Idaho State University to host 55th Annual Idaho Association of Teachers of Language and Culture Conference

The main topic of the conference will be “Quality of the World Language Classroom.” Conference participants will learn new ways of teaching foreign language in the traditional classroom. They will also experience Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling, or TPRS method, and will explore blending traditional and digital technology styles of teaching.

The conference will focus on methods to develop strong foreign language communicative teaching strategies using the National World-Readiness Standards. The main goal of the conference is to shape and influence various aspects of our foreign language everyday teaching strategies and to involve the teachers in an open dialogue.

The keynote speaker will be ISU anthropology professor Christopher Loether. Loether is the director of the American Indian Studies Program, director of the Linguistics Program and co-director of the Shoshoni Language Project. He specializes in Uto-Aztecan, Celtic, Germanic and Semitic languages. He has worked specifically with the Western Mono, Owens Valley Paiute, Shoshoni and Welsh languages. His other specialties include sociolinguistics, ethnopoetics, lexicography, language revitalization and the ethnology of California and Great Basin Indians.

Presentations will be held on both Oct. 6 from 1 to 5 p.m. and Oct. 7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Refreshments and coffee will be served.

Conference attendees can register at the door in the Pond Student Union on Oct. 6 from noon to 1 p.m. or can send a check for $80 to Dennis Ohrtman at 510 Burrell Dr., Lewiston, Idaho 83501.

Every teacher who attends the conference will earn professional development credit, meet new colleagues, share ideas, embrace new ideas, reconnect with colleagues and celebrate the Idaho Teacher of the Year.

For more information, visit IATLC.ORG or contact Valia Tatarova at tatavali@isu.edu or (208) 282-5732.