The
Center for Cultural Interchange organizes academic year, short term
home-stay, internship, work & travel, language
study, environmental and volunteer programs in the United States and in over
thirty different countries around the world. CCI is a non-profit
organization, recognized by the United States Department of State as an
official exchange visitor program. CCI is granted full listing by the
Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET). CCI is
also a full member of the Federation of International Youth Travel
Organizations (FIYTO).
They
have 68 students available for the 2008-2009 school year and hope to find
some wonderful host families. Click here
and here for flyers
highlighting a few of the students. There are obviously many more students
to choose from, so CCI can entertain certain nationality and or interest
requests. If you know of anyone who might be interested, please pass the
word along.
For more information:
http://www.cci-exchange.com/
Skye Luce,North
East Regional Director,
CCI -
Center for
Cultural Interchange,
1-866-495-0342
(Office), 1-207-314-7290 (Cell), 1-(207)-692-0247 (Fax),
sluce@cci-exchange.com

Gisela Hoecherl Alden has put
together a marvelous brochure describing reasons for learning languages.
Thanks, Gisela!
This brochure is suitable for
students, parents, school board members--anyone thinking about language
learning. Please feel free to download
it and to distribute it as you see fit.

The
National Capital Language Resource Center is working with AATF to
coordinate the Summer Institutes, particularly ones about French. These
great opportunities for French teachers will take place in Washington,
DC. There is an early registration discount if you apply before May 1.
Below is a brief description of the institutes. On our web site
http://nclrc.org/
there is the complete schedule of our Summer Institutes.
*************************
LA CULTURE,
C'EST PLUS QUE DES PHOTOS DE VOYAGES, DES MONUMENTS ET DES RECETTES DE
CUISINE
Marcel LaVergne Ed.D (Boston University)
June 30 Cost: $100/ Early: (before 5/1): $80
Le professeur de français a souvent de la difficulté à intégrer
l'enseignement de la culture dans ses leçons de français. C'est parce
que la culture est souvent traitée comme sujet à part, avec le
vocabulaire et la grammaire. Ce cours propose de donner au professeur
les moyens d'incorporer et la langue et la culture de sorte que
celles-ci soient intimement liées. On découvrira ce qu'il y a de
culturel dans le vocabulaire, la grammaire, et la lecture en accord avec
les Standards Nationaux pour l'enseignement des langues étrangères. Le
cours se donnera en français lors de l'Institut d'Immersion française.
Teachers are encouraged to look at Culture as more than a collection of
trivia facts or pictures of monuments. Using both the Cultures and
Comparisons Strands of the Foreign Languages Framework, secondary level
participants explore the role of culture in the teaching of French and
create a cultural unit. (Conducted in French).
FRANCE:
COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE: 3-DAY IMMERSION SUMMER INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS
OF FRENCH
Embassy Of France/NCLRC & Marcel LaVergne, Ed.D. (Boston University)
June 30- July 3 Cost: $600 single; $500 double. / Early: (before 5/1):
$550 single /$450 double An enjoyable, informative live-in immersion
seminar on French language and culture. The focus is on effective
facilitation of communication in the FL classroom and integrating
teaching communication and culture. Activities include French meals, a
visit to the French Embassy, and the French collection at the National
Gallery. (Conducted in French).

Concordia
Language Villages would like to make world language educators aware of
two professional development programs at Concordia Language Villages
this summer:
Teachers of
Chinese and Arabic are eligible for full-tuition scholarships to
participate in a four-credit graduate course:
Connecting Language and Content:
Instructional Strategies for the World Language Classroom.
The scholarships are sponsored by a grant from STARTALK, a project of
the National Security Language Initiative, a multi-agency effort to
expand foreign language education in critical languages. The course for
Arabic teachers is June 22 - July 2; the course for Chinese teachers is
August 3 -13.
World
language teachers are invited to participate in a four-credit graduate
course: Second Language and
Immersion Methodologies. The seminar provides a venue where
world language educators can learn about and discuss current practices
and issues related to the teaching of world languages. The course is
offered June 22 - July 2.
For more
information:
http://clvweb.cord.edu/prweb/educators/teacher_seminar.asp.
*For a full listing
of STARTALK 2008 Programs, please visit:
http://www.startalk.umd.edu/program-info/2008/
The Toyota
International Teacher Programs are
fully-funded, short-term international professional development
opportunities for teachers. Educators of different disciplines, grades and
backgrounds are selected to travel together, study program themes, and bring
these experiences home to their classrooms. Comments from past participants
highlight the educational benefits:
"International opportunities such as these completely expand our worldviews
and shift our priorities. My approach to teaching has changed - I have
become more passionate about making my students global citizens with
knowledge of and sensitivity to international issues."
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. sponsors
this program to honor secondary school teacher's commitment to education. In
2008, study visits to the Galapagos will be open to librarians and classroom
teachers (grades 6-12, all subjects) from all fifty states and the District
of Columbia.
Galapagos Program:
The Galapagos
Program is a 12-day study program from November 22 - December 6, 2008 geared
toward international and environmental study. Participants work together to
create an interdisciplinary environmental lesson that is shared with
teachers on the Galapagos Islands.
Applications for the 2008 program are available now and due no later than
May 9, 2008.
They have very few applications started by
teachers in Maine, and would like to see that number increase!
If
you have any questions or would like more information, visit their website
at
www.iie.org/toyota or please do not
hesitate to contact Kaitlyn
Jones by email at
toyotateach@iie.org or by phone at
(toll-free) 877-832-2457.

