2026 BCATML CONFERENCE Details
PRICING
In Person
BCTF Member – $175/ $200
($175 early registration)
Independent – $200/ $225
($200 early registration)
Teacher Candidate – $50
Online
BCTF Member – $125/ $150
($125 early registration)
Independent – $150/ $175
($150 early registration)
Teacher Candidate – $50
Early registration ends September 30th at midnight.
Conference registration: https://outdoorlearning.com/event/bcatml-conference-2026/
Exhibitor registration: https://outdoorlearning.com/event/bcatml-2026-conference-exhibitor-registration/#tribe-tickets__tickets-form
Event schedules
In Person Schedule
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 8:00 - 9:00 AM | Registration, Visit the Vendors, and Coffee |
| 9:00 - 10:15 AM | Keynote - Bill Van Patten |
| 10:15 - 11:00 AM | AGM |
| 11:00 - 11:15 AM | Break |
| 11:15 -12:30 PM | Workshop 1 |
| 12:30 -1:15 PM | Lunch |
| 1:15-2:00 PM | Language Chats |
| 2:00- 2:15 PM | Break |
| 2:15 - 3:30 PM | Workshop 2 |
Online (Zoom) Schedule
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 8:30 - 9:00 AM | Open Zoom |
| 9:00 - 10:15 AM | Keynote Bill Van Patten |
| 10:15 - 11:00 AM | AGM |
| 11:00 - 11:15 AM | Break |
| 11:15 -12:45 PM | Workshop 1 - Balancing Input and Output! Michelle Metcalfe |
| 12:45-12:55 PM | Break |
| 12:55 - 2:05 PM | Workshop 2 - Let's Get Students Talking Natalia Trotman |
| 2:05 - 2:15 PM | Break |
| 2:15 - 3:30 PM | Workshop 3 - Exploring the Realities of Endangered Indigenous Language Learning Mardelle Sauerborn |
Workshops
Click the plus (+) sign to see workshop details. Please select one morning workshop and one afternoon workshop during the registration process using the registration links above.
morning workshops
Morning workshops occur between 11:15PM – 12:30PM.
Elodie Channa - More Than Words: Teaching Language, Culture, and Connection Through CL
What is the role of language learning in a world of AI and Google Translate? This workshop explores how comprehensible input (CI) can transform French classrooms into spaces of cultural discovery, empathy, and human connection. Participants will discover ways to embed authentic francophone culture into everyday instruction through music, novels, storytelling, visuals, music, and other CI-friendly resources. Rather than treating culture as a separate unit, this session demonstrates how language and culture can be woven together naturally and meaningfully at all proficiency levels. Examples will include activities connected to Manie Musicale, the novel Zeinixx and other culturally grounded CI practices that broaden students’ understanding of the francophone world. Specific examples will be given for a French language based classroom, but all language teachers are welcome.
Elodie is a FSL and French immersion teacher. Elodie was born in France, started her teaching career in Ontario before calling BC her home. She has an active online presence through various platforms such as “Comprehensible Input Ontario” and “Mme Pois Chiche” on YouTube. She is passionate about teaching languages as a way to build bridges between people and culture.
Elaine Chong - How To Get Students Speaking In Their Additional Language: Breaking Down Traditional Barriers & Creating a Safe Space
How do we get students truly talking in the language classroom? This workshop explores how shifting away from traditional language-learning models can help students become more confident, spontaneous, and engaged speakers of the target language. By creating classroom cultures rooted in comfort, connection, and daily interaction, students begin to feel safer using the language authentically and consistently. When risk-taking is encouraged and mistakes are viewed as a natural part of communication rather than something to fear, students become more willing to participate independently and spontaneously without fear of judgment, correction, or losing marks. Rather than focusing heavily on the quantity or type of errors students make, the emphasis shifts toward meaningful communication and helping students “live” in the target language through regular interactions with peers, the teacher, and the classroom community.
