SWCOLT 2025 Pre-Conference Workshops

​​

​

Workshop 1 - FULL DAY DLI site visits

Day & Time: Thursday, January 23

Presenters: 

Workshop Description: 

Goals/Outcomes:

​

​

hALF-DAY WORKSHOP (MORNING)

WORKSHOP 2 - tIERING tASKS AND tEXT TO CHALLENGE aLL lEARNERS

Day & Time: Thursday, January 23 – Half Day (morning) - 9 am-12 pm

Presenter: Leslie Grahn

​

Workshop Description: .

In this workshop, participants will explore ways to adapt tasks for authentic text to meet the needs of all learners across the proficiency continuum through Sering- providing scaffolding and support for struggling learners and open-ended, challenging tasks for advanced learners. Participants will also explore how to Ser text on the same themes and how to create generic tasks that span the Sers to challenge all learners.

 

Goals/Outcomes:

Participants will

• become familiar with the concept of respectful tasks

• gain strategies for tiering tasks using authentic text

• analyze examples of authentic text tiered by challenge level to meet the needs of all learners.

 

​​​

hALF-DAY WORKSHOP (AFTERNOON)

WORKSHOP 3 - Enhance Students' Language Competence through a well-planned articulation across levels

Day & Time: Thursday, January 23 – Half Day (afternoon) - 1 pm-4 pm

Presenter: Baocai (Paul) Jia

​

Workshop Description: 

This three-hour workshop will focus on effective strategies on enhancing students’ language competence by integrating the six AP Chinese language and culture themes at a pace that brings a sound horizontal and vertical articulation across levels. Participants will have opportunities to explore strategies in detail about how to address those culture themes across grade levels in meaningful contexts, what basic skills learners will need to develop in order to strengthen their language and cultural competence in the course of learning, and how teachers can implement those strategies in their everyday teaching through hands-on activities. Examples from actual classroom practice will be shared.

 

Brief Bio: Mr. Baocai Jia, MA, is the 2017 recipient of the California Language Teachers Association (CLTA) SWLP Teacher Leader of the Year Award, and the 2019 recipient of CLTA Hal Wingard Lifetime Achievement Award. He has worked at Cupertino High School in California as an AP Chinese teacher and served as the World Language Department Lead. Mr. Jia has served as President and Executive Director of CLASS, Chinese Language Association of Secondary-Elementary Schools. Mr. Jia has participated in various projects in different leadership roles, including as a strand leader in Stanford World Language Project, SWLP. His professional service includes the College Board's World Language Academic Advisory Committee, AP Chinese Language and Culture Exam Development Committee, and the SAT Chinese Subject Test Development Committee. Mr. Jia is on the California World Language Standards Advisory Committee and has been serving on the California State World Language Project (CWLP) Advisory Board since 2013. 

​​

​

hALF-DAY WORKSHOP (MORNING)

​​WORKSHOP 4 - building bridges; enhancing interpersonal communication in the world language classroom

Day & Time: Thursday, January 23 – Half Day (morning) - 9 am-12 pm

Presenter: Cecile Nedellec

​

Workshop Description: 

Interpersonal communication affects the hearts, minds, and actions of individuals as they function every day in the social world (Braithwaite, Schrodt 2015). In this interactive workshop, participants will explore the interpersonal mode of communication standard, which focuses on the spontaneous, two-way exchange of information and ideas in speaking and writing. Participants will first review the foundational principles of this communication mode, gaining a clear understanding of its importance in fostering authentic, real-time language use. Following this, they will engage in hands-on practice, crafting their own interpersonal communication prompts that can be effectively used in the classroom. The workshop will also introduce a variety of dynamic activities and strategies designed to enhance students' abilities in this communication mode, equipping educators with practical tools to facilitate more engaging and meaningful student interactions.

Participants must bring a laptop or tablet computer to this workshop. 

​

Goals/Outcomes:

By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Understand and apply the key principles of the interpersonal mode of communication standard in language instruction

• Develop and write effective interpersonal communication prompts that can be directly used in classroom settings

• Implement a variety of activities and strategies to enhance students' interpersonal communication skills, fostering more interactive and spontaneous exchanges

 

​

hALF-DAY WORKSHOP (AFTERNOON)​

WORKSHOP 5 - from novice to superior: a hands-on refresher to actfl and proficiency-based teching

Day & Time: Thursday, January 23 – Half Day (afternoon) - 1 pm-4 pm

Presenter: Mahmoud Ali

​

Workshop Description: 

​This workshop is designed for language educators who are new to the profession or who would like a refresher on the basics. Participants will learn about key ACTFL concepts such as proficiency and performance, the NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do statements, the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages, and the Core Practices, which are essential for promoting student-centered, proficiency-based language instruction. The workshop will be highly interactive, with opportunities for participants to apply what they've learned through small-group discussions, reflection activities, and collaborative lesson planning. Participants will leave with a deep understanding of how ACTFL can help them meet the needs of their diverse learners (e.g., heritage language learners) through strategies such as differentiated instruction and create more engaging, authentic, and meaningful language learning experiences by leveraging technology and other resources. This workshop is ideal for language teachers who want to enhance their pedagogical knowledge and skills, improve their assessment practices, and align their instruction with national standards.
 
Learning Objectives:
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Define proficiency and describe the levels of proficiency,

• Use the NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do statements to guide instruction and assessments,

• Identify the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages and their components,

• Understand the Core Practices and how they can be applied in the classroom.

​

 

EVENING WORKSHOP

Workshop 6 - world language "trade secrets" - top 12 strategies to engage today's language learners

Day & Time: Thursday, January 23 - Half Day (evening) - 4:30 pm-7:30 pm

Presenters: Amy Kingsley and Marina Barcelona

​

Workshop Description: .

Want to know the secret for teaching today’s Gen Z & Gen Alpha students? Spoiler alert: it’s students having fun! In this session, you will learn how to invigorate your curriculum as you participate in new (and improved!) engaging WL activities that reflect today’s students. Whether you follow a textbook or create your own curriculum, these activities will work in every level & language. Participants will engage in a fun and interactive presentation. At times, participants will play the role of student. At other times, they will reflect with their WL colleagues and go over the new strategies they learned. Strategies presented include: vocabulary introduction & review, grammar games & review, and kinesthetic & communicative partner activities. Participants can take notes on a paper handout (which will also be available digitally) to track the activities that are of interest to them. They will also have access to the slide presentation for their own future use. The goal is that they will be able to walk out of the session with activities that they can implement in their classrooms on Monday!

The presentation will be in English, but samples will be from our Spanish and French students.

​