ACTFL
   National Language Teacher of the Year
New 2007 Guidelines

The award for The ACTFL National Language Teacher of the Year is intended to elevate the status of our profession at the state, regional, and national levels by creating opportunities for recognizing the most accomplished members of our profession.  First and foremost, this process is designed to involve all of our state, regional, and national organizations in promoting our profession.  Second, it is intended to create as many media opportunities as possible to increase the visibility of the importance of learning languages and cultures to the general public.  Successful candidates must be full-time educators who spend at least fifty-percent (50%) of their time in direct teaching during the year of application with an expectation of teaching during the next two (2) years at the K-12 level.

Phase I: Portfolio Development and Submission

Each state’s foreign language association or other designated state organization is invited to submit to that state’s regional language organization a nomination form and accompanying portfolio for one (1) state-sponsored foreign language teacher of the year candidate. Additional details and scoring rubrics are provided below.  Portfolios will be reviewed at the regional level and each regional foreign language organization will submit to ACTFL the portfolio of the winner of its regional Language Teacher of the Year.   Each state may submit one (1) candidate.  States who participate in more than one (1) regional conference may submit a candidate to only one (1) regional organization.  While states and regionals have autonomy to change the selection process, regional candidates must submit all the required documents for the national dossier.

Please note: For the 2007 program, state organizations in the Northeast region should submit state candidate dossiers directly to ACTFL. 

Phase II: National Finalists

Each regional finalist must attend the ACTFL Annual Convention in order to complete a personal interview with the national selection committee.  During this interview, finalists will be asked to discuss pertinent topics, e.g., culture in the classroom, professional involvement, value of language learning, and offer in the form of a mock press conference or mock address to a civic group the first two or three minutes of a ten (10) minute presentation on an issue of current interest in national foreign language policy. 

A Year in the Life of ACTFL National Language Teacher of the Year