NECTFL: Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages

The Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages

2006 Regional Teacher of the Year Award: Christi Moraga

The Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (NECTFL) named Connecticut teacher Christi Moraga as its regional candidate for the National Foreign Language Teacher of the Year Award, a contest sponsored by the profession’s national association, the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). The announcement was made at the Opening General Session of NECTFL’s 54th Annual Conference in New York City on March 31, 2006. 3,000 educators attended this event for three days of professional development and collegial networking.

A graduate of UCONN and Middlebury College, Mrs. Moraga has also studied at the Université de Genève in Switzerland, and Middlebury College in Madrid, Spain. She has taught Spanish and French at The American School in Switzerland, the Loomis Chafee School, the Watkinson School and Marlborough Elementary School. For the past 13 years she has been teaching French and Spanish in Farmington and her present assignment is at West Woods Upper Elementary School.

Mrs. Moraga has distinguished herself on both state and national levels as a leader in early language learning, serving as a BEST portfolio scorer for Connecticut language teachers, a methods instructor for two Connecticut universities, a founder and co-chair of the ACTFL Language Learning for Children Special Interest Group, and as State representative to NNELL (National Network for Early Language Learning). Mrs. Moraga is the founder of the Connecticut COLT Rhyme Celebration. This annual event highlights not only the languages taught in Connecticut schools, but also the heritage languages in our communities.

When asked about her nomination, Moraga replied, “I would humbly like to thank NECTFL for treating me like a queen and I will try to represent the Northeast well in November at the ACTFL Conference.” All five regional finalists will attend the ACTFL Annual Convention in Nashville TN where the 2006 National Foreign Language Teacher of the Year will be chosen following interviews with the selection committee.