The Partnership Across Languages (PAL) invites you to participate in an ongoing dialog about teaching and learning second languages in Southern Arizona.
The PAL coalition was initiated in 1994 by the College of Humanities at the University of Arizona primarily for second language educators K-16, to provide a venue for the sharing of professional concerns and for the planning of collaborative action. A steering committee of some twenty-five educators meets monthly to strategize responses to issues which affect second language instruction across districts as well as vertically from elementary school through community college and university. PAL projects such as the Southern Arizona Language Fair, the Second Language Teachers' Symposium, and the networking fora for French, German and Spanish instructors of all levels are only the most publicly recognizable efforts of the coalition. The coalition also promotes the quick and frank sharing of information and the networking of skills, resulting in actions such as the organization of professional development workshops around timely topics and the creation of a new master's program in German at the University of Arizona which places qualified German teachers quickly into Tucson area high schools.
In 2000, Partnership Across
Languages began to examine how the learning of a foreign
language in Southern Arizona classrooms relates to specific
workforce development issues. This most recent focus will
expand the coalition membership to those in the business
community who are already showing interest in joining the
dialog about the shared benefits of a language-savvy workforce
for the Tucson-area economy. This on-going effort is continually
bringing more awareness to the business community about
language programs in our state.
Partnership Across Languages welcomes your participation
and comments. You are encouraged to examine the Web site
topics, share in the communication of ideas, and participate
in projects and planning at any level which is comfortable
for you. The steering committee meets on a monthly basis
in the Transitional Office Building (TOB) on the UA campus.
Meetings are scheduled at 5:00 pm during a weekday. The
day of the meeting changes month to month in order to accommodate
those educators who might have to teach an evening class.
To receive PAL mailings or more information about any of PAL's activities, please contact John Urban: jturban@email.arizona.edu or write to:
Partnership Across Languages
College of Humanities
Modern Languages 345
P.O. Box 210067
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ 85721-0067
