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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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
 
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