Interdepartmental Orientation Workshop for New Language Instructors 2026

From Our Workshop Participants

“The demo lesson in Persian was very helpful to put myself in the position of a beginner student. The microteaching was a really nice way to put what we learned into practice.”

“I found the orientation workshop to be a valuable opportunity to observe different teaching styles and learn from them. Receiving and giving feedback with other TAs also helped me identify my strengths and areas for improvement. In addition, hearing advice and suggestions gave me a broader perspective on how I can make my classes more engaging, interactive, and effective.”

The 2026 in-person Interdepartmental Orientation Workshop welcomed 23 new UW–Madison language instructors representing 15 different languages. The workshop provided participants with a foundational understanding of effective language teaching principles and lesson design strategies. It was structured in two parts:

Day 1 featured a demonstration lesson and a guided discussion led by Fatemeh Mirsharifi from the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures, with a lesson discussion facilitated by Jeanne Schueller from the Department of German, Nordic, and Slavic+ and William Morgan, Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Following the demonstration lesson, participants were introduced to a range of college and campus resources, as well as selected campus partners—including the Language Institute, International Academic Programs, Center for Teaching, Learning, and Mentoring, L&S Instructional Design Collaborative, University Health Services, and McBurney Disability Resource Center. The first day of orientation concluded with a brief presentation by representatives from the Teaching Assistant Association.

Day 2 of the workshop focused on in-person “micro-teaching” in six mixed-language groups and provided an opportunity for new instructors to apply in practice the principles and methods covered in the large-group session. Twelve faculty members, instructional staff, and experienced teaching assistants from Van Hise language departments facilitated the micro-teaching sessions, offering guidance and feedback to help new instructors practice and refine their teaching techniques.

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

Sponsoring Departments

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

Orientation Workshop Presenters

Fatemeh Mirsharifi – Asian Languages and Cultures
Jeanne Schueller – German, Nordic, and Slavic+
William Morgan – Spanish and Portuguese
Jana Martin – Language Institute

Faculty/Instructor Facilitators

Adeola Agoke – African Cultural Studies
Hong Dinh – Asian Languages and Culture
Takako Nakakubo – Asian Languages and Cultures
Alexandra Walter – German, Nordic, and Slavic+

Experienced TA Facilitators

Alyssa Bryl, German, Nordic, and Slavic+
Giovanni D’Andrea, French and Italian
Abdul Nasir Habib, Spanish and Portuguese
Anthony Ippolito, Spanish and Portuguese
Yang Liu, Asian Languages and Cultures
Toyin Olanipekun, African Cultural Studies, SLA
Logan Onken, French and Italian
Finn Shepherd, German, Nordic, and Slavic+

Orientation Workshop Planning Committee Members

Jeanne Schueller, German, Nordic, and Slavic+, Co-Chair
Jana Martin – Language Institute, Co-Chair

Adeola Agoke – African Cultural Studies
Heather Willis Allen – French and Italian
Loren Eadie – French and Italian
Fatemeh Mirsharifi – Asian Languages and Cultures
Takako Nakakubo – Asian Languages and Cultures
Will Morgan – Spanish & Portuguese
Jeanne Schueller – German, Nordic, and Slavic+
Anna Tumarkin – German, Nordic, and Slavic+
Tianlu Zhang – Asian Languages and Cultures

Funding

Language Institute and International Division.

Fatemeh Mirsharifi, Asian Languages and Cultures, presenting a demonstration lesson.