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Welcome to SWCOLT-AZLA 2025 at Gila River Resort & Casino - Wild Horse Pass. 
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Friday, January 24
 

7:00am MST

Registration
Friday January 24, 2025 7:00am - 5:00pm MST
Main Hallway
Friday January 24, 2025 7:00am - 5:00pm MST
Main Hallway
  Agenda

8:00am MST

Art for Language’s Sake - Integrating Art into World Language Programs
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Palo Verde C
Feedback Survey
The presenter will focus on how to connect art with language study to convey aesthetic principles and cultural values of the target language and enhance learner motivation to meet their needs of social emotional learning. Through some practical examples of the course components of Culture through Chinese Calligraphy, attendees will walk away with a universal recipe for all languages in creative ways of integrating art and culture to spice up target language instruction as well as to enrich and strengthen a world language program.
Speakers
LL

Lin Li Hall

Program Director, University of Nevada, Reno
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Palo Verde C
  15-minute presentation

8:00am MST

Back to the Future, an Adventure into the AP Unit of Science and Technology
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Palo Verde C
Feedback Survey
Grab your DeLorean and join us as we talk about science and technology in the AP Classroom. Where we’re going, there aren’t any roads, but there are some clear paths, and we’ll explore them together, keeping an eye out for lightning storms as we go. This session will share the parts and pieces that one group of teachers have put together to explore this theme and to teach this unit. All resources and activities will be shared with participants, and the session will be held like a classroom-lots of talking, doing, brainstorming, and expanding. Come and join us as we go back to the future!
Speakers
avatar for Jennifer Newman-Cornell

Jennifer Newman-Cornell

Educator, Northwest Career and Technical Academy
I teach Spanish II, Spanish III, AP Spanish Language, AP Spanish Literature and Spanish V.  I love to collaborate and work in PLCs with other teachers.  I am the Professional Development Chairperson for the Professional Language Association of Nevada (PLAN-the Nevada state world... Read More →
U4 Ciencia y Tecnología Back to the Future SWCOLT 2025 Resources pdf
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Palo Verde C
  15-minute presentation

8:00am MST

Keeping It Collaborative - Building Communication at Every Level
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Palo Verde C
Feedback Survey
In this session, we will experience and discuss a variety of ways to incorporate collaborative strategies focused on language building and language acquisition. Each of the activities is specifically designed to create opportunities for student collaboration, engagement, and motivation with minimal prep. Participants will walk away with a bank of reading, speaking, writing, and listening strategies that can be easily scaffolded for any level and incorporated into any unit.
Speakers
avatar for Sally Barnes

Sally Barnes

Hi all! My name is Sally Barnes and I am a consultant for Seidlitz Education and co-author of 7 Steps to a Language-Rich, Interactive World Language Classroom (2nd Edition). I am a former Spanish teacher and world language district coordinator with 12 years experience in the field... Read More →
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Palo Verde C
  15-minute presentation

8:00am MST

Meet Your Arizona AATSP Chapter!
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Palo Verde C
Feedback Survey
Are you an educator of Spanish or Portuguese? Come meet your officers of the Arizona chapter of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese and find out about our organization's activities for you and programs for your students. These programs include the National Spanish Exam, Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica, and Annual Poster Contest.

Presenters: Hope Anderson, Lacy Chavez, Laura Zinke
Speakers
LC

Lacey Chavez

Tempe High School
Exhibitors
avatar for Laura Zinke - Vista Higher Learning

Laura Zinke - Vista Higher Learning

Consultant, Vista Higher Learning
Vista Higher Learning develops transformative language and literacy solutions that meet the needs of every language learner—those acquiring a new language, enhancing a second, or perfecting their native language. We empower educators with innovative, research-based programs that... Read More →
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Palo Verde C
  15-minute presentation

8:00am MST

Reignite Your Teaching Passion through Deep Dives into Cultural Practices and Products
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Palo Verde C
Feedback Survey
Over the course of a teaching career our own personal passion can ebb and flow. Sometimes we just need something to reignite it. One of the best ways to catch on fire is to visit a country of the language we teach. This isn’t always possible. Even if an in-land experience isn’t possible this year, you can still take a deep dive into a cultural practice or learn about a cultural product that you don’t know very much about. In this Roadrunner Session, I will share several cultural deep dives I have taken. I will demonstrate how these experiences have renewed my excitement to teach and kept my teaching fresh and authentic. I will demonstrate how I have used my new cultural competence to create curriculum and build momentum with my students.
Speakers
avatar for Stephen Van Orden

Stephen Van Orden

German Teacher, UFLA Rep to SWCOLT, Timpview High School
SWCOLT 2025 Poster pdf
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Palo Verde C
  15-minute presentation

8:00am MST

AI As a Tool in the Language Classroom
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Yucca
Feedback Survey
Learn about ChatGPT and other AI platforms. This session will review how AI can assist language teachers with lesson planning, assessment, and provide better feedback to students. We will learn what this tool is, its capabilities, and how it can make our teaching tasks more efficient. Bring a device. Session will be in Spanish.
Speakers
avatar for Elizabeth Cisneros
SWCOLT 2025 AI in the language classroom English pdf
La inteligencia artificial en el salón de lenguas pdf
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Yucca
  60-minute presentation

8:00am MST

Best of Hawai‘i: Fostering Engagement: Fun Classroom Routines for Novice & Intermediate Learners
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Agave
Feedback Survey
Elevate language instruction through dynamic classroom routines! Join us for this presentation that delves into the pivotal role of classroom routines in fostering student engagement. This session explores the integration of enjoyable and purposeful routines across novice and intermediate levels that promote student agency while enhancing students’ interpersonal, interpretive, presentational, and intercultural communication skills. Discover how these routines not only create a conducive, disruption-free environment but also streamline planning for educators, leaving students enthused and prepared. By the end of this session, you'll be equipped with the tools and confidence to kickstart these enriching routines in your own classroom, ensuring a promising start "on Monday."

Presenters: Ngan Ha Ta & Jennifer Stevens
Speakers
avatar for Jennifer Stevens

Jennifer Stevens

Iolani School
Here is the link to our presentation: bit.ly/SWCOLT25JenNgan
Engaging Classroom Routines SWCOLT 2025 pdf
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Agave
  60-minute presentation

8:00am MST

Ditch the Textbook! Heritage Spanish Curriculum Design Using Only Authentic Resources
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Palo Verde A
Feedback Survey
Often, teachers are given no direct instruction or curriculum on how to teach heritage classes. Teachers navigate on their own the specific resources or textbooks that are available to them. In this session, teachers will be able to get access to a curriculum that is made from only authentic resources without the need for a specific textbook. Participants can ask questions about curriculum design and share reflections about their own experiences. This session is meant to inform other heritage teachers how to start creating their curriculum and provide them with guidance and a list of resources.
Speakers
avatar for Nallely Morales

Nallely Morales

Dual Language and World language teacher, Kyrene Middle School
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Palo Verde A
  60-minute presentation

8:00am MST

Enhancing Foreign Language Speaking Skills by Using Interagency Language Roundtable
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Willow
Feedback Survey
This presentation explores effective strategies based on the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) descriptions to enhance speaking skills in foreign language education. It focuses on two primary objectives: language practice and speaking fluency. The language practice goal reinforces vocabulary and grammar, while the fluency goal targets interactive and confident communication. The presenters will discuss critical elements like linguistic complexity, communicative stress, and cognitive demands. Additionally, they will share practical guidelines for designing speaking activities to ensure student engagement and fluency development. The social domain's importance in language learning will be highlighted, emphasizing the role of interpersonal and cultural interactions in building communicative competence.

