PSMLA Awards and Deadlines, PSMLA Membership, Professional Development Opportunities, Pennsylvania Language Forum Submissions, World Language Day for Students, Survey, and Job Opportunities
PSMLA News Update
Read below for information about PSMLA Awards and Deadlines, PSMLA Membership, Professional Development Opportunities, Pennsylvania Language Forum Submissions, World Language Day for Students, a Survey, and Job Opportunities.
PSMLA Awards
Cemanahuac Scholarship
PSMLA is pleased to offer Spanish teachers a scholarship for two weeks of intensive study at the Cemanahuac Educational Community in Cuernavaca, Mexico. See www.cemanahuac.com for details. The awardee may attend for any two weeks that the program is offered in the summer of 2017. The scholarship, worth approximately $1100.00, includes registration, tuition for two weeks, housing (double occupancy), with all meals, and one field trip, in addition to the regular Spanish language study program. The following are expenses not covered in the scholarship: air transportation to Mexico City, transfer to Cuernavaca, textbooks, and personal expenses. PSMLA will reimburse up to $400.00 for transportation costs once the session is completed. The deadline for application for this scholarship has been extended until March 17. The application can be found at http://www.psmla.net/cem-application. Please submit your application to Awards@psmla.org
Outstanding High School Graduating World Language Student Award
High school teachers, nominate your outstanding high school world language senior for the PSMLA Outstanding High School Graduating World Language Student Award. The deadline for applications is April 11, 2017. See details at http://www.psmla.net/psmla-outstanding-high-school-graduating-world-language-student-award.
PSMLA Student Recognition Awards
Please also remember that PSMLA offers an attractive certificate to any qualifying students whose teachers are members of the association. Find all details at http://www.psmla.net/psmla-student-recognition-awards. The deadline to submit names for this recognition is May 15.
PSMLA Teacher of the Year, PSMLA Outstanding World Language Educator K-12 and Postsecondary Awards
Nominations to recognize Pennsylvania World Language instructors are open. There are three educator awards: PSMLA Teacher of the Year, PSMLA Outstanding World Language Educator K-12 and postsecondary. The information about these awards is found at http://www.psmla.net/teacher-awards and the deadline for nominating yourself or a colleague is April 20.
Merit Award
The Merit Award is given to individuals or institutions who have rendered exceptional service in the promotion of foreign language and are outside the world language profession. Please consider submitting the name of an individual organization along with a clarification of why you feel this person or organization is worthy of nomination. This information can be submitted to Awards@psmla.org by April 20.
All of these awards will be presented at the state conference this fall.
PSMLA Membership
Don't forget to renew your PSMLA Membership!
Here is a quick reminder of just some of the benefits of PSMLA Membership. Please visit our website at www.psmla.org to learn more.
1. Our PSMLA Community - connecting with other members for ideas and inspiration
2. Reduced registration fees to regional workshops and conferences (ex. Saturday, March 11 at
Chestnut Hill College and Saturday, April 22 at Messiah College, as well as our Fall Conference,
October 5-7 in Hershey/Harrisburg area)
3. Access to PSMLA News Updates for job notices, reminders and promotions
4. Access thePennsylvania Language Forum, a journal published annually that features articles on teaching
strategies, lesson plans, project ideas, and research for world language teachers.
Renew your membership today at www.psmla.org.
Professional Development
PSMLA Immersion Day (Southeastern Region)
PSMLA will host their annual Immersion Day on Saturday, March 11, 2017 at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia from 9:00AM to 2:30PM. Teachers of Chinese, French, German, and Spanish will have opportunities to interact with colleagues on topics related to cultural themes in the target language. In addition, teachers of all languages will explore best practices for promoting proficiency in the world language classroom during a one-hour joint presentation and have an opportunity to take part in round-table conversations on this topic afterward. Attendees who are PSMLA members will be able to earn five hours of ACT 48 credits. The cost is $35 for PSMLA members, $45 for nonmembers, and $20 for students with college identification. Please note that these fees include a continental breakfast and international luncheon as well as access to exhibitors. For more information and to register online, visit www.psmla.net or contact John Grande at jgrande@umtsd.org. Given that both a continental breakfast and international luncheon are included in the cost, it would be helpful to have accurate numbers before the event. Therefore, we encourage participants to take advantage of the online registration process.