Bharuttee Deehoo - Évaluation Par Les Pairs : Apprendre et Progresser Ensemble (Offered in French)
In this interactive workshop, participants will experience peer assessment as learners before exploring practical ways to bring it into their own language classrooms. Through a simple hands-on task, collaborative feedback routines, and reflective discussion, teachers will see how peer assessment can become a powerful tool for learning rather than just a measure of learning. The workshop is based on peer-assessment routines, proficiency-oriented criteria, student reflection, and shared responsibility for growth.
Participants will explore strategies that help students give meaningful feedback, understand learning goals, reflect on their progress, and support one another as language learners. The session also highlights connections to the BC Curriculum, student voice, and community-centred approaches to learning.
Participants will leave with practical, classroom-ready ideas, including feedback sentence starters, peer-assessment protocols, and adaptable routines that can be used across grade levels and language programs.
Adriana Ramirez - Comprehensible Input Meets the Science of Reading
Hélène Nicole Richard - Engaging Every Learner: Music, ADHD, and Neurodiversity in Action (Part 1)
My sessions focus on practical and engaging ways teachers can use music and songwriting to:
- increase student participation and oral confidence,
- create emotional connection to language learning,
- support vocabulary retention and pronunciation naturally,
- encourage creativity and risk-taking in the classroom.
What makes our approach unique is that participants experience the process themselves through live music, interaction, and collaborative songwriting activities they can immediately adapt for their own students. I have presented in more than 900 schools and have led performances and workshops for students and educators across Canada. Last year, we also worked with schools throughout British Columbia, and our programs are supported by Canadian Parents for French (BC & Yukon).
Hélène Nicole is a bilingual songwriter, speaker, and educator who has delivered over 2,000 performances and workshops across Canada. As part of the duo La Vie Ensemble, she creates immersive French and English school concerts that inspire confidence, creativity, and connection in students. She is also a published author of three books exploring creativity, spirituality, and personal growth. Living with ADHD, Hélène brings a deeply lived understanding of neurodiversity and helps students turn perceived challenges into strengths. She is a qualified facilitator of the “Immunity to Change” program (Minds at Work), supporting meaningful growth and transformation in learning communities.
Shawna Sache - Sanity Saving Systems for the Core French Classroom
Jen Spain - Beyond « Écoutez ! » : Transforming Second-Language Listening
Have you ever watched your additional language students freeze when you play an audio track? Listening in an additional language can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be a source of anxiety. We can transform listening from a passive exercise into an active, scaffolded skill. This interactive workshop explores how to structure listening activities that guide students through the three phases of pre-listening preparation, active listening, and post-listening reflection. Together, we will explore: Actionable Strategies: A specific toolkit of teachable skills to help students select the right strategy for the right task. Reflective Growth: What key components should be included in post-listening reflections to foster true metacognitive growth? Scaffolding Tools: When and how to strategically integrate transcripts and targeted secondary supports to boost comprehension. Leave this session with practical, BC curriculum-aligned frameworks you can implement to take learners from anxious listeners to confident, independent communicators.
An experienced Core French educator with Surrey School District, Jen Spain is dedicated to making second-language learning accessible and engaging for all students. With a strong focus on communicative competence and second-language literacy, Jen continually refines practical frameworks that increase engagement and foster student choice and agency in their learning. Throughout her career, Jen has facilitated professional development workshops, contributed to district curriculum planning, and mentored new teachers in implementing evidence-based instructional strategies. When not in the classroom, you can find Jen actively collaborating with fellow educators, reading research or attending workshops, acting on her belief that continuous professional development and sharing ideas are central to a thriving teaching practice.
Chris Stolz - What the Research Says
How does Second Language Acquisition (SLA) work? Get the short and sweet on this essential and fascinating question from a geek who reads SLA papers so you don’t have to. You’ll learn the basics, interpret some studies, and get CONCRETE examples of what works and what doesn’t. We’ll also include a demo — in German; ideally you don’t know any German — that puts the SLA rubber on the classroom road.
