Focus on Assessment and Feedback

february 2014 | volume 9 | issue 2

Focus on assessment and Feedback

What kinds of assessments improve learning and teaching?

access actFL 2013

Now Online: Nominate Someone Special iSSue: • Integrated • Creating Rubrics for an ACTFL Award FocuS on Assessment Experience the Recent Performance • Assessing What And FeedbAck ACTFL Convention in a Language Learning Assessments Matters for a Lifetime Whole New Way! • Using Real-World • Cultural Portfolios • Self-Assessment Tasks with AAPPL • Seal of Biliteracy Strategies ACTFL IS COMING TO San Antonio!

Chart Your Way Forward! SAVE The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign THE DATE Languages (ACTFL) Annual Convention and World November Languages Expo features over 600 educational sessions covering a wide spectrum of the language profession 21–23 addressing the theme Reaching Global Competence.

Advance Registration Deadline Pre-Convention October 29 Workshops on Thursday, November 20 The ACTFL Convention is an international event bringing together over 6,000 language educators from all languages, levels and assignments within the profession.

Early Bird Deadline July 9 More than 250 exhibiting companies will be showcasing the latest products and services for you and your students.

You are Registration here and Housing opens in March START

Visit www.actfl.org for all Convention information and updates The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages

Volume 47 • No. 1 • Spring 2014

Foreign Language Annals Your resource for research: Hear Directly Don’t Miss the Spring Issue of from the Authors! Readers of Foreign Language Annals are now Foreign Language Annals able to view video podcasts prepared by some of the issue’s authors highlighting their research and ARTICLES ONLINE You can also view published articles from Foreign Language explaining how it translates Annals even before they are in print. Go to the Wiley Online Library at wileyonline to classroom application at The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages library.com/journal/flan to discover the latest from ACTFL’s widely acclaimed journal. wileyonlinelibrary.com/ journal/flan.

The Spring 2014 issue of Foreign Language Annals contains a rich body of information to help language educators explore the latest research and apply it in their own classrooms. When the next issue of ACTFL’s journal arrives in March, be sure to check out the following articles:

Leveraging Genre Theory: A Genre- Learner Pronunciation, Awareness, Factors Affecting the Acquisition of Based Interactive Model for the Era of and Instruction in French as a Second Pronunciation: Culture, Motivation, and the Common Core State Standards Language Sara Kennedy, Josée Level of Instruction Rob Martinsen, Francis J. Troyan Blanchet & Pavel Trofimovich Scott M. Alvord & Joshua Tanner This study proposes a genre-based model of This article investigates the impact of instruc- This study investigates students’ progress instruction for foreign language teaching that tion in, and awareness of, pronunciation in toward native-like pronunciation in Spanish. unites expectations for literacy that are defined French and found that, despite the inherent Although students’ pronunciation became by the Common Core State Standards with the difficulty posed by pronunciation for adult more similar to native speakers’ at each suc- three modes of communication that are out- learners, it is a skill that can be taught and cessive level of instruction, students’ pronun- lined in the National Standards for Learning refined in the classroom context. ciation even at the conclusion of extended Languages. Examples illustrate the effective- time abroad was still judged to differ in ness of the model in developing literacy skills Study Abroad in Central Spain: The significant ways from that of native speakers. across the K–16 learning experience. Development of Regional Phonological Features Angela George The Effect of Study Abroad Homestay A Closer Look at the Output This study investigates the development of Placements: Participant Perspectives Hypothesis: The Effect of Pushed two regional pronunciation features during and Oral Proficiency Gains Francesca Output on Noticing and Inductive study abroad in central Spain and found that DiSilvio, Anne Donovan & Margaret Learning of the Spanish Future Tense several linguistic and extra-linguistic factors E. Malone Victoria Russell may account for either the increase in use, or This study addresses students’ language gains This article explores the relationship between the almost total lack of use, of the features. as well as the perceptions of the homestay rela- noticing and learning. The results support the tionship of learners studying abroad and their noticing function of the Output Hypothesis Elementary School Foreign Language host families in Peru, Chile, Russia, and China and reveal that pushed output followed by Teaching: Lessons Learned Over Three in order to better understand how study abroad exposure to the targeted form in subsequent Decades (1980–2010) Nancy C. Rhodes placements can foster language development. input enabled students to learn the targeted Chronicling the development of stronger form inductively, a finding that has implica- and more sustainable early foreign language L2 Self of Beginning-Level Heritage tions for the teaching of second language programs from 1980 to 2010 through the and Non-Heritage Postsecondary grammar. voices of some of the individuals who were Learners of Chinese Yan Xie instrumental in bringing about those changes, This article investigates the effectiveness of Pre-Service Foreign Language this article suggests a set of factors that are the L2 motivational self as a means of better Teachers’ Perspectives on Learning essential to building and sustaining successful understanding differences in motivation with Technology Veronica Sardegna & language programs for children. among heritage and non-heritage learners of Vera Dugartsyrenova Chinese as a foreign language. This study examines pre-service foreign From Praxis to Program Development language teachers’ perceptions of the benefits Kelly Moser Change in French L2 Writing in Study and challenges of including technology- This article describes how faculty investigated Abroad and Domestic Contexts enhanced activities in a foreign language the state-mandated assessments for teacher LeeAnne Berger Godfrey, Corbin Treacy methods course, the extent to which those certification, examined candidates’ pass rates & Elaine Tarone experiences enhanced students’ collaborative on the OPI and Praxis II World Language Test, Using OPI, WPT, and other measures of the learning and reflection, and the way in which and then systematically clarified expectations complexity, accuracy, fluency, and form– students believe those experiences might in- and modified students’ learning experiences function relationships, this study documents fluence their use of technology in their future by making changes both to instructional different types of growth in students’ writing classrooms. practices and curriculum requirements. in both study abroad and domestic contexts. Volume 9, No. 2 n February 2014 The Language Educator Sandy Cutshall Pauline Goulah Linda Prinzi ACTFL Editor Creative Director Senior Designer Publisher

