FLENJ - Fellowship of Language Educators of New Jersey upcoming events

2026-2027 Workshop Series #1 - In-Person - CI: It's Not Just About Input - Amy Marshall (October 29, 2026)

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 12:30:00 GMT

2026-2027 Workshop Series #1 - In-Person

CI: It's Not Just About Input Think Comprehensible Input means students just sit and listen? Think again. This interactive, full day workshop dives into the real heartbeat of CI, the communicative loop that turns input into confident, joyful output. Through live demonstrations in Mandarin, you’ll experience what true comprehension feels like and see how techniques like circling, triangling, and personalization transform passive listening into active communication. Together, we’ll explore how to craft compelling input, guide natural student responses, and build a classroom culture where every learner feels capable and connected. Whether you’re new to CI or looking to deepen your practice, you’ll leave with practical tools, renewed perspective, and the confidence to make language acquisition visible, interactive, and alive for every student.

Amy Marshall is a passionate and dynamic Spanish educator with over 24 years of classroom experience and a deep commitment to acquisition-driven, proficiency-based instruction. She brings energy, humor, and heart to her teaching, using a blend of comprehensible input and TPRS to make Spanish accessible and joyful for all learners. Amy believes that authentic connection and a strong classroom community are the foundation of language acquisition--and she works every day to create spaces where students feel seen, supported, and excited to learn.

She holds degrees from Rutgers University and Middlebury College and has lived in both Valencia and Madrid, Spain. Amy is a frequent presenter at regional, national, and international conferences; a sought-after professional development facilitator; a curriculum developer; an instructional coach; and a passionate collaborator who loves brainstorming ways to elevate language teaching. She supports teachers in creating effective, inclusive, and joyful language learning experiences. Whether she’s in the classroom, leading a workshop, or swapping ideas with fellow educators, Amy brings a spirit of curiosity, creativity, and care to everything she does.

Purchase Orders: If paying by purchase order, the purchase order must be received by FLENJ no later than 21 days before the event (October 8, 2026), or your registration will be canceled. Please email manager@flenj.org if you have any questions.

2026-2027 Workshop Series #2 - In-Person -From Engagement to Proficiency: Practical Strategies That Strengthen World Language Instruction - Diego Ojeda (December 04, 2026)

Fri, 04 Dec 2026 13:30:00 GMT

2025-2026 Workshop Series #2 - In-Person

From Engagement to Proficiency: Practical Strategies That Strengthen World Language Instruction

Diego Ojeda

This interactive workshop is designed for World Language teachers seeking practical,

research-informed strategies that increase student proficiency, motivation, and meaningful

use of the target language. Participants will actively work through classroom activities that

expand vocabulary acquisition, strengthen listening and reading comprehension, support

purposeful speaking and writing, and build a classroom culture where students feel

confident using the language.

Rather than focusing on theory alone, this workshop emphasizes immediately usable

strategies, grounded in comprehensible input, classroom community, music, movement, and

reading, and adaptable to any world language and proficiency level.

Diego Ojeda is a veteran World Language educator, curriculum designer, author, and professional development presenter with more than three decades of experience teaching Spanish as a second language in the United States. He currently teaches Spanish IV, AP® Spanish Language and Culture, and AP® Spanish Literature at an independent school in Louisville, Kentucky, where he is also involved in curriculum development and instructional leadership.

Diego is widely recognized for his work in proficiency-based instruction, comprehensible input, literacy development, and student-centered classroom design. His teaching philosophy emphasizes meaningful communication, long-term language retention, and the creation of classroom communities where students feel confident taking linguistic risks. Rather than focusing on isolated grammar instruction, his approach integrates listening, reading, speaking, and writing through authentic contexts and purposeful interaction.

In addition to his work in the classroom, Diego is an active national presenter and professional learning facilitator for World Language educators. He has led workshops and webinars for organizations such as Klett World Languages, CLB Languages, Digilangua, and multiple state and regional language associations. He is also the director of large-scale mentorship and professional learning programs that support hundreds of World Language teachers across the United States.

Purchase Orders: If paying by purchase order, the purchase order must be received by FLENJ no later than 21 days before the event (November 13th, 2026), or your registration will be canceled.

Please email manager@flenj.org if you have any questions.

2026-2027 Workshop Series #4 - In-Person -Assess for Success: Tools and Rubrics for Language Teachers - Dr. Ashley Warren (May 06, 2027)

Thu, 06 May 2027 12:30:00 GMT

2026-2027 Workshop Series #4 - In-Person

Assess for Success: Tools and Rubrics for Language Teachers

Dr. Ashley Warren

Assessment is one of the most powerful tools we have to guide, motivate, and elevate student learning. Join us for a full-day, hands-on workshop that dives deep into the why and how of assessment in world language education.

Participants will explore the heart of proficiency-based assessment and learn how to design performance rubrics that authentically measure student growth across all three modes of communication. Through practical models, collaborative discussions, and examples grounded in real classroom practice, we’ll unpack what high-quality rubrics look like and how they can transform instructional decision-making and student ownership of learning.

We’ll also highlight a range of tools that support teachers and learners throughout the assessment process, from planning to feedback to reflection.

By the end of the day, attendees will walk away with:

Sample, ready-to-use proficiency-based performance rubrics
Templates and tools to customize for their own classrooms
Strategies for using rubrics to enhance clarity, consistency, and student engagement

Come ready to collaborate, create, and reimagine what assessment can look like in your classroom and in your World Language program. Ashley Warren (@AshleyWarrenWWP) is a language educator in the West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District. Ashley attended The College of New Jersey, where she earned her B.A. in Spanish and Secondary Education and her M.Ed in ESL & Bilingual Studies. She received her Ed.D from Rutgers University, where her doctoral studies focused on teacher leadership and teacher education. In West Windsor-Plainsboro, Ashley has taught everything from 4th and 5th grade Spanish to Advanced Placement Spanish Literature & Culture. Most recently, she taught Kindergarten in WW-P’s Dual Language Immersion (DLI) Spanish program. Currently, Ashley serves as the proud supervisor of WW-P’s World Language & DLI Department. Beyond WW-P, Ashley has taught ESL as an adjunct instructor for Middlesex County College. She has also conducted research through the Fulbright Hayes Group Project Abroad grant and FLENJ’s Education Program Abroad grant. Ashley loves collaborating with other educators and is proud to work with her colleagues in FLENJ to support language education across the state.

Purchase Orders: If paying by purchase order, the purchase order must be received by FLENJ no later than 21 days before the event (April 15th, 2027), or your registration will be canceled.

Please email manager@flenj.org if you have any questions.