NDE World Languages Newsletter
Year 2024 No. 4
Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy to Introduce Platinum Level for Advanced Proficiency
Thanks to ESU 5, OPS, and all teacher facilitators, the 2025 Nebraska World Language Week was a tremendous success! On Spanish Day, approximately 700 students from 36 school districts participated online despite the frigid weather and school closings on February 17th—an increase from about 600 students across 22 school districts last year. Special thanks to Dr. Nick Ziegler for leading the live Spanish Day sessions!
Dr. Christopher Jacobs from UNK led multiple activities to help teachers engage students. Bellevue University students contributed a video showcasing the Chinese Dragon Dance, enriching the cultural experience. On Chinese Day, Ms. Dan Song led a live Tai Chi session engaging participants from various institutions. The recording of her session can be viewed here.
The results for the Student Language Spotlight Awards have been posted here, and the Distinguished World Language Scholar Award will be announced in March in an NDE News Release. Certificates will be sent electronically following the announcement.
Please join us for the great virtual sessions!
Thanks to our esteemed speakers for an outstanding start to the 2025 Spring NDE World Language Guest Speaker Series!
If you missed any of the first five sessions—including Jessy Tu on writing skills, Dr. Sergio Perez on content-based instruction for heritage speakers, Dr. Theresa Catalano on art integration in world language, Tom Welch on an asset-based approach to assessment, and Dr. Nick Ziegler on AI Firehose for WL Educators—you can find the recordings in this YouTube Playlist.
Upcoming sessions will feature Chunmei Guan on community-based world language classrooms, Jennifer Carson and Michael Herrera on assessment for college and career readiness, Shuhan Wang on advocating for World Languages in the age of AI, Claudine Clark and Laura Koebel on the FILL approach, and Dr. Christopher Jacobs on maximizing target language use.
For registration details, please refer to the master schedule.
My name is CJ Jacobs. I teach French, Italian, Spanish, and language teaching methods at UNK in Central Nebraska. As your N(I)LA President, I want to announce an exciting change to our organization. At our January meeting, we the executive board of N(I)LA decided to rename our professional association NLA. (The pronunciation has not changed). We did this because we wanted to cast a wider net to welcome all Nebraska language teachers not served by an existing body. At minimum, this includes world, heritage, indigenous, and ELL teachers. We believe that broadening our reach will allow more Nebraska language teachers to find a community and to engage in subject-related professional development. Stay tuned for updates on upcoming opportunities, including but not limited to our Friday, Oct. 3, and Saturday, Oct. 4, conference at UNK!
ESU 16 World Language Workshop at North Platte
World language educators are invited to a dynamic professional development workshop on April 2, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM CT at the ESU #16 Special Services Center in North Platte, NE.
Presenters Kathy DaMoude and Jan Coone, along with guest presenter Dr. Chris Jacobs, will lead engaging sessions on classroom engagement strategies, teaching language and culture through authentic materials, and bridging the gap between K-12 and postsecondary language learning.
Dr. Chris “CJ” Jacobs, a French, Italian, and Spanish educator at UNK, will share his expertise in communicative, task-based teaching approaches that maximize target language input and foster authentic cultural connections. Please check the flyer here.
Who should attend?
World language educators of all levels looking to enhance their instructional practices and develop new teaching materials.
📍 Location: ESU #16 Special Services Center, North Platte, NE
📝 Register online at www.esu16.org by March 24th
💲 Fee: Title IIA consortium districts – covered; Outside consortium – $75
🍽️ Lunch provided | Substitute reimbursement available for consortium districts
This event is funded by the Applegate Teacher’s Fund and the Mid-Nebraska Community Foundation.
For more details, visit www.esu16.org.
Mark Your Calendar for the 2025 NLA Conference in Kearney!
Nebraska language educators—mark your calendars for the 2025 NLA Conference on October 3–4, 2025, at the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK)! This year’s theme, “Flexibility & Resilience,” highlights strategies for adapting and thriving in language education.
The conference kicks off with a pre-conference workshop on Friday, October 3, from 3:00–5:30 PM at UNK, followed by a pre-conference dinner at 6:30 PM at Alley Rose ($35). Saturday, October 4, will feature engaging sessions, networking opportunities, and professional development tailored to World Language educators.
📅 Dates: October 3–4, 2025
📍 Location: University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK)
🍽️ Pre-Conference Dinner: Friday, October 3, at 6:30 PM (Alley Rose)
📲 Scan the QR code on the flyer for more information and registration!
Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with fellow educators and gain new insights to enhance your teaching practice. See you in Kearney!
Please Join Nebraska Presenters at Central State in Kansas, MO!
Nebraska World Language educators—don’t miss the 2025 Central States Conference for the Teaching of Foreign Languages (CSCTFL), happening March 13–15 in Kansas City, Missouri! This year’s theme, “Languages for All,” highlights inclusive and innovative approaches to language learning.
