Connecting with World Language Teachers 

by Teresa Nichols

In partnership with the Indiana Foreign Language Teachers Association (IFLTA), the Global Center reached over 6,635 participants in 36 co-organized webinars during the summer. Several national world language teachers of the year, national finalists, Indiana world language teachers of the year, and other language experts gave free presentations to language teachers around the U.S. and across the globe. Topics ranged from integrating career preparation into language courses to using authentic materials in the classroom to pedagogical approaches using digital tools such as Flipgrid, PearDeck, Kahoot, Padlet, and more. Many of the webinars were recorded and are available on the IFLTA Youtube Channel as a continuing resource. As teachers address the challenges of online, hybrid, and distanced in-person teaching, growing a global conversation on how language teachers can support each other and engage their students during the pandemic was a highlight of the Center’s summer activities.