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ANN ARBOR LANGUAGES PARTNERSHIP ¡APRÉNDELO, HÁBLALO, ENSÉÑALO!

RESEARCH

Our focus and areas of expertise.

3 HOURS PER WEEK

Can you give us three hours a week for teaching time?

WEEKLY SEMINAR

Can you attend a weekly seminar on Friday mornings?

HANDS ON

Do you want to practice your Spanish while working with kids in the community?

The Ann Arbor Languages Partnership (A2LP) offers an opportunity to University of Michigan students and Ann Arbor community members to teach Spanish to 3rd and 4th graders in Ann Arbor Public Schools.

about

Who Are We, Where We're Going

An innovative partnership with Ann Arbor Public Schools provides Spanish language instruction

A2LP teaches undergraduates how to teach Spanish to 3rd and 4th graders in Ann Arbor Public Schools. We’re a big program! We teach nearly 2,000 students per week, and we’re in more than 75 classrooms and 19 schools. Each year we have about 75 undergraduate students, whom we call Language Teaching Assistants (LTAs), teaching those 3rd and 4th graders. Our undergraduates develop amazing skills in instruction, group facilitation and management, learning design,and assessment; in addition, they also develop significant leadership skills. These students emerge from A2LP with a sense of confidence and purpose that few other course experiences can provide.

Our work is founded on a commitment to promote learning, for our LTAs and for the wonderful kids in elementary classrooms. It is also based on a strong sense of collaboration between all the members of our community. Although we provide detailed lesson plans for each lesson, we support the collaboration between LTAs to enhance and adapt the lessons to the learning needs of the different classrooms in which they teach.

We also maintain close connection with what is happening in the elementary classrooms, by observing LTAs frequently and by supporting their teaching with feedback targeted to address the specific characteristics of each classroom. The Seminar experience every week allows us to integrate teaching principles with the experiences that our LTAs create every week in their teaching placements.

INTENSIVE PREPARATION
in teaching Spanish at the elementary level

EXTENSIVE CLINICAL PLACEMENTS
through collaboration with the Ann Arbor Public Schools

19 SCHOOLS, 75 CLASSROOMS
In 2014, we taught introductory Spanish to more than 1700 children in the Ann Public Schools

A2LP ALUMNI
A2LP alumni are currently working in multiple industries across the U.S. including business, communications, medicine, and teaching.

OUR PARTNERS
I am a junior majoring in Spanish and Linguistics. I have been studying Spanish since 8th grade and I have loved every minute of it! This past summer, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Peru. I am so excited to share my passion for language learning and my love of Spanish with the students!
I am a native Spanish speaker and I decided to be in A2LP because I wanted to expose myself to the world of teaching. I wanted to see what it takes to go from a student to a professional teacher and there is definitely a huge difference especially behind the scenes. There are many factors that one must put into consideration when teaching students and making adult decisions to improve a student’s ability to learn is very exciting.

OUR TEAM

Maria Coolican’s interests and expertise include second language acquisition theory and practices, student teacher learning and development, and the role and phenomenon of failure in preservice teacher education. She has extensive experience as a high school teacher, assistant principal, and principal.

MARIA J. COOLICAN

Director

Claudia Cameratti-Baeza is a post doctoral fellow at the University of Michigan School of Education. She has been a passionate teacher educator and researcher for 15 years both in Chile, her home country, and in the United States working at the Ann Arbor Languages Partnership. Her work in A2LP focuses on documenting and organizing programmatic data, as well as managing research initiatives that promote the continuous improvement of the program.

Claudia Cameratti-Baeza, PHD

Research Manager and Curriculum Associate

Ann Crowley taught Spanish for 31 years at Chelsea High School and is now retired. She attended Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, and earned a master’s degree in Spanish from Michigan State University. She has lived and studied in Spain. Ann truly enjoyed working with the A2LP program last year. She is interested in helping the teaching interns do their very best by offering feedback and suggestions in a non-threatening, professional manner.

