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Meet Your Host

Devon Gunning - La Libre Language Learning
Welcome to Practical and Comprehensible 2025: JOY!
My mission is to help world language teachers discover a practical, teacher-friendly approach to best practice and true community in your classroom: through the power of CI and meaningful social justice resources & PD.
I work with teachers & districts in curriculum work, self care lesson planners, French & Spanish resources, and the Practical Proficiency Network - a PD membership and community to connect you with like-minded, health-conscious and CI focused teachers.
I'm also the host of the Practical Proficiency Podcast.
This conference was born from the belief that teachers are BETTER TOGETHER. We have so much to share and learn from each other, but often feel alone in our buildings.
Through this conference, I hope you make connections with supportive, smart, and talented teachers who care about the same things as you: results in class, community, and impact through communicative language teaching.
Rooting for you!
Devon @ La Libre
P.S. - The big conference Finale is a FREE Live workshop from me, but you have to register to attend.
Hit the button below to attend The Juicy Secret to a Sustainable Proficiency Practice (details at the bottom of this page)
ADD THE SCHEDULE TO YOUR CALENDAR
WANT TO KNOW WHEN YOUR MUST-SEE PRESENTATIONS WILL GO LIVE?
SEE THE SCHEDULE
DAY 1- July 8th


Jocelynn Hubbard | Custom Teaching Solutions (she/her)
PRESENTATION: Cultivating Joyful Connections: Building an Inclusive and Equitable World Language Community
Imagine a world language classroom where every student feels a deep sense of belonging and experiences the pure joy of connecting with the content and their classmates. This session will guide you through the process of building an inclusive and equitable community, where diversity is celebrated and meaningful relationships are fostered. Discover how to create a learning environment where joy is not just a feeling, but a fundamental part of the learning experience.
About Jocelynn:
Jocelynn Hubbard helps teachers spark joy during the learning experience by creating an inclusive and welcoming classroom environment for ALL their students. She is the founder and managing director of Custom Teaching Solutions, LLC and host of The Culture-Centered Classroom podcast. She has 16+ years of experience in education as an educator, speaker, professional development creator and facilitator. Driven by a passion to see the diverse people of our world feel welcomed, affirmed, and celebrated, she provides training on becoming and remaining culturally competent. As a wife and mother of five, her goals include squeezing in time for exercise, finding moments of joy each day, and parenting each of her children as unique individuals.
Jocelynn received a B.S. in Education from Miami University (OH) and an MA in Education from The University of North Carolina – Pembroke. She also has a graduate certificate in Gifted & Talented instruction from The University of North Carolina – Charlotte.
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
It means a vibrant, engaging, and supportive learning environment for both students and teacher. It's about creating a learning environment and experiences that fosters student growth, well-being, and a love of learning. Intentional time is spent gaining understanding of these concepts for everyone.

Andrea Setter-San Miguel | Bacán For Teachers
PRESENTATION: Finding Your "Why" Again: Reclaiming Joy and Sustaining Passion in the Proficiency-Focused Classroom
✨Feeling burned out or disconnected from your passion?✨
Join me for “Finding Your ‘Why’ Again: Reclaiming Teacher Joy and Sustaining Passion in the Proficiency-Focused Classroom.” This energizing session is your reminder that joy isn’t a bonus—it’s essential. Let’s reignite your purpose, reconnect with your students, and fall in love with teaching all over again. 💛✏️🎉
About Andrea:
"I’m Andrea, a native Spanish speaker and veteran language educator with over 15 years of experience in bringing confidence, connection, and joy into the Spanish classroom. I specialize in proficiency-based teaching that prioritizes authentic communication and student engagement — the kind of learning that sticks and lights up a room.
Through Bacán for Teachers, I support educators with ready-to-use, culturally responsive resources designed to make teaching more joyful and meaningful. My goal is to help teachers reconnect with their passion and create language classrooms full of laughter, growth, and genuine communication."
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
JOY means creating a space where students feel seen, supported, and excited to learn. FUN is using engaging, culturally rich activities that spark curiosity and connection while making language learning meaningful and memorable.

Kia D. London | Trailblaze Into Language Learning (she/hers)
PRESENTATION: Successful Steps to Proficiency in the Target Language
This interview presentation will be about cultivating a responsive classroom environment for successful proficiency in the target language.
About Kia:
Kia is a passionate educator, writer, and advocate for equity by way of reading, representation, and interculturality in the world language curriculum. She earned a B.A. in Spanish and an M.A. in Linguistics, specializing in language and identity. She carries eighteen years of experience in the classroom, and has taught Spanish to multilingual learners for all grade levels K-12. She currently teaches Spanish to 5th and 6th grade students.
Through Trailblaze Into Language Learning, Kia provides workshops, webinars, and a curriculum coaching membership program focused on student representation, second language acquisition, belonging, and intercultural competence. She has presented at local, state, and regional conferences, as well as the ACTFL conference. As a writer of comprehensible short stories and articles, she successfully designs a rich curriculum that keeps her students engaged!
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
I believe that joy is intrinsic, and it comes from a place of authenticity, in wanting to share that with your students in the classroom. I think that having fun is a must! You have to be able to laugh at yourself and laugh with your students.

