Educators to learn about resources for multi-lingual and -cultural leaners at Language and Cultural Services Summit

(TULSA, Okla.) Approximately 40 educators are meeting virtually on Monday and Tuesday to engage in professional development around supporting Native American students and students learning English and other languages at the annual Tulsa Public Schools Language and Cultural Services Summit. The Summit will be held both days from 8:30 a.m. – 3:15 p.m. virtually through Zoom. The Language and Cultural Services Summit will celebrate the linguistic and cultural diversity that exists in Tulsa Public Schools and throughout the State of Oklahoma.

The event will include keynote speakers on both days. This year’s speakers include:

• Monday, July 26: Northeastern State University Assistant Professor and Coordinator for the Cherokee Cultural Students and Cherokee Education degree programs Candessa Teehee; and

• Tuesday, July 27: Tulsa Community College Program Director of TRIO/Educational Opportunity Center John Thao

Following the keynote speaker each morning, participants will attend sessions covering topics such as cultural competence, engaging community resources, best practices for English language learners, dual language, language immersion, and world languages, Native American heritage, and immigration and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

The schedule of events will be as follows:

Monday, July 26

• Keynote address: 8:30 a.m. – 9 a.m.

• Session one: 9:15 a.m. – 10:45 p.m.

o Family engagement

o Effective collaborating and co-teaching for student success

o Successful literacy practices to support our English learners

• Session two: 11 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

o Creating leaders in our Native youth

o Dual language programs in Tulsa Public Schools

o Up-close and personal: A Jewish educator in Oklahoma

• Lunch- 11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.

• Session three: 12:45 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.

o Identify and develop your unexpected assets

o ELLevating and valuing language and culture in a Dual Language program

o Integrating imagine learning with Kami

• Session four: 2:30 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.

o New immigration regulations and their impact on students: Moving from fear to engagement

o Beyond the tip of the “cultural” iceberg!

o Supporting English learners in the mainstream classroom

Tuesday, July 27

• Keynote address: 8:30 a.m. – 9 a.m.

• Session one: 9:15 a.m. – 10:45 p.m.

o The journey of unaccompanied minors

o The Dual Language learner and the critical importance of the home to school connection

o Using Google Jamboard for language interaction

• Session two: 11 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

o Interventions to benefit all learners (dual language, exceptional student services, and English learners)

o The college transitions for English as a second language students

o TRIO: The power of federal education programs

• Lunch- 11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.

• Session three: 12:45 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.

o The culturally responsive classroom

o An educator’s journey: The culturally responsive teaching of multilingual learners

• Session four: 2:30 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.

o Interventions to benefit all learners (dual language, exceptional student services, and English learners)

o Supporting English language learners with Individualized Educational Plans

o What is DACA?

To learn more about Language and Cultural Services at Tulsa Public Schools, visit www.tulsaschools.org/about/teams/language-cultural-services.