Language for Life
Empowerment from Classroom to Communiy
Welcome to the homepage for AFLA's 2026 annual world language teachers conference! Join us and how our homegrown presenters as we share ideas, strategies, methods, and skills in Anchorage, AK from September 25th to September 27th. The welcoming session and dinner on Friday, September 25th will take place at the Campbell Creek Science Center. Saturday and Sunday's focus workshop with Michelle Kindt and sessions will take place on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus at the Rasmuson Hall.
Meet our Keynote
Dr. Michelle Kindt is a National Board-Certified French educator with over 20 years of experience in public middle and high school classrooms. Currently teaching middle school French in Sharon, Massachusetts, Michelle is passionate about creating acquisition-driven, joyful language classrooms where students thrive from the novice level through advanced proficiency.
A dedicated advocate for Comprehensible Input (CI) and Acquisition-Driven Instruction (ADI), Michelle works with world language teachers across the country, equipping them with practical, research-aligned strategies that accelerate language acquisition while building student confidence and engagement. As a teacher-trainer and instructional coach, she has led numerous cohorts of educators in implementing sustainable ADI practices that transform both instruction and outcomes.
Michelle’s classroom experience is grounded in long-term results. She had the unique privilege of teaching the same cohort of 30 students for seven consecutive years, serving as their only French teacher. From that group, 20 students sat for the AP French Exam, achieving notable success—a testament to her belief that strong AP performance begins with excellence at the novice level.
Dr. Kindt has presented and coached at regional, state, and national conferences, including IFLT, CI Summit, Fluency Matters, NECTFL, and ACTFL. Known for her practical strategies, clear pedagogy, and encouraging presence, Michelle inspires educators to build rigorous, acquisition-rich classrooms that are both effective and joyful.
When she is not teaching or presenting, Michelle enjoys traveling, reading, and studying Mandarin.
About our Theme
The Fall 2026 AFLA Conference brings educators together under the theme Language for Life: Empowerment from Classroom to Community. This year’s conference explores how World Language education can empower students to communicate, connect, discover, and participate more fully in their communities and the world.
From the classroom to the community, language learning creates opportunities to build confidence, honor diverse cultures and perspectives, and develop meaningful relationships. Together, we will consider how World Language teachers can inspire learners to see language not simply as an academic subject, but as a lifelong tool for belonging, understanding, advocacy, and engagement.