Professional Development
Interested in professional development? Various partners provide professional development for Alberta educators:
The Second Language and Intercultural Council (SLIC) Conference
The SLIC Specialist Council of the ATA holds an annual conference. The Conference is an opportunity for those involved with second language and intercultural education to learn and share with each other.
Regional consortia
Alberta's regional consortia are committed to brokering quality professional development, training and inservice sessions for teachers, school administrators, district administrators and parents.
Post-Secondary
There are various professional development opportunities available for teachers to support language teaching. Examples of programs and professional development opportunities available at Alberta universities include:
University of Alberta
- The Department of Elementary Education offers various programs of interest to second language teachers.
- The Department of Secondary Education offers both undergraduate and graduate courses for teachers who wish to develop or enhance their skills in teaching languages.
- Canadian Indigenous Languages and Literacy Development Institute (CILLDI) 2004 offers a variety of courses of interest to aboriginal language teachers.
- The Faculty of Extension offers a range of language courses, combining language learning and cultural awareness, to help learners develop vocabulary, perfect pronunciation and understand the cultural aspects of communicating with others across the world.
University of Calgary
- The Language Research Centre (LRC) was established in 2002 through grants from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI), the Government of Alberta's Innovation and Science Research Investments Program (ISRIP) and the University of Calgary. It is a joint initiative of the Faculty of Humanities, the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Faculty of Education. The LRC specializes in the Professional Development of Language Teachers at all levels, in Technology-Enhanced Language Learning, and in Psycholinguistic Investigation.
- The Department of French, Italian & Spanish and the Department of Germanic, Slavic and East Asian Studiesoffer various language programs for credit.
University of Lethbridge
- The Faculty of Education offers curriculum and instruction courses for non-majors in Modern Languages as well as two new credit courses in Blackfoot Language/Culture Teaching beginning in the 2004/05 academic year. Teachers and administrators are invited to contact the University of Lethbridge for more information in regard to course possibilities in Modern Languages.
- The Modern Languages Department offers courses in: French, German, Japanese, Spanish, Linguistics, and Modern Languages. The Department offers courses in language, literature, and culture and civilization, and through academic and living experiences in francophone Canada or abroad.
Additional Language Learning opportunities may exist at other post-secondary institutions across the province.
Teachers may be also interested in the following language learning opportunities: Language Learning Opportunities for Educators.
