2025-26 Facilitator Book Study on Teaching Intercultural Citizenship Across the Curriculum
The Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages (OBEWL) of the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø State Education Department (51³Ô¹ÏÍø) is proud to sponsor the 2025-26 book study on Teaching Intercultural Citizenship Across the Curriculum:Ìý The Role of Language Education by Manuela Wagner, Fabiana Cardetti, and Michael Byram.Ìý This book study will be presented by Manuela Wagner (co-author) and Lea Graner Kennedy.Ìý A facilitator book is a special type of book study in which participants will receive training and the option of being part of a group that turnkey trains other educators in this book study in the following year. ÌýNYS world language educators from district, charter, religious, and independent schools, as well as administrators who supervise world language departments, are encouraged to participate.Ìý
Click here to download the book study flyer.
Click to register for this book study.
Book study description:Ìý Teaching Intercultural Citizenship Across the CurriculumÌýexplores how language educators can advocate for and illustrate the importance of language education not only for their students’ education but also for their ability to solve complex problems we urgently need to address. This book introduces readers to theory and practice in planning, teaching, and assessing intercultural communication and citizenship across the curriculum. Teachers, teacher educators, and curriculum designers gain a better understanding of designing (world) language curricula for intercultural citizenship by making connections to the students’ knowledge and experiences from other subjects. This enables students to apply what they learn in language education in their lives in the here and now.
The aim of the book is also to help language educators work together with teachers of other subjects (e.g., mathematics, sciences, English language arts) to broaden students’ understandings and strengthen their intercultural citizenship development. Theoretical investigations are illustrated with practical examples and lesson plans from world language education and linked to other subjects through discipline-specific content. Questions for reflection encourage the reader to interact more deeply with the concepts and the suggested examples. Supporting materials are provided which teachers can adapt for implementation in their own program. ÌýThe book study is structured so that time will be provided during each meeting for small groups to process and apply new ideas to school contexts.
Book study groups will meet once a month from September to May from 4:00-5:15pm via Zoom on the following dates:Ìý September 29th, October 6th, November 3rd, December 1st, January 12th, February 23rd, March 23rd, April 20th, and May 18th.
Attendance policy:Ìý participants must attend at least eight of the nine book study meetings in full (from 4:00-5:15pm) in order to receive CTLE/attendance credit.Ìý Those who attend all meetings in full will earn 22.5 hours and those who attend at least eight of the meetings in full will earn 20 hours.Ìý While participants who will attend less than eight full meetings are welcome to continue attending meetings, no credit will be awarded.
Following the first meeting, attendees will be sent a hardcopy book to their school address at no charge.Ìý Participants must have a reliable internet connection, a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet with a functioning webcam and microphone, as well as a suitable, distraction-free environment in which to participate in the book study.Ìý Because of the interactive nature of this facilitator book study, participants will not have the option of joining the meetings using a smartphone.Ìý There is no cost to participate in this book study.
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Book study facilitators:
Manuela WagnerÌýis Professor of Language Education in the Department of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages at the University of Connecticut. Investigating the relationship between Education for Intercultural Citizenship, Human Rights Education, Education for Social Justice, her ongoing empirical and theoretical projects analyze the role of educators as advocates for all language learners through an approach that helps students reflect on and celebrate their plurilinguistic and pluricultural identities. She is particularly interested in the interplay of theory and practice and has been part of and helped create communities of practice to collaboratively create and implement theory-based curriculum. Examples of projects can be found in her co-authored and co-edited volumes: Ìý(2019)ÌýÌý(2018), Ìý(2017), ÌýÌý(2022),Ìýand ÌýÌý(2022).
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LeaÌýGraner KennedyÌýis currently a proven instructional leader and coach, an educator in Connecticut, and both an independent and an ACTFL consultant.Ìý Through her work, she has led curriculum development, professional learning workshops for K-16 educators, and countless virtual learning experiences.Ìý Her work with educators spans a variety of context; large districts and schools, such as Detroit and Chicago, and the Independent American School in London, Singapore and Hanoi, rural districts in Idaho implementing the Seal of Biliteracy, International Baccalaureate districts designing and implementing PYP, MYP and DP programs, statewide initiatives with 51³Ô¹ÏÍø State Department of Education to help district coordinators work with the revised Standards and also projects with DoDEA to help teachers abroad guide their students to higher levels of proficiency.Ìý She works with teachers K-16 to improve curriculum, assessment, and instruction so all students can have access to quality language programs, aligned to World-Readiness and Social Justice Standards. LeaÌýhas served on national committees to update the Seal of Biliteracy Guidelines, state committees to pass legislation and update standards, provided numerous workshops for ACTFL at state, regional, and national conferences, and supported schools as they deeply examine their practices to become even more effective.Ìý