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The Polyglot

September 2025

📚 Last Chance! IEFLA Fall 2025 Workshops

Don’t miss out — the deadline to register is this Friday, Sept. 19!

🗓 Date & Location

Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025

9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (registration opens at 8:30 a.m.)

Cal State San Bernardino

💵 Cost - $105 (includes light breakfast + mid-morning snacks)

🔍 Choose ONE Workshop:

Option 1: Pedagogía con sabor: Cultivating the Skills of Our Spanish-Speaking Students — with Morelia Baltazar & Olga Sutton.

Option 2: Making Input Unforgettable: Strategies for Daily CI Success — with Abraham García & Bethany Thompson.

👉 Register now before the deadline: IEFLA Fall 2025 Workshops:

https://sites.google.com/clta.net/iefla/fall-2025-workshops?authuser=0

CLTA World Language Jamboree 2025

Mark Your Calendars: 2025 CLTA World Language Jamboree!

Join fellow language educators for the 2025 CLTA World Language Jamboree on Saturday, October 11, 2025, at Loyola Marymount University, just minutes from Marina del Rey. Hosted by LA STARS and MCLASC, this year’s theme—Language and Culture in Action—promises a day filled with inspiring sessions and community building. Registration opens at 8:00 a.m., followed by a continental breakfast with colleagues before the program kicks off at 9:00 a.m. The event runs until 3:45 p.m., offering a full day of professional learning and collaboration.

🎉 CSUSB Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

Cal State San Bernardino is honoring Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15–Oct. 15) with a vibrant series of events showcasing Hispanic and Latinx culture through food, music, art, scholarship, and community.

✨ Highlights include:

ALFSS Bienvenida Opening Ceremony – Sept. 16, 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m., SMSU South Event Center. Kick off the month with music, food, and community.
Mini Piñata Making – Sept. 17, noon–2 p.m., The Retreat, SMSU South.
Lotería, Pan Dulce, y Poder – Oct. 2, 4–6 p.m., Latinx Resource Center.
LEAD Summit XIV – Oct. 3, 8 a.m.–3 p.m., SMSU South. This year’s theme: “Hispanic Serving Institutions: Past, Present, Future.”
Somos CSUSB – Oct. 14, 4–7 p.m., SMSU North Patio. An outdoor celebration with food, music, and connection.
📚 Events also feature book giveaways, cultural displays, artivism, and family traditions like Guatemalan worry dolls.

🌎 First established in 1968, Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the independence anniversaries of several Latin American countries and recognizes the contributions and rich traditions of Hispanic and Latinx communities across the U.S.

👉 For the full calendar and updates, visit the JEDI Community & Cultural Centers at CSUSB Instagram. Click below for more info:

https://www.csusb.edu/inside/article/591186/cal-state-san-bernardino-celebrates-hispanic-heritage-month

CTA Classroom Setup Grant

Did you know CTA members can apply for a Classroom Setup Grant to new teachers of $300? This program helps new educators offset the cost of essential classroom supplies and materials, making it easier to create an engaging learning environment for students. Learn more about eligibility and how to apply at www.ctamemberbenefits.org.

Learn more here

National Spanish Exam

The National Spanish Exam—a program of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish & Portuguese (AATSP)—engages students in grades 6‑12 in a national, online, motivational competition to measure both what they know (vocabulary & grammar) and what they can do (reading & listening comprehension) in Spanish. From Levels 01 through 6, students are placed based on proficiency, not class year.

Teachers receive detailed individual reports that break down student performance by standard and skill area, empowering differentiated instruction and tracking yearly growth.

High achievers—those scoring in the 75th percentile or above—earn national medals (Gold, Silver, Bronze, or Honorable Mention) and become eligible for scholarships and travel awards like the Global Citizen or senior scholarship opportunities.

