Proceedings: Multilingual Learners in UPK--Defining Focus and Direction (Roundtable Discussion, June 5, 2015, Fordham University)
Author: Morell, Zoila, Ed.
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preschool Education,Preschool Children,Bilingual Students,Multilingualism,Conferences (Gatherings),Access to Education,Student Needs,Educational Practices,Educational Objectives,Instruction,Student Placement,Parent Education,Immigrants,Cultural Capital,Leadership,Educational Policy,Educational Quality,Early Childhood Education,Public Schools,Partnerships in Education,Faculty Development

In June of 2015, as New York City expanded Universal Pre-K (UPK) to reach nearly all available four-year-olds, the &quot;New York State Association for Bilingual Education&quot; (NYSABE) and the &quot;NYS/NYC Regional Bilingual Education Resource Network&quot; (NYS/NYC RBE-RN) of Fordham University collaborated to hold a Roundtable event bringing together educators, policymakers, researchers, and community leaders in response to two overarching questions: (1) What are the needs of young emergent bilinguals within the structure of &quot;Universal Pre-Kindergarten&quot; (UPK); and (2) What is the focus and direction in preparing to meet their needs? Participants from a wide selection of practitioners, policymakers, and other key stakeholders from the NYC, Long Island, and Westchester County areas, were invited to take part in the Roundtable which was held on June 5, 2015 at Fordham University. The proceedings are organized into four sections: (1) Opening Comments; (2) Roundtable Welcome and Greetings; (3) History and Collaborators; (4) Panel Presentations with Breakout Sessions summaries. Following greetings from Anita Vasquez Batisti, Director of Center of Educational Partnerships, and Nancy Villarreal de Adler, Executive Director of NYSABE, the then New York State Associate Commissioner for Bilingual Education and Foreign Languages, Angélica Infante-Green (now Deputy Commissioner for Instruction), began with a &quot;State of the Field&quot; address on planning for young emergent bilinguals. A panel, moderated by Dr. Luis Reyes (now Regent Reyes) and comprised of practitioners and researchers, introduced key topics (history, trends, emerging research, and new directions) in each of the five core areas of preschool education: (1) Programming and instruction; (2) Leadership and policy; (3) Community partners; (4) Higher education and teacher preparation; and (5) Research. The breakout sessions focused on each of the five core areas presented. Discussion within each breakout session was guided by comments and questions that emerged from the panel presentations. Also included is a synthesis of the consensus reached by participants of the breakout sessions. These are key recommendations the participants suggest should be considered in the field of Bilingual UPK. The collective insights and suggested actions resulting from the roundtable can inform planning on behalf of emergent bilinguals. Together, practitioners, researchers, and policymakers, can define a focus and direction that ensures meeting the needs of the growing number of emergent bilingual children in New York State. Contributors include: Eva Garcia, Zoila Morell, Luis Reyes, Elizabeth Ijalba, Danielle Guindo, Jorge Saenz de Viteri, Juan Morales, Abby Baruch, Sara Martinez, Aileen Colon, Elsie Berardinelli, Roser Salavert, Bernice Moro, and Diane Howitt.