Educators

English as a Second Language Institute EDUC 688 - "Cultural Understanding and teaching Strategies for the ESL Classroom"

June 16-20, 2008 on-campus at Millersville University, Bolger Conference Center/Gordinier Building in Lehr Room

Speaker Information

Dr. Myriam Met
Dr. Myriam Met, Research Associate, National Foreign Language Center at the University of Maryland. Dr. Met is a pioneer in language education, having chaired the New Visions in Foreign Language Education initiative since its inception, an undertaking that has brought focus on a national foreign language agenda, and has fostered collaboration at the national, regional, and state levels within the K-20 foreign language education community. Her previous positions include supervisor of foreign language programs, English for speakers of other languages, and bilingual education for major urban and suburban school districts, including responsibility for designing, implementing, and supervising a variety of immersion program models. She has provided consultant services to school districts, state departments and ministries of education, universities, professional associations and private agencies throughout the United States, as well as in Europe, Asia, South America, and Canada. She has published extensively in books and refereed journals on topics related to foreign language and bilingual education. Dr. Met will be conducting an all-day workshop on the role of culture in the classroom and the teaching of culture in the curriculum.

Session description: The Role of Culture in the Classroom/The Teaching of Culture in the Curriculum

Heidi Faust
Heidi Faust, M.Ed. TESOL, is an international educator and consultant who has represented US Educators as a Fulbright Scholar to south Africa, and a Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund Scholar. She has traveled and studied in over 25 countries worldwide and has provided ESL training and technical assistance to educators, District Administrators, State Departments of Education and International Schools in the United States, the Middle East, Africa, and South America. She is currently a Professional Development Facilitator for Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit #21, an Adjunct Professor for the Lehigh University College of Education, International Studies Dept. and an Instructor in the Albright College ESL Program. Additionally, she works as a freelance Trainer/Consultant for the School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vermont. As the former ESL Facilitator for Carbon and Lehigh County, Heidi has supported ESL programs in 14 School Districts with program implementation, compliance, curriculum development, and staff development and facilitated the Title III Consortium. She has served as a leader on multiple committees both regionally and nationally and oversees the ESL Program Specialist Certificate Program. Her experience as a Lehigh Valley Writing Project Fellow has led her to focus on ELLs as writers, which has resulted in the creation of the “Our Stories, Our Cultures, Our Words ” Young Authors' Night that has celebrated the writing of over 400 “books” by K-12 ELLs.

Session description: Giving ELLs a Voice Through Writing-Have you ever wondered what to expect from ELL writers? or how to design and assess appropriate writing assignments for ELLs at various proficiency levels? This workshop will enable participants to support ELLs in the writing process and to develop the skills to identify writing strategies, cultural considerations, and best practices for engaging ELLs at all proficiency levels as writers. Participants will be able to utilize the Pennsylvania English Language Proficiency Standards and other available resources to support ELL writing in the content areas, on the PSSA, and give ELLs a voice to express their knowledge, ideas, and experiences through writing.

David Valladolid
David Valladolid, President & CEO of the Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE). David has worked as a policy administrator for the United Domestic Worker of America (UDWA), as a legislative consultant for Speaker Willie Brown of the California State Assembly, as Chief of Staff for Assembly Peter Chacon, and as Senior Deputy Labor Commissioner for the Department of Industrial Relations in California. He was also the Civil Rights Consultant for the Department of Fair Employment & Housing in California. He is currently a Commissioner for the San Diego Human Relations Commission, Co-Founder & Chair of the Leadership Training Institute (LTI), Chicano Federation, and a member of Governor Davis' Reading and Literature Project Advisory Board. David also serves on the community boards for the United Domestic Workers of America (UDWA), the Chicano Federation of San Diego County, and the Samahan Clinic.

Mr. Valladolid is a graduate of San Diego State University, a seventh generation California and Vietnam Combat Veteran who was wounded twice, and he is a Purple Heart recipient.

Patricia Mayer
Patricia Mayer, born and raised in Mexico City, came to the United States twenty years ago. She is the Vice President of Program Development for the Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE). She has a Bachelor's Degree in Behavioral Science from the Universidad del Valle de Atemajac, Guadalajara , Jalisco and a Master's Degree in Education from the International University of San Diego. She obtained her California Teacher Credential at the University of California San Diego (UCSD).

As the current Vice President of Program Development with PIQE, Ms. Mayer coordinates the California Endowment project, conducts statewide trainings and staff development, and administers the Follow-up “Coaches” program statewide. She also designs program curriculum and implementation procedures for the 12 offices. Ms. Mayer assists the President in the hiring and training personnel at the Executive levels. Prior to her current position, she was the Executive Director of the Parent Institute office in San Diego for six years. Ms. Mayer started working with the Parent Institute since its inception in 1987, having been hired as the first PIQE instructor. She helped in the design and the implementation of the original curriculum.

Before working with the Parent Institute, Ms. Mayer worked as a Bilingual Teacher in the San Ysidro School District in California . She also worked as a Consultant with the County Office of Education as a parent facilitator.

Session Description: "Drop-out Prevention: What the Research Says"

William Himmele
William Himmele attended Biola University where he obtained his Ph. D. in Intercultural Education focusing on successful ESL programs. He is currently in his 6 th year at Millersville where in addition to teaching in the Elementary and Early childhood Education department he is the coordinator of the ESL program specialist certificate program. Dr. Himmele has taught and done teaching training in many overseas contexts including his most recent trip last year to Chile . Dr. Himmele has worked extensively with school districts and Intermediate Units throughout the state in dealing with diversity issues. He is co-writing a text that will be coming out this fall that deals with effective school wide programs in dealing with English language learners.

Carmen Rowe
Carmen Shahadi Rowe, earned her Masters in TESOL from Eastern Mennonite University . She has taught ESL and Spanish at Conestoga Valley High School and has been a Spanish teacher in the School District of Lancaster . She has also taught ESL to Iraqi refugees displaced in Jordon. Carmen is an adjunct faculty member with Millersville University and Eastern Mennonite University . She is actively involved in community service and advocacy and frequently presents workshops on teaching ELLs. She is the mother of eight lovely children.

Session description: "Fundamentals of Teaching English Language Learners"
This session will cover the fundamentals of teaching English Language learners. Participants will be involved in activities aimed at teaching and understanding theories and applications surrounding second language acquisition.

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