The International Consortium for Multilingual Excellence in Education will host two talks on Oct. 11 discussing how educators can support multilingual students on campus. The lectures are open to all faculty and staff.

The International Consortium for Multilingual Excellence is a $2.7 million research project funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Its goal is to improve the practice of K-12 educators working with multilingual learners through e-workshops. The consortium includes 23 personnel from 11 states and Germany.

The two speakers are members of World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment, or WIDA, a Wisconsin-based organization that provides language development resources to educators who support the academic success of multilingual learners.

Lectures include:

“Serving Immigrant and Refugee Students: Considerations Beyond Language and Academic Learning”

• Oct. 11: 9:30 a.m., Henzlik Hall, Room 32

Diep Nguyen, WIDA director of professional learning, will compare the experiences of immigrants and refugees and discuss their challenges in transitioning to new schools. Possible ways of supporting the social and emotional transition of immigrant and refugee students will be explored.

“Ensuring Success for Multilingual Learners”

• Oct. 11: 3 p.m., Teachers College Hall, Room 139

Timothy Boals, WIDA executive director, will review the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed for educators to ensure the success of multilingual learners. He will discuss issues, research and practices schools need to support English language learners.

For more information, please visit the International Consortium for Multilingual Excellence in Education website.