The University of Nebraska Omaha Department of Foreign Languages & Literatures and Masters of Arts in Language Teaching Program invites world language educators from the region to attend the 2020 Colloquium on Language Teaching Saturday February 8 at Mammel Hall on the Scott Campus. The event is free. For more information, contact Marie Lee at mglee@unomaha.edu.

Nebraska will celebrate World Language Week 2020 April 5-11. World Language Week celebrates the teaching and learning of world languages in the state of Nebraska. Nebraska has a long heritage of multilingualism from Swedish Oakland to German from Russia in Lincoln and Czech in Wilbur. Twentieth century immigration enriched Nebraska with more languages such as Spanish, Karen, Arabic, Bosnian, and Vietnamese. Nebraska also relies on languages to promote enterprise and build global relationships. Nebraska has long known that language has the power to make one college, career, and civic ready. Teachers are encouraged to share out their plans for World Language Week on our Facebook event page. Community businesses and organizations wishing to offer events may also share activities for World Language Week. Resources are available at www.education.ne.gov/worldlanguage.

The Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy is a collaboration of the Nebraska International Language Association and the Nebraska Department of Education. The Seal is awarded to students who have demonstrated at least an Intermediate Mid proficiency in English and one other language through one of the established methods. Students can apply directly through an online process. The Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy is a recognition of a student’s multilingual abilities in postsecondary education and the workforce. Colleges and universities may consider the Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy in the college placement process. Employers may consider the Seal as superior evidence of a candidate’s abilities.

The World Language Distinguished Scholar Award recognizes Nebraska high school students for their leadership in language learning, commitment to language study, appreciation for cultural diversity, and communicative competence. The Distinguished Scholar Award encourages students to continue their path to proficiency through language study and is awarded to students at any level of language learning.

Public and private high schools in Nebraska may nominate one student per level, per language. The four levels are Level I/II, Level III/IV, Level V/AP/IB, Heritage/Native Speakers. Nominations must be made by a world language teacher or guidance counselor using the online form by 11:59 pm February 15, 2020.

Nominated students will receive a web link to an online registration and application form. Students will have from February 25, 2020 until March 8, 2020 to complete the registration and application.
Nominate students at the Nebraska Department of Education World Language website or https://forms.gle/HyoFDe1XAgK1qfUw6.

Alicia Dallman Shoemaker, Past President
Spanish Educator at Elkhorn Public Schools
President, Malaika Foundation
adallmanshoemaker@epsne.org

Alicia speaks…
French, Spanish, Japanese.

How do you maintain your proficiency in the language?
Practicing with friends and family in person or via technology is by far my preferred method of maintaining and enhancing proficiency levels. As often as possible, I also creatively seek opportunities and slices of time to practice the various modes.

If you were involved in the standards revision, please share what you feel is a strength within the new standards.
The fourth and fifth standards bring an entirely new dimension to the standards this year. However, I also feel that all standards were elevated to match increasing demands and opportunities for students.

What would you recommend to educators to build their pedagogy and practice?
Work to find time to build your network within NILA and other language-centered communities; we are together as one in our efforts to improve our skillsets and offerings.

Sutton Public Schools Spanish Teacher Dara Rodriguez recently connected her three groups of Spanish 2 and 3 via Skpe with the Department of Modern Langauges at the University of Nebraska Lincoln. Professor Kelly Kingsbury Brunetto, undergraduate students Rebeca Portales de Jacobson and Andrew Holzman, and assistant teachers Lara Armenteros Garrido and Ana Maria Tudela Martinez conversed with Sutton students about the importance of language learning in Nebraska and connections to career paths. Rodriguez initiated the conversation as a way of showing her Sutton students how language learning connects to college and career readiness.

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.