April | 2026 | Newcomers at Grade Level and Beyond

More than ever, we need practical ways to support students from hard places. In this show (and post) we get some top tips from Elise White Diaz, a key figure in the space of trauma-informed instruction for multilingual learners. You can listen to the show right here, watch the video below or read some of the highlights in this post.

Elise recently authored a book titled “Discover, Connect, Respond: A Practical Approach to Trauma-Informed Instruction,” which is receiving recognition for its significance in addressing the challenges faced by immigrant and underprivileged students. Listeners will take away ideas they can use immediately. You can listen to this show on your favorite podcast app or right here:

AUDIO VERSION:

Listen to “BAP130 Being Trauma Informed for MLs with Elise White Diaz” on Spreaker.

VIDEO VERSION:

The episode includes highlights from Elise’s new book and her experience using trauma-informed practices in both Honduras and the United States.

Here are links and some notes from what was mentioned in the show:

The book is a wonderful, powerful, and easy read. It can be found on Amazon or directly from Seidlitz Education.com.

In this episode of the Boosting Achievement ESL podcast, I am excited to introduce my colleague Elise White Diaz, who brings valuable insights and practical approaches to Trauma-Informed instruction for Multilingual Learners.

The podcast discusses the importance of understanding the backgrounds and traumas of our students and realizing the powerful impact educators can have in a student’s life.

Elise’s Story

Elise, a seasoned professional in education and nonprofit sectors, shares her extensive experience from working in diverse environments around the world, including teaching children in poverty-stricken areas such as a garbage dump community in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. This setting presented unique challenges, such as overcoming cultural barriers and meeting holistic needs, which included educational, health, and social services. Upon returning to the United States, Elise continued her work in under-resourced schools in Texas and discovered similar issues as those occurring in Honduras, including child labor and trafficking. Inspired by her experiences and ongoing participation in foster care and orphan movements, Elise delved deeper into trauma-informed interventions. She applied these strategies with students who exhibited emotional dysregulation, adapting learnings from various conferences to the school setting.

Successful Outcomes

This episode highlights the successful outcomes of Elise’s methods, noting a significant improvement in her students’ performance on state assessments, jumping from 16% to 67% proficiency. This notable success underscores the efficacy of trauma-informed and culturally sensitive educational practices in fostering student achievement.

Successful Outcomes & Free Resources

Dr. Salva and Elise discuss the significant effect educators can have on students who come from hard places. Many ML educators have a deep commitment to making a difference for multilingual and underprivileged learners. Elise steps listeners through the “Four S’s Routine” – a practical approach to helping students regulate their emotions. She also shares other insights for educators seeking to implement trauma-informed strategies. The episode ultimately calls for broadening understanding and practice of these approaches to better support all students.

Elise has a blog where you can get these tips and much more free learning.

It is at: EliseWhiteDiaz.com

I am proud to call Elise my collegue in consulting. You can reach out to Elise directly to inquire about training, modeling and consulting. It is powerful to have her come to your district. She is at Elise@SeidlitzEducation.com.

She is on Instagram: @EliseWhiteDiaz

And also on LinkedIN: @ Elise White Diaz

Here are a few other podcasts so you can get more FREE learning from Elise: