The Family Resource Center (FRC) of San Mateo County invites you to join us for an informative presentation about language development in bilingual homes.

Topics include:

• Common myths and facts about children learning two languages
• What research tells us about bilingualism and language development
• Supporting bilingual children with language delays or autism
• Practical strategies for fostering communication in multiple languages

Hear from a bilingual (English/Spanish) educator and parent who is raising both a neurotypical child and a child with autism in a bilingual household. She will share her family’s journey, challenges, and successful approaches to supporting both languages at home.

Presenters:

Judy McCrary Koeppen: With more than 35 years of experience as a Speech-Language Pathologist, Judy has supported children and adults in developing communication skills. She holds a master’s degree in Communication Disorders from the University of Wisconsin and has worked in hospital, clinical, and university settings. She is also the founding president of the Special Education PTA of Redwood City (SEPTAR). Judy has lectured at San José State and San Francisco State universities and presented at the California PTA Convention. As the parent of a child with autism, Judy brings both professional expertise and personal understanding to her work and presentations.

Alara Guzman-MacGillivray: Alara Guzman-MacGillivray is an educator with more than 20 years of experience working with bilingual children, families, and communities. She currently teaches English as a Second Language in Redwood City and is raising her two children in a bilingual English/Spanish household. As the parent of a child with autism and ADHD, Alara brings both professional and personal experience to supporting bilingual language development. She holds a master’s in Education and teaching credentials in both Spanish and English from the University of San Diego, and she is currently pursuing certification as a Spanish Interpreter at Evergreen Valley College.

Please note: If you need Spanish interpretation to participate, we require you to indicate this on your registration at least 7 days prior to the training.

Please register in advance to receive the Zoom meeting link. To help protect the privacy and safety of participating families, registrations may be reviewed and approved manually before access is provided.

Zoom may also require you to sign in with a Zoom account, and some sessions may include a visible watermark. These added safety features help us maintain a more secure and confidential space for everyone.

Privacy Notice: To help maintain a safe and confidential space, recording, screenshots, photography, and the use of AI tools for recording or note-taking are not permitted. By registering, you agree to respect the privacy of all participants.

For any questions, concerns, or accommodation requests, please contact us at info@smcfrc.org or 650-259-0189.