Friday Keynote Speaker

Laura Terrill (click here for bio) - Topic: "Where Language Educators Meet: What are our shared goals?"

Saturday Keynote Speaker

Dr. Ted Zarrow (click here for bio), 2016 ACTFL Teacher of the Year - Topic: "We Are All Advocates"

(Optional) Thursday Pre-Conference Workshop: 9am-4pm

Paul Sandrock (click here for bio), Director of Education at the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages - ACTFL

Topic: "Can-Do Learning: Developing Communication with Language and Culture"

What do learners need to demonstrate consistently over time to show that they are improving their Interpersonal, Interpretive, Presentational, and Intercultural Communication?  Unwrap the revised NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements and the new Can-Do Statements for Intercultural Communication. Apply Can-Do Statements to re-design one unit of instruction by creating effective assessments of each mode of communication, embedding tasks for learners to “investigate, explain, and reflect on” cultural practices, products, and perspectives – all at the targeted level of proficiency.

Dr. Ted Zarrow (click here for bio): "Keeping Students Motivated: Practical Strategies for Promoting Ownership in the WL Classroom"

Regardless of the level at which we teach, we are always looking for creative and innovative ways to support and develop students’ skills across the three modes: interpretive, presentational, and interpersonal.  In addition to developing student proficiency, we want our students to be motivated – how to we make that happen?  And once we make that happen, how do we sustain it?  How can we as world language teachers foster and cultivate an environment in which students are motivated and not merely compliant?  And how is motivation related to proficiency?

In this workshop, participants will explore ways to promote student ownership of their proficiency and move from a student centered environment to one that is student driven – one in which they are truly part of the creative process.  If you are looking for storytelling strategies, ways to get ahead of student anxieties, or you could use some alternatives to traditional assignments, assessments, and prompts – ones that give students ownership of their proficiency across the modes – this workshop is for you!