In conjunction with the 2012 National Association for Bilingual Education Conference, Dallas, TX, February 15-17

Date: February 15, 2012, 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM

Location: Hilton Anatole Hotel, Senate Lecture Hall

Chair:  Trini Torres Carrion, Education Program Specialist, U.S. Department of Education

Theme:   “Linking the past with the future: Using heritage languages and cultures to promote academic English proficiency for success in school, higher education, and careers."

The purpose of  the Title III Native American and Alaska Native Children in School program (NAM) is to provide grants for eligible entities to develop high levels of academic attainment in English among English learners (ELs) and to promote parental and community participation in language instruction educational programs. NAM priorities for  new grants funded in FY 2011 are: Increasing Postsecondary Success; Enabling More Data-based Decision-Making; Parental Involvement to Improve School Readiness and Success; and Supporting Native American Language Instruction.  

Agenda for the preconference institute

Presentations

Topic: The Diné Dual Language Teachers Professional Development Project: Developing a Sense of Place
Presenter: Louise Lockard, Title III National Professional Development Program Project Director, Arizona
The Diné Dual Language Teachers Professional Development Project works with a consortium of public and BIE schools to prepare teachers with a proficiency in Navajo language and culture to teach in dual language programs. 

Topic: Parental Involvement to Improve School Readiness and Success
Presenter: Cheryl Beaman, Title III NAM Project Director, Oklahoma
The Literacy through Language Enhancement (LTLE) project is designed to improve child readiness for school by increasing parent knowledge of early childhood development and improving parenting practices; providing early detection of developmental delays and health issues; and preventing child abuse and neglect. 

Topic: Turtle Mountain Community College Zhaabwii Learning Center Project
Presenters: Larretta Hall, Cathie Gladue and Doris Greenwood, Title III NAM Project Directors, North Dakota
The Zhaabwii project responds to identified the needs of English learner students entering college who are underprepared for academic English coursework, have difficulties or underachievement in reading, and have the need of expanding their remedial services. 

Topic: Providing Culturally Responsive Professional Development
Presenter: Jon Reyhner, Diné Dual Language Teachers Professional Development Project, Co-Principal Investigator, Arizona
This presentation summarizes some of that recent research and provide examples of culturally responsive Indigenous ethnoscience and ethnomathematics pedagogy, including examples from Northern Arizona University’s recently published monograph Honoring Our Heritage: Culturally Appropriate Approaches for Teaching Indigenous Students that is available on-line at http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jar/HOH/.
 
Topic: Algodones Elementary School (AES), Native Language Program, K-5, Bernalillo Public Schools District, New Mexico
Presenters: Laura Greenleaf, Principal; Christine Golden, Teacher
The Native Language Program at AES supports the native language through collaboration and interactive teaching, with pictures and with examples from the students’ life in their village.

Topic: NAM Project Updates
Presenter: Trini Torres Carrion, Education Program Specialist, U.S. Department of Education, OELA
The presenter will provide an overview of the online community created to connect NAM grantees serving similar populations or facing similar challenges; link novice grantees with experienced grantees; and give grantees the opportunity to interact with OELA staff and experts.