January 2006

Volume 39

Number 1

www.clta.net

 CLTA News

 California Language Teachers' Association

 In this issue

ACTFL National Language Teacher Of The Year

ACTFL and CLTA

A Message From The President

Have You Registered for the Conference?

The Futures Committee

Have You Paid Your 2006 Dues Yet?

Take a Chance! Go to the CLTA Conference in Fresno.

Affiliate News

Bravo et Félicitations, Hélène et Lorraine!!

Technology Tips

Visual Presentations

Introducing New Member Alicia Casebolt

NNELL Award

How to Give a Bad Talk

Salamanca, Spain

 ACTFL National Language Teacher Of The Year Selected
by Duarte M. Silva

 Ken Stewart (pictured above), a Chapel Hill, NC High School Spanish teacher, was named the first recipient of the ACTFL National Language Teacher of the Year Award. The presentation was made at the 39th annual conference and exposition of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages in Baltimore, MD on November 18, 2005.

The process for establishing and selecting a National Language Teacher of the Year was developed by the New Visions in Action Project's Teacher Recruitment and Retention Task Force, chaired by Duarte Silva and piloted in the Southwest Conference on Language Teaching (SWCOLT). The award, which is sponsored by publisher McDougal Littell, was created to recognize a foreign language teacher at the K-12 level who exhibits excellence in classroom language teaching. The selection process included the submission of a portfolio and a teaching video, as well as an interview with the selection committee. Nicole Naditz, the Chair of California's Year of Languages Committee, was a member of the selection committee who interviewed the final candidates at the ACTFL conference in Baltimore just prior to the final selection.

Stewart, whose teaching career spans 19 years, is a National Board Certified Spanish Teacher. He was one of five regional winners from around the U.S. who were finalists for the national award. In serving as a spokesperson for language education over the coming year, Stewart will make appearances and give presentations at foreign language conferences as well as at events that promote language education through the Discover Languages public awareness campaign that was unveiled at the ACTFL conference.

Stewart was the finalist from the Southern Conference on Language Teaching, while the other finalists were Stephanie Appel, Fair Lawn, NJ, representing the Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, Gisela Holmquist, Glendale, WI, from the Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, Desiann Dawson, Del City, OK, from the Southwest Conference on Language Teaching and Scott Underbrink, Casper, WY, representing the Pacific Northwest Council for Languages.

"I am extremely honored to be recognized by ACTFL and by my peers for the passion I share for language learning in the classroom on a daily basis," said Stewart. "I owe a lot to my students and colleagues. There are so many who are working just as hard to improve and promote language instruction in K-12 classrooms and I will do my best to represent them."

ACTFL and CLTA
By Lorraine D'Ambruoso

Last month, I had the great pleasure of participating in the ACTFL Conference in Baltimore. Among the many CLTA representatives were your President, Tanya Zaccone, CLTA's Year of Languages Chair Nicole Naditz, and CFLP's Duarte Silva. Tanya and I represented CLTA in the Delegate Assembly, where we participated in a leadership workshop. As interesting as this was, the best part of this assembly is always the opportunity to connect with colleagues from across the country and to exchange ideas and to share concerns with them.

However, Nicole and Duarte completed tasks of far more importance. Nicole, who has done a stellar job for California's YOL activities, including one of the monthly national events, was a member of the interview panel which selected the first National Foreign Language Teacher of the Year. The winner-although all of the finalists are winners-was Ken Stewart, a Spanish teacher from Chapel Hill High School in North Carolina. It was truly inspiring to participate in this award ceremony, as it marked the first time that one of our own language educators received national recognition. Bravo, Ken, and merci, Nicole!

Duarte Silva, in addition to participating in the pre-conference workshop for state supervisors of foreign language instruction, seemed to be everywhere! He presented several sessions and he unveiled the publicity announcement that was produced for the New Visions project. Look for more about this at the conference in Fresno.

Although ACTFL always does a wonderful job and participants always come away recharged and re-energized, I must say that this was one of the best ACTFL conferences in recent years. Perhaps it was the enthusiasm that was evident everywhere, the result of the conclusion of the most successful Year of Languages and of the launching of the new ten year "Discover Languages" initiative.

Some of us in California always have a tendency to ignore ACTFL, thinking that our state is so large that we do not need to participate in the national organization. I disagree. I feel that it is important for California to have representation in the national foreign language organization. For that reason, I always attend the conference, even though the timing is not the best, especially for those of us who need to think about preparing the Thanksgiving feast.

This year, conference attendees in Fresno will have a special opportunity to hear ACTFL President Paul Sandrock of Wisconsin who will be our Plenary speaker. Paul is inspiring and we share the same sentiment, that ACTFL and CLTA need to join forces, because together, we can accomplish so much more for our profession. So I invite you to attend the conference in March in Fresno, to hear Paul's message and to take the time to speak with him. Extend him CLTA's warmest welcome and make him feel that he is a member of the CLTA family. Because he is, you know!

CLTA News

 CLTA News is the newsletter of the California Language
Teachers Association, published four times yearly: fall, win-
ter, spring and summer. CLTA membership includes a sub-
scription to the CLTA News.