ACTFL Headquarters Staff

Marty Abbott Daniel Conrad Jocelyn Hofstede Tony Smith Executive Director Principal Assessment Specialist Administrative Assistant Educational Technologist Alison Bayley Amanda Cynkin Yesenia Olivares Elvira Swender Sales and Marketing Manager Assessment Development Coordinator Quality Assurance Coordinator Director of Professional Programs Howie Berman Altavese Dilworth Michelle Paradies Danielle Tezcan Director of Membership and Office Manager Project Manager Principal Project Specialist Administration Regina Farr Andrew Richardson Tony Unander Jaime Bernstein Membership Specialist Training and Certification Coordinator Media Coordinator Manager of Member Services Zerihun Haile-Selassie Julia Richardson Hollie West Natalie Boivin Finance Manager Director of Conventions and Deputy Director of Professional Assessment Projects Coordinator Lori Haims Marketing Programs Chelsea Bowes Senior Manager, Training and Paul Sandrock Courtney Wu Web/Communications Specialist Certification Director of Education Meetings Coordinator

ACTFL Officers

Mary Lynn Redmond Toni Theisen Jacque Bott Van Houten Todd Bowen President Past President President-Elect Treasurer Wake Forest University (NC) Loveland High School (CO) Jefferson County (KY) Public Schools New Trier Township High School District (IL)

ACTFL Board of Directors

Patricia Carlin Laura Franklin Juan Carlos Morales Thomas Sauer University of Central Arkansas Northern Virginia Community College Delaware Department of Education Fayette County Public Schools (KY) Jocelyn Danielson Raught Marjorie Hall Haley Benjamin Rifkin Lori Winne Cactus Shadows High School (AZ) George Mason University (VA) The College of New Jersey Erie, Michigan Laurel Derksen Aleidine Moeller Deborah Robinson Anchorage School District (AK) University of Nebraska-Lincoln The Language Flagship

The Language Educator (ISSN 1558-6219) is (Regular International Member). Membership for and State trademark and copyright laws. ACTFL published six times a year by the American Council new teachers is $54.00 (Domestic only); full-time trademarks and materials include but are not on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, Inc., 1001 students or retired members, $29.00 each; joint limited to: ACTFL OPI®, ACTFL OPIc®, and North Fairfax Street, Suite 200, Alexandria, VA membership, $108.00. Discover Languages . . . Discover the World!®. 22314 • (703) 894-2900 • Fax (703) 894-2905 No person or entity may reproduce or use the Single copies of issues for the current year may • www.actfl.org • E-mail: [email protected]. ACTFL trademarks or materials in any manner be obtained by sending a check for $10.50 The months of publication are January, February, other than as expressly authorized by ACTFL. ($7.50 + $3/S&H for orders within the U.S.) April, August, October, and November. Without limiting the foregoing, no ACTFL for ACTFL members and $13 ($10 + $3/S&H trademark may be used in connection with any The Language Educator is a publication serving for orders within the U.S.) for non-members. product or service of any person or entity other educators of all languages at all levels. Articles International shipping rates vary. For orders of than ACTFL. and ideas for submission, and all other editorial more than one copy, call ACTFL headquarters at correspondence, should be sent via e-mail to 703-894-2900. Claims for undelivered issues and Editorial services by Print Management, Inc., [email protected]. Author guidelines are questi ons about the availability of back issues Middleburg, VA 20117. Design by Goulah Design available online at www.actfl.org. Advertising should also be directed to ACTFL headquarters. Group, Inc., Buffalo, NY 14223. Printed by Allen inquiries should be addressed to Alison Bayley at Press, Inc., Lawrence, KS 66044. [email protected]; (703) 894-2900 x109. The appearance of advertising in this publication does not constitute endorsement by ACTFL of Periodicals postage paid at Alexandria, VA and at Annual subscription price for libraries, which any product or service advertised herein. ACTFL additional mailing offices. includes both The Language Educator and Foreign bears no responsibility for claims made by any © 2014 by the American Council on the Teaching Language Annals, is $250.00 in the United advertiser. The organization also does not vouch of Foreign Languages, Inc. States; $350.00 for all other countries, including for or endorse the content of any non-ACTFL Canada and Mexico. Regular ACTFL membership, POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the websites that may be mentioned in the magazine. which includes a subscription to both The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language Educator and Foreign Language Annals, ACTFL trademarks and materials referred to in Languages, Inc., 1001 North Fairfax Street, Suite is $79.00 (Regular Domestic Member) or $119.00 ACTFL publications are protected by Federal 200, Alexandria, VA 22314.

2 The Language Educator n February 2014 WE’RE PREPARING OUR STUDENTS TO BE GLOBAL CITIZENS.

At DC Public Schools, we believe that our students need early access to world language instruction to be successful in the 21st century.

Last year, DCPS expanded its world language programs for all students. Now, students in kindergarten through 12th grade have access to high quality world language programming.

OPEN UP A WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS. APPLY TODAY.

