Kicking off the new year leading learning with language educators from Spring ISD (TX), NECTFL LEAP Cohort, Teacher Leaders in NYC, and language educators from CLTA. The overarching theme was: Designing tasks to meet the needs of and to challenge all learners in mixed ability classrooms.

Inspired by the TED Talk, "Can Gen Z Reclaim the Art of Conversation?," I have resurrected my blog, Passion4theProfession, with a post called "Increasing student confidence and comfort with interpersonal speaking." Check it out here: passion4theprofession.com

Here are some resources for your lessons after winter break for student goal setting and reflection. New Year's and New Year's Resolutions resources for multiple languages: www.pinterest.com/grahnforlang...

I've had lots of convos with WL T's recently who are using AI for lesson ideas. I’ve curated “Custom GPTs”, created by WL colleagues, that are well-informed about ACTFL standards, proficiency descriptors, etc. and will generate higher quality responses: www.grahnforlang.com/ai-resources...

Need some inspo for tomorrow's lessons? Check this out. Can be adapted to any language. Topics include: Clothing with a Conscience, No More Nomophobia (Fear of not having your cellphone) and more: www.grahnforlang.com/lessons-base...

My first time presenting in the ACTFL Digital Learning Lounge in NOLA. Thank you to Carmen Scoggins for the opportunity! It was a joyful experience!

WL District supervisors from the Northeast at the 2025 NADSFL Annual Meeting in NOLA.

Thank you to all of the @NADSFL members who participated in Tuesday's workshop as we made plans for "Doing More Great Work."

Strengthening student engagement with WL colleagues in San Diego! @WorldLangSDCOE @flcsd

This week: Leading learning on data driven instruction with WL educators in CT and designing summative assessments with WL teacher leaders in NYC. Love spending time with colleagues who strive to hone their craft! @elizabethlapman @jillschimmer

Meeting the needs of all language learners and strengthening students' writing skills in the target language were on the agenda for Texas World Language educators in @ESCRegion20! Thank you for allowing me to lead your learning!

Back home at my state conference! Congratulations to MFLA - Maryland for putting together a great conference. Loved seeing my Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages MD LEAP members and lots of friends and colleagues "old" and new!

These are the faces of WL educators & teacher leaders from Nebraska, Virginia, & New York for whom I have had the privilege to lead learning this week. Even got to drop in on Ohio's extension workshop. The wonders of Zoom!

@nectfl.bsky.social LEAP cohorts 1 and 2 digging into how to deal with conflict and difficult conversations.

I had the privilege of kicking off the NYC WL teacher leader cohort today with @jillschimmer What an impressive group of dedicated educators! And among the group, one of my HCPSS teachers!

Thank you to Professional Language Association of Nevada - PLAN for inviting me to lead learning for your members at your state conference today.

Resources for you for celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: www.pinterest.com/grahnforlang...

Many thanks to @NADSFL members, Armando Quiroz & George Van den Burgh for facilitating today's conversation around Brene Brown's video "Why Your Critics Aren't the Ones Who Count." Kudos to the WL district supervisors for the making connections to our work and the rich exchanges.

Another follow up to my recent post about the importance of belonging, autonomy, and peer connection in our classrooms. Here are resources for you on the topic of "providing opportunities for student autonomy and agency": www.grahnforlang.com/student-choi...

Following up my recent post about the importance of belonging, autonomy, and peer connection in our classrooms. Here are resources for you on "creating a sense of belonging": www.grahnforlang.com/supportive-l...

Learning with WL teachers from Dorchester Co, MD today exploring 3 big ideas as we begin the school year: belonging, autonomy, and peer connection. How can we ensure that students feel like they belong, have voice and choice, and feel connected with their peers in our classrooms?

WL teachers in Portsmouth, VA are ready to launch into the new school year! Making first week plans to 1. build a sense of belonging in their classrooms, 2. create a target language environment, 3. support all learners, and 4. ensure student understanding of proficiency. Ready to go!

Kudos to the @NADSFL TED Talk Tuesday Facilitator team, Stephanie Stockman (VA) and Allison Reynolds (VA), who led lively and introspective discussions this afternoon about Adam Grant's TED Talk, "How to stop languishing and start finding flow."

World Language colleagues: What do you need? Here are some resources to support you as you begin a new school year journey: drive.google.com/file/d/1cMWM...

Houston, we have some amazing WL teachers ready for the new school year in Katy ISD & Spring ISD! Meeting the needs of all learners, setting the stage for success, & lesson planning for the 1st weeks of school. Energized by their enthusiasm and focus on guiding all learners' growth in proficiency.

