On Saturday, October 3, 2020, the Appalachian Professional Language Educators' Society (APPLES) hosted its annual fall event in conjunction with its fall membership meeting. This year's event was titled "E-Portfolios and ACTFL Can-Do Statements," presented by Jennifer Campbell of Manheim Central High School.
Attendees explored how to incorporate student reflection using the ACTFL Can-Do Statements, as well as the process of creating student e-portfolios that demonstrate what students "can do" in the target language through a collection of artifacts and self-reflection. The day's agenda included the workshop, followed by the annual fall membership meeting. Current teachers also had the option of earning ACT 48 credit through collaboration with the Pennsylvania State Modern Language Association.
Christina Huhn, Department of Foreign Languages, currently serves as the organization's president (through 2022). Jason Killam, Department of Foreign Languages, serves as festival coordinator for the Spring Language Festival, which brings local foreign language education students to campus to compete in language-specific events.
Attendees included secondary and post-secondary foreign language teachers as well as current IUP Spanish education students and IUP alumni. Kevin Buynack '15, Spanish education, serves as APPLES treasurer. Attendees also included Rachel Collette '18, Samantha Jobe '20, and Jerome DiBernardo '92. Spanish education students included Morgan Bailey, Faith Deegan, Kiara DiFalco, Mackenzie Eicher, Maddie Hendricks, Julia Vislosky, and Brynn Wingaard.
APPLES membership includes foreign language professionals from Western Pennsylvania and encompasses both K-12 and post-secondary educators.