Alabama-Mississippi
Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages
AMTESOL has a new mailing address! AMTESOL PO Box 360122 Hoover, AL 35236
AMTESOL 2026 Keynote Speaker - Friday
Keynote Speaker: Dorina Ebuwa, Ed.D.
Dr. Dorina Ebuwa is known as The Lab Coat Teacher and affectionately “Miss Dorito” by her students and colleagues from around the world. Dr Dorito holds a B.A. in French and Occitan, the language of the South of France, a Master’s in Applied Linguistics, and Doctorate in Transformative Emotional Intelligence in Teaching and Learning. A Top 4 Finalist for National Teacher of the Year and Florida Teacher of the Year, polyglot Dr. Dorito takes her 28-year ESOL/Dual Language/Reading/ ELA K-12 and College classroom experiences, award winning doctoral research on Emotional Intelligence, and passion for purposeful PD to travel the globe inspiring, motivating, empowering, and elevating educators with professional and personal learning that starts from within. Those who experience Dr. Dorito in action say she facilitates “PD from the heart filled where everyone is seen, heard, and valued; something so important right now!” With her authentic and humorous real talk “Keyshops” on reflequity® through “Lens of Life Lessons” and encouragement for all to B.E.L.I.E.V.E.!® - Be the Educators who Lead to Inspire and Empower Via Empathy! When not wearing the many hats of an educator, Dorina dons a Stetson and works on her “Franch”, tending to her beloved special needs rescue cows, goats, chickens, ponies, mini donkeys, and barn cat named “Cool Ranch”. Find and connect with Dr. Dorito on X @Dorina_BELIEVE, BELIEVE with Dr. Dorito on Facebook or visit dorinasackman.com , if you B.E.L.I.E.V.E.!
Keynote Address: B.E.L.I.E.V.E.! Rooted in Language & Culture, Grounded with Radical Self-Care
Luncheon followed by Keynote Address
Friday, January 30, 2026
Join Dr. Dorito for an empowering and interactive “Keyshop” designed to equip educators with practical teaching and learning strategies for innovative and impactful multilingual learner student success through the FIRST important rule of teaching: YOU! This fun and engaging time with Dr. Dorito combines a real-life professional and personal check on Transformative Emotional Intelligence, Radical Self Care, Visions, Values, Non-Negotiables, Setting Boundaries, Flow, Optimal Experience, Joy over Happiness and setting the scene for what YOU deserve to live your best educator life in AND out of the classroom. By emphasizing reflection, collaboration, and radical self-care, participants become the Agents of Change in your state’s evolving educational landscape. It is time we harness the power of “Burning In not Burning Out: to boost professional and personal motivation – a powerful elevation of self! Let this engaging experience of implementable strategies for today’s challenges whilst celebrating “CREducators’” dedication and fostering growth, empathy, and multilingual educational leadership inspire, motivate, empower, and elevate YOU! That is, if you B.E.L.I.E.V.E.!
Workshops
Friday, January 30, 2026
B.E.L.I.E.V.E.! Academic Language Literacy: Improving our ELLs’ Academic Achievement, One WORD at a Time!
In this highly interactive and energetic session, participants engage in sample lessons using complex text, high vocabulary, and technology to learn how to empower our students to absorb the “Big Words”! One of the largest inequities in ALL education is the lack of academic vocabulary used outside the school setting. By doing an analysis of Academic vs Social Language in content area lessons, our ALL students will be exposed to the necessary academic literacy to be prepared and successful for not only state assessments but over-all college and career readiness. Participants leave with 5 major teaching strategies that enhance their teaching and bring out those “Big Words” our kids so often escape when reading and writing. Participants leave with “a-ha” moments on teaching academic and content vocabulary that, when used with fidelity, increases student learning, achievement, and confidence.
Saturday, January 31, 2026
Brain-based research and the student brain!
This highly reflective and VERY FUNNY session gets participants ready to engage in the neuroscience of learning. Using research from Hernandez (2017), participants see how language and vocabulary are retained when the brain is free from stress. However, the brain cannot retain information when the brain is stressed. Here, participants will engage in opening activities that “open up” the brain for quality dialogue on trauma, food insecurity, intrinsic vs, extrinsic motivation and truly, how the break works! From neurotransmitters to dendrites to dopamine and serotonin, it is time we teach ourselves then our students about the how and why of the brain. Students who gain neuroscience knowledge increase their intrinsic motivation because they understand their own mind. Science increased success! That is, if you B.E.L.I.E.V.E.!