MLRC

MLRC @ NESA 2025 Fall Leadership Conference
2025-10-16 08:00 - 2025-10-19 17:00 UTC
Connect with the MLRC in Istanbul, Turkey, where Jon Nordmeyer, MLRC School Network Director, will present at the upcoming at the Near East South Asia Council of Overseas Schools 2025 Leadership Conference on October 16-19th. Jon will present,” Global and Local: Leading in Today’s International Schools,” where he will share interactive practices to support leaders in maximizing both English as medium of instruction and home languages as tools for learning.
At the conference, Jon will be available to meet with educators to discuss upcoming MLRC research opportunities in the region, including the MLRC Research Symposium in Panama City on Nov. 15-16.

La Cosecha
2025-11-11 08:00 - 2025-11-15 17:00 UTC
Connect with the MLRC in Alberqerque, New Mexico where Mariana Castro, MLRC Director of Qualitative Research, will present three different workshops at the upcoming La Cosecha 2025 Conference on November 11th-15th.

Leading Between Languages: The Power of Transliderazgo
Beyond One Language: Embracing Translanguaging to Empower Student Voices
Unpacking Identity and Ideologies: Validating Knowledge through Translanguaging

Research Symposium: Panama City
2025-11-15 08:00 - 2025-11-16 16:00 UTC | International School of Panama, 3GHH+357, Panama City, Panamá Province, Panama
The MLRC Research Symposium in Panama City is a vibrant two-day, in-person gathering that brings together educators from across the region to explore multilingual learning through collaborative research. With a focus on translanguaging, inclusive EAL, and collaboration, participants dive into real-world strategies for supporting multilingual learners. After the event, teams receive continued support from the MLRC team and fellow educators as they apply action research in their own school communities across Panama and beyond.
Registration open now!

Pricing:
Early Bird : $525 USD
Regular: $625 USD
* Early registration ends September 12th at midnight Central time
**Regular registration ends November 1st at midnight Central time

Research Symposium: Beijing
2025-12-06 08:00 - 2025-12-07 16:00 UTC | International School of Beijing, 10 Anhua St, Shunyi District, Beijing, 100103, China
Hosted at the International School of Beijing, the MLRC Research Symposium offers a two-day immersive experience for educators committed to enhancing multilingual education. Through practical workshops, research exploration, and team-based planning, participants build actionable insights around a problem of practice. Post-symposium, school teams engage in ongoing collaboration and receive virtual support from the MLRC as they implement research projects tailored to their school contexts.
Registration open now!

Pricing:
Early Bird : $525 USD
Regular: $625 USD
* Early registration ends October 3rd at midnight Central time
**Regular registration ends November 22nd at midnight Central time

Research Symposium: Malaga
2026-01-17 08:00 - 2026-01-18 16:00 UTC | British School of Málaga, C. Centaurea, 8, Málaga-Este, Málaga, 29018, Spain
Hosted at the British School of Málaga in Málaga, the MLRC Research Symposium provides a two-day in-person workshop where educators dive into the research in fostering inclusive and multilingual classrooms. With sessions focused on translanguaging, collaboration, and inclusive EAL, participants collaborate in teams to create action research plans that address their school’s unique needs. Following the workshop, participants remain connected through virtual MLRC support as they explore their own action research projects and translate research into practice.
Registration open now!

Pricing:
Early Bird : $525 USD
Regular: $625 USD
* Early registration ends December 12th at midnight Central time
**Regular registration ends January 3rd at midnight Central time

Research Symposium: Manila
2026-01-24 08:00 - 2026-01-25 16:00 UTC | International School of Manila, University Pkwy, Taguig, Metro Manila, 1634, Philippines
Held in Manila at the International School of Manila, the MLRC Research Symposium brings educators together for two days of hands-on learning, deep discussion, and action research planning. Participants explore key themes such as inclusive EAL, translanguaging, and collaboration, grounded in research. After the symposium, school teams receive sustained MLRC support as they carry out action research to elevate multilingual learning in their home schools.
Registration open now!