Chris Stolz teaches Spanish, English, Social Justice and Philosophy. He is a published author and in his spare time climbs, plays Irish music and writes a blog about language acquisition and teaching.
Katie Tressel & Alessia Haney - Games in the Modern Languages Classroom
This workshop is designed to support Core language teachers in incorporating more movement, play, and energy in their classes. As language teachers become increasingly concerned with retention in their programs, it is worth exploring how to develop student-centered activities that allow learners to engage with the language in new ways. Games offer opportunities for spontaneous, authentic interaction and rich formative assessment – and they are fun! In this workshop, you will participate in games that help build language proficiency, create classroom culture, and increase student engagement. You will learn how playing games allows you to incorporate more comprehensible input and how it fits well with proficiency-based assessment. You will immerse yourself in a variety of games and you will walk away with activities you can use immediately! Examples will be given in English, French and/or Spanish.
Katie Tressel (she/her) teaches French immersion and Core French at Brookswood Secondary. She is the district teacher for Modern Languages (Middle/Secondary) in Langley. In 2021, she completed her master’s degree in Education with a focus on facilitating discussion of controversial issues in language classes.
Alessia Haney (she/her) teaches core French and Spanish at Brookswood Secondary. She has been using comprehensible input strategies in her classes since 2016. Alessia Haney has trained with Blaine Ray, Martina Bex, Elicia Cárdenas, and Mike Peto. Her interests include language acquisition, teaching proficiency through reading and storytelling, and intercultural exploration through literature.
Dr. Natalia Trotman - Let's Get Students Talking
So often in the language classroom students feel intimidated to speak, yet, when you ask them why they are learning a language it is because they want to communicate in it. Speaking in front of peers can be intimidating for students. Finding topics that will motivate students to talk can be challenging. Moreover, creating the opportunity for each student to speak authentically in a room of 20+ students can seem virtually impossible. My goal is to provide teachers with meaningful and practical strategies that they can work into their everyday practices to get students engaged and speaking throughout class in an authentic way. I will have teachers working together on strategies and practicing with one another so that these tools seem natural and easy to work into any lesson. These strategies can be scaffolded and applied to meet the needs of every language student. I will be using French, English, and Spanish throughout the presentation as my examples. We will collaborate as a group to add to the strategies presented and create a room full of language educators who feel empowered to Get Students Talking!
Dr Natalia Trotman, who joined Brockton in 2020 from Colorado, has been teaching French and Spanish for over fifteen years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Boston College specializing in French and secondary education, a Master’s Degree in French from Columbia University, and a Doctorate in Language Acquisition from Middlebury College. In addition to teaching French and Spanish, Natalia has coached teachers, led district-wide training sessions around effective and engaging classroom instruction, and co-developed a Comprehensible Input curriculum implemented in language classrooms around Denver Public Schools. She grew up in a bi-lingual French/English household and has lived in the US, France, London, and Argentina. Outside of the classroom Natalia is very passionate about running, cycling, soccer, and linguistics.
Bill VanPatten - Fireside Chat
Following his keynote presentation, join Bill VanPatten for an informal and engaging fireside chat. This session offers a unique opportunity to continue the conversation in a relaxed setting, explore ideas from the keynote in greater depth, and ask questions about language acquisition, teaching practices, and current research.
Whether you are seeking clarification, looking to connect theory to classroom practice, or simply curious to hear more from one of the field’s leading voices, this interactive discussion provides a welcoming space for dialogue and reflection. Bring your questions, share your experiences, and enjoy the opportunity to engage with Bill and fellow educators in a more personal and conversational setting. This session is designed to foster meaningful discussion and inspire continued learning.
