Fall 2026 CoTESOL Convention: Full Schedule

Welcome to the 48th Annual CoTESOL Fall Convention!
Dates: November 14-15, 2025
Location: The Conference Center, Adams 12 Five Star Schools, 1500 E. 128th Ave., Thornton, CO 80241

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9:50am MDT

Translanguaging Design and Shifts that Support Multilingual Students' Learning and Sense of Belonging

Sunday May 10, 2026 9:50am - 10:35am MDT

Dogwood

This interactive session reinforces what distinguishes Translanguaging from translation and provides participants with definitions and concrete examples of how intentional Translanguaging design and instructional shifts enhance not only language and content learning, but also a sense of belonging for multilingual students.

CDE CLDE Credit: 5.11. Quality Standard III, Element A

Audience: Elementary Education (EE); Secondary Education (SE); Content Area (CA)

Speakers

Dr. Deena Gumina

Associate Teaching Professor, University of Colorado Boulder: The BUENO Center

Dr. Deena Gumina is a Project Director for the BUENO Center and an Assistant Teaching
Professor for the Equity, Bilingualism and Biliteracy Department in the School of Education at
the University of Colorado Boulder. Dr. Gumina’s research interests include bilingual education,
tea... Read More →

Sunday May 10, 2026 9:50am - 10:35am MDT
Dogwood

Content Area (CA)

Speaker Type Academic
Session Type Presentation (45 min.)
CDE CLDE Credit CDE CLDE Credit

9:50am MDT

Putting Your Oxygen Mask on First: How We as Teachers of English Language Learners Can Support Ourselves and Our Peers During This Time of Sociopolitical Uncertainty

Sunday May 10, 2026 9:50am - 10:35am MDT

Executive Board Room "Teaching Tips Theatre"

Teaching ELLs in the U.S. is challenging today. Let’s discuss current issues, share tips for maintaining our well-being to better support students, and build communities of practice to create support systems across contexts and regions.

Audience: Educational Technology (TECH); Socio-Political; Intensive English Program/Higher Education (IEP/HE); Adult Education (AE); Content Area (CA); Secondary Education (SE); Elementary Education (EE); Teacher Education/Action Research (TE/AR)

Speakers

Michelle Duvall

Lecturer, International English Center, CU Boulder

Michelle is a Lecturer at the International English Center at CU Boulder, as well as a Virtual Educator for the US Dept of State English Language Programs. She has taught English in a variety of settings since 1999, including programs at the US Agency for International Development... Read More →

Sunday May 10, 2026 9:50am - 10:35am MDT
Executive Board Room "Teaching Tips Theatre"

Teacher Education/Action Research (TE/AR)

Speaker Type Academic
Session Type Dialogue (45 min.)

9:50am MDT

Education in the Age of AI: Power of Slow Education for International Students’ Success

Sunday May 10, 2026 9:50am - 11:20am MDT

Silverton

Drawing on students’ practice of slow looking in freshman writing courses, this presentation demonstrates the power of “slow looking” as a tool for mindfulness and discovery, helping students develop insights and knowledge that are valuable both in educational settings and in their personal lives.

Audience: Adult Education (AE); Teacher Education/Action Research (TE/AR); Content Area (CA); Secondary Education (SE)

Speakers

Young Kyung Min

Assistant Teaching Professor, University of Colorado Boulder

Vince Taluskie

Sunday May 10, 2026 9:50am - 11:20am MDT
Silverton

Adult Education (AE)

Speaker Type Academic
Session Type Workshop (1 hr. 30 min.)

9:50am MDT

Enhancing Writing with Padlet

Sunday May 10, 2026 9:50am - 11:20am MDT

Flatirons

This session explores specific strategies and activities that leverage Padlet's features to enhance various aspects of the writing process from brainstorming and prewriting exercises to peer collaboration and feedback. Participants gain hands-on experience in creating and customizing Padlet boards, exploring different layouts, multimedia options, and privacy settings to suit goals.

CDE CLDE Credit: 5.11(2) ELEMENT B

Audience: Elementary Education (EE); Secondary Education (SE); Adult Education (AE); Intensive English Program/Higher Education (IEP/HE); Teacher Education/Action Research (TE/AR); Educational Technology (TECH)

Speakers

Robert Kenfack

English and French Language Teacher, Ministry of Secondary Education Cameroon/ Cameroon English Language and Literature Teachers Association (CAMELTA)

Sunday May 10, 2026 9:50am - 11:20am MDT
Flatirons

Educational Technology

Speaker Type Academic
Session Type Workshop (1 hr. 30 min.)
CDE CLDE Credit CDE CLDE Credit

9:50am MDT

Like-Peer Comparative Data

Sunday May 10, 2026 9:50am - 11:20am MDT

Snowmass

This session introduces educators to a powerful framework that embeds linguistic responsiveness into data-driven decision-making. Grounded in Colorado’s K–12 guidance, it centers on the use of culturally and linguistically responsive data—examining Linguistic Profiles, Like-Peer comparisons, and Multilingual Learner needs to inform instructional choices, interventions, and program placement.

