Words aren’t just words.

When language is in focus authentic and sustainable opportunities emerge. Students thrive, persist, and excel. Staff and faculty lead better, collaborate more effectively, and gain professional and personal insights that make an impact in the work they do and accomplishments they pursue.

Language is in everything - from the way we use and deploy AI in education to the ways we design programs for multilingual learners, develop curricula across disciplines, assessment methodologies and retention initiatives. Language is foundational to professional development programs and resources, onboarding materials, policy and analysis, research and grant writing.

In the ways that impact, language is more than words and grammar. Language is a building block of trust between students and institutions. Language is a keystone for demonstrating connection and competencies. Language is a strategic toolkit for meaningful opportunities that lead to retention and success. Language is the connective tissue that enables faculty, staff, and institutions to implement programs and policies that resonate with students and scholars.

Focus on Language Opportunity Connection Teaching Learning Equity Engagement Retention

About Focus on Language

Focus on Language is a language education consulting firm dedicated to increasing the quality of education through language. With over 15 years of experience in education as a researcher, language instructor, curriculum designer, success coach, academic advisor, retention program developer and operations director, I leverage my expertise to improve the experiences and skills of educators.

For educators and institutions this looks like program evaluation, curriculum design, professional development workshops and training, and strategic planning to increase student engagement and retention, develop and improve language teaching effectiveness, and elevate student outcomes and reach. Language is a part of everything we do - from every interaction to the ways we write and implement policy, design student services, design and analyze surveys, and write and deliver communications. I offer my expertise at every stage of institutional development, evolution, and impact.

Educators in Multilingual Academic Settings

  • Introduction to Getting Impactful with Language

    This 1-hour workshop is designed for educators working in multilingual academic settings. This session introduces participants to valuable insights and tools to propel their professional development in ways that are relevant to multilingual roles and relationships in education settings, particularly for opportunities with English and the United States. 

  • Strategic English Language Development for International Educators

    This multi-part series is designed for educators who are developing English language skills for professional development related to research, leadership, and teaching. This series guides multilingual educators working in international schools or across diverse linguistic landscapes to strategically develop their English language skills in alignment with professional goals in education careers. This series is tailored especially for those seeking opportunities with English and academic settings in the United States. 

  • The AI Playbook for Language Teachers

    This multi-part series introduces Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools that support language teaching and language learning. Topics covered include which AI tools to learn and why, how to use AI to save time on intensive teaching tasks like grading, providing feedback, answering homework questions, creating content, and assessments. By the end of this series, participants have a playbook of ready-to-use templates for in-class activities, homework, assessments, and more.

  • Words aren't just words: Language Awareness, Attitudes, and Ideologies

    This 90-minute workshop helps educators, academic leaders, and student support staff explore how language beliefs and attitudes impact communication, opportunities, and outcomes in academic settings. Participants will gain insights and tools for more effective engagement with colleagues and students from diverse linguistic backgrounds, fostering better trust and relationship-building.

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Engaging and Supporting Diverse Communities Series

  • Rethinking Our Beliefs About Belonging and Language

    This 90-minute workshop will explore language identity, multilingualism, language learning communities, linguistic landscapes, and language ideologies in academic settings to increase reciprocity and inclusion. 

  • Disrupting English Only Thinking

    This 90-minute workshop will explore the ways our attitudes about higher education can impact how we perceive and interact with students, faculty, staff, and visitors to campus. This workshop will also explore strategies for identifying and disrupting discreet English-only practices and their impact on belonging and academic success. By English-only, we’ll explore how certain English varieties are granted certain social capital and access, the problematics of this and how to recognize when we fall for this exclusionary trap.   

  • Recognizing and Redirecting Exclusionary Language in Student Support

    In this 90-minute workshop, participants will explore how unintentional language practices can reinforce exclusion and affect students' sense of belonging. You'll learn strategies to use more inclusive, strengths-based language and improve connections with students. For academic advisors, the session includes step-by-step strategies to audit communication content like advising emails and notifications, fostering better engagement and positive perceptions.

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Building and Restoring Trust

  • Leading with Impactful Attitudes: Acknowledging Bias Around Using Language The “Correct” Way

    This 90-minute workshop will explore the ways identities, belonging, and academia intersect in our perceptions and attitudes toward one another. We’ll explore how students experience the perceptions of others. We’ll also explore ways to recognize bias around how people sound and use language, and how to redirect bias thinking toward more impactful attitudes and relationships. 

