Head to the University of Maryland’s Language Science Center at 2130 HJ Patterson Hall for free lunch and a language science talk from our Associate Director for Community Outreach, José Ortiz!

Event hosted by the Maryland Language Science Center.

Attend the final Human Development of the semester at UMD, featuring MILE’s Director, DJ Bolger.

Talk abstract: Cognitive scientists and neuroscientists have long studied the processes involved in understanding how children learn to read. However, battles over how to teach children to learn to read have raged for decades (going back to the founding of public education in America) culminating in what has been dubbed "The Reading Wars". The nation is in the midst of a tidal wave of change to literacy policy with 40 out of 50 states passing laws or policies governing the way that literacy is taught to adhere to the "Science of Reading". In this talk, I will begin by exploring the nature of the evidence supporting practices in literacy instruction, drawing attention to significant blind spots in both the research and the prescribed approaches—most notably, the failure to integrate the cultural assets of diverse communities. Building on this foundation, I will delve into how culturally-sustaining practices not only align with current scientific understanding but also highlight an urgent need for cognitive research. Specifically, I will underscore the importance of studying how literacy processes are influenced by and grow from the cultural strengths of varied communities (à la Prather, 2023).

About DJ Bolger

Dr. Donald (DJ) Bolger, is an Associate Professor at the University of Maryland in the Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology where he directs the Laboratory for the Neurodevelopment of Reading and Language. He also co-directs the Maryland Initiative for Literacy and Equity, a joint institute with Morgan State University focused on bridging research and practice in literacy in pK-12 education and communities. For over 20 years, Dr. Bolger has studied reading and language achievement with typically developing children as well as those with learning disabilities including dyslexia and autism spectrum disorder using behavioral and functional neuroimaging methods. His work has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Defense. Dr. Bolger has a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience from the University of Pittsburgh's Learning Research and Development Center.

Join the Center for Math Education for their upcoming colloquia with Harvard’s Dr. Elizabeth Spelke. Lunch provided from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM.

From the Lab to the Field: Educational Interventions Built on Core Knowledge

All seven systems are present at birth and function throughout life, in children and adults in all tested cultures. Nevertheless, many children struggle with the symbolic systems that are taught in school and that underpin learning of reading and mathematics. Here I will present the results of three large-scale randomized controlled field experiments in India, evaluating the efficacy of play-based educational interventions that build on core knowledge to enhance children’s learning of mathematics. The interventions were effective when they were played by groups of children together, and when they paired the numerals, figures, symbols and operations of mathematics with images that elicit core knowledge of number and geometry. I will suggest reasons for these effects and describe current efforts in India to develop similar games for enhancing children’s literacy. Children may be the most prodigious learners on earth: With little to no instruction, they master the commonsense concepts and skills that their culture requires, and then they go on, in school, to master highly demanding symbolic skills and systems of knowledge beyond both intuition and perception. How do they do this? Research on human infants, children, adults, and non-human animals, using diverse methods from the cognitive, brain, and computational sciences, provides evidence for seven early emerging cognitive systems: six systems of core knowledge that are shared with other animals and support children’s spontaneous learning about places, objects, animate beings, social beings, number and geometry, and a seventh system that likely is unique to humans and underlies learning of

About: Dr. Elizabeth Spelke is the Marshall L. Berkman Professor of Psychology at Harvard University and an investigator at the NSF-MIT Center for Brains, Minds and Machines. Her laboratory focuses on the sources of uniquely human cognitive capacities, including capacities for formal mathematics, for constructing and using symbols, and for developing comprehensive taxonomies of objects. She probes the sources of these capacities primarily through behavioral research on human infants and preschool children, focusing on the origins and development of their understanding of objects, actions, people, places, number, and geometry. In collaboration with computational cognitive scientists, she aims to test computational models of infants’ cognitive capacities. In collaboration with economists, she has begun to take her research from the laboratory to the field, where randomized controlled experiments can serve to evaluate interventions, guided by research in cognitive science, that seek to enhance young children’s learning.

Hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, this webinar will engage participants in a vital conversation regarding DEI initiatives at U.S. colleges and universities. Experts, including MILE Board Chair Dean Griffin, will discuss the impact these programs have on students' academic success, share strategies to support students and educators in states where DEI funding has been reduced, and provide actionable steps to ensure an inclusive higher education system that supports all students.

Panelists

Join the Karabelle Pizzigati Initiative for their third annual Karabelle Pizzigati Lecture on Children's Advocacy, where Dr. Terrell Strayhorn will explore belonging in academic spaces.

About the Karabelle Pizzigati Initiative

The Karabelle Pizzigati Initiative in Advocacy for Children, Youth and Families builds a pipeline of informed, effective advocates to ensure all children are healthy, safe, learning and joyful. Honoring the life and legacy of Mrs. Karabelle Pizzigati, join the lecture and get ready to be inspired and empowered to advocate for children and their families. A reception will follow. A frequent partner of MILE for events such as Advocacy Day, the Karabelle Pizzigati Initiative’s Program Director is Dr. Brandi Slaughter, Associate Director of Policy at MILE.

Hosted at the University of Maryland, “A Little Bit of This and A Little Bit of That: 44 Years of Writing Research” by Steven Graham examines six major themes in writing research. This includes (1) why writing is important; (2) how writing is currently taught; (3) catalysts that drive writing development; (4) evidence-based practices for teaching writing; (5) writing theory; and (6) changing how writing is taught. Drawing on the research my colleagues and I have conducted, I examine each of these themes systematically.

About Steve Graham

Steve Graham is a Regents and the Warner Professor at Arizona State University. He studies how writing develops, how to teach it effectively, and how writing can be used to support reading and learning. His research involves typically developing writers and students with special needs in both elementary and secondary schools. Graham is the former editor of Exceptional Children, Contemporary Educational Psychology, Journal of Writing Research, Focus on Exceptional Children, and Journal of Educational Psychology. He is the co-author of the "Handbook of Writing Research," "Handbook of Learning Disabilities," "APA Handbook of Educational Psychology," "Writing Better," and "Powerful Writing Strategies for all Students". He is the recipient of the Thorndike Award from Division 15 of the American Psychological Association, Sylvia Scribner Award from the American Educational Research Association, William S. Gray citation of merit from the International Literacy Association, and the John S. Nesbit Fellowship from the British Educational Research Association.

Drs. Jade Wexler and Veronica Kang are part of a collaborative effort at UMD's College of Education and Vanderbilt University to train the next generation of leaders in special education. Attend their virtual information session for Project Sustain on November 19th from 12:00-1:00 PM and apply by December 1st, 2024

Hear from Research Pillar Member Shanna Pearson-Merkowitz at UMD’s Speaking of Books series.

“Powered by Research Education at University Libraries. Speaking of Books series features free, open to the community and public talks by UMD faculty authors on their recently published work.

Join us for a discussion of Professor Shanna Pearson-Merkowitz's latest work, The Power of Partisanship. In The Power of Partisanship, Joshua J. Dyck and Shanna Pearson-Merkowitz argue that the growth in partisan polarization in the United States, and the resulting negativity voters feel towards their respective opposition party, has far-reaching effects on how Americans behave both inside and outside the realm of politics.”

Join Executive Director Maggie Peterson as she facilitates Holocaust Survivors and the Long Shadow of Trauma, a live virtual event hosted by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

“For survivors, their life is forever divided—before the Holocaust and after. Many lost family, friends, and entire communities. They also mourn their stolen youth and dreams for the future.

Long after the war ended, the physical and psychological stresses followed them. It took decades for some survivors to speak about what they endured. Some never did.

By their very presence, survivors exist in defiance of those who attempted to wipe them out, but their lives would never be the same. Join us on World Mental Health Day to hear how some survivors have managed to live with their ever-present trauma.

