Description

Each year, CASLT hosts a networking event following its Annual General Meeting (AGM). The Networking Day is a great opportunity for CASLT members, partners, and second language education stakeholders to share information and ideas. Following the 2021 AGM, CASLT presented its 2020 Networking Day in an online format. Networking Day featured updates on CASLT initiatives and priorities, presentations by invited guests, and workshops focused on a particular issue or trend affecting second language educators in Canada.

Concurrent Session Abstracts

What’s New at CASLT?

Gillian Blackmore and Yasmina Lemieux

Learn about CASLT’s exciting new projects, initiatives, and updates, including the CASLT Learning Centre, the CASLT Mentorship Program, projects on blended learning and the impact of COVID-19 on teacher practice, publications, and more.

CASLT Mentorship Program: Connecting Mentorship to Identity, Community, and Confidence – A Panel Discussion

Yuliya Desyatova, Mimi Masson, Philippa Parks, Monica Tang, and Carole Bonin

The CASLT Mentorship Program connects new second language teachers to experienced colleagues. This interactive session will explore how mentorship can build confidence, positive second language identities, and a sense of community among language teachers, further empowering them and aiding efforts to improve language teacher retention. Watch the recording.

FSL Teacher Education Project Updates

Stephanie Arnott, Karla Culligan, and Meike Wernicke

The FSL Teacher Education research project aims to identify ways to better equip new FSL teachers for success in the early stages of their careers. Learn about initial project findings related to FSL teacher recruitment and retention as well as next steps. Watch the recording.

Leadership Strategies to Support Language Teacher Recruitment and Retention

Katherine Mueller and Joanne Robertson

This interactive session allowed current leaders of second language programs to share strategies, approaches, and innovative solutions to the ongoing challenges related to language teacher recruitment and retention. The session was facilitated by CASLT Board members with experience in K-12 language program leadership and post-secondary language teacher education.