Understanding the World Languages Program Review

Dr. Jacque Van Houten, KDE

Agenda

• Why a World Language Program Review?

• The document and the timeline.

• What does proficiency in a WL look like?

• What does effective WL teaching/learning look like in a classroom? In a program?

• What resources are there to help?

Traditional 21st CenturyReasons Reasons

• To improve vocabulary

• To learn your own language better (grammar)

• For travel abroad

• To learn geography

• To enrich knowledge of culture

• To get into college

• To appreciate int’l lit, music, art, film

• To improve communicative and cultural competencies

• To speak to our neighbor & co-worker

• To improve employment potential and advancement; to compete for hire

• To prepare for the military; National Security and International Diplomacy

• To build literacy & sharpen cognitive skills

• To meet college admission requirements

Trending…

• International Benchmarking

• Partnership for 21st Century Skills

• Global Matrix

• College & Career Readiness

• Career & Technical education, internships

• Emphasis on literacy and Common Core ELA

International Benchmarking

• Finland – everyone’s standard for math

Every student exits high school with communicative competence in at least 4 and usually 5 other languages

• Korea – high scores

Every student learns English; OPI testing

• EU – requires 3 languages for graduation and funds college study in another EU country

• Brazil – Students learn Portuguese (L1), Spanish, and now English

Partnership for 21st Century Skills

• Core subjects:

1. English

2. WL = communication and literacy;

• Interdisciplinary theme = Global Awareness

• Creativity and Innovation

• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

• Communication and Collaboration

Global Competence Matrix

• Investigate the World*

• Recognize Perspectives*

• Communicate ideas with diverse audiences**

• Take Action*

**KY WL Standard Language Competencies

*KY WL Standard Intercultural Competencies

College and Career Readiness

College

• Switch from seat time to proficiency level requirements at UK & WKU

• Only precollege requirement that did not become a graduation requirement for all

• Career & Tech now have courses in Sp for … and int’l internships

Career

• KWTC and KY Chamber of Commerce are calling for students to be prepared with competency in another WL another language and interculturality

• Ag, service industry, courts & medical calling for languages

• Military pays bonuses for WL competency and requires officers to demonstrate proficiency

Emphasis on Common Core ELA

ELA’s Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening are captured in the World Language Standards goal area of Communication, by emphasizing the purpose behind the 3 modes of communication:

Interpersonal (speaking-listening or writing-reading)

Interpretive (reading, listening, viewing)

Presentational (writing, speaking, visually

representing)

Alignment to ELA Common Core State Standards

In learning a WL students:

• Learn to ask and answer questions, identify words, describe people, places and things, retell stories, interpret text, and apply the conventions of language

• Developing mental flexibility, decoding and problem-solving skills, and increase memory function

In addition, students:

• (Romance) Learn a new phonetic system, whole new vocabulary, extra language conventions (spelling, accent marks, pronunciation, intonation, inflection)

• (Asian) Learn to read by character recognition and write by following precise stoke steps to form a single character that may represent a word or phrase

National Perspective

• Since 2007 the U.S. Department of Defense spends $57 million each year to increase national language capacity.

• Governors of DE, UT and NC have prioritized language learning in their education agendas. DE has world language in every elementary school and 22 immersion schools. UT has 52 dual immersion schools and NC has 57 immersion schools, VA 35.

• WI and WA recognize higher levels of proficiency with certificates, somewhat like technical skills certificates.

Illiteracy in the 21st century = Monolingualism

• So, how do we prepare our students with the world language and cultural competencies they need to compete with other countries and defend our nation?

Study abroad

Service- and community-

based learning

Online courses,

dual-credit courses

Project-based

learninginternships

Summer camps

Timeline

• 2005 State Board directive to build capacity for graduation requirement; LinguaFolio; China MOU; Gov’s Summit on Int’l Education

• 2006 Alt Cert program; WL/Arts Teacher Academies

• 2007 Assessment pilot

• 2009 Proficiency-based WL Standards

• 2010 EPSB/CPE/KDE WL Summit; Confucius Institutes

• 2011 Gov.’s TEK Recommendation 3E for enhancing the teaching of world languages at all grade levels. KWLA FL Festival change

• 2012 UK/WKU admission req’t change; Proficiency training blitz: Preparing a Global Workforce symposia.

WL Program Review Timeline

• 2012-2013 Preparation Year

Professional Development

Proficiency Training

Immersion Incentive grants

• 2013-2014 Pilot Year

Professional Development

• 2014-2015 Field Testing Year

Professional Development

• 2015-2016 Full Implementation

What’s the BIG

picture?

What should WL teaching/learning look

likein a program?

