Annual Conference

We hold a conference each year, where program directors and administrators of community-based heritage language schools; members of the language communities involved in these schools; and directors and leaders in public, private, and charter schools who are interested in working with community-based heritage language schools come together to share research and best practices. Sign up for our newsletter if you would like to receive announcements about future conferences.

12th Annual Community-Based Heritage Language Schools Conference

October 3-4, 2025

American University in Washington, DC and online

REGISTRATION OPEN

The Coalition of Community-Based Heritage Language Schools is excited to invite you to participate in its 12th annual conference! This conference brings together everyone who is interested in learning about, collaborating with, and advocating for community-based HL schools. Participants typically include directors and administrators of community-based HL schools, teachers, members of the language communities, representatives of public schools, researchers in the field of HL education, and leaders of national language organizations.

This event will be hybrid, held both on site at American University in Washington, DC and online on October 3-4, 2025. Please explore the conference website and learn about the plenary speakers! Feel free to share the conference Facebook event as well as LinkedIn event widely and invite your colleagues!

Plenary Speakers

Jin Sook Lee, Ph.D., Professor of Education, Gevirtz Graduate School of Education; Associate Dean of Graduate Division, University of California, Santa Barbara

Bridging Resources and Relationships: Strengthening Community-Based Schools through University-Community Partnerships

Tom Welch, NCSSFL's Neural Network

Every Learner, Every Language: How is this even possible?

Workshops For Teachers and Administrators

Partnering With Families to Support Heritage Language and Cultural Development
Using and Building Languages Through Oral History Projects, Drama, and Film
How the New NHLRC Online Professional Development Course Addresses Community-Based Heritage Language Schools’ Needs
Personalizing Progress with a FILL Approach in Community-Based Schools
Fostering Critical Language Awareness, Learner Agency, and Identity of Heritage Speakers in Community-Based Settings
Student-Centered AI Applications for Home and Classroom Integration

Panels and Networking Sessions

How CBHL Schools Strive to Prepare Students to Receive Certificates for Their HL Proficiency
What Schools Are Doing
- Motivating and Engaging High School Students
- Instructional Approaches that Arabic Schools Are Using
- Academic Approaches That Schools Are Developing
- Using LMS in Community-Based Heritage Language Schools

We will also have opportunities to connect, Friday and Saturday nights.