Last week, my colleague Robin and I headed down to New Orleans for our very first ACTFL experience! We got to experience all that this culturally rich city has to offer, attend a variety of sessions, and I got to meet some of the teachers and bloggers I follow on social media! In this post I will share some of the photos I took, but if you’d like to see more, head on over to my photography blog.
The exhibit hall was huge!
Some of the highlights:
-At Deborah Lindsay’s IPA Pre-Conference Workshop, I learned a lot about the different ACTFL proficiency levels and examples of tasks that can be incorporated into an IPA
-At the Teaching New Orleans session, presented by Chiara Azzaretti, Dr. Annie Doucet, Jacqueline Sarro, and Parjest Thevenard, I learned about some of the ways you can draw on the language and culture of New Orleans and Louisiana in the French classroom. One presenter showed a clip from a documentary called “Le bijou sur le bayou têche, (click the link to watch it on YouTube), which highlights the difference between cajun French and creole.
-I got to see Valérie Greer, who, along with her colleague Wendy Mercado, authors the Liven Up Your Language Class site. If you haven’t already, check out all their fun activities! I first met Valérie and Wendy at NYSAFLT Summer Institute 2013, and we’ve been sharing ideas ever since.
-I got to meet Catherine Ousselin, whom I’ve been following on social media for years! Her presentation was done in French. It was nice to get some immersion in while I was there!
-At the Comprehensible Input in 30 Minutes a Week, I got to see some of the bloggers I follow present on CI, including French teacher Cécile Lainé (pictured above).
It was a huge turnout for the opening session on Friday morning!
Keynote speaker Dan Buettner captivated the audience with his stories about life about areas in the world he has designated as “blue zones,” where people have been documented to live the longest.
When I wasn’t at the conference, I was out in New Orleans soaking up the culture. I took this photo at St. Louis Cemetery No. 3.
I love that the street signs are also in French!
Fleur de lys hanging off the tree is a nice touch.
Beignets at Café du Monde are a must-eat!
This statue of Joan of Arc was a gift from the French. There is an identical statue in Paris near the Louvre.
I had the escargots at Galatoire’s!
I found a bit of French on my way out of Mulate’s restaurant!
I loved sharing my photos and stories with students when I got back. Having visited New Orleans for ACTFL I not only picked up some new ideas, I also gained some cultural experiences that will enhance my teaching.
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