WAFLT Conference 2009
Learners without Borders: World Languages for a Global Society
By - Giovanna Miceli Jeffries and Rita Prigioni
At the Annual Wisconsin Association of Foreign Language Teachers (WAFLT) Conference - Learners without Borders: World Languages for a Global Society on November 7, 2009, (Radisson Paper Valley Hotel, Appleton, Wisconsin), an Italian session was organized by Giovanna Miceli Jeffries, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
This 60-minute session focused on how in the last 15 years, the teaching of Italian language and culture in Wisconsin has been strategically and successfully weaved into a network of local and international exchanges and practices involving and benefited individuals, municipal institutions, learning centers, government agencies, universities, K-12 schools and students.
In addition to Giovanna, the other two panelists were Ralph Annina, Bradford High School in Kenosha and Elizabeth Mitchell, Trinity Academy in Pewaukee.
Elizabeth Mitchell's presentation focused on her Spring program to Rome, where she takes her Trinity Academy students each year. These students are a mix of those taking Italian and not, and she reflected upon how this experience has enhanced interest in the study of Italian at Trinity by reinforcing the learning of the language with the learning of the culture.
Ralph Annina's presentation centered on his previous work with creating an interactive "virtual" exchange program with an Italian high school in Verona, Italy. They used a web program,"MagazineFactory," where students published their writings and comments, and edited each other's works. The web site for this
program, which is free, can be considered for use by other
Italian teachers in Wisconsin. View Ralph's presentation, "Fostering Global Understanding" (pdf).