PSMLA Central PA Workshop
PSMLA is excited to announce that it is once again partnering with Messiah College to offer a workshop for world language educators in Central PA on Saturday, April 22. The topic this spring will be teaching grammar in context and in the target language. This will be a hands-on workshop with time for collaboration and the production of materials to use in the classroom. PSMLA members can earn 3 Act 48 hours, but the workshop is open to all. Follow the link below for further details and to register.
http://psmla.org/event/psmlamessiah-college-central-pa-workshop-%E2%80%93-april-22-2017
PSMLA Fall Conference - Call for Session Proposals
The PSMLA Fall 2017 Conference, in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Council for International Education (PACIE), will be held at the Holiday Inn Harrisburg-Hershey in Grantville, PA on Friday, October 6 and Saturday, October 7. A pre-conference will be held on October 5. You are invited to propose a session in any pertinent area such as: technology, methodology, materials, techniques, assessment, standards, and connections to other disciplines or the local and world community. We also encourage sessions presented in target languages as well as those related to our conference theme of advocacy. Please visit the conference web page for the session proposal form, which is due on March 31, 2017.
Pennsylvania Language Forum - Call for Submissions
Do you have great lesson plans, teaching strategies, or classroom activities to share with your colleagues? Are you looking to publish research related to language education? Pennsylvania Language Forum, PSMLA's annual journal, is now accepting submissions for the 2017 issue. Visit http://www.psmla.net/pennsylvania-language-forum for more information. Article submissions are accepted on a rolling basis and must be received by June 1, 2017 to be considered for publication in the fall issue of PLF.
Mercyhurst University - A Day in World Languages
High School Juniors and Seniors (and motivated Sophomores!) studying French, Mandarin or Spanish are invited to share a day filled with dynamic, engaging, and painless opportunities to put your language study into action. hile exploring our beautiful college campus. Meet native speakers, investigate language career options, dabble with a brand new language, and be inspired! Students will have one session of immersion activities in their second language, one session in a less-commonly taught language, a campus tour, and a panel discussion on study abroad, majors and minors, and careers. A Day in World Languages will be held Saturday, April 22, 2017,8:30-1:30 - lunch is included! Register for the day at:
Survey
You are cordially invited to participate in a short 10-minute survey on world language education and student teacher/teacher candidate training by clicking the link below. The collected data will be used to facilitate a roundtable discussion at the 2017 PSMLA conference. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the researchers: Dr. Junko Yamamoto (junko.yamamoto@sru.edu) and Dr. Keith Corbitt (wcorbitt@wcupa.edu).
Job Opportunities
Derry Township School District (Hershey Area)
Derry Township School District, located in Hershey, PA, has an immediate, full-time Spanish middle school teaching position available immediately through the end of the 2016-2017 school year. Successful candidates must be Spanish-certified in PA. Interested candidates should contact the principal of Hershey Middle School, Mr. Erick Valentin, at (717) 531-2222, ext. 4202, or by email at EValentin@hershey.k12.pa.us
Fanny Edel Falk Laboratory School (Pittsburgh Area)
Falk School, a coeducational K-8 school affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is currently seeking two exciting and engaging Spanish teachers for our middle school. Candidates should have successful teaching experience in middle or high school Spanish classrooms. The successful candidate will have a vision for dynamic approaches to Spanish education, strong collaborative skills, and a willingness to support educational research. Strong skills in oral and written communication will be required to frame and present the complex world of Spanish pedagogy to a variety of audiences. A Master’s Degree and Spanish teaching certification are required. For full consideration, please upload personal materials to http://www.education.pitt.edu/facultysearch.
Steelton-Highspire School District (Harrisburg Area)
The Steelton-Highspire School District has openings for both Spanish and French teachers. Candidates can apply through PAREAP.net. Directions for background clearances and Act 168 forms are located on the school’s website at http://www.shsd.k12.pa.us/domain/242.