This spring, we covered a range of engaging topics aimed at enhancing language programs and providing valuable resources for our faculty. The webinars offered new insights and practical strategies that will significantly influence teaching practices and language programs.
The six webinars we hosted were:
Engage Students with Experiencias: Incorporating Social Justice through Underrepresented Voices and Cultural Experiences
We learned how to engage students with Experiencias and how to incorporate underrepresented voices and cultural experiences. Diane and Greg identified a theoretical framework for inclusion of underrepresented voices through diversification of curriculum, described strategies that scaffold student growth as language learners, and showcased learning activities that incorporate underrepresented voices and cultural experiences.
Presenters:
- Diane Ceo-DiFrancesco – Spanish Professor, Xavier University
- Greg Thompson – Spanish Professor, Brigham Young University
Moderator:
- Kate Grovergrys – Spanish Professor, Madison Area Technical College
Watch the webinar recording by clicking on this link.
Nurturing the Roots of Student Engagement with Inclusive Teaching Practices
We explored the potential of inclusive teaching practices to foster student engagement and success in the language classroom. This session provided a tool kit of strategies, resources, and learning activities that faculty can use to create supportive and engaging learning communities.
Presenter:
- Kate Grovergrys – Spanish Professor, Madison Area Technical College
Watch the webinar recording by clicking on this link.
AI as an Ally (Part 1): Elevating Our Teaching with AI
In this first session, we explored the intersection of AI and language teaching, identifying how AI tools can supplement and expand our pedagogical repertoire. We outlined strategies for leveraging AI to support and enhance language instruction and demonstrated how these technologies can be aligned with the human qualities that define our craft.
Presenters:
- Kate Grovergrys – Spanish Professor, Madison Area Technical College
- Lauren Rosen – Director, University of Wisconsin Collaborative Language Program
Watch the webinar recording by clicking on this link.
AI as an Ally (Part 2): Enhancing the Student Learning Experience
In the second session of our series, we dove into the power of AI to enhance and personalize the student learning experience. We showcased how AI tools can act as a bridge in language learning, providing tools and resources that adapt to the diverse needs of students. Our goal was to empower educators with strategies for implementing AI that not only meet diverse educational needs, but also foster a culture of inclusivity and engagement in language courses. Participants gained insights into how AI can be a personalized learning partner, transforming the educational landscape for language learners.
Presenters:
- Kate Grovergrys – Spanish Professor, Madison Area Technical College.
- Lauren Rosen – Director, University of Wisconsin Collaborative Language Program
Watch the webinar recording by clicking on this link.
Enhancing Language Learning with Real-World Content
We discovered the transformative power of News & Cultural Updates on the Supersite—a dynamic tool that enriches your teaching and the student learning experience with culturally immersive content. Attendees learned how to leverage the Supersite features to their full potential to ensure that students not only learn a new language, but also gain valuable cultural insights that will last beyond the classroom.
Presenters:
- Devon W. Hanahan – Spanish Teacher and Basic Spanish Language Program Coordinator, College of Charleston
- Stephanie Langston – Senior Lecturer of Spanish, Georgia State University Perimeter College
- Cris Sparks-Early – Assistant Professor of Spanish, Northern Virginia Community College
Moderator:
- Kate Grovergrys – Spanish Professor, Madison Area Technical College
Watch the webinar recording by clicking on this link.
Advocacy Panel – Focus on Success Stories and Tentacularity
This webinar focused on exploring strategies of “tentacularity” for language programs and departments. We learned how faculty members at South Dakota State University, finding themselves in a newly merged mega-unit called the School of American and Global Studies, took advantage of their unique position to promote the study of language across disciplines. Attendees also saw how faculty members at the University of South Carolina Upstate created the Centro Latino with three fundamental pillars—Latinx interdisciplinary studies, the public humanities, and translation and community interpreting—that contributed to the promotion of languages on campus and in the community beyond campus.
Presenters:
- Dennis Looney – Former Director, Modern Language Association
- Christi Garst-Santos – Director and Associate Professor of Spanish, South Dakota State University
- Araceli Hernández-Laroche – Professor of Modern Languages and Founding Director, South Carolina Centro Latino
Watch the webinar recording by clicking on this link.