JOINDCPUBLICSCHOOLS.COM Language The Educator

february 2014 | volume 9 | issue 2

Focus on assessment and Feedback

What kinds of assessments improve learning and Features teaching?

32 Assessing What Matters 11 Karen Luond Fowdy and Language Learning: Lisa Hendrickson access actFL 2013 Pre-K–Lifetime? Now Online: Nominate Someone Special iSSue: • Integrated • Creating Rubrics for an ACTFL Award FocuS on Assessment Experience the Recent Performance • Assessing What And FeedbAck ACTFL Convention in a Language Learning Assessments Matters for a Lifetime Whole New Way! • Using Real-World • Cultural Portfolios • Self-Assessment Harriet Barnett Tasks with AAPPL • Seal of Biliteracy Strategies 35 The Realities of Implementing Integrated ON THE COVER: Performance Assessment in A SPECIAL ISSUE ON ASSESSMENT AND FEEDBACK: What kinds of assessments improve an Imperfect World learning and teaching? Rebecca Brazzale Illustration by Michael Gelen 38 The Role of Cultural Portfolios in the Implementation of Culture- 18 Based Standards in Second SPECIAL THEME SECTION: Language Classes ASSESSMENT AND FEEDBACK Gabriela C. Zapata, Vianey Cabrera, Consuelo Sigüenza- volume 9 | issue 2 18 Embracing the Paradigm Ortiz, and Gayle Vierma Shift in Learning and february 2014 Assessment 41 The Seal of Biliteracy: Greg Duncan Giving Value to Language Learning Departments 20 Using Real-World Karen Muldrow Tasks to Assess Student President’s Message Performance 42 The Transformative ACTFL President Douglass Crouse Power of Performance-Based Mary Lynn Redmond 7 Assessment Breaking News 8 23 How to Develop, Cherice Montgomery BriefBits 9 Implement, and Maintain a Performance Assessment 48 Assessment as an Tech Talk 10 Program Authentic, Communicative Experience—Steps for Inside ACTFL 12 David Jahner Creating Performance-Based So You Say 58 26 Let the Data Be Your Assessments and Rubrics to Demonstrate Student Web Watch 60 Guide Leslie M. Grahn Understanding Upcoming Events Calendar 62 Crystal Brim Advertiser Index 63 28 Aligning Integrated Performance Assessments 54 Developing Student with Common Core Awareness with Self- Standards for Younger Assessment Exercises Learners David Thompson Dorie Perugini

4 The Language Educator n February 2014 Features

Live language. Where will it take you?

New for intermediate Spanish

2-Semester 1-Semester

vistahigherlearning.com/new-HE The Big Picture

picture is worth a thousand A words—or thousands of data points. See the infographic series at www.mappingthenation.net to learn more about global competence, how we are preparing students, and planning for the future. National infographics include: International Trade + Jobs, International Exchanges, Sister Cities + Benefits, and Language Rich or Language Poor? (shown left). You can also find visual representations of how global your individual state is (see Delaware and Utah highlighted here).

6 The Language Educator n February 2014 President’s Message

Mary Lynn Redmond Reaching Global Competence— ACTFL President Developing a Global Mindset

anguage teachers are passionate about our work. We bring to life a love of languages and cultures by engaging our L students in authentic communication experiences that help them gain insight into the way people from different backgrounds and ways of life view the world. It is through our commitment to providing opportunities for our students to gain 21st century skills linked to language ability and cultural competence that we help students in pre-K–16 become globally competent citizens. World language educators have a global mindset. But even with our wholehearted enthusiasm as a profession coupled with the research in our field that clearly shows languages are the key to developing global competence, we unfortunately live in a society that does not yet value languages as a core subject and expectation of education in this country. Therefore, in order to make global competence a reality in our schools, it is necessary for language educators to reach out to our stakeholders and share with them what our students can do in languages as a result of their experience in our classrooms. Through these connections, we can help our stakeholders at the local, state, and national levels develop a global mindset. In Stacie Berdan’s new book published by ACTFL, Raising Global Children, she talks about how important it is to begin at the grassroots level in one’s own community to work toward developing a global mindset. “True global mindedness is not just a career skill; it’s a much more encompassing set of life skills,” she says. “It implies a multitude of abilities that has as much to do with innovation and problem-solving as with any ability to appreciate different cultures. Global mindedness matters in the communities where we live just as much as in our workplace since global mobility means that we are increasingly sharing our neighborhoods, schools, religious institutions, and clubs with people from ever-more diverse backgrounds.” (pp. 21–22). Starting at the grassroots level can be a powerful first step that all language educators can take in garnering support for language programs that begin in the early grades and continue through the postsecondary level. In this way, we can work collaboratively across the United States to share with our stakeholders what we do in the language classroom every day to prepare our students with 21st century skills they will need to interact with people all over the world, demonstrating that the ability to communicate in other languages is an essential lifelong tool for living and working in our global society, beginning in our own community. If we consider, for example, the success that the states of Delaware and Utah are having as a result of visionary globally minded leaders who recognized the critical need to link language skills with workplace needs, it is clear that language study can be a priority in pre-K–16 education. Both Governor Herbert of Utah and Governor Markell of Delaware have committed to make language study a reality for students by implementing immersion programs beginning in the lower grades, citing the urgent need in their states to prepare students for future life and career needs. They have taken major strides to ensure that students in communities across their state develop a global mindset which will certainly yield positive outcomes for these young people and the future of their state. Language educators need to use engaging data, such as the infographics available on the new Mapping the Nation website (see opposite page), to connect with stakeholders in their communities. As our students pursue internships or undertake service learning in our communities, we as language educators can better connect with businesses as partners and impress upon them the critical need for global competence.

