2003 Conference Highlights, Handouts and Photo Gallery

The Assessment of English Learners: Implications for Teaching, Research, and Policy

The 2003 UC LMRI Annual Conference focused on the assessment of English learners. With the growth of state and federal accountability, including No Child Left Behind, the need for accurate and meaningful assessments of English learners is more important than ever. Yet despite repeated warnings from such organizations as the National Research Council, schools and government agencies often rely on inaccurate and invalid English-based tests to assess English learners academic progress.

Keynote Speakers:

David Berliner, Ph.D. Arizona State University Dean of the College of Education Regents Professor of Psychology in Education	Charlene Rivera, Ed.D. George Washington University Executive Director, Center for Equity and Excellence in Education Department of Teacher Preparation and Special Education, National Clearinghouse on Bilingual Education

The Sixteenth Annual UC LMRI Conference was held May 9-10, 2003 at The Catamaran Resort Hotel in San Diego, California. Approximately 150 participants enjoyed the two day conference, held at the lovely Catamaran Resort Hotel on Mission Bay in San Diego. This year the Conference included eight breakout sessions featuring a total of 24 speakers; two additional dinner presentations; and opening and closing keynote addresses. Conference attendees were treated to a sumptious luau-themed dinner (see the Photo Gallery for a photo of the fabulous flambé dessert presentation!) and a complimentary moonlight cruise across Mission Bay on the resort's Bahia Belle sternwheeler (see Photo Gallery for a nice photo of the boat!).

Charlene Rivera, Ed.D., George Washington University; Executive Director, Center for Equity and Excellence in Education; Department of Teacher Preparation and Special Education, National Clearinghouse on Bilingual Education) was Friday's Opening Session Keynote Speaker. Her topic was “Making State Assessments Accessible to English Language Learners: Why Test Accommodations Matter."

Saturday afternoon, David Berliner, Ph.D., ( Arizona State University; Dean of the College of Education; Regents Professor of Psychology in Education) gave his Closing Session Keynote address entitled "Problems with High-Stakes Testing? Let Me Count The Ways..."

PHOTO GALLERY

Official Conference PROGRAM (in pdf format)

Selected Presenter HANDOUTS