Fresh off another revitalizing Summer Institute, one word keeps echoing in my mind: “revolutionize”—a perfect reflection of this year’s theme, Language Teaching in the Age of the Digital Revolution.

As we prepare to enter a new era of teaching, many of us will begin aligning (or continue to align) our Checkpoint B courses with the revised NYS World Language Standards. Throughout the summer, NYSED OBEWL has been traveling across the state to support us with this transition through a series of workshops. But—as Will Anderson reminded us in his SI kickoff session—don’t feel like you have to overhaul everything all at once. Many of the strategies and practices we’ve already been using may very well align with the revised standards. Take a breath and give yourself permission to recharge.

Another clear thread woven through this year’s Institute was the role of AI in our profession. It’s here to stay, and we’re encouraged to explore it (starting with a good prompt!), but just as importantly, there was a shared appreciation that it’s not necessary to overthrow everything that we do. There is still importance in doing hands-on activities, embracing paper and pencil again, and stepping away from screens to allow students to simply communicate.

As we head back into the school year, I hope we’ll all continue to reflect, refine, and grow our teaching practices—guided by the tools of the digital age, but always grounded in care for ourselves and our students.

Wishing you a great start to the year!

P.S. If you missed any part of Summer Institute, you can still catch up with the recordings! Visit nysaflt.org/conferences/summer-institute for more information. Plus, you can see Will Anderson live at this year’s Annual Conference October 17-18 in Albany, NY. Hope to see you there.

Warmly,