The DigiGals: Jennifer Degenhardt & Theresa Marrama | Digilangua
PRESENTATION: From Chaos to Clarity: Bringing JOY to Language Learning with Graphic Organizers
In this presentation, teachers will be delighted to learn how to get the most out of simple graphic organizers so that the students are the ones doing the work and using the language they have acquired thus far. Presenters, Jennifer Degenhardt and Theresa Marrama (a.k.a. the DigiGals) will show how graphic organizers address language teaching/learning overwhelm and allow students to structure and organize their comprehension and expression. Simply, they are road maps to more language!
About Digilangua:
We are Jennifer Degenhardt and Theresa Marrama and we have taught languages for over 50 years combined (not each)! Having taught French and Spanish from the elementary through college level, we believe that students - no matter their age or language level - must be engaged with the second language in accessible, but purposeful ways. Enter onto the scene: short novels written consciously with the language learner in mind. Between the two of us we have over 190 books in five different languages - and that number is growing! Our books run the gamut from mystery to real life adventure, biography to fantasy; within those that feature cultural, social, economic and political themes, inclusion of underrepresented populations, identity and more.
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
For us, JOY means less prep, making connections and allowing students to challenge themselves in language learning.

Courtney Nygaard | Heritage Spanish
PRESENTATION: Spark Joy in Heritage Spanish Class
Spark joy in your heritage Spanish class through engaging activities, secret pen pals, and even class parties! Having fun together builds community, and we learn best when we feel comfortable and safe in the classroom environment.
About Courtney:
Courtney is the founder of the Ascendencia curriculum for high school heritage Spanish and the Linaje curriculum for middle school heritage Spanish. Courtney’s primary focus is on engaging students in learning through content-based instruction. She believes in empowering her students to become their best selves and that the best learning takes place when students are hooked on a topic that directly relates to their life experiences.
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
Allowing for playfulness in the classroom is a great way to rejuvenate both students and the teacher. This can look like using silly story cards to spark creative writing, surprising students with a new destination for class when it's nice out, and planning class parties.

Will Adams | The Kě ài lǎoshī
PRESENTATION: Acquisition as Joy: Get back to the why behind the way we teach!
When teaching feels joyful, students feel it too. This session explores how centering joy in acquisition-based classrooms can reignite your passion and create a space where students thrive! You’ll leave with practical, joy-centered strategies you can use from day one.
About Will:
"Will Adams is a Mandarin Chinese teacher at North High School in Denver Public Schools. Now in his fourth year of teaching, he is dedicated to acquisition-driven instruction (ADI) as a pathway to meaningful and equitable language learning. Will believes that all students—regardless of background—can acquire a second or even third language, including those often labeled as “too difficult,” like Chinese. He was the recipient of the Welcome Package Award from the Colorado Congress for Language Teachers (CCFLT) two years ago and has since begun sharing his knowledge with fellow educators. Will was recently elected President-Elect of CCFLT for the 2025–2026 school year.
When he's not teaching or advocating for best practices in world language education, Will enjoys spending time with his fiancé George and their two beloved cats, Didi (弟弟) and Baobao (宝包)."
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
Joy and Fun means letting go of the hum drum and what we hear in the news, and re-centering ourselves as humans. It means Centering humor, and positivity, leaning into the silly side of things- EVEN if it can be a little cringe sometimes.

Devon Gunning | La Libre Language Learning
PRESENTATION: The Joy of Becoming a Language Facilitator
Ditch the stressful and outdated role of knowledge gatekeeper and experience the joyful transformation to language facilitator. When you teach for proficiency, you're the skills coach, the party host, and conversation partner. I'll show you how the things you actually love to do, bring you joy, and connect you to your students in class are the most valuable language acquisition tools in your teaching toolkit. Best of all, you don't need any new skills to embrace your role as language facilitator. I'll simply be showing you how to direct your natural teaching instincts into a facilitator framework that makes every class more about skills and meaningful language use.
About Devon:
Welcome to Practical and Comprehensible 2025: JOY!
My mission is to help world language teachers discover a practical, teacher-friendly approach to best practice and true community in your classroom: through the power of CI and meaningful social justice resources & PD.
I work with teachers & districts in curriculum work, self care planners, French & Spanish resources, and the Practical Proficiency Network - a PD membership and community to connect you with like-minded, health-conscious and CI focused teachers.
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
Life is too short and work makes up so much of it. Teachers are exceptionally talented, and we can't afford to waste days in class with things that don't bring joy to ourselves and our students. That doesn't always mean that it comes easy - in teaching you have to plan for, protect, and maintain joyful spaces & moments because we know it's best for us and our kids to see joy in doing hard things and having a LOT of fun in the process.

Kim Bopp
PRESENTATION: Sparking Joy and Proficiency: Sustaining Passion and Progress in the World Language Classroom
Imagine a classroom where students light up with curiosity and confidence as they speak a new language—"Sparking Joy and Proficiency: Sustaining Passion and Progress in the World Language Classroom" explores how to sustain that passion while driving meaningful progress in world language learning.
About Kim:
I am a dedicated Spanish educator with 30 years of experience teaching students from 3rd through 12th grade in both public and private schools across New Jersey. I am a proud advocate for meaningful, culturally rich language learning as I designed, implemented, and continue to lead an accelerated Spanish program for middle school students at Russell O. Brackman Middle School. My teaching philosophy centers on fostering curiosity, confidence, and cultural empathy through joyful, communicative experiences that make language come alive for every learner. I work collaboratively with colleagues across my district’s World Language Department to align curriculum, share instructional strategies, and support a unified, proficiency-driven approach to language education. My career has been marked by a commitment to nurturing both proficiency and joy in the classroom, guiding generations of students toward global awareness and confident self-expression.
Beyond the classroom, my passions reflect my lively personality and love for community. I collect Day of the Dead artifacts, enjoy cooking and traveling with friends and family, and am deeply involved in Scouting. As an Assistant Scoutmaster for a local girls troop, a merit badge counselor and an adult leadership trainer, I mentor youth and prepare adult leaders. A lifelong Jersey girl, I am happily married to my husband of 26 years, Frank, and am the proud mother of three kind, talented young adults—Jillian, Abby, and Jack. Our home is shared with Rocky, a beloved 12-year-old boxer-lab mix.
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
JOY and FUN in the world language classroom mean creating a space where students feel excited, safe, and motivated to communicate. Using engaging, meaningful activities that make learning memorable and build confidence makes the learning fun.

Premium Presentation - All-Access Pass only
Meg Fandel Verdon - Experiencia Colombia
LIVE: 1-2pm est
Highly effective Instructional strategies for language learners
This workshop will provide a few highly effective instructional strategies that will support language acquisition and productivity in your classroom.
walk out with EASY and highly effective tools for your classroom.
It's not fancy; it's just solid teaching! Get ready to support your learners of all abilities!
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
Less stress, stronger relationships with students and inspiring students to enjoy education more!
Get Access to Live Workshops
Premium Presentation - All-Access Pass only
Devon Gunning - La Libre Language Learning
LIVE: 3-4pm est
Get Started Tomorrow: 10 Things You NEED for a Proficiency-Oriented Classroom
It's back to basics time. This presentation is for everyone, but especially beginners. You'll learn the absolute core foundations of how to get started and maintain proficiency-oriented practice this year. The practical way! We won't cover it all - just the 10 things you need. You'll walk away from this session with a solid routine you can start using tomorrow - zero training required - to become a more acquisition-driven instructor.
Get Access to Live Workshops
DAY 2- July 9th


Amy Marshall / Zonadeprofes
Work Smarter Not Harder
Teaching has grown increasingly difficult and demanding based upon the culture and society that we live in. The demands seem to grow with each passing year and teachers are burning out and in many cases cannot be found to fill the vacancies. This session will focus on addressing how to work smarter and not harder as language teachers with grading practices, classroom activities and planning, using AI and general time management strategies.
About Amy:
Amy Marshall is a dynamic and energetic Spanish teacher who teaches with a variety of techniques that fall under the umbrella of comprehensible input.
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
Joy this year means connecting with the students who needed me as more than a teacher.

Tia Parnell from Parfaitement Parnell
PRESENTATION: From Stress to Success: How to Keep Joy in the Classroom with Time-Saving Teaching Strategies
Feeling overwhelmed by lesson planning and classroom management? In this session, Tia Parnell will share practical, time-saving strategies to help you reduce stress and bring more joy to your teaching, so you can focus on what matters most—your students and their success.
About Tia:
Tia is an elementary French Immersion teacher from Ontario, Canada. She is also the owner of Parfaitement Parnell, a small business where she creates modern & engaging resources for French teachers and parents.
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
To me, joy and fun in the classroom this year mean creating an environment where students feel excited to learn and confident to take risks in French. It’s about embracing creativity, laughter, and meaningful connections through language, to create the best possible experience.

A.C. Quintero | Novels and Resources by A.C. Quintero
PRESENTATION: More Than Simple Stories: Sparking Critical Thinking with Lower-Level Novels
Are you on the fence about using novels in your lower-level classes? Do you feel like your students aren't ready? This session will help you to get the most out of lower-level novels.
About A.C.:
A.C. Quintero is currently a Spanish Teacher in Chicago, IL. She has 20 years of cumulative experience as an IB middle school teacher, high school teacher, and adjunct instructor. She holds a Master’s in Latin American Literature. A.C. was most recently recognized by AATSP for her role in improving DEI initiatives for students. She has authored several compelling comprehensible novels such as La clase de confesiones, El escape, y Las apariencias engañan. You can view her Spanish, French, and German readers on her website below.
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
To me, JOY and FUN in the classroom this year mean creating meaningful connections with my students and fostering an environment where learning feels natural and exciting. It's also me not leaving school drained and exhausted.

Premium Presentation - All-Access Pass
Dia Mixon
LIVE: Make it Hands On!
1-2pm EST July 9th via ZOOM
Looking for ways to make class time more joyful? Make it hands on! This session will cover a variety of activities and strategies to make language learning more engaging.
About Dia:
Dia Mixon has spent two decades helping students become confident intercultural communicators. With experience in Pre-K through post-secondary classrooms, Dia enjoys sharing her favorite teaching tools and classroom activities as a presenter at state and regional world language conferences. She currently teaches high school Spanish in her hometown, Columbus, Ohio. When she isn’t teaching, she is writing award-winning children’s books for her publishing imprint, El Mundo Mixon Books.
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
Joy and fun go hand and hand. When students are collaborating, on task, and interacting with the target language, the classroom is buzzing. When I hear laughter and lively discussions about topics we are covering, I feel like I am doing my job!
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Tracy E. Rucker
PRESENTATION: Authentic Planning and Enduring Engagement: Creating Meaningful Pathways to Cultivate Cultural Connections in our Diverse World Language Classrooms
Understanding intercultural competency through active communication drives learning and acquisition. This session focuses on seven key proven strategies that boost communicative proficiency while focusing on students' interests, personalities, and co-created experiential practices.
About Tracy:
Tracy Rucker is an outstanding, award-winning world language teacher with more than 30 years of teaching experience. A frequent regional and state presenter, he is known for helping world language teachers enhance their existing programs by incorporating many strategies that incorporate interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational communication and global awareness into the classroom. Rucker has served as chair of the World Language department, president of AATF-KY, vice-president of AATF, and teacher representative for the Société Honoraire de Français. His extensive experience as an AP exam scorer for more than 15 years has significantly impacted how he approaches instruction.
Tracy emphasizes practical strategies - the use of target language, cultural connections , and contextualized grammar - in the language classroom. He brings to his seminars a high level of understanding of proficiency and how to train students to spiral through performance levels while honing communicative proficiency skills. He also brings a high level of humor and down-to-earth realism about what works for teachers and diverse learners at various levels of proficiency. Rucker is a frequent presenter at local and regional conferences as well as being recognized as Kentucky's World Language Teacher of the Year award in 2022. Tracy earned his BA in French Language and Culture from The University of the South and his MA in French from Middlebury College. In his free time, Tracy loves creative writing, gardening, and reading autobiographies and non-fiction works.
What does Joy and Fun mean to you?
Culture is not merely what we see or what we learn from poems, songs, or food! As language teachers, we advance in a perpetual quest for cultural literacy, and as we seek to make input comprehensible, we incorporate various resources that make learning fun and enduring.

Maureen Gassert Lamb
PRESENTATION: PROMPTS, PLAY, and POSSIBILITY: Low Tech, Low Prep CI Activities for Generation Alpha
Discover low-tech, low-prep ways to bring language learning to life for Generation Alpha through high-energy, high-engagement CI activities that require little to no materials, but deliver big results! Perfect for educators who want joyful, purposeful, and practical strategies they can use right away.
About Maureen:
"Maureen Lamb is the Latin teacher and AI Task Force Chair at Miss Porter's School in Connecticut. With nearly two decades of experience in language education, Maureen is known for her innovative, student-centered approach that blends technology, equity, and joy to foster inclusive and communicative classrooms. A nationally recognized leader in proficiency-based instruction, she regularly presents on topics such as comprehensible input, culturally responsive pedagogy, AI integration, and differentiation through station rotation models.
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
This year, JOY has meant watching students grow confident in real communication. FUN has meant creating a space full of movement, laughter, and connection where students feel safe to take risks and celebrate their progress every day.

Dr. Lake Mathison
PRESENTATION: Proficiency over points: Practical ungrading in world language
There's nothing less joyful than reducing our students' knowledge and abilities to a number in a gradebook, so to maximally embrace joy, we should redirect their attention as much as possible to their learning and acquisition and away from grades. There are lots of ways to do that, and Ungrading has many possible dimensions to explore. This session touches on the what, the why, and some practical how for reducing or eliminating scores and refocusing on feedback.
About Lake:
Dr. Lake Mathison teaches high school Spanish as a department of one in rural Minnesota. This is her third year ungrading, and it continues to be a work in progress. The most joyful part about it is no longer hearing "Is this going in the gradebook?"
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
This year I found joy in establishing connections with students and constantly pushing and encouraging them to level up, take risks, be creative, think deeper. Students and I focus on the communication in the moment with no specter of points and gradebook percentages hanging over us.

Maureen Lothrop Magnan, Ph.D
PRESENTATION: Unlocking Potential: Integrating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in the World Language Classroom
Are your students truly at the center of your lessons? Discover how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can help you tap into student interests to create inclusive, engaging language classrooms that support all learners.
About Maureen:
"Maureen Lothrop Magnan, Ph.D. is passionate about language, learning, and helping educators rediscover their joy. With 19 years of experience teaching Spanish and English in the U.S. and abroad, she has also served as a 6–12 World Language Coordinator, K–5 facilitator in Massachusetts, language coach and educator supporting students and teachers across grade levels. She presents regularly at conferences such as MAFLA and ACTFL, teaches graduate courses at Framingham State University, and currently teaches in Natick, MA.
When she’s not teaching or presenting, you can find her spending time with her three kids, husband, and their turtle—living her best multilingual, hammock-loving life!"
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
For me, joy and fun in the classroom happen when I get to be my full self and help students do the same. Fun doesn’t mean flashy; it means connection, curiosity, and a sense of shared purpose. When we laugh, take risks, and see each other, that’s when learning sticks and the classroom feels alive.

Allison Wienhold - Mis Clases Locas
PRESENTATION: Joyful Routines
This session will focus on infusing joy to any World Language class through classroom routines. Streamline your planning, while building a positive classroom community.
About Allison:
Allison Wienhold of Mis Clases Locas has 10 years of experience as a #deptof1 secondary Spanish teacher. She has a passion for using novels, CI-based stories, music, and movement in a #deskless class. Allison loves to save busy teachers' time!
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
Make time every day for joy in the classroom. This means building a positive classroom community through connection, movement, and fun.

DAY 3- July 10th


Bryce Hedstrom | Hedstrom Language Resources
PRESENTATION: “The Joy of Teaching without (much) Grammar”
Is teaching explicit grammar necessary? Is it helpful? If so, what are the best ways to teach grammar explicitly? This session will show you where the joy is to be found with and without grammar.
About Bryce:
Bryce has taught elementary to college level students for more than 30 years. He now teaches and coaches teachers full time. His teaching emphasizes proficiency and includes storytelling, authentic culture, reading, music, student engagement… and plenty of laughter.
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
I get joy when I see students get it - when I look into their eyes and see the spark. That's the joy of teaching for me, and I reflect it back to them. It's a continuous spiraling loop when it works. Fun is a way to get to joy because it boosts enthusiasm.

Connie J Navarro / CI.Coaching.with.Connie.com
PRESENTATION: Picture This! Elevating Student Writing with AI Image Generators
Join us for "Picture This! Elevating Student Writing with AI Image Generators," a dynamic session designed to show how artificial intelligence can bring whole group or individual student writing to life in the world language classroom. Discover how AI-powered image generators can visually interpret student narratives in the Target Language, making their stories more engaging and immersive. Learn practical strategies to integrate these tools into your curriculum, sparking creativity and enhancing language skills. Whether you're looking to help students visualize their writing or bring new excitement to writing assignments, this session will provide you with the tools and inspiration to transform your classroom. Don’t miss the chance to explore a cutting-edge method for fostering creativity and boosting student engagement through AI!
About Connie:
Since 2013, Connie has observed, evaluated, and coached hundreds of World Language teachers who teach with Comprehensible Input.
In addition to working with teachers, Connie trains principals, assistant principals, deans, and other school leaders on accurate scoring of teacher observations and evaluations. Connie loves to share resources and ideas with anyone looking to go from good to great. Whether you're a Rookie, a Varsity teacher or an All-Star, CI Coaching With Connie has something for you!
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
Joy and Fun can be a daily part of the World Language classroom. Teaching for communication and language acquisition is a natural fit to include all students in rigorous, joyful, personalized instruction. I have FUN every day in my French classroom and students are always invited to join the fun.

Allison Perryman, founder of The Cultural Classroom
PRESENTATION: Affirming All by Uplifting Each Other: Recognizing the Contributions of Diverse Cultures in the WL Classroom
This session explores how affirming and uplifting marginalized students creates a ripple effect that cultivates joy, belonging, and connection for all learners. By centering the voices and experiences of those most often overlooked, we open the door to a more inclusive and joyful classroom community.
About Allison:
Allison Perryman is a dedicated Spanish language educator with over a decade of classroom experience and a deep passion for celebrating diversity within world language communities. She holds degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, Queens College, and a Master’s in Spanish Linguistics from Middlebury College. She studied abroad in Sevilla, Spain, at the Universidad de Sevilla. As the founder of The Cultural Classroom, Allison supports teachers in weaving authentic culture into their curriculum to promote meaningful intercultural connections. A strong advocate for diversity in the curriculum and Afrolatinidad, she regularly presents at conferences and workshops—including ACTFL, FLAVA, GWATFL, and The World Language Teacher Summit—equipping educators with practical tools to build culturally fluent and inclusive classrooms.
What does joy & fun mean to you?
Joy, to me, is the deep, soul-filling feeling that comes when I’m fully present, connected, and aligned with purpose. It’s found in small moments—laughter with students, a breakthrough in learning, or a quiet breath of gratitude.

Angie Sherbondy | Angie Torre French and Spanish
PRESENTATION: Make Comprehensible Input Exciting by Adding Realia
"Get students excited about interacting with comprehensible input by adding realia. Students are most engaged during CI when they can put their hands on real, concrete objects. Realia brings stories and other input to life and not only helps students engage but makes the presentation more fun for the teacher. Asking either/or, fill-in-the-blank, open-ended questions ad nauseum can be tedious.
In this workshop, I will show you how I use everyday objects to spice up my comprehensible input and get students participating in the lesson with enthusiasm. I will show you ways to use realia in many different types of CI— for storytelling, videos, games, songs, etc."
About Angie:
"With over 30 years of experience teaching Spanish (Levels I–AP) and French (Levels I–IV), I’ve dedicated my career to helping students not only become fluent but also articulate in the target language. During my 5 years teaching AP Spanish Language and Culture, all but one of my students passed the exam—an achievement I’m incredibly proud of.
My passion for sharing knowledge extends to my blog, where I connect with over 10,000 monthly readers. I offer practical teaching tips, innovative solutions to classroom challenges, comprehensible input strategies, TPRS tutorials, and tech integration ideas.
At the heart of my teaching philosophy lies the balance between comprehensible input and explicit grammar instruction. I believe students acquire language through exposure to meaningful content but also need structured grammar lessons to communicate clearly and effectively. My resources—ranging from textbooks and lesson plans to PowerPoints & digital activities—blend these approaches seamlessly, ensuring both engagement and academic rigor."
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
My husband asked me, "What brings you joy when you are teaching?" When my students and I are laughing and excited about the lesson, it brings me joy. When I add realia to my comprehensible input, students interact more with the lesson and participate enthusiastically, often with hilarious results.

