The Second Annual IES Research and Development Centers Conference on Improving Instruction, Assessment, and Policies for Secondary English Learners Across the Content Areas took place on September 16–17, 2024, in Washington, D.C. George Washington University’s Student Center again served as the conference venue.
The conference welcomed educators, administrators, policymakers, researchers, and others interested in sharing insights and strategies for advancing educational practices and policies for secondary English Learners. Sessions focused on improving outcomes in content areas, including math, science, language arts, and social studies.
Session topics covered teacher education, curriculum design, instruction, assessment, and policy implementation. Special sessions featured senior representatives from the U.S. Department of Education and multilingual education experts who offered insights into research-driven strategies in English Learner education.
Staff from the IES Research and Development Centers led discussions and presented the latest research findings and practical strategies for integrating English Learners into educational environments. Attendees had opportunities to connect with the conference leaders and presenters to exchange best practices and explore collaborative solutions to shape the future of multilingual education.
The Center for the Success of English Learners (CSEL) and the National Research & Development Center to Improve Education for Secondary English Learners co-hosted the event. Both centers thank all participants for their attendance and look forward to hosting next year’s conference to build on this year’s event. This collaborative event encouraged meaningful conversations and underscored the centers’ commitment to supporting English Learners’ success.
For those unable to attend, access the event resources below. These resources offer strategies for enhancing and supporting instructional practices and equitable learning for all English Learners.
CSEL Instruction
CSEL Conference Presentation
CSEL Science Activity Packet
CSEL Science Content Handout
CSEL SS World Gen, Handout
CSEL SS World Gen, Pharaohs Unit
CSEL SS World Gen, Slides ("Enhancing Social Studies Instruction for Secondary Emergent Bilinguals and Their Peers")
Keynotes
Promoting Adolescent Multilingual Learners’ Success in Content Area Classrooms: Matching the Learning Environment to Developmental Stage
Reconceptualizing ecologically the transformation of educational opportunities for Multilingual Learners
WestEd Instruction
Design Principles for Educative Curriculum Materials and Professional Learning in Mathematics: Lessons from an Iterative Development Project
The Role of Educative Materials in Ecologies of Learning: Iterative Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of English Language Arts Curriculum
WestEd Policy
Course-Taking Patterns for Dually Identified Students
Extra Time as Lever
High school EL students’ access to content: Exclusionary tracking as a systemic barrier to adolescent multilingual student equity
Who Waives EL Services and What Are the Effects of Waiving?