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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
