Our conference has reached capacity AND OUR WAITLIST IS NOW CLOSED. WE HOPE TO SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

REGISTRATION by 2/7/25

PAYMENT FORM by 2/14/25

Session 1 and 2 options

Explore beneath the surface of student thinking with Snorkl AI

Presenter: Kelly Fetherling, Lockport Township High School
Participants in this session will be introduced to Snorkl, a tool that allows students to verbally describe what they see, think, or whatever they are prompted to do and receive instant AI feedback that feeds forward!

Grading for Equity: A work in progress

Presenter: Tye Fox, Metea Valley High School
Follow my journey as I talk you through how I am trying to apply the principles of equitable grading practices.

Department Chair Roundtable

Presenter: Ignacio Gamboa, Naperville Central High School
Share experiences of being a HS DC. Topics include but not limited to the following: hiring, evaluations, curriculum design and planning, budgeting, and building-level responsibilities.

Take a Break from the Screen!

Presenter: Megan Payne, Butler Junior High
Learn a variety of activities and games that DO NOT involve the student’s technology device!

ASL Roundtable

Presenters: Emily Pomrening and Rachel Loveless, Plainfield North High School
Calling all ASL Teachers. Bring your ideas and problems to the table and let's share and grow together. Will be hosted in American Sign Language only.

Boost Student Talk Time- while Teaching Feelings

Presenter: Hayat Al_Quttub, Kindi Academy
Boost Student Talk Time: Engaging Activities for Teaching Emotions and Feelings. In this presentation students will be immersing in speaking the target language through various hands on activities. Students are encouraged to write and act a simple script in target language.

Roundtable Discussion of AP Spanish Literature and the Chief Reader Report

Presenters: Vanessa Ramos and Leslie Conte-Russian, Naperville North High School
AP Spanish Literature teachers, let's break down the Chief Reader Report and discuss what we can do in the short term before the AP exam, as well as in the future to help support our students' understanding and their exam preparation. Come ready to share and receive ideas!

Speaking in the target language on day 1

Presenter: Jessica Romanelli, Glen Crest Middle School
Use differentiated, digital conversational tools to get students talking to each other on a myriad of topics!

What's the Main Idea?

Presenter: Kate Becvar, West Aurora High School
Let's talk about proficiency-based interpretive tasks and assessments! What do your interpretive assessments currently look like? How are they assessing students' proficiency? Presentation will include resources and examples for tradition French and Spanish classes as well as Heritage Spanish classes.

Building Bridges: Engaging Multilinguals and their families beyond the classroom

Presenters: Jennifer Buck-Castaneda and Lejla Mahmudi, Glenbard North High School
This session will provide ideas for how teachers, schools, and districts can engage MLs and their families in their schools. The session will be a "round table" discussion. The presenters will share some ideas, and participants are asked to bring any ideas they use in their schools/districts.

AAPPL for All: Roundtable Discussion on AAPPL Data Analysis & Use

Presenter: Lisa Dinon, Naperville North High School
Does your school administer the AAPPL to all students in your classes during the school day? This roundtable discussion will be an opportunity to share ideas on what has worked, what hasn't, and how to best break down, disseminate, and use the data. This roundtable might be most suited for department leaders, but anyone who has experience or interest in this topic is welcomed!

Teaching Heritage languages - round table

Presenter: Rita Furman, Geneva High School
Come together to discuss and share best practices and troubleshoot problem areas in Heritage programs. Open to all languages and all types of programs, from the robust ones, to the non-existent, to the independent study for that one bright kid. What do they really need?

Building a Classroom Community through Language

Presenters: Selime Baftiri-Ballazhi and Stephanie Peterson, Tinley Park and Bremen High School
In this session, presenters will share ideas on how students can use the target language to create a classroom culture that focuses on building community by students getting to know each other by using the language in everyday, realistic situations. Ideas and examples of presentations that have been successful, simple and memorable for students will be shared.

Building a Spanish Heritage Program

Presenter: Lorenzo Rubio, Fenton High School
A presentation for both Administrators & Teachers with advice and shared experiences on building or improving a Spanish Heritage program with special attention to your own school's demographic context.

