Addressing academic language

Guest presenter from Washington State University addresses academic language

News contact: Laura Hancock, University Advancement, 541-962-3585 
Source contact: Tawnya Lubbes, College of Education, 541-962-3329

LA GRANDE, Ore. October 31, 2016 – Eastern Oregon University is hosting a two-day event focused on “Academic Language in the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Classroom” Friday and Saturday, November 4-5.

Gisela Ernst-Slavit, professor of education and English language learning at Washington State University-Vancouver, will give a community keynote at 6 p.m. Friday in Huber Auditorium in Badgley Hall, Room 102. The lecture is free and open to the public and will be streamed live for those at a distance.

Ernst-Slavit is facilitating a corresponding faculty development session from 1-2:30 p.m. Friday and a PK-12 workshop on Saturday.

At WSU she teaches course in sociolinguistics, literacy and biliteracy, research on second language teaching and learning, ESL methods and critical issues in the education of Latino students. Using ethnographic and sociolinguistic perspectives, she investigates language and education in culturally and linguistically diverse settings. She has won multiple awards, presented at the local, national and international levels and has a multitude of published works.

The Center for Culturally Responsive Practices (CCRP) at EOU is sponsoring the lecture and workshop series. The center strives to provide pedagogical approaches that enable school communities to create learning environments in which student languages, cultures and backgrounds are responded to and infused within every aspect of education and curriculum.

For more information call Tawnya Lubbes, CCRP director in the College of Education, at 541-962-3329, email ccrp@eou.edu or go to www.eou.edu/ccrp/events.