Breaking Down the Wall

Essential Shifts for English Learners’ Success

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Dr. Margarita Espino Calderón is Professor Emerita/Senior Research Scientist at Johns Hopkins University. She has worked on numerous research and development projects focusing on reading for English learners funded by the U.S.D.O.E Institute of Education Sciences, the U.S. Department of Labor, and collaborated with Harvard and the Center for Applied Linguistics on a longitudinal study funded by the NICHD. The Carnegie Corporation of New York funded her five-year empirical study to develop Expediting Comprehension for English Language Learners (ExC-ELL), a comprehensive professional development model for math, science, social studies,... More About Author

Maria G. Dove, Ed.D, is Professor in the School of Education and Human Services at Molloy College, Rockville Centre, New York, where she teaches pre-service and in-service teachers about the research and best practices for developing effective programs and school policies for English learners. Before entering the field of higher education, she worked for over thirty years as an English-as-a-second-language teacher in public school settings (Grades K–12) and in adult English language programs. In 2010, she received the Outstanding ESOL Educator Award from New York State Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (NYS TESOL). She... More About Author

Diane Staehr Fenner, Ph.D. is the president of SupportEd (www.GetSupportEd.net), a woman-owned small business located in Washington, DC that is dedicated to empowering English learners and their educators. She collaborates with her team to provide EL professional development, technical assistance, and curriculum and assessment support to school districts, states, organizations, and the U.S. Department of Education. Prior to forming SupportEd, Diane was an ESOL teacher, Dual Language Assessment teacher, and ESOL Assessment Specialist in Fairfax County Public Schools, VA. She has also taught in Berlin, Germany and Veracruz, Mexico and speaks... More About Author

Dr. Margo Gottlieb is co-founder and lead developer for WIDA (a consortium of 41 states, territories, and federal agencies along with the international consortium of 500 schools) housed at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison. For years she was Director, Assessment and Evaluation, for the Illinois Resource Center, an arm of the Illinois State Board of Education.Starting her career as a teacher and bilingual coordinator, Margo has been devoted to the education and equity of multilingual learners. She served as a Fulbright Senior Specialist in Chile, was appointed to the U.S. Department of Education’s... More About Author

Learn more about Andrea Honigsfeld's PD offeringsAndrea Honigsfeld, EdD, is Associate Dean and Professor in the Division of Education at Molloy College, Rockville Centre, New York. She directs a doctoral program in Educational Leadership for Diverse Learning Communities. Before entering the field of teacher education, she was an English-as-a-foreign-language teacher in Hungary (Grades 5–8 and adult) and an English-as-a-second-language teacher in New York City (Grades K–3 and adult). She also taught Hungarian at New York University.She was the recipient of a doctoral fellowship at St. John’s University, New York, where she conducted... More About Author

Tonya Ward Singer, M.F.A., is a professional learning leader with a deep commitment to ensuring diverse learners excel with rigorous expectations. She consults nationally helping K-12 educators realize new possibilities in language and literacy learning to close opportunity gaps for ELs and students in poverty.  Tonya has taught at multiple grade levels as a classroom teacher, reading teacher, and EL specialist, and has extensive experience helping school leaders transform learning at scale.  Her choice work is supporting educators in launching and sustaining site-based, continuous inquiry around live lessons.  She has been... More About Author

Shawn Slakk is the CEO and Founder of ABCDSS Consulting Consortium and works with teachers, administrators, school & state agencies to offer strategies and supports for emergent bilinguals and their classmates both K-12 and adults. He is co-author and developer of new professional development sessions for all levels of educators, focusing on whole-school implementation, administrative support and coaching.  As a former Certified WIDA Trainer and Title III SIOP Coach, Shawn brings a wide understanding of a variety of strategies and how they relate to ELs, language acquisition and lesson delivery. He served as the... More About Author

Dr. Ivannia Soto is Professor of Education at Whittier College, where she specializes in second language acquisition, systemic reform for English language learners (MLLs), and urban education. She began her career in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), where she taught English and English Language Development to a population made of up 99.9% Latinos, who either were or had been MLLs. Before becoming a professor, Dr. Soto also served LAUSD as a literacy coach and district office administrator. She has presented on literacy and language topics at various conferences, including the National Association for Bilingual Education ... More About Author

Dr. Debbie Zacarian, founder of Zacarian and Associates, provides professional development, strategic planning, and technical assistance for K-16 educators of culturally and linguistically diverse populations. Focusing in strengths-based leadership, instructional practices, and school-family-community partnerships, she has served as an expert consultant for school districts, universities, and organizations including the Massachusetts Parent Information Resource Center, Federation for Children with Special Needs, and Colorín Colorado, a premier national website serving educators and families of English learners. Debbie served on the... More About Author