Transforming Worksheets into Communicative Games

Presenters: Christina Brodell and Caitlin DeLacey, Hinsdale Central High School
This presentation focuses on transforming traditional worksheets into dynamic, communicative games that engage students in meaningful language practice. By turning static activities into interactive, game-based learning, teachers can promote active participation, collaboration, and authentic communication in the target language. This approach is essential in the World Language classroom because it shifts the focus from boring worksheets to real-life language use, helping students apply language structures in practical, enjoyable ways.

The "No English" Competition

Presenter: Anthony Zary, St. Charles East High School
Come learn about a classroom management strategy that will help promote students to stay in the target language and not use English. The session will explain how to use the management strategy and will present a variety of fun, interactive activities that will make students feel comfortable with speaking and staying in the target language.

Page Turners: Making reading an adventure in the WL classroom

Presenters: Holly Fournier and Gianna Purdom, Oswego High School
Join us in an interactive workshop designed to ignite a passion for reading in your world language classroom! In this session, we'll explore innovative strategies that make reading class novels and various texts not just a task, but an engaging adventure. Let us help you with reading strategies that will keep your students engaged WHILE they read.

Session 3 and 4 options

TV Dramas: Using TV Dramas to promote and develop all three modes of communication inside and outside the classroom.

Presenter: Mike Kralovic, Naperville Central High School
This will be similar to my 2023 presentation on how to use television dramas for students to develop interpretive, presentational and interpersonal communication, in a student centered approach. New examples will be provided. Examples in Chinese, presentation in English and applicable to all Intermediate and above Language Classes.

Going Deskless: How Taking Away Furniture Led to More Talking

Presenter: Julia DeLaCruz, Rotolo Middle School
This session will start with how we took away some furniture in our rooms to make space for more games and speaking activities. We will present multiple games to be used in class on Monday that we use regularly to practice vocab and review content. We will also present some speaking activities and prompts that are great for beginning learners (specifically Novice) and how we incorporate interpersonal speaking in every class period. Our desire for more interpersonal speaking sparked us to get rid of some furniture to make more room for more conversation in class.

Storytelling Basics: More How and Less Why (Beginner to more experienced)

Presenter: Dave Davis, Naperville Central High School
Storytelling basics: less why and more how to...with practice time; more participant-centered. Also, how to use Storytelling techniques without doing stories. Session 2 will be a semi-repeat of Session 1, BUT participants can expand on their Session 1 work and receive more feedback from presenter and peers. Some more experienced storytellers, etc. might opt for Session 2 to inquire about more advanced techniques, etc.

Out of the Box: Cultural and Linguistic Opportunities For Students Outside the Classroom

Presenters: Stephanie Peterson and Selime Baftiri-Ballazhi, Bremen and Tinley Park High School
Roundtable discussion to brainstorm and share tips and tricks regarding cultural and linguistic experiences outside of the classroom. Topics of discussion include field trips and student travel opportunities. Organized by language.

Developing a Spanish Language Arts Curriculum for Newcomers/Natives: How do we start?

Presenter: Rebecca O'Connor, Hinsdale Central High School
How do we start this journey for our newcomers? I will share curriculum successes and tricks that I have learned in the past year and a half by focusing on the following: defining your school's "Must Haves" so that you can center your work, addressing the SEL needs in the room, tapping into resources available at your school, and meeting state standards for Spanish Language Arts. Much of this content can also apply to Heritage Language Programs.

Streamlining

Presenter: Gina Reese-Wesseln, Neuqua Valley High School
This session will share ideas for how to stream line teaching concepts beginning with introduction activities to projects and through assessment. Continuity helps students to understand the importance of the class activities because these become the basis of their expressive/performance assessments.

Fun Fridays: Engaging Upper Level Students with TV Series

Presenter: Katie Strand-Carroll, Willowbrook High School
Learn tips and tricks for incorporating engaging TV series into your upper-level curriculum. Add, don't subtract from your curricular goals. Focus on Spanish classes, but can be incorporated into other language courses.

