Six students from the Graduate Adolescence Spanish Education Program at SUNY Old Westbury presented at the 2017 New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers Conference, held in Niagara Falls, New York, in October.
Accompanied by Professor Carolina Bustamante, the students from the College's graduate program successfully presented innovative unit plans that featured integrated performance assessments and were based on the national World Language Standards from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. The presentations were titled:
- Jacqueline Burgos: La alimentación sana (A Healthy Diet).
- Tamar Cedeño-Ramos: La ciudad (The City).
- Karen Diaz: La ropa (Clothing).
- Jacob Friedman: La ecología y la preservación de los animales (Ecology and Animal Preservation).
- Anyelin Herrera: La familia (Family).
- Andrea Rivera: Los deportes (Sports).
"Members of the professional community from all areas of the state attended the session and gave very positive feedback on the students’ projects and their preparation from SUNY Old Westbury," said Bustamante, assistant professor in the College’s School of Education and coordinator of the graduate Spanish education programs.
The New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers, which was founded in 1917, celebrated its 100th Annual Conference in October 2017. The Association seeks to serve the needs of the profession dedicated to the development of second language skills and cultural awareness among students. Each year the Association offers its members a network of communication with colleagues throughout the state, opportunities for professional growth through conferences and workshops regionally and statewide, a direct link with the State Education Department, and a variety of support services designed to enrich teachers' professional lives.