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Voices from Carey’s World Language Team
October 28, 2025
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By: The World Language Team - Sherry Anoush, Wenyi Deng, Lori Frediani, Kelly Hu and Gustavo Mondoy
At Carey, learning a language is more than vocabulary and grammar, it’s about discovery, connection, and global perspective. Through interactive learning and cultural exploration, students practice real communication, develop literacy skills, and build empathy. Together, our World Language team models a growth mindset and a love of learning. Whether exploring innovative teaching methods or celebrating cherished Carey traditions, their shared commitment to help students listen closely, communicate thoughtfully, and see the world through many lenses shines through. Hear from our World Language team members about the many ways they bring our program to life and continue to learn and grow as professionals.
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Gustavo Mondoy
Joining the World Language team at The Carey School has been a joyful and inspiring experience. As a new Spanish teacher, I’ve felt both welcomed and energized by a community that truly values culture, curiosity, and connection. Bringing World Language to life means more than just teaching Spanish. It’s about helping students see the beauty of different cultures, hear the rhythm of new sounds, and feel confident expressing themselves in another language. Each day, I see their eyes light up as we sing, play, and explore Spanish together. It’s an honor to help build a space where language opens doors, celebrates diversity, and reminds us that we’re all part of a bigger, colorful world.
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Wenyi Deng
As a new member of the World Language team, I’m thrilled to share my passion for language and culture with the Carey community. Our team has been wonderfully supportive and welcoming, making it a true joy to teach and learn together. In my classes, I enjoy bringing language to life through games, songs, and cultural stories, helping students discover the excitement of learning a new language. It’s inspiring to watch them quickly connect with one another and see how language opens a window to the wider world.
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Sherry Anoush
Having taught at Carey for the past 20 years, I've seen how World Language Day truly captures the heart of who we are and brings us together to celebrate not only the languages we teach (French, Spanish, and Mandarin) but also the many cultures and stories that make our community so rich. Over the years, I've watched our students grow curious about the world, learn to greet others in different languages, and discover that understanding another culture helps us see our shared humanity. This day reminds me why I love teaching languages, because it's about more than words or grammar. It's about connection, respect, and the joy of discovering how beautifully diverse our community and world is.
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Lori Frediani
After teaching world languages for 23 years, I am still eager to learn and grow as an educator. In February, I look forward to attending the Northeast Conference for World Language Teachers. This event will give me the opportunity to participate in workshops, hear from keynote speakers, and explore the latest research in language acquisition. I’m especially excited about sessions that focus on technology in the classroom, particularly Designing AI-Powered Conversation Activities for Spanish Language Learning. This workshop has the potential to transform both my classroom and my teaching practice. By learning how to design AI-powered conversation tasks, I can provide my students with realistic, interactive opportunities to practice Spanish beyond the textbook. These activities will adapt to different proficiency levels, helping each learner build confidence in both speaking and comprehension.
For me as a teacher, this opens the door to integrating technology more creatively and effectively, keeping my practice current and innovative. Ultimately, it will make my classes more engaging, personalized, and relevant, while preparing students for authentic communication in the real world. I also look forward to networking with colleagues, exchanging ideas, and discovering new resources that I can bring back to my classroom. Most of all, I hope to return from the conference energized, with practical tools and fresh inspiration to make language learning engaging and meaningful for my students.
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Kelly Hu
This fall, I am honored to represent The Carey School at the ACTFL 2025 Conference with my presentation, “Bridge Speaking to Develop Oral Literacy and Differentiated Reading.” In this session, I will share how our Mandarin program helps students grow from speaking simple words and phrases to develop oral literacy through interactive reading aloud, storytelling, retelling, and presentations. I will also share strategies for supporting heritage learners through differentiated reading, using authentic and engaging texts. By integrating authentic texts and leveled resources, my presentation highlights how world language instruction can foster confidence, proficiency and joy in learning, aligning with Carey’s mission to nurture curious and capable global citizens.
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