Welcome to MFLA!

The Maryland Foreign Language Association (MFLA) is a professional association of foreign language teachers, professors, and professionals dedicated to the promotion of excellence in the teaching of foreign languages. MFLA hosts fall and spring conferences which feature technology workshops, presentations, lectures, and more.

MFLA Spring Conference March 13, 2010

The MFLA 2010 Spring Conference will be held at James Hubert Blake High School in Montgomery County on March 13, 2010. Registration materials are now online for you to download, complete, and send in with payment. Our theme this year is World of Change: iTeach for Tomorrow. As in previous years, there will be presentations for both 3-hour workshops and 75-minute sessions. Traditionally, the spring conference has focused on hands-on opportunities to experience new technologies. However, we have expanded our offerings to also include non-technology focused presentations. Learn more . . .

MFLA Fall Conference October 16 - 17, 2009 - A Huge Success!

Opportunity Knocks in Many Languages, was the theme of the MFLA 2009 Fall Conference held at Anne Arundel Community College October 16 - 17, 2009. The two-day conference kicked off at 1:00 PM on Friday with swap shops in the areas of Technology, Advanced Learners, and Hands-On / Out-of-Seat Activities. These were followed by 2-hour immersion workshops in French, German, or Spanish as well as workshops on immersion pedagogy and differentiation strategies.

Friday evening was the awards banquet when Souley Dounda (Prince George's County Public Schools pictured in the center of the photo to the left) was named the 2010 Maryland Language Teacher of the Year. Henrique Vissotto (Prince George's County Public Schools) and Millicent Sharpe (Baltimore City Schools), finalists for the award, were also honored at the banquet. The banquet keynote speaker was Helena Curtain (see photo to the left), international leader in the field of world languages and second language instruction, including immersion programs.

Saturday featured over 40 concurrent sessions on a variety of topics from Mardi Gras to the Berlin Wall to games, songs, comics, and fairy tales. Technologies ranged from Audacity to podcasting, Skype, flip video, Photo Story 3, and webquests.

Missed the fall conference this year? Mark your calendars now for next fall to attend the conference, whose theme will be Go Global: Communicate, Collaborate, Participate. The tentative dates are October 15 - 16, 2010 and will feature a joint venture with GWATFL (the Greater Washington Association of Teachers of Foreign Languages). The fall conference offers you all the benefits of a large national conference -- a keynote speaker, a banquet, immersion workshops, concurrent sessions, meals, and exhibitors -- but at a much lower cost -- a great value in today's economy!

Great News! World Language Maryland State Curriculum Approved

The MSDE State Board unanimously accepted the World Language Maryland State Curriculum. Susan Spinnato, MSDE World Language Specialist, was joined by Arlene White, MFLA President, Marty Abbott, ACTFL, and others in support of World Language Education.

Look for the MSC on the World Languages Maryland State Department of Education site.