Ann Crowley

Observation Instructor

As program manager, Diane’s role involves recruiting and admitting students, and maintaining communication among students, the A2LP Teaching Team and our partners in Ann Arbor Public Schools. As an experienced language teacher, Diane is passionate about working with Language Teaching Assistants to help them have a wonderful, meaningful experience becoming effective teachers.
A2LP photo - Diane Aretz

Diane Aretz

Program Manager

Tiffany is currently a Senior studying Spanish and Neuroscience. Last year, she was a LTA and loved the experience working with the kids. She is passionate about helping these kids discover and find a passion for learning languages, especially Spanish. This year, she is a social media assistant and works on the blog and the social media accounts!
Tiffany Chen

Tiffany Chen

Program Assistant

I am a graduate student at the University of Michigan School of Education. Prior to coming to Michigan, I served as a public school teacher. I am the current research fellow for A2LP and being a native Spanish speaker enjoy helping others learn the language!
Sasha Mejia

SASHA MEJIA

Teaching Fellow

Hola! My name is Nikole Racicot and I am one of the teaching fellows of A2LP. I am originally from Boston, Massachusetts but moved to Michigan to study Educational Leadership and Policy with an Administration Certification. For the past four years, I have been a teacher in different bilingual settings and am extremely passionate about learning languages. I chose to do A2LP because I love to inspire others to recognize the value in languages. A2LP has allowed me the opportunity to share my excitement and love for both Spanish and teaching.
Nikole Racicot

Nikole Racicot

Teaching Fellow

My name is Jacqueline Caserio. I’m a senior double majoring in Political Science and International Studies with a minor in Spanish. I love working with children, and joining A2LP last year was a wonderful decision. This past summer I studied abroad in Spain where I improved my Spanish. I subsequently feel more confident in front of my students now, and they always put me in such a good mood!
Jacqueline Caserio

Jacqueline Caserio

Advanced Language Teaching Assistant

Hola! My name is Kalen, and I am a senior studying Spanish with plans to attend law school. I joined A2LP because I love working with kids and helping them learn. This is now my third year as a teaching assistant in A2LP, and every year is a new and exciting challenge. Over the summer, I studied abroad in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, and learned all about the Spanish language and culture. It has been a joy to see how knowing the Spanish language has given me so many opportunities, both professional and personal, and I use all of these experiences to help my students in A2LP understand the immense value of learning ESPAÑOL!
Kalen Church

Kalen Church

Advanced Language Teaching Assistant

Hola! My name is Natalia Cuevas and I am a senior at the University of Michigan! I am pursuing a BFA with a minor in Latino Studies and am especially interested in photography, sculpture, and traditional piñata-making. I was born and raised in the city of Chicago and grew up in a Spanish speaking household, which means I am a native Spanish speaker with roots in Mexico. I have been teaching with A2LP for the past three years and am eager to continue spreading my love of the language to others by promoting cultural awareness and multi cultural celebration within the classroom. Fun fact: I am on the University of Michigan Boxing team and am currently attempting to learn how to play banjo.
Natalia Cuevas

Natalia Cuevas

Advanced Language Teaching Assistant

I joined A2LP having no prior teaching experience. I am hoping to improve my Spanish and public speaking skills this year!
Olivia Sciore

Olivia Sciore

Language Teaching Assistant

Hello! My name is Annie Pellegrini, and I am a sophomore here at the University of Michigan, majoring in English and on the Pre-Medical track. I joined A2LP because I have always been passionate about working with children, and believe that learning a second language is crucial in building bridges between different people and cultures. I hope that my aid in teaching kids another language will help them to expand the boundaries of their world!
Anna Pellegrini

Annie Pellegrini

Language Teaching Assistant

I am a native Spanish speaker and I decided to be in A2LP because I wanted to expose myself to the world of teaching. I wanted to see what it takes to go from a student to a professional teacher and there is definitely a huge difference especially behind the scenes. There are many factors that one must put into consideration when teaching students and making adult decisions to improve a student’s ability to learn is very exciting.
Rigoberto Orozco Diaz

Rigo Orozco Diaz

Language Teaching Assistant

My name is Heather Foxworthy and I am applying to transfer to the School of Kinesiology in order to major in Movement Science with either a double major or minor in Spanish. I have taken Spanish since 7th grade and was even able to spend a week on a high school trip to Costa Rica, where I stayed with a host family from the area. I have some experience volunteering in a preschool classroom, but A2LP offers an amazing opportunity to share my love of the Spanish language with the Ann Arbor community!
Heather Foxworthy

Heather Foxworthy

Language Teaching Assistant

I am pre-law junior from Grand Rapids, Michigan and am studying Political Science, Spanish and History. Off campus I spend my time coaching rowing for Ann Arbor Pioneer, and I absolutely love it! I joined A2LP with the hope of mixing my love of coaching/teaching with my love of Spanish.
Shelby Benham

Shelby Benham

Language Teaching Assistant

Kathleen is a sophomore from Troy, Michigan studying Political Science and Spanish. She took Spanish classes throughout high school and is now taking multiple at the University of Michigan. She has travelled to many Spanish-speaking nations for volunteering and study abroad experiences. Kathleen has also volunteered at Ypsilanti Community High School, tutoring Spanish-speaking immigrants but this is her first classroom experience with elementary-aged students! She also enjoys traveling and spending time with friends and family.
Kathleen Sharkey

Kathleen Sharkey

Language Teaching Assistant

I’m a Chicago native studying Political Science at the University of Michigan. I joined A2LP because it combined my love for children and my appreciation for the Spanish language.