The Language Educator n February 2014 7 BreakingNews U.S. and International Language News

Infants Can Identify Different Languages, Study Finds

abies as young as 12 months can detect followed up with a test event, where the the new person comes in and calls the dif- Bdifferent languages, according to a baby is shown a second toy but it is also ferent object by the same word, the infants recently published study from researchers at labeled with the same name. didn’t look longer at anything, showing the University of Auckland in New Zealand. This causes the babies to look for longer that nothing surprised them. “They didn’t Jessica Scott and Annette Henderson con- because they have detected the anomaly: generalize the rules of the language from one ducted the study with babies in 2011 at the that the two different objects have the same language to the other language,” she says. university’s Early Learning Lab; the article name. “That shows that they’re learning the “[Babies] are being smart and making dis- was published in November 2013 in the word,” notes Henderson. In the study, babies tinctions about the words they hear and use. journal Developmental Psychology. as young as 9 months understood this. They actually have the tools and the ability Henderson, a senior psychology lecturer, The infants are shown one person singing to actively learn things.” She encourages says the study was the first evidence that in- nursery rhymes in English and another in parents to talk to their children all the time. fants noticed when speakers did not use the French. The babies are then taught a word “People think it’s only when their children same language. “Babies have figured out that by the French speaker, followed by the are producing language that they’re really they speak different languages,” she says. “By English speaker. “If babies don’t get the dif- learning but they’re doing a whole lot of stuff 12 months of age they know people speak ference between languages and assume that well before that.” different languages and don’t use words in everybody knows the same words that they Learn more about the study, “Language the same way.” know and that all languages are the same, Matters: Thirteen-Month-Olds Understand The study focuses on babies’ “looking they would expect that English person to that the Language a Speaker Uses Con- time”—where youngsters are repeatedly call the same object the [made-up word] as strains Conventionality,” at psycnet.apa.org/ shown an object which is labeled with a the French person did. But that’s not what psycinfo/2013-06769-001/. made-up word. That teaching event is then we found,” Henderson says. Instead, when

States Consider Replacing Language Learning with Coding

New Mexico legislator has proposed ing to allow districts to add the new courses. by a vote of 10–1. State Sen. David Givens A counting computer programming New Mexico high school students already sponsored the measure, he said, to “make room toward the state’s foreign language require- must take at least one course in a language in the curriculum and in the electives to try and ment for students in public schools. The other than English to obtain a diploma. drive computer programming closer to the start legislation, sponsored by state Sen. Jacob The idea is dangerous and short-sighted, but of that student’s high school studies.” Candelaria, would allow students to learn unfortunately not unique. In late January, Ken- ACTFL President Mary Lynn Redmond is a computer programming language (such tucky’s Senate Education Committee endorsed writing letters to the Kentucky State Legisla- as HTML or Javascript) to claim foreign allowing students to substitute computer pro- tors to officially register ACTFL’s opposition language credit. The bill appropriates fund- gramming for foreign language requirements to this measure.

Want to reach over 17,000 language teachers and administrators? Advertise in Place an ad in an upcoming issue of The Language Educator. The Language Educator! Advertising inquiries should be addressed to Alison Bayley at [email protected]; (703) 894-2900, ext. 109.

8 The Language Educator n February 2014 Host an Exchange Student:

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N.C. District Considers Next Steps for Dual BriefBits Language Initiatives School leaders in a district in North Carolina recently explored options to reduce overcrowding at one of the district’s elementary schools. Officials noted that overcrowding was due in part to Here we present some language-related articles which demand for the school’s dual language program. They also reas- appeared in newspapers and online, and were recently sured community members that steps would be taken to preserve featured in ACTFL SmartBrief. To subscribe to this free the program. e-newsletter and get the most up-to-date news sent directly “Chapel Hill-Carrboro School Board Backs Mandarin Program, Will to you via e-mail, go to www.actfl.org/smartbrief. Reassign 76 Students” in The News & Observer, 1/17/14

Wyoming District to Craft Policy for Adopting New Immersion Programs Oklahoma to Allow for More Tribal Language Instruction Adding new language immersion programs to some schools in a Lawmakers in Oklahoma altered a rule this year allowing the Wyoming district has received strong support among parents and state’s education department to offer an annual certification to school leaders. Parents have formed a task force to draw support Native American language instructors, who now can teach tribal for a request to add a Spanish language immersion program in languages in the state’s public schools under the supervision of one school. Amid such requests, the district’s board of trustees a certified teacher. All tribal languages spoken in Oklahoma are is considering the adoption of a standard process for approving considered endangered, a department official said. future requests for immersion programs. “Rule Change Helps Schools Teach Tribal Languages” in The Oklahoman, “Parents Ask for Spanish Dual-Language Program at Casper School” in 12/24/13 Star-Tribune (Casper, WY), 12/8/13

The Language Educator n February 2014 9 Tech Talk The latest in language learning technology Adobe Presenter 9 Helps Teachers Create Flipped Classrooms