Pricing:
Early Bird : $525 USD
Regular: $625 USD
* Early registration ends November 28th at midnight Central time
**Regular registration ends January 10th at midnight Central time

MLRC at the EARCOS 2025-2026 Webinar Series
2026-01-31 09:00 - 10:30 (Asia/Shanghai)
Multilingualism in International Schools: Looking Back, Looking Ahead
We have worked in and with international schools for over three decades, and we have seen incredible growth in schools and in the field. We have also seen persistent challenges and enduring themes. This webinar is based on a recent series of articles in TIE Online, offered as an honest and unapologetic conversation about hopes, fears, and “probletunities” in teaching multilingual learners in international schools. We will name and frame some of these issues in the hope that we can help today’s schools think their way into solutions that serve current and future multilingual students.
Register here: https://www.earcos.org/2025-26_upcoming_events.php

Speaker Series: Janette Avelar
2026-02-05 13:00 - 14:00 UTC
On February 5th, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM US Central Time, Janette Avelar will present “Who is Seen as Gifted? Intersectional Patterns in Multilingual Learners’ Identification and Educational Opportunities.” This presentation will examine which multilingual learners are identified for Talented and Gifted programs and how access to advanced coursework varies after identification. Using statewide longitudinal data from Oregon and a multilevel, intersectional analytic approach, the study documents uneven patterns of course access among multilingual learners labeled as gifted.
Please register in advance.

MLRC at NAELPA 2026
2026-02-09 08:00 - 2026-02-10 17:00 UTC
Come see the MLRC at NAELPA 2026! Carrie Parker, MLRC Co-Director, will present Strengthening the Educator Workforce for Multilingual Learners: A Toolkit for Aligning Educator Recruitment with ML Programs and Services.
This workshop will walk attendees through a tool to support districts to align their vision for ML learning and their ML programs and services with the development of pathways for, retention and ongoing professional learning of teachers of MLs.
Join NAELPA in Chicago, February 9–10.
Register here!

MLRC @ CLADES 2026
2026-02-25 08:00 - 2026-02-26 17:00 UTC
At the upcoming CLADES Conference (Belgium) from February 25-26th, Dr. Esther Bettney Heidt (MLRC SchooL Network Researcher) will facilitate a workshop titled “From Ideology to Action: Designing Equitable Language Policy in Practice.” Drawing on the collaborative expertise of the MLRC School Network’s Language Policy Working Group, this workshop introduces a 7-stage framework designed to help schools navigate the complexities of policy development—from building local language profiles to defining a vision that resists dominant, restrictive ideologies. By focusing on a systematic, research-informed process, the session demonstrates how schools can develop language policies aligned with their values and informed by their community.
This work is part of a larger center-wide focus on investigating how language policy functions as a tool for equity across diverse educational contexts. By sharing applied examples from the MLRC network, the workshop offers a roadmap for cultivating language awareness and building more inclusive, multilingual school communities.

2026-03-05 13:00 - 14:00 UTC
On March 5th, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM US Central Time, Ofelia Castro Schepers will present “Beyond Individual Trauma: Linguicism, Accountability, and Teachers’ Perceptions of How Trauma-Informed Practices Support Multilingual Learners.” This presentation will look at how trauma-informed teaching connects with issues like linguistic racism and the pressures of high‑stakes testing. Drawing on qualitative data from a longitudinal mixed-methods study of P–12 educators, it explores how teachers understand and use trauma-informed practices with multilingual students. While many teachers are becoming more aware of the emotional side of learning a new language, few recognize how language discrimination or English‑only accountability systems can create trauma themselves.
Please register in advance.

School Improvement Framework Webinar
2026-04-08 08:00 - 09:00 UTC
Interested in strengthening your school-wide approach to serving multilingual learners?
The MLRC will be hosting the first of two free webinars introducing the MLRC School Improvement Framework on April 8 at 8:00 AM US Central! Register here and join us to stay grounded in current research, the Framework will help you and your team:

Examine your current approach to serving multilingual learners across 4 levels: school, program, classroom & student

Draw on 14 research-backed themes to clarify best practices

Identify strengths and areas for growth

Build a roadmap for sustained improvement

If you’re committed to improving learning outcomes for multilingual learners, this School Improvement Pathways webinar is for you! Register today and begin strengthening your school’s approach to success for multilingual learners.

