Teachers Explore New Online Learning Environment for World Languages at ACTFL

SAN ANTONIO, TX--(Marketwired - Nov 21, 2014) -  The future of world language learning -- and the new tools that will help students achieve proficiency -- are hot topics at this year's American Council on The Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) conference. EMC Publishing, a leader in print and digital education programs, is contributing to the conversation about what's next.

The company will be introducing Passport^®, its online environment for teaching and learning world languages in K-12 (booth #10031), and will also be providing a workshop on its new five-level Spanish program, ¡Qué chévere! The program delivers language and culture immersion experiences in an environment where text and technology are integrated, catering to the 21st-century student.

Built through a partnership between EMC Publishing, a division of New Mountain Learning, and the University of Minnesota's Institute for Design Innovation (IDI), Passport^® marries IDI's research-based language learning platforms with EMC Publishing's ACTFL-aligned instructional content.

ACTFL attendees interested in getting hands on with Passport^® will be able to do so while hearing directly from administrators -- like Jenny Lehman, the assistant superintendent of the Upper Moreland School District in Pennsylvania -- who have selected the environment for their schools.

"We designed Passport with the goal of improving America's world language deficit, so we're eager to share the environment with the educators who work tirelessly to improve language proficiency among students," said Mick Demakos, Chief Digital Officer for New Mountain Learning and GM of EMC Publishing. "Also, we're excited to have attendees hear directly from their peers who are already successfully integrating Passport into their schools' language programs."

Dr. Charles Miller, associate professor of learning technologies and executive director of IDI, is presenting the plenary session at the conference on 11/22 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. He will also take part in "Design Innovation in World Language Discussion, Reflection and E-Assessment" later that day -- from 4:00-4:20 p.m.

On Friday, November 21 attendees will be able to experience Passport^® firsthand during a workshop. Participants will be able to see exactly how Passport^® takes students on a culture-rich voyage, connecting them to EMC's curriculum in and out of the classroom. Passport^® is currently available for K-12 students studying French and Spanish in traditional, blended or online classrooms. Chinese and German versions will follow in early 2015.

About EMC Publishing

A division of New Mountain Learning, EMC Publishing is a recognized leader in world language solutions in classrooms throughout the nation. Founded in 1954, EMC publishes instructional materials, supplements, and assessments for the K-12 market, delivering print and digital solutions for world languages, literature and language arts, and applied learning. For more information, visit EMC Publishing on Facebook, Twitter, or on the web.

About the Institute for Design Innovation

The Institute for Design Innovation (IDI) transforms communication, education, and collaboration through research-fueled design and innovative digital environments. IDI is an award-winning design and research center located in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) at the University of Minnesota. Learn more about IDI.