Oscar 2024

Photographs from the target culture can be a great way even for beginning language learners to advance their cultural awareness. Have you ever wanted to connect your learners with native speakers abroad? This session showcases a fun project to connect language learners for the purpose of exchanging and discussing their own photos. The presentation summarizes a telecollaborative exchange between learners of German in the US and learners of English in Germany that focuses on the exchange and discussion of photographs taken by students based on assigned topics. The app used for the photo exchange is presented and other possible tools for conducting photo exchanges will be presented and students’ feedback on the exchange will be summarized.

In an effort to bring Yiddish and German closer, graduate students at Columbia University organized two workshops to foster collaboration between the languages and to conduct a sample lesson. This session highlights the first programmatic steps taken to 1) overcome the isolation of Yiddish within the Germanic department; 2) explore how Yiddish could be integrated into the Germanic language classroom, and vice versa; 3) create resources and strategies for co-teaching of languages that hold close cultural and linguistic ties; 4) evaluate future implications of this interlinguistic collaboration and reimagine the future language classroom. The steps provide the springboard for discussion and generating further ideas. Participants receive materials to adapt for their own use.

Looking to strengthen your German program, to add depth and attract eager learners? Join us to learn about SPARK for German. We found success in our first year and are excited to share the building blocks that lead to success. We provide step-by-step action plans and share our actual experiences initiating this program to inspire participants to start their own SPARK lab. The SPARK program offers organic opportunities that support inclusion among student facilitators and student participants.

Participants learn and apply best practices for establishing an LGBTQIA+-affirming German classroom environment. First, participants receive a foundation in orientation, gender identity, and expression, as well as a crosswalk between the ACTFL World Readiness and Learning for Justice Social Justice standards. Next, suggestions for using inclusive/affirming language and representative authentic resources, such as web shows and children's books, are shared. Following these examples, in small groups, participants workshop common lesson themes to be more inclusive. Finally, participants discuss challenges they still face in being inclusive. While examples are from the middle school German classroom, other languages and levels are welcome.

A Rountable Discussion and Open Forum on the varied programs of the Goethe-Institut and the way teachers can work together to build their networks, featuring the work of the SPARK program and the study abroad exchange program GAPP. Join us to share your insights and strengthen your program.