NYSAFLT Annual Conference 2024

This presentation explores the intersection of Social-Emotional-Cultural Learning (SECL) and language education. Through a research-based approach, participants will discover how SECL principles can serve as foundational pillars for fostering connections between students, teachers, and the greater community. The session will offer research-based lessons and class activities designed to instill classrooms with values of cooperation, equality, justice, understanding, kindness, teamwork, diversity, and tolerance. Attendees will learn strategies to cultivate a vision of success and establish an inclusive environment that celebrates diversity, thereby enhancing cultural competence and global citizenship among students.

Join us in exploring the transformative power of AI in language education! This session explores cutting-edge AI technologies revolutionizing language instruction in schools and colleges. We'll embark on a journey to revolutionize how we teach and learn languages. Discover innovative AI-driven tools and strategies that transcend boundaries, enriching students' linguistic and cultural experiences. Let's build bridges together, inspiring each other to embrace the future of language education and equip our students with the skills they need to thrive.

Do you want to hear your students use more target language in your classes? There is one simple and easy-to-implement solution: Chat Mats. Chat Mats provide students with the words or phrases that they need to keep the conversation going and maintain the use of the target language. In this workshop, attendees will get a quick overview of Chat Mats (the what, and the why) followed by a tutorial on creating your very own chat mats (the how). Attendees will leave with tons of ideas and a ready made Chat Mat to bring into their classes on Monday.

Join the 2023 Teacher Incentive Grant recipient as she discusses the action research project that brought language, literacy and play together in the K-12 setting. Learn about how Spanish 4 students strengthened the community through the joy of books, the love of learning and the pedagogy of play. Celebrate the power of language and laughter in your school setting. We have lots of ideas for students in levels Pre-K-14 at all levels of proficiency. While our project was in Spanish, the ideas are applicable to all languages and levels.

Incorporating crafts can be a great introduction or can be used as a summative activity to highlight aspects of different cultures. In this workshop, teachers will learn how they can turn the instructions for most crafts into highly comprehensible material (with scaffolding). In addition, attendees will see how videos allow a person of limited language ability to follow along and complete the tasks. In this workshop, attendees will learn about several projects, suggestions for how to incorporate other disciplines and all the resources necessary! All crafts can be modified in order to reduce the costs. Most crafts presented will be from Mexico, along with how to videos in Spanish.

Looking to improve your own Spanish skills, immerse yourself in Costa Rican culture, or explore a language school you could recommend to your high school or college students?

Presenter Ann Elyse Foltz received the 2023 NYSAFLT Academia Tica Cultural Scholarship to Costa Rica. She spent two weeks at this beautiful and culturally enriching school, located an hour away from San José, the capital of Costa Rica. Come see her photos of rainforests, animals, and waterfalls, and learn about this internationally known Spanish language school.