Educators to learn how to pinpoint learning problems

A summit showing educators how to distinguish between language and learning problems will be held at Emporia State University next week.

Nearly 200 educators from across the state are expected for the one-day conference on Friday, May 12. The event will be in ESU’s Memorial Union and is sponsored by the Flint Hills Special Education Cooperative. The featured speaker is Dr. Catherine Collier, an expert in cross-cultural, bilingual, and special education.

“Dr. Collier is very active in social justice activities for culturally diverse learners and we’re very please to have her,” said Toni Bowling, coordinator of the conference.  “She works with school districts on professional and program development for at-risk diverse learners.”

Collier gained national recognition through her work with the BUENO Center for Multicultural Education, Research, and Evaluation at the University of Colorado, Boulder, Collier created and directed the Bilingual Special Education curriculum/Training project (BISECT). She was the Director of Resource and Program Development for the American Indian Science and Engineering Society as well as being a Sequoyah Fellow.

As the principal developer of a screening and software program, Collier has developed many assessment and intervention instruments and materials. Her most recent books include Separating Difference and Disability: Assessing Diverse Learners and Cognitive Learning Strategies for Diverse Learners.

She taught and served as diagnostician for the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Arizona and Alaska and was the director of a teacher-training program for the University of Alaska, preparing Yup’ik Eskimo paraprofessionals for certification as bilingual preschool, elementary, and special educators.

There is an $85 fee for conference attendees and graduate credit is available.  Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the workshop will be from 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

More information about the workshop is available at www.emporia.edu/jones or by calling 1-877-378-5433.

Last Updated July 2, 2007>