MLA's "Antiracist Resources for Your 2020-2021 Teaching" Find and/or submit resources.
Curated and ongoing Google Doc of resources for teacing in the time of COVID-19 (vis HASTAC)
Twenty articles focused on remote/blended learning at all levels of language study. Access here.
View this web site for updated webinars throughout the summer. The following were posted as of June 1, 2020:
“Maximizing Skill-Building During Live Instruction: Guiding Students Along the Proficiency Continuum” With the advent of remote learning, our time for "live" instruction with our students has been cut short. How can we ensure that our students continue to progress across the proficiency continuum in this new environment? In this one-hour webinar led by Leslie Grahn, explore how language educators can maximize "prime time" instruction to intentionally build students' language skills needed to progress to the next proficiency level. View the PDF of the presentation slides. View the Q&A Summary.
“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, explore ways teachers can incorporate (or recognize how we are already incorporating) elements of inclusive practice in our remote learning experiences. Join this discussion and acquire specific strategies to support each unique learner. We 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. View the PDF of the presentation slides. View the Q&A Summary. View a resource on Differentiation through Choice Boards.
“Graphic Organizers: Visualize – Simplify – Connect” Graphic organizers unite text with images to present information, ideas, concepts, and vocabulary that are important to the understanding of a theme or topic. Donna Clementi illustrates how to use a variety of graphic organizers to present and facilitate communication about the theme or topic via the three modes. This one-hour webinar highlights examples from world language classrooms and from the content-based instruction website at CARLA (Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition) at the University of Minnesota. Access a PDF of the presentation View a summary of the Q&A. Access the graphic organizer templates.
“World Language Research in the Covid-19 Era: Tips, Strategies and Support” For world language researchers, the Covid-19 situation presents challenges for beginning, continuing, and completing research projects. Dr. Julie Sykes, Editor of Foreign Language Annals, Director of the Center for Applied Second Language Studies at the University of Oregon, a National Foreign Language Resource Center, and Co-Director of the Oregon Chinese Flagship Program shares tips for navigating research, participates in an interview with ACTFL’s Center for Assessment, Research & Development (CARD) Director, Meg Malone, and answers participant questions. Access a PDF of the presentation.
“Developing Proficiency While Teaching Remotely” As language educators switched to remote teaching and learning, the first mission was to survive and maintain learners’ language skills. Now many are saying they are ready to try to guide learners to improve their proficiency. Learn to focus on specific elements of proficiency through a variety of tasks tailored for synchronous sessions or asynchronous lessons. In this one-hour webinar with Nicole Naditz, walk through the lesson planning process to guide learners to move from words and phrases to sentences and connected sentences, add more details, or ask follow-up questions. Access the PDF of the presentation. View a summary of the Q&A.
“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 live webinar with Yo Azama, 2012 ACTFL National Language Teacher of the Year, and Michelle Lupisan. Access a PDF of the presentation. View a summary of the Q&A.
“Emergency Remote Instruction: How to Pace Learning & Check for Understanding” When planning a lesson for teaching remotely, how do you provide the right balance of content, practice/application, and checks for learning? Lauren Rosen shares strategies and tips for effective pacing of a lesson by breaking it into small and manageable “chunks” of learning and building in concept checks for learning. During the webinar, experience some technologies that are simple and easy to use, and identify options for both synchronous and asynchronous learning. Access a PDF of the presentation. View a summary of the Q&A.
“Going the Distance: Tools and Strategies for Online Teaching and Learning” In this session with Nicole Naditz, ACTFL 2015 National Language Teacher of the Year (San Juan, USD), 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. Access a pdf of the presentation. View a summary of the Q&A.
“Out of School Testing” This 20-minute informational webinar will address the options for “out of school” testing being offered by ACTFL and Language Testing International (LTI) for the end of this school year. The presenters will provide an overview of two options: at-home proctoring and virtual proctoring and facilitate a question and answer. Presenters are Leah Graham (ACTFL) and Kim Sallee (LTI).
“Using the AAPPL Model for Task Design” ACTFL’s Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL) evaluates how well learners can apply communication strategies learned in classroom settings in different, yet still familiar, contexts. This session will examine AAPPL functions and task design for the Interpersonal Listening and Speaking (ILS) mode of communication Attendees practiced rating language samples and discussed how to apply these principles in the virtual language classroom. The webinar is hosted by ACTFL staff members Camelot Marshall, PhD and Celia Zamora, PhD.
“Now That You’re Teaching Remotely - What Are Your Questions?” led by Lauren Rosen (University of Wisconsin) Language learners and educators around the world have suddenly moved to learning and teaching remotely. After the initial week(s) of adjusting to this new environment, questions and challenges are arising. Lauren Rosen has coordinated online language learning and taught remotely for over 20 years. Learn and be reassured from Lauren’s experiences and expertise. Learn more about Lauren. Discover a variety of ways to feel more confident in your online teaching and provide stronger support for your language learners. Access the presentation slides.
“Empowering Diverse Learners: Research-based Strategies for Success” led by Rebecca Blouwolff (ACTFL 2020 National Language Teacher of the Year, Wellesley Middle School, Wellesley, MA. Access a pdf of the presentation.
AAPPL Communication Builder: Online Activity Creator Learn more about the ACTFL’s AAPPL Communication Builder, a web-based tool for world language teachers and learners. Communication Builder facilitates the practice of interpersonal, interpretive and presentation modes of communication. It is designed to complement curriculum and to extend learning beyond the physical classroom space. Teachers can produce original tasks by choosing the subject matter, language, and targeted level that best fits their learners’ needs or they can identify tasks available in the publicly shared section of Communication Builder presented by ACTFL staff members Deise Nassinhack & Michael Pereira.
Due to COVID-19, the Symposium on Language Pedagogy in Higher Education will take place online (via Zoom) and will be free for everyone.
It will still take place on October 2 & 3, 2020, and our invited speakers have all kindly agreed to present virtually:
* Dr. Bill VanPatten will give a plenary address on "Barriers to Innovation in Language Program Direction"
* Dr. Claudia Fernández will facilitate a workshop on "Re-designing the Basic Language Curriculum for the 21st Century"
* Dr. Cori Crane will do a workshop on "Working Towards Perspective Transformation: Fostering Critical Reflection in the Language Classroom"
The symposium will also feature a special workshop (also online!) for language program directors and coordinators on "Conflict Resolution: A Guide to Crucial Conversations."
For more information about the symposium, please visit: solphe2020.wixsite.com/uiuc
Registration opens in August. For now, I am reaching out to encourage you to submit a proposal. We have extended the deadline to submit an abstract until June 15. We welcome submissions from language program directors, graduate students, and faculty of all ranks and languages, for 20-minute presentations. Proposals may be either practice-oriented or research-oriented, as long as they have practical implications that may be relevant to different language programs in post-secondary settings. For the submission requirements or to submit an abstract, please go to:
https://linguistlist.org/confservices/customhome.cfm?Emeetingid=6402JA4458764648406050441