👉 To learn more about exam levels, format, registration dates, and teacher benefits, visit the official National Spanish Exam page: www.nationalspanishexam.org

Learn more here

CLTA/SWCOLT 2025-2026 Webinar Wednesdays

Join us for this exciting monthly professional learning series designed for world language educators! Each session free for members of CLTA and/or SWCOLT and it's packed with practical strategies and fresh ideas to elevate your teaching. These webinars (as well as the members from previous years) are recorded and they're available to all members.

📅 Upcoming topics include:

Sept. 10: Using Music to Increase Communication in the Classroom! (Abraham García - CA)
Oct. 8: 7 Steps to a Language-Rich Classroom (Sally Barnes – TX)
Nov. 12: Integrating Art into the WL Classroom (Lin Li Hall – NV)
Dec. 10: CLTA & SWCOLT Digital Resource Mixer (Paul Verduzco – CA)
(More dates and topics through April 2026!)

Learn more here

Book of the month: My perfect year: A Practical Guide for Language Teachers

Looking to transform your language classroom? This guide goes beyond activities — it lays out a full-year approach for levels 1–3. Inside, you’ll find:

✅ How to design an effective classroom environment for language acquisition.

✅ Strategies for routines, personalization, and imaginative comprehensible input.

✅ A step-by-step plan for building a classroom library and launching an independent reading program.

✅ Creative ways to turn a 60-second authentic video into a 55-minute language-rich lesson.

✅ Techniques for planning a “substitute day while you’re still in class” to support teacher well-being.

✅ Guidance on leading a department through a shift toward CI methods with respect and collaboration.

This practical, inspiring resource helps teachers stay refreshed, imaginative, and connected to the cultures of the languages we teach. Click belwo:

https://a.co/d/82tDjEW

Discover CinéSchool – French Films for Young Audiences!

CinéSchool, a program of the Albertine Foundation’s French for All initiative, brings the magic of French-language cinema straight to U.S. classrooms. Designed for students ages 5–18, the program offers free screenings of classic and contemporary French and Francophone films, along with engaging educational resources to deepen cultural understanding. Whether you teach French or simply want to expose your students to diverse global perspectives, CinéSchool makes it easy to spark curiosity and conversation through film.

👉 Learn more and register your class: https://albertinefoundation.org/french-for-all/cineschool/

ACTFL National Conference 2025: New Orleans

The ACTFL 2025 Annual Convention & World Languages Expo will take place November 21–23, 2025, in New Orleans, LA, bringing together thousands of world language educators for three days of professional learning, networking, and inspiration. With 600+ sessions on teaching methods, technology, assessment, and culture, the event also features dynamic keynote speakers, including Broadway’s Miguel Cervantes and National Geographic Explorer Dr. Steve Boyes. Attendees can explore the World Languages Expo with 250+ exhibitors, engage in hands-on workshops, and connect with colleagues from across the globe. Early-bird registration is open through August 15, 2025.

For information on ACTFL 2025: New Orleans

SWCOLT Regional Conference 2026: Denver

Registration will open soon for SWCOLT 2026: Denver Omni Interlocken on February 19-21 2026, Broomfield, CO! Secure your spot early and take advantage of the Early Bird Rate of $255 through November 30, which includes access to 70+ sessions, the Member Reception, and your SWCOLT 2026 Membership.

Regular and late registration rates apply after November 30. Students can register for just $125, but space is limited. Don’t forget to add on Thursday’s pre-conference workshops for hands-on learning opportunities. Visit SWCOLT’s website to explore all options and register today!

Are you interested in presenting in Denver? Submit your proposal today!

For information on SWCOLT 2026: Denver

CLTA State Conference 2026: Sacramento

Join us in Sacramento for the 2026 CLTA Conference!

CLTA and FLAGS are teaming up to bring world language educators an unforgettable professional learning experience in the heart of California’s capital. Don’t miss this chance to collaborate, grow, and celebrate language education!

Are you interested in presenting in Sacramento? Submit your proposal today, review the tentative registration costs, and use the sample Dear Administrator letter to help secure funding.

CLTA State Conference 2026: Sacramento

Coordinators Needed - Travel Abroad!

