Classroom Instructional Strategies

ACTFL offers virtual, synchronous workshops on a variety of topics related to classroom teaching practices, classroom assessment, and lesson, unit, and curriculum design multiple times each year. Engage with your colleagues and exceptional ACTFL facilitators during each live virtual event. Participants will have the opportunity to learn from ACTFL facilitators, collaborate and apply their learning during breakout sessions and discussion forums with fellow participants, and then share ideas and takeaways with the larger group. Each workshop will include activities to apply your learning and participants will leave the workshop with practical tools, examples, and tasks, ready to use within their classrooms.

Foundational One-Day Virtual Workshops for All Educators—Registration is Limited!

These workshops are intended for all language educators, whether you’re a pre-service or beginner teacher, an experienced teacher looking for a refresher, or you are simply new to proficiency-based language teaching. We are offering two options for each workshop to best fit your busy back-to-school schedule. Each workshop is a full day on Zoom of collaboration and learning with your colleagues and ACTFL facilitator and includes access to resources through our new ACTFLearn Central LMS, as well as a workshop completion certificate for 8 hours of professional development.

Registration Details

ALERT: Registration for workshops is almost full: register today to save your spot!

Cost per workshop: $179 for members, $249 for non-members

Bundle both workshops for up to a $99 discount! only $329 for members and $399 for non-members

Registration is Limited and closes on Monday, May 1, 2023.

Guiding Learners to Higher Levels of Proficiency


Dates: Saturday, May 6 OR Saturday, May 13 at 10:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
Delivery Method: Virtual, via Zoom and ACTFLearn Central (our LMS)

In this one-day workshop, you'll:

  • Learn what really counts to move along the proficiency continuum (from Novice, to Intermediate, and towards the Advanced level of proficiency);
  • Understand which strategies are effective for developing proficiency using each Mode of Communication;
  • Through the lens of the NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements, learn how to unpack the elements of proficiency and what they mean for planning effective tasks; 
  • Experience and analyze a variety of examples from one sample unit of instruction;
  • Identify one class that you are teaching and use that as a lens through which to apply your learning; and
  • Understand how to guide your learners to develop the language functions and confidence to move to higher levels of proficiency.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of this workshop participants will be able to:

  • Describe the characteristics of Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced levels of proficiency
  • Identify key language functions to focus on to guide learners to higher levels of proficiency
  • design and/or adapt tasks to match Novice, Intermediate, or Advanced ranges of proficiency
  • Design tasks to develop what learners need to reach their next higher level of proficiency
  • Identify implications of proficiency for my instruction and assessment for language learning

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Developing & Assessing the Three Modes of Communication


Dates: Saturday, May 6 OR Saturday, May 13 at 10:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
Delivery Method: Virtual, via Zoom and ACTFLearn Central (our LMS)

This critical course will dive deep into the Three Modes and show you how to:

  • Develop a shared understanding of what language proficiency is across levels and how to support learners’ progress towards proficiency goals.
  • Put together a toolbox of strategies to design purposeful units and performance tasks in the three modes of communication (Interpretive, Interpersonal, and Presentational) and identify day-to-day learning activities that support language goals.
  • Apply the principles of backward design and the use of authentic resources to effectively plan meaningful learning experiences in the target language.
  • Explore the assessment of language skills in each mode of communication as well as strategies for involving learners in self-assessment for ongoing proficiency growth.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of this workshop participants will be able to:

  • List key differences between performance and proficiency as they relate to language use and assessment.
  • Give examples of what students can do with language in authentic contexts across proficiency levels and modes of communication.
  • Identify and apply the principles of backward design.
  • Explain what an authentic resource is (and is not).
  • Establish a classroom climate that supports target language use by all students and teachers.
  • Use models to develop activities and strategies that lead with culture to develop and assess language proficiency in each mode of communication.
  • Locate and effectively use Can-Do Statements to set learning targets and assess target language use in each mode of communication.
  • Use rubrics to provide all students with feedback and opportunities to self-assess for ongoing proficiency growth.

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