NDE World Languages Newsletter

• Please Mark Your Calendar: the 2026 Nebraska World Language Week
• Meeting the 2026 Nebraska World Language Week Advisory Board
• Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy Updates
• June 2025 Advisory Panel Meeting Highlights
• Opportunities for World Language Teachers
• Opportunities for Students
• Classroom Tool Spotlight: Curipod for World Language Teachers
• Teacher Story: Dr. Xuan Song from Omaha Public Schools

Thanks to Kelly Garcia from ESU5 for reviewing this newsletter!

The Nebraska Department of Education is pleased to announce that Nebraska World Language Week 2026 will be held from February 9–15, 2026. This annual statewide event celebrates the essential role of multilingualism in preparing students to participate and lead in a globally connected world.

The theme for 2026, “Shine with Languages,” highlights how language learning equips students with the skills to connect across cultures, expand their perspectives, and thrive in diverse communities.

February 9 – Spanish Day
Live sessions throughout the day led by Dr. Nick Ziegler, along with a variety of on-demand sessions contributed by Spanish teachers from across the state.

February 10 – French Day
On-demand sessions and an updated University of Nebraska–Lincoln Virtual Campus Visit.

February 11 – German Day
Engaging on-demand activities focused on German language and culture.

February 12 – Chinese Day
A live Taichi session and a virtual campus visit (live or on-demand—TBD).

February 13 – World Cultures Day
On-demand cultural activities and an updated UNL Arabic Virtual Campus Visit.

Student Opportunities

• Distinguished World Language Scholar Award: Schools may recognize one distinguished scholar per language per level (e.g., middle school, high school).

• Student Language Spotlight: Celebrate outstanding student learning evidence from each class.

Teacher Opportunities
Educators are invited to support the celebration by facilitating language or cultural sessions, reviewing student submissions, and presenting in webinars.

Nominations for both the Distinguished World Language Scholar Award and the Student Language Spotlight will open on August 15, 2025.

More details, including participation guidelines and schedules, will be announced this fall. We encourage all educators and school leaders to save the date and prepare to help students shine with languages!

Sponsored by: Nebraska Department of Education – World Language Program
Co-sponsored by: ESU 5 and Omaha Public Schools (OPS)

The Nebraska Department of Education is proud to introduce the 2026 Nebraska World Language Week Advisory Board. This dedicated team of educators brings a wealth of experience, creativity, and commitment to ensuring that next year’s celebration reflects the diverse voices and vibrant language learning happening across our state.

Committee Members:

• Alicia Shoemaker, Elkhorn Public Schools

• Chrystal Liu, Nebraska Department of Education

• Gwen Fisher, Creighton Preparatory School

• Hannah Paredes, Omaha Public Schools

• Nick Ziegler, Educational Service Unit 5 (ESU 5)

• Yulia Evans, Lincoln Public Schools

Together, this team is working to design meaningful, engaging experiences for students and educators, including live sessions, on-demand content, and recognition opportunities. Their leadership ensures that World Language Week remains a powerful platform for celebrating multilingualism and global competence in Nebraska.

We are excited to share the updated Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy Executive Guide, a comprehensive resource for educators, administrators, and families supporting students on their path to multilingual recognition. Since its launch in 2020, the Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy has honored over 1,200 students for achieving proficiency in English and at least one additional language.

The 2025 guide introduces important updates, including the new Platinum Level for Advanced-Low proficiency, expanded endorsements from higher education and industry, and improved application guidance for both individual students and schools.

Whether you're new to the Seal or looking to deepen your district's engagement, this guide offers step-by-step directions, eligibility details, testing criteria, and tips to ensure every eligible student has the opportunity to be recognized for his/her language skills.

Please access the guideline here: https://tinyurl.com/NeSoBLguide2025

World language educators, counselors, and families—don’t miss the next opportunity to celebrate your students’ bilingual achievements! The next application deadline for the Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy is August 1, 2025.

The Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy recognizes high school students who have demonstrated proficiency in English and at least one additional language. Whether students are enrolled in a world language program, speak a heritage language at home, or have gained language skills through other experiences, they may be eligible to receive this distinguished recognition.

How to Apply:
• Individual Student Application: https://tinyurl.com/AugustSealStudent
• School/Agency Application: https://tinyurl.com/AugustSealSchool

For eligibility criteria, accepted assessments, and proficiency requirements, visit the official webpage:
View Assessment Requirements and Proficiency Levels

Celebrate your students' multilingual skills and help open doors to future academic and career opportunities through the Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy. Apply by August 1!

