PROGRAM: Breakout Sessions

Saturday, October 19, 2002    4:00 PM - 5:15 PM

BREAKOUT SESSIONS: Professional Development Models

Presenter:
Reynaldo F. Macías, University of California, Los Angeles [BIO]

This session continues the plenary discussion of teacher preparation programs for heritage languages. The session explores the availability, quality, and teaching assignments of heritage language speakers who are teachers in Grades K—16. It identifies issues and problems for their preservice preparation, recruitment, inservice professional development, and growth in the field.

Presenters:
Cecilia Colombi, University of California, Davis [BIO]
Ana Roca, Florida International University [BIO]

This session continues the plenary discussion of curricular issues and resources in the preparation of heritage language teachers.The discussion looks at online resources such as the National Foreign Language Center (NFLC) and American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP) projects: REACH (Recursos Para la Enseñanza y Aprendizaje de las Culturas Hispanas) and LangNet, as well as the university course, Teaching Spanish to Native Speakers:Theory and Praxis. The course focuses on the cultural diversity of the main Spanish-speaking populations in the United States and on applied language teaching methodologies in the context of teaching Spanish to native speakers at different levels.

Presenter:
Andrew Lynch, University of Florida [BIO]

This session continues the plenary discussion of the applicability of first and second language acquisition research to the teaching of Spanish as a heritage language. It addresses the language skills generally possessed by heritage Spanish speakers in the United States and responds to teachers’ concerns about how to build on those skills, translating research and theory into practice.

Presenter:
Gil Narro García, United States Department of Education [BIO]

Teacher trainers and practitioners can learn from a growing research base how to develop effective biliteracy (English and a heritage language) pedagogy. In this presentation, teachers and teacher trainers learn the principles of effective biliteracy pedagogy, how to implement those principles, and how to monitor the effectiveness of their teaching.

Presenter:
Christine Sims, University of New Mexico and Linguistics Institute for Native Americans [BIO]

This session explores a number of questions that need to be considered in preparing native speakers as language instructors in community-based immersion language programs. What constitutes appropriate and successful language teaching? What models of community training have been successfully used to prepare native speakers to teach language? What aspects of training contribute to overall support of a community’s goal to retain, maintain, or revitalize its heritage language?

Presenter:
Shuhan C. Wang, State of Delaware [BIO]

This session introduces an innovative approach that can address the problem of teacher shortages in the public schools and improve the quality of instruction in heritage language schools. Since 1998, the Penn Summer Chinese Teachers Institute has offered pedagogical and linguistic training for teachers in Chinese community schools. Discussion focuses on the applicability of the model to other heritage languages.

Presenter:
Graziana Morini, Embassy of Italy [BIO]

Teachers, parents, and students realize the value of Italian in trade, business, and other areas. As a result, the Italian government provides funds each year for activities dealing with the teaching of the Italian language, in school as well as in extracurricular programs. The session provides a general overview of these activities and discusses professional development opportunities for teachers.

Presenters:
Seree Weroha, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction [BIO]
Soumaly Bounket, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee [BIO]
Phoua Vang, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee [BIO]

This panel focuses on current efforts to develop a teacher training program leading to teacher licensing in teaching Hmong and Lao as heritage/foreign languages in Wisconsin. The panel looks at the integration of history and culture and discusses a joint effort between the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Participants are invited to share ideas and suggestions on academic preparation and professional development issues for all heritage languages.

Presenter:
Hsueh-Ming Tommy Lu, National Council of Associations of Chinese Language Schools [BIO]

Most Chinese heritage language schools in the United States are managed by nonprofit organizations. All staff including board members are volunteers. Without much financial assistance from outside, these schools must be self-sufficient. Under this condition, most language schools do not provide steady, continuous, and in-depth professional development for their teachers. However, some language schools have started programs to assist teachers in this area. This session looks at successful professional development programs for heritage language schools.

Presenter:
Yu-Lan Lin, Boston Public Schools [BIO]

This presentation focuses on the mission of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC), and the National Board Teacher Certification (NBTC), the latest major national initiatives in the education reform movement. The presenter discusses how this mission is developed into professional standards and the impact that these standards will have on heritage language teacher preparation, licensing, and professional development. Participants examine how an effective teacher integrates content knowledge with pedagogical understanding to ensure that all students will learn and perform at high levels.