Richard Warrington - Reality 101: A Day in the Life of a TTOC (BCTF Workshop)
The workshop will provide attendees with a host of information and practical tips on how to succeed in the highly responsible, and almost impossible, job of being a Teacher Teaching On Call. Within the framework of the role, you’ll learn how to structure the day, deal with students, implement your teaching and deal with challenges. We’ll go over potential scenarios, how to deal with problems and how to communicate with the classroom teacher.
Richard Warrington: BEd from Denmark, TTOC with SD45 West Vancouver and SD44 North Vancouver since 2017, TTOC Rep for Local 45.
Afternoon Workshops
Afternoon workshops occur between 2:15PM – 3:30PM.
Sean Allison - Spoken French is Like Flowing Water: Teaching French Pronunciation Through Its Writing System
French is spoken in rhythmic groups of syllables. Therefore, spoken French appears to be vastly different from written French in that many of the written letters are not pronounced at all or not pronounced as written. This aspect of modern-day French can make it difficult for the language learner as they try to develop the competencies of speaking and understanding oral language. At the same time, it can be a challenge to the French instructor to know how to teach French pronunciation based on the written form of the language. This presentation addresses the clues given throughout the French orthography about the correct pronunciation of words and word groups. In doing so, I propose a sequence of pronunciation topics to cover based on the typical ordering of content in introductory French classes. Pronunciation topics addressed include: liaison, elision, vocalic chaining, consonantal chaining, realization of nasal consonants syllable-finally, rules for the pronunciation of e ‘muet’ , rules for the pronunciation of ‘g, c’ , pronunciation of sequences of letters (e.g. (e)au, oi, oy, ai, lle), exceptional pronunciations (e.g. monsieur, femme), etc. Following the principles given, teachers will be better equipped to teach, and students better able to speak French like flowing water.
Sean Allison and his wife Lezlie, who also teaches at Trinity Western University, live in Abbotsford. Sean has taught French at TWU since 2015 and has served as the French Program coordinator since 2020. As well, he is the chair of the World Languages & Cultures department. Sean was honored to receive the Davis Distinguished Teaching Award at TWU for the academic year 2023-24. In addition to his work at TWU, he also serves with SIL International as a linguistics consultant for mother-tongue translators in French-speaking Africa.
Sarah K Anton - Owning the Language: How to Bring Games into your Modern Language Classroom: Low-Prep Staples For Any Style of Language Teaching
Looking for a low and medium-prep games to bring into your language teaching rotation? Looking for ways to get students to buy in and also take ownership of their learning? Low-prep, high-engagement online and offline games to use in your classroom for any style of language teaching. Learn how to easily create games for vocabulary introduction, vocabulary practice, in-context vocabulary, written production, and speaking practice. I have games that get them moving, games that get them shouting, games that buy you time, games that let you check for understanding, and games that have them focussed and working together.
Violette Baillargeon - New Teachers Learning about the BCTF and Your Local (BCTF Workshop)
This workshop introduces new members to collective agreements and highlights sections most relevant to them. It also educates new members on BCTF services and their health and safety rights.
Jennifer Mao - Mahjong in Language Classrooms: Fostering Communication and Cultural Understanding Through Play (In Mandarin)
This hands-on workshop explores how the traditional Chinese game of Mahjong can be transformed into a meaningful classroom activity that supports both communication and cultural learning in second-language education. Rather than treating culture as background information, this session positions Mahjong as a lived cultural practice. Participants will engage with authentic tiles in a simplified version of the game, experiencing how meaning is negotiated through play, interaction, and shared decision-making. As they play, teachers will encounter key cultural dimensions of Mahjong, including turn-taking etiquette, strategic thinking, and its deeply social nature as it is traditionally experienced in Chinese communities. The workshop demonstrates how these cultural elements naturally generate opportunities for language use. Participants will use functional language to make requests, describe needs, negotiate choices, and respond spontaneously during gameplay, allowing communication to emerge from the cultural logic of the game rather than isolated drills. Practical guidance will be provided on adapting Mahjong for different proficiency levels, scaffolding language, and managing gameplay in classroom settings. Classroom-ready examples, reflection tasks, and intercultural extensions will be shared. While grounded in Chinese cultural practice, the strategies are transferable to other language classrooms seeking to integrate culture as an active, embodied dimension of communication. Participants will leave with a practical model connecting culture, interaction, and meaningful language use through play.
