ML Chat: Conversations with Multilingual Educators

Feb 26 2025 44 ep. 52 mins 5
ML Chat: Conversations with Multilingual Educators Podcast artwork

ML Chat explores everything to do with Multilingual student instruction. Do you oversee students that are learning English? ML Chat is the place to learn more and continue to refine your craft. In each episode co-hosts Tim Blackburn and Justin Hewett talk with experts, researchers, and district administrators to explore how to best serve our language learners.

  Education
RSS feed Share
Copy RSS


Subscribe on Podcast Addict


Sarah Whitfield: Going with the Flow

Feb 26 2025 43 mins  
On this episode of the ML Chat podcast, we dive into Sarah Whitfield’s rapidly changing world as a District ML Instructional Specialist for Cabarrus County Schools. As the ML population in North Carolina grows, Sarah and her district grow along with it, developing enrichment programs and inclusive teaching practices that have students and teachers thriving.

Lauren MacLean: Community Care and Collaboration

Feb 12 2025 48 mins  
Educator Lauren MacLean has found a powerful community-based approach to teaching multilingual learners. In this week’s ML Chat podcast, Lauren shows us the importance of building meaningful connections with students and their families, playing to a student’s strengths, and how teachers can learn from their students in return.

D-I-WHY: Creating Language-Rich Learning with Katie Toppel

Jan 28 2025 70 mins  
Get schooled by our latest discussion with Dr. Kate Toppel, educator, organizer, and author of DIY PD: A Guide to Self-Directed Learning for Educators of Multilingual Learners. She shares strategies for successful co-teaching, balancing responsibilities with motherhood, and the power of K.I.S.S. - Keeping It Simple, (for) Students.

Erick Olivas: Kicking Down Barriers

Jan 17 2025 41 mins  
Erick Olivas joins the ML Chat Podcast to share about his journey of immigrating to the U.S. with his family at age 2. Hear about his parents’ sacrifice, overcoming the language barrier, and how playing soccer kept his feet on the ground through it all.

Erick Casallas: Advancing Equity for English Learners

Dec 18 2024 53 mins  
In this ML Chat Podcast episode, hosts Justin Hewett and Mandi Morris talk with Erick Casallas, Assistant Superintendent for English Learners in Clark County, Las Vegas. Erick shares his journey from school volunteer to district leader, offering insights on supporting English learners through love, respect, and active student participation.

Jessica Payano: Strategies for Supporting Multilingual Learners in Content Classes

Dec 04 2024 47 mins  
In this episode of the ML Chat Podcast, Justin Hewett and Mandi Morris chat with Jessica Payano, a former NYC science teacher and educational consultant. Jessica shares tips for integrating language learning into content classes, building schema, and activating prior knowledge. Learn high-impact, low-effort strategies and how empathy and collaboration can support multilingual learn

Meg Burke and Bethany Gale: Building Professional Learning Networks

Nov 20 2024 49 mins  
In this ML Chat Podcast episode, hosts Justin Hewett and Mandy Morris welcome seasoned educators Meg Burke and Bethany Gale to discuss building impactful professional learning networks (PLNs). They share insights on creating effective PLNs, their WIDA conference presentation, and the power of flexible professional learning, all centered on student success and community engagement.

Shawn Ford: Empowering Future TESOL Educators

Nov 07 2024 58 mins  
In this episode of the ML Chat Podcast, hosts Justin Hewett and Mandi Morris dive into an inspiring talk with Shawn Ford, an educator from Kapi'olani Community College in Hawai'i. Shawn reveals his unexpected path into teaching and the game-changing Second Language Teaching Program that’s shaping future TESOL educators with real-world skills. Discover his passion for hands-on lea

Mary Castanuela: Balancing Heritage and Education

Oct 23 2024 68 mins  
Don't miss this episode of the ML Chat Podcast, where Mary Castanuela, a first-generation Mexican American and Regional Testing Coordinator, shares her journey of balancing cultural heritage with educational success. Mary offers powerful insights on supporting bilingual students, fostering collaboration, and preserving heritage languages.

Navigating Education and Multilingual Learning with Fred Pleis

Oct 09 2024 50 mins  
Join host Mandi Morris on the ML Chat Podcast as she interviews Fred Pleis, an instructional specialist for multilingual learners in Charleston County. Fred shares his journey from aspiring accountant to teacher, shaped by martial arts, and his work in multilingual education across Philadelphia, California, and Colorado. He also discusses high-reliability models, profession-centere