Chair's Report 2026
Highlights from the Council on Language Instruction
The CLI began the academic year with a fall orientation workshop led by Professor Gang Liu, Carnegie Mellon University, who spoke on Gamifying Language Learning: Integrating Gameful and Game-Based Approaches in Upper-Level CFL Education. Also organized by the MOC (Meetings & Orientation Committee), led by Domenic DeSocio and Wen-pin Hsieh, breakfast/lunch meetings throughout fall and winter showcased diverse faculty projects, including Informal Language Learning Using Technology by Chin-Hun Chang, Adding Art to the Curriculum by Denise Meuser, Developing a Culturally Relevant OER Material: Case of 3rd-year Korean Courses by Ihnhee Kim and Eun Hee Kim, Crafting a Dynamic First year Textbooks with Cutting Edge Tools by Rana Raddawi, Creating Synergy between Pedagogical Innovation and Undergraduate Research by Dominique Licops and selected students, and Creating OERs That Empower the Voices and Histories of Spanish Heritage Learners by Julia Rajan and Maria Teresa Villanueva.
In honor of International Womens’ Day, the Outreach Committee organized, once again, a popular student poster event honoring remarkable women around the globe in March as well as the Festival of Languages and Cultures from May 18 to May 22, 2026, featuring interactive events, a scavenger hunt, and student performances. These were organized by co-chairs Jacob Brown and Yangtian Luo together with members Ana Thome Williams, Rana Raddawi, Peter Mwangi, and Julia Rajan.
Spring highlights included the Chicago Language Symposium on Surviving in a Time of Change: Embracing Challenges as Opportunities, which was held online and hosted by the University of Chicago this year. Look out for information about next year’s Symposium which will be a hybrid event and take place at Northwestern. Contact co-chairs Daniele Biffanti and Eun Hee Kim of the committee for more information.
In Spring 2026, also the very first SIG (Special Interest Group) with the name of HIVE on the topic of teaching heritage learners was organized by Julia Rajan as a collaboration between the CLI and LRC. They just held their first session in May.
The Language Faculty Development Committee wrote a powerful letter to the administration under the leadership of Massimiliano Delfino and Yan Zhou addressing the need for salary and raise adjustments that should match cost-of-living expenses while also organizing seminars on grant writing and publications.
The year will conclude with a celebration on June 3rd, honoring faculty achievements and CLI Award winners. As last year’s winner of the CLI Excellence in Language Teaching Award, Heather Colburn will give a presentation on “Fostering community: Communication & care in the classroom and beyond,” and Rana Raddawi will be honored as this year’s winner of the award. Thank you to Patricia Scarampi for her service as chair of the committee.
The Funds Request Committee, guided by treasurer Chyi Chung, approved 33 matching funds and 2 professional developments under the , all benefiting students by immersing them in diverse cultures and languages through social and academic events that many programs promote as cultural enrichment on a regular basis.
The Less Commonly Taught Languages Committee, under the leadership of Michal Wilczewski and Oya Topcuoglu organized an open house “Keeping Cozy with LCTFLS” in February, and the Study Abroad Committee invited prominent speakers to provide updates from GLO.
Looking ahead, the speaker for the next Fall Orientation 2026 is scheduled to be Dr. Caitlin Cornell from Michigan State University, who will be speaking on neurodivergent learners.
The CLI will also continue to work with the LRC (Language Resource Center) and the administration to define more closely the roles of the CLI and the LRC, to deepen the collaboration between the units, and to consider a meaningful consolidation of some of the tasks between the units.