2026 NYSAFLT Annual Conference

Do you feel like you are stuck at the crossroads of old and new standards and don’t know which road is the right one to take? Join colleagues as we fire up the GPS and help you find the right route to creating assessments that work for you and your students. Together, we will walk through examples of assessments and show you how to create assessment questions of your own that push students to demonstrate their understanding and give you the information you need to guide them on their proficiency journey. We will address assessment questions in all communication modes and give you the opportunity to practice some of your own.

This session will provide practical, classroom-ready strategies to increase student speaking and writing from novice low to intermediate high. Participants will explore engaging, proficiency-aligned activities that lower student anxiety, promote risk-taking, build confidence in interpersonal and presentational communication, and make your job easier!

Through modeling and interactive practice, attendees will experience techniques such as structured speaking routines, scaffolded writing tasks, and communicative activities that prioritize meaning over perfection. Special attention will be given to creating a classroom environment that supports sustained target language use while remaining accessible to all learners.

This workshop and facilitated discussion invites World Language Educators to explore dynamic approaches and activities to spark joy with their students and strengthen their interpersonal speaking skills. Participants will engage with classroom ready activities (examples in Spanish and English) that bring language learning to life while providing students the ability to foster community and build on cultural learning both in and beyond the classroom. This session highlights practical examples such as incorporating culturally authentic recipes, exploring local New York City cultural field trips and curating personalized International travel experiences for students. Educators will leave with adaptable strategies that will motivate students to speak, broaden their cultural confidence and inspire authentic communication.

Upper-level language classes should be dynamic, culturally rich, and proficiency-driven. This session explores practical, classroom-tested strategies to keep Checkpoint C students engaged through the use of authentic resources such as films, articles, podcasts, and social media. Participants will examine adaptable lesson frameworks that promote spontaneous communication, higher-order thinking, and cultural inquiry, and will leave with ready-to-implement strategies to support advanced learners, including those pursuing college credit or the NYS Seal of Biliteracy.

This interactive session will explore activities that increase student communication while intentionally building a strong classroom community. Participants will participate in ready-to-use strategies that engage students in all modes of communication—Interpretive, Interpersonal and Presentational—while encouraging collaboration, friendly competition and shared responsibility for learning. Attendees will leave with adaptable, low-prep activities and practical strategies they can implement right away to foster engagement, confidence, and connection while promoting proficiency-driven instruction.

Teaching Level 1 Spanish is often associated with novice middle school learners who are being introduced to a
new language for the first time. At the high school level, however, many students enrolled in a Level 1 course
tend to be learners who have previously struggled in a traditional world language setting and may not have
achieved baseline proficiency. These students often enter the classroom with significant learning gaps, low
confidence, and a belief that success in a second language is out of reach.
This engaging and practical workshop will explore the unique instructional, emotional, and motivational needs
of struggling and non-traditional language learners. Participants will leave with ready-to-use resources,
differentiated instructional strategies, and interactive classroom activities designed to increase engagement,
build student confidence, and promote meaningful language acquisition. Presenters will share successful
approaches for creating a supportive classroom environment where all students can experience growth and
success in the world language classroom.

This presentation will address the needs of teachers currently teaching native and heritage Spanish speakers who are looking for ways to keep students engaged, improve literacy skills, and foster a culture of growth and love for their home language. The main focus will be on how to upscale the three modes of communication to match the students’ proficiency levels aligned with the World Readiness standards for Learning Languages and the Next Generation Learning Standards for ELA to create meaningful learning experiences to improve their Spanish literacy skills. As a result, clear initial instruction in their home language can encourage the successful completion of the Seal of Biliteracy.

No time, funding, or chaperones for an in-person, real-world trip to a museum with your students? Don’t fret! A museum fantasy trip can be just the ticket! In this session, we will explore ways to design a thematic unit around a virtual visit to any exhibit – real or imaged. Participants will consider ways to incorporate cultural products, practices, and perspectives into a standards-based unit that incorporates the three modes of communication for students at any proficiency level. A model virtual visit to the Museo del Oro in Bogotá, Colombia, will be shared and there will be time for participants to brainstorm a fantasy trip for use in their own classrooms. Come join the tour!