2027 TALGS Keynote Speaker
Dr. Joan Lachance
Dr. Joan Lachance is an Associate Professor of Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte聽where she directs the TESL graduate programs聽and undergraduate TESL Minor.聽A related proud moment is the聽newly聽added ML strand in the聽Curriculum & Instruction聽PhD聽program for which she will direct. Joan聽is the co-author of the National Dual Language Education Teacher Preparation Standards and the Director of the CAEP Specialized Program Association in Dual Language Education called 鈥淓MMA: Education for a Multilingual Multicultural America.鈥澛�
Her聽research agenda聽and professional learning service across the nation聽support collaborative聽dual language teacher preparation聽and program development,聽cross-linguistic transfer, and authentic assessment with multilingual learners.聽As part of the聽focused聽workto聽further聽address the crucial, national needs related to聽collaboration and co-teaching for聽multilingual learners聽in the dual language context, she聽is a core team member of a National Professional Development Grant which will result in nearly 500 newly trained and certified dual language educators in the states of New Mexico, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Joan聽co-authored a book with Dr. Andrea Honigsfeld titled聽Collaboration and Co-Teaching for Dual Language Learners:聽Transforming Programs for Multilingualism and Equity聽and has also co-authored several book chapters and journal articles on the topic.聽
Another notable accomplishment includes聽Joan聽as the newly added co-author with Drs. Virginia Collier and Wayne Thomas for the second edition of their book titled聽Educating English Learners for a Transformed World聽(Fall 2025).Finally, Joan聽supports聽dual language education for the preservation,聽revitalization, and reclamation聽of Native American聽languages, most-honorably collaborating with聽a聽dual language聽program聽serving the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians [EBCI].
