Celebrating Multilingual Learners Across the Nation
Dr. Diane Staehr Fenner’s 5 Inspiring Keynotes
This past month, SupportEd President Dr. Diane Staehr Fenner had the honor of being the keynote speaker for five educator conferences. Diane traveled to four states across the U.S. and facilitated one virtual keynote to connect with educators, share resources, and center education for multilingual learners. This season of conferences highlighted the importance of equipping educators with the tools and inspiration to support multilingual learners in every classroom. Here’s a look back at the impact from these transformative events.
Wabash Valley Educational Center Conference: West Lafayette, Indiana (November 6)
Diane first journeyed to Northwestern Indiana to deliverd two powerful keynotes to educators from across the state beginning with Multilingualism is a Superpower: Unlocking Multilingual Learners’ Potential. The second “mini” keynote address was titled Using a Culturally Responsive Framework to Leverage the Strengths and Meet the Needs of Multilingual Learners. In a hands-on breakout session, Diane shared practical strategies for to Empower Multilingual Learners in Reading and Writing.
Tennessee TESOL: Nashville, Tennessee (November 7–9)
Dr. Diane Staehr Fenner delivers the keynote address, takes photos with educators, and hosts a book signing at TNTESOL 2024.
Diane then traveled to Nashville to deliver a keynote on a topic dear to her heart, Advocating and Leading to Unlock Multilingual Learners’ Potential. The event also featured a book signing, where Diane was grateful for the opportunity to connect with so many local educators. Diane has had the honor of working with Tennessee educators a number of times over the past few years and was thrilled to share SupportEd’s resources to deepen their advocacy for multilingual learners.
Colorado TESOL: Thornton, Colorado (November 15–16)
Diane kept her bags packed and flew to Denver, Colorado to present an interactive keynote November 15 on Cultivating Colorado’s Multilingual Landscapes Through Unlocking Multilingual Learners’ Potential. The conference also featured Diane’s breakout session on Peer Learning Routines to Empower Multilingual Learners in Content Reading and Writing, in which participants tried out several strategies to integrate MLs’ collaboration and engagement.
Pennsylvania Department of Education English Language Development Conference – Virtual (November 19–21)
Dr. Staehr Fenner returned home and delivered a virtual keynote on Culturally Responsive Instructional Strategies to Promote Equity and Access for Multilingual Learners on November 20. Educators left inspired to implement strategies that ensure equitable opportunities for all students with content being drawn from one of Dr. Staehr Fenner and Dr. Sydney Snyder’s best-selling books, Culturally Responsive Teaching for Multilingual Learners: Tools for Equity.
Ohio TESOL: Columbus, Ohio (November 20–22)
Dr. Diane Staehr Fenner delivers the keynote address during Ohio TESOL 2024.
Diane hit the road one final time to gather with educators in Ohio on November 21. In her keynote to more than 800 educators, Lau to Now: Advocating and Leading to Unlock Multilingual Learners’ Potential, Diane led the participants to reflect on legislation, historical milestones, and current practices in empowering multilingual learners. In her breakout session, Integrating SEL for MLs: Pathway to Language and Content Acquisition, Diane explored the intersection of social emotional learning and language development for multilingual learners.
As Diane reflects on the miles traveled and the countless educators she engaged with throughout November, one common thread stands out: the unwavering passion educators bring to their work. No matter where she presented, the recurring theme was the boundless energy, affirmation of students and their families, and genuine care for multilingual learners’ academic success and well-being.
Diane and the SupportEd team are filled with gratitude for the chance to connect with so many dedicated educators who share a passion for empowering multilingual learners. As we look ahead, we are excited to continue this important work together.
About SupportEd
SupportEd is a woman-owned business based in Fairfax, Virginia providing Multilingual Learner (ML) professional development, personalized coaching, technical assistance, and resources for educators across the United States and Canada. Founded in 2011 by Dr. Diane Staehr Fenner, four-time best-selling author and ML expert, SupportEd builds authentic partner relationships and meticulously crafts customized solutions to fit every partner’s strengths and goals. SupportEd equips teachers and administrators with the practical tools and strategies necessary to champion MLs’ success within and beyond the classroom. Visit SupportEd.com or call (202) 660-1444 to learn more.
