Welcome to World Languages 20-21!
The focus of world language education in Boston Public Schools is standards-based and performance-based instruction using the ACTFL National Standards, the Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century, and the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks for Foreign Languages. Together these standards support second language learning and effectively guide world language instruction.
Curriculum Map
Professional Development Opportunities
High Leverage Teaching Strategies for Remote Learning an Equity Lens
Presenters: Julie Caldarone, Director of World Languages, Boston Public SchoolsAkilah Cobham, BPS Lead Spanish Teacher, John D. O'Bryant School of Math and Science
Every child is entitled to an equitable, world-class, high quality education. As educators, we must incorporate students' cultural knowledge and affirm students' cultural and racial identities into our lessons. This workshop will provide strategies for eliminating racial bias in the World Languages classroom by incorporating culturally and linguistically sustaining practices throughout our lessons. These practices will be modeled through a proficiency-based digital lesson example in the Interpretive Mode.
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The Ethno/Euro Centric Impulse: An Honest Conversation Around Power and Privilege in World Language Curriculum
In order to challenge ourselves as World Language educators and to combat the stereotypes and assumptions from popular textbooks, we must find opportunities to combat the ethnocentrism and eurocentrism in our classroom. How can we create a safe and validating space for helping our students develop empathy and a better understanding of the underrepresented voices in society? This workshop will demonstrate how to incorporate intersectional experiences in the target language.
Presenter: Abelardo Almazán Vázquez, Spanish Teacher, The Putney School, Vermont
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Going the Distance: Tools and Strategies for Online Teaching and Learning
With the shutdown closing brick-and-mortar classrooms, teachers have been thrust head (and keyboards and webcams) first into distance and remote learning. Although the curriculum and standards did not change, the delivery mechanism did.
In this session with Nicole Naditz, we will explore important design considerations for your remote learning experiences and tools anyone can use (yes, even if you have never done this before!!) to start delivering meaningful world language instruction online. You will leave with resources to help you get started at your own pace.
Nicole is a National Board Certified Teacher, Google Certified Innovator and Trainer and Apple Learning Academy Specialist. After having taught French for 25 years, she now serves as the Program Specialist for World Languages and Instructional Technology for San Juan Unified School District. She was the 2015 ACTFL National Language Teacher of the Year.
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Remote Learning: Keeping Our Learners Close
How can I provide my learners a week of engaged learning? Remote teaching and learning does not mean taking five days of face-to-face lessons and putting everything online. We need to keep in mind the most effective strategies for learning in order to engage our learners in an online environment: moving from teacher-driven to student-centered and focusing on learning (through engagement and relationships) rather than teaching. How can I focus on what is most important to support my learners so they maintain their language skills? Experience what a week of learning looks like in this 1-hour webinar with Yo Azama and Michelle Lupisan.
Yo Azama: After having taught Japanese for 25 years, Yo Azama now serves as the Lead Instructional Coach for Salinas Union High School District (CA). He was the 2012 ACTFL National Language Teacher of the Year. Azama sensei (teacher) has conducted numerous workshops on various topics including Motivational Lesson Design and Effective Technology Integration in the World Language Classroom.
Michelle Lupisan: Michelle Lupisan is a teacher of Japanese at Salinas High School (CA). She regularly presents at both national and regional conferences. Her Japanese language journey began when she was a high school student in Yo Azama's class!
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Translating Inclusive Classroom Practices for World Language Classrooms to Remote Learning
How can we most effectively engage all learners while teaching remotely? In this one-hour webinar with Katy Arnett, teachers will explore ways to incorporate (or recognize how we are already incorporating) elements of inclusive practices in our remote learning experiences. We will also acquire specific strategies to support each unique learner and explore how remote learning has challenged our sense of being effective as an educator, particularly as it pertains to supporting students with more complex needs or home lives.
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World Language Curriculum through an Antiracist Lens
After completing this webinar, participants will recognize the distinctions of educational equity (multiculturalism, social justice, cultural responsiveness) and elevate marginalized voices of their target cultures. They will also learn to apply an antiracist perspective to a world language lesson.
Presenters:
Jorge S. Allen, World Languages Program Coordinator, Andover Public Schools
Adrianne Billingham Bock, Social Studies Program Coordinator, Andover Public Schools
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Translating Inclusive Classroom Practices for World Language Global C.R.E.D. 2020: Remote Language Learning Reconfigured: A Pedagogical Paradigm Shift
In this practical session, Joe Dale will explore how the global language teaching community in March rose to the challenge of moving their teaching wholly online and how attitudes to educational technology may have changed as a result. Joe will provide some timely advice on ways in which language teachers can enhance their remote and hybrid teaching repertoire further with many practical examples. He will also share a comprehensive resource including advice and tutorials to support teachers during these unprecedented times. He will showcase a variety of examples of good practice in synchronous and asynchronous approaches to using technology to enhance language learning in and out of the classroom.
Presenter: Joe Dale
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INSTAGRAM À LA MODE: SOCIAL MEDIA FOR REGULAR, RELEVANT, REWARDING LANGUAGE ENGAGEMENT
In this session, participants will experience how Meredith White uses Instagram for and with her own novice Spanish students. Through a how-to demonstration, insider tips, and artifact creation, educators can engage in Instagram as a forum for authentic resources that meets students where they are. In learning how to curate an intentional, meaningful target language experience with Instagram, participants will see how their own and their students' motivation and participation can increase resulting in increased engagement and proficiency. Instagram = Instalanguage!
Presenter:
Meredith White, 2020 Google Foreign Language Teacher of the Year
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Incorporating Global Connections into the Elementary World Languages Classroom Remotely
Teachers will engage in strong standards-aligned elementary world languages curriculum focused on "Self" and incorporating global connections to all aspects of the "Self" unit. The unit will be scaffolded across the grade levels with a focus on K-2 and grades 3-5.
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Please visit our website for more information.
