An Irish Christmas
Scottsbluff
December 17
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A Very Merry Christmas Concert Feat. Mariachi Herencia de México
Omaha
December 20
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Early-bird registration rate for Central States ends
December 31
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Modern Language Association 2020 Convention
Seattle
January 9-12
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Les Misérables
Omaha
January 14
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Quest! Navigating the World Traveling Exhibit
Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum
January 18
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Nebraska Snow Sculpting Competition
Elkhorn
February 7
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Midwest Association for Language Learning Technology Conference
Online
February 8
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Shen Yun 2020
Omaha
February 25
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Peking Acrobats
Scottsbluff
February 11

The  Education Office of the Embassy of Spain has announced the application process for  English Language and Culture Assistants in Spain. The Cultural Assistant program brings native speakers of English to travel to and live in Spain for an academic year in order to teach at Spanish schools.  Awardees will receive a monthly stipend, medical insurance, and an orientation course. Participants will be responsible for travel costs and room and board. Applicants should apply between January 30 and April 15, 2020 for the 2020-2021 school year.

The application period for the 2020-2021 Teachers of Critical Languages Program (TCLP) has opened. TCLP brings fully-funded Egyptian, Moroccan or Chinese teachers to K-12 schools across the U.S. to share world culture and language. Increase your student’s access to critical foreign languages and apply today!

TCLP is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State and seeks to strengthen foreign language instruction at U.S. schools. TCLP teachers have completed approximately 14,200 out-reach hours to promote host school critical language programs and bring global experiences to local communities. Want to learn more?  Go to http://tclprogram.org/

The application deadline for TCLP U.S. Host Schools is January 27, 2020.

The following teaching positions have been posted on the Teach in Nebraska website.

• French Teacher 9-12: Mount Michael Benedictine School (9-12), Elkhorn
• German Teacher 9-12: Papillion La Vista High School, Papillion La Vista Community Schools, Papillion
• Spanish Teacher 7-12: Maxwell Public Schools, Maxwell
• Spanish Teacher 9-12: East Butler High School, East Butler Public Schools, Brainard
• Spanish Teacher 9-12: Falls City High School, Falls City Public Schools, Falls City
• Spanish Teacher 9-12: Papillion La Vista High School, Papillion La Vista Community Schools, Papillion
• Spanish Teacher 9-12: Scottsbluff High School, Scottsbluff Public Schools, Scottsbluff
• World Language Teacher: Lourdes Central Catholic School (9-12), Nebraska City

The 2020 China Bridge Summer Camp for Nebraska high school students will be July 7 to July 21, 2019. Selected students must be 14 to 18 years old, have taken at least one Chinese language class, and have parental permission. Students will travel to Beijing and Xi’an.

Xi’an Jiaotong University will award expenses for accommodations, travel, meals, and activities while in China. Students are responsible for passport and visa expenses, airfare, travel insurance, and incidentals. The Confucius Institute also offers a competitive scholarship to defray these costs. Registration for students ends February 16, 2020.

More information can be found at  www.confuciusinstitute.unl.edu/chinesebridge or e-mail confuciusinstitute@unl.edu.

The Department of Foreign Languages & Literatures and MALT Program at UNO announce the 14th MALT Annual Colloquium on Language Teaching, to take place Saturday February 8, 2020 from 9:00-3:00 PM at Mammel Hall (UNO Scott campus).

This year’s event includes a Keynote Address by Dr. Catherine Compton-Lilly from the University of South Carolina on “Transnational Awareness and Cosmopolitanism: Funds of Knowledge Brought by Children in Immigrant Families”, presentations and poster sessions and a Round Table & Open Discussion on “Social Equity in Language Learning”. Find more information on the colloquium, by contacting:

• Marie Lee at mglee@unomaha.edu
• Dr. Claudia Garcia at csgarcia@unomaha.edu

Jamie Honke, Ralston Public Schools, First-time Attendee

Jamie Honke and Michael Peto, a national presenter on Comprehension-based Communicative Language Teaching (CCLT).

What was the highlight of the experience?
I was absolutely thrilled to be part of the Comprehension-based Communicative Language Teaching (CCLT) Special Interest Group and learn so many strategies that span across levels and languages. I was surrounded by a wealth of resources and educators for Heritage Language Learners, an area that can be difficult to resources without this tremendous networking opportunity.

I met Michael Peto, a specialist in CCLT who also works with teachers to develop programming for Spanish for Heritage Speakers. Peto compiled and edited “Practical Advice for Teachers of Heritage Learners of Spanish: Essays by Classroom Teachers, 2nd Ed.”. I authored one of the essays in the book. Peto has been instrumental in my development of a CCLT classroom and the development of programming of Spanish for Spanish Speakers in my school district.

What would you advise others considering attending an ACTFL Convention?
I would absolutely advise others to attend ACTFL, especially if you need support in special interest groups that you might not have currently have resources to support. ACTFL brings together a whole nation full of resources and helpful educators that want to progressively move the needle to benefit our language learners.

