Summer Institutes

CERCLL offers a combination of in-person, hybrid and virtual summer institutes that provide professional development opportunities for language and culture educators Some are the result of research and resources created by CERCLL-funded projects, while others are offered on topics requested by educators who have attended other professional development events that we have hosted.

Summer 2026

June 4-5, 2026: Multilingualism as Stance: Exploring Language through Translingual Picturebooks

Leaders: Regents Professor Kathy G. Short, Dr. Dorea Kleker, and Narges Zandi (University of Arizona)

Authors and Illustrators: Rebecca Lee Kunz, Andrea Rogers, and Jessica Yoon

Participants in this two-day, in-person interactive workshop will engage in experiences and books that invite students to immerse themselves in an appreciation and awareness of the multiple languages in their lives and world. This workshop is based on multilingualism as a resource, not a problem, and on developing strategies for interacting with familiar and unfamiliar languages. Participants will explore new picturebooks and activities surrounding them, and they will interact with several children’s authors/illustrators to talk about their global books. Participants receive the authors’ picturebooks, along with booklists and other materials. Registration is limited to 35 and closes on May 25th.

This institute developed from findings from a Professional Learning Opportunity Network Space (PLONS) led by Drs. Short and Kleker.

See the full details and link to register here.

In Summer 2025, CERCLL co-hosted this institute with Worlds of Words Center of Global Literacies and Literatures:

Forced and Chosen Journeys: Refugee and Immigrant Experiences in Youth Literature, June 2-5, 2025

In this institute at the University of Arizona, participants examined ways to invite children to immerse themselves in literature about refugee and immigrant experiences, with the goal of aiding children to critically engage with story as a means of making sense of their own lives, and of understanding the lives of children whose experiences differ from their own. Participants received books, other educational materials, and a PD certificate; travel funding was available. It was intended for K-8 educators, though others found it useful also. Details here.

Comments from summer 2025 institute attendees:

The idea of learning and unlearning, it’s being global —[I’ve] never seen an institute that incorporates so many cultures into its existence and purpose. It’s just amazing. The books in this collection are magical. I feel so lucky I got to come here to see them and get to know the people. Also the guest speakers who talked about their own journeys.

It reminded me that curriculum is not just about supporting students who are resettled or linguistically diverse, but also about preparing all students to cultivate empathy, practice compassion, and imagine how they can contribute to more inclusive communities….This institute gave me tools, insights, and a renewed sense of purpose. It reminded me of the transformative power of stories and the role literature can play in shaping not only what we teach but also how we build relationships, foster belonging, and create learning communities.

My development as a working professional has definitely been (re-)seasoned and (re-)inspired by attendance and participation again and again, especially when guided by vetted mentors who are visibly impassioned by their work. This pushes me to be better and to do better in my role as [an educator] for students and their families, colleagues, and the greater global community.