Nebraska is well represented with 15 sessions led by our outstanding educators! Let’s come together to support our Nebraska presenters, gain valuable insights, and connect with world language professionals from across the region.
📅 Dates: March 13–15, 2025
📍 Location: Kansas City, Missouri
📄 Nebraska Presentations: View the list here
📘 Conference Program: Check it out here
This is a fantastic opportunity to learn, network, and celebrate Nebraska’s contributions to world language education. Register now and be part of the conversation on making languages accessible for all learners!
See you in Kansas City!
Using ChatGPT as an Example
As artificial intelligence continues to shape the way we work and learn, world language educators have a unique opportunity to integrate AI tools like ChatGPT and similar platforms into their teaching. These tools can provide valuable support for lesson planning, assessment, and student engagement. However, to ensure that students develop strong communication skills and retain their personal voice, teachers must guide them in using AI as a tool rather than a replacement for human creativity.
Setting Up ChatGPT for Teaching
One of the most effective ways for world language educators to use AI is by customizing ChatGPT to align with their specific teaching goals. Within ChatGPT, teachers can personalize the tool by clicking on their profile icon (bottom left corner), selecting "Customize ChatGPT," and providing key details.
In the first box, which asks “What you’d like ChatGPT to know about you,” teachers might enter:
"I am a World Language teacher in Nebraska following the Nebraska World Language Standards. I teach [language] at the [elementary/middle/high school/college] level and focus on proficiency-based instruction, integrating authentic materials, cultural engagement, and technology. I seek strategies for improving student proficiency and fostering global citizenship.”
In the second box, which asks “How you’d like ChatGPT to respond,” a helpful entry could be:
"Provide clear, structured responses aligned with Nebraska World Language Standards. Prioritize engaging, proficiency-based activities that develop interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational communication. Suggest AI-integrated teaching strategies while maintaining student creativity and personal expression."
With these customizations, ChatGPT will generate responses that align with proficiency-based instruction and encourage students to develop authentic communication skills rather than rely on AI-generated content alone.
Using AI Thoughtfully in the Classroom
To get the most out of AI, teachers should approach it as a collaborative tool rather than an answer key. The way questions are framed can make all the difference. For example, rather than simply asking ChatGPT for “a Spanish lesson plan,” teachers can be more specific:
✔ “Create a role-play activity where novice Spanish learners order food at a restaurant.”
✔ “Suggest three interactive ways to introduce storytelling in an intermediate French class.”
✔ “Outline a step-by-step project where students use AI tools to enhance their writing skills.”
This level of detail allows AI to generate more meaningful, classroom-ready suggestions.
Teaching AI Literacy: Helping Students Use AI Without Losing Their Voice
As students increasingly encounter AI tools in education and beyond, it is essential to help them understand how to use AI ethically and effectively. A critical aspect of AI literacy is maintaining individual creativity and expression. Educators can guide students in asking:
🔹 What suggestions enhance my work, and which ones dilute my voice?
🔹 How can AI improve clarity while allowing me to express my original ideas?
🔹 When should I rely on AI, and when should I trust my own judgment?
By fostering these discussions, teachers can ensure that students use AI as a tool to refine their language skills rather than replace their personal thought process or their unique personal voices.
Integrating AI into the Writing Process
A structured approach to AI-assisted writing can help students balance independent thinking with AI-enhanced learning. One method to achieve this balance involves a five-step process:
- First Draft: Students begin by writing their initial draft using traditional methods, such as pen and paper or a basic typed document. This ensures they start with their own ideas.
- Peer Review: Before turning to AI, students engage in peer review, providing structured feedback on organization, vocabulary, and clarity. This step teaches them to analyze writing critically before seeking AI-generated suggestions.
- AI-Assisted Revision: After peer review, students input their peer-reviewed draft into ChatGPT or a similar tool, asking for suggestions on improving clarity, structure, or vocabulary. However, instead of accepting all changes blindly, students are encouraged to discuss which AI-generated edits enhance their work and which should be rejected to preserve their unique style.
- Final Draft & Reflection: Once revisions are made, students submit their final draft along with a brief reflection explaining:
· What changes they accepted and why.
· What suggestions they rejected to maintain their personal voice.
· How their writing improved through this process.
- Class Reflection & Discussion: To close the writing cycle, students participate in a class discussion on their experiences using AI in the revision process. Teachers can prompt reflection with questions like:
· How did AI help improve your writing?
· Did AI ever suggest something that didn’t align with your personal style?
· How did peer feedback compare to AI feedback?
· How can AI be used responsibly in future writing projects?
By including a class-wide reflection, students develop a deeper awareness of AI’s role in writing and communication, ensuring that they learn to use it critically and effectively.
Preparing Students for the Future
The goal of integrating AI in world language education is not to replace human communication but to enhance students' ability to think critically, express themselves clearly, and engage in meaningful conversations across cultures. When used effectively, AI tools like ChatGPT can serve as valuable assistants—helping students refine their language skills, analyze text, and expand their global understanding.
