ACTFL 2018 – New Orleans

The biggest event in foreign language teaching is coming to the Big Easy! The ACTFL Annual Convention and World Languages Expo runs this Friday, November 16 – Sunday, November 18, in New Orleans. Language teachers from across the country will be coming together to network, discover new classroom approaches, and gain vital insight on the evolving world of foreign-language education.

Are you planning to attend? Stop by the ACIS Booth (#1214)  and enter for your chance to win a $200 Amazon gift card!

ACIS will be at the conference all weekend long. Come say hello and pick up unique lesson plans, including our new Spanish language web series Perdido en Madrid. Plus, you can enter your name in our drawing to win a $200 Amazon gift card.

There are going to be hundreds of programs throughout the weekend. The full program guide is available online, but here are a few sessions we are particularly excited about.

Friday, November 16

11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.  Room 217, MCCNO 036
Exploring Migration Issues in German Life, Literature, and Film PRESENTATIONS: Interculturality Through Authentic Experience – Preparing for Citizenship
Applicable Language: German
This presentation describes an approach for teaching cultural awareness using orientation materials designed to prepare migrants and refugees for integration into German society. The presenter adapts this to the foreign language classroom and provides curriculum supplements and interactive ideas that create opportunities for student dialogue.

1:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. Room 242, MCCNO 115
The Pathways to Global Leadership
All Languages

Global competencies and the leadership that promotes them are the gateways to future intercultural and cross-communicative interchanges between nations in education and the business community. This session explains and identifies the essential global competencies that leaders and professionals must include in their toolkits.

2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Room 238, MCCNO 164
Radio, TV, Soaps, Subtitles: Tech Projects Improving Student Oral Language
Applicable Language: French

Innovative French and Spanish tech communication projects based on radio, TV news, soaps, cinema, and other media to develop language proficiency, pronunciation, intonation, emotion, enthusiasm, and projection are shown, including the step-by-step process and final student projects. Tools include cell phones, PowerPoint, subtitling, and audio editing.

Saturday, November 17

8:00 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. Room 228, MCCNO 370
Global Competency: Where Are We Now?
All Languages

The report of the Commission on Language Learning stresses the role languages play in economic growth and employability. This session reviews current definitions of Global Competency (U.S. Department of Education, APEC, and others), presents recent surveys on what employers seek, and will discuss implications for curriculum and articulation.

9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Room R08, MCCNO 441
Escape Room: Using 21st Century Skills in the World Language Classroom
Applicable Language: Spanish

Create your own escape room. Use the units that you like and think about all the materials you have created. Then analyze that information to see if you can use it in your “escape room.” Finally, do the research needed to design the interior and exterior of the “escape room.”

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Exhibit Halls B-C, MCCNO EP2-10
I Studied Language – Now What? Pathways to Careers
All Languages

A university system-wide collaboration is building new initiatives to grow and revitalize language programs. Through a languages and careers profile project, global leadership credentialing and awards, and curricular redesign, the word is spreading that languages have a multi-disciplinary focus essential for workforce needs

2:30 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Room 214, MCCNO 565
Cultivating Intercultural Competence Through International Trips
All Languages

Join a high school teacher and a second language acquisition researcher as they discuss, examine, and explore how to carefully plan and implement travel abroad experiences for students that focus on intercultural competence and interdisciplinary studies. This session will be conducted using interactive conversations.

Sunday, November 18

10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Room 206, MCCNO 748
Turn Your Students into Global Citizens in Just 55 Minutes
All Languages

Many universities and districts have a growing number of English language learners, yet other world language students may have few interactions with them. Create collaborative and sustainable opportunities for authentic cultural learning institution-wide that will help students become culturally sensitive citizens.

11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Room R07, MCCNO 824
Brain Function and Language Acquisition
All Languages

Would you like to know more about how the brain processes language and focus classroom activities around this knowledge? This session will explore best practices to bring into the language classroom to heighten language acquisition based on brain development. A communicative lesson will be highlighted. Handouts in English will be provided.