COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 192

September 22, 2006

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Billy K. Cannaday, Jr. Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	Professional Development Opportunities for Foreign Language Teachers

The Department of Education is pleased to announce several professional development opportunities for foreign language teachers. The Foreign Language Association of Virginia (FLAVA) will hold its annual statewide conference on October 13-14, 2006, at the Holiday Inn Select Koger Conference Center in Richmond, Virginia. Conference highlights will include a keynote address, exhibits, and over 60 sessions, including a pre-conference workshop about LinguaFolio. Detailed information and registration forms are available at http://www.flavaweb.org/flava_conference_2006.php.

Additionally, the Department of Education will offer professional development workshops for Virginias K-12 teachers of French, German, Latin, and Spanish. The objective of the program is to offer foreign language teachers the opportunity to improve language skills and cultural competence through participation in 30 hours of high quality professional development. The Virginia Department of Education will cover all costs for lodging in double rooms, meals, workshop activities, and incentive payments of $100 to each teacher. Local school divisions are encouraged to reimburse mileage expenses. Workshop dates, locations, and registration deadlines are below:

French: October 27-29, 2006

Radisson Hotel Historic Richmond

Richmond, Virginia

Registration deadline: October 13, 2006

German: October 6-8, 2006

Sweet Briar College

Sweet Briar, Virginia

Registration deadline: September 29, 2006

Latin: October 27-29, 2006

Sheraton Richmond West Hotel

Richmond, Virginia

Registration deadline: October 13, 2006

Spanish: November 3-5, 2006

Sheraton Richmond West Hotel

Richmond, Virginia

Registration deadline: October 20, 2006

The Virginia Department of Education has collaborated with leaders from Virginia chapters of the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF), the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG), and the American Association of teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP), as well as the Classical Association of Virginia (CAV), and the Foreign Language Association of Virginia (FLAVA) to design unique programs for each language group, focusing on improving teaching skills and cultural knowledge. Teachers of French, German, and Spanish will benefit further from a full language immersion, with all activities and communication conducted in the target languages. Tentative workshop schedules are available online from the Department of Education Foreign Language Web page at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Instruction/Language/.

Teachers may register electronically online at http://www.cpe.vt.edu/reg/fliw/. A .pdf version of the registration form can be mailed, e-mailed, or faxed to the address on the form, which is available from the website above. Registration is limited to one workshop per teacher. Attendance is limited to a maximum of 30 German teachers and 50 each for French, Latin, and Spanish. All participants must be currently teaching in a Virginia school.

For further information, please contact Helen Small, specialist for foreign languages, Office of Middle and High School Instruction, by e-mail at Helen.Small@doe.virginia.gov, or by telephone at (804) 225-3666.

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