ACAMIS English Language Learners (ELL) Conference
Friday & Saturday, March 21-22, 2025
Nanjing International School
Theme: One Team, One Goal

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This conference centers on the critical importance of collaboration between language support and subject/content teachers in creating a unified approach to supporting English language learners. Attendees will explore various instructional models, from co-teaching, push-in and pull-out to sheltered instruction, and how these can be effectively implemented to create a seamless learning experience for EAL students. The conference aims to provide practical strategies for building strong partnerships between language specialists and content teachers, fostering an environment where "One Team, One Goal" becomes a reality in supporting EAL students' academic and linguistic growth. Participants will gain insights into creating sustainable collaborative practices that enhance both language development and content mastery, ultimately leading to improved outcomes for EAL students across all subject areas.

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Keynote Speakers

Name

Beth Skelton

Years of Experience

Over 30 years

Career

Teacher, Author, Board Member of Colorado TESOL, Coach, Consultant

 

Beth has over 30 years of experience as a language educator and holds a master’s degree in multicultural teacher education. She has worked with early childhood, elementary, middle, high school, and adult language learners in rural, urban, suburban, and international school settings. She is the co-author of Long-Term Success for Experienced Multilinguals, a best-selling book published by Corwin, and Putting it Together, materials for teaching adult English learners using a story-based curriculum. She is an active board member of Colorado TESOL. Beth currently provides professional development, coaching, and consulting with schools worldwide focused on providing equitable education for multilingual learners.

Going Farther Together

What does collaboration to create conditions for success for ALL multilingual students look like? In this interactive keynote address, EAL and general educators will learn practical strategies for collaborating to meet the linguistic needs of multilingual learners. By backward planning lesson outcomes, EAL teachers and general educators can support both language and content development.

Making Content Accessible to Newcomers

Participants in this dynamic and interactive workshop will experience learning content in a new language. The demonstration lesson will model strategies based on three guiding principles for supporting newcomers in grade-level content classes: increase comprehensibility, enhance interaction, and develop academic language. Participants will leave the session with a toolbox of strategies for collaborating to instruct newcomers at any grade level.

Long-Term Success for Experienced Multilinguals

While it takes only a couple of years to acquire social language, multilinguals who have been learning in an English-medium school for three or more years may still be developing academic language. This session provides practical strategies for collaborating to meet the needs of this subgroup of experienced multilinguals in upper elementary and secondary grades. You will backward plan a lesson and apply strategies to support intermediate-level language learners.

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Name

Sylvia Linan-Thompson

Career

Teacher, Author

Books

Research-based methods of reading instruction for English language learners: Grades K-4
Research-based methods of reading instruction: Grades K-3

 

Sylvia Linan-Thompson is an educator who started her career as a bilingual, ESOL, and general education teacher in elementary schools in Texas. She went on to join the faculty at the University of Texas and is now at the University of Oregon. In this role she has trained future teachers and conducted research to improve the learning outcomes of students learning English as an additional language. She has written books (Research-based methods of reading instruction for English language learners: Grades K-4 and Research-based methods of reading instruction: Grades K-3), chapters, and articles that focus on effective practices for teaching EAL students reading and writing, MTSS, and formative assessment.
Sylvia has presented at conferences and worked with international school in every continent (except Antarctica) working with teachers to improve school systems, develop systems to seamlessly integrated ESOL instruction, and enhance instruction and assessment practices.

Two truths about multilingual students: a process to match instruction to student language needs

There are two truths about multilingual learners that are often ignored. The first is that they are a diverse group of learners. Their first language, motivation, ability, and instruction dictate how easily they will learn a new language. The second truth is that learning to read is same in all languages and you only learn to read once. In this session you will think about students in your class as we walk through a decision-making process for maximizing student engagement by targeting language instruction.

From talking to writing: a step-by step process to build expressive language

Many students learning English in a foreign country develop receptive language skills (listening and reading) but academic speaking and writing are slower to develop. Participants in the interactive workshop will learn and use a model lesson that helps students develop expressive language. The demonstration lesson takes students from discussion to writing using evidence-based practices and is applicable for all grade levels. Participants will leave the session with tools and resources to improve writing instruction.

Data-driven decision-making: working together to analyze data and plan instruction

Planning effective instruction requires input from all the teachers who support a student. Each brings a specific perspective that adds to understanding a student. However, to make useful decisions, data has to be integrated across settings and content. During this session, participants will work in teams to plan instruction for a student. The process will be modeled and then participants will work through case studies.

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Host School

Nanjing International School (NIS) is a leading non-profit international Pre-K to 12 IB World school. NIS is the oldest international school in Nanjing and the first IB Continuum School in the country. We pride ourselves on our world-class facilities, highly-qualified teachers, and global curriculum that puts our 600+ students at the centre of their education, developing lifelong learners who are accepted into their choice of top universities worldwide. Accreditation acts as an authoritative verification of a school’s educational quality and integrity, demanding strict adherence to robust international standards through a meticulous evaluation process. NIS has consistently achieved accreditation and re-accreditation over decades, marking itself as the sole international school in Nanjing to be accredited by CIS, WASC, and the IB – considered the gold standard of school accreditation worldwide.
南京国际外籍人员子女学校（NIS）是一所声誉卓著的非营利外籍人员子女学校，提供从Pre-K到12年级的IB一贯制课程。NIS是南京建校历史最为悠久的外籍人员子女学校，也是中国大陆第一所IB一贯制外籍人员子女学校。我们为自己拥有世界一流的教学设施、专业高素养的教师队伍和全面国际化的课程而自豪，学校所有的教学课程始终将我校600多名学生置于教育的核心，培养终身学习者，引导学生们步入世界顶尖大学继续深造。认证作为一种权威的验证方式，确保学校的教育质量和诚信度，要求学校遵循严格的国际标准，并通过细致的评估过程。几十年来，NIS持续获得认证和再认证，成为南京唯一的一所同时获得CIS, WASC和IB认证（被视为全球学校认证的黄金标准）的外籍人员子女学校。

Laurie McLellan

Head of School

Nanjing International School

Xueheng Lu 8, Xianlin University City Qixia District, Nanjing PRC 210023

+86 25 8589 9111

Planning Committee Team

Joy Jia
Joy Jia

QSI International School of Chengdu