Tyler Bentley

Language Teaching Assistant

Lanie is a sophomore majoring in Spanish and BCN (Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience). She has been studying Spanish for seven years and fell in love with the language during her first ever Spanish class in eighth grade. She joined the A2LP team so she could have the chance to make Spanish learning gratifying and impactful for young students.
Lane Essex

Lanie Essex

Language Teaching Assistant

Hi! My name is Maansi and I’m a sophomore in Ross with a Spanish minor. I’ve been learning Spanish for 7 years now and love everything about this language. I’m hoping to study abroad in Spain for a semester next winter and can’t wait to get fully immersed into the culture. Because of my love for the language, I joined A2LP to spark an interest in Spanish in our elementary schoolers and to give back to my community.
Maansi Dalmia

Maansi Dalmia

Language Teaching Assistant

I am a junior studying International Studies and Spanish. I started learning Spanish 8 years ago and I absolutely love it. I joined A2LP to teach 4th graders how fun it is to learn a new language! This past summer I had the opportunity to study abroad in Santiago de Compostela, Spain and live with a host family. This awesome experience not only improved my speaking skills but also allowed me to experience the amazing Spanish culture.
Audrey Orwin

Audrey Orwin

Language Teaching Assistant

I decided to participate in A2LP because I wanted to expand my skillset. As a student, I typically get wrapped up in my own learning, but I rarely focus on teaching others. A2LP gives me the opportunity to not only practice my Spanish but also to give children the tools to keep learning and sharing knowledge with others.
Bridgette Pollaski

Bridgette Pollaski

Language Teaching Assistant

I’m David and I’m a senior majoring in Spanish. While I’ve had Spanish classes for the majority of my life, I finally started to like/love it in college. Studying in Spain for 9 months helped my learning the most. I joined A2LP to better my speaking skills and for the teaching experience.
David DeVries

David Devries

Language Teaching Assistant

I joined A2LP because as a Spanish student myself, I have had many amazing experiences while learning Spanish and would love to be able to create memorable experiences for other students as well. I believe that bilingualism has many benefits and I love being able to provide opportunities for young students to be able to learn Spanish and hopefully develop their own passion to continue learning it in their future! One of my most memorable experiences with speaking Spanish was being able to travel to Mexico to provide basic medical care while also being able to use my Spanish to build connections with patients and citizens to learn about their lives. For me, learning Spanish is much more than simply learning a language, as it has allowed me to learning about many amazing cultures and to be able to give back to communities in need.
Jasneet Aulakh

Jasneet Aulakh

Language Teaching Assistant

I was raised under a bilingual household, learning both Romanian and English. By knowing two languages and being fascinated by the idea of multiple languages and cultures existing throughout the world, I made it my life’s goal to learn as many as I could. I began learning Spanish approximately seven years ago and I have had a love for this language ever since, and I often wish I could have started learning it earlier, in elementary school. When I heard about this program, I was automatically excited to apply because I love Spanish and really wanted to teach it to the future generation, since I believe knowing multiple languages is extremely important in today’s society. By being bilingual or multilingual, people are already expanding their intelligence and prompting their future success through this knowledge.
Casandra Pitu

Casandra Pitu

Language Teaching Assistant

My name’s Kei (like the letter!) and am a sophomore from Madison, WI! As someone who moved to America at a young age, I know what it feels like to be learning a new language. I’m hoping to make that fun! Outside of A2LP, I enjoy playing trumpet and ultimate frisbee.
Kei Kohmoto

Kei Kohmoto

Language Teaching Assistant

I joined A2LP because I thought this would be a great opportunity for me to practice my Spanish skills in a real world setting. I also have a passion for teaching. I am starting the Teacher Certification program this winter through the School of Education. I am extremely excited to bring that knowledge into my fourth grade classroom.
Nicole Mucha

Nicole Mucha

Language Teaching Assistant

I joined A2LP to become a part of the Ann Arbor community. Coming from out of state I felt a need to integrate myself further into the town that I go to college in. A2LP gives me the perfect opportunity to give back to my “new” community. I am also pursuing a double major in Spanish and Political Science, so having the opportunity to practice my Spanish speaking skills to children is a great learning experience for me as well.
Olivia Jones

