WABE 2026 Fall Institute

This session will introduce the Critical Data Process, designed by Steve Gill, which school teams use to understand if the struggles of a language learner are due to language acquisition or are due to the combination of language acquisition and a possible disability. In this one hour session, I will provide an overview of the 16 critical areas and discuss what data is needed, how to obtain that data, and the implications of the data. Using this process, teams will have a much greater understanding of the root problem and will have the context needed to either redesign intervention(s), design new intervention(s), or process a referral (and potentially a special education evaluation).

Low literacy has multiple causes in our multilingual learners. Ending the disconnect between what we have learned from research on reading and language acquisition and what happens in the dual language classroom and the craft of teaching children to read in two languages. Effective strategies that will help educational leaders build capacity by linking teacher education and instructional practices in biliteracy and language acquisition. Executing leadership practices that promote the integration of oracy, written language, and cross-linguistic contrastive analysis of language across the learning community by creating a clear articulation of implementation, instruction, and a real pulse of culture!

It’s well-known that a warm and welcoming school environment lowers students’ affective filters and creates a more fertile ground for learning. But what is necessary to create such a climate, and how can that impact language development? This session dives into UDL as a framework for ensuring school and classroom conditions provide students with maximum flexibility for engagement, making meaning of information, and expressing their learning. Participants will explore the 3 principles of UDL, particularly as they relate to access and opportunity for languages to grow and excel. The session will also explore the complementary and supplementary aspects of UDL as it compares to the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP).