Last Call for our Spring Training Conference!

Session 1:  Instructor: Rebecca Shinduke
Thought-full Plans: Designing Authentic Tasks for Speaking Lessons   10:45 a.m.

In this hands-on session, participants will compare and contrast two common patterns for structuring a lesson plan for authentic speaking tasks. We will examine the advantages and disadvantages of each pattern by analyzing sample lesson plans, and participants will have the chance to create a plan of their own.

Session 2: Instructor: Hannah Dissen
Speaking and Developing Fluency   1:00 p.m.

What is fluency and how do we encourage our learners to speak confidently and fluently? This workshop will look at some factors that impede fluency in language, how we can address these factors, and what affective factors to take into account when we consider our learners holistically. The majority of this workshop will focus on practical speaking ideas and activities to encourage fluency and how to give feedback effectively.

Session 3: Instructor: Matt Dissen
Anchoring Vocabulary Through Movement   2:30 p.m.

This presentation will demonstrate a gesture-synchronized set of procedures that will help learners efficiently ‘anchor’ the pronunciation, meaning and usage of new vocabulary words. Appropriate for use with English language learners of most levels and ages, participants will be introduced to five techniques that are useful in many aspects and various contexts of integrated speaking or pronunciation instruction. Each of the techniques involves application of movement and/or touch, which has been shown to have the effect of substantially increasing both attention to the task at hand and subsequent recall of what was being learned, as well as improving the learner’s ability to add stress and intonation naturally to their oral production.

Stream #2 features breakout sessions that focus on practical ways to create welcoming spaces. Ideal for pastors and leaders involved in other areas of outreach ministry with newcomers. Sessions for both streams run concurrently.

Session 1: Instructor: Pastor Bill Dyck
Building Friendships with Intercultural Understanding   10:45 a.m.

Being aware of our own cultural values is an important first step in improving inter-cultural competence. By becoming more culturally self-aware we develop an understanding of the ways in which cultural values impact our own thinking, and where we might differ from others in our interactions with them.  Pastor Dyck has a wealth of intercultural experience to draw from and will share personal insights that have helped him develop cultural self-awareness. He will also present some of the common areas where cultures differ. There will be time for participants to ask questions and share their experiences.

Session 2: Instructor: Elfrieda Lepp-Kaethler, Ph.D. 
The Hospitable Classroom   1:00 p.m.

In this hands-on workshop, we will consider the practical implications of embracing hospitality as a metaphor for language teaching. We will examine activities useful in creating hospitable spaces that enhance motivation and learning.

Session 3: Instructor: Bethany Matchullis
From Barriers to Opportunities: Making Personal Connections with Strangers   2:30 p.m.

Hospitality and opening our doors to strangers is understood as having a genuinely positive impact: on other people, ourselves, and society. And yet it’s not always something that comes naturally, especially when we are trying to bridge with those outside our own circles. This interactive workshop tackles the reality of this concept of providing relational support to the ‘other’ and brings it down out of the clouds into our real, raw lives.