Who We Are

Ayumi Stockman's academic career reflects her unwavering commitment to language education and her proactive approach to promoting effective language acquisition. Beginning as an ESL teacher in the Minneapolis Public Schools, Ayumi always prioritized equipping students with practical language skills. Her love for learning and continuous professional development through educational conferences and personal language study has allowed her to impart a similar passion for learning to her students. Ayumi's expertise expanded as she transitioned to become the Grant Coordinator for the Foreign Language Assistance Program (FLAP), where she spearheaded initiatives to enhance Arabic and Chinese learning in K-12 Minneapolis schools. As a World Language Content Specialist for the Minneapolis Public Schools, Ayumi gained valuable insights into the diverse nuances of language learning and program design, considering factors such as learner perspectives and social and historical contexts. Her involvement in a collaborative effort between Minneapolis, St. Paul Public Schools, and MDE resulted in funding and development of assessments for less commonly taught languages, facilitating the implementation of the Minnesota Bilingual Seals Program. Since joining MDE as the World Languages Education Specialist in March 2020, Ayumi has been instrumental in providing guidance to schools and districts in program design, assessments, curriculum development, teacher training, and overseeing the successful implementation of the Minnesota Bilingual Seals Program.

Kendall A. King is Professor of Multilingual Education at the University of Minnesota, where she teaches and conducts research on language policy, sociolinguistics and child bilingualism and second language learning. She has published widely on the educational and familial practices impacting language use, language learning and social equity and served locally and nationally as an advocate for multilingualism and multilingual education. A former bilingual teacher and ESL instructor, she teaches graduate-level courses in sociolinguistics, language policy, language research methods, English grammar, and language education; leads an undergraduate class in linguistics; and coordinates the undergraduate TESL minor. She previously has served as faculty at the Center for Research on Bilingualism at Stockholm University, the Department of Linguistics at Georgetown University, and in the Department of Teaching and Learning at New York University. Her recent research (with collaborator, Maria Schwedhelm) examines equity and access to state seals of biliteracy.