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Joliet Central Spanish Teacher Rocio Flores was selected to participate in American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Conference in Boston. On November 20, Rocio presented “Using Testimonio Pedagogy in the Spanish as a Heritage Language Classroom” alongside three of her colleagues from the Chicagoland area, Nancy Dominguez-Fret from the University of Illinois Chicago; Melissa Aponte from West Aurora High School; and Jacquelin Camacho from Wheeling High School.

The presentation discussed the importance of teachers reflecting on their own lived experiences and writing their own testimonios. Participants were provided with diverse activities that can be used in their own heritage classrooms to help their students craft their own testimonios.

JTHS Curriculum Director Paul Oswald attended the conference and Rocio’s session. “I know that I am biased, but Rocio and her team presented the best session of the entire conference,” said Oswald. “They were organized, informative, and humorous, and the dozens of participants who were present left with some wonderful ways to engage and support their Spanish Heritage students. I am extremely privileged to have her as part of our World Language department and our students are very lucky to have her as a teacher and advocate.”