Teaching Heritage Spanish students and English Learners; ways to shift perspective

Presenter: Richard Burrell, Wheaton Warrenville South High School
We will be discussing some of the most poignant challenges to running a Heritage Spanish or English Learner classroom and what paradigm shifts have shown to be most effective in the presenter's 20 years of working with English Learners and Heritage Spanish students. While this section will be useful to all Heritage Spanish and English Learner teachers, any teacher that feels frustrated with the slow retention and progress demonstrated by other marginalized students will also leave with the opportunity to incorporate small, yet incredibly powerful, pedagogical schemata that will no doubt make teaching their students less stressful and more hopeful.

Newcomer Roundtable

Presenters: Osvaldo Rodriguez and Amanda Robles, Addison Trail High School
Has your school or district seen an increase in Newcomer Spanish speakers? In this interactive roundtable session, we’ll dive into strategies for supporting Newcomer students who are native Spanish speakers and have recently arrived in the U.S. We'll clarify the distinctions between Newcomers, Native, and Heritage Spanish speakers and discuss the unique linguistic and cultural needs of each group. Participants will exchange practical approaches to differentiating instruction, building language skills, and fostering a welcoming environment that celebrates students' backgrounds. This session is ideal for educators who are looking to support Newcomer students and seeking effective strategies for language support and cultural inclusion. Join us to share insights, challenges, and solutions that can make a meaningful difference in the classroom.

Is Google Drive-ing you crazy?

Presenter: Karen Calvert, Neuqua Valley High School
The Google Era has been good to us, but how do we keep it all organized? Who has time for that? I will share some tips for managing bookmarks, tabs, folders, form response sheets, Google Classroom, etc. The majority of the session will be devoted to giving people time to work on cleaning up their Google Drives--bring your laptop!

Culture Beyond Our Classroom Walls

Presenters: Cathy Wolek and Lexi Lund, West Aurora High School
In this session, explore how to create powerful spaces for fostering connection, belonging, and cultural awareness within the school community. We’ll highlight key initiatives such as National World Language Week, World Language Career Expo, Hispanic Heritage Month, and the Alianza Hispana club, strategies for supporting and celebrating ELL students, and more! Participants will leave with practical ideas to celebrate diverse cultures, create inclusive environments, and build meaningful relationships that extend beyond the classroom walls. Together, let's explore how language can bridge differences and build communities!

Unlocking Vocabulary: Activities and Strategies for Fun and Effective Language Learning

Presenter: Gina Lupo, Lockport Township High School
This workshop will explore ways to revitalize your vocabulary instruction and inspire your students’ language learning journey! We will discuss practical, adaptable tools to create vibrant language learning through vocabulary.

Supports for EL Teachers & Newcomers

Presenter: Tonya Koppin, Neuqua Valley High School
Let's share ideas, celebrate successes and advocate for our students together!

Easy, low to no prep activities that can be added into lessons

Presenter: Myanna Klein, Metea Valley High School
In this introductory session, participants will explore AI-powered tools to enhance instruction and streamline feedback to support all four modalities— listening, reading, speaking and writing. Learn how to leverage AI for personalized feedback, scaffolded support, and the creation of engaging materials that align with best practices in language teaching. Whether you're new to AI or looking for fresh ideas, this session will provide practical strategies and hands-on examples to help you integrate AI effectively into your classroom.

Harnessing the Power of MagicSchool.ai

Presenter: Jonathan Justice, Naperville North High School
Learn how to use just some of the many AI tools offered by MagicSchool.ai to enhance your World Language class and save yourself time. The focus will be on increasing input for students both inside and outside of the classroom. These time-saving tools are especially great when you teach three or more preps and can also be used for EL students in other content areas.

How I keep my Spanish 1 classes in the target language

Presenter: Sara Bass, Wheaton Warrenville South High School
My slogan is "Español o silencio". We will discuss comprehensible grammar and vocabulary input in the target language and I will share examples of how I create resources for students that allow them to self assess and self correct. I will also give examples on how to engage students while still staying in the target language. ¡Vamos!

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