NDE World Languages Newsletter
First Issue, 2026
The Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) continues to move forward with the 2026 Nebraska World Language Standards revision.
The second round of public input was collected in March 2026 based on the first draft of the revised standards. On March 28, 2026, the Phase 2 Revision Team met to review all public feedback, make revisions, and finalize the second draft. The standards are scheduled to be finalized in June 2026 and submitted to the Nebraska State Board of Education for adoption in September 2026.
Major Updates in the Revised Standards
Key updates in the revised Nebraska World Language Standards include:
- The 5 Cs framework has been regrouped into three strands:
- Language & Literacy (formerly Communication)
- Culture & Community (formerly Culture and Community)
- Lifelong Learning (formerly Connections & Cognition)
- Standards are organized by proficiency bands rather than by strands, aligning with the organization of standards in other content areas.
- Language proficiency is used to measure student performance only within the Language & Literacy strand and is not used to measure performance in the other two strands.
- Greater nuance has been added to indicators to better support instructional practice.
- Special considerations now explicitly include American Sign Language (ASL) and a broader range of language groups.
- A new section has been added to address technology integration and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) within the special considerations.
The 2026–2027 academic year will serve as an exploration phase. School districts and Educational Service Units (ESUs) are welcome to engage in standards exploration and planning.
Districts and ESUs interested in scheduling standards exploration sessions are encouraged to contact:
Chrystal Liu
📧 chrystal.liu@nebraska.gov
Additional updates will be shared as the standards move toward adoption.
Celebrating Biliteracy Excellence: April 2026 Seal of Biliteracy Review
The Nebraska Department of Education extends sincere thanks to school administrators, teachers, parents, and students for their participation and continued support during the April 2026 round of the Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy review. Your collective commitment makes it possible to recognize and celebrate students’ multilingual achievements across the state.
We also offer our deep appreciation to the Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy Advisory Board for their dedication and careful work reviewing applications. Their expertise and time are essential to ensuring the integrity and success of the Seal of Biliteracy program.
During this review cycle, 366 Seals of Biliteracy were awarded to 364 students in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Latin, Somali, Spanish, and Ukrainian. Notably, this marks the first time the Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy has been awarded for Ukrainian, an important milestone in recognizing Nebraska’s linguistic diversity.
With these awards, Nebraska is now just four seals shy of reaching 700 seals, the benchmark set for the 2025–2026 academic year under the 2026–2030 Strategic Plan for the Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy.
Notifications, electronic award letters, and certificates have been sent to schools via email. Hard copies, including medallions where ordered, will be mailed in early May.
For additional details, please see the official NDE news release:
👉 https://www.education.ne.gov/press_release/nebraska-students-awarded-seals-of-biliteracy-14/
The Nebraska Department of Education (NDE), in collaboration with the Nebraska Language Association (NEBLA) and the Chinese Language Teachers Association (CLTA) Special Interest Group, is excited to announce the 2026 Fall K–12 Guest Speaker Series for World Language Educators.
This fall series brings together national leaders, state experts, and Nebraska K–12 practitioners to share timely insights, practical strategies, and innovative approaches that support high-quality world language education. Sessions will explore topics such as language program development, instructional best practices, assessment and proficiency, the Global Seal of Biliteracy, and student-centered classroom experiences.
Designed to support teachers, administrators, and district leaders, this collaborative professional learning opportunity highlights the collective expertise of our state and professional organizations while fostering meaningful connections across Nebraska’s world language community.
📆 For details, please check the full master schedule and speaker lineup
We look forward to learning together this fall as we continue to strengthen and elevate world language education across Nebraska.
Congratulations to Marrs Middle School!
In the 2026-27 school year, R.M. Marrs Middle School will be piloting Dual Language Honors Special Projects! Honors Special Projects is a course taught by a Gifted and Talented (GATE/HAL) teacher to push students to high levels of academic rigor and achievement. Thematic curricular experiences align with gifted and talented education programming standards. Learning opportunities meet grade-level objectives in problem-solving, critical thinking, creative thinking, inquiry, cultural proficiency, metacognition, and affective skills. This is the first time that the course will be offered in Spanish. R.M. Marrs is excited to have its first Dual Language GATE teacher starting next year to continue to grow its Dual Language program offerings.
Future Teacher Scholarship Program
The ACTFL Future Teacher Scholarship Program is a merit-based initiative designed to strengthen the pipeline of world language educators and address a critical national shortage in the field. Launched in 2019, the program supports students who are committed to pursuing a career in language teaching.
Who Can Apply?
