4/10/26 NELNE Spring Virtual Conference - Inclusive Instructional Practices for Neurodivergent and Multilingual (MLL/ELL) Learners
Webinar/Online
Friday, April 10, 2026 at 8:00am ET - 4:00pm ET
Info
Topic
Inclusive Instructional Practices for Neurodivergent and Multilingual (MLL/ELL) Learners
Credits Offered
This event offers 5.0 contact hours to attendees.
Additional Information
Please Join us for our virtual spring conference!
This workshop explores inclusive instructional practices that support neurodivergent and multilingual learners in higher education contexts. Grounded in Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Second Language Acquisition (SLA) theories, and Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT), the session examines how learning variability shapes access, engagement, and participation. Participants will reflect on instructional assumptions, analyze evidence-informed strategies, and identify practical curricular and pedagogical approaches to pilot in their own teaching or faculty development contexts.
Objectives:
- Explain key concepts related to neurodivergence and multilingual learning, including how linguistic, cognitive, and cultural variability shape students’ classroom experiences. Explore common teaching and learning challenges for neurodivergent and MLL/ELL learners.
- Analyze how neurodivergence and multilingualism influence access, engagement, and participation in learning environments.
- Examine common assumptions and misconceptions about neurodivergent and multilingual learners through an inclusive, asset-based lens.
- Identify theoretical foundations for inclusive instructional strategies that support neurodivergent and multilingual learners such as UDL, theories of Second Language Acquisition, and Culturally responsive teaching.
- Describe evidence-informed instructional approaches that enhance access, engagement, and comprehension for diverse learners.
- Apply the learning from this session to enhance participants’ own teaching practices.
- Examine strategies for promoting effective inclusive teaching among faculty.
Speakers
Ed.D. in Education (Boston University, Language, Literacy and Intercultural Learning). M.Ed. in Education (Harvard University, Teaching and Curriculum with concentration in ESL/Spanish). Author of four books, including three books of case studies in second language teacher education published by the University of Michigan Press including: A Casebook of Inclusive Pedagogical Practices to SLTE, A Casebook of Decolonizing Pedagogical Practices in SLTE and also a US Department of State and US Embassy of Mexico sponsored publication on TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) mentoring: Supervision and Mentoring Practices for TEFL Teacher Educators: An Inclusive and Transformative Approach. EL Specialist, US Department of State. Chair of Teacher Education and Initial Teacher Licensure Programs and Associate Professor of TESOL and Bilingual Education, Lesley University.
Former- Dean, Roxbury CC, and Clinical Professor and Program Director, UMass Boston (Full-time) Research and Publications have focused on Faculty Development and Academic Success for Students with English as an Additional Language.
BA Economics, BA Sociology w/ Criminal Justice Cert, GCert Restorative Justice Leadership and Facilitation
Title IX/ Civil Rights Investigator at UMass Amherst, ALEC (Autism Law Enforcement Coalition) Instructor, Neurodivergence Consultant/Advocate.
Former Police Officer and Investigator with the UMass and Amherst Police Departments. Mother of a daughter with level 2 non-verbal Autism. Trained in crisis intervention and awarded by the MA Dept. of Mental Health as Police Officer of the year 2020/2021. Awarded Chancellors Citation Award by UMass Amherst as the top 10 employee of the year 2024. Certified Restorative Justice Facilitator.
Exhibit
Please see the information for Virtual Vendor presentations for our upcoming Spring Conference on Friday, April 10, 2026:
- You will each have the opportunity to present virtually via NELNE Zoom breakout rooms for no longer than a 15-minute time slot, assigned by our Education Committee once we have the total # of vendors participating. Your time slot will be one of the following: Prior to the start of the program on 4/10/26 from 7:30am-8:00am, 4/10 during morning break, 4/10 during lunch break, or 4/9 from 6:30-7:30 pm (the evening prior to the conference). We are only taking requests for the evening before. All other times on 3/28 will be assigned randomly.
- If you do not want to do a live Zoom, you can choose to send me a pre-recorded video presentation (no longer than 15 minutes) that I will email out to all attendees.
- We are still planning to have a vendor giveaway. Please let me know if you would like to donate an item. NELNE will organize the giveaway and use a “password” function as proof to see who attended what session. They have to attend at least 3 vendors and 2 posters to be eligible. The winners will be announced on 4/10/26 in a PowerPoint slide. I will notify you who they are and you are responsible for shipping the items to the winners.
*price includes administrative fees
Register For This Event
*Price includes administrative fees
*Price includes administrative fees
*Price includes administrative fees
*Price includes administrative fees