The personal information collected through the 2026 Encuentro de Profesorado de Español de Alberta SCHED registration page is for the purpose of registering participants in professional learning sessions and fulfilling the operating activities of the 2026 Encuentro de Profesorado de Español de Alberta. This collection is authorized by section 4(c) of the Protection of Privacy Act. For questions about the collection of personal information, contact the Spanish Language Advisor with International Education Services by email at [email protected].
Join us for a dynamic, full-day professional development experience designed to equip Spanish language teachers with innovative strategies to enhance student learning.
There is a $30 registration fee to attend the 2026 Encuentro de Profesorado de Español de Alberta. To proceed with payment, please visit: Payment - RDPSD
To make the most of your experience, please read the title and description of each session carefully before selecting. Some sessions will be conducted in Spanish, while others will be in English.
Photography Notice: Please be aware that by attending this event you grant permission for your photo to be taken and used for promotional purposes by Alberta Education and Childcare. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].
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Haiku is a Japanese poetic form of 17 syllables in a 5–7–5 pattern, often featuring nature and seasonal themes, as seen in Bashō’s famous “Old pond” poem. Senryu shares the 5–7–5 structure but focuses on human nature, humor, or satire instead of seasonal references. This session explores how AI can support language learning not only through vocabulary and translation help but also as a creative partner. Participants will learn practical ways to co‑create haiku and senryu with AI to foster creativity, cultural understanding, and learner engagement.
Foreign language classrooms have cycled through countless trends that claim to define successful language learning. From communicative approaches to grammar drills, our teachers have tried it all—but what do students say has actually helped them the most? In this session, we’ll explore the practices that truly support student success in language acquisition. After all, truly speaking a language is much more than completing worksheets, memorizing verb charts, or just listening to the teacher talk in the target language. The goal of this session is to help you reflect on your current teaching and consider new, research‑aligned techniques for the Spanish classroom—whether you teach in the Spanish Bilingual Program or the Spanish Language and Culture Program.
Kindergarten - Secondary bilingual educators will explore how to use AI tools to create differentiated reading texts in their classroom using the Spanish Language Arts Programs of Study. The session will examine diagnostic, formative, and summative types of assessments. The session will first review the design of AI generated prompts and the insights assessments can provide for next steps in teaching. The second part of the session will have teachers creating using the tools provided. Make sure you bring your laptop!
Bilingual programs are often viewed as "enrichment" for the affluent, but our students’ lived realities are far more complex. This session explores a Grade 5/6 Spanish bilingual "story" from a racially diverse, high-poverty school. Drawing on Laura Chávez-Moreno’s How Schools Make Race, we examine why heritage learners often resist speaking Spanish and how traditional "Standard Spanish" models can marginalize diverse identities. Participants will discover how Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP) and translanguaging can dismantle linguistic hierarchies. Leave with practical tools to audit your resources and transform your classroom into a space where every student's heritage is power.
Reinforcing language skills can easily fall into drill and kill. Games help drive the acquisition model using competition as a motivating factor. I will share some games that have been successful in my practice but feel free to come and share some of yours.
This session introduces Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS) for educators new to the approach or seeking to refine their storytelling practice. Participants will explore how co-created class stories build motivated, engaged learners while increasing comprehensible input and long-term language retention. The session outlines the story creation process step-by-step—from establishing classroom norms to collaboratively building a narrative and assessing student understanding. A live demonstration will model how to initiate a TPRS story, use effective story-asking techniques, and sustain engagement. Participants will leave with practical strategies and a clear framework they can immediately apply in their language classrooms.
