A Focus on Language Access, presented by NFMLTA
From Snapshots to Stories: Making Sense of Longitudinal Enrollment Patterns in Languages
Access to language study is not equal everywhere, and the impact reaches far beyond the classroom. This webinar, presented by NFMLTA and hosted by Avant, The Language Proficiency Company, features teacher-researcher Erin Fell, who explores the circumstances and policies that shape language access, beginning with a case study of Louisiana. The discussion also features expert respondents Rachel Mamiya Hernandez, Amanda Seewald, and John Tessitore, who will help examine what language access means for students, educators, communities, and the workforce. Together, participants consider how these insights can support more equitable and sustainable language programs in the U.S. and around the world.
  • What does Louisiana demonstrate that is like/unlike your teaching context in another U.S. state or internationally?
  • What are the repercussions of lack of access to language study for the individual, society, and the workforce?
  • What insights can inform more equitable and sustainable language programs in other contexts?
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Erin Fell, Ph.D., is a teacher–researcher specializing in second language acquisition and learning disabilities. She has taught French at the K–12 levels, and pedagogy at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Her research advances inclusive language education, expanding access and instructional support for diverse learners, and she presents at conferences worldwide. She is the winner of the NFMLTA Paul Pimsleur Award for Research in World Language Education, presented through ACTFL, and teaches in the Department of Linguistics at Georgetown University.

The presentation and discussion will consider language access through a broad lens, with three expert respondents:

  • Rachel Mamiya Hernandez, PhD, is a Language Technology Specialist at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa. She is the President-Elect of the NFMLTA and speaks Portuguese, Spanish, and Hawaiian.
  • Amanda Seewald is the Executive Director of JNCL-NCLIS that focuses on language policy and advocacy. She has been teaching children languages, coaching educators, and developing curriculum for over 25
    years.
  • John Tessitore is the Executive Director of NFMLTA, supporting language scholars and educators at every level, and connecting research to teaching practice. He is also a writer, editor, and liberal arts advocate.

This webinar is presented by the National Federation of Modern Language Teachers Associations (NFMLTA) and hosted by Avant Language.