ACTFL 2022 National Language Teacher of the Year Announced |

ALEXANDRIE, Virginia, November 19, 2021 / PRNewswire / – ACTFL is pleased to announce that the National Language Teacher of the Year 2022 has been awarded to Heather Sweetser, Arabic Teacher at the University of New Mexico (A M), and a regional finalist representing the South West Conference on Language Education (SWCOLT). The award ceremony took place during the general opening session of the ACTFL 2021 Virtual Convention and World Language Expo to Friday 19 November.

Heather Sweetser, Arabic teacher from New Mexico was named ACTFL National Language Teacher of the Year 2022

Heather Sweetser has an MA in Arabic and received a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Arabic, Islamic Studies and International Studies, all from the Ohio State University. Sweetser has also been a lead instructor for the UNM STARTALK program since 2015, helping heritage speakers achieve state certification. She received the 2020 Award for Innovation in Directing the Language Program: Online Teaching of the American Association of University Supervisors, Coordinators, and Directors of Language Programs (AAUSC), and was UNM Speaker of the Year for 2019-2020 In 2020, she was named Teacher of the Year by the Organization of Language Teachers of New Mexico (NMOLE), and SWCOLT.

The ACTFL National Language Teacher of the Year Award elevates the status of the language teaching profession at state, regional and national levels by creating opportunities for recognition of the profession’s most accomplished members. The teacher of the year becomes the spokesperson for the language profession in order to increase the visibility of the importance of language and culture learning to the general public.

“Congratulations to Heather Sweetser on being named 2022 ACTFL’s National Teacher Language of the Year,” said Howie berman, executive director of ACTFL. “I applaud his tireless dedication and innovative approaches to language teaching throughout his career. I look forward to working with her next year as she takes on the important role of ACTFL Teacher of the Year at a critical time for the profession. “

Learn more about the ACTFL Teacher of the Year program.

The other four ACTFL National Language Teacher of the Year finalists representing other geographic regions of the United States were:

• Jaime Basham, Lander Valley High School, Lander, Wyoming; Pacific Northwest Council for Languages ​​(PNCFL)
• Therese Jensen, Millard North High School, Omaha, NE; Central States Conference on Foreign Language Teaching (CSCTFL)
• Ashley warren, West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District, West Windsor Township, NJ: Northeastern Conference on Foreign Language Teaching (NECTFL)
• Jenniffer Whyte, Donoho school, Anniston, Alabama; Southern Conference on Language Teaching (SCOLT)

About ACTFL:

Provide vision, leadership and support for quality language teaching and learning, ACTFL is an individual membership organization of over 13,000 elementary to higher education language teachers and administrators, as well as government and industry. Since its founding in 1967, ACTFL has become synonymous with innovation, quality and reliability to meet the changing needs of language teachers and their learners. This is where educators, businesses and government agencies around the world go to advance the practice of language learning.

ACTFL’s work as an independent and trusted center of excellence enables educators to prepare learners for success in a 21^st global society of the century; helps government agencies build their language skills in the United States and abroad; and connects businesses to the resources and relationships they need to be successful.

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SOURCE ACTFL