Winter 2025 Instructional Conversation Foundational Institute

Overview

The Center for Multilingual-learner Education, Research and Innovative Teaching (MERIT) at The University of Georgia offers a 4-day (30-hour), interactive, foundational professional learning institute focused on a collaborative, conversation-based pedagogy and its application in classrooms.

This institute will introduce teachers to:

• The linguistics of second language learning

• Strategies for integrating language goals into content teaching

• Tools for encouraging collaborative conversations

• Ways to make content and language standards real and relevant for all learners while maintaining complexity

• MERIT’s online IC platform

The Instructional Conversation (IC) System provides a structure for teachers to integrate focused language goals with rigorous content instruction as a way to contextualize teaching and learning to positively impact student language development and open spaces for formative assessment and differentiation. 

Cost

$850/person

Cost includes institute materials provided electronically and physically via mail. Included amongst the materials is the course book, With a Little Help From My Friends: Conversation-Based Instruction for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) Classrooms (Mellom, Hixon, & Weber, 2019). Additional copies can be purchased at Teachers College Press or Amazon.

Payment Options

You have the option to pay via Credit Card or Invoice using a PO or check.

Regardless, you will need a Registration Code.  If you are paying for yourself, please contact Madison Tilley (madison.tilley@uga.edu). If the district or school is paying for the registration, please have the district contact or admin contact reach out to Madison Tilley (madison.tilley@uga.edu) to set up a code.

Format

Completely Virtual

4 Days Virtual (Zoom)

Certificates

Participants will receive a MERIT Certificate of Completion which may be used for continuing education credit.

Policies

Refund Policy

No refunds for cancellation of registered participants. Even if payment is collected at a later date (i.e. via purchase order or check), completion of registration serves as confirmation of your attendance. Payment will still be collected if you choose to cancel before payment is processed.

Substitution Policy

Substitutions are permitted up to 1 week in advance in order to ensure sufficient time to complete the pre-course assignments and to make the necessary administrative adjustments. Districts and individuals are responsible for transferring course materials, both physical and digital, from the original registrant to the substitute registrant. If your materials include a t-shirt, and the size is incorrect, substitute registrants may return their shirts to MERIT (at their own shipping costs) in exchange for a different size.

COVID-19 Policy & Procedures

With regards to the face-to-face days for our multi-modal Institutes, MERIT is following the safety guidelines and protocols of the University System of Georgia, the Centers for Disease Control, and the State of Georgia, as well as those of the various venues who are hosting us this summer. As of March 18, 2022, we are implementing the following protocols:

• Masks: We strongly encourage the use of face masks when inside the venues on the face-to-face Institute days, based on preference and assessment of personal risk. We will provide free face masks at our registration table.

• Sanitizing Stations: We will provide multiple hand sanitizing stations within our meeting space. The venues may also be providing additional sanitizing stations throughout the building

• Cleaning & Disinfecting: Our venues are doing their part in cleaning and disinfecting high touch areas, but we will also be disinfecting our “shared” Institute materials daily and providing disinfectant wipes for participant use throughout the day

• Personal Responsibility: If you are exhibiting any COVID-19 symptoms or have been exposed to someone who has tested positive, please do not come to the face-to-face venue until you have a negative COVID-19 PCR test (not a rapid test). If you test positive, you will still be able to participate virtually. Contact Jodi Weber (jodiweb@uga.edu) for further instructions

We are closely monitoring the community levels of COVID-19 for each of the multi-modal institutes and could potentially modify this policy. Please note that these protocols are subject to change depending on these community levels, as well as the local and government health guidelines closer to June and July 2022.

Additional Questions?

You can contact Madison Tilley (madison.tilley@uga.edu) with any additional questions you may have about this registration form.