The National
Association of District Supervisors of Foreign Languages (NADSFL) has
organized a Summer Academy for Supervisors, July 17-20, 2008 at Princeton
University. This Academy experience is designed for novice district
supervisors or department heads to collaborate with leaders in the
profession and to network with other supervisors with similar
responsibilities. Peggy Boyles, Christie Brown, Greg Duncan and Mimi Met
will facilitate the sessions at the Academy around the themes of advocacy,
articulation, assessment, coaching new teachers, district curriculum
revision and thematic unit design. The deadline for applying is March 31,
2008. Additional information as well as the application form can be found
on NADSFL's website: www.nadsfl.org.

The
National Foreign Language Center at the University of Maryland is happy to
announce the 2008 STARTALK Programs. Launched in 2007, STARTALK is part of
the president's National Security Language Initiative, jointly funded by the
Director of National Intelligence and
the Department of Defense to promote the teaching of less commonly taught
critical languages. Participating institutions and organizations offer
intensive language programs for middle school and high school students and
professional development programs for teachers. This summer there will be a
total of 81 programs in 32 states and the District of Columbia offered in
Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Persian and Urdu. The 2008 programs can be found at
the following web site:
http://www.startalk.umd.edu/program-info/2008/ . Please direct
questions to the individual programs in which you may be interested.!

We
are very pleased to announce that registration is now available for the 20th
anniversary Québec Winter Symposium. This event will be held Friday-Sunday,
April 4-6 in Montréal at the Marriott Residence Inn Centre-Ville. Please
accept this notice as a personal invitation to join us in our exploration of
the richness of Montréal's identities.
Our 2008 program title is "Montréal Identities: Literature, Ethnicity and
Culture." As in past years, this program is designed for educators with
interest in Québec Studies and will be conducted en français. Our program
will include sessions with academic, literary and cultural experts, as well
as first-hand opportunities to experience Ethnic Montréal.
The cost for registration with single occupancy is US $375. Click here for
a publicity sheet with additional
information and a
registration form.

Secretary Spellings has
announced the creation of Teaching Ambassador Fellowship positions for
currently practicing, K-12 public school teachers at the U.S. Department of
Education for the 2008-2009 school year. These positions will offer highly
motivated, innovative teachers the opportunity to contribute their knowledge
and experience to the national dialogue on public education. The Fellowship
includes two kinds of opportunities for teachers across the U.S. Up to 20
Classroom Fellows will remain at their schools under their regular teaching
contracts and will be paid to participate in additional Department
discussions and projects throughout the school year on a part-time basis. Up
to five Washington Fellows will be chosen to become full-time, paid federal
employees in Washington, D.C. for the school year, working on education
programs and participating in policy discussions.
Teaching Ambassador Fellows
will be selected based upon their record of leadership, impact on student
achievement, and potential for contribution to the field. Highly qualified
K-12 public school teachers who have spent at least three years in the
classroom are eligible to apply. Teachers must be currently practicing in
and employed by a public school district to be eligible. To ensure
collaboration at the school and district levels, teacher applicants must
have the full support of their school principals.
Applications are due by
April 7, 2008. Teaching Ambassador Fellows will be named by early summer for
the 2008-2009 school year.
Please read the detailed
information found at
http://www.ed.gov/programs/teacherfellowship to learn more. Be sure to
click on all of the links to review the following:
Program Overview
http://www.ed.gov/programs/teacherfellowship/programoverview.html
Eligibility
http://www.ed.gov/programs/teacherfellowship/eligibility.html
Applicant Info
http://www.ed.gov/programs/teacherfellowship/applicant.html
Application Instructionshttp://www.ed.gov/programs/teacherfellowship/applicationinstructions.html
FAQs
http://www.ed.gov/programs/teacherfellowship/faq.html

Are your students looking for a
summer immersion experience? Check out the Middlebury-Monterey Language
Academy. 2008
summer camps will be June 28-July 26 at the following sites: Saint Michael's
College, Colchester, Vermont; Menlo College, Atherton, California;
and Hampshire College, Amherst,
Massachusetts. Click
here
for more information.

Southern Oregon University's
Summer Language Institute for Spanish Teachers is unique in that it offers
an immersion experience and is designed to meet the distinct needs of middle
school, high school, and community college Spanish teachers. The Summer
Language Institute combines pedagogy courses on second language acquisition
with language and culture courses to allow our students to improve both
their language proficiency and cultural understanding while becoming better
teachers. If interested, click
here for more
information.