Presenters: Bozo Dzakula & Maida Dzakula
Speakers
BD

Bozo Dzakula

Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center
building speaking abilities with ILR (1) pdf
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Willow
  60-minute presentation

8:00am MST

Game on! Mit spielerischen Aktivitäten zum Lernerfolg (Exhibitor Session)
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Ocotillo C
Feedback Survey
Um erfolgreich Deutsch zu lernen, bedarf es Motivation, Spaß und Spiel. Leichter gesagt als getan. Wie erreichen Lehrkräfte, dass sich die Lernenden aktiv am Unterrichtsgeschehen beteiligen und spielerisch die Sprache lernen? In diesem Workshop werden verschiedene Beispiele aus der Praxis für den Präsenz- und Onlineunterricht vorgestellt, die (junge) Lernerinnen und Lerner mit spielerischen Aktivitäten motivieren und den Lernerfolg steigern sollen.
Speakers
AR
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Ocotillo C
  60-minute presentation

8:00am MST

Reflecting, Innovating, and Designing Action Research
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Cholla
Feedback Survey
Engaging and motivating student learning requires creative and meaningful activities. There often comes a moment in teaching practice when it is important to verify whether the implementation of certain activities has the desired outcome on student learning. This presentation will highlight the benefits of undertaking classroom-based action research as a valuable tool to aid reflection on teacher/learning instructional practices when implementing changes, while also providing professional learning opportunities that can impact teacher development. Participants will take away practical examples and relevant resources to develop classroom research with the aim of making language teaching more effective.
Speakers
avatar for Pompeya Gettler

Pompeya Gettler

I've been teaching English as a 2nd language and Spanish for many years. My interest in the pedagogy of teaching and professional growth have encouraged me to participate in Conferences both as an attendee and a presenter. My focus lies on developing creative ways for a successful... Read More →
SWCOLTJan2025 pdf
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Cholla
  60-minute presentation

8:00am MST

Talking Pictures
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Palo Verde B
Feedback Survey
This activity takes ACTFL’s Communication Standard and puts it into a context that will get your students speaking the target language. It helps to break down those performance fears, creates speaker confidence, plus it can easily be morphed into a writing activity and leveled up or down as you need. This activity can be easily manipulated to support grammar practice as well! Easy, fun and…..free!
Speakers
AM

Al Martino

Paradise Valley Community College
Teacher of World Languages and ESL and classroom methodologies: implementing the four skills, speaking activities, engagement with reading, classroom management, working with students with disabilities.....
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Palo Verde B
  60-minute presentation

8:00am MST

The Looming "Enrollment Cliff" and Language Learning
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Ocotillo A
Feedback Survey
In higher education, one of the most recent threats has been labeled "the enrollment cliff". This demographic phenomenon will touch not only post-secondary institutions, but secondary ones as well. After reviewing the general data behind the trend, the presenter suggests challenges and potential opportunities for world-language instruction. Participants brainstorm to 1) assess their institutions' sensitivity and degree of planning for these changes; 2) discuss the implications of this looming threat to their disciplines and to their pedagogy; and 3) strategize what their unit can do to mitigate shrinking numbers (possibly and reduced staff) to reconfigure effectiveness in teaching world languages.
Speakers
GF

Glenn Fetzer

Department Head, New Mexico State University
I teach French at the undergraduate level.
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Ocotillo A
  60-minute presentation

8:00am MST

Using Authentic Resources for Communication and Culture (Exhibitor Session)
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Ocotillo B
Feedback Survey
This session explores how to use authentic resources in the Spanish classroom, level 1 and through upper levels. We will discuss ways to support different types of students with appropriate tasks and will focus on instructional strategies that use authentic resources to build students’ proficiency in Spanish and explore intercultural comparisons. Join us to share how the use of authentic resources can motivate our students to use Spanish in and beyond the classroom.
Speakers
avatar for Rich Sayers - Savvas Learning Company

Rich Sayers - Savvas Learning Company

Author/Specialist, Savvas Learning Company
I have been an educator in world languages for over 40 years. I taught Spanish in Longmont, CO for 18 years, levels 1 through A.P. I am an author of Spanish textbook programs, including the Savvas Auténtico program. I am a regular presenter at ACTFL, regional, and state conferences... Read More →
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MST
Ocotillo B
  60-minute presentation

8:00am MST

Exhibit Hall Open
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 8:00pm MST
Exhibit Corridor
Friday January 24, 2025 8:00am - 8:00pm MST
Exhibit Corridor
  Agenda

9:00am MST

Exhibit Break
Friday January 24, 2025 9:00am - 9:45am MST
Exhibit Corridor
Friday January 24, 2025 9:00am - 9:45am MST
Exhibit Corridor
  Agenda

9:45am MST

ACTFL
Friday January 24, 2025 9:45am - 10:00am MST
Advertisement
We are a membership community of language education professionals passionate about expanding cultural richness and diversity at all levels of education. Together we provide resources to address challenges to meet the changing needs of language educators and their learners.
Friday January 24, 2025 9:45am - 10:00am MST
Advertisement
  NOT A SESSION

10:00am MST

SWCOLT Plenary - Keynote Address: Dr. Sheilah Nicholas.; SWCOLT Regional Teacher of the Year Announcement
Friday January 24, 2025 10:00am - 11:30am MST
Palo Verde B
All are invited to attend the SWCOLT Plenary (sponsored by ACTFL) featuring our keynote speaker, Dr.Sheila Nicholas, and the announcement of the SWCOLT Regional Teacher of the Year!
Friday January 24, 2025 10:00am - 11:30am MST
Palo Verde B
  Agenda

11:30am MST

Lunch Break (On Your Own)
Friday January 24, 2025 11:30am - 1:00pm MST
n/a
Friday January 24, 2025 11:30am - 1:00pm MST
n/a
  Agenda

12:45pm MST

CIEE
Friday January 24, 2025 12:45pm - 1:00pm MST
Advertisement
Since 1947, nonprofit study abroad and intercultural exchange organization CIEE has been bringing the world together, advancing peace by building bridges of mutual understanding between different people, countries, and cultures.
Friday January 24, 2025 12:45pm - 1:00pm MST
Advertisement
  NOT A SESSION

1:00pm MST

Conversation Connections: Micro-Immersion through Conversation Groups
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Palo Verde C
Feedback Survey
Providing students with opportunities to practice conversation in their target language in an immersive setting can be a challenge, especially with less commonly spoken languages. While encouraging students to explore language and culture outside of the classroom by pursuing their own interests and forming relationships in their target languages does work for some students, the vast majority find themselves simply too busy or intimidated to even make a single step in that direction on their own. One solution we have found to be particularly effective is to bring micro-immersive opportunities directly to the students, especially by bringing in student peers fluent in the target language (especially international students from target-language speaking countries) to lead students in a micro-immersion conversation-group experience that focuses on relaxed, friendly chatting with the goal of comfortable, fluent communication and cultural exchange in the target language, providing students with practice, inspiration, and motivation for improved conversational skills and cultural exchange. Presenter Jessica Wood is an Associate Teaching Professor of German at Northern Arizona University with over 20 years’ experience in the language classroom.
Speakers
JW

Jessica Wood

Senior Lecturer of German, Northern Arizona University
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Palo Verde C
  15-minute presentation

1:00pm MST

Extensive or Pleasure Reading and How to Build an Extensive Reading Collection
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Palo Verde C
Feedback Survey
This session will introduce participants to the 10 principles of extensive or pleasure reading—an approach to teaching reading that allows learners to read copious amounts of easy material of their choice for pleasure in a relaxed environment. Drawing on his own experience, the presenter will discuss the successful implementation of extensive reading (ER) and the importance of collaborating with colleagues in other departments to build an ER collection. Participants will work together to create a plan to: (a) search for ER materials in their target language, (b) collaborate with colleagues to start building their own ER collection, and (c) begin incorporating pleasure reading into their courses. This session will cover topics such as instructional resources and personalized learning.
Speakers
DJ

