Educators from across the state are expected to share ideas, promote best practices and discuss the future of bilingual education during the 36th Annual Texas A&M University- Kingsville Spring Bilingual Conference Monday, March 29-Tuesday, March 30 at the Memorial Student Union Building on campus.

For more than 35 years, Texas A&M-Kingsville has been on the forefront of bilingual education, becoming the first university in the nation to offer a doctoral degree in bilingual education.

This year, the university continues to foster advances in bilingual education.

Conference participants will be able to attend sessions covering a broad spectrum of topics from developing hands-on curriculum for teaching Spanish and English to profiling language planning and policy in South Texas school districts to training Spanish-speaking parents on children anger management and emotional control skills.

Additionally, speakers with decades of experience in bilingual education will serve as the conference’s keynote speakers.

“Because we live in a global society, it behooves educators to advocate for an understanding of diversity through bilingualism, biculturalism, multilingualism and multiculturalism,” said Maria Haase, a research assistant in the bilingual education department. “Learning a second language is one way to promote respect among cultures.”

The conference kicks off Monday, March 29 with a Welcome Reception and entertainment from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in ballroom A of the Memorial Student Union Building. Conference check-in begins at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 30 in ballroom A.

Conference keynote speakers include:

• Dr. Frank Lucido, professor and associate dean for undergraduate education at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and director of the Institute for Second Language Achievement.

• Dr. Jose Agustin Ruiz- Escalante, professor of bilingual education at the University of Texas-Pan American and president of the National Association of Bilingual Education.

• Linda Quiroz, a retired ESL educator who now serves as an independent Consultant at Q4-Whaever it Takes!

Registration is $200 for presenters and attendees and $70 for students with proper identification. For more information call 593- 2871.