2026-27 Virtual ESL PD Days
Join MATSOL for a full day of professional development designed just for ESL Educators. Register for both days and attend the 2027 MATSOL Virtual Conference + earn 15 PDPs for free.
November 3, 2026: Keynote Speaker Dr. Andrea Honigsfeld
January 12, 2027: Keynote Speaker Luciana de Oliveira
Option 1
Single ESL PD Day ($195)
Choose November 3, 2026 OR January 12, 2027
Includes:
- Full access to your selected Virtual ESL PD Day, including certificate of attendance.
- Individual MATSOL Membership
Option 2
Both ESL PD Days + FREE Virtual Conference + FREE 15 PDPs ($390)
Attend November 3, 2026 AND January 12, 2027
Includes:
- Full access to both Virtual ESL PD Days, including certificates of attendance.
- FREE Virtual Conference Admission - all three days, online-only May 25-27, 2027
- FREE Annual MATSOL Membership
- Option to earn 15 Professional Development Points with final project completion.
Individual Registration
Individual Registration with a credit card:
Group Registration
Group Registration with purchase order: Group Registration Form and Upload Registration and PO here
Groups of 3 or more receive 10% off registration.
Program Highlights
We are pleased to announce our Keynote Speakers for the Virtual ESL Pd Days.
To Translate or Not to Translate: That is not the Question...
Virtual Keynote by Dr. Andrea Honigsfeld
Have you watched with excitement, and perhaps even experimented with, what AI can do for language learners, especially getting fast, more accurate translations than ever before? Have you also noticed a not-so-positive, even disturbing trend, though? Many educators’ overreliance on translation prevents students from having equitable access to learning the core curriculum and developing their full capacity as multilingual learners. Despite teachers’ sincere intentions to support their newcomer students, translating more than necessary and impactful for navigating core content instruction and school life when they first arrive may quickly become detrimental to students’ linguistic, academic, and social-emotional development. Frequent use of translation provides newcomers with only one specific tool for accessing the curriculum.
This virtual keynote session is designed to explore the following three overarching questions:
- What is new for a newcomer?
- How does translation help throughout the school day, especially in the earliest stages of language development?
- What strategies other than translation can be used to support students’ academic, language, literacy, and social-emotional growth?
Dr. Andrea Honigsfeld is Professor Emerita of TESOL teacher education at Molloy University, NY. Before entering the field of higher education, she was an English as a Foreign Language teacher in Hungary (grades 5-8 and adult), an English as a Second Language teacher in New York City (grades K-3 and adult), and taught Hungarian at NYU. A Fulbright Scholar and sought-after national presenter, Andrea is the coauthor or coeditor of over 35 books on education (15 of which are national best-sellers) and numerous chapters and articles on linguistically and culturally diverse learners. Learn more about her work at www.andreahonigsfeld.com.
The Mode Continuum: From Spoken to Written Language Without Simplification
Virtual Keynote by Luciana C. de Oliveira, Ph.D.
 This session explores how educators can use the mode continuum to provide scaffolded tasks for multilingual learners (MLs), from spoken, context-embedded language to formal, academic text without simplification or lowering academic expectations. Through practical classroom examples, attendees analyze strategies for identifying language demands and scaffolding learning tasks in real time. Educators leave with actionable techniques to design learning experiences so that MLs are both challenged and fully supported to achieve high-level academic outcomes.
Dr. Luciana C. de Oliveira (Ph.D.) is Professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning in the School of Education at Virginia Commonwealth University. Her research focuses on issues related to teaching multilingual learners in K-12. With over 30 years in the field of TESOL, she has taught at all educational levels, including K-12, adult education, and higher education. Dr. de Oliveira’s research has focused on a functional approach to language development, one of WIDA’s (2020) Big Ideas, for the past 26 years. She has authored or edited 38 books and has over 250 publications in various outlets. She is the recipient of the 2026 James E. Alatis Award for Service to TESOL, the highest honor presented by TESOL International Association, and the 2025 Leadership through Research Award by Second Language Research Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association (AERA). She served in the presidential line (2017-2020), as President (2018-2019), and as a member of the Board of Directors (2013-2016) of TESOL International Association. She was the very first Latina to serve as President of TESOL.
Stay tuned for more Program Highlights!
Contact [email protected] for more information.
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