Back-To-School World Language Teacher Summit 3.0
37 sessions & PD Certificate for 22 hours
0% Not started
Back-To-School World Language Teacher Summit 3.0
5 Lessons
Join keynote speaker Liam Printer as he shares research-based insights on motivation in language learning, drawing from over 40 years of studies and his own classroom experience. This session explores three essential factors for fostering engagement—competence, autonomy, and relatedness—through compelling stories, practical strategies, and the power of comprehensible input. Walk away with actionable ideas to make your language classroom a place where students want to participate and thrive.
Join keynote speaker Dr. Liam Printer as he explores practical strategies to foster student motivation in language learning, drawing on his classroom research and experience as host of The Motivated Classroom podcast. Discover actionable ways to build learner confidence, integrate meaningful autonomy, and transform standard curricula into engaging, student-centered activities. This session offers both inspiration and hands-on ideas for language educators at any stage.
Join Dr. María Cubero as she shares her heartfelt approach to building meaningful connections and fostering joy in the classroom through intentional relationship-building, student engagement strategies, and creative activities. Discover how her journey from Puerto Rico to Texas has shaped her inspiring methods, from personalized greetings to weekly reflections, all designed to help students feel seen, supported, and genuinely happy to be in her class. This session is filled with practical ideas and real classroom experiences that empower both teachers and students to thrive together.
Join Dr. Maria Cubero as she shares practical strategies for building a welcoming classroom community, balancing technology with hands-on learning, and using student feedback to guide teaching practices. Drawing on her wide-ranging experiences in high school language education, Dr. Cuber Roldán offers real-world tips for engaging students and adapting instruction to meet diverse needs. Perfect for teachers looking for fresh ideas to foster stronger relationships and meaningful learning in their classrooms.
In this session, high school Spanish teacher Silvana Ibañez shares her journey of embracing translanguaging and Spanglish in the classroom, creating a safe space for students to blend English and Spanish as they learn. She explores the benefits of allowing students to use their full linguistic resources, practical activities to support language acquisition, and how focusing on communication over perfection empowers learners. Perfect for educators curious about making language learning more inclusive and effective.
In this session, educator Martha Cox Stavros explores how Self Determination Theory can transform language classrooms by increasing student motivation and engagement. She shares practical strategies for fostering students' feelings of competence, autonomy, and relatedness—connecting these principles to language acquisition research and classroom techniques. Listeners will come away with actionable ideas to create a more supportive and effective learning environment.
Join educator Martha Cox-Stavros as she dives into practical ways to boost student motivation and engagement using self-determination theory in the language classroom. Discover strategies for building classroom community, supporting reluctant writers, and shifting from traditional grammar-based methods to a more student-centered, acquisition-driven approach. Whether you’re new to integrative techniques or looking for inspiration, this session offers actionable ideas you can try right away.
Join Dr. Ghedy Matus as she explores practical strategies for harnessing the power of community in the classroom, from establishing effective routines and classroom jobs to fostering student ownership and meaningful connections. This session covers routines, communication, seating arrangements, skill-building, and classroom management techniques, offering actionable tools for creating a positive, engaged learning environment. Whether you're a seasoned educator or new to the field, you'll leave with fresh ideas to build a collaborative and supportive classroom culture.
Join Kathleen Kampa in "Planting the Seeds of Success with a Growth Mindset" as she shares practical strategies, chants, and activities to nurture a growth mindset and support the whole child in your classroom. Discover how to foster curiosity, learner agency, positive feedback, and perseverance through engaging lessons rooted in joy, movement, and creative reflection. This uplifting session is filled with classroom-ready ideas and inspiration for educators looking to help every student thrive.
Join us for a joyful conversation with Kathy Kampa as she shares practical ways to nurture the whole child, foster a growth mindset, and empower young learners through choice and music. Discover strategies for integrating global skills, offering meaningful feedback, and using songs and chants to support language acquisition in your classroom. This session is full of fresh ideas and heartfelt insights for teachers of young learners.
In the presentation Stephanie Fritz, highlights key strategies for effective classroom management, emphasizing the importance of transparency, proactive management, and relationship-building with students. By integrating these approaches, educators can expect to build a classroom environment where students are engaged, self-driven, and capable of managing themselves, leading to a seamless and collaborative learning experience.
Kick off your school year with Allison Wienhold, an experienced world language educator, as she shares her top strategies and teacher-tested activities for the crucial first week of class. Learn how to balance building classroom community, setting expectations, and providing engaging input—all tailored for various teaching situations and levels. Discover practical tips and resources to start strong, whether you’re a department of one or teaching multiple preps, and set the stage for a positive and productive year.