Membership in CLTA is $35 year with affiliate member-
ship, $40 without, and $30/year for students or retirees. For
information or change of address, contact Marge Sotomayor,
P.O. Box 123, Ferndale, CA 95536.

Deadlines: All copy and advertising for 2006 issues must
reach the CLTA News editor at P.O. Box 2135, Aptos, CA
95001 or knicolaysen@cruzio.com by the following dates:
Feb. 26, 2006 (March issue), May 29 (June issue), Sept. 30
(October issue). Material received late cannot be included.

Advertising: Camera-ready, paid advertising is accepted in accordance with editorial policy. For information contact
Nadine Elwood, Advertising Manager, CLTA News,
Dino718@aol.com or 714-392-5675.

 Editorial Policy: The CLTA News publishes information and
articles of interest to the language profession. Materials which
appear to be mainly for commercial purposes will be returned
advising of the option of placing a paid advertisement in the
newsletter. An editorial committee will advise the editor when
questions arise regarding the appropriateness of a submis-
sion.

To our readers: All articles are the opinions of the authors.
CLTA's policy is to allow free expression and invite com-
ments and / or clarification.

Board meetings: The CLTA Board will meet three times dur-
ing the academic year. The 2005-2006 schedule is: October
8, 2005; December 10, 2005; February 25, 2006.

Permission to copy: Permission is granted to reproduce
material in this publication, provided that credit is given to
CLTA News.

A Message From The President

Transition is a curious thing. I'm not the first person to ever notice that one little shift in direction, the minutest change along the course, will eventually cause the path to diverge a very great distance. Yet, the transitions always seem the same. The sun from its passage of long nights and ever shorter days, changing in an instant to a passage of ever-shorter nights. The transition from fall to winter, and from winter to fall. The transition from first semester to second, and from one class to another.

CLTA, your CLTA and my CLTA, has been transitioning as an organization for the last several months, we might even say for nearly two years, or maybe more; it's always hard to pin down exact dates of transitions. We've worked hard to bring our financial outgo in line with our income, creating hardships (and, as always, opportunities) along the way, such as our new online newsletter. The Board has been meeting at Lorraine's Clubhouse for a long time now, just recently switching to a nearby (inexpensive) hotel, making better use of our income. Slash and burn, that's been our motto, to keep ourselves afloat, never once flinching from our commitment to making a stand and voicing our needs in the political arena. Because we became used to thinking in new ways, our Futures Committee was born, and has evolved into a truly collaborative effort on the part of all affiliates, through the amazing efforts of our affiliate representatives. Four affiliates in Southern California had an astonishingly successful Jamboree. So, from hard decisions on dark days, the sun comes out once again.

Difficult decisions are still ahead. Intense and focused work is still to be accomplished. (One of our major challenges RIGHT NOW is to make certain that a mechanism is in place, in time, for teachers of Less Commonly Taught Languages to be fully credentialed by July 1 in California.) As teachers always know, details still get in the way of thinking big. So remember to ask your students to submit work for the Splash Page, remember to make arrangements for Fresno (you deserve some amazing R & R!), and make plans to help the profession and your place in it by supporting the continuing ACTFL Initiative to extend Year of Languages.

Take care of yourself and your colleagues. Remember who we are-professionals who deserve to take our rightful place in the education community. "No Child Left Behind" says we are a core subject. We have always known how important language is in the development of a human being, so we couldn't agree more. Bless you all for all the good and pure work you do.

My very best wishes to each and every one of you,
Tanya

Have You Registered?

The annual CLTA conference will soon be here! Have you sent in your registration? The deadline is February 15, 2006! After that date, it will cost an additional $50 late fee to pre-register. If you wait to register on-site at the conference, you will be charged $100 in addition to the regular registration prices. Do I want you to pre-register? You bet! That saves both of us a lot of time at the conference. You also have a better chance of being enrolled in the workshops you want to attend. Don't wait too long to register. I must receive pre-registrations by Wednesday, March 15, 2006, in order to process them BEFORE I pack all materials for my trip to Fresno.

If you have sent in your registration and have not received confirmation of your registration (receipt and lavender letter) by the time you arrive at the conference, be prepared to stand in the "Solutions" line! This usually happens to those who sent everything via their school district office and did not send me a copy. If this is you, come with copies of your registration form and a purchase order number (with address of district) or check/money for payment. Anything received after March 20 will stay in my mailbox until my return from Fresno.

For those who have pre-registered and received confirmation, your registration package may be picked up at the "Pre-registration conference desk. For those participating in Thursday workshops, the conference registration desk will be open Thursday in the Radisson Hotel, from 7:30 - 10:00 A.M. and 12:30 - 1:15 P.M. The registration desk will open again Thursday evening in the Fresno Convention Center from 7:00 - 10:00 P.M. to help ease the usual Friday morning rush. We will open at 7:00 A.M. Friday morning in the Convention Center.

Come see old friends and learn new techniques. I look forward to seeing you in Fresno.

