What happens when student talk takes center stage? On the ML Chat Podcast, educator and Stanford researcher Jeff Zwiers discusses how academic discourse, teaching big ideas with flexibility, and student-centered oral language routines drive deeper thinking and engagement for multilingual learners. It’s a refreshing reminder that creativity and meeting curriculum standards can go hand-in-hand.

President of Arkansas TESOL and Director of ESL, Christen Graham, shares how her district turned mission into action during a sudden influx of Afghan refugee students. She discusses building newcomer centers, engaging families through community partnerships, and equipping educators with practical strategies for immediate use. The conversation highlights how collaboration and understanding students help bridge the gap between home and school.

Soledad and Vanina of Guilford County Schools join ML Chat to share how Pathway reading and writing strategies and the 3L’s Framework (Learning, Language, and Literacy) improve outcomes for multilingual learners. Their work coordinating PD, teacher onboarding, mentorship, and newcomer schools shows how collaboration and leadership create a cohesive districtwide approach that truly supports multilingual learners.

Today’s episode is like a pep talk from a friend! Author, speaker, and ELL specialist Andrea Bitner reminds educators to prioritize balance and self-care. Her newest book, When Niagara Falls, tells a story of resilience, a struggling student, and a teacher who never gives up. With over 24 years in education, Andrea offers insights on professional growth, supporting English learners with literacy challenges, collaboration, and connecting with students.

As CEO of Kids Count and Read Two and Director at UCLA Crest (ELPA 21), Dr. Joby Lawrence has spent 30 years advocating for English learners and at-risk students. In this ML Chat episode, she shares her journey from launching ESL programs in rural Iowa to shaping national multilingual education policy. She also highlights how collaboration and relationship-building can create lasting impact for students and educators alike.

With nearly four decades in education, Lynda Espinoza Idle is a passionate advocate for all multilingual learners—especially those with dual needs. Today on the ML Chat Podcast, she shares how collaboration, tiered support systems, data, and family partnerships can transform outcomes. She also explains why early identification matters. With an asset-based mindset, she inspires educators to see every student as “linguistically gifted.”

With 26 years of experience, Beverly Kerr joins the ML Chat Podcast to share how Title I schools, among others, can create equitable and inclusive ML classrooms. She emphasizes the importance of building relationships and addressing the needs of dually identified and trauma-affected learners. Discover how foundational literacy, structured interventions, and cross-department collaboration create schoolwide systems of support.