CONTACT: Mary Beth Zeman, 973-720-2444 zemanm@wpunj.edu

November 13, 2006

WILLIAM PATERSON UNIVERSITY TO HOLD 26TH ANNUAL BILINGUAL/ESL CONFERENCE ON DECEMBER 8

A conference which examines the role language and bilingual teachers have in developing the bilingualism of students while considering the sociolinguistic features of New Jersey that distinguish it from New York and other communities, will be held at William Paterson University on Friday, December 8.

The event, “The 26th Annual Bilingual/ESL Conference,” is designed for language educators, and will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the University’s building at 1600 Valley Road in Wayne.  The fee is $125 and includes food and materials.

Ofelia Garcia, professor of international and transcultural studies at Teachers College, Columbia University, and director of the Center for Multiple Languages and Literacies, will deliver the keynote address, “Growing Language Diversity in New Jersey” at 11:30 a.m. Garcia is a Fulbright scholar, was named a Spencer Fellow of the National Academy of Education, She is the co-editor of “Spanish in Context” and past editor of “Educators for Urban Minorities.” She is the author of several books on bilingual education and has published numerous academic articles on bilingualism, sociology of language, and the education of language minorities.

In addition, the conference will include workshops on a variety of topics including family literacy, technology and language literacy, IPODs and English language learning, trauma and cultural adjustment, biliteracy through storytelling, inter-cultural communication in schools, new trends in assessment, hands-on grammar, and cognitive skills across languages, standards, assessment and accountability.

Launched in 1981, the conference is recognized as one of the most comprehensive language education forums in New Jersey, and regularly draws several hundred educators as participants.  This year’s event is sponsored by William Paterson University’s Bilingual/ESL Graduate Program, Department of Languages and Cultures, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Center for Continuing and Professional Education.

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