CDE CLDE Credit: 5.09(2) ELEMENT B; 5.12(2) ELEMENT B

Audience: Elementary Education (EE); Secondary Education (SE)

Speakers

Brie Johnson

Senior Literacy Consultant, Colorado Department of Education

Brie Johnson started her teaching career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nicaragua. She holds an MA in Curriculum, Instruction & Teaching with a concentration in Urban Education from the University of Denver. She worked in Aurora supporting Multilingual Learners and as a bilingual teacher... Read More →

Hunter Smith

Multilingual Learners with Educational Disabilities Specialist, Colorado Department of Education

Hunter Smith, Multilingual Learners with Educational Disabilities Specialist, CDE Hunter Smith was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. He began his teaching career as a bilingual teacher in the primary grades in Denver Public Schools. Subsequently, he became a special educator for... Read More →

Sunday May 10, 2026 9:50am - 11:20am MDT
Snowmass

Elementary Education (EE)

Speaker Type Academic
Session Type Workshop (1 hr. 30 min.)
CDE CLDE Credit CDE CLDE Credit

9:50am MDT

Culturally Immersive Learning: Living Traditions in Action

Sunday May 10, 2026 9:50am - 11:20am MDT

Blue Spruce

Culturally Immersive Learning: Living Traditions in Action explores Day of the Dead as a transformative pedagogical framework. Through interdisciplinary, project-based activities spanning arts, STEM, and humanities, participants engage remembrance-driven learning to foster personal and academic growth, genre innovation, and cultural understanding via hands-on experiences in design, coding, history, and anthropology.

CDE CLDE Credit: 5.11(1) ELEMENT B

Audience: Teacher Education/Action Research (TE/AR)

Speakers

Veronica Chavez-Salgado

Faculty Department Chair, Humanities; Spanish Faculty, Arapahoe Community College

Jason Schlueter

English Faculty, Arapahoe Community College

Jason Schlueter is an English faculty member based in Littleton, CO. He teaches first-year composition and developmental English, incorporating innovative projects such as Calaveras and TED Talks to engage students in genre exploration. His academic interests include translanguaging... Read More →

Sunday May 10, 2026 9:50am - 11:20am MDT
Blue Spruce

Teacher Education/Action Research (TE/AR)

Speaker Type Academic
Session Type Workshop (1 hr. 30 min.)
CDE CLDE Credit CDE CLDE Credit

10:45am MDT

ELL Strategy Library from Colorin Colorado!

Sunday May 10, 2026 10:45am - 11:30am MDT

Cottonwood

This session addresses the specific needs of multilingual learners who have reached the ‘developing’ stage of language acquisition. These students in grades 3-12 can decode text, but they may not always understand what they’ve read. This session provides concrete strategies for making even grade-level content texts comprehensible for these students.

CDE CLDE Credit: 5.12 Quality Standard IV Element A

Audience: Elementary Education (EE); Secondary Education (SE)

Speakers

Beth Skelton

Consultant, Educational Consultants, LLC

Beth Skelton @easkelton has over 30 years of experience as a language educator and holds a master’s degree in multicultural teacher education. She has worked with early childhood, elementary, middle, high school and adult language learners in rural, urban, suburban, and international school settings... Read More →

Sunday May 10, 2026 10:45am - 11:30am MDT
Cottonwood

Secondary Education (SE)

Speaker Type Academic
Session Type Presentation (45 min.)
CDE CLDE Credit CDE CLDE Credit

10:45am MDT

Advocacy in Times of Strife: Cutting through the Disquiet to Help Instigate Meaningful Change

Sunday May 10, 2026 10:45am - 11:30am MDT

Executive Board Room "Teaching Tips Theatre"

Despite this year’s national policy shifts, accessible and effective advocacy resources remain at our disposal. Through sharing her experience representing Colorado at TESOL’s 2025 Advocacy Action Days in Washington, D.C., the presenter will encourage further discussion/reflection on how CoTESOL professionals can best advocate for their local communities.

CDE CLDE Credit: 5.09 Quality Standard I; 5.09(1) ELEMENT A

Audience: Socio-Political

Speakers

Olivia Walt

Adjunct English Lecturer, ESL Academy - University of Colorado Denver

Sunday May 10, 2026 10:45am - 11:30am MDT
Executive Board Room "Teaching Tips Theatre"

Socio Political

Speaker Type Academic
Session Type Presentation (45 min.)
CDE CLDE Credit CDE CLDE Credit

10:45am MDT

Coming Out of the Teaching Trenches!

Sunday May 10, 2026 10:45am - 11:30am MDT

Dogwood

Are you currently in the Educator Trenches, unable to find your way out? This session will provide the chance to think about your own experiences and when you may have found yourself in a trench. This session will also focus on tools to help teachers of Multilingual Learners rediscover the reason they got into teaching and ways to combat burnout.

Audience: Teacher Education/Action Research (TE/AR); Socio-Political; Content Area (CA); Secondary Education (SE); Elementary Education (EE)

Speakers

Dana Goodier

TOSA-MTSS Coordinator, CCFLT

Are you in the trenches as an educator? You’re not alone. Hear from those who have been in the trenches and managed to come out intact. Hear their stories.

Sunday May 10, 2026 10:45am - 11:30am MDT
Dogwood

Teacher Education/Action Research (TE/AR)

Speaker Type Academic
Session Type Presentation (45 min.)

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