Dr. Jeff Peterson

Brigham Young University
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Palo Verde C
  15-minute presentation

1:00pm MST

How Valuable is Grice's Cooperative Principle to All Languages?
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Palo Verde C
Feedback Survey
The cooperative principle is a concept introduced by Grice in the field of pragmatics. It is viewed that speakers and listeners are assumed to be cooperating. The idea of this principle is participants in a conversation communicate in an informative, truthful, relevant, and clear manner. This concept is explained through four maxims - quantity, quality, relevance, and manner (Farinde & Oyedokun-Alli, 2020). More so, this principle attempts to have a successful conversation as well as how a person uses language in a social context. However, some research indicates that this principle may not be applicable to all languages or cultures. This presentation will discuss the relevance and significance of the cooperative principle in language learning and teaching and its cultural aspect in particular languages. As language educators, how can we integrate this principle to enhance our teaching methods and to appreciate the cultural aspects of language?
Speakers
DC

Dr. C. Quijano

Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center
SWCOLT 2025 Presentation Grice's Cooperative Principle pdf
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Palo Verde C
  15-minute presentation

1:00pm MST

Play as a Language Learning Oasis: 12 Activities to Sharpen Students’ Speaking, Listening, and Writing Skills
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Palo Verde C
Feedback Survey
Play is essential for brain development and building community (Yenigun, 2014). Attendees can choose from a menu of a dozen speaking activities created by the presenter. From Utah to Tajikistan, the presenter has used these activities to get students and teachers asking questions, describing, analyzing, narrating, and comparing what they see. Attendees will experience firsthand how using already made cards with objects can promote conversation and build students’ confidence in a low stakes setting. Attendees will rediscover how play can often serve as the best language learning oasis as well as gain new ideas for classroom speaking, writing, and listening tasks.
Speakers
avatar for Sharon Lyman

Sharon Lyman

Southern Utah University
Play as Language Learning SWCOLT 2025 Lyman pptx
Play as Language Learning SWCOLT 2025 Lyman pdf
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Palo Verde C
  15-minute presentation

1:00pm MST

Using 'Mitwachsende Karten' in the Foreign Language Classroom - CANCELLED BY PRESENTER
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Palo Verde C
Feedback Survey
Mitwachsende Karten,' geographical maps gradually updated with new information and locations relevant to the course material throughout the semester, are a fundamental component of geography lessons. However, this method is also highly suitable for foreign language teaching. How can this geographical method be used in the foreign language classroom? Moreover, what impact does this have on expanding students' skills? Through working with authentic texts and giving presentations, the students delve into the target culture. As a result, they strengthen and further their intercultural competencies and communicative skills. This presentation provides the attendees with a practical example from a university-level German classroom of how a 'mitwachsende Karte' can be used effectively and successfully in any foreign language classroom. This example can be adjusted to fit any language at any language level.
Speakers
BB

Berni Beringer

The Ohio State University
Mitwachsende Karten in the FL classroom Berni Beringer pptx
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Palo Verde C
  15-minute presentation

1:00pm MST

7 Steps to a Language-Rich, Interactive World Language Classroom
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Ocotillo C
Feedback Survey
In this session, participants will learn 7 simple, efficient strategies to create a language-rich, interactive classroom. By participating in a short mini-lesson, we will experience all 7 steps and how they support students as they move along their proficiency journey in a communication-based classroom. The 7 Steps include procedural ideas and lesson planning components, and participants will walk away with a bank of resources and ideas for implementation in their own classroom, including a mini-lesson ready to use in a variety of languages.
Speakers
avatar for Sally Barnes

Sally Barnes

Hi all! My name is Sally Barnes and I am a consultant for Seidlitz Education and co-author of 7 Steps to a Language-Rich, Interactive World Language Classroom (2nd Edition). I am a former Spanish teacher and world language district coordinator with 12 years experience in the field... Read More →
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Ocotillo C
  60-minute presentation

1:00pm MST

Best of Nevada: Conectando con confianza: Fortaleciendo la identidad y la cultura en hispanohablantes a través de la literatura
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Agave
Feedback Survey
While increasing in both need for and number of programs, heritage language classes remain challenging to teach because of the diversity of heritage learners, the lack of teacher training, and the lack of available resources for many educators. "Conectando con confianza" will offer teachers specific texts and activities that can be implemented right away to help heritage learners of varying abilities build both skills and a sense of efficacy, as well as generalized strategies that can be used with a variety of texts all year long.

Presenters: Melissa Bullard & Paulina Rios
Speakers
PR
MB

Melissa Bullard

McQueen High School
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Agave
  60-minute presentation

1:00pm MST

Has Language Teaching Gone Flat? (Exhibitor Session)
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Palo Verde B
Feedback Survey
Twenty years ago, award-winning author Thomas Friedman proclaimed The World is Flat in his eponymous novel. This visionary concept addressed economics, politics, technological innovation, and telecommunications. To what extent has language education gone global? How can educators prepare our students for an interconnected world? How will this notion shape our approaches in the classroom? Come explore the latest multimedia and digital, authentic resources in Spanish, French, and German to engage a variety of learners.
Speakers
avatar for Ken Stewart - Lingco

Ken Stewart - Lingco

Duke University, Lingco
Duke University Spanish Instructor; world language consultant, avid traveler, global citizenLingco is an adaptive language learning platform for schools. It provides a library of up to date, proficiency-based content, and all of the tools to build, assign, and grade tasks and track... Read More →
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Palo Verde B
  60-minute presentation

1:00pm MST

How to Adapt Classroom Conversations into Accessible Texts
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Cholla
Feedback Survey
How can teachers involve all students simultaneously in responding and understanding classroom discussions? Discover how to structure scaffolded student talk where all students participate and have a response. Then, take these dialogues and learn how to enhance them into cohesive narratives that students will appreciate and understand.
Speakers
MC

Mira Canion

Author, Teacher, Canion Creations
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Cholla
  60-minute presentation

1:00pm MST

Interactive Intercultural Learning for the Language Classroom
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Yucca
Feedback Survey
Teachers will become students, as the presenter guides them through multiple interactive intercultural learning activities, designed to build cultural awareness and understanding in the classroom. Each can be replicated in the target language at the novice level, and all materials will be provided. Prepare for laughs and high levels of engagement.
Speakers
avatar for Jill Woerner - AFS Intercultural Programs USA

Jill Woerner - AFS Intercultural Programs USA

Sr. Director of Education and Outreach to Schools, AFS Intercultural Programs USA
AFS-USA empowers people to become globally engaged citizens by delivering meaningful intercultural experiences that provide the knowledge and skills needed to help create a more just and peaceful world.
SWCOLT Interactive Intercultural Learning pdf
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Yucca
  60-minute presentation

1:00pm MST

Meaning-Based Strategies to Refine Accuracy in Middle School DLI Courses
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Willow
Feedback Survey
Most teachers view grammar as descriptions of the structure of a language, rules for its use, and models of accurate or effective sentences or style. But that’s not all there is to it, especially for students in DLI programs. This session explores how to treat grammar as part of communication and to discover meaning-based strategies that result in increased accuracy, including protocols such as CAPA and PACE and designing evidence-based student centered tasks and effective classroom discourse practices.
Speakers
avatar for Greta Lundgaard

Greta Lundgaard

Consultant, Consultant
Still enjoying sharing new ideas, strategies, and learning with language educators!
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Willow
  60-minute presentation

