Contents

From https://conference.viu.edu/cllc/

Making Research Matter: Motivated Inquiry for Actionable Insights
April 6-7, 2018
Virginia International University
Fairfax, Virginia

Learn more and register at https://conference.viu.edu/cllc/

2018 Bilingual Education Fair of DC
January 20
Thurgood Marshall Center

For more details go to https://bilingualfair.dcimmersion.org/?mc_cid=97532f4860&mc_eid=3ee428dc71

From http://www.miis.edu/academics/language/programs/summer

The Summer Intensive Language Program (SILP) at Monterey offers you the chance to complete one year of language study in eight weeks; languages offered are Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish. Classes are offered at beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels. 

The 2018 summer session will take place June 14 through August 8. 

For full details go to http://www.miis.edu/academics/language/programs/summer

From http://www.ictfl.org/content/2017/12/ictfl%E2%80%99s-winterfest-2018-%E2%80%9Cproficiency-go-how-power-and-evolve-your-classroom%E2%80%9D

The Illinois Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages will hold a winter workshop, "Proficiency GO! How to Power Up and Evolve Your Classroom." 

This workshop will provide information and hands-on experience to help create an Integrated Performance Assessment that mimes a real-life situation, motivates your students, and provides valuable feedback for your world language program. Instructors will provide a basic review of all of the terms of an integrated assessment, analyze and provide samples of the essential components----the interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational assessments, and provide rubrics that you can use to evaluate your students in each area. Finally, you will begin to write your own integrated assessment so start thinking of a unit exam that you would like to toss.

This workshop will take place twice:
Saturday, February 17, 2018, at Mahomet-Seymour HS
Saturday, February 24, 2018, at Riverside Brookfield HS

For full details go to http://www.ictfl.org/content/2017/12/ictfl%E2%80%99s-winterfest-2018-%E2%80%9Cproficiency-go-how-power-and-evolve-your-classroom%E2%80%9D

Join JNCL-NCLIS and fellow language advocates from every intersection of the Language Enterprise for its annual Language Advocacy Day, to be held on February 15-16, 2018 at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill. World language educators PreK-20, researchers, analysts, translators, interpreters, localizers, business owners, and representatives of leading professional and scholarly associations will participate in a two day event to advocate to the Congress and Executive Branch for increased support for language programs and activities across the federal government. Participants will learn about the federal programs that impact the Language Enterprise, the role advocacy can play in advancing collective policy priorities, and, most importantly, how to be a successful advocate for world languages.

For more details go to https://languagepolicy.org/language-advocacy-day-2018/

From http://www.bbc.com/news/business-42318895

Global education rankings to measure tolerance
By Sean Coughlan
December 13, 2017

International education rankings are going to test a very different type of skill next year.

The Pisa tests, which compare teenagers' ability in reading, maths and science, for the first time are also going to test "global competence".

It's a significant departure to move from maths puzzles and literacy tests to asking questions about fake news, global warming and racism.

The inaugural tests for global competence will take place in about 80 countries next year - and the results are going to be pushed centre-stage in the following round of Pisa rankings.

The tests, run every three years by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, have become among the most widely used measures for global education standards.

And for each round of tests, one subject is chosen as the headline measure used to construct the international league table.

That lead subject is going to be the new global competence tests, when the results of tests taken in 2018 are published in 2019.

Read the full article at http://www.bbc.com/news/business-42318895

From https://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/TheBattery/archives/2017/12/19/harvard-introduces-gullah-class-taught-by-a-charleston-born-artist

Harvard introduces Gullah language class taught by a Charleston-born artist
The native Lowcountry language is now one of 45 taught at the African Language Program
by Adam Manno
December 19, 2017

Charleston native and performance artist Sunn m'Cheaux spent the fall semester at Harvard teaching an introductory version of a course on Gullah: A language indigenous to the Lowcountry region often described as a combination of English and Central and West African languages. 

The pidgin language originally allowed enslaved African people from various tribes to communicate with each other and with their overseers, and is still spoken by African-American communities across coastal regions of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.

The Gullah class is the first of its kind at the Ivy League school. It's part of the African Language Program within the Department of African and African American Studies.

Read the full article at https://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/TheBattery/archives/2017/12/19/harvard-introduces-gullah-class-taught-by-a-charleston-born-artist

From https://www.primarysource.org/emailviewonwebpage.aspx?erid=1080959&trid=18ca0a29-c72f-4d53-9bc4-e247a52a0834

Primary Source announces their first podcast, "What Teachers Need to Know: The Middle East." The podcast offers vital insight for understanding the modern Middle East and North Africa, so that teachers can facilitate deep learning about the region with their students. The first season explores a range of cultural and political issues pertaining to the region, with episodes including “Underneath the Veil” and “Syria, Explained.” Each episode features an expert on Middle Eastern and North African cultures, societies, and current events, and is produced with support from Qatar Foundation International.

Listen to the first five episodes at https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/what-teachers-need-to-know-the-middle-east/id1286833947?mt=2

From http://khallina.org/aboutus/

Khallina is an open source tool that helps teachers and independent learners of Arabic explore Arab culture. This website contains Cultural Modules suitable for beginner, intermediate, and advanced learners, on a variety of subject matters including: music, food, politics, humor, gender issues, and much more.

The latest module, which is suitable for beginner learners, deals with comics and graphic novels. Access it at http://khallina.org/comix-graphic-novels/