Strong participation and the unveiling of a new center for bilingual and bicultural children’s books highlighted the 2021 San Diego Dual Language Conference, which took place virtually from Jan. 29-30.
Bringing together top research and voices around bilingual education and equity, the conference was jointly hosted by San Diego State University’s Department of Dual Language and English Learner Education (DLE), the San Diego County Office of Education and the Butte County Office of Education. More than 800 people registered for the annual event, including international guests from Mexico, Spain, Colombia, Nicaragua and the United Arab Emirates.
Keynote speakers included dual language education experts, such as Dr. José Medina, translanguaging pioneer Dr. Ofelia Garcia, abolitionist teaching pioneer Dr. Bettina Love, Dr. Farima Pourkhorshid, and DLE Associate Professor Dr. Alberto Esquinca. The conference included breakouts for parents and teachers, as well as sessions focusing on American Sign Language.
"This year we really focused on social justice, multicultural education and antiracist pedagogies,” said Dr. Margarita Machado-Casas, professor and department chair of DLE. “Given what we just experienced with COVID-19 and all the issues with racism last spring, it was imperative that we continue this conversation as a bilingual education community as we start 2021."
New Center Launched
On the second day of the conference, DLE announced the launching of the Virtual Center for Bilingual and Bicultural Books for Children and Young Adults (VCB3). Spearheaded by lecturer Dr. Carlos Ulloa, Machado-Casas, and Assistant Professor Dr. Sera Hernandez, the new initiative is aimed at making bilingual literature accessible online for bilingual educators and English language learner students.
The center got off to an auspicious start thanks to a generous gift of 200 titles from Dr. Alma Flor Ada, a Cuban-American author known for her children’s books and her advocacy of bilingual and multicultural education. In gratitude for the gift, DLE has created the Alma Flor Ada Book Award, which it bestowed on author and SDSU alumna Pam Muñoz-Ryan.
“Alma Flor Ada’s books are the seminal books that are most identifiable within the Latinx community,” Machado-Casas said. “So for her to gift 200 titles to our department is extremely significant. I think it just speaks to her continued commitment to biliteracy and to the importance of reading in both languages.”
