2020 – Second Edition

II Second-Language Learning & Disabilities Conference

Conference Flyer and Schedule

Conference Videos

Day 1

Welcome Note from the Chair of Romance Studies, Boston University

Odile Cazenave, PhD, Chair of Romance Studies

Approaching Inclusion in Our Classrooms

María Datel & Elena Carrión Guerrero Lecturers in Spanish, Boston University

The presenters will share how this project took shape and why it’s vital to foster an inclusive learning environment in which diverse language learners can thrive.

The Language of Disabilities

Wade Edwards, PhD, Associate Dean, Professor of French at Longwood University, Farmville, VA

This presentation describes how Universal Design for Instruction serves as a framework to address the diverse needs of students with disabilities and the pedagogy of world language instructors in the college classroom.

Design Strategies for Inclusive Teaching

Wade Edwards, PhD, Associate Dean, Professor of French at Longwood University, Farmville, VA

Using case studies and materials developed for Project LINC (Learning in Inclusive Classrooms), participants will discuss ways to design a classroom that expects and welcomes a diverse student population, including those with disabilities.

Resources for Educators at BU

Lorre Wolf, PhD, Director of Disability Services and 504 Coordinator at Boston University

The office will outline the role it plays in supporting Boston University students with disabilities and in helping them to succeed.

Results of Standardized Testing and Misdiagnosis on Bilinguals

Emilia Sanza-Ríos, Phillips Academy, Andover; MA

This session will explore the use of standardized testing for measuring intellectual capacity and neuropsychological testing for diagnosing learning disabilities in bilinguals. These evaluations provide misleading results and oftentimes producing a cultural extermination with the elimination of the home language.

Meeting the Needs of Students with Learning Disabilities in the Foreign Language Classroom

Mary Caitlin Wight, Adjunct Professor, School of Education SUNY GENESEO

This session will focus on meeting the needs of all students in your foreign language classroom through specific strategies and activities. Specific IDEA categories, including unique needs, will be addressed.

Technology as a Tool to Create Awareness

Elena Carrión Guerrero, Lecturer in Spanish, Boston University

This session will revolve around how subtitling and audio description can help students to reflect on other people’s approaches to reality while developing their language skills.

Representing Disabilities in Language Curricula

María Datel, Senior Lecturer in Spanish, Boston University

In this session, we will discuss how to normalize differences by representing people with disabilities in order to increase their visibility and combat stereotypes.

Closing Statement