College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences

World Languages and Cultures

MBWLP: Monterey Bay World Language Project

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For over 25 years the Monterey Bay World Language Project (MBWLP), one of the sites of the California World Language Project affiliated with the California Subject Matter Project, has been offering seminars to promote best practices for teaching language and cultures in Monterey, San Benito & Santa Cruz counties. MBWLP is housed in the Department of World Languages and Cultures at CSU Monterey Bay and sponsors research-based professional learning opportunities for World Language educators, advocates for the retention, expansion, and articulation of World Language programs across language levels, and supports California schools with the creation of World Language programs in order to prepare California’s students to successfully interact in our global society. As members of the California Subject Matter Project network, program activities are supported with federal and state grants and are guided by an Advisory Board and Concurrence Committee composed of representatives from diverse state educational institutions and the private sector.

Contact mbwlp@csumb.edu with any questions.

2023-24 Programs

The Monterey Bay World Language Project at California State University, Monterey Bay invites you to participate in the 2023-24 Seminars for World Language Teachers.

Please click the sections below to view the full Program Description. 

  • ELD Hybrid Workshop: Opening windows of inclusion: Equitable Translanguaging in the ELD classroom

    Program Description

    From theory to the classroom, this hybrid one-hour zoom session on Day 1 will introduce theory and the 5-hour in-person session on Day 2 will provide the space to examine how TK-12 teachers and students collectively build classroom discourse and translanguaging strategies that reflects and empowers the repertoires of emergent plurilingual (EP) students. Through critical analysis of classroom practices, participants will deconstruct the key elements of equitable and inclusive learning and teaching. After the session, participants will be empowered and prepared to design lessons and units that: a) value and embrace the linguistic richness of EP students b) implement inclusive and authentic assessments, and c) include “intellectually rich, developmentally appropriate learning experiences that foster high levels of English proficiency” as well to maintain and amplify the students’ bi/plurilingualism.  (CEU Available)

    Dates

    Tuesday, September 12, 2023, from 4 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Zoom)  

    AND, In-person session @CSUMB Ryan Ranch in Monterey, CA.  Saturday, September 23, 2023, from 9:30 a.m.- 2:30 p.m. (In-person). Lunch included. 

    Register via GoogleForm

    View the program poster (Canva) program flyer (GoogleDocs)

    Location for Day 2

    CSUMB@Ryan Ranch, 8 Upper Ragsdale, Monterey, CA. 93940

    Facilitators:    

    Suzanne García-Mateus, Assistant Professor, CSU - Monterey Bay
    Ferran/Fernandao Rodríguez-Valls, Professor,  CSU - Fullerton

  • Building An Engaging Learning Community through High Leverage Teaching Practices in World Language Classrooms

    Dates

    5 Saturdays: September 23, October 28, December 9, 2023; February 24, April 13, 2024. Lunch included. Free Parking.

    Time

    9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

    Registration Fees

    • Regular (after 9/16/23) $250
    • Early Bird rate (register by 9/16) $200
    • Student $50
    • CSUMB faculty $50
    • Lunch included. Free Parking

    Location

    CSUMB@Ryan Ranch, 8 Upper Ragsdale, Monterey, CA. 93940

    CEU is available

    Registration via GoogleForm

    Workshop Flyer (Canva) Workshop Flyer (Google Doc)

    Program summary:

    What essential areas can be addressed to help engage and empower language students’ learning? In this five-part seminar series, participants will explore high-leverage teaching practices in world language classrooms. We will take a deep dive into the core practices of creating a culture of classroom discourse in the target languages, utilizing authentic resources effectively, teaching grammar as a concept to be used in context, and providing feedforward feedback.
    Participants will take away ready-to-use strategies to support target language instruction and learn how to easily modify existing activities to create engaging tasks for students’ proficiency. CEU available.

    Please contact us for any questions: mbwlp@csumb.edu

    Send POs to: mbwlp@csumb.edu

  • Smarter As You Think: Teaching Students How to Think in Questions

    Dates

    Now April 6 & 27, 2024 (was initially scheduled for February 3 and 10) 

    Time

    9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. (zoom)

    Presenter

    Yo Azama

    Program Description

    The ability to ask good questions requires flexible and critical thinking. While our goal is to enhance students' cognitive skills, language classes often fail to provide opportunities for learning how to construct meaningful questions. How can we assist students in thinking more deeply and generating questions that ignite their curiosity? This series will introduce strategies to help learners formulate their own questions while engaging in language learning.

    Registration

    Register here | Flyer 

  • The Monterey Bay WLP and the Stanford WLP have joined again to offer a much-needed three-session workshop:
    Designated ELD, Making it Happen: Tier 1, Focus on Secondary
    Online/zoom 
    Saturday, October 21, November 4, December 16
    9:30am - 12:30pm
    This workshop will be facilitated by seasoned Emergent Bilingual (EB) educators Michelle Leversee, Maxine Sagapolutele, and Dr. Tomás Galguera. We are getting practical in this workshop!
    Cost: Regular $250, New teacher $100, Intern $100, Student-teacher $75, groups 4-6  $200, groups 7+ $150
    Units: Participants who complete attendance and lesson plans will be eligible for 3 Stanford Continuing Education units, with a flat processing fee of $100. 
    Focus on secondary: The needs of EB in secondary grades are distinct, and we are supporting secondary teachers on this occasion. In future workshops, we will also focus on elementary.
    Tier 1: These three sessions want to be realistic and focused on the basic practical needs of EB educators in secondary. However, we know that there is a lot more to explore, discuss, and practice. That is why we are designing follow-up/continuation workshops (tier 2) to continue supporting you after the experience of tier 1 (forthcoming spring 2024)
    Join us! dELD is more needed than ever! Social Justice for Emergent Bilinguals! 
  • Making Proficiency-Based Instruction Happen With Or Without A Textbook

    Monterey World Language Project at CSU Monterey Bay invites you to join our Online Workshop!

    Workshop Description

    Using a textbook can be compatible with proficiency-based instruction (PBI), provided suitable adjustments are made. The following sessions will highlight various aspects of PBI:

    1/20/2024: Discuss fundamental principles of PBI, and consider instructional planning around communicative goals. We will also weigh various assessment and evaluation options.

    1/27/2024: Discuss key aspects of interpretive reading and listening with strategies to select or adapt texts. Show activities to support comprehension and make the most out of each resource for every phase of an interpretive lesson: before, during, and after engaging with the text.

    2/17/2024: Discuss layering presentational and interpersonal communication, with a particular focus on transforming traditional output activities often found in textbooks into meaningful and purposeful tasks that foster communicative ability. 

    Register via Google Form 

    Please email mbwlp@csumb.edu with any questions.

    Dates

    Three Saturday Sessions: 10:00 a.m. – Noon (Zoom)

    January 20, January 27, and February 17, 2024

    Registration Fees:

    Early Bird $200 (Before 1/13/24) Regular: $250 Students: $50

    CEUs available

    Presenter: 

    Dr. Florencia Henshaw

    Author of Common Ground: Second Language Acquisition Theory Goes to the Classroom

    Director of Advanced Spanish, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

    View flyer

MBWLP celebrates 25 years

The Monterey Bay World Language Project (MBWLP) recently celebrated 25 years of supporting language and culture learning in the tri-county region with a gathering of past participants and supporters. Read more in an article from the CSUMB newsroom. Project Director Dr. Yoshiko Saito-Abbott is a Professor of Japanese in the School of World Languages and Cultures and currently serves as the Professional Development Director of the American Association of Teachers of Japanese (AATJ). 

Resources & Archives

The state-wide subject matter projects suggest http://www.ocwlp.org/basics as a resource for preparation if you're teaching virtually.

Learn about our previous programs and workshops from the archive.

