Will you be celebrating World Language Week? Here is the Governor’s Proclamation for the upcoming celebration, March 6-12, 2022
Mass Foreign Language Asso
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
NEW – Leslie Grahn has shared some Agenda Slides with icons for different task types. Thanks for another great resource Leslie!
Be sure to read this article about Using Music in World Language Classes by Elena Spathis at Edutopia.
This or That Choice Boards from Leslie Grahn. See them all here. Be sure to scroll down to see them!. How will you use these? I am working on one for a French teacher. When it is done I will post a link! (Ronie)
Don’t miss this Choice Board of Strategies that Gain Attention and Activate Prior Knowledge. You will find Lesson ooks, Warm-ups, Lesson Openings etc with links for resources, examples, ideas, and templates. Be sure to check out this resource from Leslie Grahn!
A resource for restarting and resetting in the new year in your language classroom inspired by @mrshowell24.
Leslie Grahn has curated some great authentic resources for New Year’s Resolutions and Goal Setting. Thanks Lsslie!
Here is an extra – TED Talk – How Language Shapes our Thinking by Lero Boroditsky!
Tweets and other social media posts give studetns a rich context for engaging with concepts in the target language. Anexo Otero demonstrates some of the lessons that can be learned from one tweet @edutopic. Link to article here.
January Challenges got you down? Check out this blogpost by @MarisHawkins with Links to help during January. Thanks Maris!
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During November a common theme is Gratitude. Leslie Grahn has curated some great resources on the topic. Check them out here.
November 24 is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Leslie Grahn has some great authentic resources to integrate into this topic. Check them out here and thanks Leslie!
Leslie Grahn once again has curated a number of Halloween and Día de los Muertos Resources in vairous languages. Be sure to check these out.
Thanks to Diego Ojeda for sharing this great song and other resources on Día de los Muertos. Check it out here. Also be sure to read about Nathalis Palis and visit her website about Bilingual Music for Families
Be sure to check out all of the great templates available at the Star Talk site. Here are some Curriculum Resources for Student Programs.
Other great resources at the Star Talk site: – Principles for Effective Teaching and Learning. These are definitely worth your time.
LET US KNOW HOW YOU ARE USING THEM!!
Another great resource has been developed by Leslie Grahn for Responding to Student Data. This is such a valuable tool you won’t want to miss.
AGAIN LET US KNOW HOW YOU ARE USING THIS!!