Keynotes & Plenaries
A Keynote That Moves a Room — and Instructional Practice
Associate Professor at Hamline University, U.S. State Department English Language Specialist, and published author — Dr. Benegas delivers research-grounded, audience-specific presentations that translate scholarship into action for educators at every level.
Speaking Contexts
Dr. Benegas has delivered keynote addresses across a wide range of professional settings, tailoring content and delivery to each audience.
- Teacher professional organizations & conferences
- Faculty development workshops
- Educational leadership forums
- International education conferences
- District professional development days
- State & regional ELD symposia
Recent Keynotes
Rethinking Academic Language: Flattening the Hierarchy and Centering Access
Wisconsin TESOL — Madison, WI
From Academic Language to the Language of Access: History, Harm, and New Possibilities in Adult Education
ATLAS Literacy and Language Institute — Virtual
Charting a Scholarly Agenda at the Intersection of Language and Learning
Second Language Acquisition Graduate Student Symposium, University of Minnesota — Minneapolis, MN
Transforming Practice for Language Learners through Teacher Leadership
Queen's University — Invited Lecture — Belfast, Northern Ireland
Keynote Topics
Each topic can be developed as a keynote, plenary, or extended workshop. All presentations are customized to your audience and goals.
Educational Excellence for English Learners
A foundational keynote on what high-quality ELD programs look like in practice — from policy to classroom instruction — and the leadership decisions that make results possible.
District leaders, administrators, conference audiences
Building Language-Rich Learning Environments
How schools can design instructional systems that promote active engagement, support content access, and integrate language objectives across every classroom — not just the ELD room.
Curriculum directors, instructional coaches, teacher leaders
Leading ELD Programs That Work
What district and building administrators need to know — and do — to build, sustain, and continuously improve ELD programs that produce measurable outcomes for English learners.
Superintendents, principals, ELD directors
Accelerating English Acquisition and Academic Success
A research-grounded keynote on the instructional and programmatic conditions that accelerate English language development and drive academic achievement — with practical strategies for every educator.
Teachers, instructional coaches, professional development audiences
What to Expect
Every engagement begins with a conversation about your audience, your goals, and the specific challenges your district or conference is navigating. Content and delivery are tailored accordingly — there are no off-the-shelf presentations.
Dr. Benegas combines rigorous academic research with engaging storytelling and practical application, creating keynote experiences that are both intellectually substantive and immediately actionable.
Services are also available in Spanish. / Los servicios también se ofrecen en español.
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