The Multilingual Learning Research Center (MLRC), housed within the Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s School of Education, invites researchers, educators, students and community members to explore current issues in multilingual education through its 2026–27 Speaker Series. The annual series features scholars whose work examines language learning, literacy, policy, AI, and language education across diverse educational settings.

The MLRC launched its Speaker Series in 2024 to highlight the empirical work of researchers focused on educating multilingual learners. This year, the series will again spotlight the next generation of multilingual researchers and create opportunities for dialogue around multilingualism, equity, and language learning. Presentations are offered virtually and are free to attend with advance registration.

This series begins Oct. 1, 2026, at 1 p.m. CT with a presentation by Ananya Ganesh, a postdoctoral research fellow at UW–Madison. Ganesh’s talk, “Promises and Pitfalls in Assessing Multilingual Learners’ Collaborative Dialog with AI-Supported Tools,” will examine how AI and language technologies can support collaboration and learning among multilingual students. Her research focuses on developing language technologies for K–12 classrooms and investigating how existing measures of collaboration can better serve multilingual learners.

Additional speakers include:

• Nov. 5, 2026: Jaclyn Bovee, “(Re)negotiating Language Credits: A Critical Policy Analysis of Oregon’s Access to Linguistic Inclusion Law”
• Dec. 3, 2026: Lee Her, “Hmong Heritage Language Maintenance: Perspectives from Families and Educators”
• Feb. 4, 2027: Claudia Triana, presentation details to be announced
• March 4, 2027: Samuel Owinyi, “Language Policy, Power, and Early Literacy: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Multilingual Education Policies and Early-Grade Literacy Material in Kenya”
• April 1, 2027: Jaee Sonalkar, “Examining the Feasibility of Task-Based Language Teaching in a Community-Based Marathi Heritage Language Program”

The speaker series reflects MLRC’s mission to advance understanding of multilingual learning and teaching through interdisciplinary research and collaboration.

All presentations are open to the public and take place from 1 to 2 p.m. CT. Registration is required. Registration and presentation details for each event will be available on the WCER Event Calendar and the MLRC website.

About the Multilingual Learning Research Center (MLRC)

The MLRC is a research center focused on teaching and learning. Its goal is to advance educational outcomes for multilingual learners through innovative and socially just research and research–practice partnerships. Learn more about its research, the MLRC School Network, resources, and upcoming events on its website.

About the Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER)

The Wisconsin Center for Education Research at UW–Madison’s #1-ranked School of Education is one of the world’s oldest and most productive education research centers. It has assisted scholars and practitioners in developing, submitting, conducting and sharing grant-funded education research for over 60 years. Visit the WCER website for more information.