The first round of World Language Curriculum Alignment Labs, part of the World Languages Framework Implementation Series, begin the week of March 28th. Labs are online and 90-minutes in length; they are organized into groups of elementary, classical, and secondary modern world language educators. Multiple sessions, before and after school hours, are available. We recommend that those who participate in this first round of labs (Curriculum Lab 1) complete the World Languages Implementation Modules 1-3 (available on the World Languages Implementation webpage) prior to attending the lab. The Department invites all world language educators and school/district curriculum leaders who will be part of the school or district’s World Languages Curriculum Alignment Team to register for a Curriculum Alignment Lab and to bring a unit from their current curriculum that they wish to align to the new standards. All implementation information, including registration links for the labs and access to the free, online Modules 1-3 are available on the World Languages Framework Implementation webpage. Curriculum Alignment Labs 2-5 will be held during the final weeks of April, May and October of 2022 and January 2023, respectively – exact times TBD. Each lab will be 90 minutes, and PDPs are available at the end of the series. Contact Andy McDonie at d.andrew.mcdonie@mass.gov for more information.

World Languages Framework Implementation Series.

Implementation is Live!
The Office of Language Acquisition has launched the Implementation Series for the new Massachusetts World Languages Curriculum Framework. The first 3 modules introducing the framework our now available on our Implementation Webpage. We are pleased to invite you to complete these modules at your convenience or collaboratively in your world languages departments. Please visit the webpage to learn more about the Implementation Series, complete the modules, register for a Curriculum Alignment Lab, or download the Curriculum Alignment Guide.

Better Together
The World Languages Framework Implementation Series has been designed to be accessible to individual educators, but it is optimized for local, departmental collaboration. The entire series is designed to be implemented in fewer than 15 hours over the next 11 months. See our Message to School and District Leaders on the World Languages homepage for a more detailed schedule

The DESE’s World Language Webpage has been updated to provide information about resources and opportunities made available throug the implementation. Be sure to visit the World Languages Webpage to stay abreast of the resources and opportunities such as the implementation series.

Also new on the DESE World Languages Curriculum Gramework page are some outstanding At A Grance publications.  There is Guiding Principles, Standards for Practice, Linguistic Components and level Specific Content Standards.  Don’t miss out.  They are teacher friendly and such a great support.  To find theme click here.

Greetings Colleagues,

The Office of Language Acquisition invites all world language leaders and educators to engage with the Department’s training series for the implementation of the 2021 World Languages Curriculum Framework. The implementation series will begin on March 1st, 2022 and will extend through January 2023. It will consist of a sequence of 20-30 minute asynchronous framework training modules and five synchronous webinars in which participants will collaborate to align their district’s curriculum to the new 2021 World Languages Curriculum Framework. Although the implementation series will be accessible to all individual world language educators, it is optimized to be facilitated by district-based world language leaders during common departmental plan periods, TBT meetings, and/or district PD sessions.

All district and building leaders who oversee professional development as well as world language directors, supervisors, coordinators and teachers are invited to attend a 1-hour orientation webinar introducing the implementation series on Thursday, February 17th at 3:30. Registration is available here. All registrants will receive a Zoom link upon registration. Registrants will also receive a link to the recording of the webinar and all webinar materials after the event. Please contact Andy McDonie at d.andrew.mcdonie@mass.gov and keep checking for more forthcoming information on DESE’s World Languages webpage.

Dear MaFLA Member,

Greetings from the MaFLA Board, who sends you our best wishes in this new calendar year. We all are part of multiple new beginnings: a new school year in September and a new calendar year in January to name a few.  New beginnings  remind us to set intentions  for the future. With Omicron in the shadows around us, the return to school this week will likely be marked by chaos and flexibility; we send healing thoughts to those testing positive and resilience for those facing students this week. No matter what 2022 may hold for us, MaFLA is planning ahead!

As I begin my presidential year, I reflect on the theme I’ve set for the board: sustaining the pipeline. My hope is that the board can become more transparent for our members, that we can support our members into leadership roles on the board, that we can build community, and that we can harness the knowledge and skills of those moving off the board.

As part of this endeavor, I’d like to communicate with you each season to update you on what your board is up to and also remind you of the importance of the role you have. This month, I’d like to do that by highlighting Vilma Bibeau. Vilma joined the board in 2019. Last year, she stepped into a one-year position as Advocacy Chair and in 2022 she will be our Second VP, preparing to chair the 2023 MaFLA Conference! I’m choosing to highlight Vilma this month because she approaches her volunteer work with incredible care and warmth. She created videos, directions, and zoom meetings for folks volunteering with the conference last month and, in each one, she started in gratitude and by recognizing each individual and how important each person is. Sometimes in our daily interactions, we don’t take the time to see each of our colleagues because we are too busy grading and planning. Would you join me in challenging yourself to connect briefly with a colleague each day or week? Perhaps in ensuring those around you feel seen and heard, space will be created to breathe and the rhythm of checking in will start to settle into a daily routine. Perhaps, you will find that spending the time to connect is a way to recharge and refocus you on the work at hand. To check out who else is on our board, visit our website!

Please let me know how MaFLA can make you feel welcome, connected, seen, and heard.

Beckie Bray Rankin
President of MaFLA