LILT Annual Conference 2024

Are you wondering how your World Language Department can best meet the needs for Heritage Learners and ELL's? If you are, then this workshop is for you! This workshop is a follow up to our presentation at LILT's 2023 Annual Conference. We will share details about year 1 of our Spanish Language Arts Program implementation, the adjustments we made and how we have planned for year 2 of implementation. In this workshop we will also share the steps taken to initiate programs and courses that are designed to best address the needs of Heritage Learners and ELL's in the World Language Classroom. In this workshop curricula, activities, and strategies will be shared as well as what we did to get courses and programs approved to support the academic success of a growing sub group of our student population.

This workshop will explain the steps taken to create and implement a curriculum for Spanish Language Arts 1 course. In addition we will discuss the objectives, methodology, content and strategies to support students to succeed in this course. We will explain the areas of difficulty and improvements that will be taken into consideration to create and implement the curriculum for SLA 2, 3, and 4. Furthermore we will explore innovative strategies for teaching Spanish Language Arts, focusing on the interconnected aspects of student development. Discover how to:
- Foster literacy skills through phonemic awareness, decoding, and fluency techniques
- Develop academic skills through vocabulary building, word analysis, and writing workshops
- Integrate authentic cultural resources and materials to promote cultural awareness and understanding
- Exploring Literature in context (analyzing literature.)
-Preparing students for regents examinations and AP Language and Culture, and Literature and Culture.

The objective of this workshop is to serve as a year 2 follow up to part 1 of the series where we discussed the introduction of a new program within our department dedicated to meeting the needs of the ever growing native Spanish speaking population while at the same time addressing the needs of our heritage students. More specifically, the workshop is designed to highlight the distinguishing characteristics of a Heritage class that enable us to meet the specific needs of the heritage student in preparing them for upper level courses within the World Language department while also building on the skills required to improve performance across all content levels.

Stepping into the classroom as a new world language teacher can be exciting and challenging. This workshop is designed to share the essential tools and strategies to thrive in your new role with new teachers. We'll cover classroom management techniques, effective lesson planning, and ways to engage and motivate students in language learning. We will also share ideas on creating a supportive and immersive language environment, integrating technology to enhance learning, and balancing teaching demands with self-care.