Jennifer Mao has been teaching Mandarin and Chinese language and culture for the past 12 years at St. Michaels University School (SMUS), after an earlier career in English education. Her teaching focuses on developing students’ proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing while fostering an understanding of both traditional and contemporary Chinese culture. She designs learning experiences that connect language to authentic cultural contexts through interactive activities, collaborative projects, celebrations, and experiential learning opportunities such as field trips. Her goal is to help students develop communicative confidence in Mandarin while deepening their intercultural awareness and appreciation of Chinese traditions and modern society through meaningful, hands-on engagement.
Michelle Metcalfe - Proficiency Based Assessment in the Communicative Language Classroom
Assessment can often feel like a “gotcha” moment for students, but when aligned with proficiency, it becomes a roadmap for growth. This workshop is designed to help Second Language educators move away from testing grammatical accuracy, memorization of thematic vocabulary and rehearsed and prepared speech toward assessing what students can actually do with the language in real-world communicative contexts. We will explore the fundamental differences between achievement (learning what is in the textbook chapter/unit) and proficiency (spontaneous communication), how Proficiency Based Assessment is aligned with what we know about Second Language Acquisition as well as more equitable standards-based grading practices. Participants will learn to design assessments that reflect communicative competence, mirror widely accepted Proficiency Guidelines and provide students with actionable feedback.
Michelle is a passionate Spanish teacher who teaches Spanish 9 to 12 IB at West Vancouver Secondary School where she is also The Languages Department T eacher Leader. Michelle has been teaching exclusively with Comprehensible Input for 15 years and has presented at BCATML and throughout BC on many topics from Assessment to TPRS 2.0. Michelle prioritizes building intercultural understanding, communicative proficiency and confidence as well as developing strong personal connections into her language classes through the extensive use of music, reading, and the magic of storytelling.
Lena Palermo - Assessment Issues in the Secondary Classroom: Challenges and Possibilities (BCTF Workshop)
This workshop addresses issues in assessment, evaluation, and grading practices in secondary schools. Issues discussed will include the balance of formative and summative assessment, the use of zero as a mark, marks deductions for late work and other work habit issues, grading group work, averaging marks across the semester/year, re-dos, and retakes. This workshop supports the directions of the revised curriculum and can incorporate core competency based reflections.
Palermo, B.F .A. B. ED, M.ED Lena brings 32 years in education K-12 in BC and Ontario as teacher and leader and has spent her career using Arts and T echnology to embellish cross-curricular work. Her recent roles on the BC Ministry of Education – Reporting Implementation and Development T eam and the Digital and AI Support Development T eam (BCTF Rep.) have allowed her to explore effective teaching practices and assessment while being mindful of the integrity of the profession. She supports teachers locally and provincially in her current and past positions which include Victoria T eachers’ Association Contract Chair, Professional Development Chair, Mentorship Coordinator, Joint Committee for Curriculum Instruction Co-Chair, British Columbia T eachers’ Federation (BCTF) – Professional Issues Advisory Committee, T eacher Inquiry Program Facilitator, Peer Support Consultant and an adjunct professor in UBC Faculty of Education. In addition Lena has been the BCTF Representative on the Canadian T eachers Federation Advisory for the T eaching Profession and the BC Federation of Labour T echnology and AI working group. Lena regularly facilitates workshops on a variety of subjects. Areas of focus include supporting teachers in BC and Canada on a variety of issues in the profession which require both advocacy, governance and support.