Graduating high school seniors, current undergraduate students (at 2- or 4-year institutions), and—beginning in 2026—graduate students pursuing certification in language education are eligible. Applicants must be enrolled in or planning to enter a program leading to credentialing as a language educator.
Scholarship Awards
- Undergraduate & High School Scholars: $1,500 per academic year, renewable for up to three additional years (maximum of $6,000).
- Graduate Scholars (new in 2026): $500 per year for up to two academic years or completion of the certification program.
In addition to financial support, all recipients receive complimentary ACTFL membership, including access to the ACTFL Mentoring Program, during their participation and for one year after entering the profession.
Key Notes
- Due to the urgent need for language educators, deferrals are not permitted, and renewals must be completed in consecutive years.
- A minimum 3.0 GPA, demonstrated language study or proficiency, and a clear commitment to language teaching are required.
Application Deadline: May 29, 2026
Renewals are not automatic and require an annual application.
Learn more about eligibility, required materials, and the selection rubric—and apply—through ACTFL. If you have questions, contact scholarships@actfl.org.
Help spread the word and encourage future language educators to apply! For full eligibility details, application requirements, and updates, visit the ACTFL Future Teacher Scholarship Program webpage: https://www.actfl.org/career-development/actfl-awards/future-teacher-scholarship-program.
See You in San Antonio! ACTFL 2026 Is Coming
The 2026 ACTFL Annual Convention and World Languages Expo will take place November 20–22, 2026, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. This premier event for world language educators brings together thousands of professionals for high‑quality learning, collaboration, and inspiration.
Attendees can look forward to dynamic professional learning experiences, extensive networking opportunities, and the World Languages Expo, featuring the latest resources and innovations. Featured learning spaces will include the AI Corner Classroom, Digital Learning Lounge, Career Café, and Wellness Studio. General Sessions will include engaging opening and closing events with speakers such as Debbie Allen and Mychal‑Bella Rayne Bowman.
Key Dates to Know
- Proposal Submission Deadline: January 19, 2026
- Early Bird Registration Deadline: July 29, 2026
Educators interested in attending are encouraged to plan ahead and take advantage of early registration.
👉 Register here: https://www.actfl.org/attend-2026/registration-terms-conditions
ACTFL 2026 promises to be an energizing and impactful experience—mark your calendars now!
Gathering Voices & Connecting Worlds: 2027 Central States Conference
Mark your calendars for the 2027 Central States Languages for All Conference, taking place March 11–13, 2027, at the Lansing Center in Lansing, Michigan. Centered on the theme Gathering Voices & Connecting Worlds, this conference will bring together world language educators to share ideas, amplify diverse perspectives, and strengthen connections across languages and cultures.
The Call for Proposals is now open, with submissions due June 30. Presenters of all experience levels are encouraged to apply and contribute to this vibrant professional learning community.
- 🔗 Submit a proposal:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd9I0E5lu2QOIiN5QmtnI_xnateH3TcHR75HHfw-Cz5REu9Fw/viewform - 🧭 Step‑by‑step proposal guidance:
https://www.csctfl.org/conference/2027-session-proposals#h.xhktpex10eun
If you would like feedback, brainstorming support, or help refining your proposal, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Chrystal Liu. We look forward to seeing many powerful voices from our community represented at Central States 2027!
Biliteracy for All: Join the 2026 NEBLA Hybrid Conference
Join the 2026 NEBLA Hybrid Conference on Friday, October 17, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., hosted in person at Millard South High School with a virtual option available. The conference will feature Dr. Linda Egnatz, Executive Director of the Global Seal of Biliteracy and a nationally and internationally recognized leader in multilingual education, as the keynote speaker.
Educators are encouraged to submit session proposals and share their expertise. The Call for Proposals closes June 1, with presenters notified by June 29. Teachers seeking feedback or support with proposals may contact Chrystal Liu for assistance.
🔗 Proposal submission: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCiWe3fVaokyOVzFNczNjOGVq2YtM2s247BHVWwYBifddyxQ/viewform
Registration is now open, with both in‑person and virtual options. This conference offers a valuable opportunity for professional development and networking with educators across Nebraska.
🔗 Registration: https://www.nebla.org/nebla-annual-conference/conference-registration
2026 NEBLA Honors, Awards & Scholarships
NEBLA celebrates excellence and expands access to professional learning through its Honors, Awards, and Scholarship opportunities.
NEBLA Honors & Awards now include two new recognitions:
- Dual Language Educator Award – for educators who teach and/or have made significant contributions to dual‑language programs in Nebraska.