In a “flipped classroom” format, lessons and lectures may be delivered Linguascope Offers Online through videos accessed by students outside the class, allowing class Subscription Service for Schools time for completing assignments and solving problems collaboratively. Adobe Presenter 9 for Education is a user-friendly video capture software program that allows teachers to quickly and easily create London-based Linguascope provides an online subscription service for course videos to be used in a flipped classroom. language learning. Designed exclusively for schools, the service pro- Some of the tasks Adobe Presenter 9 can help teachers with include: vides access to five languages—French, Spanish, German, Italian, and • Converting PowerPoint presentations into interactive videos English—at three different skill levels from elementary to intermediate. • Creating and editing desktop videos Features of the Linguascope subscription include: • Adding multimedia and interactive features, such as audio and • Thousands of interactive activities, organized into over 140 topic narration, annotation, and interactive games areas and designed to meet curriculum requirements • Including quizzes and surveys directly in the video presentation • Ability to be used with interactive whiteboards for group work, or on • Publishing course videos on popular video sharing sites a single computer for individual study • Tracking individual learner progress, as well as performance • Creative tools for students to use for hands-on learning, including metrics such as average score or pass vs. fail. interactive game development • Access to presentations, flashcards, and worksheets, searchable by For more information, visit www.adobe.com/products/presenter. language and topic area edu.html. • Automatic updates to content and features throughout the subscription term • An online store that sells additional classroom resources such as KEY Chinese Software Offers books, DVDs, and other language learning software Advanced Features, Extensive Free trial subscriptions are available. For more information, visit www.linguascope.com. Dictionary

KEY Chinese software, from developer Asian Language Software, Inc., is SMART Notebook Software both a word processing software application and a learning system for Available with Epson BrightLink learning Chinese. The software allows teachers to type teaching materials Interactive Projectors and assignments in Chinese, but also includes a number of learning features as well as one of the largest character set (25,000+) and Chinese– English/English-Chinese dictionaries (300,000+ words) available. SMART Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of collaboration solutions, and KEY, which also supports Japanese and Korean, is now available in Epson, the number-one selling projector brand worldwide recently announced an updated version and includes a number of features, such as: an agreement where SMART Notebook™ collaborative learning software can • An English, French, and Chinese user interface now be licensed for use with Epson BrightLink® interactive projectors. • The ability to annotate special items in Chinese text, including This is the first time that SMART has granted distribution rights for marking grammatical structures its proprietary collaborative learning software to a third party hardware • The ability to create interactive, timed reading lessons from static manufacturer and is part of the company’s software accessibility strategy. Chinese text Under this new arrangement, Epson will sell SMART Notebook soft- • A multi-lesson textbook with incremental vocabulary lists ware through its reseller network, either when purchased with an Epson • Support for Cantonese, Yale, Jyutping, Govt. Standard, and Sidney BrightLink interactive projector or for existing BrightLink customers, Lau transcriptions allowing educators to easily select the software. Both Epson and SMART • The ability to save to HTML format to publish Chinese web pages in will provide customer support for their respective products. SMART UTF-8, Big Five, or GB Notebook software licenses will be available for existing Epson custom- • Linguistic reconstruction for Chinese text copied from outside sources ers through Epson and SMART resellers. For additional information, visit • The ability to copy and paste between KEY and other software www.epson.com/education. applications, such as Microsoft Word

Descriptions, information, and reviews of the above software/hardware were Users who purchase KEY are able to access upgrades to the software taken directly from the respective websites. Inclusion of products in “Tech Talk” for five years at no extra charge from Asian Language Software’s website. does not imply endorsement by ACTFL or The Language Educator. A 30-day free trial is also available. Visit www.cjkware.com to learn more.

10 The Language Educator n February 2014 Language Learning: Is it K–16, pre-K–20, or pre-K–Lifetime? Harriet Barnett

foreign language adventure began as a Spanish/ If others at the table are My education major in college in the late 1940s and unaware of what is happening led to my starting a FLES program as a married with the language education of mother in the early 1960s, then to teaching K–12 through the 1960s their grandchildren, they usu- and 1970s, and on to working with and at ACTFL in the 1980s and ally end up contacting them 1990s. When I finally reached “old age,” I thought this wonderful to find out. They even want to and rewarding phase of my life with languages was over. Little did I know how the kids are being realize that, happily, it would never end. taught and check with me to After the death of my husband, I moved into a senior citizen see if it is “the right way.” This complex. Though I continued reading educational literature, I added expressed interest on the part reading about aging, dementia, and similar topics. Interestingly, I of grandma trickles down kept finding articles which said that learning a foreign language to their children who are (or restarting a language previously studied) is a wonderful way to the parents of the grand- maintain cognitive function and delay or even totally defer mental children who suddenly see and emotional problems as one ages. Of course, hearing any mention foreign language as a subject Harriet Barnett (center) with fellow language enthusiasts Bob Sanders and of foreign language involvement sparked my interest! of interest in their child’s Marian Weinberg. This made me realize what a “hotbed” of involvement and interest education. in foreign languages there was in the facility in which I had chosen to It is a novel and delightful experience for me as an early propo- live. I knew that the residents were an intelligent and well-educated nent of early foreign language study, and the inclusion and success group but I had not realized this aspect of their interests. Residents rate of students with special needs, to be lectured on the value of all meet in various groups to learn Italian, Spanish, and French. Others the things in which I have always believed. I try to hold my tongue who spoke Dutch or German in their childhoods meet to reinforce before reminding them of my involvement in the field. They are avid and enjoy their common languages and cultures. People meet to chat readers and often quote research and current articles on the subject with others who share family connections with the Finnish language. that I haven’t even found. It is certainly a refreshing experience for I have had a wonderful time chatting with many of the staff me since the shoe has long been on the other foot as I have advo- members who speak only Spanish. They told me about their interest cated for language education. But I just sit back and smile with a self- in learning to read and write in English. So, of course I started an satisfied feeling that I have chosen the right place in which to live, English class for them. Since English is a second language to these one which encourages my continuing involvement with something workers, I am beginning to think that the “foreign language bug” I love. is infectious around here. Recently, the senior staff who are depart- It is almost as if the residents at our facility have unofficially ment heads, realizing the importance of being able to communicate formed a Senior Citizens SIG (special interest group) without know- with their staff, asked if I would teach them Spanish so they could ing about ACTFL or SIGs. This realization led to a further and almost converse more easily with their employees. obvious thought on my part: Perhaps we can expand our vision of At meals, we sit with different residents and friends as we choose. language learning so that we are all talking about pre-K–Lifetime Not one day goes by without some discussion turning to the impor- education. tance of learning a foreign language, learning about other cultures, And if ACTFL ever forms a parent/grandparent/great-grandparent and about learning a language as early as possible for maximum SIG, I’ll be the first to join! success. There is discussion of the language experiences of children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren and about our own Harriet Barnett taught for more than 35 years at the K–12 level. She was an outreach and public relations person for ACTFL for many years in the Yonkers office, travels and experiences abroad. Some speak with passion about their and served on numerous boards including New York State Association of Foreign grandchildren with learning disabilities who are achieving success Language Teachers (NYSAFLT) and the American Association of Teachers of Spanish in and enjoying their foreign language classes. Remember that these and Portuguese (AATSP) Metropolitan New York Chapter, among others. She is cur- are people in their 80s and 90s who were educated at a time when rently a second language methods instructor at Manhattanville College in Purchase, only the elite student was considered “foreign language material” and NY, and she consults for several school districts and leads workshops in the state. allowed to study a language.