Sue McKee
CLTA Conference Registrar

The Futures Committee-Thinking About and Confronting the Future
of our Affiliates and Statewide Association
by Carol(yn) Moir, Futures Chair

The whole idea of the Futures Committee arose out of discussion at the August Executive Board Meeting. We subsequently met prior to the first Board Meeting of the 2004-2005 school year. We met throughout the year before Board Meetings and then again on Memorial Day weekend (the only time when all the calendars were open.) Part of the genesis of the committee was the concern over losing substantial support due to budget cuts, or the California Foreign Language Project, altogether.

That was the genesis; however, it has evolved over time to a fellowship type of program where the candidates will learn and work on actual projects of interest among a group of modules. In an effort to attract and encourage newer teachers to assume leadership roles both locally and statewide, the program is developing. Our overarching outcome has become the Futures Academy, which will shape the future of the profession, the affiliates and our association (CLTA) in California. The initial committee consisted of nine members: Lorraine D'Ambruoso, Paula Hirsch, Lewis Johnson, Sue McKee, Gil Méndez, Carol Moir, Duarte Silva, Bethany Thompson, and Tanya Zaccone.

The Futures Committee has worked for over a year now, and at the August planning meeting decided we could not develop this in isolation. Because there is so much talent vested in the Board of the Association, we are now tapping that resource and tackling the module development more globally. At each of the last two board meetings we have worked on modules in groups and have received additional assistance by the attendance of Julian Randolph (Advocacy) and Lynne Freeman from ACIS (Developing Resources.) We greatly appreciate their time and contributions to the work.

The six modules that we are currently working on include:

I Exploring the Multiple Dimensions of the Nature of Leadership
II Developing and Strengthening Affiliate Leadership
III Developing and Sustaining Local Activism
IV Developing and Sustaining Statewide Leadership
V Engaging Leaders in Statewide and National Activism/Advocacy
VI Exploring and Developing Resources

There will be a technology piece embedded in each module. The module development groups are currently developing the processes, content, procedures, and products for each module.

This change in format for the meetings has prompted very positive feedback from the Board Members. They feel ownership of the Futures work and can participate fully in the module development groups. Even after a year, we are still in the initial stages of development. If this sounds interesting to you, please email me at jcmoir@syv.com, so I can keep you on a list of interested parties. Keep in mind that we have not yet scheduled the Academy, developed the application/appointment process, or finished the work on the curriculum of the modules. We look forward to a more finished product as we continue to meet. I will keep you posted on our work as it progresses. Meanwhile, think about our future as an association in the 21st century!

Have You Paid Your 2006 Dues Yet?

January 1 marked the beginning of the CLTA 2006 membership year. All 2005 members have been mailed a renewal form; have you completed yours and mailed it back yet? Renewals this year were mailed using our non-profit postal status, which resulted in a savings of hundreds of dollars!

Members renew either via their affiliates or directly to CLTA. Many 2005 members have already renewed for 2006 via their affiliates. If you send your affiliate dues to CLTA, those are forwarded to your affiliate.

Take a minute to check to see if you have renewed!! If you can't find your renewal form, you can download another at www.clta.net or obtain another by contacting Marge Sotomayor at mjsotomayor@aol.com.

Many members also pay their renewal dues on their Conference registration form. Make sure to indicate to which affiliate you belong or are paying dues so that your membership can be promptly processed.

Remember that all nominees for awards must be current 2006 members. If you are applying for one of our travel awards, make sure your dues are current prior to January 31, the awards deadline. If you are working on a colleague's nomination for outstanding teacher, check with Marge to make sure that your colleague is a 2006 member. If you need a verification of membership for any of the above, the quickest way to get that is to e-mail Marge Sotomayor at the address above and she will e-mail your verification to you.

2006 membership cards are being mailed out this month, so watch for yours in the mail.

Take a chance!

Take a Chance in March. Your colleagues in the central valley await your arrival. Head south if you reside in Northern California. Head north if you are Southern Californians. If you are fortunate enough to live in the San Joaquin Valley, you are just a short distance away.

Since this is the most affordable conference in years, do not delay requesting your funds. To save even more, plan on car pooling and sharing lodging expenses. What is more fun than staying up late visiting with friends after a full day of interest sessions or workshops?

Do not forget to make your reservation for the trip to Chukchansi. If you have never tried your luck at a casino, this is an opportunity to Take a Chance. If you wish to dine with friends in the Sierra foothills, you have a choice of seven restaurants. To make a reservation for this carefree night out, send your $10 bus fee to Sue McKee (it will be returned to you upon your arrival at Chukchansi). Her address is 2430 Avenita Alpera, Tustin, CA 92782-9003.

Take a Chance! Learn a lot! Have some fun! The local entertainment will be outstanding! It is time for CLTA members to enjoy their annual time together to be rejuvenated and motivated. See you in Fresno!

Affiliate News

Foreign Language Association of Greater Sacramento

FLAGS started the new school year with a very successful Fall Conference. Twenty-five teachers came to hear ideas from the best of our best, three past FLAGS Outstanding Teacher award winners who agreed to share their secrets. It was a wonderful day, filled with learning, networking and a lot of laughter.

