2026 NYSAFLT Annual Conference

TICKETED PRE-CONFERENCE SESSION: Are you spending your weeknights and Sundays 'reinventing the wheel'? Do you dread sitting down to plan the next Unit or upcoming assessment? Join this workshop to see one example of a sustainable system that prioritizes student success through predictable routines. (Examples will be for Spanish I and II in the context of large public-school classes, but easily apply to other languages/levels/settings.)



This session is designed to help world language teachers—especially those in their first few years—transition from "survival mode" to a more streamlined, predictable workflow. Materials and demonstrations include: quizzes, tests, reusable games/activities, reusable Unit templates, tech tips, and more! (Everything is editable and free.)

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 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.

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!

How do students acquire language, and how do they learn to read? Language acquisition and Literacy development are distinct but complementary processes. This session explores what research reveals about natural language acquisition and learning to read. Teachers will gain a clearer picture of how literacy development and language acquisition connect, along with strategies to support learners’ oral language, reading skills, and overall proficiency in world language, dual language, heritage, or English development classrooms.

Connect with fellow educators from your region, learn about your regional organization, and discover ways to get involved and advocate for language education in your area.

Tired of Word/Docs sending images two towns over when you insert them? Want multiple versions of quizzes and tests in an easier/visible format? Need ONE place for everything at your fingertips *including* audio? Come to see how all this can happen using Google Slides as a document creator!



(All materials shown will be shared and editable.)

This interactive session will provide world language teachers with a flexible toolkit of fun, engaging activities to boost student participation. Participants will experience a variety of strategies ranging from quick, 5 minute brain breaks to low or no prep games and more structured activities. All activities are designed to keep students using the language while building energy and confidence. Attendees will actively participate in all games and activities, leaving with ready to use ideas that can be adapted for any language or level.