Kelleen Browning, Lincoln Southeast High School

Schnappi, the crocodile, was chosen by Browning’s students as a class representative to accompany her. Schnappi is pictured meeting Hannah Bär of AATG.

What was the highlight of the experience?
Meeting and collaborating with other teachers of German

What would you advise others considering attending an ACTFL convention?
This was my second ACTFL convention. Read the program before attending. Pick a particular thing you want to see above the others, and see if there are enough different sessions about it. If there are only one to two sessions you want to see, and you are questioning whether you should attend, email the lead presenters. If there are more than two sessions, it is worth it to go. Bring snacks and a water bottle!

Kelly Garcia, ESU 5

The artistry station at ACTFL is evidence of collaborative art therapy to help teachers relax.

What was the highlight of the experience?
Connecting with online friends in person

What would you advise others considering attending an ACTFL convention?
This was my fourth ACTFL convention. Plan what sessions you will attend. Go early and wear comfortable shoes. Take time to process and reflect.

ACTFL accepts proposals from members and non-members on any topic related to world language teaching and learning. There are multiple presentation formats, including sessions, papers, roundtables, and electronic posters. There is a limit of one submission as lead presenter and an additional submission as a co-presenter.

For more information, visit actfl.org. Submissions are due through the electronic process no later than January 10, 2020 at 11:59 pm.

Jo Ann Fuess, Dr. Sara Jane Miles , and Annabelle Lei Liu watch as the ACTFL Opening Ceremony begins.

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language (ACTFL) annual convention met in Washington D.C., November 22-24, 2019. Thousands of educators convened for professional development and support on hundreds of topics. Nebraska was well represented by the Cornhusker Contingent of over fifteen educators from around Nebraska. Wendy Brennan (Millard), Tammy Cunningham (Lincoln), Kelly Garcia and Nick Ziegler (ESU 5) presented sessions. While working at the CI Posse Booth, Jamie Honke (Ralston) and Tiffany Dalton López (Waverly) shared their publications. Dalton collaborated with Kimberly Clela Davis to write “Roadmap to Reflection: A guide to Student Reflection in the World Language Classroom”.  Honke authored a chapter “How My Heritage Learners and I Found Our Own Path Together” in a manual edited by Mike Peto. For all attendees, the convention proved to be full of learning experiences, opportunities to network, and quality resources for world language programming. The Contingent is organized prior to the conference through the World Language Program at NDE. By subscribing to the Contingent, conference attendees can find and network with fellow Huskers in order to share travel costs, experiences, and ideas. If you would like to participate in the Cornhusker Contingent for the Central States Conference this spring, please visit the online registration form.

Are you attending Central States? A “community organizer” is requested for the Central States Conference held in Minneapolis, Minnesota March 12-14, 2020. The organizer would facilitate get-togethers and communication while in Minneapolis and provide a brief report for the World Language Review. All you need is knowledge of Google Suite products and a willingness to be social. Please contact stephanie.call@nebraska.gov if you are attending CSCTFL and also if you would like to be an organizer.

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DACA Renewal Clinic
Empowering Families and Immigrant Legal Center
Scottsbluff
December 4
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Michale Londra’s Celtic Yuletide
World Theatre
Kearney
December 6
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Holiday Cultural Festival at the Durham Museum
Omaha
December 6
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Christmas in Germany
German-American Society
Omaha
December 8
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DACA Renewal Clinic
Multicultural Coalition
Grand Island
December 12
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An Irish Christmas
Midwest Theater
Scottsbluff
December 17
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Mariachi Herencia de México
Orpheum Theater
Omaha
December 20
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Les Misérables
Orpheum Theater
Omaha
January 14
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America to Zanzibar: Muslim Cultures Near and Far
Omaha Children’s Museum
Omaha
January 18-April 19
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An American in Paris
Lied Center
Lincoln
February 8-9

DEADLINE: All session proposals must be received by January 8, 2020.

14th Annual Colloquium on Language Teaching
Saturday February 8, 2020
9:00 AM-3:00 PM, Mammel Hall (UNO Scott Campus)

The MALT Annual Colloquium on Language Teaching seeks to create a community of local area language teachers & learners, promote interdisciplinary collaboration, and encourage research in the field of Language Education. The event is free and open to the public.

Event Schedule:

9:00-9:50: Meet & Greet and Poster Session
10:00-11:00: Keynote address by Dr. Catherine Compton-Lilly
11:15- 12:15: Morning Presentations
12:20-12:50: Light Refreshments and Social
1:00- 2:00: Afternoon Presentations
2:15 3:00: Round-Table & Open Discussion: “Social Equity in Language Learning”, with the participation of experienced teachers and stakeholders from our community

Who Can Submit Proposals:

Proposals from teachers at all levels of instruction and of all world languages and ESL/EFL are welcome; however, first priority will be given to proposals that are accessible to teachers of all languages and levels. We strongly encourage graduate students to participate by submitting a proposal.