1:00pm MST

Silly and Spontaneous Conversation Starters
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Palo Verde A
Feedback Survey
In this session participants will learn how to effectively use the daily oral language strategy of "Silly and Spontaneous Conversation Starters" in the Spanish classroom by actively participating in several different activities. The attendees will listen, speak, and present ideas by responding in Spanish to various written prompts. The presenter will demonstrate how to use follow up questions in order to get all students talking in the target language throughout the lesson. This lesson is designed to provide teachers and students with more interesting and humorous conversation prompts so that every student will find something they want to talk about in the target language.
Speakers
TL
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Palo Verde A
  60-minute presentation

1:00pm MST

Switch to Spanish: Warm-up Routines in the Language Classroom
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Ocotillo A
Feedback Survey
This presentation will explore ideas, research, and student perspectives on routines to start secondary, lower-level language classes. Some strategies to be discussed, practiced, and evaluated include opening class with free voluntary reading, weekend talks, music, Duolingo, and language-based puzzle games. The presenter will share variations on these routines that avoid repetitiveness while incorporating differentiation and student choice.
Speakers
DE

Davita Eichner

Flagstaff High School
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Ocotillo A
  60-minute presentation

1:00pm MST

Where Language Learning Meets Neuroscience (Exhibitor Session)
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Ocotillo B
Feedback Survey
Join Erica Peplinski-Burge and JJ Morgan to explore the fascinating intersection of language learning and neuroscience. Gain a deeper understanding of how neuroscience principles can revolutionize language learning, making it a more effective and enriching experience for students. Learn practical strategies to create supportive, low-stress learning environments that foster greater language proficiency and overall well-being.

Presenters: Erica Peplinski-Burge & JJ Morgan
Exhibitors
avatar for JJ Morgan - Voces Digital

JJ Morgan - Voces Digital

Conference Coordinator, Voces Digital
Voces is a collection of World Language titles housed in an easily accessible, web-based platform. Each title in the Voces library contains vast online resources meant to help both teachers and students get inspired and get ahead in the modern, ever-changing World Language classroom... Read More →
Friday January 24, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Ocotillo B
  60-minute presentation

2:15pm MST

Cultivating Creativity and Confidence: Enhancing Impromptu Writing Skills in Japanese through Timed Exercises in the Classroom
Friday January 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Palo Verde C
Feedback Survey
Language learners often hesitate to write impromptu, even when they possess creativity and imagination. A lack of confidence is a common obstacle in language acquisition. This presentation will explore a practical example from a Japanese junior writing course at the post-secondary level, where students gradually developed their impromptu writing skills through photo description exercises depicting everyday scenes in Japan. In this session, student comments and feedback collected by the institution at the end of the semester will also be shared. Additionally, the session will showcase a collaborative classroom activity where students co-created imaginative stories, fostering a playful and supportive learning environment.
Speakers
RA

Reiko Akiyama

Lecturer, Northern Arizona University
Friday January 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Palo Verde C
  15-minute presentation

2:15pm MST

Timed Repeated Readings in French DLI
Friday January 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Palo Verde C
Feedback Survey
Reading fluency is a strong indicator of academic success. Dual Language Immersion programs aim to nurture learners in two languages in all areas of learning. Timed Repeated Readings have been found to increase fluency, and thus to improve academic performance. Adopt this easily adaptable method into your classroom today!
Speakers
RB

Rosie Baldwin

Brigham Young University
Friday January 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Palo Verde C
  15-minute presentation

2:15pm MST

Vocabulary Acquisition in the L2 Classroom: Strategies for Building and Retention
Friday January 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Palo Verde C
Feedback Survey
Effective vocabulary acquisition is essential for our students to continue advancing with the target language. This presentation explores several pedagogical approaches to encourage and improve vocabulary development and retention at all levels. By integrating task-based learning and properly scaffolded engaging activities, while keeping it communicative, language instructors can create engaging and meaningful language experiences that will help students learn and retain new vocabulary. Several useful and usable activities and ideas will be shared with attendees who can start using them directly with their students.
Speakers
avatar for Tim Cannon

Tim Cannon

Spanish Language Coordinator, University of Utah
Learning Abroad, Language Pedagogy, Technology enhanced education, Spain, Latin America, Travel, Don Quixote, Good books.
Friday January 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Palo Verde C
  15-minute presentation

2:15pm MST

Where Language Skills Meet Student Leadership: Unlocking the Power of Language Clubs
Friday January 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Palo Verde C
Feedback Survey
Leadership development is a vital part of college life, offering students the chance to cultivate civic awareness and essential community engagement skills. However, obstacles like inexperience, time constraints, and misinformation can limit student involvement. Through a partnership with the Brazilian Club, third-year Portuguese students are introduced to student leadership by shadowing officers of a recognized student organization, assisting with major events, and managing smaller ones. This experience not only improves their language skills in real-world contexts but also fosters abilities like teamwork, intercultural communication, and budgeting. Many former participants have gone on to become club officers or take on leadership roles across campus, continuing their involvement throughout and beyond their college years.

Presenters: Anna Hodgson & Amanda Hoffman
Speakers
AO

Amanda Oliveira Hoffmann

University of Utah
Friday January 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Palo Verde C
  15-minute presentation

2:15pm MST

Best of New Mexico: Gamifying Teaching, Learning, and Speaking
Friday January 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Agave
Feedback Survey
In this session teachers will take their routine lessons from drab to FAB! You don't need to alter your instruction, you just need a pair of scissors and a playful mindset to gamify your instruction. This session shows you how gamification leads to engagement and engagement leads to learning. You will walk away with useful, editable templates for instruction, learning, and getting kids SPEAKING in the target language.
Speakers
avatar for Kayla Scheer

Kayla Scheer

Spanish Teacher, Rio Rancho Public Schools
I am on my 13th year of teaching. I have served as a Language and Culture Coordinator at Shining Stars Preschool and a Spanish teacher at V. Sue Cleveland High School teaching levels 1-AP Lit including Heritage classes. Though I once gave a TED Talk "On Demand Learning in the 21st... Read More →
NMOLE Gamifying Teaching, Learning, & Speaking pdf
Friday January 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Agave
  60-minute presentation

2:15pm MST

Character & Communication: Enhancing Language Learning via Character Growth (Exhibitor Session)
Friday January 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Ocotillo C
Feedback Survey
During this session, participants will gain a clear understanding of how to integrate character development into their world language classrooms. They will acquire practical strategies, lesson plan ideas, and a renewed sense of purpose in fostering both linguistic and personal growth in their students.
Speakers
avatar for Brooke Campbell

Brooke Campbell

World Language Sales Consultant, Klett World Languages
At Klett World Languages, we strive to foster a love for learning world languages by creating meaningful content that not only sparks students’ curiosity but also transitions into real-life practice. Through our inclusive, communicative, and collaborative Spanish, French, German... Read More →
Friday January 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Ocotillo C
  60-minute presentation

2:15pm MST

Empowering Diverse Learners: Student Agency in the Language Classroom
Friday January 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Cholla
Feedback Survey
A language classroom where learners have agency is one that includes opportunities for student voice, choice, and ownership of learning. During this interactive session, participants will gain strategies and examine classroom samples for enhancing engagement of diverse students in their classrooms through student agency.
Speakers
avatar for Leslie Grahn

Leslie Grahn

Independent Consultant
Empowering Diverse Learners Through Student Agency pdf
Friday January 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Cholla
  60-minute presentation

2:15pm MST

Now I See! Fostering L2 Digital Multimodal Literacies through Infographics
Friday January 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Palo Verde B
Feedback Survey
This study investigates how beginning L2 learners of French engage with multimodal texts to design their own infographics, a critical 21st-century skill. Despite the growing importance of multimodal communication, L2 classrooms remain largely focused on traditional, text-based approaches. Grounded in socio-cultural and social semiotic theories, this research explores how learners apply their understanding of multimodality in creating infographics on sustainable development issues. The study draws on infographics, reflective essays, and interviews to analyze learners' use of semiotic resources and intersemiotic relationships. Findings indicate that tasks designed to encourage deep engagement with multimodal texts can significantly enhance L2 learners' communicative competence, preparing them for full participation in contemporary communication practices. This research contributes to the ongoing discussion on multimodality in L2 education and offers practical insights for educators aiming to integrate multimodal literacy into their classrooms.