John Sifert, Padre de cinco Resources
PRESENTATION: Poster, Poster, on the Wall...
"How do we make sure our classroom walls are both inviting and useful for language acquisition? There are so many different posters, charts, and pieces of realia available, but what do we really need to have up on the walls everyday?
I will walk you through the process I use to determine what is REALLY necessary to have up on your classroom walls."
About John:
"John Sifert has been a Spanish teacher in Iowa for the past 27 years. His focus in the classroom is to provide comprehensible input through stories, novels, and song. He is also passionate about teaching students about life-long skills such as perseverance, respect, and kindness. John has presented at ACTFL, CI Midwest, Practical and Comprehensible, IWLA, CI Iowa, KSWLA, Comprehended!, Conference in the Cloud, Growing with Proficiency, and CI Reboot. John also creates a variety of classroom materials and is the author of La isla más peligrosa, La decisión más peligrosa, El secreto más peligroso, Seis nombres, L'isola più pericolosa del mondo, with several other novels in the works. You can find all his ideas and materials at padredecinco.com
Nothing is more important than family, so when not focused on language acquisition, John spends all his free time with his wife and 5 children in the tiny, (but amazing) town of Belmond, Iowa.
"
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
Nothing is more important to creating JOY than building community. Joy is helping my students feel welcomed, relaxed, and seen in my classroom.

Jenniffer Whyte
PRESENTATION: Bringing Black History to Life: Creating a School-Wide Wall Museum
Transform your school’s walls into a vibrant Black History Museum! Learn how to engage students and clubs in creating an interactive display that honors African American, Afro-Latino, and African diaspora contributions through art, culture, and history.
About Jenniffer:
"Jenniffer Whyte is a dedicated Spanish educator, cultural advocate, and the creative mind behind the brand Afro Latina Teacher. Originally from the Dominican Republic, Jenniffer grew up in New York City and Miami, Florida, before settling in Anniston, Alabama, where she has lived for over 22 years with her family. A passionate teacher of Spanish to students ranging from preK to 9th grade, Jenniffer seamlessly integrates Afro-Latino culture into her lessons, promoting diversity and inclusion. She also leads a vibrant Spanish Club, organizes cultural events, and hosts workshops to educate and inspire others about the rich influence of Afro-Latino heritage.
When she’s not teaching, Jenniffer creates engaging content on her YouTube channels, exploring topics like Afro-descendants in Latin America and offering Spanish lessons for infants and toddlers. Jenniffer’s work reflects her mission to empower her community through language, culture, and education. She is also a proud wife, mother of five, and grandmother to baby Alora."
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
Joy and fun in my classroom mean fostering creativity and cultural appreciation through hands-on projects. This year, students have lit up while exploring Afro-Latino history, collaborating on displays, and sharing their work with pride. Learning is most meaningful when it’s interactive and engaging

Lynne Hendrick
PRESENTATION: World Language for All!
World Language for All!! Come learn how I created a course for special needs students to offer them a glimpse of the world and the opportunity to learn a world language. These students reinvigorated me and my classroom. Come experience the joy I receive each and every day! Welcome to my absolute favorite course!
About Lynne:
Lynne Hendrick is a German teacher with 20+ years of experience in public schools. Lynne discovered comprehension-based instruction about 10 years ago and has been on a journey of learning and growing ever since. She teaches all levels of German plus Adapted World Language and Culture (a course designed for students with moderate to severe disabilities). Lynne enjoys collaborating and mentoring teachers and has presented at regional, state and local conferences and has led professional development classes for world language teachers in her district. In addition to these opportunities, she has teamed up with Maris Hawkins for the past 9 years to organize and host an Edcamp-style, one-day conference for teachers in and around Virginia. In her free time, Lynne enjoys baking, reading, and spending time with her family.
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
Joy is found in the small successes, the Ah-ha moments, and the growth of my students. Joy is contagious, so if I have and share it, then my students will join me. It is through joy that we can have fun in our classrooms. Both joy and fun can be elusive, so we must pursue both with intention!

Audrey Harris
PRESENTATION: Conversational Communication in the TL
Let's create casual conversations in the target language to promote language acquisition, encourage relationships and have fun.
About Audrey:
I am a foreign language teacher. I currently teach American Sign Language Levels 1-3 at a local high school. I have previously taught Spanish 1 & 2. I help other teachers in many different areas. Most commonly in foreign language to encourage comprehensible input and acquisition. I help teachers find their reason for teaching and focus on that during tough times. I help some learn how to use sign language in the classroom to either help them or help with student behaviors and needs for differentiation.
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
When all the students are engaged, learning and have smiles class is fun. Joy is enjoying what I am doing everyday and seeing progress in my students.

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Alexis Blum
LIVE: Let Me Try! ADI Skills with Intermediate Level Students
1-2 pm EST July 10th
Let Me Try! Is a session to help you show your students what they can do! This session will focus on activities and skills that help intermediate students gain confidence and language proficiency.
About Alexis:
"Alexis Blum is a Spanish teacher in rural Ohio. She has been teaching for 12 years in which she has taught all levels of Spanish, was a department of one, and now works with a department of three languages. She is a trained ADI Coach, and has coached at national conferences like the CI Summit and Fluency Matters Conference by Wayside Publishing. Alexis currently serves as the Professional Development Chair for the Ohio World Language Association. She is an active presenter at state and regional conferences. She is passionate about finding joy in the everyday aspects of the classroom and making lasting connections with students. Inspired by her own experiences as a high school student, Alexis strives to share the beauty of other cultures and perspectives with her students. She also leads a student travel program, having led five student tours abroad to Spain, France, and England. She loves to travel and see her students experience a new culture.
In her free time, Alexis likes to read and spend time with her family. She loves to travel and try new adventures. She is married with one daughter and a goldendoodle. A fun fact about Alexis - she is an identical twin! "
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
Joy is doing activities that make us feel accomplished, successful, and connected to each other. We can do hard things and feel joyful about it! There is always an element of fun in the classroom - laughter is a crucial part of my lesson plan!

