Join us for what promises to be an inspiring, practical, and rewarding day with World Language colleagues from across the state.

We are thrilled to welcome Cécile Lainé, this year’s Southern Conference 2026 Teacher of the Year (SCOLT) and a highly respected voice on reading and identity in the classroom. We are honored she has carved out time in her busy teaching and conference schedule to be with us!

Cécile will kick off the day with her keynote, Beyond the Page: Reading as a Critical Foundation, exploring how reading shapes students’ sense of self and their understanding of others, inspired by Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop’s “windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors.”

She will also lead two practical, classroom-ready workshops:

• Teachers as Librarians: Establishing a Free Reading Program — Learn how to build an inclusive classroom library, support emerging literacy, and spark a lifelong love of reading.
• Reading Our First Class Novel: Centering Student Choice and Voice — A clear, step-by-step approach to successfully implementing a whole-class novel with novice learners while maximizing engagement, comprehension, and retention.

With over 17 years of experience, Cécile brings a student-centered, equity-driven approach grounded in comprehension-based instruction. She is also the author of several language-learner books and co-author of

Fun fact—she’s also a Zumba instructor… so you may want to bring your sneakers, just in case.

Plus, a full lineup of afternoon sessions, including:

• What Felix the Cat Can Teach Us About Teaching Languages to Elementary Students — Alana Considine

• Personalized Assessment: Your Students Are Your Best Content — Emily Smith
  
  

• Camino de Santiago for Spanish Educators & Classrooms — Jennifer Luck & Colleen Birner
  
  

• Teaching a Story from Start to Finish: What It Actually Looks Like — Melanie Tupaj
  
  

• And the all-time favorite: Swap Shop sessions (2!)
  
  

Whether you’re looking for fresh ideas, practical strategies, or simply the energy of being in community—this day is for you.