Hélène Nicole Richard - Engaging Every Learner: Music, ADHD, and Neurodiversity in Action (Part 2)
My sessions focus on practical and engaging ways teachers can use music and songwriting to:
- increase student participation and oral confidence,
- create emotional connection to language learning,
- support vocabulary retention and pronunciation naturally,
- encourage creativity and risk-taking in the classroom.
What makes our approach unique is that participants experience the process themselves through live music, interaction, and collaborative songwriting activities they can immediately adapt for their own students. I have presented in more than 900 schools and have led performances and workshops for students and educators across Canada. Last year, we also worked with schools throughout British Columbia, and our programs are supported by Canadian Parents for French (BC & Yukon).
Hélène Nicole is a bilingual songwriter, speaker, and educator who has delivered over 2,000 performances and workshops across Canada. As part of the duo La Vie Ensemble, she creates immersive French and English school concerts that inspire confidence, creativity, and connection in students. She is also a published author of three books exploring creativity, spirituality, and personal growth. Living with ADHD, Hélène brings a deeply lived understanding of neurodiversity and helps students turn perceived challenges into strengths. She is a qualified facilitator of the “Immunity to Change” program (Minds at Work), supporting meaningful growth and transformation in learning communities.
Catherine Karen Roy - Des Jeux pour Faire Parler: Trois Outils Simples pour L’acquisition du Français au Secondaire
Comment favoriser l’acquisition du vocabulaire et la communication orale en français tout en créant un contexte d’apprentissage ludique et authentique? Cet atelier propose trois jeux facilement adaptables aux classes de français langue seconde, qu’il s’agisse d’immersion ou de français de base au secondaire en Colombie-Britannique.
À travers Spot It!, les élèves développent leur vocabulaire et leur rapidité de reconnaissance en identifiant des images communes. Avec Go Fish, ils pratiquent la répétition de structures interrogatives et de réponses en contexte, tout en consolidant le vocabulaire à travers une interaction significative. Enfin, Totem invite les élèves à mobiliser un vocabulaire plus riche pour décrire les qualités et les traits de personnalité d’un camarade, puis à justifier leur choix en français.
Catherine est diplômée du programme de B.Ed. en immersion française à l’Université de la Colombie-Britannique (UBC). Passionnée par les langues et l’apprentissage, elle a travaillé auprès d’élèves de différents groupes d’âge et possède une expérience variée en enseignement. Ayant elle-même fait son parcours scolaire en immersion anglaise, elle comprend les défis et les réussites liés à l’apprentissage d’une langue seconde et sait se mettre à la place de ses élèves. Elle parle couramment le français et l’anglais et a également appris l’allemand et l’espagnol, ce qui nourrit son approche empathique et encourageante de l’enseignement des langues.
Shawna Sache - Beyond the Book: Bringing Whole-Class Novels to Life in the Core French Classroom
Whole-class novel studies can be one of the most powerful sources of compelling comprehensible input in a language classroom. In this session, participants will learn a practical framework for selecting, planning, and teaching a novel from beginning to end in a Core French 9–12 classroom. We will explore how to structure lessons around each chapter while balancing predictable routines with opportunities for spontaneous, meaningful interaction. Participants will receive a customizable student package that can serve as the foundation for virtually any novel study, along with a variety of pre-reading, during-reading, and post-reading literacy activities. We will also examine how novels can become springboards for exploring history, current events, culture, identity, and social justice topics while maintaining comprehensible and engaging language input. Finally, we will discuss assessment, including final tests and creative culminating projects that promote both language development and deeper thinking. Examples will be given from the Core French classroom, but can be applied by any language teacher.
Shawna Sache currently teaches Core French 9 through 12 in the Chilliwack School District. She holds a bachelor of Arts degree in History and French, a Bachelor of Education degree, and a Master of Education Leadership degree. She began teaching in 2009 but transformed her practice in 2019 to embrace Comprehensible Input as the core of her classroom. Shawna is passionate about sharing what she has learned about language acquisition and its implications for day-to-day life in the classroom as she strives to enable her students to develop authentic proficiency. When she isn’t in the classroom, Shawna enjoys reading, running, and a busy life with her husband and three children on their dairy farm.
