CRBLM-ALDI Conference

The Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music (CRBLM), and Advancing Learning in Differentiation and Inclusion (ALDI) are delighted to invite you to apply for a subsidized conference for education professionals on teaching and learning in two languages.

In this conference, participants will have the opportunity to hear from and exchange ideas with Montreal researchers who have been engaged in cutting edge research on teaching and learning in two languages. Participants will have the opportunity to interact with researchers and collegues in an engaging day of discussion and reflection.

When: 5 December, 2019, 8:00 – 15:30

Where: McGill University, New residence hall, 3625 Park Ave (level C, ballroom A) Montreal, QC H2X 3P8

Below are the conference program and session descriptions.

Conference program:

• 8:00 – 8:45 – Registration and coffee
• 8:45 – 9:00 – Opening remarks
• 9:00 – 10:00 – Talk: Advances in Research on Second Language Teaching and Learning: Implications for the Classroom
• 10:00 – 10:15 Break
• 10:15 – 12:00 Workshop: Best Practice for Teaching Oral Language and Literacy Across Languages
• 12:00 – 13:00 Lunch (provided)
• 13:00 – 15:00 Panel: Students with Special Educational Needs in a Dual Language Education Context
• 15:00 – 15:30 Closing and reflection

Session descriptions:

Advances in Research on Second Language Teaching and Learning: Implications for the Classroom

Canadian, and especially Quebec, researchers have made significant contributions to our understanding of teaching and learning second languages. This talk will provide a non-technical review of what we have learned from this research and what it tells us about teaching languages in a bilingual context. We will discuss young learners’ capacity for learning two languages, the advantages of being bilingual, whether there is a critical age for second language learning and evidence-based best practices for teaching languages in a bilingual context.

Fred Genesee (McGill University)

Best Practice for Teaching Oral Language and Literacy Across Languages

Reading is critical for academic success. We aim to break down the nuts and bolts of reading instruction and model effective and developmentally appropriate instruction of these components. We will also introduce recent advances in classroom teaching practices that maximize transfer of academic skills between languages of instruction. An array of specific instructional strategies for the classroom will be presented.

Corinne Haigh (Bishop’s University)

Susan Ballinger (McGill University)

Students with Special Educational Needs in a Dual Language Education Context

 Our panel will share up to date evidence on the ability of children with learning challenges to learn two languages. The panel will discuss this capacity in children diagnosed with Down Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder or Developmental Language Disorder. Positive and negative factors that influence language learning will be identified (ex: motivation, availability of support services, access to dual language programs), with a deeper look at the question of how much language exposure is necessary for effective second language learning.

Natacha Trudeau (Université de Montréal)

Aparna Nadig (McGill University)

Phaedra Royle (Université de Montréal)