World Languages Professional Development Webinars - Winter 2015
Empowering the 95%: What Learners Should Take Away from Their Beginning Language Studies
When: Thursday, February 26, 3:00-4:00 pm EST
Presenter: Grant Goodall, University of California, San Diego; Darcy Lear, University of Chicago
Some beginning language students go on to take advanced classes, but most will not. How can instructors make class useful, relevant, and inspiring for everyone, even those who don't intend to ever speak the language again? Grant Goodall, University of California - San Diego, and Darcy Lear, University of Chicago, will show participants how to design a course where students learn not only the language, but also valuable skills that will serve them in their other classes and in their professional lives beyond graduation.
The Acquisition of Grammar and How Instruction Can Help (Really!)
When: Tuesday, March 3, 3:00-4:00 pm EST
Presenter: Janice Aski, The Ohio State University; Diane Musumeci, Emerita, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Understanding how grammatical competence is acquired can explain why teaching a structure doesn’t equate to learning a structure, but it does little to reduce frustration on the part of both teachers and learners unless it also informs instructional practices. In this webinar, hosts Janice Aski, The Ohio State University, and Diane Musumeci, Emerita - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, will present some basic principles of language learning (making form-meaning connections, seeing patterns and formulating rules, and testing and refining hypotheses) and provide examples of instructional materials designed to support those principles. Instructional examples will be provided in Spanish, French, and Italian.
Second Culture Acquisition? Treating Cultural Knowledge Like Linguistic Knowledge in the Classroom
When: Wednesday, March 11, 3:00-4:00 pm EST
Presenter: Bruce Anderson, The Johns Hopkins University; Annabelle Dolidon, Portland State University
If second language acquisition is the development of form, meaning building connections in a second language, hosts Bruce Anderson, The Johns Hopkins University, and Annabelle Dolidon, Portland State University, will articulate how the same can be said about acquiring a second culture. Through contextualization and meaningful interaction, students develop connections between the meaning of concepts such as ‘family’, ‘free time’, ‘the home’ and ‘beauty’ and the forms those concepts take in the target cultures. Taking this a step further, presenters will demonstrate how to expand cultural form-meaning connections in presentation, practice, skill-building activities, and review in the beginning French classroom.
Active Learning: How to Engage Students and Improve Language Learning
When: Wednesday, March 25, 3:00-4:00 pm EST
Presenter: Grant Goodall, University of California, San Diego
Grant Goodall of the University of California, San Diego, will lead participants through an overview of active learning and demonstrate how to promote this in the language classroom. With examples from the teaching of vocabulary and grammar, he will show what makes for an activity that truly engages students' imagination, makes them active participants in learning, and improves outcomes.
Inspiration for Integrating Culture in Hybrid and Online Courses
When: RESCHEDULED to Tuesday, April 7, 2:00-3:00 pm EST
Presenter: Annie Rutter Wendel, University of Georgia
In hybrid and online courses with reduced or no contact hours, findingtime to cover culture can be challenging. Instructors have to get creative and find ways to integrate this material with grammar andvocabulary, cover outside of class using digital tools, and have students work on culture independently. Several techniques will be discussed that will provide ideas for introducing culture when class time is limited or nonexistent. Hosted by Annie Rutter Wendel of the University of Georgia, this is a presentation not to miss!