Guest
Dr. Margaret Polizos Peterson, Facilitator, Echoes of Memory, the writing workshop for Holocaust survivors who volunteer at the Museum; Executive Director, Maryland Initiative for Literacy and Equity

Host
Dr. Edna Friedberg, Historian, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Watch live on YouTube or Facebook. After the live broadcast, the recording will be available to watch on demand on the Museum’s YouTube and Facebook pages.”

Registration is not required.

“Powered by Research Education at University Libraries. Speaking of Books series features free, open to the community and public talks by UMD faculty authors on their recently published work.

Join us for a panel discussion of four exciting new faculty publications, all united by the themes of language, learning, and social justice. Associate Clinical Professor and Pillar Member Loren Jones (Teaching Young Multilingual Learners: Key Issues and New Insights, Professors Nan Jiang (The Study of Bilingual Language Processing), José L. Magro (Language and Antiracism: An Antiracist Approach to Teaching (Spanish) Language in the USA), and Megan Madigan Peercy (Core Practices for Teaching Multilingual Students: Humanizing Pedagogies for Equity) will discuss details of their most recent publications as well as intersections in their work across disciplines.”

Join MILE Board Chair and UMD College of Education Dean Kimberly Griffin, Behavioral and Social Sciences Dean Susan Rivera, Arts and Humanities Dean Stephanie Shonekan, and Maryland's First Lady Dawn Moore for an important discussion on arts and culture, women’s economic empowerment and children’s mental health.

This external event is hosted by the University of Maryland, featuring MILE team members.

MILE is hosting its first annual Family Literacy Day at Morgan State University. Stayed tuned for more information and updates regarding programming, location, speakers, and more!

The University of Maryland’s College of Education is hosting its annual Grad Fair Expo, to teach prospective students about the college’s graduate opportunities. See department opportunities below.

RSVP is recommended but not required. Click here to RSVP. Contact Education Pillar Member Loren Jones at ldjones@umd.edu with any questions.

Opportunities:
Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership (TLPL)

M.Ed., with Certification
• Elementary
• Secondary/K-12: Agriculture, Art, Computer Science, English, Math, Middle School Math/Science, Physical Education, Science, Social Studies, TESOL, World Languages

M.A. + Ph.D., Teacher Education and Professional Development
• Education and Leadership
• Language, Literacy, and Social Inquiry
• Mathematics and Science Education
• Technology, Learning, and Leadership
• Urban Education

M.Ed., Teacher Leadership

M.Ed., Reading Specialist

PBC - School Improvement Leadership (Admin 1 Eligibility)

Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology (HDQM)

M.A. + Ph.D., Human Development

M.A. + Ph.D., Quantitative Methodology, Measurement and Statistics

Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education (CHSE)

M.Ed., Certification, Special Education

Ph.D., Special Education

M.Ed., Counseling

MILE is excited to announce that we are accompanying the Maryland Language Science Center to the Library of Congress National Book Festival! This year, the MLSC is a Featured STEM District Organization and will host language-themed activities for children and young adults. The Library of Congress National Book Festival is a free event in Washington, D.C. for visitors of all ages, where visitors of all ages can hear from and meet some of the 90+ featured authors and participate in all sorts of fun activities!

Visit the Library of Congress National Book Festival website for more information!

As dual language learning continues to expand in Maryland, MILE is establishing itself as a hub for learning and support for both new and existing dual language programs.

At the MILE Dual Language Educator Conference, local school districts are coming together to strengthen partnerships, learn more about MILE's dual language professional development resources, and discover how MILE can support your dual language programming.

Registration: $25 | Registration for the event opens in late April, so stay tuned for updates!

Hear from panelist Dr. Melinda Martin-Beltran, Associate Director for Professional Development, at the second installment of the Dual Language Teacher Preparation Pathways Webinar. Join the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) and Educators for a Multilingual Multicultural America (EMMA) and dive deep into evidence-based programs and initiatives that are shaping the future of multilingualism in education.

Click here to register

“Five learning neighborhoods. Hundreds of activities. One unforgettable day of fun and discovery. Bring family and friends to the University of Maryland's annual springtime open house, Maryland Day!”