Arkansas Foreign Language Teachers Association conference great opportunity for all

Foreign language conference attended by a number of U of A affiliated individuals.
Foreign language conference attended by a number of U of A affiliated individuals. | Courtesy of Shutterstock
The recent Arkansas Foreign Language Teachers Association annual conference, "From Performance to Proficiency!," was attended by University of Arkansas graduate students, as well as visiting scholars and professors.

The convention was held at the Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs. Two doctoral students, Qian Zhang and William Davis were presenters for the event. Zhang presented "Using Art in Foreign Language Instruction"; Davis, along with University of Arkansas graduate student Courtney Cochran, presented "United We Speak: World Language Advocacy in Arkansas."

Cochran was named Arkansas Teach of the Year recently and currently teaches at Van Buren High School. 

The event was also attended by Freddie Bowles, secondary education coordinator and foreign language specialist, and Victoria Mascaliuc and Xiaoling Peng, both from overseas. Maris Buller, Alvaro Salaverry, Cristhina Torres and Kimberly Wood, M.A.T. secondary education students, were granted six hours towards their professional development of teaching foreign languages. 

The group of students was also able to visit a trip to the Arkansas Capitol building and the Central High School National Museum, due to the generous support of the head of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Michael Daugherty, and the director of Education Renewal Zone, Lindsey Swagerty.