CIEE is looking for a few teachers that can help coordinate for them across the world! Being a coordinator can be a great side hustle for teachers to earn some extra cash, travel the world, and help to connect their local community with cultures from across the world.

Coordinators typically:

Are curious about other cultures
Enjoy spending time encouraging and working with teenagers
Want to share their community with other cultures
Love to travel!

Coordinators are paid for their help and go on some pretty amazing trips! In the next 12 months CIEE will be going on trips to Costa Rica, Mexico, Iceland, and Italy!

It isn’t much a time commitment, is really rewarding, and I bet you’d love the trips we go on! If you have any interest, please let me know. I’d love to hop on a call and tell you about it and answer questions!

For additional information click on the link below or come to hear Danny Velasquez tell about the program at the CLTA Jamboree, Chino Hills High School on September 30..

For information on CIEE

Flangoo

Flangoo is a subscription-based service for digital World Language readers available in Spanish, French, and German!! A sister company of Teacher’s Discovery®, Flangoo creates an affordable solution for World Language teachers who want to offer students a wide range of readers. One Flangoo account gives you and up to 150 students access to an entire virtual Free Voluntary Reading (FVR) library. Try it out!

For more information on Flangoo

Engaging Activities in the Classroom!

How about some quick, fun activities to do with your students in the target language! Let’s start with...

Who's telling the truth?

Have them fill out a survey telling something strange they did as a child. Choose several of those answers and display them on your board or presentation.

This can be played online. Call on 4 people in the class, including the person who wrote the sentence, to read the sentence as if they wrote it.

You ask each person two questions, and they answer, acting as if they wrote it. Then the students type in the chat who they think is telling the truth, but the students wait to send until you say, "Send".

After they send, you ask each actor if they wrote the sentence to reveal the truth-teller. The actor with the most votes gets extra credit. The students who got it right get extra credit.

This is a great game to play with your upper levels, especially now with the fun Among Us game, students have to try to figure out who the imposter is! Here’s an example:

Example: When I was little, I used to hide in the kitchen cupboards.
Questions: Why did you hide in the cupboards? (asked to all actors)
or How old were you when you hid in the cupboards? (asked to all actors)

Who knows you best?

Choose a volunteer and have them select a question to answer (#1-12).

The teacher asks the question, then all of the other students guess what the interviewee's answer is.

They type it in the chat but don't send it. When the teacher says "send", they send it.

The teacher then asks the interviewee to send their answer. Everyone who gets it right gets a point.

Here are some sample questions. You can adapt them to any level, any unit:

What are you afraid of?
Where do you like to go on vacation?
What is it that makes you angry?
What are you laughing at?
Do you prefer to cycle, ride a horse, or drive?
What do you prefer: doing the dishes, mowing the lawn, cleaning the bathroom, or vacuuming?
At night, do you prefer to play a game, visit a relative, watch a movie, or read?
Who would you like to be lost with on a desert island?
Approximately how many pairs of shoes do you have?
Which public transport do you prefer (plane, boat, train, bus, metro, etc.)?
What is your favorite zoo animal?
What is your favorite holiday: Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day, Halloween, Easter, July 4th

Scavenger Hunt:

If you're online, ask students to find something that makes people happy/sad/frustrated etc and show it to the camera. Ask students to find something hard/soft/wet/round/square etc and show it to the camera. Great for all levels and another great way to start some fun, personalized discussions!

Express Link to EdJoin JOB Listings

Open Positions for World Language Teachers

Are you looking for a job? Know someone who is looking for employment? There are currently 9 positions open in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties for Spanish teachers. Click the express link below to go directly to all of the current listings by area in EdJoin!

Express Job Listings for Spanish, French, Chinese, and ASL.

Thanks for being part of IEFLA! Have an idea or resource for our next issue? Email us at vicepresident@iefla.org.

The Polyglot is published 10 times a year from August to May. It is a publication of the Inland Empire Foreign Language Association. Editor of the Polyglot is Abraham Garcia, M.A., of Citrus Valley High School, Redlands, CA.

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