1. W&L Foreign Language Teaching Assistants Attend FLAVA Fall Conference

By Lily Caldwell
November 20, 2024

Seven Washington and Lee University foreign language teaching assistants (TA) attended and participated in the Foreign Language Association of Virginia (FLAVA) Fall Conference in Norfolk, Virginia, on Oct. 10-13.

The TAs spanned a wide array of languages, representing W&L as well as their native countries. They accompanied Dick Kuettner, adjunct professor of romance languages and teacher education and director of the Global Discovery Laboratories in the Ruscio Center for Global Learning, who was awarded this year's HelenWarriner-Burke FLAVA Distinguished Service Award.

The TAs who attended the conference included Maria Francesca Pastore (Spanish), Jéssica Sousa Borges (Portuguese), Paul Moreaux (French), Kira Binder (German), Amal AlQassimi (Arabic), Yameng Tian (Chinese) and Kazuya Shirahama (Japanese).

"It's always a treat to have the TAs accompany me to conferences," said Kuettner. "They get to see the American education system from the inside, learn from pros in the field of language learning and make contacts, be they for future employment, graduate study or lifelong friends."

The FLAVA Fall Conference celebrates and brings together educators to discuss current trends and challenges in foreign language teaching. The conference aims to support the professional development needs and interests of Virginia world language program educators, administrators and scholars to enhance language learning for students. This year's theme, "Navigating a Changing World with Languages," focused on the importance of language in global understanding and bridging cultural gaps to create a connected and compassionate world.

Borges noted that among her most valuable takeaways was from a session presented by Smyth County Public Schools' teacher Shane Goodpasture on how culture can be integrated into the language classroom every day.

"Too often, we think of culture as something extra or separate from language learning," said Borges. "But Shane's approach showed how it can be naturally woven into our teaching routines, enriching both the learning experience and student engagement."

The language TAs traveled to the conference hoping to gain insight into new teaching strategies that they could implement into their own lesson plans. They gained inspiration by collaborating with professionals in the field and expanded their viewpoints through exchanging ideas and knowledge.

"I had hoped for no more than to learn about new intriguing ways of teaching that could be applied in my own German classes, but I gained more than I ever could have expected," said Binder. "Not only was the conference a great window into the workings of academic gatherings, it also provided a wonderful ground for networking and interacting with other educators and the German language teaching community here in Virginia."

By connecting with other educators and sharing different perspectives and approaches, the TAs were able to expand their community across the whole field as well as specifically in their own language, leaving them feeling empowered about their culture and background.

"Participating in the conference allowed me to connect with knowledgeable teachers and professors not only from the U.S. but also from other countries," said Pastore. "I was able to chat and gain valuable insight into the teaching profession and opportunities to further develop my abilities and career in the U.S. and in my home country."

Washington and Lee foreign language TAs assist during classes and conduct activities and cultural events to help students develop their language-speaking skills. W&L recognizes the importance and value of qualified native-speaking appointees to add depth to the language learning experience.

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