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Overview of Past Event
Overview of Past Event
"Promuovere e insegnare l’italiano: strumenti per docenti tra politiche e pratiche"
"Promuovere e insegnare l’italiano: strumenti per docenti tra politiche e pratiche"
Saturday, October 24, 2026
8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
University of Southern California, Los Angeles
In-person professional-development event
for teachers of Italian at all instructional levels
Join Italian educators from across California for a day of practical learning, collaboration, and advocacy. Through a keynote address, invited presentations, advocacy labs and informal conversation, participants will explore strategies for increasing enrollment, strengthening curricular pathways, communicating the value of Italian, and sustaining Italian programs.
Learn practical approaches to recruitment, retention, and program advocacy.
Hear perspectives from elementary school, middle school, high school, community college, online platform and university educators.
Exchange resources and strategies with colleagues across instructional contexts.
Contribute to the developing AATI-CAL Advocacy Roadmap and Toolkit.
This professional development event has been designed as an in-person experience centered on conversation, collaborative learning, professional exchange, and statewide community-building. AATI-CAL members will subsequently have access to recordings of the keynote and invited speaker presentations.
This professional development event is the Southern California component of AATI-CAL’s annual two-part professional-development series. The Northern California gathering will take place on February 6, 2027, at La Scuola International School in San Francisco. Future gatherings will be hosted by participating institutions throughout California.
Speakers
Speakers
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Dr. M. Marina Melita, Marist University’s Senior Lecturer of Italian at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY and AATI National President.
Dr. M. Melita teaches a wide range of Italian grammar and culture courses. Her interests include Italian women and gender studies, Black Italy and Afroitalianità, and Italian theatre and opera. She currently serves as the President of the American Association of Teachers of Italian (AATI) and is a Co-Founder of Diversity, Transformation, and Italian Studies (DTIS).
Dr. Melita has affiliations with the Modern Languages Association (MLA), the American Associations of Teachers of Italian (AATI), the American Association for Italian Studies (AAIS), the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), the New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers (NYSAFLT), and the American Association of University Women (AAUW).
Invited Speakers
Invited Speakers
Dr. Claudio Fogu, UC Santa Barbara
Professor of Italian Studies,
Director, Italian Studies Program
Claudio Fogu is a Professor of Italian
Studies and Director of the Italian
and Transnational Italian Studies
Program at UCSB.
Dr. Nancy Hong, Director of Dual
Language Immersion and Magnet
Programs at Benjamin Franklin
Elementary School
Nancy Hong, Ed.D. is the Director of
Dual Language Immersion Programs
and English Learner Services in the
Glendale Unified School District.
She is also a consultant and leads
professional
development on DLI programs for
the Los Angeles County Office of
Education, and teaches aspiring
leaders earning their administrative credentials.
Hilary Stern, Executive Director of
Fondazione Italia
Hilary Stern is the Executive Director
of the non-profit organization
Fondazione Italia, based in California,
where she has worked since 2015 to
foster connections within the
community and at educational
institutions to promote the Italian
language and culture.
View Session Recordings
View Session Recordings
For any questions please contact us at communications.aatical@gmail.com
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