NYSAFLT Annual Conference 2024

Attendees will first explore colonial conceptions and practices from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century, shedding light on the persistent accusations of "neocolonialism" toward the Francophonie in the 20th and 21st centuries. The discussion will then examine whether the French language is a contributing factor or merely a symptom of the broader francophone crisis, both within and outside of France. In this perspective, attention will be turned to French-speaking African countries, where the role of the French language in education and administration is under intense scrutiny. Finally, the session will discuss practical strategies and material for teaching French with enthusiasm and intellectual honesty.

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.

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.

Language influences how we perceive the world, how we interact and respond to it, and how we feel about it. Often in language classrooms we explore cultural products and practices, but we dedicate less attention to perspectives. This presentation will explore ways to integrate exploring the cultural perspectives tied to products and practices using the Universal Design for Learning framework.

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.

Looking for a way to get your students writing and speaking for an audience other than you and their classmates? Have you tried international pen pals but found the wait too long between letters or that the language proficiency level did not match? If yes, then come and hear about our Pen Pal Project. Participants will learn about how our project was started, activities that we do, and what we have planned for the future. Participants will also have the opportunity to share their own information, in hopes of finding a match for their classes. Let the Pen Pal Journey Begin!

Language and culture rich, immersive experiences help students grow, but these experiences may feel inaccessible & daunting to design. Nevertheless, they are possible through virtual partnerships and destinations in our local communities. This workshop will explore how to identify a meaningful essential question to drive the unit, how to find opportunities for immersion virtually and online, and how to create meaningful materials for before, during and after the experience to engage students linguistically while exposing them to authentic culture.

Unlock the potential of your language learners with the "Think, Talk, Learn" workshop, specifically designed for world language and ENL classrooms. This session offers innovative thinking routines that make thinking visible in the classroom, enhancing language development and understanding. Discover practical strategies like See-Think-Wonder, Sentence-Phrase-Word, and Chalk Talk, all tailored to support language learners of all levels. Engage in interactive activities and collaborative discussions to equip yourself with tools for creating a vibrant, thinking-centered classroom that fosters both language skills and cognitive growth. Join us and transform your teaching to inspire students to think, talk, and learn with confidence!