Teaching Language Through the Lens of Social Justice
July 25–29, 2022
1-week face-to-face summer institute
Teaching for and about social justice positively influences all students, yet social justice education can be challenging to integrate into the language classroom. In the first part of this institute, participants will examine the principles of social justice education and identify ways that these principles can support our standards, objectives, and targeted skills in contemporary foreign language education. Through discussion and reflection, teachers will identify their own interests and strengths as language educators for social justice.
In the second part of the institute, the participants will build on this foundation to adapt, develop, and create learning opportunities for their foreign language students. A creative set of experiences will help participants go from big ideas to activities and assessments for their classroom, all while teaching for and about social justice.
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Program
Schedule (9am–4pm)
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- Identify and describe basic principles of social justice education;
- Create a classroom environment that fosters social justice education;
- Design original foreign language units that integrate topics of social justice;
- Adapt textbooks and other classroom materials to incorporate social justice principles; and
- Engage in self-assessment and reflection regarding social justice education.
Instructors
Cassandra Glynn is an Associate Professor and Director of the Graduate Education, overseeing the M.Ed. in WL Instruction and M.Ed. in Teaching and Learning at Concordia College. Prior to working in teacher education, she taught middle and high school German and French in Minnesota and North Dakota.
Beth Wassell is a Professor in the Department of Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Education at Rowan University in New Jersey. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses related to language education and multicultural education and conducts research that focuses on K-12 language teacher education. Prior to her work in teacher education, she worked as a Spanish teacher at the high school, elementary, and community college levels.
Target Audience
This institute is designed for foreign language teachers, immersion educators, English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers at the elementary level through the postsecondary level, as well as teacher educators. The institute is not targeted at English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers. See explanation below.
This institute is built around the book, Words and Actions: Teaching Languages Through the Lens of Social Justice, which is focused on the World-Readiness Standards of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages; thus, some of the readings do not directly apply to the ESL teaching context. ESL teachers who are willing to stretch their thinking to make connections between the foreign language context and their ESL context would be welcome to join the institute. For questions, please contact Dr. Cassandra Glynn.
This institute was fulfilling in so many ways: the connections to other language instructors who are dedicated to social justice inside and outside the classroom; the resources shared by both the facilitators and colleagues; the fresh perspectives and ideas from both colleagues and facilitators. This was an amazing experience and I am incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to attend this institute! 
