This California Subject Matter Project (CSMP) for supporting the teaching of languages in K-12 schools in the East Bay was established in November 1993 and is currently hosted by the Berkeley Language Center (BLC) at the University of California, Berkeley. BLC Executive Director Kimberly Vinall serves as the Principal Investigator for the Project.
We officially changed our name from the East Bay Foreign Language Project (EBFLP) to the East Bay World Language Project (EBWLP) in July, 2012. In July, 2014, EBWLP changed its name to BWLP, the Berkeley World Language Program. The central mission of the BWLP is to provide professional learning programs that meet the needs of language educators in its service region (Alameda, Contra Costa, Napa, and Solano counties). The site offers a tiered program to strengthen participants’ academic content knowledge and content-specific pedagogical skills, including using technology, to promote student learning and achievement. Additionally, the site offers a program to build leadership skills that will allow teachers to become leaders at their schools as well as program leaders with BWLP. The programs provide multiple paths of entry designed to accommodate the varied backgrounds and experiences of teachers of World Languages, English Language Learners, and Heritage Language Learners. The site offers both year-round and summer programs, including Foundations of Effective Language Teaching 1, 2, and 3; Project-based Learning for World Languages; Integrating 21st Century Technology into the World Language Classroom; and Leadership Skills Symposium. The Berkeley World Language Project also offers consulting, coaching, and professional learning programs for individual schools and for districts.
For more information about the programs or other services, please contact BWLP site co-directors Nancy Salsig (n-salsig@berkeley.edu) or Donald Doehla (dm_doehla@berkeley.edu). You may also leave voice mail at (510) 877-4002 x15. For registration questions, please contact Orlando Garcia (o_garcia@berkeley.edu) or by phone at (510) 877-4002 x11.