World Languages

Cara Heminger Department Chair, World Languages, French Teacher Lincoln North Star High School caraheminger@gmail.com What was your motivation to become a language teacher? My teachers in junior high and high school, Madame Peggy Ruch and Madame Susan Liden in Willmar, MN, were so enthusiastic about teaching us French that I fell in love with the language and culture the first time I sat in their classes. I took a European tour with them as a junior, then backpacked through Europe after college. I became an Assistante d'Anglais in Paris and then got my MA in French Literature. After, I knew...Read More ›

The 2019 World Language Standards have been in place less than a week but there are many excited to know more about the document and the process. Below are some of the questions that have been asked regarding the new Nebraska World Language Standards. Got a question? Email stephanie.call@nebraska.gov. What do the standards tell teachers to teach? The Nebraska World Language Standards do not determine vocabulary, grammar, cultural content, or other static concepts. Instead, the standards focus on what students do with the language. These are proficiency-based standards, meaning students will demonstrate the knowledge and skills they learn in the...Read More ›

The “Wanderbus” is coming to Bellevue West on September 20 from 10-12 for the Deutschlandjahr. The Wanderbus travels the United States, meeting people in their hometowns to share about their German heritage, about Germany, and about US German connections. The program is sponsored by the Goethe Institute in Washington, D.C. Spots are still available. Contact Amanda Messerschmitt at Amanda.messerschmitt@bpsne.net if interested in bringing your students. See more about the bus at the Goethe Institute USA Wanderbus page.

(Submitted by Pat Branson, Nebraska Association of Teachers of German) Guten Tag! Grüß Gott! Welcome to a new school year! The NATG board would love to challenge all German teachers to become a member of AATG/NATG this year. Remember—to be an NATG member, all you have to do is join AATG. We know some of you feel your PLC in your district is enough, but we encourage you to join us and participate in our activities this year! We’d love to see some new faces and have you share your great ideas with us! Seeking Officers and Educator of the...Read More ›

(Submitted by Marissa Coulehan, NNELL Executive Secretary and FLES Spanish Teacher) Welcome to the 2019-2020 school year! Check out what NNELL (National Network for Early Language Learning) has been up to at www.nnell.org. We also invite you to join our #EarlyLang chat on Twitter, which is held every second and fourth Wednesday, 8:00-9:00 p.m. EST. You are invited to join NNELL. An individual membership is only $30! Your membership dollars help early language programs and teachers in so many ways: • helping us produce our beautiful journal, Learning Languages • helping us provide webinars - free for all members •...Read More ›