The second phase of our workshops on Literacy will take place on January 21, 2006, at Granite Bay High School. This time the focus will be on writing development. Led by two of our favorite speakers from the Capital FL Project, Anna-Marie González and Lynne Guerné, it should be a powerful session.

In the interim, we have been pursuing year two of Read Around the World, the multicultural story-hour project initiated in 2004 for the Year of Languages. On December 9th we had our first performance for the current year at the Sacramento State University Children's Center. Over sixty pre-schoolers ages 3 to 5 heard three wonderful stories from the Hispanic and Inuit cultures, learned a song and dance that taught them some body parts in Spanish, and created colorful masks out of paper plates. It was wild and wooly, but oh, so satisfying.

If you would like to come to any FLAGS activities, please visit our web site at: www.flagsteacher.com , or call President Carol Eberhart at 916/481-1940. You may also email her at transwiz@comcast.net for information.

Central Valley Foreign Language Association

Central Valley Foreign Language Association started the year with our annual mini-conference held at Fresno City College on October 15. About 30 people attended. We are planning a winter event on Thursday, January 12 between 4:00 P.M. and 7:00 P.M. at Arte Américas (1630 Van Ness) to introduce our new officers, network with others and welcome new members. We'll start the New Year off right by recharging and having some fun! Bring a friend/colleague. There will be hors d'oeuvres and drinks. As outgoing president of CVFLA I especially invite you to drop by our event to say hello to our incoming President, Nereyda Garza. Hope to see everyone there!
Most of our energy is being spent organizing a fantastic conference for CLTA in March. As many of you already know, that is a big job. We look forward to seeing everybody in Fresno this March! -Roberta Genini

CLTA Southern California Fall Jamboree A HUGE Success

What does CLTA offer its members? Great professional development opportunities and a chance to share with other foreign language colleagues. On November 5, more than 270 teachers joined CLTA, FLA-OC, FLCSD, IEFLA and MCLASC at a HUGELY successful professional development opportunity held at Esperanza High School in Anaheim. More than 70 new members joined CLTA during this mini conference.

Coordinated by the Conference Committee consisting of Chair, Paula Hirsch (MCLASC), Nadine Elwood (FLA-OC), Araceli Espinosa (MCLASC), Lewis Johnson (IEFLA), Norman Leonard (FLCSD), and Hal Wingard (FLCSD) the day began with breakfast goodies and then the teachers proceeded to 42 sessions or an all-day session in French sponsored by the French Embassy featuring Annie Beauvois on Using Comic Strips in the Classroom. There were 37 different presenters.

From the Inland Empire: Cecelia Esquer, Lewis Johnson, Svetlana Lazarova, Sarah Meyers, Terri Nelson, Darrel Nickolaisen, Bethany Thompson, Victoria Tirado, and Connie Vargas.

From Los Angeles: Rebecca Anderson, Evelyne Berman, Tricia Blanco, Anne Cummings, Jan Hedeline, Paula Hirsch, Cynthia Leathers, María Leinenweber, Berni Rang, Ann-Marie Scott, Mercedes A. Thompson, and Brandon Zaslow.

From Orange County: Paul Doble, Teiko Ikemoto, Liz Kaulard, Shari Kaulig, Flo Martin Saint-Clair, Tina Matic, Antje Peterie, Mike Shellmen, Rick Shuelke, and Susan Wilkins-Geery.

From San Diego: Marilyn Bente, Christie Dumaran, Virginia Ferrer, Ador Idos, Sally Idos, Wulfilda Galvante, Lina Kholaki, Norman Leonard, Mary Rose Peralta, Judy Stout, Sumiyah Vedder, Blancaflor Villanueva, and Joan Woods-Petties
and From Beyond: Jeffrey Reeder-Sonoma State University and Anne Weber from the Goethe Institute.

The topics were very diverse. Many attendees commented on the wide variety and quality. "The quality of the presentations was superior. I will definitely attend again. The price is also very reasonable. I cannot praise the presenters enough. They were the best. Thank for providing me with a great way to spend a Saturday." "One of the best series of sessions I've ever attended. After 30 years of teaching, I actually learned many new things. All of the presenters I saw were excellent." At lunch break the 270+ attendees enjoyed the food and each others' company. Lorraine D'Ambruoso, CLTA Executive Director, greeted and thanked the guests and spoke about legislation in Sacramento. Also attending the Fall Jamboree was Dr. Duarte Silva, Director of the California Foreign Language Project.
In addition to the delicious lunch, attendees were able to view some exhibits before continuing to the afternoon's sessions. At the end of the day the German Teachers, Teachers of Less Commonly Taught Languages (Filipino and Arabic) and Ventura County Area Teachers in order to re-start their affiliate, met to encourage each other, get new ideas, and to just have a great time.