Presenters: Tara Hashemi & Beatrice Dupuy


Speakers
BD

Beatrice Dupuy

University of Arizona, CERCLL
avatar for Tara Hashemi

Tara Hashemi

Assistant Professor of French, California State University, Fresno
Friday January 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Palo Verde B
  60-minute presentation

2:15pm MST

Promoting Higher Levels of Proficiency Using Current Event Panels - SESSION CANCELLED BY PRESENTER
Friday January 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Ocotillo A
Feedback Survey
This session outlines steps to promote Advanced and Superior levels of proficiency using weekly proficiency activities to prepare students to present a panel on current events, e.g., climate change. Each student presents one aspect of the topic, building their presentation around the three superior-level functions, namely in depth discussion, supporting an opinion, and hypothesising an outcome, and making use of transition and connector words to organise their prepared content. This project serves as a capstone activity for advanced level students to push their language skills to the next level. This presentation will guide educators through the preparation process and will introduce them to transition words which can facilitate organisation of student presentations and highlight where students can elaborate their individual presentations.
Speakers
avatar for Laura Catharine Smith

Laura Catharine Smith

Associate Professor, German Linguistics, Brigham Young University
I began my professional life earning licensure as a French and History/Social Sciences teacher in Ontario, Canada (at Queen's University at Kingston) before heading to graduate school to become a professor of Germanic Linguistics. My research is two-pronged reflecting my intertwined... Read More →
Friday January 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Ocotillo A
  60-minute presentation

2:15pm MST

Quench their Thirst for Belonging: Warm-up Routines That Build Community
Friday January 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Yucca
Feedback Survey
How do you start your class each day? The first 5 minutes of class are a golden opportunity to build connections. Come learn simple strategies that make kids want to attend, want to use the target language, and want to interact from the very first minute of class. These warm-up strategies support SEL practices, social justice, and help build communicative fluency and accuracy.
Speakers
avatar for Liz Matchett

Liz Matchett

Executive Director, California Language Teachers' Association
The California Language Project (CWLP) and the California Language Teachers'Association (CLTA) work in tandem to meet the professional learning needs of California teachers and to support them to be the well-informed and highly qualified world languages and culture educators.
Friday January 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Yucca
  60-minute presentation

2:15pm MST

Reading: Why, What, and How (Exhibitor Session)
Friday January 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Palo Verde A
Feedback Survey
Reading is fundamental to supporting language acquisition. In this session, you will learn why reading is so important, what types of texts learners should be reading (even beginners!), and simple low or no-prep strategies for reading together.
Speakers
avatar for Elicia Cárdenas - The Comprehensible Classroom

Elicia Cárdenas - The Comprehensible Classroom

Director of Training, The Comprehensible Classroom
Driven by the core belief that all students are capable of acquiring language, The Comprehensible Classroom has been at the forefront of the movement toward teaching for acquisition since 2010. TCC publishes curriculum and instructional tools grounded in a solid understanding of language... Read More →
Friday January 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Palo Verde A
  60-minute presentation

2:15pm MST

The Linguistic and Cultural Value of Authentic Materials in the L2 Classroom
Friday January 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Ocotillo B
Feedback Survey
How can we take full advantage of authentic materials? In this workshop, participants will experience the power of authentic materials to develop and enhance students’ interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational communication, while developing their critical thinking, and linguistic, and intercultural skills.
Speakers
avatar for Claudia Kechkian - AATSP

Claudia Kechkian - AATSP

AATSP Exams Director, American Association of Teachers of Spanish & Portuguese
AATSP promotes the study and teaching of the Spanish & Portuguese languages and their corresponding Hispanic, Luso-Brazilian and other related literatures and cultures at all levels of education.  Founded in 1917, AATSP is the oldest, largest and most comprehensive language specific... Read More →
SWCOLT The Linguistic and Cultural Value of Authentic Materials in the L2 Classroom.pptx pdf
Friday January 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Ocotillo B
  60-minute presentation

2:15pm MST

Weaving Language and Culture: Mastering Mandarin Summer Camp Design and Implementation
Friday January 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Willow
Feedback Survey
In this session, participants will explore effective strategies for planning and implementing a dynamic and culturally-immersive Mandarin summer camp. The presenter will share curriculum development, activity design, and language acquisition techniques that cater to different age groups and proficiency levels. Emphasizing hands-on experiences, attendees will learn how to create a vibrant environment that fosters language learning through cultural exploration, interactive games, and creative projects. This session also covers logistical aspects, such as scheduling, resource allocation, and community engagement, ensuring a well-rounded program that resonates with both students and parents. Attendees will leave with actionable insights and resources to design and implement a successful Mandarin summer camp that inspires and empowers young learners.
Speakers
LL

Lingjing Luo

Coronado Elementary School
Friday January 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Willow
  60-minute presentation

3:15pm MST

Lingco
Friday January 24, 2025 3:15pm - 3:30pm MST
Advertisement
Lingco is an adaptive language learning platform for schools. It provides a library of up to date, proficiency-based content, and all of the tools to build, assign, and grade tasks and track progress towards standards and goals.
Friday January 24, 2025 3:15pm - 3:30pm MST
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  NOT A SESSION

3:15pm MST

Exhibit Break
Friday January 24, 2025 3:15pm - 4:00pm MST
Exhibit Corridor
Friday January 24, 2025 3:15pm - 4:00pm MST
Exhibit Corridor
  Agenda

4:00pm MST

Level Up Your Language Teaching: Free Resources and Opportunities from the NFLRC
Friday January 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Palo Verde C
Feedback Survey
Discover a wealth of free resources, professional development opportunities, and scholarly journals tailored for language educators, all offered by the National Foreign Language Resource Center, funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Whether you're interested in podcasts, Project-Based Language Learning, online language pedagogy, or the latest publications, this session invites you to explore a diverse array of tools and learning experiences designed to enrich your teaching practice. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your professional growth!
Speakers
avatar for Rachel Mamiya Hernandez

Rachel Mamiya Hernandez

Language Technology Specialist, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
Friday January 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Palo Verde C
  15-minute presentation

4:00pm MST

Mythical and Historical Mexican Women
Friday January 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Palo Verde C
Feedback Survey
In this Roadrunner session, participants will explore how to integrate historical and mythical Mexican women into their classrooms. Participants will get a deeper knowledge of the cultural, social, and historical situations surrounding these women as well as their continuing influence on Mexican culture through stimulating conversations, engaging storytelling, and multimedia presentations. This program explores the lives and achievements of historic characters, from strong indigenous deities to trailblazing activists and artists. This session celebrates the resilience, creativity, and empowerment embodied by these legendary women.
Speakers
avatar for Elizabeth Cisneros
Mexicanas míticas e históricas pdf
Friday January 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Palo Verde C
  15-minute presentation

