Peer Mentoring Through Video-Based Observations: Frameworks and Strategies
Professional growth through observation and feedback is essential for language educators but often inaccessible, especially for teachers in isolated settings or those teaching less-commonly-taught languages (LCTLs). At ACTFL 2024, MAFLT faculty Amanda Lanier, Bruna Sommer-Farias and Fred Poole demonstrated how video recording, sharing, and collaborative annotation can foster meaningful peer mentoring, even across linguistic and geographic boundaries. The presentation drew from lessons learned during the ViVID project, sponsored by the National Less-Commonly-Taught Languages Resource Center and facilitated by the MAFLT faculty.
Attendees experienced a clear framework for peer observation, grounded in ACTFL Principles and the TELL Framework. This approach emphasizes facilitating communication, providing comprehensible input, and teaching interculturally. Participants will apply these criteria to analyze sample video lessons, gaining practical strategies to use in their own teaching contexts.
By the end of the session, attendees discussed how video-based peer mentoring can bridge gaps in support, helping teachers refine their practices and build professional communities—no matter what language they teach.