DAY 4 - July 11th


Timothy Chávez | Communicative Teacher
PRESENTATION: All Hands on Deck: Total Participation Techniques for Every Learner
Tired of calling on the same few students? This session will introduce practical, high-energy Total Participation Techniques that ensure every student is actively thinking, engaged, and involved—every time.
About Timothy:
Timothy Chávez has been teaching Spanish for ten years and is a researcher by nature who enjoys reading and incorporating research into his daily lesson plans. As a queer educator, his goal is to design lessons that prioritize language acquisition research while also integrating social justice and cultural content to truly liven up and bring purpose to his curricula.
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
Joy to me means authenticity and being present in the moment.

Courtney Bonino | Llearning Llama
PRESENTATION: Unlock Your Student’s Potential: Let’s Create an Escape Room
Learn how to design engaging puzzles for an escape room in the target language. From gathering the supplies to designing challenging puzzles, you will leave this session with everything you need to create your own escape room for any level and any language!
About Courtney:
Courtney Bonino of Llearning Llama has been teaching and creating Spanish resources for 9 years. Her experience is mainly as a high school teacher, but she has taught every level from preschool through Spanish 4 Honors. Courtney has a Masters in Foreign Language Teacher. She loves providing teachers with authentic and practical activities to make Spanish class fun! She has a passion for virtual field trips, proficiency based tasks, and incorporating culture in the classroom.
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
Seeing students smile and laugh while learning a language! Turning average lessons into games, authentic scenarios, and student centered projects.

Sophie Forker
PRESENTATION: Qu'est-ce qu'on s'amuse en classe de FLE !
How can we engage students in World Language classes today? What keeps our students coming back even if they have met their graduation requirements? Many of us are asked this question when presenting at conferences or interviewing for jobs as students often prioritize other classes over ours. There are many answers to this question, but in my experience the best motivator is making our classes joyful spaces! In this session I will present about several games that I use in my classes to keep students engaged and speaking the target language.
About Sophie:
Bonjour ! ¡Hola! Hi! I'm Sophie, a French and Spanish teacher from Brooklyn, New York. I'm passionate about language acquisition, especially in tandem with queer affirming and antiracist pedagogy. I have taught both middle and high school in NYC public schools and have worked in traditional foreign language as well as dual language settings. I love learning about facilitating language acquisition in the classroom and I'm excited to share with all of you! In my free time I love spending time with my partner and our two dogs, Kevin and Snoodles.
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
"Students are using the target language because they want to!
Students are smiling and interacting with each other.
The teacher is also having fun!"

Maria Jernigan | Redshift Education
PRESENTATION: Video Games for Unleashing Proficiency — ¿Cómo, cuándo, y por qué?
Looking for ways to capture (and keep!) your students’ attention while staying in the target language? We’ll dive into how, when, and why to use VIDEOJUEGOS to facilitate immersive adventures that keep students curious, confident, and communicating.
About Maria:
"Maria Jernigan teaches high school Spanish and is the Founder & CEO of Redshift Education -- the indie game studio that creates immersive, quest-based video games for students learning Spanish. In Redshift Education's immersive worlds, students speak aloud to work together and solve real-problems using the target language. How neat is that?!
Meanwhile, in the classroom, Maria teaches 100% in the target language and with project-based learning (PBL), laser focused on getting students comfortable using the language. Check out her youtube channel for her free content on 100% TL teaching + PBL for language classes... in a way that actually SAVES you time instead of eating it!"
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
I feel the most JOYFUL when I see something I've worked so hard on... just CLICK with a student. Like, BOOM, that was just the right thing, for that right time, to get them where they needed to be.

Diane Neubauer, PhD
PRESENTATION: Humor and Play in the World Language Classroom
What kinds of playful activities can language teachers choose to impact students' language development and engagement? See and experience examples of easy ways to play through the use of language in your classroom.
About Diane:
Diane Neubauer, 杜雁子, taught Mandarin Chinese for 10 years in elementary, middle, and high schools before completing her PhD in Foreign Language and ESL Education at the University of Iowa in 2022. She is Clinical Assistant Professor of Multilingual Education at the University of Louisville, teaches Chinese online, and facilitates language teacher training. She is especially interested in how language teachers can facilitate students’ comprehension of target language, engagement in classroom learning, & development of intercultural competence. She has a podcast with Reed Riggs, Conversations about Language Teaching. Check her YouTube channel for language learning, sometimes featuring her flock of backyard chickens!
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
Joy means the teacher AND the students find pleasure in their time together in the language, even in the midst of challenging circumstances. Fun means incorporating language play into our classrooms, deliberately using language to be playful together.

Sierra Wessels | Profe Sierra
PRESENTATION: Sneaky Input: Games and Routines to Increase Target Language Input
What your students don't know, won't hurt them! Come explore some options for SNEAKY input. Sierra defines sneaky input as highly engaging and fun games, brain breaks, and routines that can be done in the target language and your students are LOVE them so much they don't even notice how much input they are really getting! These activities and routines are fun, dynamic, JOYFUL, and engaging, BUT most importantly they are RICH in language acquisition opportunities and input. We won't just talk about the how to do them, but also the when, so that you get the most out of each activity.
About Sierra:
Sierra Wessels is a second-generation Spanish teacher that loves sharing her life, experiences, and learning as a language teacher using acquisition driven instruction and comprehensible input approaches on her Instagram and blog as Profe Sierra. You’ll see that she puts an emphasis on connection over curriculum focusing on using resources and methods tied to music, authentic tv shows, and leveled novels to help keep her students engaged and acquiring new language. While she has taught everything from 6th grade -Spanish IV over the last 7 years she has found her passion in working with intermediate level students and loves helping other teachers do the same.
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
Joy and fun in my classroom is creating a community and relationship where we are laughing until we cry, bonding over shared interests, celebrating the things that make each of uniquely us, and feeling loved and supported as both students and the teacher.