4:00pm MST

Navigating New Horizons: Reflections on the Summer 2024 NAU Faculty-Led Program in Chongqing, China
Friday January 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Palo Verde C
Feedback Survey
The Summer 2024 NAU-Led Program in Chongqing, China, offered 12 students a transformative academic and cultural experience, fostering a deep understanding of China's rich heritage and dynamic contemporary landscape. This program integrated rigorous coursework with immersive field experiences, allowing students to explore Chongqing’s historical sites, engage with local communities, and examine the region's economic development firsthand. Students benefited from collaborative activities with local Chinese college students, enhancing cross-cultural competencies and global perspectives. The program not only enriched academic knowledge but also honed practical skills through experiential real-life learning, preparing students for future international endeavors. The presenter will share reflections on the successes and challenges encountered during the six-week study abroad program in China, and will discuss examples of culture shock experienced by the twelve participating American students.
Speakers
DW

Di Wu

Northern Arizona University
Friday January 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Palo Verde C
  15-minute presentation

4:00pm MST

On Making the Online Asynchronous Language Class Communicative and Interactive
Friday January 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Palo Verde C
Feedback Survey
As the shift to online learning accelerates in world/foreign language education, instructors face significant challenges in maintaining effective communication and interaction. Since 2020, the growth of online language classes, especially asynchronous ones, has been remarkable. Some institutions are experiencing enrollments in these online language courses that far surpass those in traditional in-person settings. However, concerns persist regarding course delivery, the communicative nature of the curricula, and the lack of quality interaction between students and instructors. This presentation will explore practical strategies for improving asynchronous online language classes, focusing on assignment types, assessments, and interactive activities. By implementing these strategies, instructors can enhance student engagement, foster communicative competence, and simulate the dynamics of traditional in-person classrooms. Additionally, the session will introduce tools and platforms that support these goals, providing participants with actionable insights and resources to create a more interactive and communicative online learning environment.
Speakers
CG
Friday January 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Palo Verde C
  15-minute presentation

4:00pm MST

Best of California: Effective Strategies and Activities for Interpersonal Communication
Friday January 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Agave
Feedback Survey
Interpersonal communication affects the hearts, minds, and actions of individuals as they function in the everyday social world (Braithwaite, Schrodt 2015). This workshop focuses on interpersonal communication strategies and activities that enhance instructional practices. Participants will discover and practice applications and techniques that will increase their students' engagement in developing their interpersonal speaking skills.
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Cecile Nedellec

Dr. Cecile Nedellec

Patrick Henry HS/CLTA
Google slides forced copy of the presentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1s39UhWzkI2L0FC818eJSDuiKBGM2B83YD8Yr--SWaQQ/copy
Friday January 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Agave
  60-minute presentation

4:00pm MST

Cultivating Cultural Competence in Dual Immersion Secondary Education
Friday January 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Yucca
Feedback Survey
Explore practical strategies for teaching culture in dual immersion secondary classes, aligning with the "C" of Culture from the World Readiness Standards. Discover how to guide students in investigating the relationship between cultural practices, products, and perspectives. Empower students to interact with cultural competence and understanding, fostering a deeper appreciation for global diversity.
Speakers
avatar for Priscila Prestes

Priscila Prestes

teacher, Alpine School District / BYU
I am passionate about the DLI program and obviously Portuguese. I had the opportunity to be a first grade DLI teacher for 5 years. I am now in my third year as a Junior High DLI teacher. I'm also an MA Portuguese Pedagogy student at BYU and I'm loving it.
Friday January 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Yucca
  60-minute presentation

4:00pm MST

Developing Global Citizenship through School Exchanges (Exhibitor Session)
Friday January 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Ocotillo A
Feedback Survey
Learn how to develop a virtual or in-person exchange with a sister school abroad and empower your students to develop their language skills and cultural proficiency while transforming your school into a truly global campus. You will receive a step-by-step planning guide, identify best practices in establishing an exchange partnership, and walk away inspired to start a group exchange at your school.

Presenters: Patricia Roque & Zachary Richardson
Speakers
PR

Patricia Roque

Forum by Prometour
Exhibitors
avatar for Prometour USA Inc

Prometour USA Inc

FORUM BY PROMÉTOUR
Forum by Prométour offers immersive language and cultural experiences for students through customized study-abroad programs and language immersion trips. We combine language classes with cultural activities, allowing students to learn and experience new languages while connecting... Read More →
Friday January 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Ocotillo A
  60-minute presentation

4:00pm MST

Enhancing Cultural Competence through Virtual Reality in Language Learning
Friday January 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Willow
Feedback Survey
This session explores the integration of Virtual Reality (VR) in language learning, focusing on its impact on cultural competence and intercultural skills. Using the application Wander, students virtually explore cities in Spanish-speaking countries, identify cultural patterns, and engage in project-based learning tasks that promote deeper cultural understanding. The session will discuss practical implementation strategies, present case studies of student projects, and offer insights into the challenges and benefits of using VR in the classroom. Attendees will leave with actionable ideas for incorporating immersive technology into their teaching practices to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes.
Speakers
avatar for Stefania Herrera Leon

Stefania Herrera Leon

Graduate Teaching Assistant, Northern Arizona University
Friday January 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Willow
  60-minute presentation

4:00pm MST

Envisioning and Realizing Improved Teaching: Action Research Fundamentals with Examples
Friday January 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Ocotillo B
Feedback Survey
Want to improve your classroom practice? Most teachers do! Teachers routinely re-design their practice to meet perceived needs and then evaluate how changes impact student learning. These are fundamental inquiry practices of research as well. Action research is a well-established, valuable form of practitioner-led research, which engages teachers in examination of current practice, design of a new approach, followed by systematic analysis of how a shift in practice influences student experience and/or outcomes. In this workshop, we present action research fundamentals and concrete examples from two French teachers’ current studies-in-progress, so that language teachers new to the practice can leave the session with concrete ideas and tools for getting started in their own contexts.

Presenters: Julie Monty & Fernando Trejo Rios
Speakers
WF

Walter Fernando Trejo Rios

Elkins High School
avatar for Julie Monty

Julie Monty

Cesar Chavez High School
Films that always make me cry : The Notebook, The Sound of Music, The TitanicLast interesting movie I saw : The LobsterI have read every novel ever written by these authors : Margaret Atwood, Isabelle Allende, Haruki Murakami, Kurt Vonnegut, Wally LambSitcoms that make me laugh out... Read More →
Friday January 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Ocotillo B
  60-minute presentation

4:00pm MST

It’s Show Time: Putting Proficiency Center Stage When Assessing (Exhibitor Session)
Friday January 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Palo Verde A
Feedback Survey
You are the director, and your students have the lead roles in integrated performance assessments (IPAs). IPAs shine a light on your students and their communicative abilities. This session will break down the IPA process into three acts: 1) the context, 2) the tasks, and 3) the rubrics. You will learn how to assess your students in a way that allows them to show off what they can do with what they have learned.
Speakers
avatar for Cristin Bleess - Wayside Publishing

Cristin Bleess - Wayside Publishing

Instructional Strategist, Wayside Publishing
Wayside takes language learning beyond traditional drills and flashcards. Through immersive, real-world scenarios, culturally rich lessons, scaffolded, proficiency-driven activities, and gamified practice, students develop meaningful communication skills that prepare them for authentic... Read More →
Friday January 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Palo Verde A
  60-minute presentation

4:00pm MST

K-16 Pathways to the Future!
Friday January 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Cholla
Feedback Survey
Several LEAs and SEAs have created K-16 pathways that make it easier for Dual Language, Heritage, and Newcomer students to matriculate into postsecondary institutions. This session will look at those K-16 Pathways and how some higher education institutions are already working with Dual Language, Heritage, and Newcomer programs. We will discuss the Utah and Delaware Bridge Programs, which connect high school students with upper division university coursework and their multiple entrance points, as well as other proficiency-based programs for college credit around the nation. We will also discuss the need for higher education institutions to articulate pathways for historically underrepresented populations, which will lead to greater equity, increased enrollment, and the creation of new language for specific purpose programs.
Speakers
avatar for Jill Landes-Lee

Jill Landes-Lee

Bridge Program Director, University of Utah
- Dual Language Immersion and pathways for secondary continuation. - University collaboration with K-12 DLI. - Counterbalance Instruction for teaching grammar in context- Coaching- Research-based models for professional development
Friday January 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Cholla
  60-minute presentation

4:00pm MST

Mining for Proficiency: Creating a Proficiency-Based Classroom
Friday January 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Ocotillo C
Feedback Survey
Creating a proficiency-based classroom is like mining for silver. Come join us for an adventure into a Nevada mine, where we need to prepare for our adventure, check in as we go and mine the gems as we find them; all to help our students increase their proficiency. This session will feature activities and resources that 3 teachers from a variety of educational situations (rural, magnet, comprehensive high schools) use to design a classroom environment that encourages students to embrace their proficiency journey. Come strike it rich with us!