You can find Shawna on Instagram @pourquetusaches.
Mardelle Sauerborn - Exploring the Realities of Endangered Indigenous Language Learning
This is an opportunity to deepen the conversation around Indigenous Languages. In western settings, language definition can be remarkably broad, and also limited to Modern Languages. In what ways do we honour the unique work being done to revitalize Indigenous Languages? In what ways are Indigenous languages vital and evolving in our education systems? In what ways do we as settler or colonial systems ensure space is provided for honouring learning strategies that are unique to endangered languages?
I am a non-Indigenous person living in the traditional and unceded territory of the Ktunaxa. I am deeply grateful to Ktunaxa ʔaqⱡsmaknik who invite me to be witness to their culture and language. I am a retired educator committed to ensuring my role in western world-view education systems honours the languages of the land. I currently work with the non-profit Outdoor Learning School and Store as an Indigenous Language Facilitator.
Kevin Sigaty - Theater Sports in the Classroom
Want to bring humour to your classroom in a way that builds community and supports learning? This workshop is for you! Come learn the basics of theater sports and improv, participate in improv games and activities that can be adapted to any language classroom, and see how improv can help build a supportive learning community. No experience necessary, just be prepared to participate.
Kevin is an experienced teacher of French and multiple other subjects over the last 28 years and is also a former member of the improv group “Nervous Sheep” . He believes in the use of theater sports as an instructional tool as well as a philosophy for an active and productive classroom community.
Jen Spain - Beyond Worksheets and Fill-in-the-Blanks: Guided Notes for Active Language Classrooms
While additional language teachers focus heavily on communication, they must also explicitly teach content—such as grammatical frameworks, cultural contexts, and text structures—from time to time. This interactive workshop shows teachers how to balance both by transforming content delivery into a powerful process of meaning-making.
Participants will learn to design structured templates that preserve high cognitive engagement while reducing unnecessary cognitive load. This approach is especially beneficial for multilingual learners; by providing explicit organizational and visual frameworks for complex content, guided notes alleviate the burden of processing fast-paced instruction, allowing students to channel their energy into understanding concepts and active language production.
Through practical design exercises, we will explore how to embed dynamic, communicative elements directly into content-focused note sheets:
- Worked Examples: Partially completed models that students can annotate and follow.
- Collaborative Explanations: Graphic organizers that require peer negotiation and target language use to complete.
- Turn and Talks: Intermittent content reflection pauses paired with embedded sentence frames to build speaking confidence.
- Rewording Key Ideas: Prompts encouraging students to summarize definitions and new concepts using their own words or drawings.
Teachers will walk away with instructions to create their own content instruction with embedded communication.
An experienced Core French educator with Surrey School District, Jen Spain is dedicated to making second-language learning accessible and engaging for all students. With a strong focus on communicative competence and second-language literacy, Jen continually refines practical frameworks that increase engagement and foster student choice and agency in their learning. Throughout her career, Jen has facilitated professional development workshops, contributed to district curriculum planning, and mentored new teachers in implementing evidence-based instructional strategies. When not in the classroom, you can find Jen actively collaborating with fellow educators, reading research or attending workshops, acting on her belief that continuous professional development and sharing ideas are central to a thriving teaching practice.
Chris Stolz - Story Listening for the Language Classroom
Story Listening is Beniko Mason’s easy, fun and very effective way to get a lot of language into students’ heads. In this workshop, you will get a Story Listening demo in German (the less German you know, the better), followed by an explanation, and “how-to” handouts. This is a learn-on-Friday, use-on-Monday workshop that will make your language-teacher life easier and WAY more fun.