A special thank you to Esperanza High School who provided all facilities, custodial staff, and an enchanting group of students who served as guides. Principal Dave Flynn facilitated all of the day's activities. On his behalf, Assistant Principal Elizabeth Moore also spent the morning at the conference and spoke to the guests at lunch. CLTA is grateful for the support from Esperanza High School and the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District. One guest said, "This has been the most welcoming site w/strategically placed students all over to help you find your rooms, very easy to find. Registration is right in front of the school. Great idea w/publishers outside." Another summed up the day"What a great day! I'm leaving with a lot of great ideas that I'm going to use on Monday!"

Bravo et Félicitations, Hélène et Lorraine!!

On Saturday, December 3, at CERAS (Center for Educational Research At Stanford) on the Stanford University campus, our esteemed colleagues, Hélène Chan and Lorraine D'Ambruoso received special recognition from the French government. The Honorable Frédéric Desagneaux, Consul General of France (French Consulate of San Francisco) presented Hélène with a medal signifying that she is now a Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques and Lorraine received a promotion-to Officier dans l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques. Monsieur Desagneaux was accompanied by Messieurs Christophe Musitelli, Cultural Attaché and Jean-François Questin, Adjutant Cultural Attaché at the French Consulate in San Francisco. Also in attendance was Grégory Douet-Lasne, formerly Adjutant Cultural Attaché at the Consulate and now Director of the Alliance Française of San Francisco.

We in CLTA, of course, are well aware of all the energy and devotion to the learning of French and of French culture that these two ladies have given over their many years of service, both inside and outside of the classroom. Lorraine and Hélène have presented many times at CLTA conferences and Summer Seminar, at FLASCC and other affiliate conferences, and this past year, Lorraine and Nicole Naditz have even presented in two live TV conferences for the Kaiser Health Network! Hélène is an active member of BAFLP and AATF as well as FLASCC.

In addition to our two wonderful colleagues, another good friend to many French teachers, Bernard Moreau, Director of the French American School of Silicon Valley, was also presented with a Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques, and in his remarks to the audience, he commented that he couldn't be happier than to receive this award with his two friends and colleagues, Hélène and Lorraine. Another connection which must be mentioned: Hélène is now on the Board of Directors of the French American School of Silicon Valley. Bravo encore, Hélène!

After the medals were presented and each recipient acknowledged the support of friends and family, a champagne reception was held in the foyer of CERAS. Many contributed in different ways towards making this ceremony a memorable one and the following groups and individuals were instrumental in this effort: CFLP and Executive Director Duarte Silva; Micheline and Jean LeGall (outstanding pastries and California (!) champagne; the French American School of Silicon Valley and Hervé LeMansec, Honorary French Consul of San José and member of the Board of Directors for the FASSV; BAFLP and Liz Matchett, Site Director; AATF of Northern California and President Anne Jensen; Dr. Nicole Murray (Hélène's daughter) who made up the elegant invitations and also helped her mother make tons of cookies; and of course, FLASCC, local affiliate of CLTA, represented by several members of its Steering Committee and members who brought delicious hors d'oeuvres and pastries. It was a time to celebrate and congratulate these three colleagues who have given so much of their time, energy, and passion for the teaching of French in California and, in the case of Bernard, around the world! Chapeaux! (Hats off!) to all three of you for being such worthy and powerful representatives of all language teachers!

Technology Tips

The Federal Resources for Education Excellence (FREE) website [www.ed.gov/free] makes it easy to find learning resources from more that 40 federal organizations. For example, it has a link to more than 100,000 digitized copies of significant manuscripts, photographs, maps and drawings.

The Gateway to Educational Materials (GEM) consortium offers access to lesson plans, curriculum units and other resources [thegateway.org].

The California Marco Polo Resource Center [marcopolo.k12.ca.us] provides no-cost standards-based Internet content for the K-12 teacher and classroom.

New Horizons for Learning [www.newhorizons.org] is a non-profit, international network of educators focused on identifying, communicating and implementing the most effective teaching and learning strategies al all ages and abilities.

OWL.org (my personal favorite) an online professional resource and community for NEA members. It includes practical tips, strategies, tools, materials and access to Web resources.

WebQuests provide an excellent way for students to be involved in authentic learning. WebQuest is inquiry based and encourages students to use higher level thinking skills. These sites can help:

The WebQuest Page
SESD Teacher Resources-a host of well-researched and annotated links to Internet projects
FirstGov for Kids a resource for creating your own WebQuests
Creating a WebQuest: It's Easier Than You Think!
Tips for Creating Your Own WebQuests
Ozline.com

 Alternative Assessment and Second Language Study: What and Why? ERIC Digest.
Ask ERIC Digest #ed376695

Developing Tomorrow's Teachers of World Languages.
Ask Eric Digest #ed350880
Foreign Language Exploratory Programs: Introduction to Language Learning.
Ask Eric Digest #ed399761
Foreign Language Immersion Programs.
Ask Eric Digest #ed347851
Integrating Language and Content: Lessons from Immersion. ERIC Digest.
Ask Eric Digest #ed390284
Middle Schools and Foreign Languages: A View fro the Future. ERIC Digest.
Ask Eric Digest #ed392246
Second Language Learning in a Social Context.
Ask Eric Digest #ed367143

Simulated Oral Proficiency Interviews: An Update.
Ask Eric Digest #ed395501
Spanish-Language Ads and public Service Announcements in the Foreign Language Classroom.
Ask Eric Digest #ed367144

And one that you may find helpful, or one you should be aware of when we have the kids read or write "at home."
AlataVista: Translations
Can't Read The Foreign Language? Try this, it translates entire pages or phrases!