We are excited to announce that Omaha Public Schools (OPS) and the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy (NeSoBL). This agreement allows OPS to independently review Seal of Biliteracy applications from students within the district, with ongoing guidance and support from NDE.

This new partnership empowers OPS to streamline the application and review process while continuing to uphold the rigor and integrity of the Seal. It also reinforces our shared commitment of honoring and recognizing the multilingual achievements of Nebraska students.

We encourage other school districts to join OPS in this collaborative effort and begin their partnership with NDE to support and recognize bilingual and multilingual learners.

For questions or more information, please contact Chrystal Liu at chrystal.liu@nebraska.gov.

The NDE World Language Advisory Panel met virtually in June to share updates and plan future initiatives. A major focus was the continued growth of the Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy. In the April 2025 round, 177 individual and 106 school-based awards were granted. A new executive guide was introduced, and the August round will use Google Forms. Starting in April 2026, applications will transition to the QuestionPro platform. The Seal now includes a Platinum level for Advanced Low proficiency (test-based only), joining the existing Silver and Gold levels.

Competency-Based Credit (CbC) also continues to expand. In 2025, 24 students from three ESU 5 districts earned CbC for demonstrated proficiency. Templates and policy-aligned resources are available to support implementation statewide.

The revision of Nebraska’s World Language Standards is progressing, with a full draft expected by the end of 2025 and continued public input planned for early 2026.

The panel also reviewed upcoming opportunities, including the ACTFL Assessment Workshop on September 26 and Nebraska World Language Week, scheduled for February 9–15, 2026.

The next meeting will take place in October and will include:

• NDE World Language Program updates

• Discussions of future collaborations

• Initial work on proposed revisions to the 2026 Rule 24 World Language and Dual Language Endorsements

📄 View Rule 24 Guidelines

The Nebraska Department of Education is pleased to sponsor an ACTFL professional learning workshop on Thursday, September 26, 2024, focused on Developing and Assessing the Three Modes of Communication. This full-day virtual event will equip World Language educators with tools to design purposeful units, implement backward design, integrate authentic resources, and assess student learning across the interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational modes. The training aligns with the 2024 ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines and emphasizes strategies that support student growth in multiliteracy and language proficiency.

While NDE has limited funds available to reimburse substitute teacher costs, schools are encouraged to explore additional ways to support participation. Your collaboration in reducing the cost is greatly appreciated.

▶️ Apply by August 1st: https://forms.gle/4LJmtnKDe6SEtqat6
Space is limited—early application is strongly encouraged.

The Nebraska Language Association (NLA, formerly NILA) is now accepting proposals for its 2025 Fall Conference, to be held in person on Saturday, October 4, 2025, at the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK). This year’s theme, “Flexibility and Resilience,” celebrates the adaptability and strength of language educators in a changing educational landscape.

Proposals are invited for 50-minute sessions focused on teaching second, additional, and heritage languages. The submission deadline has been extended to Monday, June 30, 2025, with proposal notifications expected in early fall.
🔗 Submit your proposal here: tinyurl.com/2025NLAcall

The 2025 conference will feature a keynote presentation by A.C. Quintero, a veteran Spanish educator with nearly two decades of classroom experience. As an International Baccalaureate (IB) educator, Quintero is known for her commitment to infusing deep-thinking skills into language instruction. She holds dual Master’s degrees in Latin American/Afro-Caribbean Studies and Educational Leadership, and is passionate about empowering teachers to implement research-informed, inclusive, and engaging instruction. Quintero is also recognized for her comprehensible and culturally rich Spanish and French readers, which support language acquisition through storytelling.

📌 Conference Registration is now open:

• General Admission: tinyurl.com/2025NILgeneral

• Lead Presenters: tinyurl.com/2025NLAleader

• Retired educators, preservice teachers, and students: tinyurl.com/2025NLAother

We encourage all World Language educators to participate in this vibrant professional learning opportunity—either by presenting or attending—and help us celebrate the resilience of our teaching community.

Nebraska World Language teachers — this is your moment to shine! The call for proposals for the 2026 Central States Conference is still open, but the deadline is quickly approaching: June 30, 2025.

This year’s theme, “Languages are FUNdamental,” celebrates the joy, creativity, and impact of language learning. The conference will take place March 12–14, 2026, at the historic Palmer House Hotel in Chicago, IL — and we want Nebraska educators to lead the way!

Share your ideas, classroom strategies, and success stories by submitting a session or workshop proposal. Whether you focus on student engagement, cultural connections, AI integration, or bilingualism, your voice matters.

