WT to Host Regionally Unique Language Teaching Workshop

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — The Panhandle Language Teachers Association at West Texas A&M University will celebrate its fifth anniversary during a unique workshop designed to provide valuable training for area instructors.

PLTA’s 2024 Teacher Development Workshop will run from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sept. 13 in the Classroom Center on WT’s Canyon campus. About 70 area language teachers are expected to participate in the workshop, which is cosponsored by Clarendon College and WT’s Department of English, Philosophy and Modern Langauges.

PLTA, which is affiliated with WT’s Spanish program in the Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities, is the only organization offering professional development for language teachers in the Panhandle region.

Dr. Tim Foster, a Spanish teacher at Oskaloosa High School in Oskaloosa, Iowa, was a Teacher Fellow with the National Book Foundation in 2023-2024, where he implemented a project using book circles and free reading in Spanish class. A former assistant professor of Spanish at WT, he helped found the PLTA and has taught all levels of Spanish. His research has focused on local Hispanic cultural heritage in the Texas Panhandle, the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, and music and literature in early modern Spain.

“Language learning enriches lives in countless ways, both intellectually and socially,” said Dr. Eduardo Huaytan-Martinez, assistant professor of Spanish and director of WT’s Spanish program. “It not only broadens horizons but also equips individuals with the skills and perspectives necessary to thrive in an increasingly globalized world.”

A lifetime achievement award will be presented.

Addressing regional challenges is a key component of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign’s new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised nearly $160 million.

About West Texas A&M University

WT, a Regional Research University, is redefining excellence in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus, as well as the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers 58 undergraduate degree programs, one associate degree, and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor’s and master’s degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

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