The Bilingual Hub Dialogues 2026 Inaugural Workshop
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The UMass Amherst Bilingual Hub, in partnership with Southbridge Public Schools, hosted the first-ever Bilingual Hub Dialogues 2026 Inaugural Workshop on Saturday, March 28, at Southbridge High School. The day-long gathering brought together educators, school and district leaders, university faculty, students, alumni, and community partners from across Massachusetts to engage in dialogue, reflection, and collective learning focused on equity in dual language and bilingual education.
The program included an overview of bilingual education frameworks in Massachusetts and an interactive workshop on identity in dual language education which centered conversations on language, identity, and professional responsibility.
A central moment of the day involved reflective, movement-based activities designed to help participants consider how language, race, migration, and schooling shape both personal identity and professional practice.
The afternoon included conversations linking research, policy, and practice, followed by “Rhythms, Words, and Movement: A Celebration of Culture,” a performance by 8th and 9th grade dual language students from Southbridge Public Schools.
“The Bilingual Hub Dialogues were intentionally designed to center people, not presentations,” said Marialuisa Di Stefano, associate professor at the UMass Amherst College of Education. “Participant voices, experiences, and commitments were the heart of this gathering, and they will continue to guide this work moving forward.”
The UMass Amherst Bilingual Hub is dedicated to advancing bilingual and dual language education through professional learning, research, and community engagement. The Hub centers equity, culturally sustaining practice, and the linguistic and cultural assets of multilingual learners. For information about upcoming events, contact Marialuisa Di Stefano at marialuisadi [at] umass [dot] edu.