Oct. 3, 2025 - Oct. 4, 2025
https://carla.umn.edu/conferences/solphe2025
This free, online symposium serves as a professional development forum tailored to the needs of post-secondary language educators with the aim of enhancing the quality of language programs and providing opportunities for inter-institutional collaboration. The symposium features plenary talks and research- and practice-oriented presentations about different aspects of language teaching and program administration in higher education settings. All sessions take place on Zoom.
We welcome proposals for 20-minute presentations from colleagues teaching all languages at all ranks (including language program directors/coordinators/supervisors, tenure-track and non-tenure track faculty, instructors, and graduate students). Proposals may be either practice-oriented or research-oriented, as long as they have practical implications of relevance to language programs in post-secondary settings in the United States. Proposals must fall under one of the following two strands:
Strand 1: Language Teaching and Learning
Topics that fit this strand include, but are not limited to:
Research-based pedagogical approaches
Technology integration, including AI
Experiential learning
Assessment of instructional outcomes
Teaching for diversity, inclusion, equity, access, and social justice
Intercultural competence
Students’ and instructors’ perceptions
Content-based instruction (e.g., language for specific purposes, languages across the curriculum, language-content integration)
Strand 2: Language Program Direction
Topics that fit this strand include, but are not limited to:
Supervision and professional development of teaching assistants and other language educators
Language teaching methods courses
Evaluation and professional development of language program directors
Program evaluation and articulation
Curriculum development and revision
Mission, vision, and objectives of language programs
Student recruitment and retention
Selection and development of instructional materials
Course placement practices
Contextual factors (e.g., small programs, less commonly taught languages, multi-section programs, multi-language departments)
Submission instructions:
You may submit only one proposal as lead presenter. You may be listed as a co-presenter on one additional proposal. All proposals must be written in English.
PLEASE FOLLOW THESE STEPS TO COMPLETE YOUR SUBMISSION:
1. Enter author name(s) and affiliation(s) in the box marked "Authors" (e.g., Jane Doe, University of X)
2. Enter the title of your submission (15 words max) in the box marked "Title" (e.g., Exploring teacher's beliefs at University X)
3. Upload a file the includes ONLY the following three elements:
a. title (15 words maximum)
b. abstract (300 words maximum)
c. 50-word summary for the conference program
IMPORTANT: Your file must not contain any personal identifying information; if it does, your submission will not be considered.
4. Leave the "Comments" section blank
Only proposals submitted through EasyAbs by 11:59 PM Central on June 1, 2025 will be considered.
Submissions open: April 1, 2025 - June 1, 2025
Abstract review period: June 2, 2025 - July 15, 2025
Contact Email: [email protected]