Grateful to lead learning in Williamson County, TN with WL teachers as they gear up for the new school year by digging into strategies to support and provide rigor for all language learners.

This afternoon's NADSFL TED Talk Tuesday topic: "Great Leadership Comes Down to Only Two Rules". Shout out to our fantastic member facilitators, Allyson Power (CT) and Melissa Clark (K). Rich sharing on the topic of authentic and distributive leadership.

Loved my time in West Texas learning and sharing resources with language educators in Region 14 (Abilene) and Region 15 (San Angelo)! Thank you @marycastanuela and Laura Sandoval for the invite!

Our #amla604 class enjoyed rich discussion w/ @grahnforlang.bsky.social tonight's 1st synchronous session. In #edtech, Leslie described categories including gamification, audio & video tools to capture interpersonal exchanges, social media, accessing #authres. Thx for anchoring ideas pedagogically.

Registration is now open. Go to our website or use the QR code to register! bit.ly/NADSFL25

2 days of virtual learning with a fantastic group of lang T's from Lewisville ISD! Discussions were had around a wide variety of topics: teacher & student target language use, vocabulary & grammar in context, meeting the needs of all learners, & embedding authentic resources into lessons.

School may be out but the leadership skill building continues! Great reflections today with members of LILL Cohort 5 talking about building trust, leading with empathy, and emotional bank accounts.

Spending 3 days with dedicated language educators at the MAFLA Proficiency Academy- priceless! We focused our learning on designing units aligned to the MA WL Curriculum Framework. Lots of great conversations & opportunities to collaborate &network. Shout out to my awesome facilitator team!

@nadsfl.bsky.social TED Talk Tuesday Two! (try repeating that as fast as you can!). Discussing the power of storytelling as a leadership skill. Huge shout out to our member facilitators: Amanda Minnillo (SC) and Jody Lindsay (UT)!

Loved my time today discussing leadership skills with LILL Cohort 5! Leading through change, dealing with resistance to change, and active listening skills. Looking forward to our next meeting!

To my world language colleagues: I'm collecting examples of ways language educators are using AI in their practice on my website: www.grahnforlang.com/ai-resources.... I'd love to have more examples! Please reply to this post with your example and I will add it to my website with credit to you.

Talking with colleagues last night about how to implement authentic resources for Chinese language teaching . One of the challenges is the lack of #authres collections out there. Here is a list of resources I've compiled so far from my website and Pinterest boards: docs.google.com/document/d/1...

It's TED Talk Tuesday! @NADSFL members in lively discussions around Adam Grant's TED Talk: Are you a giver or a taker? Lots of connections to our work leading language educators. A special shout out to our facilitators Leslie Baldwin (NC) and Trinidad Arizmendi NY)!

Congratulations to Jane Tarwacki for putting together such an "IMPACT"-ful day of learning for her immersion teachers in @PGCPS! 80 language educators at PD on a Saturday excited to learn! Wow! Thank you for inviting me to be part of the program!

Thank you Christina Huhn for the invitation to be the keynote speaker and workshop presenter at the IUP Methodology Conference! Wonderful to spend time with two of my @NECTFL peeps, Silvina Orsatti and Mike Bogdan!

Loved my time today with Pascack Valley WL teachers led by Noemi Rodriguez! Talking about grammar in context in the morning and meeting the needs of diverse learners in the afternoon. What a pleasure to spend time with language educators who are seeking ways to continuously improve their practice!

@NECTFL LEAP Cohorts 1 and 2 exploring ways to be agents of change as leaders. @bbrlaprof.bsky.social

MD WL district supervisors gathering to dive into strategic program planning. How can we use strategic thinking, strategic foresight, and strategic planning for the future of our programs?

More photos from my time in Kansas City, MO at CSCTFL 2025

Many thanks to CSCTFL for the warm welcome and for inviting me to present the extension workshop at this year's conference in Kansas City, MO. Loved my time with new and not-so-new professional friends. A special congrats to Rachel Benson for being named 2025 CSCTFL Language Teacher of the Year!

Completed a two-year deep dive into the interpersonal mode with WL teachers in Red Clay, De yesterday. It has been a pleasure!

Witnessing the collaborative power of WL teacher teams in New Castle County Vocational Technical School District (DE) as they calibrate their scoring of student work on proficiency-based rubrics!

Huge kudos to Nicole Naditz and Paris Granville for wrapping up our @nadsfl_org series on AI for Language Leaders! Thank you for empowering us to use AI as a Thought Partner for Program Communication.

Lots of great energy in the room for my session, "That's Discussing!" at NECTFL 2025

Another great day of learning and more NECTFL friends!