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As the incoming Director of the Center for Applied Second Language Studies, I welcome you to the next iteration of Intercom!  We at CASLS are excited about what will arrive in your inbox each Monday morning.  While we will continue to offer a compilation of the high quality content specific to your area, we have also added some new features that we hope you will find useful.  Starting this week, each issue of Intercom will include: 

• Weekly topic: A brief insight into an issue relevant to language teaching and learning
• Activity of the week: An original activity exemplifying the application of the week's theme
• Spotlight: Update on CASLS' activity
• Publications: Links to publications that match your interests
• Professional development: Links to professional development opportunities
• Language corner: Resources and ideas for language professionals, customized to your interests

We look forward to your feedback as we continue to explore ways to deliver the most useful information possible.  

In the spirit of the beginning of the new year, this month we will focus on goal-setting and formative assessment in the language classroom. This will include a synthesis of research about the value of goal setting and self-assessment in the classroom, activities that can be used with your students to both set goals and make use of formative assessment with your students, and information about Linguafolio Online, an online e-portfolio to facilitate long-term goal setting and self-assessment. In this issue, we offer a hands-on activity designed to help your learners think about their goals for learning a second language and tools for helping them meet this goal. 

Please feel free to share this issue with any colleagues you feel would benefit.  They can also sign-up directly at http://caslsintercom.uoregon.edu. 

Best Wishes for 2014!

Julie M. Sykes, PhD

Director, CASLS, University of Oregon