Spring 2012 State ConferenceThe 2012 state conference will be held at The Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs, AR on April 19-20, 2012. The theme this year is "Language Educators Collaborate". The keynote speaker, the Spanish immersion workshop, the technology workshop and the AATG immersion workshops have been announced. Please look for more information below.
If you are interested in becoming a presenter please fill out this form. Deadline is February 15th. Click here for the conference registration document. Are you an exhibitor? Click here for the registration form.
Check back soon for more information. |
State Spring Conference Keynote Speaker Announced! Keith
Cothrun is executive director of the American Association of Teachers
of German (AATG). He served previously as director of World Languages
and Cultures for the College Board’s Advanced Placement Program with
responsibilities for AP Chinese Language and Culture, AP German Language
and Culture, AP Japanese Language and Culture, and AP Italian Language
and Culture. Prior to his position at the College Board, he taught
German for over 20 years at Las Cruces High School in Las Cruces, NM. A
past-president of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign
Languages (ACTFL) and the American Association of Teachers of German
(AATG), Cothrun is a former member of the board of directors of the
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, chaired the NBPTS
World Languages Other Than English Committee, and
served on the K-12 Standards for Foreign Language Task Force and the
INTASC Foreign Languages Standards Committee.
|
AATG Immersion Workshops Announced
I. German Immersion workshopThursday, April 19, 1-4 pm Arlington Hotel, Hot Springs Presenter Roma Schultz, Goethe Institut, Chicago.
1. Goethe - Up Close and Personal
The
lives of certain people touch our hearts. How can we integrate
biographies in such a way that students use their emotional reactions to
identify their own ideals and idols? How can this motivate them to
actively learn a language? This session will give some ideas and answers
by using Johann Wolfgang von Goethe as an example; however, all
exercises can be transferred to other "larger than life" personalities
as well.
2. Schreiben - This session will
provide strategies and exercises how to motivate students to write in
German. Teachers attending the workshop might also brush up some German
spelling rules and will get a collection of text examples that go well
with key issues that they deal with when teaching how to write in German
|
Spanish Immersion Workshop DescriptionThis 3 hour session is a fun and motivation experience designed to develop Spanish communication skills (listening, reading, writing & speaking) as well as train Spanish teachers in student interaction, literacy strategies and assessment options. Participants will collaboratively evaluate instructional and assessment strategies for use in their own classrooms, including adaptable scavenger hunt and multi-level "survivor" games. All instructions and activities will be presented in Spanish. Presenters:
Kristen Novotny - Springdale High School Ellen Rainey - HarBer High School
|
Technology Workshop Description: "Google Apps from the Beginning"Participants will work in collaborative groups to learn the basics of google apps. By learning, collaborating and teaching teachers will acquire the knowledge necessary to make these tools relevant to their classroom. We will also share examples of ways you can apply this fantastic resource in your classroom.
Presenters: Stephen Fryar and Paola Holden
|
French Immersion Session Description: "Virtual Residence Language™"
Sue Fenton, “Madame Fifi” herself, will be the French
session presenter for the pre-conference
workshop from 1--4 p.m. She will do a 50 minute workshop on Friday. "Virtual Residence Language™" is a context-based method of teaching world languages which may be used with any textbook. The priority is to get students saying and applying all textbook material in real world contexts, immersing them in culture at the same time. The VRL method and set-up are presented in depth in the book "Move Your Students to a World City" by Sue Fenton. If you can't actually move students to Paris, Rome, Berlin, Madrid, Tokyo, etc,. then the next best thing is to simulate 'living' there. Students 'move' into their own apartments in a world city for the year to learn the language 'on location.' The internet, projector and screen (SMARTBoard), and some imagination transport a class there. There are countless real places where students can speak. Every student is engaged, creating and has his or her 'virtual residence'."
|
You can also attend one of the regional and/or national conferences held throughout the year. In fact, you can even get money from AFLTA to help you get there! Simply download and fill out the scholarship form to be entered to win a $500 travel scholarship!
|
|
|