Olivia Jones

Language Teaching Assistant

I joined A2LP because I fell in love with working with kids on my service learning trip to Peru this past year and wanted to spread my knowledge and love for Spanish with a younger generation. I have been learning Spanish all throughout high school, but I have never applied it in this environment so I thought that this would be a wonderful opportunity to extend my knowledge and learning of Spanish.
Maya Sankaran

Maya Sankaran

Language Teaching Assistant

I am a sophomore from Bloomfield Hills, MI studying both Math and Spanish. I have been studying Spanish since middle school and have loved the connections it has provided me and plan on continuing this by studying abroad next year. I am very excited to be a part of A2LP and share my passion for Spanish and work with young kids!
Theodore Pistner

Theo Pistner

Language Teaching Assistant

I am a junior majoring in Spanish and Linguistics. I have been studying Spanish since 8th grade and I have loved every minute of it! This past summer, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Peru. I am so excited to share my passion for language learning and my love of Spanish with the students!
Annika Topelian

Annika Topelian

Language Teaching Assistant

I am a junior from Rochester, MI pursuing a major in Anthropology and a minor in Spanish. I began studying the language in middle school and have loved it ever since! I have experience working with kids through various other student organizations, but have never taught in a classroom. I am excited to share my love of Spanish while also getting the opportunity to teach!
Renee Salem

Renee Salem

Language Teaching Assistant

Marcus Hall is originally from Northern Virginia/D.C. He moved back to the U.S. in 2016, after working in Spain for four years as an English and science teacher. He’s currently doing a dual-masters in public policy and information science, to pursue a career in international education policy and education technology. His goal is to fuel research and collaboration with stakeholders to expand global education opportunities to disadvantaged youth and improve systems of education worldwide.
Marcus Hall

Marcus Hall

Language Teaching Assistant

Hi everyone! My name is Briayna Jordan and I am a sophomore at the University of Michigan. I’m from Southfield Michigan, where I started learning Spanish 7 years ago. I joined A2LP because I believe that knowledge of a second language is highly beneficial in today’s society. I love working with kids and wanted to help get them as excited about learning another language as I am! I am learning so much from this program and am gaining valuable leadership, interpersonal, and communication skills.
Briayna Jordan

Briayna Jordan

Language Teaching Assistant

I am an Education of Spanish major at the University of Michigan. I started learning Spanish in my Freshman year of college and I loved it. This past summer I spent three months on a missions trip in Mexico in the town of Torreón. I lived with a Spanish speaking family and I was blessed to have the opportunity to do a lot of public speaking in Spanish while I was there which pushed me to grow in my Spanish speaking ability. A2LP is a perfect opportunity for me to grow as a teacher and share my love for Spanish.
Leah Burmeister

Leah Pearl Burmeister

Language Teaching Assistant

Hi my name is Brad Hall and I’m a sophomore studying Sports Management with a Spanish minor. I started studying Spanish in 9th grade and have continued with it ever since, so I figured A2LP would be a manageable challenge. Specifically, I joined A2LP for the opportunity to better my teaching/facilitating skills, my Spanish skills, and lastly to try and show to some extent the importance of learning a second language to students. I thought this would be a fun, worthwhile program that forces me to put myself out there in front of a class and learn how to articulate myself in Spanish in order to teach others that same language.
Bradley Hall

Bradley Hall

Language Teaching Assistant

I joined A2LP to give back to Ann Arbor, my hometown. Learned Spanish at Oyster Adams Bilingual School in Washington, D.C. Teaching expresses faith in the future.
Seamus Lynch

Seamus G. Lynch

Language Teaching Assistant

I joined A2LP because I am a Spanish major and wanted more exposure to the language outside of the classroom. I also spend my summers leading kids ages 8-14 on overnight to three-week canoe trips in the Canadian wilderness. I wish I’d had the opportunity to start learning Spanish in elementary school so I’m excited to be a part of exposing students to the language.
Lily Montgomery

Lily Montgomery

Language Teaching Assistant

I’m a Junior who is studying Cognitive Science with a minor in Spanish. I had such an enjoyable experience learning Spanish in school when I was younger and I’m so excited to be able to be a part of that for other students now. Having grown up in Ann Arbor, this experience is extra special for me because I can give back to the same community that helped me have such a great experience learning Spanish.
Madeline Poterala

Madeline Poterala

Language Teaching Assistant

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