Pacific Islands Bilingual Bicultural Association (PIBBA) Conference to be held in the RMI in 2010!

Image source: http://www.rmiembassyus.org/

The 29^th Annual International Pacific Islands Bilingual Bicultural Association (PIBBA) Conference will be held in Majuro in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, June 23 – 25, 2010! For more information, visit the PIBBA International website at http://pibbainternational.blogspot.com

The mission of PIBBA is to promote bilingual-bicultural activities in the Pacific islands areas of Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana, Republic of Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Hawaii, American Samoa, and the Federated States of Micronesia through the development of policies, dissemination of information, involvement of the community, and encouragement of quality education programs.

Snapshots from the 28^th Annual International PIBBA Conference: “Invigorating Languages and Cultures of the Pacific”

Pictured above: Proclamation signing for the 28th Annual International PIBBA Conference at the Governor's Conference Room. L-R front row seated: Carmen Weaver, Rosa Salas Palomo, Lt. Governor Mike Cruz, Governor Felix Camacho, and Dr. Jose Q. Cruz. Back row L-R: Teresita Flores, Maria Cruz, Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera, Carol Cepeda, Marife Fernandez, Mye Ganan-Flores, Risa Salas Miguel, Zander Refilong, Joseph Mafnas, and Antonia Salas.

Pictured above: The 30th Guam Legislature presented a legislative resolution commending the celebration of the 28th Annual International PIBBA Conference on June 22, 2009 at the Guam Marriott Resort and Spa. Pictured above L-R: Dr. Robert Underwood, UOG President and first PIBBA President; Masa-Aki Emesiochl, first PIBBA President-Elect; Juanita Manibusan, PIBBA Conference Co-Chair & 2008-2009 President of PIBBA Guam Chapter; Rosa Salas Palomo, PIBBA Conference Co-Chair & 2008-2009 PIBBA International President-Elect; Senator Tina Muna-Barnes; Frances Sablan, CNMI head delegation; Dr. Marilyn Salas, 2008-2009 PIBBA International Secretary; Alister Tolenoa, Kosrae head delegation; and Shelten Neth, 2008-2009 PIBBA International President.

Pictured above L-R: Zander Refilong, PIBBA steering committee member; Lt. Governor Bill Tosie of Kosrae; PIBBA President Shelten Neth; and Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera, PIBBA steering committee member.

Pictured above L-R: Teresita Flores, PIBBA steering committee member; Joe Mafnas, PIBBA steering committee member; Frances Sablan, PIBBA secretary; Alister Tolenoa, Kosrae delegation; and Carmen Weaver, PIBBA steering committee member.

Pictured above: Steering committee members of the Pacific Islands Bilingual Bicultural Association (PIBBA) are hard at work during the 28th Annual International PIBBA Conference held June 22-25, 2009 at the University of Guam, Guam Marriott Resort, and Merlyn Cook School in Malesso.

HAPPY LABOR DAY!

Pictured above: Steering committee members of the Pacific Islands Bilingual Bicultural Association (PIBBA) are hard at work during the 28th Annual International PIBBA Conference held June 22-25, 2009 at the University of Guam, Guam Marriott Resort, and Merlyn Cook School in Malesso. The conference theme was “Invigorating Languages and Cultures of the Pacific.”


Hafa Adai, and Happy Labor Day weekend! Hopefully, you’ll be able to enjoy the Labor Day holiday, since there’s no doubt that many of us have exerted much effort to contribute to the betterment of our island. Our genuine commitment to work hard and wisely should not go unnoticed. Kudos to all of you who sincerely strive to make a difference!

Upcoming UOG Language Arts Conference - November 6 & 7, 2009

Note: Click on the images above to get a clearer view of the pictures.

The 22^nd Annual Regional Language Arts Conference (LAC) will be held Friday-Saturday, November 6 & 7, 2009. The theme is “Multicultural Approaches in Language Arts Education.” The LAC is an opportunity for professional growth and enrichment in literacy for educators in the Western Pacific region. Presentations will focus on reading and writing across the content areas with particular attention on approaches in the multicultural context. Proposals for individual and panel presentations on innovative reaching strategies, research reports, and practical workshops are welcome. Presentations will be scheduled in forty-five minute blocks.