  • Words aren't just words: Language Awareness, Attitudes, and Ideologies

    This 90-minute workshop helps educators, academic leaders, and student support staff explore how language beliefs and attitudes impact communication, opportunities, and outcomes in academic settings. Participants will gain insights and tools for more effective engagement with colleagues and students from diverse linguistic backgrounds, fostering better trust and relationship-building.

More information
Picture of Focus on Language Founder, Marinka Swift. Photo courtesy of Be Boulder Photography.

My name is Marinka Swift - I’m a nerdy and passionate linguist and language education consultant with over 15 years of experience. As a trained researcher and language educator, I’m dedicated to making educational exchanges, opportunities, and offerings better for educators and academic institutions. My expertise has contributed to the design of student retention and success programs and impactful original research to inform policy. I’ve worked with educators across disciplines and purposes to develop assessments, including training student support staff around how to design and conduct relevant assessments to gauge and impact student belonging and academic success. The depth and breadth of projects I’ve led and supported provide me with a unique skillset to support the development of educators and institutions.

Each academic institution, department, and team is guided by different goals, learner needs, circumstances, and skill sets. My ability to lead diverse teams of scholars and educators enables me to deliver services that are grounded in best practices while strategically integrating the needs and objectives of a particulars team and project.

If you’re looking to make a bigger impact in the work you do as educators, in the influence your institution has locally and globally, and in the academic experiences and opportunities of your students - I think we’ll work great together.

Ph.D. Linguistics, University of California, Davis

M.A. Linguistics, University of California, Davis

M.A. Pedagogy and Linguistics, Middlebury College Italian School

Languages: English, Italian, Spanish

Expertise: Professional Development for Researchers and Educators, Student Success Design, AI for Language Teaching and Learning, Second Language Acquisition, Applied Linguistics, Language Teaching, Language Education Technology, Curriculum Design, Program Evaluation and Assessment, Student Success and Retention, Multilingual Learner Education, Program Design for International Students

  • Interactive sessions designed for educators who work in multilingual contexts and/or with multilingual students. I work with academic advisors, faculty, university leadership, and scholars in training.

    Workshops can be tailored for in-person or virtual participants. Educators leave these workshops with insights, tools, and action items to leverage in your efforts to have relevant and meaningful impact in your work in education.

    Workshop series focus on strategic language skills and insights to build trust and enhance effective approaches in academic settings, including language teaching strategies, curricula design, AI integration, social justice in the language classroom, and more.

  • I develop and enhance language curricula for individual faculty or language departments. I also work with your department and your budget to integrate technology effectively into course syllabi and lesson plans that are engaging and easy to adapt. Services cover design, evaluation and assessment, technology and AI integration, and language program matching.

    • AI integration

    • Technology integration for teacher time saving as well as student language acquisition

    • Inclusive language acquisition strategies

    • Teacher training

    • Language study abroad program integration with your curriculum

    • DEI and Language Ideologies - lesson plans and integration with content

  • How well is your department meeting the interests, needs, and goals of your students? Has course enrollment declined or increased? Do you know what factors are influencing student engagement with your course offerings? What can your department do to achieve more success and retention, for students, faculty and staff? Find out what's working and where your department can grow with a detailed Program Evaluation.

Why choose Focus on Language?

With a robust academic background and extensive hands-on experience, I bring a unique blend of theoretical knowledge, practical expertise, and global education experience to my clients and their projects.

  • Expertise: Over 15 years of language teaching, curriculum design, program development and implementation, and educator training.

  • Experience: Proven track record of aligning purpose and outcomes for educators and learners.

  • Customization: Tailored workshops, trainings, resources, and deliverables to meet your team’s goals and needs.

  • Commitment: Dedicated to improving educational outcomes and experiences for the whole network - from your staff and faculty to your students. As a first-generation college graduate myself and passionate educator, I’m diligent in putting my best work into each project and collaboration because I truly believe in the potential for education and a focus on language to build and sustain opportunity for all.

Purpose & Drive

  • Purpose

    The language education consultant that equips educators with the insights, tools, and confidence to stay in education and make an impact.

    Improving the quality of education for educators and students through program design, research and assessment, workshops and training.

  • Drive

    Helping educators and institutions make a bigger impact for themselves and their students through responsive language, research, and academic design.