Chris Stolz teaches Spanish, English, Social Justice and Philosophy. He is a published author and in his spare time climbs, plays Irish music and writes a blog about language acquisition and teaching.
online Workshops
The online Zoom meeting begins at 8:30AM.
Michelle Metcalfe - Balancing Input and Output!
We know that rich compelling Comprehensible Input (CI) is the foundation of language acquisition – but is it the whole story? While input builds the mental representation of language, students also need scaffolded, low-stakes opportunities to actually interact with the input and move learners from passive comprehenders of language to active communicators. In this workshop you will discover how this is possible through the co-creation of stories and other low anxiety high success output strategies that you can begin to use immediately.
Michelle is a passionate Spanish teacher who teaches Spanish 9 to 12 IB at West Vancouver Secondary School where she is also The Languages Department T eacher Leader. Michelle has been teaching exclusively with Comprehensible Input for 15 years and has presented at BCATML and throughout BC on many topics from Assessment to TPRS 2.0. Michelle prioritizes building intercultural understanding, communicative proficiency and confidence as well as developing strong personal connections into her language classes through the extensive use of music, reading, and the magic of storytelling.
Natalia Trotman - Let's Get Students Talking
So often in the language classroom students feel intimidated to speak, yet, when you ask them why they are learning a language it is because they want to communicate in it. Speaking in front of peers can be intimidating for students. Finding topics that will motivate students to talk can be challenging. Moreover, creating the opportunity for each student to speak authentically in a room of 20+ students can seem virtually impossible. My goal is to provide teachers with meaningful and practical strategies that they can work into their everyday practices to get students engaged and speaking throughout class in an authentic way. I will have teachers working together on strategies and practicing with one another so that these tools seem natural and easy to work into any lesson. These strategies can be scaffolded and applied to meet the needs of every language student. I will be using French, English, and Spanish throughout the presentation as my examples. We will collaborate as a group to add to the strategies presented and create a room full of language educators who feel empowered to Get Students Talking!
Dr Natalia Trotman, who joined Brockton in 2020 from Colorado, has been teaching French and Spanish for over fifteen years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Boston College specializing in French and secondary education, a Master’s Degree in French from Columbia University, and a Doctorate in Language Acquisition from Middlebury College. In addition to teaching French and Spanish, Natalia has coached teachers, led district-wide training sessions around effective and engaging classroom instruction, and co-developed a Comprehensible Input curriculum implemented in language classrooms around Denver Public Schools. She grew up in a bi-lingual French/English household and has lived in the US, France, London, and Argentina. Outside of the classroom Natalia is very passionate about running, cycling, soccer, and linguistics.
Mardelle Sauerborn - Exploring the Realities of Endangered Indigenous Language Learning
This is an opportunity to deepen the conversation around Indigenous Languages. In western settings, language definition can be remarkably broad, and also limited to Modern Languages. In what ways do we honour the unique work being done to revitalize Indigenous Languages? In what ways are Indigenous languages vital and evolving in our education systems? In what ways do we as settler or colonial systems ensure space is provided for honouring learning strategies that are unique to endangered languages
I am a non-Indigenous person living in the traditional and unceded territory of the Ktunaxa. I am deeply grateful to Ktunaxa ʔaqⱡsmaknik who invite me to be witness to their culture and language. I am a retired educator committed to ensuring my role in western world-view education systems honours the languages of the land. I currently work with the non-profit Outdoor Learning School and Store as an Indigenous Language Facilitator.
Flights and Hotels
Westjet Flights
Westjet Code: 9C7D9XG
5% off Econo* and 10% off EconoFlex and Premium base fares for travel within Canada and between Canada & US.
Note: For this deal, WestJet is flying into Abbotsford (the Air Canada code is for flights into Vancouver).
Air Canada Flights
Air Canada code: QW8QTE61
Hotel Information
Sandman Hotels Code: BCATML (until Friday, October 2)
Address: 10608 151A Street, Surrey, V3R 1J8