Flo Martin Saint-Clair suggests:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/categories/interactive.shtml
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/themes/spanish.shtml
http://www.funschool.com/

Visual Presentations

It seems like each year visuals are more and more sophisticated. I find myself telling students to "just make it pretty" or "just make it clear" and not really offering any specifics. Of course, many of our students are so savvy when it comes to presentations that we forget that there are students that still need guidance. Only when one of my blossoming Picassos comes up with a fabulous presentation do I realize that that is the presentation quality that I would like them all to do! I, being more of the "cut the pictures out of a magazine" artist or bribing my 15 year old son with the latest X-Box, have done a little research that I would like to share with you in order to help students more with visual presentations (and for our own presentations). I have found some helpful hints. A primary resource I came across is a fantastic tutorial by Jeff Radel, PhD of the
University of Kansas Medical Center. He suggests the following concepts:

• Begin preparing your visuals early
• Allow enough time to make any necessary changes
• Project the visuals to verify content, spelling, sizes, and colors
• Practice the presentation with the visuals
• Take the time to reconsider the presentation as a whole
• Outline the presentation
• Identify the major concepts and principle points
• Determine which of these require a visual for clarity
• Make a sketch of each visual
• Use 4" x 6" index cards to do the sketches
• The cards can be rearranged in the stack to try out different presentation sequences.
• The proportions of these cards are similar to those of overhead transparencies, 35mm slides, and most projection screens
• Make back-up copies frequently
• Practice the presentation

Dr. Randel goes on to suggest that there are 4 important design concepts:
1) Make it BIG
2) Keep it Simple
3) Make it Clear
4) Be Consistent

Make it BIG!
Dr. Radel says that as a rule of thumb, if it looks right on the computer screen, it's probably too small. Aim for outrageously large.

Keep it Simple!
Use only the essential elements of concepts that you'll discuss.
The audience ought to be able to get the point of the visual within the first 5 seconds. Don't say anything; let the audience absorb the information. Then expand upon your information.

Less is Better!
If you must use text on visuals, use it sparingly.
1. Use no more than 6 lines of text per slide.
2. Use no more than 7 words per line of text.
3. Avoid using a number of text slides in a row.

A common approach to presentations is to have the whole presentation written out on a series of slides. Don't do it! "Most audiences can read more quickly than a speaker can talk, and so are torn between reading ahead and listening. Also many speakers using this approach have a tendency to pay more attention to the projection screen than to the audience." Always maintain eye contact with your audience.

I am notorious for adding too much data to my presentations. I figure that more data makes the presentation more credible. Eliminate lines around data. Simplified columns project best. For computer graphics, simplicity is also the rule of thumb. Too complex and the concept is lost.

The visuals should introduce only the essential elements of concepts that will be discussed. Remember, the audience should be able to get the point within 5 seconds after it appears.

Make it Clear!
The information must be easy to read. Carefully choose your font, the size of the font and a
color scheme.

Font:
The old standbys are the best, but go ahead and experiment.
Sans serif is easier to read than serif
Block is easier to read than italics
Bold is easier to read than plain.

Size:

• Make sure you can read the text from the back of the room.
• Use one visual to illustrate each concept.
• We are used to 10-12 point size text. 18-24 looks big enough to be right, but it's probably too small. Make the text so big that you feel it must be too big (36-48 point)-it will probably be about right.
• A mixture of upper and lower case letters is easier to read and takes up less space on the slide.

Color:
Color increases visual impact. Select "complimentary colors" in your text to increase visibility.

Be Consistent!
The goal of a presentation is to educate and inform. One effective strategy is "to begin and end the presentation with an identical pair of visuals which summarized the main points."

• At the beginning, the summary gives the audience an idea of what to expect.
• It also helps last minute jitters and reminds the presenter of the main concepts.
• At the end, the summary provides a way to reiterate the main points.
• It gives the audience a sense that the presenter has come full circle.
• It also allows the presenter to make sure all points have been covered!
  

Spain 2006
Study and Cultural Tour
for Teachers and Students
 

Have you ever taken students abroad? It's great fun, but have you ever thought "I'd like to do something just for me this time, something that will enrich me and my skills without the challenge of playing mother hen to a group of students"?

Well, here is a unique opportunity to do just that. Study and travel in Spain for 17 days with other teachers and college-age students. This trip offers:

• specialized classes just for teachers of Spanish (taught
• by university certified teachers)
• language classes for all ability levels (taught by university certified teachers)
• daily cultural classes
• cultural excursions
• home stays
• minimum of two meals a day with your host family
• additional excursions to Santiago de Compostela (3-day),

Portugal and southern Spain (7 day travel extension)
Continuing Education credit for teachers through Sacramento State University Independent Study credit for students through American River College.
Airfare, transfers included
The cost is approximately $3500 (additional excursions extra.) For an itinerary and information please contact: Carol Eberhart, transwiz@comcast.net , or (916) 278-5784. 

