Written by CASLT
We often hear from language teachers that they’re looking for professional learning and community-building opportunities. These types of supports are also proven to improve language teacher retention.
To respond to these needs, CASLT is excited to launch the CASLT CoLab. The CoLab has two main goals:
- Supporting language teachers in building communities of practice
- Providing a wide variety of high-quality, asynchronous professional learning content for L2 teachers
It will also expose you to new strategies and perspectives, help you discover diverse ways of thinking and doing, and expand your professional network. Learn more about the CASLT CoLab and then activate your profile to get started!
Build Community With L2 Teachers Across Canada
The CASLT CoLab’s social media-like features make it easy — and fun — to build your own online L2 community.
- View and interact with news from other users in the News Feed, including posts, profile updates, questions, and more.
- Browse the Member Directory to find and connect with colleagues across the country.
- Join Groups based on your professional interests or areas where you’re seeking support. If you don’t see a group that fits your needs, create one!
- Update your Profile with as much or as little information as you want. Your profile appears in the member directory, so other users may view it and ask to connect with you.
The CASLT CoLab is your go-to social network for L2 content and connections. Share your teaching tips, questions, and classroom experiences and interact with other users to start building your online community of practice.
Explore the New Home for the CASLT Learning Centre
In addition to its networking and community-building features, the CoLab is also a professional learning hub. The CASLT Learning Centre that you know and love has migrated to the CoLab and is accessible through the “Learn” tab. Dozens of asynchronous professional learning courses are at your fingertips.
You can browse the course list, filter on different categories, and complete courses on your own time. When you complete lessons and courses, you earn points, which can get you a spot on the Leaderboard . Most importantly, though, you will learn and be inspired to implement proven approaches in your teaching. From courses on the Action-Oriented Approach to plurilingualism to L2 teacher identity and practice, you are sure to find material that will benefit both yourself and your students.
Get Started in the CoLab
Access to the CoLab is a perk for CASLT members. Sign in to the platform with your CASLT log-in credentials, then start by updating your profile. Browse the news feed, the groups, the member directory, and the Learning Centre to familiarize yourself with the platform. Then you’re ready to start connecting and learning!
If you have any questions or feedback about the CASLT CoLab, feel free to reach out to projects@caslt.org.
Happy CoLab-orating!
