Instructor: Skip Crosby

Biography: Skip Crosby has been teaching Spanish in Maine public high schools for 35 years. Skip gained proficiency in the Spanish language during a two-year stay in Colombia after college. While in Colombia, he earned a Diploma de Espa�ol como Lengua Extranjera from the Javeriana University in Bogot�, Colombia in 1989.

In 1998, he earned a Master's Degree in Spanish from Middlebury College in Vermont. He has taught as an adjunct at the college level for a total of fourteen years. He also teaches high school Spanish online. Skip has coached and taught at national conferences and colleges across the country.

In 2014, Skip was named Maine Foreign Language Teacher of the year, Northeast Conference on the teaching of Foreign Language Teacher of the Year Finalist, Androscoggin County Teacher of the year and in 2015 was the Maine Teacher of the Year, Finalist. He was also the 2015 Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Teacher of the Year Finalist. Skip earned National Board Certification (NBCT) in 2018. In 2021 Skip was recognized with the Richard Williamson Award for Leadership in World Languages by the Foreign Language Association of Maine (FLAME).

For the past six years, Skip has taken groups of students to Guatemala City to work with Safe Passage, an organization dedicated to helping the families working in the Guatemala City dump with education, food and medical care.

Skip lives in Poland, Maine with Beth, his wife of 31 years, Lexi, the 9.25 pound Mini Dachshund and Neil his 14 year old Doxie "brother." Gabe, their 23 year old son, is a 6th grade ELA teacher.

Classes by this instructor

COSSI Group C (Levels 5 & 6): Intermediate Mid-Intermediate High

This blended level course is designed to continue building grammatical structures that focus on speaking, reading, writing, and understanding. Topics include a review of the present tense and a comparison of the present and present progressive tenses. Students will review the preterite and imperfect tenses, compare and contrast the preterite and imperfect tenses, and be introduced to additional uses in more complex sentences. New vocabulary and grammatical structures will be presented and developed in conversational and written contexts. It will introduce and expand the uses of the present subjunctive tense and formal commands. Vocabulary development and communication strategies will be emphasized. Recommended for those who have a command of the present tense and a working knowledge of the past and future tenses; or one to two years of study at the college level.
June 24-27, 2024 | 9:00am-4:00pm | Redmond

LinguaFest @ COCC: Rethinking the Power of Language

Calling all second language teachers in need of a refreshing change! Join our groundbreaking conference designed exclusively for educators who've faced burnout and are seeking innovative solutions. Discover how to use language to inspire joy and build strong classroom communities, with authentic teaching labs showcasing revolutionary strategies. Engage in interactive workshops, dynamic presentations, and collaborative sessions to challenge your practices and gain firsthand knowledge of the latest research. Connect with like-minded teachers to fuel your professional growth and reignite your passion for second language teaching. Together, we shape the future of language acquisition on a transformative journey. LinguaFest attendees are eligible for 2.4 Continuing Education Units with a minimum 90% completion rate. Certificates will be mailed to students after the event.
July 1-3, 2024 | 8:30am-4:30pm | Redmond

Three-Day Intensive Intermediate Spanish Course: A CI Language Lab

Unlock the door to language proficiency and cultural understanding with our three-day, 15-hour Spanish Intermediate Immersion course. Designed for learners who have a foundational understanding of Spanish, this interactive and engaging course leverages the power of Comprehensible Input (CI) to enhance language acquisition.The course will focus on the following topics: Egan Bernal and his hometown of Zipaquira Colombia; Pescaito, the song by Carlos Vives and the Barrio in Santa Marta Colombia; and La Tomatina festival in Bu�ol Spain. Students will read and listen to language about these topics that is 100% comprehensible during 90% of all instruction time. Time will also be spent on interesting activities that are personalized to the individuals in the class.
July 1-3, 2024 | 9:00am-4:00pm | Redmond