By teaching students how to interact with AI thoughtfully, educators can help them develop the skills they need to thrive in a world where AI is an integral part of communication, work, and life. The key is not to let AI take over but to use it as a resource that supports, rather than replaces, authentic language learning.
Finding Her Voice: A Nebraska Teacher's Journey Through Language and Life
In the heart of Nebraska's farming country, where cornfields stretch toward the horizon and German surnames dot mailboxes like wildflowers, a young girl's fascination with foreign languages took root in the unlikely soil of 1970s American television. For this Spanish teacher, whose classroom now buzzes with Gen Z students conjugating verbs and crafting TikTok-style language learning videos, the journey began with the unlikely combination of "Hogan's Heroes" and "Speedy Gonzalez."
"Those shows, plus my grandparents' German conversations floating through our farmhouse, opened up a world beyond our small town," she recalls, her eyes brightening at the memory. "But it was my uncle's Air Force stories from Spain and Vietnam that really planted the seeds of wanderlust."
Like many great love stories, this one began with a disappointment. When forced to switch from her beloved country school to a larger public institution, she discovered that German—her heritage language—wasn't on offer. Instead, Spanish awaited, a twist of fate that would eventually shape not just her career but her entire life's trajectory.
Her determination showed early. In seventh grade, she successfully petitioned to join the eighth-grade Spanish class, launching an academic journey that would include leadership in Spanish Club and induction into the prestigious Honoria de Español Andres Bello chapter. Yet life, as it often does, had other plans first.
The path to becoming a Spanish teacher wasn't a straight line but rather a winding road through experiences that read like a quintessentially American story of reinvention: insurance representative, retail manager, cook, dispatcher, trucking company bookkeeper, and even a call center operator for Cabela's. She earned degrees in Communications and English Education, started a family, and seemed to have left her Spanish dreams behind.
But languages have a way of finding their way back to those who love them.
The catalyst came through her church, where she was asked to befriend Iris, a Chilean woman who spoke no English. "It was like a flood," she remembers. "All the Spanish I thought I'd forgotten came rushing back, and with it, all the joy I'd felt as that eager seventh-grader."
This reconnection led to teaching Spanish to homeschoolers, working with Latino students at Dana College, and eventually earning her Spanish teaching certification. Her passion for the
language took her to Spain and Argentina, where immersion experiences deepened both her linguistic skills and cultural understanding.
But perhaps the most remarkable chapter of her story came later in life, when she fulfilled a longtime dream by joining the Peace Corps. For two years, she lived in Nicaragua, training English teachers and building bridges between cultures until civil unrest forced an evacuation. It was a reminder that language learning isn't just about vocabulary and grammar—it's about understanding humanity in all its complexity.
Today, in her classroom at Laurel Concord Coleridge Schools, she brings this wealth of experience to a new generation of language learners. In an era where global connection is increasingly vital, yet increasingly challenging, her story resonates with particular power.
"The world has changed dramatically since I watched 'Speedy Gonzalez' as a child," she reflects. "Today's students have instant access to Spanish content through social media, streaming services, and video calls. But what hasn't changed is the fundamental human need to connect, to understand, and to be understood."
Her journey from a Nebraska farm girl dreaming of distant lands to a Peace Corps volunteer in Nicaragua, and finally to a teacher inspiring new generations of language learners, embodies the transformative power of language education. It's a reminder that in our increasingly interconnected world, the ability to bridge cultural and linguistic divides isn't just an academic achievement—it's a vital skill for building a more understanding and empathetic global community.
For her students, many of whom are growing up in the same Nebraska landscape where her own language journey began, she represents living proof that linguistic passion can open unexpected doors and lead to extraordinary adventures. In an era where artificial intelligence can instantly translate any phrase, she demonstrates daily that true language learning is about much more than words—it's about building genuine human connections across cultures, one conversation at a time.
NDE World Language Education will continue to offer customized professional development opportunities to meet the unique needs of Nebraska Educational Service Units (ESUs) and school districts. Our comprehensive offerings for the 2024-2025 academic year encompass a variety of enriching themes. Please check the document for details or contact Chrystal Liu at chrystal.liu@nebraska.gov for questions.
Please check this document for the 2024-2025 annual events for Nebraska World Language Education. If you or your organization have events to share, please email Chrystal Liu (chrystal.liu@nebraska.gov) to add your events in the shared calendar.
Chrystal Liu, World Language Specialist, Nebraska Department of Education
Email: chrystal.liu@nebraska.gov
Website: https://www.education.ne.gov/worldlanguage/
Location: 500 S 84th St 2nd Floor, Lincoln, NE 68510
Phone: 402-430-8147
Facebook: https://secure.smore.com/n/g35ek
X: @NDE_WorldLang
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