Expanding the Languages Taught in KY• Spanish

• French

• Chinese

• German

• Latin

• Japanese

• ASL

• Arabic

• Russian

Changing the Practice

• Focus on functional language with grammar as a tool

• Emphasis on proficiency/performance versus seat time for learning outcomes and credit

• Importance of formative and summative performance-based assessment;

• Shift from textbooks to thematic/content-based

• Popularity of hybrid or blended courses

• Teacher professional development = professional learning communities, PLCs

Forging New Directions• Longer & Stronger, Pyramid Base: Begin

language learning at a younger age and continue learning opportunities throughout schooling

• Increase the effectiveness of language learning opportunities

• Expand the range of languages

• Expand access and opportunities to learn via innovative delivery systems

• Establish clear proficiency expectations for students’ language learning outcomes

• Recognize & encourage learning wherever it occurs

It’s all about learning to USE a language in today’s world

Proficiency = Performance

Culture is more than food and song

The earlier the better & easier

Growth takes time

Let’s look at the Program Review

Student Access• The school provides opportunities for each

student, including heritage speakers, to learn and develop benchmarked proficiencies in at least one world language by scheduling time for instruction, learning opportunities, and monitoring.

• The school promotes and encourages language-learning opportunities for each student outside of school and recognizes achievement through performance-based credit.

Elementary Model Options

• Traditional teacher in a classroom

• Dual Language Immersion school or strand

• Hybrid: (i.e., Arte Y Mas, Middlebury Interactive + shared teacher + language facilitator)

• Literacy Centers

• Before/After school programs

http://asiasociety.org/education/afterschool/term

• Intensive summer camps

Steps to Starting a Program

• Determine a language policy that reflects a shared vision.

• Administer a community survey

• Recognize/Promote outside learning the classroom

• Establish school language proficiency targets.

• Investigate existing models/visit schools

• Consider: immersion, hiring a visiting teacher, partnering with university/community, summer programs, hybrid programs, utilizing parent volunteers, etc.

Possible first steps…• Engage native speakers, language teachers, high school or college

students to work afterschool with student volunteers to create label phrases (i.e., media center hours, today’s lunch is, put papers here, do not disturb, etc.)

• During announcements use the language to greet, give a phrase of the day, recognize a world holiday, etc.

• Celebrate ESL student’s home languages.

• Bring in a guest native speaker to aide a PE teacher in doing an activity only in the target language (dance, aerobic exercise, sport, etc.).

• Post things around the school that are written in another language.

• Invite foreign speakers and ask them to use some of their language.

• Encourage teachers integrate the language (look at foreign labels, learn to pronounce foreign names, titles correctly.

Possible second steps…

• Start a serious before or after school language club for each grade with targeted I Can goals

• Give incentives for demonstration of language performance

• Include a WL station in literacy centers (i.e., use a software pgm; read a book in English that uses foreign words, pair an ESL student with English speaking students)

• Initiate a partnership with a foreign school and SKYPE them

• Model use of the world language

Program Review:Aligned & Rigorous Curriculum

• is designed to develop students 21st Century skills of creativity, innovation, critical thinking, problem solving and collaboration.

• is designed to build students’ cognitive and literacy skills in another language …

• intentionally integrates content across disciplines …

Student Performance

• Students demonstrate consistent growth in the three modes of communication

• Students demonstrate consistent benchmarked growth in the development of their intercultural competencies

• Students set performance goals …

• Students use the language outside of class …

What is World Language Proficiency?

• Language is described in proficiency levels and sublevels (low/mid/high) that outline key benchmarks achieved in world language programs given sufficient instruction over time:

• Novice (the beginning level, regardless of age or grade)

• Intermediate

• Advanced

• Superior

Scenario

• A Martian has landed in your neighborhood

and is asking around about this thing called

a “circus.” Follow the directions on the

card you are given to describe a circus

for your new friend.

Kentucky Standard for WL Proficiency

• One Standard

• 6 Core Competencies:

3 Linguistic, 3 Intercultural

• Core Performance Skills reported out in

ACTFL Proficiency Guideline levels

• Learner Benchmarks

• Learning Indicators

• Sample Learning Targets

Kentucky’s World Language Core Competencies

LINGUISTIC COMPETENCIES

• Interpretive Listening and Reading

I can interpret information, concepts, and ideas from a variety of culturally authentic sources on a variety of topics.

• Interpersonal Communication

I can exchange information, concepts, and ideas with a variety of speakers or readers on a variety of topics in a culturally appropriate context.

• Presentational Speaking and Writing

I can present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics in a culturally appropriate context.

