Marla Felton and Sue Spiegel join Bilingual in America to talk about the not-for-profit, Common Circles, founded by Marla Felton. Their interactive exhibit aims to increase empathy, decrease bias and help people find their shared humanity. After conducting extensive research, they have created a multi-faceted experience for students that allows them to learn about the lives of others and, as a result, think about their own lives and personal stories. Listen in to hear about the many layers to each of us and how through connection we thrive ..read more

Dr. Andrea Honigsfeld speaks with us about her soon-to-be released secondary professional resource, Growing Language & Literacy for Grades 6-12. This is a follow-up to her 2019 Heinemann publication by the same title for grades K-8. We discuss her use of TESOL levels, the four areas that she weaves into each chapter, and the added value of lived experiences and linguistic assets of multilingual learners. With Andrea, learning is never finished ..read more

Today we have the distinct honor of speaking with Dr. Alma Flor Ada and Dr. Isabel Campoy, educators, leaders, authors, advocates for multilingual education, and social justice trendsetters. Their children's books and poetry illuminate the richness of the Latino culture and their strong belief in the power of transformation and social justice. Their legacy work continues as they travel the world presenting at educational conferences and continue to write books for educators and children that bring light and transformation ..read more

Judith Aucar, Deputy Director of El Centro Hispano in Westchester, New York, joins us to talk about their 50th anniversary and how they will celebrate this important milestone. El Centro offers services to support all immigrants, regardless of language background, as they begin life in search of a better future. As Judith reflects on the growth of El Centro since its inception, she also shares some of the many classes and services they provide at present. Listen in to hear how this community gem keeps shining brighter and brighter ..read more

David Rogers supports the work of Dual Language Education of New Mexico-DLeNM, whose mission is to promote the effective design and implementation of dual language education (www.dlenm.org) in New Mexico and beyond. As they continue to serve students, families, and educators, they have added the MITOTE podcast to their repertoire! Welcome to the airways, MITOTE ..read more

Valentina Gonzalez is an educational consultant for Rooted Linguistics and a content creator working with educators across the nation to support multilingual learners and their families. Her personal experiences as an immigrant fuels her passion for the work she does. She works with schools and districts to provide professional learning experiences that are tailored to meet the needs of educators. Valentina specializes in creating presentations that are practical, engaging, and interactive. She is a longtime educator of multilingual students from around the globe and has worked as an ESL Inst ..read more

What does it take to truly make an impact in this world? Author Dr. Vilma Luz Cabán, well known as an educator and dedicated champion for women impacted by domestic violence and social and economic inequalities, has blazed a trail of success and passion. In her wide-ranging and often heart-wrenching memoir, Cabán weaves her personal experiences and lessons from her survival with her deepest wish to change the course of cycles of abuse for women everywhere. She succeeds in shining a light on a reality often kept in the shadows, and offers hope for a way out and a better tomorrow. Vilma shares h ..read more

Julia Chapa has served emergent bilinguals as a Bilingual and ESL teacher in Texas for over 20 years. She has experience providing scaffolded instruction for second language learners, resulting in outstanding student achievement. In 2018, she began her company EDU Specialist, which supports parents and teachers working in bilingual and DL settings. Listen in to hear the ways EDU Specialist supports English learners and the developmental process of second language acquisition ..read more

Jesus Cervantes is the National Director of Biliteracy and English Language Development (ELD) for Benchmark Education and a longtime advocate of bilingual education and Dual Language instruction. He has focused his career on providing English learners access to language and literacy. His areas of expertise are in literacy, biliteracy, and language development. He is a published author of children’s books as part of Reading programs and the teaching of Foundational Skills. Today, he talks about his bilingual journey, flexibility, and creativity within a Dual Language structure. He shares his th ..read more

Jesus Cervantes is the National Director of Biliteracy and English Language Development (ELD) for Benchmark Education and a longtime advocate of bilingual education and Dual Language instruction. He has focused his career on providing English learners access to language and literacy. His areas of expertise are in literacy, biliteracy, and language development. He is a published author of children’s books as part of Reading programs and the teaching of Foundational Skills. Today, he talks about his bilingual journey, flexibility, and creativity within a Dual Language structure. He shares his th ..read more