The Language Educator n February 2014 11 Inside ACTFL

An update from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages

Meet Your New Members of the ACTFL Board of Directors

2014 President-Elect Florence Steiner Award for Leadership in member of the Alaskans for Language Acqui- Foreign Language Education, K–12, named sition (AFLA), the Alaska representative to Jacque Bott Van NCSSFL’s 2008 State Supervisor of the Year, the Pacific Northwest Council for Languages Houten is the and honored with France’s Palmes Aca- (PNCFL), and PNCFL President. Presently, World Language demiques and the Kentucky World Language Derksen is serving as the Vice-Chair of the Specialist at Jef- Association’s Lifetime Award. Immersion SIG for ACTFL. ferson County She will be representing the PNCFL on Public Schools in Members of the Board of Directors the ACTFL Board of Directors. Louisville, KY, a position she has Laurel Derksen Juan Carlos recently taken after works as World Morales came to 14 years at the Languages Cur- the United States Kentucky Department of Education. Prior to riculum Support at the age of 9 her state work, she taught French at all levels Teacher in the from Managua, K–20, as well as undergraduate and graduate Anchorage, AK, Nicaragua. His courses in education and K–12 methodology. School District. passion for She attended the University of Louisville for a Raised in Min- languages comes BA and MAT; the University of Cincinnati for neapolis, MN, she from his own an MA; and Miami University for a PhD. attended St. Olaf experiences with Van Houten has served as President of College, where she studied Asian Studies immersion after migrating to the United States the National Council of State Supervisors for for a semester in Bangkok, Thailand, and as a child. Upon his arrival in Miami, he at- Languages (NCSSFL), the National Network Spanish in Cuernavaca, Mexico. She moved tended Coral Way Elementary School, a dual for Early Language Learning (NNELL), and to Alaska in 1975 where she has resided language program, where he improved his the Kentucky World Language Association since. She began teaching Spanish in high English while feeling at home in Spanish. His (KWLA); as Treasurer of the Joint National school, and then taught Spanish as an ad- love of languages grew when, as a teenager, Committee on Languages–National Coun- junct instructor at the University of Alaska, he attended camps in Switzerland and France, cil for Languages & International Studies Anchorage, and later taught there as a world where he first learned Italian and French. (JNCL-NCLIS); and as a Board member of the language methods course co-instructor. In 1992, Morales completed a BA at Central States Conference on the Teaching of Derksen earned her Master’s degree in Amherst College in German and European Foreign Languages (CSCTFL), the STARTALK Spanish from Middlebury College in Vermont, Studies after a year at Karl-Eberhards- Advisory Board, the Northern Kentucky Inter- and in 1992 she began implementation of the Universität in Tübingen, and then set off for national Trade Association, and the University first Spanish two-way immersion program in a year to teach English to university students of Kentucky Confucius Institute. her district, working as the program on-site in Kyoto, Japan, at Doshisha University. Her professional service activities in- coordinator and Spanish FLES teacher. She When he returned to Miami, Morales began clude co-directing the development of the now supports all the district’s K–12 immer- teaching German and Japanese at the largest NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements, col- sion programs in Spanish, Japanese, Russian public high school in Miami. laborating on the development of Lingua- and a German K–8 immersion charter school. For the next 17 years of his career, he ® Folio , representing the United States at the As an enthusiast of global learning and taught at three different schools in the Miami 2007 Council of Europe Intergovernmental the value of travel, Derksen has also taught area, and wore many hats teaching additional Forum, acting as lead teacher/organizer for English as a second language in China. courses in French, Italian, and even ESL, as The College Board Chinese Guest Teacher Additionally, she assisted in the development well as serving as an ESL and introductory orientation, and working with various state of workshops in second language acquisi- Japanese professor at Miami Dade College. At departments of education on the develop- tion, cooperative learning, and thematic unit one point he served as department chair, in ad- ment of their world language standards. design for the Anchorage School District. dition to teaching four languages all in one day. Passionate about language learning, An ACTFL attendee since 1995 and Between 2011 and early 2013, Morales Van Houten was awarded the 2012 ACTFL frequent presenter, she has been a long-time was the Director for World Languages and

