Language Educator's Conference: The Power of TCI

• The Power of TCI

  

  June 30 to July 2, 2025

  Calling all second language teachers in need of a refreshing reboot! Join our groundbreaking conference on Teaching with Comprehensible Input. The Power of TCI is designed exclusively for educators who've faced burnout and are seeking innovative solutions. Discover how to use language to inspire joy and build strong classroom communities, with an authentic Russian language lab, showcasing revolutionary comprehensible input strategies. Engage in interactive workshops, dynamic presentations, and collaborative sessions to challenge your practices and gain firsthand knowledge of the latest research in Teaching with Comprehensible Input. Connect with like-minded teachers to fuel your professional growth and reignite your passion for second language teaching. Together, we shape the future of language acquisition on a transformative journey.

  Register for The Power of TCI

  Questions? Call 541-383-7270 Email ceinfo@cocc.edu

• Meet Your Presenters

  

  Skip Crosby has been teaching Spanish in Maine public high schools for over 35 years. Skip gained proficiency in the Spanish language during a two-year stay in Colombia after college. While in Colombia, he earned a Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera from the Javeriana University in Bogotá, Colombia in 1989. In 1998, he earned a Master's Degree in Spanish from Middlebury College in Vermont. He has taught as an adjunct at the college level for 15 years. He also teaches high school Spanish online. Skip has coached and taught at national conferences and colleges across the country. In 2014, Skip was named Maine Foreign Language Teacher of the year, Northeast Conference on the teaching of Foreign Language Teacher of the Year Finalist, Androscoggin County Teacher of the year and in 2015 was the Maine Teacher of the Year, Finalist. He was also the 2015 Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Teacher of the Year Finalist. Skip earned National Board Certification (NBCT) in 2018. In 2021 Skip was recognized with the Richard Williamson Award for Leadership in World Languages by the Foreign Language Association of Maine (FLAME). Skip has taken groups of students to Guatemala City to work with Safe Passage, an organization dedicated to helping the families working in the Guatemala City dump with education, food and medical care. Skip lives in Poland, Maine with Beth, his wife, Lexi, the 9.25 pound Mini Dachshund and Neil his aging Doxie "brother". Their son, Gabe, is a 6th grade ELA teacher.

  Skip will lead a three-day intensive Spanish language lab, using CI techniques to help students gain language acquisition in an accelerated environment. Designed for learners who have a foundational understanding of Spanish, this session will also be open to participants outside of The Power of TCI language conference. TCI students will have the opportunity to sit in on any part of the sessions to observe and/or participate as a student. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your Spanish language skills while exploring rich cultural topics. Whether you're a student, professional, or educator, this course promises an enriching experience that goes beyond traditional language learning.

  

  Laurie Clarcq is originally from Rochester, N.Y. and has traveled the globe as a teacher and a learner. Her classrooms have always reflected her love for language, learning and laughter. The students are, by far, her favorite part of teaching, but she has a special passion for exploring ways to connect students with the curriculum, and teachers with their students. Laurie is a graduate of the State University of New York at Cortland, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in both Spanish and Early Childhood/ Elementary Education, and a Master of Science in Education with a concentration in Reading and Curriculum Development. She has over 36 years of teaching experience in Spanish and English as a Second Language and has enjoyed working with students at many levels from preschool through university, adult education and professional development. She has twice received the President's Award by the New York State Foreign Language Teachers' Association for her contributions to the profession. Laurie has been a presenter, consultant and trainer on a local, state, national and international level. Her recent work in Australia, France and Canada has successfully introduced the skills of Comprehensible Input-based teaching to teachers in other areas of the world. In 2008, She and Michele Whaley of Anchorage, Alaska began to implement an approach to reading that they titled Embedded Reading. It has been successfully and joyfully shared with and utilized by teachers internationally. A long-time blogger and contributor to written publications on and off-line, her work can be found on her two websites (heartsforteaching.com and embeddedreading.com).

  Laurie Clarcq will facilitate the On-Your-Feet Workshops, during Russian language lab. This will give students the opportunity to see TCI in action, and then practice techniques, while learning the Russian language as a new langauge learner. Laurie will provide hands-on techniques and practice to help you incorporate what you’ve learned during the conference after you’ve returned to your classroom. Fear not! After Laurie's "On Your Feet" workshops, participants will feel confident applying comprehensible input techniques in their classrooms. Together, you will tackle common challenges, equipping you with the confidence and necessary steps to introduce your students to new ways of acquiring language.

   

  Michele Whaley has taught languages in Alaska for more than 30 years. She has mentored teachers for the last 16, sharing methodology techniques locally, nationally and internationally at language conferences and workshops. A recent focus is on preserving indigenous languages. Michele believes that languages open our eyes to new ways of thinking and communicating, and she works to find and share the most effective techniques for language acquisition. Michele was the 2016 Pacific Northwest Language teacher of the year and she was a national finalist in 2017. She teaches Russian at the University of Alaska and kindergarten through fifth-grade Spanish at Pacific Northern Academy in Anchorage. She has been part of COSSI since its inception.

  Michele Whaley will facilitate the Russian Language lab, using TCI techniques. Her dynamic teaching style will seamlessly blend theory with practical application, offering hands-on practice in a small, supportive group setting. Together,  you will tackle common challenges, equipping you with the confidence and necessary steps to introduce your students to new ways of acquiring language.

• Schedule

  *Schedule subject to change

  	Monday, June 30	Tuesday, July 1	Wednesday, July 2
  8:30-9 a.m.	Keynote: Sparking Joy  RTEC Rm 209	Coffee/Treats Lobby	Coffee/Treats Lobby
  9-noon	Russian Language Lab RTEC Rm 209 Intensive Spanish Language (Intermediate) / Community Ed Intensive 3 Day Course Skip Crosby Room 138	Russian Language Lab RTEC Rm 209 Intensive Spanish Language (Intermediate) / Community Ed Intensive 3 Day Course Skip Crosby Room 138	Russian Language Lab RTEC Rm 209 Intensive Spanish Language (Intermediate) / Community Ed Intensive 3 Day Course Skip Crosby Room 138
  noon-1 p.m.	No-host lunch	No-host lunch	No-host lunch
  1-4 p.m.	Embedded Reading on Your Feet Workshop RTEC Rm 136   Story Asking on Your Feet Workshop RTEC Rm 124	Observe 3-Day Language Intensive  RTEC Rm 138	Embedded Reading on Your Feet Workshop RTEC Rm 136   Story Asking on Your Feet Workshop RTEC Rm 124
  4:15-5 p.m.	Teacher Talk RTEC Rm 209	Teacher Talk RTEC Rm 209	Student Sharing/Celebration RTEC Rm 209