In this session, Ashley Mikkelsen walks listeners through creating an effective syllabus for the world language classroom. She shares practical advice on communicating expectations, policies, grading, and classroom management, offering tips experienced and new teachers alike can implement for a smoother school year. Tune in for actionable ideas to help set clear boundaries and foster student success from day one.
Join host Peya Robbins for a dynamic conversation with Ashley Mikkelsen as they dive into practical strategies for effective syllabus design, setting classroom policies, and fostering a supportive environment for language learners. Discover actionable tips on managing retakes, clarifying technology use, and making 90% target language instruction approachable for both students and families. Perfect for new and experienced teachers alike, this episode is packed with resources and real-world advice to kickstart your school year.
Discover three practical tools to boost student understanding in your classroom with Rebecca Perantoni, an experienced educator passionate about creative and hands-on learning. In this episode, Rebecca shares her approach to using Frayer Models, Knowledge Organizers, and Smash Doodles, along with helpful tips and resources to make lessons more memorable and engaging. Ideal for teachers looking for innovative techniques that effectively integrate technology and design thinking into language and social studies education.
Join Christine Webb, an experienced language educator, as she shares practical strategies to help teachers "lighten their load" from day one. Discover reflection exercises, actionable steps for classroom setup, and routines that foster community, all aimed at making the school year smoother and more effective for both teachers and students. This session is packed with actionable tips for organizing, engaging, and caring for yourself throughout the academic year.
Discover practical strategies for harnessing the power of lesson planning when integrating educational games in the language classroom. Deda Papalexiou shares hands-on tips, real classroom examples, and advice on setting objectives, managing classroom dynamics, and making games purposeful for language learning. Perfect for teachers aiming to enhance engagement and outcomes with game-based learning.
Discover practical, easy-to-implement starter and finisher activities for the world language classroom with veteran Latin teacher Dana Miller. Drawing from over 30 years of experience, Dana shares a variety of strategies—from "Black Box" guessing games to vocabulary challenges and engaging story-based wrap-ups—that can be adapted for any teaching style or classroom setting. Whether you’re new to comprehensible input (CI) or seeking fresh ideas, this session will equip you with tools to boost student engagement and language comprehension.
Discover five zero-prep Spanish sponge activities that work for any level or topic, designed to fill unexpected extra class time or substitute ineffective lesson plans. Jessica Hall shares practical, engaging ideas—like foldables, categories, whiteboard games, charades, and Pictionary—that require minimal materials and keep students actively learning. Perfect for Spanish teachers looking to add flexible, fun, and effective time-fillers to their toolkit.
In this session led by Jamie Rodriguez, an experienced Spanish teacher, you'll explore practical strategies to boost students' interpersonal speaking skills in the world language classroom. Discover the difference between performance and proficiency tasks, learn techniques to ease student anxiety around speaking, and leave with ready-to-use guided conversation activities that you can implement as soon as the school year begins. Perfect for teachers seeking engaging, low-prep activities to build student confidence and real-world language proficiency.
Join Claudia Elliot for "Let's Play In All The Modes," a session packed with engaging, low-prep games designed to boost student participation and language proficiency in your world language classroom. Discover eight no-tech game ideas that foster both input and output, build classroom community, and make learning fun—perfect for kicking off the school year with energy and creativity. Walk away with practical strategies and at least one game you’ll be excited to try with your students right away!
Explore a variety of simple, flexible, and low-prep analog activities designed to engage world language students in meaningful learning—without relying solely on screens. In this session, German teacher and 2021 ACTFL World Language Teacher of the Year finalist Eric Richards shares practical strategies that foster creativity, boost comprehension, and make classroom learning fun through drawing, storytelling, and hands-on games. Perfect for teachers looking to balance digital and non-digital approaches while keeping student participation high.
In this session, Eric Richards shares strategies for integrating engaging, low-prep analog activities—like drawing exercises—into today’s tech-heavy language classrooms. Learn how these hands-on techniques not only boost student confidence and community, but also help learners of all artistic abilities enjoy and succeed in acquiring a new language. Perfect for teachers looking for practical ways to balance digital tools with tried-and-true methods.
Discover engaging, low-tech strategies for teaching Generation Alpha in this insightful session with Maureen Lamb. Explore practical classroom activities that get digital-native students off their screens and excited about language learning through interactive, gamified methods. Perfect for educators seeking hands-on ideas to build authentic connections and boost participation without relying on technology.