Robyn French | Madame French Toast | French Toast Cuentos
PRESENTATION: Read, Play, Repeat: Games and Activities for Language Learners
Discover how reading can become a source of joy and engagement in your world language classroom! In this session, we’ll explore a variety of interactive reading activities and games that keep students motivated and immersed in the target language. From creative comprehension tasks to movement-based reading games, you’ll leave with practical strategies to make reading both meaningful and fun for learners of all levels.
About Robyn:
Bonjour! My name is Robyn French, and I am a French teacher (yes, you read that correctly—I teach French, and my last name is French!). I’ve been teaching for about 10 years. While I’ve primarily taught French, I’ve also worked as a paraprofessional and spent a year teaching English in France through the TAPIF program. Most of my experience is with middle school students, but I’ve also taught high school and upper elementary (4th and 5th graders—who are really fun to teach!). In recent years, I’ve been working more on supporting other World Language teachers through mentoring, creating comprehensible resources on Teachers Pay Teachers, and co-authoring a blog called French Toast Cuentos with my colleague Catherine. I’m excited to present at this conference and to share ideas that can help make your work easier—and bring more joy to your teaching!
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
This year, joy in the classroom means using more games and activities that spark engagement. I’m also leaning into lessons I love, because when I’m having fun, the whole class feels it!

Pamela Parks, "Madame Sensei"
PRESENTATION: Game-Based Learning To Bring You Joy in the World Language Classroom
Grading long paper and pen assessments was bringing both me and my students down, and it didn't feel very authentic! I describe how I turned to game-based learning, which makes my classroom a joyful (albeit boisterous and loud) space.
About Pamela:
My name is Pamela Parks, but my students call me "Madame Sensei." I teach French, Spanish, and Japanese to highschoolers in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. (Plus I had to cram more than 30 students into each of my classes so that I could take on an ELA class this year... Talk about whiplash...) I decided long ago that I dislike grading long exams, and what I really want to do is the fun stuff. So I moved to a game-based and project-based curriculum. I find that I get more authentic language production that way -- Students aren't worried about the sounds coming out of their mouth, they just want to win the game. Affective Filter lowered, students are 100% engaged, and I enjoy myself, too. It's a win-win-win.
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
To me, joy means seeing the lightbulb go off over my students heads. To my students, it means that their Affective Filter is lowered, and they are not worried about the sounds coming out of their mouth. They are just totally 100% invested in the game.

Leah Rogstad
PRESENTATION: Song of the week Re-imagined: Cultural Competence, Community and Critical Thinking at all Proficiency Levels
We will explore how bring a song of the week into your classroom can foster not just linguistic competence, but also build classroom community, bring representation of diverse identities to the classroom, establish a sustainable classroom routine, and enable students to interact with authentic language at their proficiency level from day 1. You will walk away with 10 different strategies with song of the week to load up students with input, investigate the cultural products, practices, and perspectives of various cultures, and foster a passion for learning language through music.
About Leah:
Leah Rogstad is a Spanish teacher passionate about critical thinking, cultural competence and convivencia in the language classroom. With a experience ranging from middle school to university at both public and independent schools in the US and abroad, Leah loves to design curriculum that brings authentic texts and resources to the classroom and creates a space that connects language to students' lives. She strives to create a classroom that fosters not just linguistic competence but also encourages students to widen their perspective, become more self-aware and curious, and to connect with people from around the world. Leah is currently based in Vermont at Brattleboro Union High School, where she teaches all levels of Spanish.
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
Joy means experiencing awe when seeing a beautiful landscape in a song, when you laugh for the first time at a joke in your second language, when you learn the perfect way to cook a tortilla so it puffs up. Joy is feeling the texture and tastes and sounds of a language beyond just its words.

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Courtney Jackson | Profe Zulita
LIVE: OMG, Profe! That was FUN!
3-4pm EST July 11
Have you ever wondered how to get the "OMG!" reaction from your classes? Have you ever wanted to make your classroom a more lively & fun environment while staying in the target language? This session will cover the top activities that students BEG for in class.
What does Joy & Fun mean to you?
Joy means not “having to” but “getting to” every time. Joy is enjoying the journey and experience and not forcing compliance. Fun is the result of bringing joy into the classroom
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BONUS WORKSHOP - FREE FOR ALL
Devon Gunning - La Libre Language Learning
LIVE: Conference Conclusion: 4:45-5:45pm est
Cultivating a Practical, Joyful, & Sustainable Proficiency Practice
This is the final step. Close out the conference with me in this special LIVE workshop - FREE for all to attend. Just register below!
In this workshop, you'll learn your immediate next steps to make all your momentum from the conference last all year long. With the secrets to a sustainable proficiency practice, you'll learn how to maintain a doable & practical (ha!) proficiency teachihg practice that still feels like you. No more stalling out, burning out, or giving up on all your hard-earned proficiency progress.
At the end of the workshop, those ready for the next step with the Practical Proficiency Network will see what the PD membership is all about!
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