ACTFL is expanding its team of presenters by supporting and mentoring our third cohort of Facilitators-in-Training (FIT). From the many who responded to the open invitation to join ACTFL as a workshop presenter, ACTFL selected five educators to enter this presenter pipeline. They bring diverse perspectives and backgrounds in the levels (K-16) and languages (French, Mandarin, Spanish) taught. The FITs now begin their individual journeys through several stages: shadowing ACTFL presenters (joining in scheduled workshops and helping with small group/breakout room discussions), individualized coaching with experienced ACTFL facilitators, co-presenting ACTFL workshops (with mentor feedback), and leading workshops during an initial period supported with a mentor. The process focuses on deepening each presenter’s content background, facilitation strategies, and presentation skills through collaboration with mentors, networking with the FIT group, and personal reflection. Please join us in congratulating our five new FITs and be on the lookout for our next call for applications in November/December 2024!
2024 FIT cohort
| Name | Organization | Language | Location |
| Jennifer Hoban | Louisville Collegiate School | French | Louisville, KY |
| Dawn F. Stinchcomb | Purdue University | Spanish | West Lafayette, IN |
| Françoise Thenoux | Self-employed | Spanish | La Serena, Chile |
| Bei Zhang | Westtown School | Mandarin | West Chester, PA |
| Peng (Justin) Zhang | Stamford American School | Mandarin | Hong Kong |
Jennifer Hoban
Jen Hoban is the World Language Department Chair and a Middle and Upper School French teacher at Louisville Collegiate School in Kentucky. While predominantly teaching at the Middle and High School level, she has also taught all grade levels between Kindergarten through College-level French. Jen is very active in the World Language community. She has served on the Kentucky World Language Association board as treasurer, President-Elect, and President. Jen was Kentucky World Language Teacher of the year in 2018 and received the Dorothy S. Ludwig Excellence in Teaching award from the American Association of Teachers of French in 2023. She has been an item writer on the AAPPL team since 2018.
Dawn F. Stinchcomb
Dawn F Stinchcomb (she/her/ella/ela) is an Associate Professor of Spanish and Latin American literature in the School of Languages and Cultures at Purdue University. Specializing in Afro-Latin American literature and culture, her research focuses on the topics of gender, racial, and cultural identity within the concept of national identity in Cuba. In addition to her current project, a monograph titled: Urgent Words, Compulsory Silences: Black Activism, the Black Cuban Press, and the Cost of Cuban Citizenship, which brings to light the impact of the 19th-century Black Cuban press and the unfinished business of the independence period—to bring equality and equity to Black Cuban citizens—upon the 21st century, Prof. Stinchcomb is currently working to develop a teaching methodology that will include inclusive and equitable teaching practices and combine critical pedagogy for teaching literature to undergraduates in the World Language classroom.
Françoise Thenoux
Françoise is an (en route) ABAR educator, decolonial scholar and educational activist. She is a racialized immigrant who has spoken about the struggles and complexities of identity at The Race Institute and The Barnes Foundation.
She has an M. Ed in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. She believes that fostering critical consciousness (conscientização) should start at an early age and should be accessed and championed through decolonial praxis and equitable, gender inclusive, ABAR curriculums. For her, languages have the potential to be windows to perspectives, and bridges of understanding.
She has over twenty years of experience in the educational field. She has taught in multiple scenarios: from ESL , English immersion to Spanish or English as a second language in both Elementary and Higher levels. She is aware of the challenges that educators and students face in the day to day school life and she aims to cover different needs and engage in meaningful dialogue with her audience.
She is currently working as a speaker, a translator, an author, a resources’ creator, a content creator, a facilitator of learning experiences for teachers, and a consultant.
Bei Zhang
Ms. Bei Zhang holds a Bachelor's degree in Language Education and a Master’s degree in Asian Studies. She has been teaching Chinese since 2006 and has specialized skills in creation/development of secondary school and university Chinese language programs. In addition to being a Modern Classroom Expert Mentor and Distinguished Modern Classroom Educator, Bei is the World Languages Department Chair (6-12 grades), Co-Director of the International Students, and lead Chinese teacher at Westtown School. She actively engages in professional development programs organized by ACTFL, Modern Classroom Project, StarTalk, NECTFL, FM-iFLT, CLTA, and CLASS. Bei is an author of numerous publications and presenter at national and regional conferences on Chinese language teaching methodology and leadership. Some of her hobbies include traveling around the world with her husband, enjoying good food, and playing with her kittens.
Peng (Justin) Zhang
Justin Zhang is a dedicated educator specializing in language teaching, educational technology, and instructional design. He holds dual MAs, one in Applied Linguistics, another in Language Teaching, and a Ph.D. in Educational Technology. Recognized as a registered teacher in both the US (Arizona, Illinois, and Wisconsin) and the UK (with QTS), Justin takes on the role of a workshop leader and examiner for various international curricula, including the IB, IGCSE, and A-levels. He is currently the schoolwide Head of Chinese at an international school in Hong Kong, transmitting to be an Assistant Professor and IB Educator Certificate (IBEC) Director at a university in South Korea. His career also includes teaching English and Chinese in Beijing and Barcelona, and he is now serving on the NEASC and WASC school accreditation committees and contributing to academic journals as a researcher and reviewer.