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WILLIAM PATERSON UNIVERSITY TO HOLD 28TH ANNUAL BILINGUAL/ESL CONFERENCE ON DECEMBER 5
The complex connections between bilingual/English as a second language education and special education will be the focus of a conference for language advocates on Friday, December 5, 2008 at William Paterson University in Wayne.
The event, “The 28th Annual Bilingual/ESL Conference—Language Diversity: Special Gifts and Challenges,” will run from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. in the University’s building at 1600 Valley Road in Wayne. The fee is $135; $125 for William Paterson alumni; and $50 for current students, faculty, and staff. Food and materials are included.
“Bilingual/ESL has become even more challenging through its interface with special education,” says Bruce Williams, professor of languages and cultures at William Paterson and director of the bilingual/ESL graduate program at the University. “This conference will flush out the complexities of classification and explore issues of instruction, assessment, and the fostering of parental engagement.”
The keynote speaker is Alba Ortiz, professor of special education and director of the Office of Bilingual Education at the University of Texas, Austin. She will address the topic, “The Bilingual/ESL and Special Education Interface: Lessons from the Past and Visions for the Future.” Her research and teaching focuses on the prevention of inappropriate referrals of English language learners to special education, as well as assessment in special education and second language acquisition. She is the author of numerous publications including English Language Learners with Special Needs and Schools and the Culturally Diverse Exceptional Student.
In addition, the conference will include 15 workshops on a variety of topics including distinguishing between behavior issues and the special needs of English language learners; key issues in bilingual special education; virtual environments for gifted linguistically and culturally diverse learners, and distinguishing language difference from language disorder.
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, College of Education, and Center for Continuing and Professional Education.
For additional information, contact the Center for Continuing and Professional Education at 973-720-3709.
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November 17 , 2008
www.wpunj.edu
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