🔗 Submit your proposal here: https://www.csctfl.org/conference/2026-session-proposals

Need an extra set of eyes on your draft?
Feel free to email chrystal.liu@nebraska.gov for feedback or support before submitting.

Let’s show the region how Nebraska educators make language learning not just effective — but FUNdamental. Let’s represent Nebraska in Chicago!

Explore a selection of free recorded webinars from the Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (CSCTFL). Designed for World Language educators, these sessions highlight topics such as intercultural competence, instructional strategies, and global learning connections—aligned with the 2025 conference theme Global Goals, Global Languages.

▶️ Access past webinars here: CSCTFL Past Webinars

📅 More webinars are coming in 2025–2026, offering continued opportunities for professional growth and collaboration.

Take advantage of these valuable resources to enhance your practice and stay connected to the regional and national language education community.

Masey Ringlein (Bellevue West) and Nora Boyd (Bellevue East) are organizing a 13-day French language immersion trip to Paris and southern France in June 2026 (dates TBD). This experience goes beyond traditional travel—students will deepen their language skills through cultural exploration and a 5-day homestay with a local French family.

🗓 Registration deadline: October 15, 2025

💰 Total cost: $5,295 (includes most expenses except some meals and souvenirs)

🔗 Program & Enroll Info | 📑 Parent Info Slides | 🌐 Language & Friendship, Inc.

Teachers travel free with 7 students and can also participate in a homestay. Solo travelers may be accepted with teacher recommendation.

Curipod is an interactive presentation tool that offers World Language teachers a flexible way to combine content delivery with student engagement. With both content and activity slide options, Curipod supports lessons that are visually rich, interactive, and aligned with language learning goals.

Content slides can be used to introduce new vocabulary, grammar concepts, or cultural topics. Teachers can add headers, text, images, and full-text media to structure input and provide visual support for learners at various proficiency levels.

Activity slides allow for a wide range of formative and communicative tasks. Word clouds, for example, can serve as warm-ups or post-reading reflections—students submit words they recall from a previous lesson or from a text they’ve just read. Drawing slides offer a creative way to reinforce vocabulary: students receive a word in the target language and draw a picture that represents its meaning. Teachers can then invite students to vote on their favorite illustrations and use the selected images to create a class set of flashcards outside of Curipod.

AI-supported features enhance writing and comprehension practice. With AI-feedback, students write a paragraph and receive instant, automated suggestions. This process encourages self-reflection and revision. The AI-whiteboard prompts students to describe an object or concept using the target language, and the AI generates an image based on their description. This is distinct from the drawing activity, as it shifts the focus from visual creativity to linguistic accuracy and descriptive language use.

Curipod offers teachers an engaging, low-prep way to integrate interactive tasks into their lessons and helping students stay actively involved while developing their language skills.

My name is Xuan Song, and I am honored to serve as a Chinese teacher at Omaha Public Schools. My teaching journey spans both China and the United States, and I am passionate about fostering cross-linguistic and cultural understanding through meaningful world language instruction.

With a Ph.D. in Urban Education and a specialization in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, my research focuses on cross-language-culture integration. I believe that language learning goes beyond vocabulary and grammar—it opens the door to worldviews, historical narratives, and intercultural communication. I bring this philosophy into my classroom by connecting Chinese language learning with history, social studies, and even STEM to create engaging and holistic experiences for students.

A highlight of my instructional approach is the integration of classic children’s literature from China and the U.S. into CFL lessons. Literature provides a powerful way for students to connect with both language and culture. I have authored four draft textbooks that incorporate this method and am developing them for future publication to support both teachers and learners.

Over the years, I’ve worked with STARTALK, Confucius Institutes, and several universities, including Cleveland State University and the University of Akron. These experiences have shaped my commitment to immersive, interdisciplinary, and culturally responsive curriculum design. I focus on structured and sheltered immersion techniques that help students make authentic linguistic and cultural connections.

As both an educator and researcher, I strive to create inclusive, intellectually rich learning environments where students develop Mandarin proficiency alongside global competence. Looking ahead, I plan to expand Chinese programs in Nebraska by building interdisciplinary models and forming partnerships with local and global organizations. I hope to offer authentic learning experiences, including virtual and in-person exchange opportunities.

Ultimately, I am committed to contributing to the broader field of world language education through research-based instructional frameworks that empower students to become successful global citizens. I’m excited to be part of Nebraska’s World Language community and look forward to working with colleagues to elevate language learning across our state and beyond.

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 2025-2026 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 2025-2026 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.

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nde_worldlanguage/

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