MBWLP Leadership Team

MBWLP Site Director

Dr. Yoshiko Saito-Abbott

Professor of Japanese, CSUMB School of World Languages and Cultures; MBWLP Founder/Director, and PI. Ph.D in Education (Foreign and Second Language Acquisition). Selected awards: 2014 CLTA Hall Wingard Lifetime Achievement Award; 2007 Allen Griffin Award for Excellence in Teaching; President of The Association of Teachers of Japanese (AATJ) 2016-2018; Professional Development Director of AATJ 2020-Present. She also received 2022 Marian Penn Partnership Award at CSUMB for her recognition of her contribution to communities through service-learning. Campus Directory Information

Headshot of Dr. Yoshiko Saito-Abbott

MBWLP Teacher-Leader Team

Yo Azama

Lead Instructional Coach/ World Language Curriculum Specialist in Salinas Union High School District. Selected awards: 2012 ACTFL National Language Teacher of the Year (TOY); Elgin Heinz Teacher Award in  2015; Outstanding Teacher of America Award by Carlston Family Foundation in 2013.

Yo Azama headshot

Anne Cappiello

Harbor High School, Spanish for Heritage Learners. Nominated for California League of High Schools Educator of the Year for Region 5 in 2014; 2015 CLTA Outstanding Teacher; Recipient of The Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation’s LIGHT Award grant in 2015-2017 to build a curriculum for heritage language learners.

 

Anne Cappiello headshot

Cameron Chien

North Salinas High School, Japanese. Instructional Coach at North Salinas High School, CAJLT Website/Media Coordinator, AP Japanese Content Development Team member.

Cameron Chien headshot

Kristal KW Gaskell

Everett Alvarez High School, Spanish. MA TESOL '98 (MIIS); BA Linguistics '94 (UCSC); Multiple Subject BCLAD Teaching Credential with Reading Authorization; Single Subject Spanish Teaching Credential.

Kristal  Gaskell headshot

Erica Hashiba

Everett Alvarez High School, Japanese. Department Chair for Global Languages (2015 - Present), 2017 Everett Alvarez Award, 2018 Japanese American Citizens League IMPACT Award, Salinas Union High School 2018 District Teacher of the Year.  

MBWLP leader Erica Hashiba flashing a peace sign

 

Julie Hoefling

Everett Alvarez High School, French, 2018-2019 Everett Alvarez High School Teacher of the Year; February 2018 EAHS Teacher of the Month

 

Julie Hoefling headshot

Minako Kamimura

Rancho San Juan High School, Japanese

 

Minako Kamimura headshot

Michelle Leversee

Del Mar High School, Spanish. Coordinator of the Emergent Multilingual Students Program. National Board Certification for Professional Teaching Standards, 2009-2019. 2014 WV World Language Teacher of the Year, 2020 and 2022 Del Mar High School Teacher of the Year. Taught all levels of Spanish Language Acquisition, AP and IB Spanish, Spanish for Heritage Speakers.

Spanish teacher Michelle Leversee in front of White Board

 

Mio Nishimura

Alisal High School, Japanese. 2018 CLTA Outstanding Teacher Award, 2018 Alisal High School Teacher of the Year, TCAL 2004 and 2008 Coach of the Year.

 

Mio Nishimura headshot

MBWLP Staff

Yoshi Alonzo

Program Coordinator Campus Directory

Email: mbwlp@csumb.edu

Call: (831)582-4256

 

MBWLP Staff member 'Yoshi' Alonzo

 

Cynthia Tanabe

Program Coordinator Campus Directory

Email: mbwlp@csumb.edu

Call: (831)582-4256

 

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The MBWLP Project 

For over 25 years the Monterey Bay World Language Project (MBWLP), one of the sites of the California World Language Project affiliated with the California Subject Matter Project, has been offering seminars to promote best language teaching practices in Monterey, San Benito & Santa Cruz counties. The MBWLP Team is composed of experienced language teachers because we believe that “Teachers Teaching Teachers” is the most effective way to encourage the use of proficiency-oriented, standards-based strategies to improve student performance. Please join us, fees negotiable!

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MBWLP Contact Information

Email: mbwlp@csumb.edu

Phone: (831)582-4256

Mailing Address: MBWLP, 100 Campus Center, Building 504, Room 2411, Seaside, CA 93955

Street Address (for GPS navigation only!): 3050 Divarty Street, Seaside, CA 93955 See on Google Maps

Note: MBWLP moved to a new location in August 2019. The office is now Room 2411 in the East Wing of Building 504, the main building for the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.