12 The Language Educator n February 2014 Cultures for The College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) Pro- ACTFL Officers Nomination Deadlines gram, working most closely with courses in Spanish Language and Culture, German Language and Culture, Japanese Language and Nominations for 2015 President-Elect (2016 President) and two Culture, and Latin. There, he oversaw the redesign of the AP courses Board of Directors positions must be postmarked by April 30, 2014. and exams and led the development of teacher support materials, as Visit www.actfl.org/about-the-american-council-the-teaching- well as curriculum and assessment. foreign-languages/governance/electionsnominations. He currently works as the World Language and International Ed- ucation Associate for the Delaware Department of Education, where Mark Your Calendar Now for Future ACTFL Conventions he and his team are leading an innovative Governor-created World Language Expansion Initiative that will bring more language learning November 21–23, 2014 Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center and Grand Hyatt San Antonio Hotel, opportunities to young students and help reshape teacher practices. San Antonio, TX A frequent presenter at the state, regional, and national level, Morales was a finalist for ACTFL National Language Teacher of the November 20–22, 2015 San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, CA Year in 2007 and the recipient of the AATG’s Outstanding German November 18–20, 2016 Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, Educator in 2009. He is a former Board Member of the Florida Boston, MA Foreign Language Association (FFLA) and former President of the Association of Florida Teachers of Japanese (AFTJ), and the Florida November 17–19, 2017 Music City Convention Center, Nashville, TN Association of Teachers of German (FATG). Most recently, Morales completed a four-year term on the SCOLT Board, and he is most proud of the way his region celebrated teachers’ successes through 2014 Scholarships for ACTFL Members the SCOLT Teacher of the Year program. Arabic: Arab Academy Scholarship: Three online scholarships for 3 months Aleidine J. Moeller is the Edith S. Greer of access to the online Arabic program in addition to 1 weekly one- Professor of Foreign Language Education on-one speaking class. Also offering two onsite scholarships for 8 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln weeks of Arab language in Cairo. (UNL). Her areas of scholarly interests in- Chinese: clude foreign language teacher education, SpeakMandarin Scholarship: Two scholarships for online live integration of digital media in language Chinese instruction for a period of 6 weeks. acquisition, distance education, and language assessment. She is Past President Spanish: of the American Association of Teach- The Cemanahuac Educational Community Scholarship: One ers of German (AATG) and the National scholarship for 2 weeks of Spanish language study in Cuernavaca, Federation of Modern Language Teachers Associations (NFMLTA). Mexico. The scholarship includes registration and tuition, housing, meals, and one field study trip. She serves as AP College Board Advisor in German Language and Culture and is a member of the ETS/AP College Board Test Develop- IMAC Spanish Language Programs Scholarship: One scholarship for ment Committee. She has published widely in professional journals 4 weeks of Spanish language study in Guadalajara, Mexico. including Modern Language Journal, Foreign Language Annals, COINED Scholarship: Two scholarships for 2 weeks of a Spanish CALICO, and Unterrichtspraxis / Teaching German, and is a frequent language course, to be taken during 2014 in Santiago, Chile. presenter at national and international conferences. Most recently she CELAS Maya Spanish Student/Teacher Scholarship: Two co-facilitated the testing and assessment strand at the Internationaler scholarships; recipients are responsible for all travel to Deutschlehrerverband in Bolzano, Italy. She has served as Editor of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. the Central States Conference Report (1998, 2007, 2008), Interim Editor of Unterrichtspraxis / Teaching German, (Volume 37, 1, 2) and Application deadline for all scholarships is March 31, 2014. Visit Guest Editor of the International Journal of Educational Research. www.actfl.org/scholarships-and-grants for more information and Moeller has been active in ACTFL for the last 25 years and served to complete an application. on numerous committees including the Taskforce on Post Secondary Education, Taskforce on Standards Impact, and the ACTFL Florence Steiner Award and NYSAFLT/ACTFL Anthony Papalia Award committees. She was the recipient of the ACTFL Florence Steiner Award for

