Bringing Community into Language and Literacy Classrooms: Engaging Students with Real-World Cultural Connections
November 12, 2025 at 7:00 PM ET
Presented by: Elizabeth Techman and Dr. Chris Howell
Moderated by: Jennifer Kilmore
We are excited to announce an upcoming webinar in partnership with the Central States Languages for All. Featuring this year’s Pulsera contest winner, Elizabeth Techman, we will explore how to bridge the gap between world language and English literacy instruction through service-learning opportunities and culturally authentic curriculum resources.
Participants will leave with:
- A renewed understanding of how building community and connection to culture deepens students’ language and literacy growth
- New ideas about how to incorporate service learning into their classrooms, schools, and/or districts
- Integrated lesson plans and resources to facilitate actionable follow-up in your classrooms
Register Today!
Elizabeth Techman
ESL and Spanish Teacher and Pulsera Project host
Elizabeth Techman is an experienced educator with over 30 years of teaching Spanish and English as a Second Language (ESL) across a wide range of grade levels and student abilities. Since 1992, she has been committed to creating inclusive, culturally rich classrooms that support language development and cross-cultural understanding. Currently, she serves as the district EL Specialist for the Twin Valley School District, working with English language learners from kindergarten through 12th grade.
In the summer of 2025, Elizabeth traveled to Guatemala with the Pulsera Project, supported by a grant from Vista. This experience included learning about fair trade, indigenous history, weaving traditions, permaculture, and engaging with local leaders and activists. Inspired by this work, she continues to lead annual student sales of pulseras (bracelets) and bolsas (bags) in her school community to support Central American artisans and promote global citizenship among her students.
Dr. Chris Howell
Executive Director and Co-Founder, Pulsera Project
Dr. Chris Howell helped co-found the Pulsera Project in 2009 while still a student at the College of Charleston. In addition to working with teachers across the country to coordinate pulsera sales, Dr. Howell heads the project’s educational mission in the U.S. He leads the project’s Educational Committee and has collaborated with Spanish teachers to develop the videos, activities, and lessons that we offer to all schools hosting pulsera sales. He also has represented the project at a number of conferences, webinars, and podcasts since 2009.
In addition to his work with the Pulsera Project, Dr. Howell received his PhD in Political Science in 2024 from the University of South Carolina. He currently teaches political science at College of Charleston
Jennifer Kilmore
Director of Professional Learning, Vista
Jennifer Kilmore currently serves as the Director of World Language Curriculum and Professional Learning at Vista Higher Learning, a position held since November 2024. Previously, Jennifer worked at Carnegie Learning for over seven years, where roles included Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Director of Sales Enablement for World Languages. Jennifer's extensive background includes leadership in sales strategy, customer success, training, and curriculum development across various educational organizations, including Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts. Jennifer holds a Master of Arts in Second Languages, Second Language Acquisition and Pedagogy from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and a Bachelor of Science in Education, French from Bowling Green State University.
