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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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
 
Saturday, January 25
 

9:00am MST

Best of Utah: Oral Assessment - Providing a Powerful Data-Based Assessment for Successful Interventions in DLI Classrooms
Saturday January 25, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
Agave
Feedback Survey
In this presentation participants will be introduced to a simple, yet highly effective tool named “Oral assessment”. Its goal is to provide teachers with meaningful, relevant data regarding their students’ vocabulary and speaking abilities early on and throughout the school year. Oftentimes, parents don’t have clarity in their child’s ability in the second language or find themselves unsure of their children’s progress, and that’s where the Oral Assessment comes in: Teachers can benefit from this tool as it provides consistent, visual data that will improve students’ awareness, parents’ perception and teacher interventions. With it, teachers can pre-test (and post-test) their students individually, collect data, plan shared goals with the students, and present such data to parents and the school community effectively.
Speakers
avatar for Lina Figueiredo

Lina Figueiredo

8th/5th grade teacher, Crimson Cliffs Middle school
I’m a passionate teacher who’s always looking for smarter, more-effective (and easier, why not?) ways to help my students improve their language goals and dreams. I’ve been teaching elementary and secondary education for almost 20 years, mostly English for Brazilian students... Read More →
OralAssessment ByLinaFIgueiredo pdf
Saturday January 25, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
Agave
  60-minute presentation

9:00am MST

Incorporating a Challenge Analysis Approach in World Languages
Saturday January 25, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
Ocotillo A
Feedback Survey
Authentic real-world challenges in the target culture provide opportunities for integrating language objectives with problem-solving skills, in addition to promoting understanding of cultural perspectives and the ability to make cultural comparisons. Participants will be guided to develop ideas for effectively integrating challenges into their existing units aligned with level-appropriate language objectives.
Speakers
avatar for Andrew White

Andrew White

World Languages, Phoenix Union Bioscience High School
Incorporating a Challenge Analysis Approach in World Languages 1 pdf
Saturday January 25, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
Ocotillo A
  60-minute presentation

9:00am MST

Student Test Scores in DLI and Non-DLI Programs: Telling the Story and What We Can Learn
Saturday January 25, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
Willow
Feedback Survey
How can assessment help preserve a program? For Dual Language Immersion (DLI) programs in New York and Utah, assessment data has been critical. This session addresses some common questions about potential learning delays for students or drawbacks of participating in DLI programs. Learn how two administrators are using standardized test scores to tell a compelling story as they advocate for and build the strength of their language programs.

Presenters: Karl Bowman & Jennifer Dobberfuhl Quinlan
Speakers
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 →
avatar for Karl H. Bowman

Karl H. Bowman

World Languages and Dual Language Immersion Specialist, Utah State Board of Education
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 →
Saturday January 25, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
Willow
  60-minute presentation

9:00am MST

Teaching Viennese Culture Using the IMAGE Model
Saturday January 25, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
Ocotillo B
Feedback Survey
This presentation explores the application of the IMAGE model in teaching German students about Viennese culture across all proficiency levels. The IMAGE model, an innovative pedagogical framework, integrates cultural immersion with language learning, making it particularly effective for students navigating the rich cultural landscape of Vienna. We provide practical strategies to help students connect linguistic knowledge with cultural understanding. Participants will gain insights into how to adapt the model to various proficiency levels, ensuring an engaging and comprehensive learning experience. This approach not only enhances students' cultural competence but also deepens their linguistic proficiency by embedding the language within the authentic context of Viennese life.

Presenters: Kathy Barnard & Eli Remund
Speakers
ER

Elli Remund

Utah State University
avatar for Kathy Barnard

Kathy Barnard

West High School
Saturday January 25, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
Ocotillo B
  60-minute presentation

10:45am MST

Best of Oklahoma: Building Bridges: Maximizing Mutual Impact between Cooperating Teacher and Student Intern
Saturday January 25, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am MST
Agave
Feedback Survey
Discover strategies to maximize teacher-intern partnerships through clear expectations, constructive feedback, open-mindedness, and defined classroom roles. Enhance collaboration and effectiveness in World Language Education by ensuring teachers and interns thrive in a supportive and productive learning environment. Participants will leave with practical ideas for productive collaboration from a recent mentor-intern partnership!

