Dr. Kymyona Burk is Policy Director for Early Literacy at the Foundation for Excellence in Education (ExcelinEd). In this role, she supports states pursuing a comprehensive approach to K–3 reading policy. She joins host Susan Lambert to give listeners a look behind the curtain of the legislative process creating education policy, including writing and passing literacy legislation, the politics of advocating for the Science of Reading within legislation, and what the results look like for states that have this legislation in place.

Show notes: 

ExcelinEd profile page The Perfect Storm: Mississippi’s Momentum for Improving Reading Achievement - The Reading League Journal

Amplify’s Virtual Symposium 2022 - Celebrating Biliteracy: Realizing a Better Future for Our Spanish Speakers

Quotes: 

“A literacy law is an equity law … there has to be some type of consistent language around what effective reading instruction looks like in classrooms.”

— Dr. Kymyona Burk

S5-E7: Unlocking change through literacy legislation: Dr. Kymyona Burk

Science of Reading: The Podcast will deliver the latest insights from researchers and practitioners in early reading. Via a conversational approach, each episode explores a timely topic related to the science of reading.

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In this episode, Diane August, Ph.D. shares her journey and expertise supporting multilingual learners, focusing on her transition from a Spanish language teacher to a widely recognized expert in literacy and language acquisition for multilingual students. August recounts her initial teaching experiences, her realization of the need for better support for language development, and her subsequent pursuit of a Ph.D. and further research efforts to deepen her understanding of second language acquisition and content integrated language teaching. August emphasizes the foundational importance of supporting multilingual learners through asset-based approaches, bilingual programming, and research-based instructional strategies, advocating for educational policies and practices that recognize and leverage the linguistic and cultural assets of multilingual learners from the very early grades all the way through the later grades.

Show notes:Tool: AIR Project Word Analyzer Vocabulary ToolTool: Wordsmyth.net Educational Dictionary ResourceRead: Developing Literacy in Second-Language Learners: Report of the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and YouthRead: Promoting the Educational Success of Children and Youth Learning English: Promising FuturesQuotes:
“We found there is no indication that bilingual instruction impeded academic achievement, either in the native language or in English. What we observed on average, [was] that kids that were in bilingual programs did a lot better in literacy.” —Diane August, Ph.D. “There's some sounds in English that aren't present in a first language. Or there are orthography letters that sound different in one language versus the other. So you just have to realize you have to take into consideration the kid's language background when you're teaching foundational skills.”  —Diane August, Ph.D “We develop kids' oral language when they're older in conjunction with teaching them to read and teaching them content area knowledge. You can't not do that from the beginning, you have to support kids in foundational reading skills.”  —Diane August, Ph.D. “Second language learners also come with a lot of knowledge in their first language, which is really important to consider. It's not like they don't have background knowledge.”  —Diane August, Ph.D.

Episode timestamps*
1:00: Introduction: Who is Diane August?
6:00: National literacy panel on language minority children and youth
13:00:  Importance of longitudinal research
15:00: Exploring different models for supporting biliteracy development
20:00: The Importance of Oral Language 
27:00: Intersection of research on learning on how to read for native english speakers and learning how to read for multilingual learners
30:00: Insights from the 2017 Report on Multilingual Learners
33:00: Understanding the Diversity of Multilingual Learners
36:00: Effective Strategies for Supporting Older Multilingual Learners
47:00: Importance of syntax
52:00: Concluding Thoughts on Supporting Multilingual Learners
*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute 
 
 



ML/EL E4: Practical strategies for multilingual learning, with Diane August, Ph.D.

As we continue our miniseries on English learners and multilingual learners Francisco Usero-González, Ph.D. (Paco, as I call him), a renowned expert in bilingual education and dyslexia intervention, joins Susan Lambert to discuss diagnosing dyslexia in multilingual learners and the intersectional understanding it requires. To accurately approach observation and assessment, educators need all the different parts of their own identity to create a complete picture. Usero-González discusses how moving from Spain to the United States led him to champion professional development that teaches educators to have a linguistic, cognitive, and cultural understanding of students. Together, Susan and  Usero-González also touch on the ways in which symptoms of dyslexia and the natural process of language acquisition can be confused, how to diagnose dyslexia in multilingual learners, what dyslexia looks like across languages, and how translanguaging is especially helpful for multilingual learners with dyslexia.
 
