Areas of ExpertiseBilingual educationWe have written and presented on research, theory, methods, and models of bilingual education. Academic languageWe have written extensively about types of English language learners and their academic language needs. We have explained what academic language is at different levels – text, paragraph, sentence, and word. We have discussed how teachers can develop both content and language objectives to promote academic English. Second language acquisitionWe have reviewed key theories of second language acquisition and shown how teachers can implement effective practices for ELLs based on current theory and research. Literacy and biliteracyWe have reviewed methods of teaching reading in both Spanish and English. We discuss ways teachers can develop a balanced literacy approach for second language students. LinguisticsWe have discussed the importance of linguistics for teaching ELLs and teaching reading. Our book makes linguistics comprehensible for teachers. Dual languageWe conducted research across the U.S. and abroad on different models of dual language instruction. We have identified essentials for successful dual language programs. TranslanguagingDrawing on the research of O. García and her colleagues, we have written and presented on translanguaging. Implementing translanguaging in schools with emergent bilinguals allows students to draw upon their full linguistic repertoires as they learn language and content. We have defined defined translanguaging and provided real classroom examples of how to implement it. ESL methodsWe have written and presented on current and past ESL methods, helping teachers to understand what the best approaches are to teaching both academic language and content to emergent bilingual students
Featured Speaker: DR. GILBERTO D. SOTO
Gilberto D. Soto began to play the guitar at the age of twelve. After graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Universidad Autónoma del Noreste, Dr. Soto came to Texas to study music at Abilene Christian University. He graduated with honors (Cum Laude) from ACU in 1986 and received a second Bachelor’s Degree in Music. Dr. Soto then was awarded a full fellowship from the University of Southern Mississippi in order to continue his graduate studies in Music, where he received his Master’s Degree in Music Performance in 1988 and his Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Music Education in 1995. Some of the institutions where he has taught include Monterrey Tech, Universidad Autónoma del Noreste, University of Southern Mississippi, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Hinds Community College, Vidal M. Treviño Magnet School, and Laredo Community College, where he was the Department Chairperson from 1998-2001. Dr. Soto is a member of the Guitar Foundation of America, the South Texas Classical Guitar Society, and the Texas Council for the Arts and the Texas Music Education Association. He is also part of the subcommittee on Higher Education for the Texas Association of Music School and is currently serving as a member on the board of trustees for the Laredo Center for the Arts and the Instituto Cultural México-Laredo. Dr. Soto has recently being appointed as Chairman for the Fine and Performing Arts Department at Texas A&M International University.