Discover how to transform your language lesson planning with AI in this session led by Alasdair Harris, founder of Lingoteach AI. Learn step-by-step how to create a fully interactive 60-minute lesson in just 90 seconds, dramatically reducing prep time and boosting student engagement. Ideal for language teachers looking to reclaim their time, personalize materials, and energize their classrooms with innovative activities.
9 Lessons
Join Pamela Parks, also known as Madame Sensei, as she dives into the essential differences between formative and summative assessments in language education. Learn practical strategies for checking student understanding on the fly, creative examples of both assessment types, and why formative assessment is crucial for informing your teaching—not just grading students. Perfect for educators looking to refresh their approach and foster real growth in their classrooms!
Join Pamela Parks for a practical and inspiring conversation on formative and summative assessment strategies across multiple subjects. Discover actionable tips for making assessments more engaging—whether through games, creative projects, or instant feedback—plus insights on navigating limited resources and building supportive teacher communities. This session is packed with real classroom examples to help you empower your students and enjoy the teaching process.
In this inspiring session from the World Language Teachers Summit, Sohelie Zafar explores practical strategies for elevating the importance of language learning in schools dominated by STEM priorities. Drawing on her years of experience in language education, she offers actionable ideas to engage staff, students, and parents, ultimately guiding language teachers on how to not just survive, but thrive in a STEM-focused world.
Discover four powerful comprehensible input (CI) tools to transform your language classroom with Carolina Gómez, an experienced elementary Spanish teacher. In this session, you'll learn about circling, personalized questions and answers (PQA), picture talk, and story asking—plus how to combine them for engaging, student-centered lessons. Get practical tips, real-classroom examples, and inspiration to boost motivation and language acquisition!
Explore multilingualism in young learners’ classrooms with Maude Vuille as she shares insights from her 20 years of experience teaching children ages 4–10 in Geneva, Switzerland. Learn about learner profiles, language dominance, and practical strategies like bilingual resources and flashcards to foster language development and classroom belonging. Perfect for any educator looking to differentiate and support multilingual or monolingual students alike.
Join Peya Robbins and Maude Vuille in this engaging session as they discuss practical ways to support multilingual students in language learning. Discover how embracing mistakes, using games and flashcards, and fostering clarity can create an inclusive, motivating classroom environment for learners at all fluency levels. Peya shares real classroom stories and tips for helping both teachers and students navigate the ups and downs of language acquisition.
Join Jade Greene as she shares practical techniques for using comprehensible input (CI) to support novice language learners. Discover how to create engaging, confidence-building lessons through high-frequency vocabulary, visuals, routines, and low-stress assessments. Perfect for teachers looking to make language learning both accessible and fun for beginners.
In her engaging session, Kathryn Kosmider empowers language teachers to confidently introduce new strategies by starting small. She emphasizes practical approaches like classroom jobs for student accountability, anchor phrases and gestures for increased language use, and movement activities such as gallery walks to boost engagement and reduce stress. Kathryn highlights the power of small, consistent routines to foster a dynamic, supportive classroom environment where both teachers and students thrive.
In her presentation, Anna Geiger discusses the important aspects of dyslexia that every teacher should know. She clarifies common misconceptions about dyslexia, emphasizing that it is a disability, not just a learning difference or a gift. Geiger highlights the signs of dyslexia across different grade levels and stresses the importance of early screening and effective intervention. She reassures educators that while teaching students with dyslexia can be challenging, it is entirely possible with the right strategies and support.
In his engaging presentation, Christopher Dabb explores the intersection of design thinking and language teaching, emphasizing the importance of using technology effectively in the classroom. He shares practical tools and techniques, particularly focusing on Canva, to help language educators create visually appealing and organized resources that enhance student engagement. Christopher highlights how design thinking can simplify lesson planning and improve student collaboration, making it easier for teachers to track progress and adapt their teaching methods. He encourages educators to embrace new technologies not just for the sake of trends, but to make a meaningful impact on student learning. By sharing his own classroom experiences and providing actionable templates, Christopher empowers teachers to rethink their instructional strategies, ultimately fostering a more dynamic and supportive learning environment for their students.
Discover “Language in Action,” Stuart Blair’s innovative and inclusive pedagogy that transforms language classrooms through sequential art, drama, improvisation, and language meditation. This session offers practical, adaptable strategies for all teaching levels, designed to engage the mind, body, and voice—making language learning dynamic, meaningful, and accessible. Join Stuart as he shares fresh ideas and hands-on activities to inspire your curriculum and spark creativity among your learners.
