Background:
There has been a recent explosion in the establishment of dual language programs across the country. The elimination of anti-bilingual laws in California and Massachusetts also led to a growing demand for dual language schools. California, for example, set a goal to enroll half its students in dual language/bilingual programs by 2030. Therefore, it is not only timely but necessary to examine equity issues and establish a sustained and informed exchange among researchers and practitioners.
To this end, we convened a two-day working session, supported by the Spencer Foundation and California Community Foundation, held December 7 and 8, 2018 at UCLA. We identified an outstanding group of experts and envisioned a challenging agenda, with discussion organized around commissioned research papers addressing critical aspects of equity in dual language immersion. A copy of the agenda is below.
We circulated the papers before the conference, so attendees were asked to read the 5 papers and be ready to discuss them.
Finally, we summarize the papers presented and discussion that took place at the Forum in a final summary report to the field.
Patricia Gándara, UCLA & Robert Slater, American Councils Research
With Coordinating Committee members:
Richard Brecht, American Councils Research
Donna Christian, Center for Applied Linguistics
Gregg Roberts, American Councils Research
Confronting the Equity Issues in Dual Language
Immersion Programs
AGENDA
DAY ONE December 7, 2018
Audio recording of Day 1: Welcome and Presentations
2:00 WELCOME & OPENING REMARKS: Patricia Gándara (30 mins.)
2:30 OVERVIEW: THE STATE OF DUAL LANGUAGE IMMERSION EDUCATION
PRESENTATION: Robert Slater and Richard Brecht (30 mins.)
DISCUSSION (30 mins.)
3:30 DLI PROGRAM PLANNING AND EQUITY (90 mins.)
AUTHOR PRESENTATION: Rosa Molina (for Kathryn Lindholm-Leary) (30 mins.)
REVIEWER COMMENTS: Ana Hernandez (20 mins.)
DISCUSSION (40 mins.)
MODERATOR: Donna Christian
DAY TWO December 8, 2018
Audio Recording of Day 2: Presentations 1 and 2
9:00 RACE, SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND POWER EQUITY IN DUAL LANGUAGE EDUCATION (90 mins.)
AUTHOR PRESENTATION (see slides attached): Claudia Cervantes-Soon (30 mins.)
REVIEWER COMMENTS: Nelson Flores (20 mins.)
DISCUSSION (40 mins.)
MODERATOR: Patricia Gándara
10:45 DLI CURRICULUM AND EQUITY
AUTHOR PRESENTATION: Deborah Palmer (30 mins.)
REVIEWER COMMENTS: Lisa Dorner (20 mins.)
DISCUSSION (40 mins.)
MODERATOR: Robert Slater
Audio recording of Day 2: Presentation 3
1:15 DLI TEACHER PREPARATION & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PRESENTATION: Magaly Lavadenz (30 mins.)
REVIEWER COMMENTS: Shelly Spiegel-Coleman (20 mins.)
DISCUSSION (40 mins.)
MODERATOR: Gregg Roberts
Audio recording of Day 2: Closing Plenary
2:45 CLOSING PLENARY: Patricia Gándara & Robert Slater
- How do we engage and collaborate with philanthrophy on DLI & equity? Susan Eaton (15-20 mins.)
- Summary of Presentations & Reactions (10 mins.)
- Moderated Discussion: where next do we take this body of work? (30 mins.)
- How can we connect the academic work to practitioners and policy makers?
- How do we incorporate solutions into discussion?
3:45 ADJOURN
For an in depth description of the Forum, overview of the commissioned papers as well as a concluding discussion of debates, priorities and next steps, read the attached summary: “Confronting the Equity Issues in Dual Language Immersion Programs: A summary of the 2018 UCLA Forum on Equity and DL Education.”