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Beyond Engagement: Designing Language Learning That Lasts

About the 2026 Back 2 School Conference

Over the past several years, world language teachers have embraced engaging activities, meaningful content, and acquisition-based strategies. Yet a fundamental question remains:

What makes language learned today still available months or years later?

This year’s conference invites educators to move beyond engagement and focus on designing learning experiences that lead to lasting language acquisition, deeper cultural understanding, and meaningful communication.

 

2026 Strands & Presenters

STRAND 1: Designing Learning That Lasts

Gonzalo Felipe del Real

Session title:Using Project-Based Learning to Support Language Acquisition

Rosa Casado

Session title: Reaching Reluctant Students: Practical Strategies for Real Classrooms

Joe Barcroft

Session title: Teaching Vocabulary for Acquisition

STRAND 2: Comprehensible Input and Language Acquisition

Pamela Parks

Session title:How to Be a Team Player as a Comprehensible Input Teacher

Diego Ojeda

Session title: CI in upper language levels

Erica Peplinski-Burge

Session title: The Language-Learning Brain: Neuroscience, Engagement, and Real Acquisition in the World Language Classroom

STRAND 3: Culture, Interculturality, and Global Perspectives

Kara Jacobs

Session title: Spoiler alert!

Krishauna Hines-Gaither

Session title: I am my language: Roots, Rhythm & Resistance

Nathan Lutz

Session title: Beyond Food, Flags, and Festivals: Designing Intercultural Language Learning That Lasts

Silvia Orellana Buckley

Session title:Beyond Engagement: Using Cultural Slides to Build Lasting Language and Cultural Understanding

STRAND 4: Assessment for Learning

Thomas Sauer

Session title: tba

Patrick Wallace

Session title: Proficiency in Practice: Real-World Strategies for Assessing Growth.

STRAND 5: Motivating and Empowering Language Learner

Carmen Reyes

Session title: Motivating and Empowering Students Through Identity, Culture, and Student Voice

Nathan Campbell

Session title: Bringing Language to Life: Inspiring Engagement Beyond the Classroom

Mirta Valdés & NatHalie Nathalie Meunier

Session title: Scaffolding, Engagement and Meaningful Projects in the WL Classroom

Sarah Hopper

Session title: Using Personalized Language Learning to Motivate and Promote Learning

STRAND 6: Teaching Advanced Courses (AP and Beyond)

Val Luppino

Session title: Equipping Your Students: Aligning Your Teaching with the New AP World Language Exam

Diego Ojeda

Session title: Rethinking Advanced Language Instruction

STRAND 7: Technology and AI in Language Learning

Manuela Mena

Session title: Once Upon a Prompt
Is AI killing creativity… or forcing us to redefine it?

Jasmin Root-Joswig

Session title: Feedback That Sticks: Peer and AI-Supported Assessment for Lasting Language Learning

STRAND 8: Supporting Diverse Learners

Kim Potowski

Session title: Spanish as a heritage language: The Bad Bunny effect vs “No sabo kid” narratives

Juanita Calvo

Session title: tba

Register today!

Join hundreds of world language educators and get immediate access to high-impact, flexible professional development.

Only $50 for 20+ hours of professional development!

Special Pricing for Schools & Districts:
Contact us at [email protected] for group rates.

All sessions available starting July 25, 2026

Registration until September 30
You’ll have 3 full months of access from the day the content becomes available—or from your registration date if you sign up after July 25

STRAND 6: Planning Through the ACTFL Modes of Communication

Joshua Cabral

Session title: Planning for Meaningful Language Use Across the Modes

Sara Elizabeth Cottrell

Session title: One Text, Three Modes

Janice Holter Kittok

Session title: Get Two for the Price of One: Integrate Language and Content