- English Language Educator Award – for those working in English as a Second Language (EL/ESL) education, including teachers, paraprofessionals, and administrators.
NEBLA also continues the Nebraska LEAD Award, recognizing language educators who earn 20 points across leadership, education, advocacy, and professional development. LEAD Award score sheets are due July 31 and should be emailed to Shanna Held (sraheld@gmail.com).
Scholarship Opportunities include:
- Nebraska Indigenous Language Educator Scholarship (10 awards) – open to educators teaching indigenous languages or training indigenous language and culture teachers in Nebraska; covers in‑person conference registration.
- Nebraska Dual Language Legacy Scholarship (5 awards) – open to educators teaching in or training teachers for NDE‑recognized dual language programs with at least two years of experience; recipients must also submit a conference proposal.
🔗 Learn more: https://www.nebla.org/nebla-annual-conference/nebla-honors-awards
Character Chat is a flexible classroom routine in which students interact in the target language with an AI “character” who has a clear identity, daily routine, and cultural context. Instead of chatting with a generic bot, learners hold short conversations with a teen, grandparent, or university student from another place, making the exchange more purposeful and more connected to intercultural learning.
This routine builds on emerging work with AI-supported role-plays, where students interact with guided AI personas to practice real-world communication, perspective-taking, and intercultural reflection in a structured way.
Because teachers control the character profile and the prompt, the routine can be adapted across proficiency levels by adjusting the length, complexity, and type of language the AI produces. This makes it an easy way to support communication in different situations while also helping students notice perspectives, practices, and products beyond their own experience.
Implementation
- Pick or write a short character profile tied to your current unit theme. Please refer to the character profile sample.
- Tell the AI to respond in clear, level-appropriate language and ask simple follow-up questions. Please check the Sample AI prompt as a reference.
- Have students ask 6–8 questions, answer 2–3 follow-ups, and save one interesting response.
Please check the student question examples for reference.
- Ask students to annotate that response for similarities, differences, and cultural observations, then share one insight with a partner or the class. Please check the annotated screenshot example.
A sample character might be Sofía, a 15-year-old from Bogotá who rides the bus to school, plays soccer, and spends weekends with family. Please refer to the teacher handout example and student task sheet for details. For lower-proficiency or beginning learners, teachers can provide sentence frames and question stems so students have the support they need to sustain the interaction and respond with confidence in the target language.
Used this way, Character Chat positions AI as a structured partner for language practice and reflection rather than a shortcut that does the thinking for students.
I began teaching Spanish in 1999 as a graduate student. At the time, I loved the language itself — its structure, its rhythm, the way meaning shifts through subtle grammatical choices. What I did not yet understand was how long and humbling the journey toward fluency would be.
I remember being a junior in college, five years into studying Spanish, and desperately wanting to be fluent. Instead, I felt acutely aware of how far I still had to go. It took living in a Spanish-speaking country for five months, taking university classes entirely in Spanish, and many additional years of graduate study to reach a level of comfort and accuracy I once imagined would come much sooner.
Learning another language is also a humbling experience. I still remember telling a professor that I would miss class because I was going to the airport to pick up my boyfriend—but what I actually said, thanks to a small but important vocabulary mix-up, was something much more embarrassing. Moments like that are a good reminder that mistakes are part of the process, and they’re often the moments we learn from the most.
That experience shaped my teaching in ways AI could not have anticipated.
I love teaching Spanish, but I also see my classroom as something more than a place to master vocabulary and grammar. It is a space where students practice persistence, learn to communicate imperfectly, and build the confidence to keep going. We talk openly about how to be “wrong” in ways that are still understandable — how to negotiate meaning, clarify, and try again. My goal is to give students the tools and confidence to keep learning long after they leave the classroom.
Over time, I have come to believe that studying another language cultivates empathy. When you have struggled to find the right words, when you have felt the vulnerability of speaking imperfectly, it becomes much harder to dismiss the effort of someone doing the same in your own language.
Some of my favorite moments come when Spanish travels beyond the classroom. A student once shared that she was able to help a Spanish-speaking family at the ice skating rink where she worked. Another told me he witnessed an accident and was able to speak with a Spanish-speaking driver to make sure they were okay. Those experiences represent more than linguistic skill; they reflect connection and understanding.
If students leave my classroom with growing language proficiency, a deeper empathy for others navigating communication across languages, and the confidence to continue learning beyond the classroom, then I consider that meaningful success.
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 2026-2027 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 the 2025-2026 annual events for Nebraska World Language Education
for Nebraska World Language events. 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://www.facebook.com/NDE.WL
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nde_worldlanguage/
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