Creativity and Technology: Exploring AI Uses in the Language Classroom (AH 330)
Meredith Bricker (University of Michigan - ELI)
Educators value the importance of harnessing technology to create creative, relevant instruction. However, finding opportunities to engage with emerging technology and discuss its classroom uses can be challenging. In this workshop, participants will share ideas and explore techniques for using ChatGPT or other generative AI tools in the language classroom.

Interest Sections: Adult Education, K-12, Post-Secondary, Technology

Recognizing Diverse Listening Styles to Enhance Classroom Communication Through Student Self-Awareness (AH 331)
Melissa Bourg (Michigan Language Center)
Students possess stronger communication skills when they recognize their own listening styles and consider others listening styles. In this interactive workshop, participants gain unique information about listening styles, identify and discuss their own listening style, as well as complete an adaptable classroom activity to maximize student communication abilities.

Interest Sections: K-12, Post-Secondary

SLIFE to STEAM Leaders: Empower Newcomer Girls Through STEAM (AH 333)
Kawther Mohammed (Kalamazoo Public Schools), Megan Doorlag (Kalamazoo Public Schools)
See how it's possible to combine two stark marginalizations–newcomers among the ML populations, and girls within the STEAM field–to foster trailblazers of the future. The presenters will share hands-on teaching approaches they have implemented for newcomers with reading and writing in the classroom. Participants will walk away with creative approaches to teaching ML girls in the science classroom.

Interest Sections: K-12, Technology

Concurrent Sessions #2: Standards

10:35 - 11:25 am

GOLD SPONSOR
Empowering Teachers Abroad: Utilizing Needs Assessment Tools for Contextualized Training (AH 127)
Ben Taylor (English Language Programs, U.S. Department of State)
Teachers abroad benefit from utilizing needs assessment tools in their training projects. During this interactive workshop, attendees will engage with U.S. Department of State exchange participants and learn to utilize various tools for understanding teachers' needs, interests, and experiences, which helps to contextualize training for audiences abroad.

Interest Sections: K-12, Post-Secondary

INVITED SPEAKER
Michigan K-12 MDE EL Updates (AH 104)
Kelly Alvarez (Michigan Department of Education/MDE)
Join in for an overview of the newest information from MDE regarding English Learners. This session is designed for program administrators and educators. The session will include a presentation on the initiatives from MDE as well as updated data and time for questions. 

Interest Sections: K-12, Advocacy & Policy

Teaching Skills that Matter: Overview and Toolkit Workshop (AH 131)
Carrie Machkouri (Literacy Center of West Michigan), Rebekah Santana (Literacy Center of West Michigan)
Participants will receive an overview of the Teaching Skills That Matter toolkit, developed by OCTAE at the US Department of Education, including the 9 skills, 5 topic areas, and 3 approaches that were created to support teachers to engage learners with meaningful lessons. Participants will share current practices, brainstorm ways to implement the toolkit, and will workshop different lessons that incorporate these transferable skills.

Interest Sections: Adult Education, Curriculum/Materials Design

The Role of Pragmatic Markers in L2 Interactive Fluency (AH 133)
Dan Brown (Grand Valley State University)
This study investigates the perceived value of pragmatic markers (e.g., I mean, you know, I see) in L2 interaction. Listeners rated L2 English dialogue containing expert-like use of pragmatic markers as more fluent, demonstrating their potential value in ESL listening/speaking instruction. Examples of materials for teaching PMs will be introduced.

Interest Sections: Adult Education, K-12, Post-Secondary, Curriculum/Materials Design

Advanced Research Skills: 5 Years and 15 Semesters in the Life of an IEP Course (AH 332)
Michael G. Klüg (Wayne State University)
What can be learned when IEP instructors track the development of their own courses? An advanced Research Skills course, which is conducted in collaboration with the university library system, teaches students a useful skillset for academic research. This presentation will trace the continued evolution of this course, focusing on rapid changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Interest Sections: Post-Secondary, Curriculum/Materials Design, Technology

Teaching Conversational Closings: Why "How Are You?" is Not Enough (AH 335)
Carlo Cinaglia (Michigan State University)
Wrapping up conversations successfully is just as important as starting them. But do we prepare learners to use and recognize appropriate conversational closing sequences? This session outlines a lesson on conversational closings with activities for in and out of class that raise learners’ awareness of closings and other conversational routines.

Interest Sections: Adult Education, Post-Secondary, Curriculum/Materials Design

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CONCURRENT #1  |  CONCURRENT #2  |  CONCURRENT #3  |  CONCURRENT #4

AT-A-GLANCE  |  ROUNDTABLES