Show Notes:Watch: TEDxSHSU Bilingual Learners, Dyslexia, and Inclusive Education Read: Translanguaging by Ofelia García and Sara Vogel Quotes:

“We need to promote collaboration, because we need to talk to the different teachers that the student has in order to see if it is indeed a second language acquisition issue or it belongs to the patterns, the symptoms, that a student with dyslexia might have.” — Francisco Usero-González “It is very important for us to have this communication with parents and teachers and have them as our best allies. They are going to give us a lot of information that we maybe cannot track during our classroom time.” — Francisco Usero-González

“Dyslexia is something beyond a language. It is something that our students bring with themselves. We need to give them all the tools and resources in order to help them overcome those symptoms.” — Francisco Usero-González

 Episode timestamps*
2:00 Introduction: Who is Francisco Usero-González?
08:00 Going from Spain to the US
09:00 Dyslexia and multilingual learners, why this is an important topic
10:00 Holistic professional development: Linguistic, cognitive, and cultural understanding of students
18:00 Intersection of dyslexia and language acquisition
27:00 Diagnosing dyslexia in multilingual learners
33:00 Symptoms of dyslexia: Spanish vs English
40:00 Dyslexia across languages
48:00 Translanguaging
54:00 Final thoughts: Being a human being
*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute 


ML/EL E3: Diagnosing dyslexia in multilingual learners, with Francisco Usero-González

Professor Emeritus Jim Cummins, Ph.D., joins Susan Lambert from the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education for an engaging conversation that explores the dynamics of language development and bilingual education, as well as the importance of a supportive learning environment for multilingual/English learners. Cummins shares stories from his extensive experience and research in the field, highlighting the cognitive benefits of bilingualism, the importance of literacy engagement, and the role of translanguaging in educational settings. He also illuminates the challenges and opportunities in fostering multilingual capabilities and underscores the value of embracing students' linguistic diversity in schools.

Show notes:Listen to episode 1, Language is always an asset, with Kajal Patel BelowRead: Translanguaging in Bilingual Education by Ofelia García and Angel M.Y. LinWebsite: Language Friendly SchoolQuotes:

“Virtually all the research highlights the importance of being in a communicative, interactive context if you want to pick up a language." —Jim Cummins, Ph.D.

 “There are differences between the linguistic demands of schooling and the kind of language that we use in everyday conversational context outside of school." —Jim Cummins, Ph.D. 
“All of these processes are amplified when there's a community of peers or people that we can discuss these ideas with, we can get feedback, we can explore ideas collectively." —Jim Cummins, Ph.D.

Episode timestamps*
02:00 Introduction: Who is Jim Cummins
03:00 Personal Language Journey
10:00 Global Perspectives on Language Education
18:00 Conversion to academic language spectrum
20:00 The process of learning a second language
25:00 Language awareness
37:00 Translanguaging and Language Policy
43:00 Benefits of being multilingual and fostering a supportive environment
49:00 Joint statement
*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute 
 


ML/EL E2: Nurturing multilingualism, with Jim Cummins, Ph.D.

To kick off our miniseries focused on how the Science of Reading serves multilingual/English learners (ML/ELs), Amplify Vice President of Biliteracy Kajal Patel Below joins Susan Lambert for a retrospective discussion of the history of literacy education through a biliteracy lens. Together, they discuss the significance of a recent joint statement put out by The Reading League and the National Committee for Effective Literacy. Below sheds light on why this statement is so monumental, and what it means for serving ML/ELs going forward.

Show notes:Joint Statement from The Reading League (TRL) and the National Committee for Effective Literacy (NCEL)2006 Report: Developing Literacy in Second-Language LearnersQuotes: 

“It must be acknowledged that there is more scientific research, or there has been more scientific research, conducted with monolingual English-speaking children, and that additional research related to teaching literacy development for English learners and emergent bilinguals is needed to advance our understanding of their literacy development.” —Kajal Patel Below “We have an underserved area that's experiencing a massive growth in student population. And so it's really important to then focus on it. Schools are adjusting, they're quick, they're doing the best they can, but we need to be having these conversations around research [and] best practices so that we can set schools up for success and students up for success." —Kajal Patel Below

 “I just think we have an exciting future in this country. I was in a classroom last week—I saw some of their writing. I saw them speaking, heard them speaking in two languages fluently, easily, excitedly. I just got very excited. These kids are going to be our doctors and our teachers and our engineers and they’re bilingual or multilingual.” —Kajal Patel Below

 “Their language is an asset, whatever language it is and however much it is.” —Kajal Patel Below

Episode timestamps*
5:00 Introduction: Who is Kajal Patel Below?
7:00 Terminology: Bilingual vs biliterate; Multilingual/English learners 
10:00 History in the US of multilingual learners being underserved
11:00 Multilingualism as an asset
12:00 Importance of messaging
17:00 Advocates for multilingual learners and the science of reading
21:00 Concerns regarding the science of reading movement
25:00 Screening and assessment
31:00 Teacher support and need for better materials
34:00 What is the joint statement? 
43:00 Hopes for the future
46:00 Why is this conversation important? *Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute 


ML/EL E1: Language is always an asset, with Kajal Patel Below

Science of Reading: The Podcast is launching a special miniseries dedicated to multilingual/English learners (ML/ELs)! Host Susan Lambert will chat with leading researchers and practitioners about how the Science of Reading supports ML/ELs and why this is so important. Through exploration of the key research and enlightening discussions, Susan and guests will discuss the optimal use of the Science of Reading to enhance students’ classroom experiences and overall learning journeys.  Listen to this trailer for a sneak peek and be sure to subscribe now so you don’t miss this exclusive miniseries—the first episode is out April 30! 


S5-E7: Unlocking change through literacy legislation: Dr. Kymyona Burk

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