CARLA Summer Institutes 2009

The Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA) at the University of Minnesota has sponsored a summer institute program for second language teachers since 1996. These internationally-known institutes reflect CARLA's commitment to linking research and theory with practical applications for the classroom. Each institute is highly interactive and includes discussion, theory-building, hands-on activities, and plenty of networking opportunities. Over 2,800 language teaching professionals, representing a wide variety of languages, levels and role, have come from all over the world to participate in these lively institutes. Join the many teachers who have taken the opportunity to get informed and energized at a CARLA summer institute!

June 22-26: "Immersion 101: An Introduction to Immersion Teaching for Chinese and Japanese."

July 13-17: "Using Technology in Second Language Teaching, Meeting the Challenges of Immersion Education: Language and Learning Disorders and the Struggling Immersion Learner," "Culture as the Core in the Second Language Classroom."

July 20-24: "Immersion 101: An Introduction to Immersion Teaching," "Developing Materials for Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTLs)," "Improving Language Learning: Styles- and Strategies-Based Instruction," "Content-Based Language Instruction and Curriculum Development."

July 27-31: "Immersion 101: An Introduction to Immersion Teaching," "Focusing on Learner Language: Second Language Acquisition Basics for Teachers," "Developing Assessments for the Second Language Classroom," "Language and Culture in Sync: Teaching the Pragmatics of a Second Language."

The cost of each of the summer institutes is $350 if registration is received by May 31, 2009, and $400 after that date.

Information on the institutes: www.carla.umn.edu/institutes or carla@umn.edu. Registration: www.carla.umn.edu/institutes/register.html. Stipends for LCTL teachers: www.carla.umn.edu/institutes/scholarships.html.

Japan Foundation Special Grant Program

The Japan Foundation announces its 2009-10 "Special Grant Program for Professional Development Opportunities for Japanese Language Teachers." This program is designed to provide partial aid for seminars, workshops, and training courses that can provide participants with Continuing Education Units (CEUs), credits, clock hours, and/or certificates of professional development hours, etc., which are authorized to be used towards receiving/maintaining their teacher's licenses/credentials. The purpose of this grant is to support Japanese language teachers who need a professional development opportunity to receive/maintain their Japanese teacher's license/credentials. Projects must be held between September 3, 2009 and March 14, 2010. Deadline: July 31, 2009.

The Japan Foundation's contribution will not exceed $3,000 per project. Items eligible for support are: 1) expenses provided for participants who require professional development credits/hours to receive/maintain their teacher's license/credential (credit application fee, event registration fee, transportation, and accommodations), 2) expenses for lecturers (honorarium, transportation, accommodations), 3) other expenses (rental fees for venue and equipment, printing cost for handouts).

Contact Program Associate Mamiko Nakai at the Japan Foundation's Los Angeles office: 213/621-2267. mamiko_nakai@jflalc.org. www.jflalc.org/index.php?act=tpt&id=427