Past Symposiums

We returned to Los Cabos, Mexico for the 2016 Bilingual Therapies Symposium. Guests enjoyed being back in this beautiful beach town in the southernmost tip of Baja California. Held at the oceanfront Sheraton Hacienda del Mar Golf & Spa Resort, this location set the mood for relaxation and rejuvenation. Many attendees found time to relax by the pool and venture to the marina for a cruise along the Sea of Cortez. With the Sea of Cortez in the background, attendees were greeted to the cocktail reception at the palapa. They reconnected with previous attendees and presenters while enjoying the view. Speakers for the 2016 Symposium included Dr. Maria Muñoz, Dr. Ellen Kester, Ms. Liza Sanchez, Dr. Leah Fabiano-Smith, and Dr. Carol Scheffner-Hammar. Topics that were discussed included intervention for bilingual adolescents and adults with acquired brain injury, effective intervention with students from diverse backgrounds, and developing appropriate speech and language goals for bilingual learners. Hosted by Bilingual Therapies team members, Melissa and Nate, guests were invited to attend a roundtable discussion where they could ask presenters a variety of relevant questions.

Bilingual Therapies celebrated a significant milestone as they hosted the 15th annual Bilingual Therapies Symposium in beautiful St. Maarten. Held at the Westin Dawn Beach Resort and Spa, attendees found time to catch some sun, shop, dance and dine on both the Dutch and French sides of the island. Kicking off the event with a cocktail hour to welcome the attendees, guests had the opportunity to socialize with fellow professionals as well as guest speakers. Dr. Nidhi Mahendra, Dr. Elizabeth Kay-Raining Bird, and Dr. Giang Pham were among the speakers that presented. They discussed topics such as how to support growth in children’s two languages when the SLP does not speak the home language, bilingualism and neurogenic language disorders, and clinical decision-making for bilingual individuals with cognitive and severe language impairments. After the sessions were completed, participants met for a roundtable discussion. All presenters participated on a panel and answered questions about a variety of topics including language of assessment and intervention.

The 14th annual Bilingual Therapies Symposium was held in New Orleans, LA at the Hilton New Orleans-St. Charles Avenue, a historic landmark building in the heart of downtown. A quick walk away from the French Quarter, symposium attendees enjoyed seeing the sites after their sessions. At the cocktail reception, attendees were welcomed by the Bilingual Therapies team and connected with fellow guests. Speakers Dr. Luís Riquelme, Dr. Betty Yu, Dr. Raúl Rojas, and Dr. Alexandra Heinsen-Comb were among the presenters who spoke on topics such as cultural sensitivity and practice, bilingual development in children on the autism spectrum from minority-language families, and common core state standards. Once all the sessions were over, all presenters participated on a panel and were asked about a variety of topics from attendees.

Bilingual Therapies was thrilled to host their 13th annual Bilingual Symposium in San Jose, Costa Rica. Held at the Costa Rica Marriott, guests enjoyed a gorgeous colonial hacienda set on a coffee plantation. Many symposium attendees took advantage and not only spent the weekend learning and discussing a variety of bilingual topics, but also connecting with the local culture. Guest speakers included Dr. Cate Crowley, Dr. Maria Muñoz, Dr. Johanne Paradis, Dr. Langdon and Dr. Raul Rojas. These accomplished professionals spoke on topics such as SLP tools and strategies for Spanish-speakers with cleft lip and palate, language development in English language learners and how to effectively address ethical concerns in the workplace. After the sessions, participants left for the day to enjoy the pools, dine and rest up for another day of learning. On the final day of the symposium, Bilingual Therapies hosted a roundtable discussion where attendees had the opportunity to ask the speakers additional questions, which was a great way to bring together the information that was presented throughout the Symposium.

The Bilingual Therapies Symposium headed to sunny Orlando, Florida for the 12th annual event. Held at the Orlando World Center Marriott, this symposium location was at the center of Orlando’s thrilling theme parks. The symposium attendees from across the country spent the weekend learning and discussing a variety of bilingual topics and connecting with other professionals in the field. After enjoying a cocktail hour as a welcome reception, guests prepared for two days’ worth of valuable information. Attendees heard from speakers Nate Cornish, Melissa White, Dr. Maria Muñoz, Dr. Brian Goldstein, Professor Edna Carlo and Dr. Raquel Anderson. Participants listened to course topics such as Bilingualism and cognition across the lifespan, the application of dynamic assessment to bilingual phonological disorders and grammatical development of Spanish/English speakers. As a closing event to the event, attendees and speakers joined together for a roundtable discussion.

The Bilingual Therapies team was pleased to return to the beautiful island of Puerto Rico to host the 11th annual Bilingual Therapies Symposium. The Symposium was held at the Ritz-Carlton San Juan, which lies on a spectacular white sand beach. With around 150 participants, this was one of our largest events to date. Attendees spent the weekend learning about issues in bilingualism and made friends with others in the profession. Guests were welcomed with a cocktail reception where they had the opportunity to meet the presenters and other attendees while enjoying the beautiful beach views. Dr. Brian Goldstein, Dr. Cynthia Cress, Dr. Cate Crowley and Luis Riquelme were among the talented speakers that shared essential information on bilingual speech language pathology. Course topics included providing culturally and linguistically responsive services to individuals with severe disabilities and providing phonological intervention to bilingual children. After two days’ worth of classes, networking and breakout sessions, attendees participated in a roundtable discussion with the symposium speakers and team.

Bilingual Therapies celebrated it’s 10th annual Bilingual Therapies Symposium among the Roman pillars, statues and fountains of Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, NV. Participants enjoyed hearing from dynamic speakers and making new friends with other communication professionals who are interested in bilingualism. Guests were welcomed with the customary cocktail party on Thursday night which gave them the opportunity to network with staff, presenters and participants to get to know one another before the two day event began. Dr. Luis Riquelme, Dr. José G. Centeno, Melissa White, Dr. Henriette Langdon, Sandra Márquez and Nate Cornish were among the talented bilingual professionals who presented during the symposium. After completing all of the sessions, Dr. Riquelme moderated a round-table forum with the presenters, which was the final session of the symposium.