Alexandra Tovar (Dr.)
DCPS
USA
Dr. Alexandra Tovar is a multilingual educator and researcher specializing in early language development, translanguaging, and teacher training. With 20+ years of experience across the U.S. and Latin America, she co-founded My Third Teacher and EduEnvironments to support research-informed learning. She leads programs focused on oral language, inclusion, and multilingualism, helping educators create spaces for voice, agency, and authentic language use.
Featured: Beyond Talk: Designing Focused Speaking Environments for Multilingual Learners
26/07/2025 15:00 UTC
This session introduces the Focused Speaking Environment model—an approach to designing routines and spaces that boost multilingual learners’ oral language. Dr. Alexandra Tovar shares strategies from bilingual schools and teacher training to create structured speaking opportunities that promote voice, agency, and cognitive growth. Includes theory, classroom examples, “Speaking Corner” design, play-based dialogue strategies, and tools for teacher coaching and implementation.
Key takeaways:
Learn how to create structured speaking opportunities through purposeful classroom layout, routines, and high-output tasks.
Gain tools to support oral language development for students navigating multiple languages, learning differences, and diverse cultural backgrounds.
Explore how translanguaging, neuroscience, and socio-constructivist theory can inform effective, equity-centered speaking instruction.