The National Foreign Language Resource Center (NFLRC) was honored to serve as a major sponsor alongside IALLT and J‑LET at FLEAT 8, held June 25–28, 2025, at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. As the joint international conference of the International Association for Language Learning Technology (IALLT) and the Japan Association for Language Education and Technology (J-LET), FLEAT convenes only once every five years to focus on the intersection of technology and world language teaching and learning.
This year’s conference resonated strongly with higher education, drawing a global audience of faculty, media-center directors, and researchers, many of whom presented on the timely theme of artificial intelligence in language education. Their sessions highlighted the promise and challenges of AI tools in curriculum design, assessment, and learner engagement, all of them core areas where NFLRC supports educators with free professional development and innovative resources.
By sponsoring FLEAT 8, NFLRC reaffirmed its commitment to driving forward language education through collaboration, cutting-edge research, and technological innovation. We are proud to partner in fostering dialogue that prepares teachers and researchers to navigate the evolving landscape of language learning.
Key Sponsors of FLEAT 8
- International Association for Language Learning Technology (IALLT)
- Japan Association for Language Education and Technology (J‑LET)
- National Foreign Language Resource Center (NFLRC)
- Center for Language and Technology (CLT), UH Mānoa
Opening Keynote: “Language Learning in the Age of AI”
The NFLRC was pleased to sponsor FLEAT 8’s opening keynote talk on “Language Learning in the Age of AI” by Dr. Michele Anciaux Aoki. View the conference opening ceremony and the keynote (begins at the 10:52 mark) on our NFLRC YouTube Channel:
Keynote Abstract: As AI reshapes education, how can we harness its potential to create more equitable, personalized, and community-connected language learning experiences? This keynote introduces Facilitated Interdependent Language Learning (FILL)—a bold new approach where learners pursue diverse languages side-by-side, guided by language professionals in a facilitative role rather than a traditional instructive one. We’ll explore how FILL can extend access to underrepresented languages and empower learners to set goals, reflect, and collaborate while pursuing different languages. In the spirit of ‘ohana, participants will be invited to reflect on the new competencies language educators need—and the powerful, yet still to be determined, roles AI can play in building our global language learning family.
Bio: Dr. Michele Anciaux Aoki is an International Education and World Languages Advocate, former World Languages Program Supervisor in Washington state and International Education Administrator for Seattle Public Schools. She earned a PhD in Slavic Linguistics from the University of Washington and has been an affiliate instructor there, supporting the UW Language Learning Center STARTALK grants for almost 15 years. During her career, Michele has received leadership awards from the Washington Association for Language Teaching (WAFLT), Consul General of Japan in Seattle, the Pacific NW Council for Languages (PNCFL), JNCL-NCLIS, and the National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages (NCOLCTL). In retirement, she now focuses her efforts on supporting heritage and less commonly taught languages through initiatives such as the Languages without Borders Project and Facilitated Interdependent Language Learning (FILL) through the National Council of State Supervisors for Languages (NCSSFL) and by serving on the Board of Advisors of the Global Seal of Biliteracy.
To view other featured talks at FLEAT 8, visit our NFLRC YouTube Channel.