“It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.” - Sir Edmund Hillary

Whether you have extensive experience with ADI, or little to no training at all, there is a place for you at the CI Summit!

Each cohort will include demonstrations, deconstructions, discussions of theory and practice, and opportunities to apply what you’re learning and to receive feedback. All cohorts start with an overview of the foundations of ADI and then focus on skills appropriate to that cohort’s specific level.

If you are new to cohorts or have questions about what they are, read “What is a cohort?” on our website.

Before selecting a training level, complete the cohort self-placement survey, or read the descriptions below to ensure you choose the most appropriate one. Each of these descriptions defines your teaching experience with Acquisition-Driven Instruction (ADI), rather than your overall teaching experience as a language teacher. Keep in mind, too, that if you’re currently using ADI in the classroom, then you may be more comfortable with the techniques by next July when you attend the conference.

Still not sure which cohort level to choose after taking the self-placement survey? Contact Teri Wiechart at [email protected].

If someone else is registering you for the conference, or you are registering others for the conference, complete this form before they register you.

You will be able to adjust your training level choice until JUNE 17, 2023.

Level 1 (In-Person or Virtual)
This is your first trek up the side of the mountain.

Choose this training cohort level if you have little or no previous experience with training in acquisition-driven instruction (ADI).

Level 2 (In-Person or Virtual)
You are ready to reach for the next peak.

Choose this training cohort level if:

• You are somewhat new to the principles of second-language acquisition and how they inform instruction.
• You have had varied success implementing it.
• You want to build foundational skills and gain confidence as you make it your own.

Level 3 (In-Person or Virtual)
You have reached new heights and want to attempt to reach the next higher peak.

Choose this training cohort level if:

• ADI is an inherent part of your instructional practice and you implement it with consistent success.
• You have a working knowledge of the principles of language acquisition and how they inform instructional practice.
• You are interested in implementing ADI instruction with more ease and consistency and less stress.

Levels 2-4: Elementary (In-Person Only)
You are supporting others, and together, you will climb to reach your next peak.

Choose this training cohort if:

• Your primary teaching assignment is with K-6 students.
• You use various CI-based approaches to facilitate language acquisition.
• You would like to expand your ADI skills as they apply to young students.

Levels 3-4: Upper-Level Language Teachers Using ADI (In-Person Only)
You will work together to prepare and reach the AP/IB mountain top.

Choose this training cohort if:

• You would like to refine your skills at teaching upper-level languages (e.g., pre-AP, AP, or IB Diploma Program).
• ADI is an inherent part of your instructional practices and you implement it with consistent success.
• You have a working knowledge of the principles of language acquisition and how they inform instructional practice.
• You are interested in implementing ADI instruction with more ease and consistency and less stress.

Level 4: Special Cohort for Experienced ADI Teachers (In-Person Only)
*By Application Only - Link to Apply Below*
You have reached the summit and now you are ready to guide others along their journeys.

Choose the level 4 training cohort if:

• You are well-versed in Acquisition-Driven Instruction and the hypotheses of Stephen Krashen, and use these methods and techniques consistently in your classroom.
• You can easily sustain comprehensible and engaging interaction in the target language.
• You can engage in interpretive and interpersonal modes of communication through communicative events that are natural, engaging, and conducive to SLA.
• You can consistently see evidence of acquisition and proficiency growth in your classroom.
• You have skills that are solid enough to share and model for colleagues.
• You have enough knowledge of ADI to explain and/or defend your instructional practices.

Complete the Special Cohorts Application Form no later than June 17, 2023.

This is for those who are highly experienced, or experts, in ADI. You must teach and preach all things Acquisition in the classroom. You must come into these cohorts prepared in the basics of Stephen Krashen’s hypotheses and the experiences from your own classroom. Your application must show this level of knowledge.

Option 1: Train the Trainer

There are many language teachers who would like and who need training to be better prepared for the future of our profession. However, there are too few trainers to prepare them all. This cohort will train you in how to explain ADI to others, demonstrate the skills necessary so others can implement it in their own classrooms, create a lesson plan appropriate to train teachers beginning their ADI journey, and reach this specific audience.

Option 2: Coaching for Colleagues (C4C)

In this cohort, you will learn how to coach using the techniques developed by The Coaching Team© and implemented at many regional, national, and international conferences. There is a need for more trained coaches to work at the local, state, and regional levels, and this cohort aims to address this need.

Coaching is where practitioners of ADI discover their own strengths. Coaching offers a time and place for teachers at every level of their journey toward ADI to get questions answered in a non-threatening, non-judgmental way and to walk away empowered to carry-on and implement ADI in their own classrooms. The feedback in these coaching sessions is motivational.

As a coach, you are the support team, the mentor, and the friend. Many teachers find the coaching experience fundamental to their own success in teaching with acquisition-driven instruction.

If you have read the descriptions and taken the self-placement survey and still have questions, contact Teri Wiechart at [email protected] for help.