July 24: Interdependence Day for Language Learning

We celebrate Independence Day in the United States of America on July 4 each year. I’d like to propose we take a day (how about today, July 24?) to celebrate something slightly different: Interdependence Day.

For the past five years, I’ve been collaborating with language educators and leaders from across the U.S. on exploring, documenting, and developing a new approach to language learning. It puts the learners themselves at the center, while also acknowledging that no one learns a language in a vacuum. Language is a key human capacity. As noted by award-winning author Victor D. O. Santos and illustrator Anna Forlati, it’s What Makes Us Human.

Victor D. O. Santos holding a copy of his book at the NCOLCTL Conference in Chicago, IL April 21, 2023, where I was honored with the Walton Award that year.

I’m launching this new Substack today, Facilitated Interdependent Language Learning (FILL), to provide a place where we can connect and share what’s already happening to create this new collaborative learning environment and imagine new possibilities together. I hope you’ll join me on this journey.

I plan to post on Substack about once a week, so I won’t overload your inbox.

Can’t wait to get started?

Check out two briefs by our FILL team, published by the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL), that you can download for free from our FILL page on the National Council of State Supervisors for Languages (NCSSFL) website.