The year 2008 has been proclaimed
International Year of Languages by the United Nations General Assembly.
UNESCO, which has been entrusted with the task of coordinating activities
for the Year, is determined to fulfil its role as lead agency. Click
here for more information and a message from Mr Koïchiro Matsuura,
Director-General of UNESCO, on the celebration of 2008, International Year
of Languages.

Click here
for
details and updated information about the
Spanish
Language and Literature Programs at CEELE accredited school in Spain for the
preparation for the AP Spanish language or literature exam
in collaboration with the
Spanish Embassy in U.S.A
and Canada.

Are you an educator looking to travel
abroad during the summer? Would you like to earn graduate school credit and
professional development credit while seeing the world? GEEO is a 501c3
non-profit organization that has been created to help and encourage
educators to travel abroad in order to bring their experiences back into the
classroom and create a more outward-looking next generation of Americans.
Click here for more
information.

SHARPEN YOUR SPANISH IN MEXICO
OIC SUMMER SEMINAR - 2008
SPANISH LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION PLUS
TEACHING METHODS, CULTURAL TOURS, HOMESTAYS
Location: Puebla, Mexico
4 Weeks: July 3 - August 1
2 Weeks: July 3-July 21
Presented by the
Oregon International Council
Graduate Credit Pending from Oregon State University
Click
here
for more information.

The U.S. Department of Education's Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative is
accepting nominations for 2008 American Stars of Teaching until March 31.
Parents, students, colleagues, school administrators and others can nominate
an exemplary teacher who they believe has the qualities to be an American
Star of Teaching.
We are seeking nominations of teachers across the United States
who are improving student achievement, using innovative strategies in the
classroom and making a difference in the lives of their students. Teachers
across all grade levels and disciplines will be honored as 2008 American
Stars of Teaching this fall. To nominate a teacher, go to:
http://www.ed.gov/teachers/how/tools/initiative/index.html .
The
U.S. Department of Education received more than 4,000 nominations for the
2007 school year. A list of previous honorees can be found at:
http://www.ed.gov/teachers/how/tools/initiative/american-stars-teachers.html
.
You can
read archived news stories about some of our 2007 American Stars at
https://www.t2tweb.us/Updates/Archives.asp .

The 2008 Teaching East Asia
seminar series, offered by the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia (NCTA)
provides an exciting opportunity for Maine educators to learn about history,
culture, literature, and art of China, Japan, and Korea from the state's top
scholars of East Asian studies. Click
here for
more information.

Are you planning to retire this year?
Please let FLAME know this; we
would like to honor retirees at the annual conference. Also, did you know
that retirees are offered free membership in FLAME provided that they have
been members of the organization during the ten years prior to retirement?
Just fill out a membership form--found either on this website or in the
annual Directory.

What are your technology
needs? FLAME would like to sponsor workshops aimed at helping teachers to
integrate technology into their instructional activities. The Advisory Board
would like to know what kind of timeframe would suit you and what would like
to learn.
Please take a few minutes to fill out the
following survey:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=CZ2wYOk9u3wR6K9yIJ2tPQ_3d_3d


Attention AP® Chinese
and Japanese Teachers and College Faculty
Evaluate
AP Exams at the College Board’s Annual AP® Reading
June 9
through June 15, 2008 in Kansas City, Missouri
Click
here for more information!

Do you have a collaborative in your area? Would you like to start one? FLAME
would like to help! Click
here for
more information!

USM is excited to offer again
our four week Spanish and Spanish Culture program at the Universidad de
Santiago de Compostela in July of 2008. In this program, participants will
learn first hand why thousands of pilgrims and students have been drawn to
Santiago de Compostela since the Middle Ages, participants will explore the
rich history and architecture of this UNESCO World Heritage site and be
immersed in the study of the Spanish language and culture at the Universidad
de Santiago de Compostela, one of the oldest and best universities in Spain.
For more information on the program including dates and costs, please visit
our website at
www.usm.maine.edu/summer/travel. You don't have to be a USM student to
participate. Students from other universities, teachers, and community
members are encouraged to apply!

Interested in
technology in the classroom? Click
here to check out the
courses that will be offered by UMO this spring. Some of them will be
offered via ATM.

PETRARCH
AND PROVENCE: BETWEEN SECLUSION AND THE WORLD
June 30-July 25, 2008
Avignon, France
Petrarch and Provence, a four-week program of reading and discussion,
located in Avignon, France, and in the Valley of the Vaucluse nearby, aims
to provide the fifteen seminar participants with an appreciation of the
personality of Francesco Petrarca, the "first modern man," fighting to
reconcile the demands of humility with his lust for glory; his devotion to
pagan literature with his Christian commitment; the pull toward
contemplation with devotion to active moral reform; and his belief in the
need to control his body with its passionate nature. Discussion and readings
are in English. The seminar is directed by Ronald Witt, William B. Hamilton
Professor of History at Duke University.
Participants in the NEH Seminars for Teachers receive $3000 for
transportation and living expenses. Applications are due March 3, 2008.
For more information, write
betty.cowan@duke.edu