Discover how to foster meaningful connections with your students from day one using personalized questions, answers, and the innovative strategy of hexagonal thinking. In this session, Bertha Delgadillo shares practical classroom tools and scaffolding techniques that empower learners to interact confidently in the target language, boosting engagement and community-building from the very start of the school year. Perfect for world language teachers looking for creative, student-centered strategies that can be adapted throughout the year.
Discover practical strategies for using and creating videos in your language classroom with Kristin Montgomery and Celso Gil. This session covers tips for finding engaging social media content, student video project ideas, platforms like EdPuzzle and Formative, insights on starting an educational YouTube channel, and exploring AI tools for video and audio creation. Perfect for teachers seeking fresh, authentic ways to boost student participation and cultural learning.
In her engaging session, Lisa Bartels explores innovative ways to integrate social media into language learning for novice and intermediate students. She emphasizes the importance of using platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram to enhance reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. Lisa shares practical activities, such as analyzing memes, creating listicles, and using online quizzes, that make learning relevant and fun. She highlights the benefits of social media in fostering cultural connections and promoting student engagement. By providing curated resources and strategies to navigate potential challenges, such as off-task behavior and blocked sites, Lisa empowers teachers to harness the power of social media effectively. Her insights encourage educators to adapt their teaching methods, making language learning more accessible and enjoyable for students. Ultimately, Lisa's session inspires teachers to embrace social media as a valuable tool in their classrooms, bridging the gap between students' interests and language proficiency.
In her session, Fanest Coronado explores how AI can support, not replace, great language teaching. She shares practical tools like ChatGPT and Grammarly that save time and create personalized learning opportunities—especially for students who need extra support. Drawing on research from MIT, she encourages teachers to use AI after students think independently, helping them build originality and ownership. Fanest reminds us that while AI can assist with planning and engagement, it can’t replace the human connection, empathy, and mentorship teachers bring to the classroom.
5 Lessons
To encourage more communication and engagement in the classroom, Megan shares several ways teachers can spark curiosity in their students. Modeling good questions, intriguing resources, and visually appealing handouts, this presentation offers examples with art, music, and housing that motivates students to dig deeper and talk longer.
In this presentation, veteran teacher Lynn Ramsson offers a definition of mindfulness while explaining the benefits of incorporating notions of mindfulness into teaching and learning world languages. She suggests specific strategies that can make a world language classroom more mindful while pointing out CI methods that are particularly compatible with mindfulness. From this presentation, teachers will gain: An understanding of mindfulness An appreciation for the benefits of mindful teaching and learning for both students and teachers Insight into the potential connections between mindfulness and various activities that involve CI General mindful teaching strategies that can be easily and quickly implemented
Nissa challenges teachers to rethink their first day with students to avoid jumping into the rules in English. Start with some community-building communicative activities like card talk or kid grid.
Kimberly Clela Davis and Tiffany Dalton López share their experiences of encouraging student reflection in the classroom to build a community with their students. They emphasize the fact that reflection is a skill that needs to be taught and the importance of scaffolding the process in order to maximize its potential. They also suggest a practical strategy, together with concrete examples, for implementing this approach in the classroom. From this presentation, teachers will gain: ● A deeper insight into the benefits of encouraging student reflection. ● A clearer understanding of the importance of scaffolding this process in order to maximize its potential. ● A practical strategy, including concrete examples, to help implement this approach in the classroom.
Tanya’s presentation talks about the challenges and limitations a WL teacher faces at school and in the community. She suggests ways to overcome these and encourage more people from the community to support WL education. She elaborates on how teachers have the power to control their curriculum, instruction, and assessment & outcomes, and how to advocate their programs to the community.
3 Lessons
A go-to resource for world language teachers looking to kick off and wrap up class with intention and impact. This guide is packed with creative starter and finisher ideas—from “Black Box” guessing games to vocabulary-based bingo and student-led routines—that help build community, reinforce comprehension, and keep students thinking in the target language from bell to bell. Includes a sample lesson plan and easy-to-adapt templates for immediate classroom use.
A clear and practical guide for teachers looking to rethink how they measure student progress. This framework offers strategies for quick, meaningful formative checks and creative summative alternatives—from metacognitive prompts and student drawings to game-based and project assessments—so you can tailor instruction in real time and see deeper learning take root.
A go-to resource for making language learning fun and relevant using the power of social media. Learn how to integrate memes, listicles, and short-form videos like TikTok into your lessons to engage novice and intermediate learners, build real-world proficiency, and strengthen cultural connections—all with templates, tips, and low-prep ideas you can use right away.
30 Lessons