
Live from the Poolside “Sip and Share”
Interactive Sessions on Language Teaching and Learning
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Welcome back to our "Poolside Proficiency" series, where this time, we’re inviting you to participate in real-time! This post unveils our upcoming live “Sip and Share” sessions, designed to bring you face-to-face (virtually of course!) with experts in world language education who will facilitate conversations around topics that matter to you. Whether you’re lounging by the water or nestled in your favorite summer nook, bring your favorite beverage and join these sessions to interact directly with thought leaders and other teachers to get your pressing questions answered!
Our live Sip and Share sessions are interactive opportunities to delve deeper into specific areas of language teaching and learning. Each session will be hosted by a different facilitator, ensuring a variety of perspectives and a wealth of knowledge. Mark your calendars for these engaging and informative events!

Live Events
Date: Thursday, June 27
Title: You don’t have to go it alone: Finding & Leveraging your Professional Learning Network *
Facilitator: Michelle Olah
Time: 1 pm ET | 12 pm CT | 11 am Mountain | 10 am PT
Description: Join us for a relaxing and enlightening "Sip and Share" session where we explore the power of building and utilizing your Professional Learning Network (PLN). In "You Don’t Have to Go It Alone," we'll discuss strategies to identify, grow, and engage with a network of peers and experts who can support your teaching journey. Whether you're new to networking or looking to expand your existing circle, this session will provide valuable insights and practical tips for leveraging your PLN to enhance your professional development and classroom practice. Bring your favorite beverage, share your experiences, and learn how to effectively connect with like-minded educators across the globe.
A recording is not available for this event.

Date: Thursday, July 18
Title: Snap, Share, Speak: Using Social Media to Boost Language Proficiency!
Facilitator: Terri Hammatt with Alecia Davis-Hellmers
Time: 1 pm ET | 12 pm CT | 11 am Mountain | 10 am PT
Description: Hey there, language enthusiasts! Ready to take your students' interest in social media and use it to create communicative tasks that garner student engagement? Don't miss out on this opportunity to join fellow educators Terri Hammatt and Alecia Davis-Hellmers in exploring the exciting intersection of social media and language learning. We'll discuss ideas of tasks and activities inspired by social media that could be used to assess production in the target language and tie it into classroom content. Let's snap, sip, share, and speak our way to proficiency together!

Date: Thursday, August 1
Title: Plan Your First Week With Me with Marnina Falk
Facilitator: Marnina Falk
Time: 4 pm ET | 3 pm CT | 2 pm Mountain | 1 pm PT
Description: Eek! The first days of school are coming! Starting off with clear routines and target language expectations from day one while building community with engaging activities together sets the tone for the entire school year. It can be overwhelming to think about where to start! Join this co-planning session and share some of your favorite ideas to start the year. Collaborating with other World Language teachers can generate so many fresh ideas. Leave this session excited to kick off the best school year yet!
Recording not available for this event

Date: Tuesday, August 6
Title: Plan Your First Week With Me with Alexis Buschert
Facilitator: Alexis Buschert
Time: 7 pm ET | 6 pm CT | 5 pm Mountain | 4 pm PT
Description: Eek! The first days of school are coming! Starting off with clear routines and target language expectations from day one while building community with engaging activities together sets the tone for the entire school year. It can be overwhelming to think about where to start! Join this co-planning session and share some of your favorite ideas to start the year. Collaborating with other World Language teachers can generate so many fresh ideas. Leave this session excited to kick off the best school year yet!
Recording not available for this event
These live sessions are designed to provide you with direct access to thought leaders in world language education. Prepare your questions, bring your experiences, and join us for these exciting and interactive events. Engage, learn, and grow in your teaching practice this summer with our "Poolside Proficiency" series.
Bonus: Join our Proficiency Talks Live Facebook group and join the conversation or tag us on X or LinkedIn @waysidepublishing. Share your best insights from our “Sip and Share” series. To learn more about our groups and interacting on Facebook, click here (link to blog post 5).
And don’t forget to check out our other Poolside Proficiency recommendations and play our Poolside Proficiency bingo! Learn more HERE!
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- Professional Learning Splash into Learning: Join Our Live Poolside Proficiency Event! This summer, dive deeper into your professional development with our exciting live event, "Live in the Language Lounge." by
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