Download Webinar Handout
Download MLRC School Improvement Webinar: Framework PDF

School Improvement Playbook Webinar
2026-04-15 08:00 - 09:00 UTC
The MLRC will host the second webinar of the series, which will focus on the MLRC School Improvement Playbook. Register here to learn about this powerful collection of tools, activities, and protocols designed to help schools reflect, evaluate, and strengthen their approach to serving multilingual learners.
In this session, you will learn about the Playbook’s four-step process toward school improvement, grounded in the MLRC School Improvement Framework:

Familiarize: Build shared understanding of the Framework and the research that underpins it through structured activities such as Research Jigsaw, KWL Charts, and Key Terms protocols.

Inventory: Engage teams in identifying strengths and areas for growth using collaborative inventory approaches, such as the Snowball or Survey Inventory.

Deep Dive: Gather evidence and multiple perspectives on certain aspects of the Framework with activities such as ML Student Shadowing, Policy Audit or ML/EAL Handbook.

Action Plan: Prioritize and plan next steps using structured decision-making tools like Diamond Ranking and Effort/Impact Analysis.

The Playbook can help your school catalyze inquiry, discuss strengths & areas for growth and build capacity to better serve multilingual learners. As a research-practice partnership, we encourage schools to adapt, remix, and build upon these tools to meet their local context, strengthening the connection between research and day-to-day practice.
We hope you will join us as we demonstrate how the MLRC School Improvement Framework and Playbook can guide meaningful, sustained improvement for multilingual learners!

Download Webinar Handout
Download MLRC School Improvement Webinar: Playbook PDF

AMISA EdCon
2026-04-22 08:00 - 2026-04-24 17:00 UTC
Esther Bettney Heidt, MLRC School Network Researcher, will present at the upcoming AMISA EdCon in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on April 22-24! Esther has been involved in bi/multilingual education in the AMISA region since 2006, as a classroom teacher, school administrator, teacher trainer and educational researcher. Esther will be available to meet with educators to discuss their current pressing questions about best practices in serving bi/multilingual students.
Dr. Esther Bettney Heidt, MLRC School Network Researcher, will be presenting various sessions!

Inclusive Language Policies: Tools for Administrators and Teachers
Translanguaging in Practice: Research-Informed & Compassionate Strategies for Multilingual Learners
Neuro-Multilingualism: Bridging the Gap Between EAL and Learning Support with Lorreine Draper and Claudia Lyon from International School Nido de Aguilas

Speaker Series: Ying Chu
2026-04-23 09:00 - 10:00 UTC
On Thursday, April 23, 9:00-10:00 AM US Central Time, Ying Chu will present “Implementation of High-Quality Dual Language Immersion Programs in International Schools.” This presentation will share findings from a qualitative study on implementing high‑quality Chinese–English dual language immersion programs in an international school context. Drawing on interviews with program leaders from seven international schools, the study identifies a phased implementation process and highlights the role of linguistically and culturally responsive leadership in achieving the core goals of dual language education: bilingualism, biliteracy, academic achievement, and sociocultural competence.
Please register in advance.

MLRC Research Symposium - NEASC Cohort
2026-10-30 - 2026-11-01 | Louisenlund, Stiftung Louisenlund, Guby, Germany
The NEASC/MLRC Research Symposium is a unique opportunity for international educators at NEASC schools to engage deeply in existing research about multilingual learners, connect with global education scholars, inquire together about shared problems of practice, and discuss innovative strategies for serving multilingual learners. Teams will be supported in creating and implementing an action research projects. The two and half day workshop will be followed by continued action research support and coaching, culminating in a capstone report.
Participation is invite-only for NEASC schools.
