Dr. Margarita Espino Calderón is Professor Emerita/Senior Research Scientist at Johns Hopkins University. She has worked on numerous research and development projects focusing on reading for English learners funded by the U.S.D.O.E Institute of Education Sciences, the U.S. Department of Labor, and collaborated with Harvard and the Center for Applied Linguistics on a longitudinal study funded by the NICHD.

The Carnegie Corporation of New York funded her five-year empirical study to develop Expediting Comprehension for English Language Learners (ExC-ELL), a comprehensive professional development model for math, science, social studies, language arts, ESL and SPED teachers that integrates language, literacy and content. She also developed two other effective evidence-based programs: Reading Instructional Goals for Older Readers (RIGOR) for Newcomers with Interrupted Formal Education. Additionally, the Bilingual Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (BCIRC) program was developed for dual language instruction and is listed in the What Works Clearinghouse.

Margarita collaborated with George Washington University on a Title III five-year grant to implement and further study A Whole-School Approach to Professional Development with ExC-ELL in Virginia school districts.

She is a consultant for the U.S. Department of Justice and Office of Civil Rights. She serves and has served on national language and literacy research panels. Margarita is also President/CEO of Margarita Calderón and Associates, Inc. Dr. Calderón and her team of 10 Associates conduct ExC-ELL comprehensive multi-year professional development and on-site coaching in schools, districts, state-wide and international Institutes. She has over 100 publications on language and literacy for ELs.

Shawn Slakk is the CEO and Founder of ABCDSS Consulting Consortium and works with teachers, administrators, school & state agencies to offer strategies and supports for emergent bilinguals and their classmates both K-12 and adults. He is co-author and developer of new professional development sessions for all levels of educators, focusing on whole-school implementation, administrative support and coaching. As a former Certified WIDA Trainer and Title III SIOP Coach, Shawn brings a wide understanding of a variety of strategies and how they relate to ELs, language acquisition and lesson delivery.

He served as the Rethinking Equity and Teaching for English Language Learners (RETELL) Coordinator for the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education where he and his team were responsible for developing, implementing, training trainers and evaluating a Sheltered English Instruction endorsement course for administrators and classroom teachers. The RETELL endorsement is required in Massachusetts to obtain or retain an educator license with more than 40,000 teachers and administrators earning this endorsement. Throughout his career, Shawn taught ESL in grades K-University, Spanish across all grade levels and curriculums, and even once taught Japanese to K-2 students. He has served as an elementary and middle school administrator, served at the Central Office level as a district coach and as a state level coordinator. He started his teaching career teaching Adult ESL at Spokane Community College in Washington state.

Shawn’s curriculum and instruction doctorate from the University of Virginia will focus on supporting the needs and instruction of additional-language learners and teachers in reading and writing. He holds an MA in TESOL from Eastern Washington University, a Master of School Administration from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and a bachelor’s in English and Spanish education from Whitworth University.