Saturday at the Ruth B. Shannon Center for the Performing Arts.
The second day of the conference was based on Soto's new co-authored book series. That day, Soto also spoke on the power of conversational skills.
Soto has devoted her professional career to ensuring that immigrant children receive the same challenging academic experiences and meet the same achievement standards as their English-speaking peers. Beyond the conference, she also recently discussed her latest thoughts on academic language acquisition in a blog post for Education Week.
The Equity and Academic Language Institute was co-sponsored by Corwin Press and was organized in partnership with the Whittier College Institute for Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching.
