Language Institute
University of Wisconsin-Madison Language Institute

Interdepartmental Orientation Workshop for New Language Instructors 2021

Information about the 2022 workshop will be posted shortly

The 2021 in-person interdepartmental orientation workshop gave 51 new UW-Madison language instructors representing 18 languages a basic understanding of the principles and methods of effective language teaching and lesson design. The workshop consisted of two parts: Day 1, a demonstration lesson and a guided discussion led by Tianlu Zhang from the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures, with a lesson discussion facilitated by Fatemeh Mirsharifi from the same department. After the demo lesson, the participants learned about access to the instructional technology resources, University Health Services, and heard from our campus partners represented by Dan Gold, director of the International Academic Programs; Tessa Timler, McBurney Disability Resource Center; and Jesse Kruschke, Teaching Assistant Association.

Day 2 of the workshop focused on in-person “micro-teaching” in ten mixed-language groups and provided an opportunity for new instructors to apply in practice the principles and methods covered in the large-group session. 22 faculty, instructional staff, and experienced teaching assistants from Van Hise language departments facilitated the micro-teaching.

Thank you to all who helped to make the orientation workshop a success!

Orientation Workshop Planning Committee Members

  • Anna Tumarkin – German, Nordic, and Slavic+; Chair
  • Adeola Agoke – African Cultural Studies
  • Heather Allen – French and Italian
  • Jana Martin – Language Institute
  • Scott Mellor – German, Nordic, and Slavic+
  • Fatemeh Mirsharifi – Asian Languages and Cultures
  • Rajiv Rao – Spanish & Portuguese
  • Jeanne Schueller – German, Nordic, and Slavic+
  • Tianlu Zhang – Asian Languages and Cultures

Faculty/Instructor Facilitators

  • M. Farooq Asif – Asian Languages and Cultures
  • Loren Eadie – French and Italian
  • Nâlân Erbil – German, Nordic, and Slavic+
  • Jibril Gabid – African Cultural Studies
  • S.A. Karpukhin – German, Nordic, and Slavic+
  • Scott Mellor – German, Nordic, and Slavic
  • Takako Nakakubo – Asian Languages and Cultures
  • Fatemeh Mirsharifi – Asian Languages and Cultures
  • Melissa Sheedy – German, Nordic, and Slavic+
  • Janpanit Surasin – Asian Languages and Cultures

Experienced Teaching Assistant Facilitators

  • Kendall Aycock – Spanish and Portuguese
  • Levi Cross – Spanish and Portuguese
  • Sarah Ferchau – German, Nordic, and Slavic+
  • Astou Gueye – African Cultural Studies
  • Emily Koshollek – Spanish and Portuguese
  • Felipe Moraga – Spanish and Portuguese
  • Luke Ptak – French and Italian
  • Mwita Muniko – African Cultural Studies
  • Takeaki Okamoto – Asian Languages and Cultures
  • Sophia Strietholt – German, Nordic, and Slavic+
  • Katherine Ward – Spanish and Portuguese
  • Yanwen Wu – Asian Languages and Cultures

Select Resources

Sponsoring Departments

This workshop was made possible thanks to the participation of many faculty, staff, and experienced TAs from the departments of: