Two RIC Educators Awarded for Contributions to Multilingual Learning Education

Each year, Rhode Island Teachers of English Language Learners (RITELL), a professional organization housed at Rhode Island College that represents teachers of emergent bilingual/English learners, recognizes the extraordinary contributions of individuals who serve multilingual learners, educators and/or professionals. 

This year, RIC Professor Emerita of Educational Studies Nancy Cloud was awarded the first RITELL Lifetime Achievement Award.

“Nancy is one of the pioneers of multilingual learner education in the country,” says Faria-Tancinco ’15, immediate past president of RITELL’s Coordinating Council.

Cloud cofounded RITELL in 2000. She was a RIC teacher educator of teaching English as a second language and special education from 1999-2006 and helped create the urban multicultural special education concentration. She was also director of RIC’s TESOL and Bilingual Teacher Preparation Program from 2006-2015. Cloud is being recognized for her steadfast advocacy, commitment and dedication to serving multilingual learners and their educators in Rhode Island and across the country. 

“It is an unbelievable honor to receive the first RITELL Lifetime Achievement Award,” says Cloud, “and to be recognized by an organization made up of my peers, all of whom are equally dedicated to improving education for our multilingual learners and to supporting their families.” 

Faria-Tancinco also received a RITELL award. As coordinator of RIC’s ESL Intensive Program and Project ExCEL, she was honored with the Adult Education Practitioner Award for improving and building up RIC’s ESL services for adult English language learners who were professionals in their home country and for helping them connect to higher education and workforce training programs. 

“I am incredibly honored and excited to receive this award because I see my work with adult learners as vital and extremely impactful,” she says.

Since her beginnings in adult education in 2006, Faria-Tancinco has enjoyed working with older students from many parts of the world. She says, “Once you work with adult students and you see the commitment, drive and desire for excellence that they bring to each class, as a teacher, you cannot show up with anything less than your A-game.”