Introducing New Member Alicia Casebolt

It is exciting when you see someone so well suited for entering the teaching profession and even more exciting when a new language teacher comes on the scene. I am describing our new French/English teacher at Pioneer Valley High School in Santa Maria, Alicia Casebolt. She is a second year teacher who taught last year at Helix Charter School in San Diego. Her first year was a stimulating challenge with all levels of French I-AP and Spanish I, too. We feel fortunate that she wanted to stay in the profession.

The first two terms this year she has taught English classes exclusively and will be teaching two beginning French and an English class this spring. Next year we are hoping she will be full time French because we will have another 900 new students in all four years of classes. Her colleague Michelle Maani, our current fulltime French teacher, is enthusiastic about working with another French teaching colleague this spring and next year. She states, "It is exciting to be able to work with Alicia to develop our French program together."
Alicia has come to us through a variety of life experiences that have combined with her academic curiosity and perseverance to complete her teaching credential. She graduated from the University of Oregon, Eugene, in 2001 with a B.A. in Public Relations. During her academic career she had studied at the Universidad Latina in San Pedro, Costa Rica in 1999, and then followed up that experience abroad with two years in France, in Collonges and Paris. While in Collonges, she taught English as a Second Language students preparing for their Baccalauréat and developed audiovisual resources, and she pursued her French studies of literature and civilization at Collonges sous Salève. Later, in Paris, she translated for the chefs at the Cordon Bleu Ecole de Cuisine for cooking and pastry demonstrations. She also managed to keep intact her trim waistline through it all! In addition, she provided community resource information at the Cordon Bleu.

She student taught at our sister school of Santa Maria High School two years ago, and has long term subbed twice for English teachers who took a leave to expand their families. She received her Masters degree in French from UCSB in July 2005, after receiving her credential from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo during the 2003-2004 school year. She brings with her a wealth of experience for one so young. She worked in public relations in Oregon for the American Diabetes Association and for National Public Radio, both in Eugene, Oregon.

I was delighted last spring when I received a call from her "friend" who teaches history at Santa Maria, telling me that she was interested in moving back to our area. This coming summer is also slated for very busy plans for her wedding with said history teacher. They just had an offer for a home accepted, so she will be busy with moving and organizing their home prior to the wedding. Whew-it is always a relief to remember the young are full of energy!

We are very pleased to have such an experienced young teacher on our staff. She will be attending the conference with us in Fresno this spring, too. Welcome aboard Alicia! Welcome to the family of language teachers in California!

NNELL Award for Outstanding Support of

Early Second Language Learning

The NNELL Award for Outstanding Support of Early Second Language Learning will be given to an individual or individuals who have demonstrated outstanding support of early second language learning of languages other than English. Nominees may be actively involved in their efforts in a variety of ways including, but not limited to, the following: principal or other school administrator, district or state school superintendent, classroom teacher, parent, school board member, businessperson, civic leader, politician/elected representative. Nominees should be individuals whose primary job responsibilities are not related to the field of second language education.
The nomination for this award will be in the form of two letters of recommendation (a letter of recommendation and a letter of support) from individuals who can attest to the nominee's work in the field of early language learning. The letter of nomination must come from a current NNELL member, and the letter of support should be written by another individual who is very familiar with the nominee's work for early language learning. The letters should include documentation that clearly demonstrates evidence of the ways in which the nominee supports early language learning and that is clearly separate and distinct from the individual's primary job responsibilities. The nomination may also include up to five photocopied pages of supporting evidence such as copies of newspaper articles that recognize the nominee's work for early language learning (brochures, pamphlets, etc. will not be accepted). The following are examples of criteria that can be considered in writing the letters of nomination as they apply to the nominee's work on behalf of early language learning:

o Demonstrates commitment to early second language learning in the school and the community, e.g., seeks ways to inform the community of the need for beginning language study early as an integral part of the school curriculum and in an uninterrupted sequence

o Provides visibility to the second language program, e.g., seeks media and/or newspaper publicity of school foreign language events, sends newsletter with second language program updates to parents

o Provides leadership in establishing and maintaining early second language programs at the local or state level

o Supports and provides professional development opportunities for early second language specialists

o Advocates for early second language programs at the local or state level, e.g., represents his or her foreign language program at local or state school board meetings

o Serves on local or state committees for early second language learning, e.g., advocacy projects, state world/foreign language association committee or board, PTA

o Supports exemplary ongoing second language instruction in his/her classroom, e.g., collaborates with the world language specialist on interdisciplinary projects

Three copies of the nomination packet including the two letters of nomination and up to five pages of sample supporting evidence should be mailed as one nomination submission with a postmark date of no later than May 1, 2006, to:

Terry Caccavale, Chair
NNELL Award Committee

Placentino School
235 Woodland Street
Holliston, MA 01746
Email: caccavalet@holliston.k12.ma.us

In researching the article on visuals I came across this satirical article. As our state conference approaches it is included here for your enjoyment. Our presenters are the best and have never broken any of these commandments!