Presenters: Madison Rubino & Taylor Neihoff
Speakers
TN

Taylor Niehoff

Whittier Middle School
MR

Madison Rubino

Westmoore High School
Saturday January 25, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am MST
Agave
  60-minute presentation

10:45am MST

Bruh, It’s Not the Same
Saturday January 25, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am MST
Yucca
Feedback Survey
If you struggle to see (or explain) the difference between the interpretive mode and comprehension, come explore the exciting world of the Interpretive Mode with us: how to maximize it, how it provides opportunities for Gen Z to be critical thinkers and consumers of information, plus examples and tools to take with you, of course. We will also discuss how it all holds up under AI. In this session we will discover how basic comprehension gets a major glow up with the interpretive mode; it just hits different, fam.
Speakers
avatar for Ashli Sambaluk

Ashli Sambaluk

World Language Coordinator, LISD
I especially love supporting new LOTE teachers in thriving in their roles as well as helping them to successfully pass the state LOTE exam!
Bruh, It's Not The Same SWCOLT '25 pdf
Saturday January 25, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am MST
Yucca
  60-minute presentation

10:45am MST

But How Do I Test This? Efficiently Assessing for Proficiency (Exhibitor Session)
Saturday January 25, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am MST
Ocotillo C
Feedback Survey
How can we assess efficiently when we teach for proficiency? We often struggle with how to assess students’ proficiency outcomes—without taking too much time to grade. Strategies such as project-based learning and integrated skills will be provided to help you teach and assess for proficiency even with the constraints that you may have, such as getting students ready for standardized tests. Lesson Magic by Teaching Solved will be demonstrated to help support you in this in Spanish, French, or English, but the strategies are also applicable more broadly.
Speakers
avatar for Hope Anderson - Founder & CEO - Teaching Solved LLC

Hope Anderson - Founder & CEO - Teaching Solved LLC

Founder & CEO, Teaching Solved LLC
Helping teachers help students learn languages. Come see our supplemental print and digital materials for Spanish and French classes, including a huge resource site and ready-made lessons for your classes, as well as teacher t-shirts and other swag! We want to make it easier for you... Read More →
Saturday January 25, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am MST
Ocotillo C
  60-minute presentation

10:45am MST

Milking Your Authentic resource for All Its Worth
Saturday January 25, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am MST
Palo Verde A
Feedback Survey
Like many of you, I have spent countless hours curating authentic resources for lessons and units of study. Figuring out how to exploit an authentic resource to its fullest meaningful capacity changes how we view them and use them in class. This session will focus on not just scaffolding an authentic resource to be used over multiple levels, but also applying it across the 3 modes of communication and the ACTFL C’s, to maximize use across several lessons. When we intentionally leverage an authentic resource, we expand the resource into a meaningful, and mindful, language and culture tool to meet our academic standards, and promote proficiency at any level.
Speakers
avatar for Whitney Stafford-Najibi

Whitney Stafford-Najibi

OFLTA Executive Secretary/French Teacher Westmoore H.S., Westmoore High School
Bonjour!I am Whitney Najibi, a French teacher from OKC. I have been teaching French for 25 years and have also taught ELs and 8th-grade English. I am also a doctoral student at the University of Oklahoma. Along with teaching, I also serve as the Executive Secretary for the Oklahoma... Read More →
Milking your authentic resources Whitney Najibi pdf
Saturday January 25, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am MST
Palo Verde A
  60-minute presentation

10:45am MST

Movies Make Meaning
Saturday January 25, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am MST
Ocotillo A
Feedback Survey
Full length movies, short films, selected scenes, cultural videos-it all fits into a proficiency based classroom to engage students on a totally different level. By harnessing the world of media, students connect with the language in a more complete and meaningful way. Come and join this session on a quest to bring videos into the world language classroom to harness the power of technology for proficiency!

Presenters: Margarita De Leon Viera & Jennifer Newman-Cornell
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 →
avatar for Margarita De León Viera

Margarita De León Viera

West Career & Technical Academy
From Gurabo, Puerto Rico, I come from a family of educators, my mother, retired principal, Margarita Viera Pérez being my biggest inspiration. I started my career as a Theatre Arts teacher in Puerto Rico, for 8 years where I directed plays, a movie and advised a dance club. In 2014... Read More →
Movies Make Meaning (1) pdf
Saturday January 25, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am MST
Ocotillo A
  60-minute presentation

10:45am MST

Upping Your Interculturality Game with AI
Saturday January 25, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am MST
Cholla
Feedback Survey
The mention of AI in the classroom can trigger thoughts of doom and gloom. But this session will show how to harness the powers of AI to build students’ language proficiency through the lens of interculturality, giving them the opportunity to dive more deeply into the target culture while building their communicative skills in all three modes. Using AI as a springboard, educators can take their students beyond investigating the three Ps of products, practices, and perspectives and allow them to truly interact effectively. The magic of AI is out there; why not use it to your students’ advantage?
Speakers
JL

Jillian Lykens

Air Academy High School
Saturday January 25, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am MST
Cholla
  60-minute presentation

1:30pm MST

Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica: Let's Get Kids in the Program
Saturday January 25, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm MST
Cholla
Feedback Survey
This session will explore strategies and best practices for recruiting students into the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica (SHH). As the official honor society for high school students studying Spanish, SHH provides a unique platform for recognizing academic excellence, fostering a deeper connection to the Spanish language and culture, and creating leadership opportunities for students. Whether you're just starting an SHH chapter or looking to reinvigorate an existing one, this session will equip you with practical tools and inspiring ideas to increase student participation and engagement.