LAC forms are available online at www.uog.edu or visit http://www.geocities.com/uog_lac

Call for Proposals:

Call for proposals are being accepted now, and the deadline for submissions is September 30, 2009. If you have any questions, please call Debbie Respicio at 735-2725/6 or e-mail languageartsconf@uguam.uog.edu

Registration Fees:

Early Bird (by Sept. 30, 2009), Presenter, UOG Student, IRA Member - $40

Pre-Registration (By Oct. 23, 2009) - $45

On-site or after Oct. 23, 2009 - $55

Please make checks payable to “UOG Language Arts Conference”

Graduate Credits/CEUs:

You can earn two (2) graduate ED894 graduate credits/CEUs for attending the LAC. You must register for the conference before you register for the graduate credits at the Professional and International Programs (PIP), 2^nd floor, MARC/Computer Center/PIP Building, Room #217. The course is eligible for YEC support to qualified GDOE educators who have been officially processed through the Dr. Antonio C. Yamashita Educators Corps (YEC). For additional information about funding call YEC, call 735-2470. You may also e-mail the instructor, Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera at mnrivera1@yahoo.com.

Postsecondary Education Council (PPEC) Training

Dr. Catherine Stoicovy and Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera provided staff development for faculty from regional post-secondary institutions that are part of the Pacific Postsecondary Education Council (PPEC) during the week of the Pacific Educational Conference (PEC) held July 14-17 on Guam. In particular, we provided ESL second language acquisition skills training titled, Scaffolding Academic Literacy Skills for Asian-Pacific Islanders at the Post-Secondary Level.





















Pictured above L-R: Judy Torres, Northern Marianas College instructor; Midori Mersai, Palau Community College instructor; Dr. Catherine Stoicovy, PPEC instructor; Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera (back), PPEC instructor; Rosemary Kohama, Palau Community College instructor; and Rennetta Meyar, Palau Community College instructor. Not pictured is Cynthia Deleon Guerrero, Director for School of Education at Northern Marianas College. Please note that other members attending the PEC were not available at the time this picture was taken.

Happy 65th Liberation Day, Guam!

Happy 65th Liberation Day, Guam! Biba Guam! Biba UOG! Thank goodness the weather cooperated with us! It was wonderful being able to wave to our family, friends, and UOG alumni while on the UOG Liberation Day trolley! The UOG Liberation Day float was also very impressive and symbolic with its eagle wings, canoe, paddles, plumerias, ocean, significant UOG logo, paddlers, Tritons, palm leaves, latte stones, academic book, and so much more! A lot of cultural work and ingenious creativity went into the development of it! Way to go Tritons!

Here are a few snapshots I took during the parade. Enjoy!

















Tritons pictured above L-R: Peter Duenas, UOG Alumni; and Vincent Salas.

















Pictured L-R: Dr. Robert Underwood, UOG President; and Dr. Helen Whippy, UOG Vice President. Back row, UOG Alumni Triton, Peter Duenas, Class of 1976.

















Triton pictured above: Peter Duenas, UOG Alumni, Class of 1976, performing the traditional call of the Kulu.

Why Graphic Organizers?

Graphic organizers convert complex information into manageable chunks. They make content area information more accessible to English Language Learners (ELLs). They include webs, Venn diagrams, charts, and other visual tools that enable your ELLs to better comprehend and organize information that is taught. This will further allow your ELLs to develop their higher level thinking skills and promote their creativity.

Each week I will share the different graphic organizers that teachers can effectively utilize in their classroom instruction. The first graphic organizer I will introduce is a modification of the KWL Chart that many teachers have heard of. The visual is self-explanatory. This is certainly a useful tool! Enjoy!

Note: Click on the image above to get a clearer picture of the graphic organizer.

Join Us for Another Engaging Cultural Conference: PEC

We will soon be treated to yet another cultural Pacific conference, namely the Pacific Educational Conference (PEC), to be held next week. Last month, we had a meaningful cultural experience during the 28th Annual International Pacific Islands Bilingual Bicultural Association (PIBBA) Conference with its engaging theme, “Invigorating Languages and Cultures of the Pacific.” It is a cultural learning experience I will always cherish.

This year’s theme for the 26th Annual PEC is “Preparing the Pacific Child for Life.” It will be hosted July 14-17 at the University of Guam. It is co-hosted by the Guam Public School System, University of Guam, Guam Community College, and the Pacific Resources for Education and Learning. Like the PIBBA Conference, it is an annual event in which Western Pacific educators are provided with opportunities for professional growth and cultural enrichment in a variety of academic areas. In particular, the PEC conference will focus on preparing the Pacific child for life. Educators will be given an opportunity to gather ideas, strategies, and best practices for lifelong learning.

Educators seeking recertification can earn one graduate credit by attending the conference and completing ED894 PEC course requirements. However, before you can sign up for the course, you must be a registered PEC participant.

If you missed the PIBBA Conference, then here’s another opportunity to attend an engaging cultural conference you won’t want to miss! We hope to see you there!