Making Languages Count: Power of Credentialing as Advocacy
Local Experiences, National Data, and the Global Seal of Biliteracy
Language credentials such as the Global Seal of Biliteracy make learners’ proficiency visible, portable, and meaningful far beyond the classroom — and that visibility can become a powerful advocacy tool.
In this interactive session, the second joint event organized by NFMLTA and Avant, The Language Proficiency Company, presenters Linda Egnatz, Kelly Moser, and Krista Chambless share their firsthand experience implementing the Global Seal at their own institutions, alongside data and trends from programs across the country. Together they examine the opportunities credentialing creates for learners, educators, and language programs in K–16+ contexts, and how it can help you communicate the value of language learning, recognize proficiency, and strengthen advocacy in your own setting.
Krista Chambless is Professor of Spanish, French, and World Language Education at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, where she coordinates Introductory Spanish and directs International Studies. With over 30 years of teaching experience, she has received numerous awards for excellence in language education, online teaching, and advocacy. Her research focuses on world language teacher preparation, proficiency, effectiveness, and student learning.
Linda Egnatz is Executive Director of the Global Seal of Biliteracy, an award-winning international certification recognizing multilingual learners in over 70 countries. A former ACTFL National Language Teacher of the Year, she is a leading advocate for multilingualism, serving on international boards for bilingualism and heritage language education while working to expand access to language certification worldwide.
Kelly Moser is Professor of Spanish and World Language Education at Mississippi State University, where she also serves as Director of Teaching Initiatives for the College of Arts & Sciences. An award-winning educator and teacher educator, her research focuses on world language teacher development, teacher identity and agency, and reflective practice, with particular attention to the experiences of educators in rural contexts. Her work seeks to strengthen teacher preparation and professional learning while advancing effective and sustainable approaches to world language education.
The webinar is presented by the National Federation of Modern Language Teachers Assocaition (NFMLTA) and hosted by Avant Assessment.