ISD 622 Hosts International Forum on Language Teaching at Tartan High School

320 world language teachers from 6 countries attended the 4th annual International Forum on Language Teaching this summer held at Tartan High School in Oakdale, MN. The iFLT Conference is a progressive language teaching conference inspired by Dr. Stephen Krashen, which focuses on best-practices in second language teaching methodologies.

Training sessions for world language teachers were led by nationally recognized teacher-trainers who are experts in Teaching with Comprehensible Input (TCI). Teachers observed, experienced and practiced progressive, cutting-edge Comprehensible Input-based approaches that align with National Standards and result in unprecedented levels of proficiency.

131 MN language educators, including 13 from North Saint Paul, Maplewood, Oakdale District (ISD 622) attended. Skyview Middle School’s Spanish teacher, Grant Boulanger, co-directed the conference with Carol Gaab, President of TPRS Publishing, Inc. He was also one of the Master Teachers tapped to teach one of five Learning Lab demonstration classes. More than 75 ISD 622 students aged 8 to 18 received free language instruction in the French, Spanish or Chinese Learning Labs.

One 622 parent said, “The TPRS conference was a great way to reengage my kids in language learning over the summer. Each day they came home excited about their day and ready to show off what they had learned.”

Robbinsdale Area Schools teacher, Cari Johnson, said, “The 2015 iFLT was the most significant training in language instruction and teaching practices I have had in my 18 years of teaching.”

The MN Council on the Teaching of Languages and Cultures (MCTLC) co-sponsored the event.