Summer Language Institute
The Summer Language Institute supports K-16 language practitioners seeking to employ contemporary, research-supported best practices for world language instruction in their classrooms. Specifically, the Summer Language Institute will focus on equipping pre- and in-service foreign/world language, heritage language, immersion, and ESL/EFL educators with training on how to both modify existing curricula and create new course materials that adhere to ACTFL World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages. The Summer Language Institute runs in person every summer for three days, hosted at the University of Cincinnati.
Open to K-12 and Postsecondary Educators
The CEDAR LRC is excited to announce the Call for Workshop Proposals for our upcoming Summer Language Institute 2025, aimed at supporting language educators from kindergarten through postsecondary levels. We are seeking dynamic and engaging session proposals that will offer practical strategies, innovative ideas, and effective tools for language instruction across diverse teaching contexts and languages.
Three (3) final proposals will be chosen and presenters will be compensated ($400) for hosting their workshop at the Summer Language Institute, 2025.
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Summer Language Institute Theme: “Local Classrooms, Global Communities.”
Workshop proposals should aim to offer innovative approaches for world language instruction at all levels. Workshops are designed to be an hour and forty-five minutes (1:45) long.
Proposals must be hands-on and practice-oriented and may include one (or more) of the following themes:
Research-based practices that can be adapted for any age group
Creative ways to engage students in language acquisition
Strategies for fostering intercultural competence
Methods for integrating technology and multimedia tools into language teaching
Approaches for differentiating instruction to meet diverse learner needs
Insights into assessment and feedback practices in world language education
Who Should Submit:
We invite educators, researchers, and language teaching professionals from all languages and levels—K-12 through higher education—to submit proposals for an hour and forty-five minute (1:45) workshop. Priority will be given to practice-oriented workshops from K-12 instructors.
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Submission Requirements:
Presenter(s) Bio: A brief biography of the presenter(s), including relevant experience and qualifications.
Title of the Session
Abstract (250-300 words): A brief description of the session, including the main objectives and outcomes.
Completed Guided Overview of Workshop Goals
Mention of sample materials for participants and AV/Techonology needs
Deadline for Submissions:
February 17th, 2025
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Submission Process:
To submit a proposal, please fill out the following form https://forms.office.com/r/LTtigPQq4t
All proposals will be reviewed by the workshop planning committee, and presenters will be notified of their acceptance by March 7th.
We look forward to receiving your proposals and to a productive, inspiring event that will foster growth and development for world language educators across all levels and languages.
More info about past SLI and the CEDAR LRC: https://www.artsci.uc.edu/cedar/summer-language-institute.html
Questions? Email Dr. Anne Lingwall Odio (lingwaae@ucmail.uc.edu)
2023 Summer Language Institute attendees showing their artwork from a communicative cultural activity.
Past SLI Themes and Keynote Speakers
Summer 2024: "Engagement and Motivation in the Language Classroom"
The CEDAR Language Resource Center is excited to host the 2024 Summer Language Institute on August 5th, 6th, and 7th. The theme spanning all three days is "Engagement and Motivation in the Language Classroom."
- August 5th: Nurturing the Roots of Student Engagement, Kate Grovergrys
- August 6th: Beyond Borders: Cultivating a Global Mindset for a Connected World, Ying Jin
- August 7th: Technology and Classroom Management: Suggestions and Solutions, Roundtable Discussion Facilitated by Kathleen Shelton
- August 7th: Culture in the Language Classroom, Ke Peng, PhD
- August 8th: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Language Classroom, Milton Alan Turner
- August 9th: Creating a Communicative Language Classroom, Claudia Fernández, PhD
Ke Peng, PhD
Dr. Peng is a Professor of Chinese and the Director of Chinese Flagship at Western Kentucky University. Dr. Peng was awarded the 2022 Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award from the Kentucky World Language Association. She is the coordinator of the Chinese Program in the Department of World Languages. Dr. Peng has over 20 years of teaching experience and has served as the college team leader for the STARTALK Master Teacher Program. Her research interests include pedagogy, teacher training and program evaluation as well as literacy development and cultural education in the Chinese language classroom. Recent research from Dr. Peng can be found in Journal of International Chinese Language Education, The Routledge Handbook of Chinese Language Teaching, and the Journal of Chinese Language Teaching.
Milton Alan Turner
Mr. Turner is a French and Spanish teacher at St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, Ohio with over 35 years of teaching experience. He was awarded the U.S. Innovative Educator award by Microsoft in 2011, the Ohio World Language Teacher of the Year in 2014, and St. Ignatius’ Trailblazer award in 2020. Mr. Turner currently serves on the Ohio Foreign Language Association board as Editor for Electronic Media and is a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee Member for ACTFL, as well as a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission Member for the American Association of Teachers of French.
Claudia Fernández, PhD
Dr. Fernández is a Clinical Associate Professor and Director of the Spanish Basic Language Program in Hispanic and Italian Studies at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). With more than 20 years of language teaching experience, Dr. Fernández' research interests are in the area of task-based language teaching, materials development, and input processing. She is the co-editor of Using Language Learning Materials: Theory and Practice (Cambridge Scholars Publishing), the co-author of the task-based textbooks Aula en acción (Klett World Languages) and the author of "What is and what is not comprehension-based communicative language teaching?" (Klett World Languages, to appear). She is the current recipient of the Teaching Recognition Program award at UIC for excellence in teaching.