Register now for the Sixth Annual CLAC Conference!

HURRY–EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS JANUARY 19! 

Exploring Approaches to
Cultures & Languages Across the Curriculum

March 9-10, 2012
Radisson University Hotel
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

This conference provides an opportunity for faculty, graduate instructors, and administrators to share expertise in building and managing CLAC programs. The conference will address the practical issues related to developing successful pedagogical models for the use of world language and culture learning across the post-secondary curriculum.

Conference Focus

A specific focus of the 6th annual conference on Cultures and Languages Across the Curriculum (CLAC) will be on presenting and discussing a variety of models and aspects of post-secondary programs implementing world languages and cultures across the curriculum. Seasoned CLAC practitioners, those in the process of implementing programs, as well as prospective CLAC program developers will come together to share ideas and best practices in our evolving and unique field of education for global citizens.  Attendees at the CLAC conference will learn how CLAC programs are implemented at other institutions and will have a rare opportunity for extended discussions examining design and delivery of a CLAC curriculum.

Plenary Topics and Speakers

• CLAC in a Nutshell
  Tanya Kinsella, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

• From First- and Second-Year Foreign Language Instruction to CLAC: A Quantum Leap or a Well-Trodden Path
  Gwendolyn Barnes-Karol, St. Olaf College

• Modeling Collaboration between Foreign Languages and Sustainability Studies
  Frances Matos-Schultz, University of Minnesota
  Charlotte Melin, University of Minnesota
  Patricia Mougel, University of Minnesota

In addition to an exciting line up of sessions, panels and posters, the CLAC conference is also offering three pre-conference workshops for an additional fee:

• Fostering Critical Thinking and Academic Language through Visual Images: A Hands-On Approach
• How to Design and Implement a CLAC Program that Works for Your Campus
• Preparing Graduate Students to Teach CLAC

Register now—Early bird registration deadline—January 19, 2012!

More information about the conference program and registration can be found at:
www.carla.umn.edu/conferences/clac/

CARLA continues to add to the treasure trove of free resources by making more of its working papers available online.

Research and Practice in Immersion Education: Looking Back and Looking Ahead – Selected Conference Proceedings
Carol A. Klee, Andrew Lynch, and Elaine Tarone (Eds.)

These selected conference proceedings highlight the presentations and discussions held at the conference on immersion education held at the University of Minnesota in October 1995. The papers report on the challenges related to policy and planning and pedagogical and assessment issues.

To access this and other free CARLA working papers go to: 
www.carla.umn.edu/resources/working-papers/

The Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA) at the University of Minnesota has sponsored a summer institute program for second language teachers since 1996. This internationally known program reflects CARLA’s commitment to link research and theory with practical applications for the classroom. Each institute is highly interactive and includes discussion, theory-building, hands-on activities, and plenty of networking opportunities.

Summer Institutes for Immersion Teachers

• Immersion 101: An Introduction to Immersion Teaching for Character-Based Languages
  June 25-29, 2012
• Immersion 101: An Introduction to Immersion Teaching
  July 23-27, 2012
• Meeting the Challenges of Immersion Education: Counterbalanced Instruction in the Immersion Classroom
  July 30-August 3, 2012

Summer Institutes for Language Teachers

• Using Social Networking Technology: Collaborative Language Learning—online course
  July 9-August 12, 2012
• Culture as the Core in the Second Language Classroom

  July 16-20, 2012
• Developing Assessments for the Second Language Classroom
  July 16-20, 2012
• Developing Materials for Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTLs)
  July 16-20, 2012
• Content-Based Language Instruction and Curriculum Development
  July 23-27, 2012
• Using Technology in the Second Language Teaching
  July 23-27, 2012
• Focusing on Learner Language: 
Second Language Acquisition Basics for Teachers
  July 30-August 3, 2012
• Improving Language Learning: 
Styles- and Strategies-Based Instruction
  July 30-August 3, 2012

More Information
Detailed information is available on the CARLA website at: www.carla.umn.edu/institutes

LOSD eyes trio of options for language immersion in the fall

BY REBECCA RANDALL

The Lake Oswego Review, Jan 12, 2012

The meeting about Mandarin at Cherokee Elementary originally scheduled for Jan. 12 has been moved to Jan. 19 due to snow.

More on the schedule change here.

More here about the new program:

Program Overview

Lake Forest School District 67 is very proud of its first year implementation of theMandarin Immersion Program for kindergarten and first grade students. A significant early achievement is the Asia Society’s selection of Lake Forest schools as an exemplary program. The program is housed at Cherokee Elementary School, immersing 40 kindergarten and 32 first grade students in Mandarin Chinese. Students engage in a comprehensive partial immersion program with 50% of their day in the Mandarin-speaking classroom and 50% of their day in the English-speaking classroom. The Mandarin teacher instructs in mathematics, Chinese culture, and portions of social studies and science. The English teacher delivers instruction in language arts (reading, writing, and spelling) as well as portions of social studies, science, and math.

Kindergarten and first grade students rarely hear their Mandarin teachers speak English. Everything in the classroom is done in Mandarin regardless of the activity or curricular area of study. The Mandarin-speaking teachers use multiple strategies such as pictures, songs, video, models, body language, games, etc. to communicate and engage students. Although students do begin by speaking English to their classmates and Mandarin teacher, social exchanges and short responses in Mandarin soon become commonplace. Students are very proud and excited to speak the language, write Chinese characters, and show understanding of what their teacher is saying. As acquisition of the language grows, students show more confidence in their skills and quickly become comfortable in speaking Chinese.