Arts Integration in Foreign Language Instruction (AIFLI) Online Conference
Reflections by Tuğba Yıldırım Kumbasar, Gorica Stevanovic, Ayşegül İnce, and Züleyha Tulay
Following the SL-TeDOL Arts Integration in Foreign Language Instruction Online Course, we (Tuğba Yıldırım Kumbasar, Gorica Stevanovic, Ayşegül İnce, and Züleyha Tulay) came together to plan the AIFLI Online Conference. Our aim was to reconnect course participants and bring together a broader community of language teachers to introduce the arts integration approach and share our experiences in putting it into practice.
This initiative was proudly supported by the Eaquals Member Event Fund 2025, whose contribution made it possible to transform this plan into reality. With their support, and additional in-kind contributions from Sabancı University, the Arts Integration in Foreign Language Instruction Online Conference was successfully held on May 31, 2025. The event attracted over 250 registrants, with 50 participants attending the live sessions of the conference.
The conference opened with a truly inspiring and thought-provoking keynote by Patricia Sobral from Brown University, titled "Artful Teaching and Learning: Arts Integration, Exploration, and its Impact on Educational Practices." Her session offered rich insights and left us with much to reflect on in our own teaching. The keynote was followed by our panel discussion, "Arts Integration in Foreign Language Instruction: Benefits & Challenges." As instructors at the Sabancı University School of Languages, we shared our personal experiences integrating the arts into our classrooms. Rather than formal presentations, we opted for an open panel format, where we took turns responding to key questions. Our goal was to share both the successes and the challenges of applying this approach, offering participants a realistic and honest look into how arts integration can play out in practice.
The conference also featured two concurrent sessions in which six presenters, former participants of the SL-TeDOL AIFLI Online Course, each showcased one arts-integrated lesson they had designed and implemented. These sessions provided concrete, practical examples of arts integration in language classrooms, along with presenter reflections and feedback from their students. The presentations sparked engaging discussions and allowed for direct interaction through audience questions and dialogue.
For more details of these sessions, the conference program and session information can be reviewed at this link. Below, we share reflections offering personal perspectives on the experiences with the conference and arts integration.
Gorica Stevanovic
I was very happy to present on the use of graphic novels in the classroom, as well as on the Proj 201 project that Magdalena Adamczyk Söyler and I conducted during the Spring 2023–24 and Fall 2024–25 semesters. This was a project we devoted a lot of time and energy to, and we truly appreciated the opportunity to share our work with colleagues. One of the highlights for me was participating in a panel session and sharing some practical classroom activities. All the sessions I attended offered hands-on ideas for integrating the arts into language teaching. A big thank-you to all participants for spending their Saturday with us.
Ayşegül İnce
Having the chance to engage with such an artful and dedicated group of instructors was truly a wonderful opportunity. I feel grateful not only for completing the AIFLI Online Course, but also for co-organizing and presenting at the AIFLI Online Conference. After our panel discussion with the other organizers, where we reflected on our experiences with arts integration, I presented a session titled "The Museum of the Mind: Using Dixit to Inspire Ekphrastic Writing in the Language Classroom," which explored how an ancient rhetorical technique can inspire visual arts integration in modern classrooms. Contributing to this event was a milestone in my professional journey- one that I will always cherish. The highly positive feedback and the collaborative spirit among participants left me feeling inspired and eager to continue exploring the arts in language teaching. I’m already looking forward to future opportunities to share, learn, and grow within this enthusiastic community.
Züleyha Tulay
Following the AIFLI Online Course, we came together to plan the AIFLI Online Conference, which was a unique experience. The conference featured Patricia Sobral's inspiring keynote on "Artful Teaching and Learning," followed by our panel discussion sharing real classroom experiences. The concurrent sessions showcased practical arts-integrated lessons from former course participants. As an organizing committee member, I presented a session titled “Making the Most out of Google Arts and Culture," demonstrating how digital art resources can enhance language learning through cultural exploration and interactive activities. The conference maintained a warm, collegial atmosphere with engaging discussions and enthusiastic participant interaction. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with attendees praising the practical applicability of sessions and the supportive community spirit that made this Saturday event truly worthwhile.