Monthly Events
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ACTFL Events for 2005: The Year of Languages

As part of the national celebration of 2005: The Year of Languages, ACTFL has identified an area of focus for each month of the year-long endeavor.  Events are being planned which will feature the monthly focus.  Participating organizations are encouraged to plan events in their own communities that reflect the same focus.  This is a tentative list that is subject to change.  Click here for previous months.

December 2005          Focus:  Culture

Participating organizations are encouraged to highlight the learning of culture during this month.

ACTFL event:   Culminating cultural program at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. sponsored by ACTFL and various embassies.

Previous Months

November 2005          Focus: Celebrating Accomplishments & Looking Ahead

Culmination of 2005 Year of Languages at the ACTFL Annual Convention in Baltimore.   The first National Language Teacher of the Year winner was announced. 

October 2005              Focus:  Early Language Learning

The benefits of early language learning will be emphasized as well as various program models that can be used at the elementary level.  Participating organizations will be encouraged to make presentations at PTA meetings and to School Boards highlighting the rationale for beginning language programs in elementary schools.

ACTFL event:   A Saturday festival featuring elementary students who are studying languages will be organized with presentations of songs, skits, and artwork.

More Information...

September 2005         Focus:  Heritage Languages

Emphasis will be on promoting the learning and maintenance of heritage languages including Native American as well as endangered languages and American Sign Language.

ACTFL event:   Coming up September 16-18, the "Boats, Books, and Brushes with Taste" event in New London, CT will be the venue for the national event for September featuring heritage language authors as well as student performances and other cultural experiences. For more information, visit  http://www.boatsbooksandbrushes.com/.

August 2005                Focus: Parents 

The important role that parents play in providing language opportunities for their children will be highlighted.  Information on the brain research and other important benefits for students will be emphasized as well as the important role that parents play in supporting language programs.

ACTFL event:   Co-sponsor a forum with parent and teacher groups to provide parents with cogent benefits and rationales for beginning to learn languages at an early age.  K-12 programs that highlight language learning will be featured. 

More information...

July 2005                     Focus:  Languages and Communities 

This focus will encourage participants to feature the languages and cultures found in their own communities.  Chambers of Commerce, Rotary Clubs and other service organizations, as well as libraries should be tapped for participation at the local level.  ACTFL event:  The annual Folk Life Festival sponsored by the Smithsonian Museum will feature communities throughout the U.S. and their respective languages and cultures.

More information...

June 2005                    Focus:  Adult Learning and Language Use

During this month, language learning and language use by adults will be featured.  Organizations that offer programs for adults to learn languages will be highlighted as well as ways that languages are used in work and leisure situations.

ACTFL event:   A symposium on “Language Use in the Work World” will feature policies and practices found in the U.S. business world.

More information...

May 2005                     Focus:  Language Advocacy 

This month participating organizations are encouraged to identify ways that language learning and multilingualism can be promoted in their own communities.  Highlighting languages in the media will be a primary mechanism for promotion.

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ACTFL event:   In conjunction with the JNCL Delegate Assembly, events will be held on Capitol Hill to highlight the importance of languages at the federal level including building our language capacity as a nation through various programs and initiatives.

April 2005                    Focus: Higher Education

This focus will provide a forum for discussion of enrollments, curricula, programs, and initiatives in the higher education institutions in the United States.   Symposia that focus on higher education initiatives that promote advanced levels of languages will be featured.  

More information... 

ACTFL event:   Students who have participated in the National Security Education Program (NSEP) will be featured along with programs that combine business with language, such as the University of Rhode Island.  This program will be featured on CSPAN.

March 2005                 Focus:    Connecting Languages to Other Areas

This focus will encourage activities that show the interrelationships between languages and other subject areas or professional fields. 

More information...

ACTFL event:   A panel discussion of languages and the connections to other fields will feature scientists, mathematicians, sociologists, and artists.

February 2005            Focus:  International Engagement

Activities that highlight the importance of international engagement will be encouraged by participating organizations.   Building relationships with countries around the world will be featured as well as sister city initiatives and study abroad programs. 

More Information...

This event was videotaped and will be made available for downstreaming on this website.

ACTFL event:   A panel of Fulbright Exchange participants as well as representatives from other international programs will be featured at a symposium on the importance of study abroad programs and using language beyond the classroom. 

January 2005              Focus:  Language Policy 

The focus on language policy will encourage local, state and national policy makers to examine the role of languages in their schools, and work and business environments.         

ACTFL event:   An interactive teleconference with chief policy makers broadcast from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill which will engage language educators, business leaders and policy makers in a discussion of national, state and local initiatives that focus on language use and language learning.

December 2004          Focus: Media

Press conference held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. with public statements of support from the President of the United States, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Education, Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary of Defense.

November 2004          Focus: Kick-Off

Kick-off of the 2005: The Year of Languages at the ACTFL Annual Convention in Chicago with announcements of the ACTFL-sponsored events and testimonials of support from noted people from the political, business, and entertainment arenas.

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