Presenters: Laura Zinke & Lacey Chavez
Speakers
LC

Lacey Chavez

Tempe High School
CW

Carla Whitehead

McClintock High School
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 →
Saturday January 25, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm MST
Cholla
  60-minute presentation

2:45pm MST

Breaking the Ice: Games to Get Students Talking
Saturday January 25, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm MST
Palo Verde C
Feedback Survey
Get students talking with purpose in your classroom! Helping students to become more confident speaking and increasing opportunities to practice speaking is an important part of the classroom. This presentation will include several ready-to-use activities for getting students to speak in the target language in your classroom through low anxiety, interactive games appropriate for the beginning through intermediate students. Have students find things they have in common, find the “assassin” among them, make up alibis, get the best bargains in the market, caption memes, and more! Handouts and slides to use these games with your students will be provided, so that it’s ready to go in your plans for next week or next year! Presentation is in English, classroom materials in both English and Chinese.
Speakers
CP

Caroline Pardo

Arizona College Prep, Chandler Unified School District
Saturday January 25, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm MST
Palo Verde C
  15-minute presentation

2:45pm MST

Achieving Intermediate Fluency in 60 Hours with Storytelling (Exhibitor Session)
Saturday January 25, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm MST
Palo Verde B
Feedback Survey
How long does it take to achieve intermediate fluency in school? An ACTFL publication suggests that it takes 4 to 7 years. Amazingly, the majority of students taught with TPR Storytelling are achieving intermediate fluency in 60 hours. Our best students are intermediate speakers after just 30 hours. How is this possible? Through a simple process of CI, what we refer to as Comprehensible Interaction, blended with regular student output, our students are reaching fluency levels we never dreamed were possible. Come learn how these innovative ideas can help your students get there, too.
Exhibitors
avatar for TPRS Books

TPRS Books

Presenter, TPRS Books
TPRS Books offers products and services to solve the following problems:1) We have over 100 readers in various languages to help your students enjoy reading.2) We have trainings and materials to help your students reach intermediate fluency in a single school year.3) We offer virtual... Read More →
Saturday January 25, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm MST
Palo Verde B
  60-minute presentation

2:45pm MST

Go Beyond Your Classroom Walls with a Free Virtual Exchange
Saturday January 25, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm MST
Ocotillo B
Feedback Survey
Do your students have opportunities for authentic intercultural interactions with students abroad? Have you ever wanted a partner teacher abroad and didn’t know how to find one? Join the presenter to learn about a fully grant-funded opportunity to help your students boost their global competence and Spanish language skills while they connect with peers abroad. The exchange can occur in English, Spanish, or both, as students participate in a virtual exchange during classroom hours. Learn how it works, how to sign up, what benefits there are for you as the teacher, and if this is a good fit for you and your students!
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.
Global Up Americas Teacher Presentation pdf
Saturday January 25, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm MST
Ocotillo B
  60-minute presentation

2:45pm MST

Reading across the Levels: Browsing through Some Ideas
Saturday January 25, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm MST
Ocotillo A
Feedback Survey
Reading is key for student’s growing in proficiency, but how can it be done effectively in a world language classroom? This session will look at tips and tricks across multiple language levels. It’s a chance to try out the techniques and decide what will work best in your classroom. Come and join us to get excited about reading and engaging your students!
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 →
25 SWCOLT Reading Session Slides (2) pdf
Saturday January 25, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm MST
Ocotillo A
  60-minute presentation

2:45pm MST

Unlocking Language: Escape the Room, Not the Learning!
Saturday January 25, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm MST
Palo Verde A
Feedback Survey
Learn how escape room activities can engage L2 learners by encouraging collaboration, problem-solving, and communication in order to break free from their room and solve their challenge.
Speakers
AE

Ashley Eberhart

Teacher, Round Rock High School
Saturday January 25, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm MST
Palo Verde A
  60-minute presentation

4:00pm MST

Enrich Teaching and Learning with D I E - Based Writing Activities
Saturday January 25, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Cholla
Feedback Survey
This session explores the transformative power of writing in language learning, introducing the Describe, Interpret, Evaluate (D I E) method for intercultural communication. D I E-based writing activities immerse learners in cultural contexts, fostering critical thinking and deeper cultural understanding. Participants will gain practical tools and ideas to enhance students' writing skills and cultural awareness. Through hands-on activities, real-world examples, and collaborative discussions, attendees will leave with ready-to-use strategies to promote active engagement and reflection in their teaching.
Speakers
AR
Saturday January 25, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Cholla
  60-minute presentation
 
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