How to Give a Bad Talk

Ten commandments (with annotations gleaned from Patterson's talk by Mark D. Hill and special adjustments
by Nadine Elwood [FLA-OC President] to suit our profession):

I.Thou shalt not be neat
Why waste time preparing slides? Ignore spelling, grammar and legibility. Who cares what 50 people think?

II. Thou shalt not waste space
Transparencies are expensive. If you can save five slides in each of four talks per year, you save $7.00/year! Go ahead, use a vis-à-vis 5 or 6 times after erasing it with Kleenex only.

III. Thou shalt not covet brevity
Do you want to break the stereotype that foreign language teachers can't stop talking? If possible, use whole paragraphs and read every word.

IV. Thou shalt cover thy naked slides
You need the suspense! Overlays are too flashy.

V. Thou shalt not write large
Be humbleuse a small font. Important people sit in front.

VI. Thou shalt not use color
Flagrant use of color (not found in one of the international flags) indicates uncareful research. It's also unfair to emphasize some words over others.

VII. Thou shalt not illustrate
Confucius says "A picture = 10K words" but he did not meet many wise ole' foreign language teachers and their stick figures.

VIII. Thou shalt not make eye contact
You should avert eyes to show respect. Blocking screen can also add mystery. Using hand gestures also averts attention.

IX. Thou shalt not skip slides in a long talk
You prepared the slides, people came for you whole talk; so just talk faster. Skip your summary and conclusions if necessary. Who wants to be on time to the next session?

X. Thou shalt not practice.
Why waste research time practicing a talk? It could take several hours out of your two years of research. How can you appear spontaneous if you practice? If you do practice, argue with any suggestions you get and make sure your talk is longer than the time you have to present it.

Salamanca, Spain

In the city of Salamanca, Spain, there is a famous legend that both citizens and visitors of the town have heard. According to the legend, "The person who finds the hidden frog without help on the front of the old University building will be blessed with good luck." The luck can be anything from passing exams or classes, to returning to Salamanca sometime in the future, or even getting married in the following the year. Although everyone knows the legend, the luck one is blessed with changes according to the person asked. It is therefore questionable what luck a person will receive after finding the frog.

I was unknowingly blessed with this luck about five years ago, while participating in a study abroad program in Granada, Spain, when I first traveled to the city of Salamanca. While seeing the sights, I found the "good luck frog" on the front of the University building, but I never knew I was blessed with this luck until I returned to study in Salamanca during the summer of 2005, having received a scholarship from the Spanish Embassy and the California Language Teacher's Association (CLTA). The scholarship allowed me to attend classes given by professors from the Universidad de Salamanca, participate in extracurricular classes, activities, and excursions, experience the Spanish culture, and live in the residence halls with other Spanish teachers from all over the world. As a teacher of the Spanish language it was a privilege to be given such an experience this past summer.

On the 3rd of July I arrived at the residence hall in Salamanca prepared to begin the program, where I lived for three weeks with other Spanish teachers from the United States and Spanish teachers from Europe. The residence hall was the perfect distance from the center of town and the University, where we spent most of our mornings. Being in the residence hall was also a great way to network with other teachers. During lunch or dinner, we could talk about different techniques and ideas for the classroom, or even discuss that day's classes and the new ideas we had learned from attending them. It was a great way to meet new people who shared similar experiences of teaching the Spanish language in the United States.

Although there was a large group of teachers attending the Universidad de Salamanca, we were divided into three different classes based on preference. Of the three courses offered, I attended the course of Teaching Spanish to Native Spanish Speakers. There were four sub courses taught under this course: they were called Spanish in the World, Spanish Grammar, Culture of Spanish Speaking Countries, and Teaching Reading and Writing. All four sub courses were taught by very qualified professors from the Universidad de Salamanca, all native Spaniards. We had twelve people in our class, many of whom were native speakers and from various Spanish-speaking countries. They, therefore, contributed to the classes and were able to teach about the diversity of the regions and the Spanish language. The classes were informative; they taught me more techniques for teaching Spanish to my students.

Outside of the classroom, I learned about the Spanish culture and history by attending a cooking class, eating in restaurants and bars, and attending field trips. We were allowed to choose two free excursions from several that were offered; I chose to go to Cáceres and Trujillo as well as Burgos, Spain. After our classes and lunch we would also explore Salamanca and its history through tours offered through the program and the University of Salamanca. There was plenty of time to live the culture in Spain, which helped me understand the country and how to teach Spanish culture in my classroom.

Overall, I would say that my experience in Salamanca, Spain was wonderful. I have gained many new ideas that I can use in my classroom with my students who are learning to speak Spanish and learning about Spanish speaking countries. This experience has shown me the importance of developing as a professional in my language skills and as a classroom teacher so that I can better teach my students.

Take a chance!

Fresno, California

March 23-26, 2006

 Future CLTA Conference Sites

2007 The Santa Clarita Westin and Conference Center

2008 The Marriott Irvine near John Wayne Airport

2009 The DoubleTree Hotel Sacramento