Presenters: Jennifer Newman-Cornell, Tzeitel Borbon & Jana Arnold
Speakers
TB

Tzeitel Borbon

Fernley High School
JA

Jana Arnold

McQueen High School
avatar for Jennifer Newman-Cornell

Jennifer Newman-Cornell

Educator, Northwest Career and Technical Academy
I teach Spanish II, Spanish III, AP Spanish Language, AP Spanish Literature and Spanish V.  I love to collaborate and work in PLCs with other teachers.  I am the Professional Development Chairperson for the Professional Language Association of Nevada (PLAN-the Nevada state world... Read More →
SWCOLT Mining for Proficiency Presentation pdf
Friday January 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Ocotillo C
  60-minute presentation

4:00pm MST

Student Engagement across Tasks, Modes, and Time
Friday January 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Palo Verde B
Feedback Survey
Student engagement, under siege from post-pandemic mental health issues, virtual distractions, and economic necessities, is of concern to administrators, teachers, and parents at all educational levels. To adress this concern, the interest session will suggest a framework for language teaching centered around student engagement by approaching instructional design based on three intersecting parameters: task, mode, and time. Attendees will become familiar with relevant theories, see the various parameters in action during instructional design, consider examples of tasks, instruments, and activities that represent those parameters, and explore the proposed approach as it applies to their own teaching context.
Speakers
CK

Claudia Kunschak

Professor, Ritsumeikan University
Claudia Kunschak is a Professor of English Education at College of International Relations, Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan. She has a PhD in Education from the University of Arizona and an MA in Interpreting from the University of Vienna. Her research interests include English... Read More →
Friday January 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Palo Verde B
  60-minute presentation

5:15pm MST

Cultural Competence in Spanish Classes
Friday January 24, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm MST
Palo Verde C
Feedback Survey
In this session teachers will examine a wide range of cultural topics that offer rich cultural experiences, such as music, literature, films, and news. By identifying trends and conducting some research, students will take charge of the learning process, engaging in discussions, writing, reading, and listening activities in the target language. Various strategies will be provided to enhance these four core areas by incorporating current trends into the language classroom.
Speakers
avatar for Elizabeth Cisneros
Temas culturales en las clases de español pdf
Friday January 24, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm MST
Palo Verde C
  15-minute presentation

5:15pm MST

Fun Input for Fruitful Output: Useful Ways to Use Short Clips in the Language Classroom
Friday January 24, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm MST
Palo Verde C
Feedback Survey
In a time of competing priorities and constant stimulation, student motivation frequently becomes a challenge within the language classroom. Textbook activities don't always impassion students to produce in the L2 to the best of their ability. This Roadrunner session will demonstrate how to effectively incorporate short clips into the classroom to promote student engagement and language production. Shorts can hook students with their often amusing, colorful, and emotionally moving stories. These shorts can also be used with any level (and language) by simply adapting the difficulty of the task. For language students, shorts are engaging, offer a respite from book and paper activities, are motivational, and can provide context for cultural comparison and insight, all of which promote original language production.
Speakers
JS

Juliana Suby

Northern Arizona University
Friday January 24, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm MST
Palo Verde C
  15-minute presentation

5:15pm MST

Quick Assessments for Today's Teachers: What Can I Do in 90 Seconds?
Friday January 24, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm MST
Palo Verde C
Feedback Survey
It could be argued that assessment is one of the most important aspects of language teaching and learning. Assessment usually has two main purposes: to make summative evaluations and to provide instructional feedback to help learners progress. However, assessment practices should be authentic or students should perceive them as related to their lives and goals in form, topic, process, content, or any element they consider related. At the same time, authentic assessment should serve as a representative picture of student’s competencies while providing a learning tool. Some examples of quick assessments discussed during this presentation will include: quick quizzes that can be given at the end of class after a warm-up period, and simple and quick ways to gauge and check student understanding.

Presenters: Diego Batista & Melany Batista
Speakers
MB

Melany Batista

North Davis Prep Academy
avatar for Diego Batista

Diego Batista

Associate Professor of Spanish, Weber State University
Friday January 24, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm MST
Palo Verde C
  15-minute presentation

5:15pm MST

What is the Role of Elementary Schools in World Language Education?
Friday January 24, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm MST
Palo Verde C
Feedback Survey
Elementary school world language programs have been declining in the U.S. despite the many documented benefits of becoming bilingual, and the economic and national security needs of the U.S. By some accounts, only about one in four elementary schools offer a second language, mostly Spanish. In nearly half of these schools, instructional time is below the minimum recommended for proficiency. Exploratory programs have traditionally been the answer to this issue, offering language awareness and motivation development as an alternative to proficiency. However, this typology remains largely under-articulated and absent from many toolboxes in world language education. The presenter will discuss how he has addressed the problem of teaching over 900 (K-5) students each year on a six-school-day rotation, and how the updated exploratory model aligns with the Facilitated Interdependent Language Learning model presented by the Center for Applied Linguistics in recent years.
Speakers
RR

Ronald Ramirez

Pinecrest Academy Horizon
Friday January 24, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm MST
Palo Verde C
  15-minute presentation

5:15pm MST

A Simple and Powerful Daily Writing Practice to Improve Language Skills Learning
Friday January 24, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm MST
Yucca
Feedback Survey
This presentation showcases a simple and powerful routine writing practice that facilitates to reinforce grammar, vocabulary, spelling, and phonics through daily writing. This writing approach enables teachers to get immediate output from students. The audience will have the opportunity to learn and see how students get engaged to write, speak, and share what they are able to produce daily, in a short period of time. It will show how to build students’ confidence and autonomy in writing, especially when teaching a second language in a dual immersion classroom where it is necessary to counterbalance academic content and language skills.
Speakers
avatar for Leine Moratelli

Leine Moratelli

DLI Portuguese Teacher, Majestic Fields Elementary
I'm currently a 5th grade Dual Immersion Portuguese teacher in the Utah State Immersion program and I'm passionate about it. I have experience in the area of Education, working mainly in the following areas: English, Portuguese for foreigners, and teaching methodologies. My main goal... Read More →
Resources Word of the Day pdf
SWCOLT Presentation 2025 A Simple and Powerful Daily Writing Practice to Improve Language Skills Learning pdf
Friday January 24, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm MST
Yucca
  60-minute presentation

5:15pm MST

ACTFL Teacher of the Year: Marigolds and Mindsets: Choosing Sustainable Optimism
Friday January 24, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm MST
Agave
Feedback Survey
Teachers’ mental health and well-being are just as important as our students’, and a network of positive peers is one key to longevity and success as a teacher. Join this session to learn how to be a “marigold”, prioritize positivity in your life, and implement strategies for finding your own “marigold moments”: those key moments of uplifting joy. Outcomes: Attendees will be able to 1) define the concepts of “marigolds” and “walnut trees” from the Cult of Pedagogy blog article, 2) identify characteristics and actions of “marigolds” that support others, and 3) explore methods of mindfulness to sustain their own optimism and well-being.
Speakers
avatar for Kei Tsukamaki - ACTFL

