Teaching one of the less commonly taught languages (LCTLs) – such as Arabic across synchronous and asynchronous modalities has always presented a unique challenge for me and my colleagues. Establishing meaningful connections and bonds among students, which are so vital for a positive social-emotional learning (SEL) experience, is notoriously difficult behind a screen. Adding on to this, LCTL educators often find themselves working in professional silos, with very few venues available to share experiences, resources, and support.
For me, participation in a year long STARTALK professional development program, “Professional Growth for Critical Languages Through Culturally Responsive Practices,” completely changed this narrative. It proved that meaningful collaborative activities could extend far beyond the workshop itself, becoming a true lifeline for connection. This article chronicles our journey with collaboration, exploring how a workshop project can lead to an enduring network that transforms both our teaching inside the classroom and our professional life outside of it. Together with three other university professors, I embarked on a shared journey: We collaborated on a mini teaching session during our professional development, presented at each other’s classrooms, travelled together to present our work at the National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages (NCOLCTL) conference, and ultimately came together to write and publish this article. By documenting our journey, we hope to inspire more research and call for a greater offering of professional development workshops that actively build collaborative communities among LCTLS educators.