Written by
Paola Barron, Upper School Educator, French and Spanish Teacher
and Vivienne Kraus, Upper School Educator, Modern Languages Department Head
Bonjour! Hola! Ni hao!
On Friday, April 10, Bayview Glen welcomed 65 educators from 26 CIS Ontario schools for the Language Teachers Network Meet & Greet, Language Learning without Borders: AI, Interculturality, and Global Citizenship. We co-founded this annual event in 2019, to provide a time dedicated to cultivating professional community and sharing effective practices among language educators.
The day opened with a keynote address by Lincoln Smith, Technology and Innovation Coach at Upper Canada College, titled “Moving from ‘Efficient’ to ‘Effective’: How We Can Use Technology to Expand What Is Possible in Assessment, Learning, and Feedback.” His remarks set the tone for a day focused on innovation, reflection, and pedagogical growth.
Participants then engaged in two rounds of breakout sessions led by CIS educators, with topics including interdisciplinary learning, neuroscience-informed practice, leveraging AI for differentiation, an exchange programme in Spain, gamification strategies (presented by Azal Amer Moussa, Modern Languages Department Head, Prep School), and the integration of drama in the language classroom.
Lunch provided valuable time for networking and collegial exchange, as well as opportunities to connect with exhibitors representing leading publishers and educational organizations.
Feedback from participants highlighted the day as both inspiring and practical, with particular appreciation for the targeted resources shared in workshops and the meaningful professional connections fostered throughout the event.
We extend our sincere thanks to our Modern Languages colleagues across the Lower, Prep, and Upper Schools, Bayview Glen’s Administration and Maintenance teams, and Chartwells for their continued support in making this event possible.