Learner Benchmark 1.NH.R: I can communicate on very familiar topics using a variety of words and phrases that I have practiced and memorized.Learning Indicator: I can communicate some basic information about my everyday life.Sample Learning Goal or Target: • I can give times, dates and weather information.• I can tell about what I eat, learn, and do.• I can tell about places I know.• I can ask and understand how much something

costs.• I can tell someone the time and location of a

community event.• I can

Kentucky’s World Language Core Competencies

INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCIES

• Investigation

I can use my language skills to investigate the world beyond my immediate environment.

• Perspective

I can recognize and understand my own and others’ ways of thinking.

• Action

I can use my language skills and cultural understanding to interact with others and improve my world.

Learner Benchmark:

1NH.IC I can identify  some basic cultural beliefs and values.

Learning Indicator:

I can identify some beliefs and values related to age, gender, social class and ethnicity.

Learning Targets:

• I can sometimes tell the way people address each other differently based on age and social standing.

• I can sometimes recognize that appropriate dress is determined by cultural traditions.

• I can recognize that gender and age can determine one’s role in the family, school, and workplace.

What should WL teaching/learning look like in a classroom, in a

program?

KEY PROGRAM COMPONENTS

• Curriculum focused on communication building cognitive and literacy skills.

• The target language used almost all of the time and learning and is made comprehensible through a variety of strategies (i.e., visuals, body language, objects, hands-on-experiences) and technologies.

• Students are provided a variety of ways to experience and communicate in the three modes of communication (interpretive, interpersonal and presentational) in authentic cultural contexts.

• Authentic performance tasks are routinely used to assess students’ language and there is a thoughtful procedure for documenting and reporting student performance.  

Unit Profile: Elementary

Learning Target:

• I can give information about my pet, describe it, tell where it lives, what it likes to do, what, where and when it eats.

Performance Assessment:

• You have a partner class in a foreign country and want to share information about pets. Your task is to show a photo and tell about the pet.

Sample themes

• Eating Right and Getting Fit

• Counting Pennies for a Rainy Day

• Can you dance?

• How safe is your water?

• Reading for Pleasure

• Fantasy Soccer

• Eye care, do you?

Options for Demonstrating Proficiency

End-of-course Assessment

Benchmark Assessments

LinguaFolio Evidence

Online Standardized Tests(NOELLA)

Teacher-designed Performance-Based Assessments

E-Portfolios

Integrated Performance Assessments

Student-designed Performance-Based Assessments

Regional World Language Showcase

ELLOPA & SOPA assessments

Oral Interviews

Performance Events

What helps to learn a language?

• Hearing, seeing and using the target language

• Comprehensible instruction

• Frequent & meaningful participation

• Active involvement in the learning process

MiddleCollege

KY World Language

Proficiency Route

Options

Traditional HS

sequence

ImmersionPrograms

Foreign Exchange/Travel

Heritage SpeakersTraditional

Virtual Sequence

Summer Language

Camps

IndependentTech-enabled

The TBD option

FLES

What resources are there to help?

KY Course CodesElementary School (P-5) Spanish I

Engages learners in developmentally appropriate activities to acquire the language necessary to communicate within the novice range on the ACTFL Proficiency scale on a variety of topics, including connections to other subject areas. Cultural aspects are typically included in order to understand the relationship among the products, practices and perspectives of Spanish speaking cultures.  In addition, students develop insight into their own language and culture.

KY Course Codes

• Elementary School World Language Immersion. This class facilitates the learning of a world language within the novice to intermediate range on the ACTFL Proficiency scale through a specific grade level content area, such as science, math, etc.

• World Language Special Topics Provides cursory look at one or more language and culture. N.B. This course was only be available through the 2011-2012 school year.

Immersion Program Resources

• 2012-2013 RFP for Kentucky Language Immersion Initiative

1) $35,000 to 3 school for

implementation grant

2) $10,000 to 10 schools for

planning grants

PROFICIENCY TRAINING

• Co-op MOAs-- $10,000 each

--OPI trainings*

--PD for administrators

--Conference attendance support

• Summer NXG World Language & Arts Academies

$10,000 grants to schools for attendees

• KY World Language Association

Conference theme: “Proficiency to the Core”

World Language Showcase redesign

KWLA Language Showcase

• State participation requires a demonstration of Novice High in two regional events

• Events:

On Site Performance Tasks

Community Service Projects

Interdisciplinary Projects

Personal Interest Projects

Language Bowl

Group multi-step language challenge

Teacher/Student Resources

• Visiting / Guest Teachers (Spain, China, France, Germany, Japan)

• Language & Culture Assistants through Embassies

• NKU, UK summer certification programs

• Teacher Academies

• STARTALK programs

• Summer camps/Concordia Language Villages

• KET’s Arte Y Mas (K-3 arts/Spanish)

For more information, contact

Dr. Jacque Van Houten

Jacqueline.vanhouten@education.ky.gov

502-564-2106