NYSAFLT Annual Conference 2024

Embark on a transformative journey into AI with this interactive workshop. This session offers hands-on experiences with diverse AI tools to enhance your teaching strategies. Learn to integrate AI seamlessly into language lessons, create compelling activities, and leverage technology for enriching homework, all while adhering to proficiency-oriented teaching principles. We'll also explore ethical considerations and digital literacy in education. Ideal for teachers aiming to captivate language learners with innovative, proficiency-focused methods. Bringing your own computer is highly recommended for full participation. Join us to revolutionize your teaching approach with AI, staying true to ACTFL's vision of high-quality language education. The presentation will be in English, with examples in Spanish, Portuguese, and Japanese (and whichever the audience choose)!

One of the best ways to learn a language is traveling to a country where this language is spoken, fully immersing oneself in target language and culture. However, such educational trips are not a possibility for most of the classes. Not to worry - we can recreate authentic immersive language experiences with the help of role plays set up right in our classroom. This session will share some of successful role play scenarios that can be recreated in any language, at any educational setting. As an important bonus, these in-class immersions offer an excellent opportunity to incorporate the voices of diverse communities where target language is spoken, communities that are usually underrepresented in our curricula.

Join us for a session focused on the vital intersection of authentic resources and task differentiation, where we'll delve into the power of cultural resources in language learning. Explore practical strategies for constructing bridges that foster cultural connections for students, by diversifying how students engage with meaningful and relevant authentic materials like videos, news articles, and songs. These bridges serve as conduits, facilitating meaningful connections between students and new languages and cultures. Instead of altering content, we'll focus on adjusting tasks to suit diverse learning styles and needs. Don't miss out on this opportunity to enhance language learning experiences together!

All too often, attempts to share a success or to influence other teachers—whether about a specific strategy or a proficiency-oriented approach to teaching and learning languages—fall flat or, worse, actually discourage or alienate. Geared especially toward teachers who train or mentor others, who share practices in person or online, or whose colleagues have disparate philosophies, this session will help you build trust, communicate clearly, and make an ongoing positive impact. We will cover general guidelines for successful communication as well as credible and encouraging ways to share learners’ successes, research-informed principles, and proficiency-promoting practices.

Knowing why something works—or why it may fall short—goes a long way when designing tasks, resources, and lessons. This session will illuminate five principles about the brain that teachers can use both to tweak their current practices for the better and to devise new tasks and resources that help students build proficiency and confidence.

If the mere idea of using a comprehensible novel with your students is daunting, attend this presentation. You’ll be guided through the steps to plan a novice level story. Mapping out the entire novel with a ton of takeaways, you will also receive a copy so you can start bringing it to life! If you’ve been toying with the idea to get into the class novel, join Theresa and Jennifer. It’ll be a good time! P.S. We've chosen a novel that we have in all languages, so come one, come all!

Do you have reluctant speakers in your class? Looking for new, energizing brain breaks or bell-ringer activities? In this session we will role play 10 low-prep, high impact interpersonal speaking strategies that can be scaffolded from novice to advanced learners. Join us and take away classroom applications that you can implement Monday morning at any level.

The swift increase in Open Access resources allows for K-12 practitioners to have access to current scholarly research in language learning theories and practices. This session provides a quick historical overview of the movement and delves into recent articles published in the Modern Language Journal and engages participants in a thoughtful discussion of ways to improve their practice.

In this workshop, we will explore why teaching students the circumlocution strategies to handle unknown vocabulary is a crucial skill to learn from the novice to intermediate levels. Help build your students' confidence in their language production from the very beginning. We have compiled resources, strategies, activities, and games from all over the internet to help you get started in your very next class!

Everyone takes a world language to learn how to speak, but so many struggle with output. We will look at fun ways to help students produce simple to advanced sentences and ideas. We will look at Comprehensible Input strategies to encourage output including picture talk, speaking activities, role-play, partner activities, games and more. This interactive workshop will help you grow your student's proficiency and students will feel success in your classes.