WAFLT 2018 Sessions for CI Teachers
Here is a listing of all CI-focused, CI-friendly, or otherwise awesome (but not CI) presenters that I personally recommend at the 2018 WAFLT Annual Convention. Take this advice (like everything I say) with your own grain of salt, and as with everything, your mileage may vary!
Not being on this list is not a criticism…there are a couple of sessions I’m planning to attend that are not here. This is my list of recommendations for CI-focused teachers looking to work on their CI-related teaching.
Friday Morning Workshops (8:30-11:30am, extra fee to attend)
FW-1: Amazing Race & a Wild Goose Chase – Kelly Ferguson: using scavenger hunts in class. (Not specifically CI, but totally comprehension-based assessment spin.)
FW-2: Keeping Students Motivated – Edward Zarrow: So, I don’t know if promoting ownership of student learning is going to have a CI spin, but Dr. Zarrow was our ACTFL TOY a couple of years ago and I hear raves about him from many people I respect.
FW-4: Teach Students How to Interpret Authentic Texts – Julie Horvath, Becky Paulsen, Danielle Lavariega: Reading comprehension strategies? Could be good. I don’t know the presenters, so other opinions welcome!
FW-12: Bring Design Thinking into Your Classroom and Beyond – Haiyun Lu: Become an innovator and problem-solver. Haiyun is a TPRS/CI teacher from Milwaukee.
Friday Morning 10:15-11:15am
These are digital posters, none specifically related to TPRS/CI.
Friday Afternoon Session A (1:45-2:45pm)
A-1: Building Literacy in the Interpretive Mode – Laura Terrill: Interpretive reading!! Laura Terrill is a former ACTFL TOY and well-respected consultant.
A-2: Using Comprehensible Input Methodologies to support ACTFL Core Practices – Erin Nienas (AATSP-WI President) & Zoe Witzeling: We should all know the ACTFL Core Practices!!
A-3: Unlock the Door to AP Language & Culture – Janet Rowe: Janet is our WI TOY and CSCTFL TOY this year, and is pretty super. Not necessarily CI, but I like her so she’s on the list.
A-6: Viva la lengua loca – Jennifer Fleener, Andrea Hill, & Jennifer Schultz: This session is about telling stories, so while I’m not sure if these are TPRS-type storytellers, it seems relevant.
A-15: Awarding the Seal of Biliteracy – This is with a caveat…it’s presented by the exhibitors from Avant Assessment who run the STAMP Test. I’m not sure if they’re going to be selling the test or the Seal. But we CI folks have kids who achieve levels that would earn them the Seal, so it could be worth visiting.
Friday Afternoon Session B (3:15-4:15pm)
B-4: Igniting the Language Classroom with HOT Strategies – Carol Gaab: I’ve seen her present this topic before. 100% worth seeing.
B-8: Listen Up! Engaging Students in the Story Listening Experience – Marta Ruiz Yedinak: I also 100% endorse this one. So, just run between Marta and Carol, or form a team and divide and conquer.
Saturday Morning Tech Session T (7:45-9:15am)
If you’re looking just for CI, sleep in a bit. These sessions may be AMAZING so please do attend, but not CI-focused.
Saturday Morning Session C (8:00-9:00am)
C-1: Reading Activities Sure to Inspire a “LIKE” – Carol Gaab
C-8: National Board Certification in World Languages – Meg Graham, Janet Rowe, Kelly Ferguson: Yeah, you should look into this. (But if you want to see another session, catch me later!)
C-10: Spice up Mindfulness with 90% TL – Haiyun Lu
Saturday Morning Session D (9:30-10:30am)
D-2: Got Game 2 – Jody Zieman & Pam Lange-Murillo: Games and materials created for use with current, popular novels.
D-14: Advance: A New, Alternate PD Tool to Achieve ACTFL Proficiency Certification – Avant Assessment is leading this, but training in proficiency rating along the ACTFL Scale is definitely relevant!
Saturday Afternoon Session E (1:30-2:30pm)
E-2: Engaging the Whole Body: Kinesthetic Games in the Novice Classroom- Alison Dupee & Gretchen Miller: Games for novices are somewhat likely to be comprehension-based.
E-3: Novice Novelty: Keeping it Comprehensible and Engaging in Lower Levels – Several teachers from Chippewa Falls: The session description includes CI, among other things. So, will this be true CI-based stuff? I don’t know. Anyone out there know these folks?
E-4: Implementation of a 21st Century Oral Proficiency-Based World Language Program – Holly Morse & Jean Plum: Develop a program that focuses on proficiency and how to measure it. (May not be CI, but the topic still seems relevant).
E-6: Invisibles: Creating Stories with Your Students for Low Prep and High Engagement – Zoe Witzeling, Chris Jentz, Kate Hurst, Susana Gorski: Use Tina & Ben’s technique to create characters and stories.
E-9: Teaching the War in El Salvador – Linda Schumacher: Okay, this is a Spanish teacher kind of thing, but for those of us who teach Vida y muerte en la Mara Salvatrucha, this is quite relevant.
Saturday Afternoon Tech Sessions (1:30-3:00pm) (Extra fee to attend)
T-3: Natalie Glaze, Jodi Stokdyk, Katherine Conor: Tech that helps students interact with comprehensible input and output.
Saturday Afternoon Session F (2:45-3:45pm)
F-2: Creating Comprehensible Cultural Input – Kelly Ferguson: This session, which has been shared at multiple conferences, gives examples to help even novice students notice cultural products, practices, and perspectives. (Presentation co-developed with Mira Canion, but presented just by me at WAFLT)