Kei Tsukamaki - ACTFL

ACTFL
We are a membership community of language education professionals passionate about expanding cultural richness and diversity at all levels of education. Together we provide resources to address challenges to meet the changing needs of language educators and their learners.
Friday January 24, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm MST
Agave
  60-minute presentation

5:15pm MST

Chatbot Activities in the Spanish Classroom: Possibilities and Challenges
Friday January 24, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm MST
Willow
Feedback Survey
Chatbots are software programs powered by AI that are currently used in real-life contexts (eg., bank transactions, health advice, etc.). Recent studies have researched the affordances of chatbots to facilitate second language development. The findings look promising, because chatbot interactions seem to expose learners to authentic input and reduce their anxiety while increasing their motivation to language learning and willingness to communicate in the target language. This session addresses the benefits and challenges of using chatbots in the language classroom as tools that can simulate real-life interactions in the target language. The presenter will describe some chatbot activities implemented in Spanish classes at the college level and will present initial data of students and instructors’ perceived usefulness of this AI-powered language practice. Attendees will have the opportunity to try some of the Chatbot apps used in the activities andwill discuss their potential use in different instructional contexts.
Speakers
YA
Friday January 24, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm MST
Willow
  60-minute presentation

5:15pm MST

Innovative Vocabulary Acquisition through Project-Based Learning in Professional Language Courses
Friday January 24, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm MST
Palo Verde B
Feedback Survey
Vocabulary is a crucial component of language acquisition and significantly influences learners' proficiency levels. In language courses for professional purposes, focusing on expanding technical vocabulary can help develop the linguistic skills necessary for professional success. This presentation explores how modern learning tools, such as AI applications and metacognitive strategies that involve learners reflecting on their learning processes and tracking their progress, can offer innovative approaches to enhancing vocabulary acquisition and overall language proficiency.
Speakers
avatar for Isabel Asensio

Isabel Asensio

Professor of Spanish and Translation, Weber State University
My research interests are translation and interpreting, literature and culture, and bilingual education and language policy.
Friday January 24, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm MST
Palo Verde B
  60-minute presentation

5:15pm MST

Leveraging ACTFL Assessments for College and Career Readiness (Exhibitor Session)
Friday January 24, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm MST
Palo Verde A
Feedback Survey
The US Deptartment of Education has an increasing focus on college and career readiness (CCR). We have indicators in K-12 and higher ed that are designed to help educational programs position learners for career success. But how do world language programs fit in the mix? This session considers three ways you can leverage language testing with the AAPPL and other ACTFL assessments to meet CCR standards, increase value of language programming to students, and preserve your program!
Exhibitors
avatar for Jennifer Quinlan - Associate Director of Product Management - Language Testing International

Jennifer Quinlan - Associate Director of Product Management - Language Testing International

Assoc. Director, Language Testing International
Since 1992, Language Testing International (LTI), a Samsung company, has led in global language proficiency testing for over 120 languages. As the exclusive ACTFL licensee, LTI ensures quality through certified testers, offering trusted language credentials recognized by corporations... Read More →
Friday January 24, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm MST
Palo Verde A
  60-minute presentation

5:15pm MST

Outfitting Your Tech Toolbox: OER, Avatars, and Music Videos in Today’s Classroom
Friday January 24, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm MST
Cholla
Feedback Survey
Attendees will learn about Open Educational Resources (OER) and how to use them in planning and preparing engaging real-world, relevant, and meaningful pedagogical products for a wide array of student populations in second-language (L2) classrooms. The presentation will emphasize techniques for adapting and remixing OER to meet specific educational contexts and learner needs. In addition to offering participants a comprehensive definition of OER and an exploration of proven pragmatic advantages of these resources, the session will provide two distinct demonstrations of how and why OER have been used in instructional design for beginning and intermediate level language learners. The first of these demonstrations discusses using authentic popular culture products to develop lessons that enhance students' communicative language skills, with an emphasis on interpretive and presentational skills, whilst the second demonstrates how existing technologies can be used to create engaging and interactive grammar tutorials.


Speakers
SB

Sarah Butler

Midwestern State University
PA

Philip Allen

Florida SouthWestern State College
KL

Kyung Lee Gagum

Associate Professor of German, MSU Texas
Friday January 24, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm MST
Cholla
  60-minute presentation

5:15pm MST

Promoting Student Engagement with Constructive Feedback in Formative Assessment
Friday January 24, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm MST
Ocotillo B
Feedback Survey
This presentation will share best practices and highlight the significance of formative assessment with constructive feedback in foreign language learning. The presenters will discuss how formative assessment, through ongoing influential feedback to learners, bridges the gap between current understanding and learning goals, thereby enhancing student achievement and teacher content knowledge. By incorporating targeted, specific, timely, balanced, differentiated, and supportive feedback, this approach tailors teaching strategies to meet individual learner needs. The presenters will also explore practical strategies for implementing formative assessment and designing learning activities that foster cooperative and collaborative learning, ultimately promoting student engagement and self-regulation in language learning.

Presenters: Bozo Dzakula & Maida Dzakula
Speakers
DM

Dr. Maida Dzakula

Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center
BD

Bozo Dzakula

Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center
dzakula b m swcolt 2025 promoting studets engagement with constructive feedback in formative assessment pdf
Friday January 24, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm MST
Ocotillo B
  60-minute presentation

5:15pm MST

Revitalize Your Classroom: Strategies for Creating an Oasis of Learning and Growth (Exhibitor Session)
Friday January 24, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm MST
Ocotillo C
Feedback Survey
In this interactive session, teachers will explore innovative strategies, best practices, and ideas for creating a vibrant language classroom that inspires both students and teachers.
Speakers
avatar for Laura Zinke - Vista Higher Learning

Laura Zinke - Vista Higher Learning

Consultant, Vista Higher Learning
Vista Higher Learning develops transformative language and literacy solutions that meet the needs of every language learner—those acquiring a new language, enhancing a second, or perfecting their native language. We empower educators with innovative, research-based programs that... Read More →
Friday January 24, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm MST
Ocotillo C
  60-minute presentation

5:15pm MST

Unmasking Vienna: Language Learning through Crime Stories
Friday January 24, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm MST
Ocotillo A
Feedback Survey
This session presents a unit plan for A2/B1 German learners, focusing on Vienna's criminal past through detective and murder mystery genres. Participants will learn how to engage students in interpreting literary texts using theater pedagogical methods, such as tableau, soundscapes, and atmospheric reading. The unit culminates in student-created radio plays or short films, offering a creative way to deepen language skills while exploring cultural contexts. This session is perfect for educators seeking to combine language learning with cultural immersion and creativity.
Speakers
avatar for Melanie Mello

Melanie Mello

German Educational Multiplier, German Educational Multiplier
Melanie Mello (M.A in Education) is an award-winning teacher and teacher-trainer, specializing in language acquisition and theater-pedagogy. In 2023, she was named Distinguished Alumna in Humanities and Fine Arts by her alma mater, California State University, Chico. She has taught... Read More →
Friday January 24, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm MST
Ocotillo A
  60-minute presentation

6:30pm MST

SWCOLT Member Reception
Friday January 24, 2025 6:30pm - 8:00pm MST
Event Lawn
All attendees are welcome to join uson the Event Lawn for our annual Member Reception. Light hors d'oeuvres will be served! There will also be a cash bar serving beer and wine. Join us!
Friday January 24, 2025 6:30pm - 8:00pm MST
Event Lawn
  Agenda
 
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