Types of Proposals:

We invite proposals for either Presentations (Track A & Track B) or Poster Sessions. Find below a description of Presentations and Poster Sessions.

Proposals will address the following areas:

• Language teaching/learning strategies
• Language learning styles
• Pedagogical innovations in language teaching, assessment & evaluation
• Language & culture
• Teaching literature and/or civilization within the language class
• Language & technology
• Second/foreign language acquisition: connecting theory to practice,
• Literacy, applied linguistics, and sociolinguistics

Description of Presentations and Poster Sessions

• Presentations Track A: Pedagogical and interactive presentations. The specific goal of this track is to introduce pedagogical innovations and open the floor to conversations among fellow teachers.
• Presentations Track B: Research-oriented presentations to introduce or discuss new research and its application to the classroom. The specific goal of this track is to familiarize the audience with current research and theories, and their potential classroom use.
• Poster Sessions: digital or physical posters (48″ x 36″) accepted. The specific goal of this track is to share classroom-based research projects with a larger audience.

No lunch will be provided. Light refreshments only.

Submission Process:

DEADLINE: All proposals must be received by January 8, 2020.

Proposal submissions should indicate the selected track, and include a title, a 250-300 word abstract, and a 50-word summary for the conference program.

All abstracts will be submitted for blind review. Thus, the following submission guidelines should be closely followed:

• All submissions should include selected track, abstract, title, and 50-word summary.
• DO NOT include any identifying information in the abstract itself.
• Include your contact information (name, email, phone, school affiliation) in the body of your email only.
• Proposals must be submitted via email to melaniebloom@unomaha.edu.

Upon submission, you will receive an email confirmation indicating that your proposal was received.

14th Annual MALT COLLOQUIUM

The University of Nebraska Omaha’s Master of Arts in Language Teaching Program announces its annual Colloquium.

Keynote Speaker:
Dr. Catherine Compton-Lilly
John C. Hungerpiller Professor
at the University of South Carolina

“Transnational Awareness and
Cosmopolitanism: Funds of Knowledge Brought by Children in Immigrant Families”

Dr. Compton-Lilly has devoted long-term research to following and describing her experiences with students of immigrant families in the Midwest. Her work studies ways to structure schools to leverage students’ experiences and to build stronger networks of support for students and their families.

WHEN:
Saturday,
February 8, 2020

WHERE:
Mammel Hall
Scott Campus

MEET & GREET:
9:00am
Mammel Hall, Lobby

KEYNOTE ADDRESS:
10:00am
Mammel Hall, Rm 113

UNO SPONSORS:
Foreign Languages & Literature, English, ILUNO, OLLAS, Graduate Studies

FREE EVENT:
Open to the public

Good planning starts early. Please consider being involved in any of the following events.

World Language Week, April 5-11, 2020

Annual event celebrates world language learning in Nebraska. Distinguished Scholar awards submissions will begin in January and are open to all students at any level of world language learning who are earning high school credit.

Consider planning events in response to World Language Week and share them with NDEWL. Museums, community centers, and the business community are all potential partners to collaborate on a meaningful world language experience.

For more information about World Language Week, please visit NDE World Language at www.education.ne.gov/worldlanguage.

University of Omaha MALT Colloquium, February 8, 2020

The Masters of Art Language Teaching Program is accepting proposals for its annual colloquium.

Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, March 12-14, 2020

Central States is the regional division of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. With awards, grants, and scholarships available, seriously consider making the journey to Minneapolis this year. Attendees are also welcome to join the Central States Cornhusker Contingent, a group of like-minded Nebraskans who share their travel experience.

February in Nebraska—it’s evidently for the French! Language & Friendship, Inc., a Minnesota based non-profit agency, is again bringing French students to Nebraska in February. Bellevue East French Teacher Nora Boyd has hosted for three years. She shares, “It has been a great experience. I know that February in Nebraska doesn’t seem like the best time to come visit, but the students were pretty delighted with all the snow. In fact, February seems to be a little easier for some host families because there aren’t a ton of activities going on then.

The organization is currently seeking placements for the visitors. Students are aged 14-16 years old and will stay from February 8 – February 28, 2020. The group is from Lycée Marie Pilain Carpentras, a school near Lyon. The students are part of a special program that concentrates on English. Language and cultural immersion is the goal.

While in the United States, students will attend school with their hosts. The Nebraska school would have to provide permission for the student to visit. There are no group activities during the stay. Host families provide the visiting student with his/her own bed, but it can be in a bedroom that is shared with a host sibling of the same gender and similar age. Host families also provide meals. Students come with other spending money and an open mind.

Nora Boyd comments, “It’s pretty low stress on the teachers, outside of doing the home visit and calling references for the family placement. During the actual stay, the students have all generally been pretty self-sufficient and enjoyed hanging out with their host families and attending school.”

If you are interested in participating as a site host or a family placement, visit the Language & Friendship website or contact Nora Boyd at nora.boyd@bpsne.net.