Center for Applied Second Language Studies - The Northwest National Foreign Language Resource Center
SILL participants develop their pedagogical skills while making valuable connections in the field.
SILL participants develop their pedagogical skills while making valuable connections in the field.
The Southern Initiative for Language Leadership (SILL)

Teaching a foreign language in an atmosphere focused on core subjects as defined by No Child Left Behind can be a daunting - and often thankless - task. But it doesn't have to be. CASLS created a professional development program to support isolated second language teachers with five or fewer years of teaching.

Participants in the Southern Initiative for Language Leadership (SILL) work as a collegial group supported by CASLS' staff, national experts, and previous WILL participants serving as mentors. Over two separate weeklong summer institutes, participants focus on action research and leadership, culminating in two yearlong projects while earning university credit. CASLS will begin recruiting participants for the next cycle in winter 2009.

The SILL model is based on the successful structure pioneered by the Western Initiative for Language Leadership (WILL).

Benefits of Participating in SILL

  • Improve teaching methods and student outcomes
  • Develop professional confidence
  • Network with experienced educators and national experts
  • Gain experience conducting research, writing articles, and presenting ideas
  • Rejuvenate your passion for the profession

Support from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations and the Southern Conference on Language Teaching allow CASLS to provide this valuable professional development service to language educators.