Quick look: The Orange County Department of Education will host a May 2 convening focused on strengthening bilingual instruction through the Vietnamese American Experiences Model Curriculum. The free event will bring together educators and community members to explore strategies that support biliteracy and instruction that reflects students’ backgrounds.
A one-day convening hosted by the Orange County Department of Education on May 2 will focus on advancing bilingualism and connecting instruction to Vietnamese American history, culture and lived experiences.
The Dual Language Immersion Convening: Language and Heritage in the Vietnamese American Experiences Model Curriculum will take place from 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. at the Anaheim Marriott. The free event is open to K-12 educators, administrators, community members and others interested in Vietnamese studies, with advance registration encouraged.
Organized in partnership by OCDE’s Academic Content and Instructional Support team and Multilingual Academic Services, the event will bring together educators, scholars and community voices to explore strategies that support bilingualism, biliteracy and instruction that reflects students’ cultural backgrounds.
“The Vietnamese dual language convening is an important opportunity for educators, administrators and district leadership alike to network and share best practices in bilingualism and heritage,” said Cameron Castaneda, manager of OCDE’s Model Curriculum team. “This event will facilitate networking and learning from leaders in the bilingual education community.”
The event will highlight the model curriculum project, a collection of open-source lesson plans, primary sources and instructional resources developed by OCDE over a two-year period in collaboration with educators, scholars and community members. The curriculum is designed to support teaching about the histories, cultures and lived experiences of Vietnamese Americans while strengthening dual language programs.
Tori Phu, a program specialist with Model Curriculum team, said the effort is intended to support both educators and students.
“To help sustain dual language programs and support students in becoming global citizens,” Phu said. “The goal is to provide tools and resources that help educators support their bilingual students.”
Connecting language, culture and instruction
Sessions throughout the day will include an opening keynote, multiple breakout sessions and opportunities for culturally immersive learning. Topics will focus on instructional strategies, cross-linguistic development and approaches that affirm students’ identities and cultural backgrounds.
Cecilia Gonzalez-Limas, coordinator of Multilingual Academic Services at OCDE, said the event is designed to connect language development with meaningful content.
“This convening centers Vietnamese language, history, and lived experiences — supporting educators in creating learning environments where students see their identities reflected and valued,” Gonzalez-Limas said.
Participants will have opportunities to engage with classroom practices, collaborate with peers and learn from researchers and practitioners in the field. Organizers say the goal is to equip educators with practical tools to strengthen multilingual programs and support student success.
For more information or to register, visit the event webpage.