Multilingual Writing Institute—Summer 2026

Join us for an inspiring three-day professional learning event designed to equip you with actionable strategies and tools to elevate writing instruction for your multilingual students.

This immersive experience will explore proven systems and best practices that have helped our partner districts double their students' proficiency rates on the ACCESS annual assessment. Whether you're looking to enhance your current approach or implement new strategies, you'll leave with a deeper understanding of how to support your students in becoming confident, successful writers.

JUNE 16-18, 2026

East Prairie School District #73
7616 East Prairie Road
Skokie, IL 60076

Register

  • “I have never been to a conference that was as well planned and engaging. You provided just the right amount of movement, collaboration, and information.”

  • “Taking a deep dive into the WIDA criteria has allowed me to see the connection between the criteria, the standards, and the way these skills present themselves throughout our units. I am feeling confident about the direction we are moving in and have some additional elements to bring back to continue our work in refining the use of our curriculum. Thank you so so much for a well thought out and carefully designed three days of professional learning!”

  • “I loved all the practical ideas that I can take back to my teams. Using the goal templates to help students determine a targeted focus to improve writing will be very impactful. I also enjoyed looking at ACCESS data to find trends. Also, this PD has helped me think about systems that can be put in place.”

  • “I experienced many strong key takeaways from this PD. I'm moving into a new role and many of these instructional practices will support me in coaching and teaching. One major takeaway was the overall idea of co-teaching and learning how powerful it can be in the classroom. Also, the breakdown of the WIDA standards and expectations helped me get a larger picture of WIDA in general. I also really appreciated the student examples that were realistic.”

  • “I started to implement our plan the day after the institute ended. I am looking at clustering students based upon ACCESS data and students who are close to exiting. I am working on creating materials to set goals with EL teachers to begin the year.”

  • “This institute turned my Social Studies lessons upside down. I am completely transforming my classroom lessons. Not only am I now seeing how I’m integrating more writing practices into my Social Studies instruction, but I’ve also started developing a writing system that incorporates specific strategies based on my students’ latest ACCESS test scores. This has truly been a game changer.”

Key Focus Areas:

  • Exploring the 2020 WIDA ELD Standards: Gain a deeper understanding of the WIDA standards for expressive language, with a focus on how to support multilingual students in developing their writing skills.

  • Strategy-Based Writing Instruction: Learn and apply research-backed instructional strategies for teaching writing that are effective across all language proficiency levels and nurture student agency.

  • Leveraging Multilingual Strengths: Explore ways to harness the linguistic and cultural strengths of your students to enhance their writing development.

  • Developing Reliable Writing Assessment Practices: Build consistency and reliability in assessing student writing, with strategies for cross-team collaboration and feedback.

  • Creating a Supportive Writing Culture: Cultivate a classroom environment that nurtures the confidence and skills of multilingual writers, promoting engagement and growth.

  • Writing Instructional Strategies: Focus on key areas of writing development, including organizational structure, coherence, grammatical complexity, vocabulary precision, and density of language.

  • Effective Feedback Systems: Discover systems for giving constructive, actionable feedback that encourages student growth and application.

  • Differentiated Instruction Using ACCESS Data: Use ACCESS data to create tailored plans for supporting proficiency growth in multilingual students.

  • Collaboration with Educators: Connect with a diverse group of educators from multilingual programs, fostering valuable networks and collaborative ideas.

Break-Out Sessions: Participants will engage in targeted break-out sessions, focusing on specific topics related to their unique roles and settings. These sessions are designed to address the needs of diverse educational contexts and promote actionable learning.

Take-Home Resources: All participants will receive a comprehensive multilingual writing handbook, complete with sample anchor charts and model lessons to support ongoing classroom application.

Target Audience:

  • Dual Language Teachers, Instructional Coaches, and Administrators

  • English Language (EL) Teachers, Instructional Coaches, and Administrators

  • Educators and Administrators Supporting Multilingual Students

Attending with a team increases the impact of this professional development at your school site.

Discount available for multiple participants from the same district.

Sessions:

  • June 16, 2026: 8:30 a.m. Registration, 9:00 a.m. start - 3:00 p.m.

  • June 17, 2026: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

  • June 18, 2026: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Included: Coffee, light breakfast, and lunch each day.

Cost: $875 per participant

Early Individual Registration Discount: $825 prior to March 10, 2026

Multiple Registration Discount: $800 per person for groups of 2 or more participants from the same district