The Language Educator n February 2014 13 Inside ACTFL

Leadership in Foreign Language Education as Professor of Foreign Language Education/ Prior to this position, Winne was Postsecondary (2006) and ACTFL/NYSAFLT Second Language Acquisition, she works Director of Foreign Languages for Toledo Anthony Papalia Award for Excellence in with pre-service teachers and has a large Public Schools and led the International Teacher Education (2000). She is an ac- graduate program in FL Education/SLA. Studies Center (a FLAP grant project) for tive member of NCSSFL and served on the She is the Director of the GOLDEN (Ger- 12 years. She has taught languages at all committee to develop the NCSSFL-ACTFL man Online Distance Education Network) levels, elementary through adult, as well as Can-Do Statements (Progress Indicators for MA program, an online graduate degree in foreign language methods at the University Language Learners, 2013). German and German language pedagogy. of Toledo, where she earned her BEd, MEd, She was selected for membership in the This program, named by U.S.News & World and PhD degrees. Winne has also traveled UNL Distinguished Teaching Academy and Report as Best Online Graduate Program in extensively with students and for her own was the recipient of numerous teaching 2014, is designed for K–12 teachers to pro- professional growth. awards at both the university as well as sec- mote access to quality professional develop- She has presented numerous sessions and ondary level. She received the UNL Teaching ment in both content and pedagogy. workshops at local, regional, and national Council and Parents Association Teaching conferences, including a CSCTFL Exten- Award nine times and was the recipient of Lori Winne has sion workshop. She has also received an the Student Foundation/Builders Award for most recently ACTFL-NTC Community Service Award and Outstanding Academic Advising at the Uni- served the lan- two Ohio Foreign Language Professional Ser- versity of Nebraska (2004). She was named guage profession vice Awards. Winne served as 2009 Program the Edith S. Greer Distinguished Professor as Board Chair for Chair for the CSCTFL, Secretary of the Na- (1997), an endowed professorship she has the Central States tional Association of District Supervisors of held for the last 16 years. Conference on the Foreign Languages (NADSFL), 1998–2000, Moeller has taught German and served Teaching of For- and President of the Ohio Foreign Language as TA coordinator in the Department of eign Languages Association (OFLA) in 1995. For the past Modern Languages and Literatures at UNL (CSCTFL). As an nine summers, Winne has been co-director and spent 11 years teaching in Omaha elementary German and Spanish teacher at of Camp OFLA, a residential foreign lan- Public Schools before assuming the position Grove Patterson Academy in Toledo, Ohio, guage camp for kids in grades 4–8. in the Department of Teaching, Learning and she wrote and taught K–8 content-enriched She will be representing the CSCTFL on Teacher Education at UNL. In her position curriculum for 13 years. the ACTFL Board of Directors.

ACTFL Announces the 2014–2015 Mentoring Program Don’t Miss the ACTFL Workshop at Regionals his program is designed to help early Mentees who successfully complete the pro- T career language teachers succeed in gram can earn 2 CEUs through George Mason ACTFL will offer a full-day workshop at their current assignments and learn the skills University. Mentors will be entered into a each regional conference in 2014. to be successful long-term in their careers. raffle for 1 year of free ACTFL Membership. Planning for Student Learning—Effective The mentoring will be conducted virtually. The Mentoring Program will run from Curriculum, Unit, and Lesson Design Mentors and mentees will be matched by September 2014 through May 2015. To Each ACTFL workshop is presented by needs, skills, and experiences. participate in this program, read the program either Donna Clementi or Laura Terrill, the • To be considered as a mentee you guidelines and then complete the appropri- authors of ACTFL’s new publication, The must be a new teacher within your ate application. The application materi- Keys to Planning for Learning. als may be found and submitted at www. first 5 years of teaching. SCOLT (www.scolt.org): March 13 • To be considered as a mentor you actfl.org/professional-development/career- resources/mentoring-program. CSCTFL (www.csctfl.org): March 20 must have completed at least 3 years NECTFL (www.nectfl.org): March 27 of teaching. If you do not fall within DEADLINE: Mentor and mentee applications SWCOLT (www.swcolt.org): April 24 the stated requirements, please in- must be submitted by August 18, 2014. PNCFL: October 9 (held in conjunction clude an explanation of your specific For more information, contact Jaime with WAFLT-COFLT Bi-State Conference - circumstance in your application. Bernstein at [email protected], ACTFL www.waflt.net) Manager of Member Services.

14 The Language Educator n February 2014 Susan Gass

After Susan Gass finished her PhD from Indiana University, she taught at the University of Michigan from 1979 to 1987 before joining the faculty at Michigan State University, where she is currently University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Linguistics, Germanic, Slavic, Asian, and African Languages. She holds a number of positions, including Director of the English Language Center, Director of the Second Language Studies PhD program, Co-Director of the Center for Language Teaching Advancement (CeLTA), Director of the Center for Language Education and Research (CLEAR), and Director of the Arabic Language Flagship. She has also served as President of the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) and the International Association of Applied Linguistics (AILA). Gass has published widely in the field of second language acquisition and was twice the recipient of the ACTFL-MLJ Paul Pimsleur Award for Research in Foreign Language Education (in 1996 with Evangeline Varonis and in 2012 with Luke Plonsky). Gass says, “Language is the key to cross-cultural understanding. Through language and the opportunities that knowing another language brings, everyone of any age is able to think critically about our world and about how different cultures view our world. Language is the essence of our humanity.”

NEW AT THE ACTFL ONLINE STORE ACTFL has published the latest book from well-known international career expert Stacie Nevadomski Berdan— Raising Global Children—which makes a strong case for the various ways that adults can influence and shape the development of a global mindset in children. Get your copy today—and buy one or more as gifts for colleagues, your students’ parents, and friends!

Raising Global Children by Stacie Nevadomski Berdan Check out Stacie Berdan’s other great books also available from ACTFL: Today’s Children Need to Develop a Global Mindset— Go Global! Launching an International Career An Indispensable Tool For Success Here or Abroad Together, as parents and educators, we must instill in our children an interest Member price: $9.99 in learning about the world early on. Raising Global Children provides the Non-member price: $11.99 rationale and concrete steps you can take to open up the world to young Get Ahead by Going Abroad—A Woman’s Guide people—and to do so in a fun and entertaining way without spending a whole to Fast-Track Career Success lot of money. Packed with practical information, hundreds of tips, and dozens Member price: $12.99 of real-life stories, this combination parenting–educational advocacy book is Non-member price: $14.99 the first of its kind to detail whAT raising global children means, why global awareness is important, and how to develop a global mindset. Enthusiastically praised by parents and professionals alike, Raising Global Children is filled with inspiring advice that will change the way you think about raising and educating children.

ACTFL member price: $12.95; Non-member price: $15.95

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The Language Educator n February 2014 15 ACTFL Plenary Session: “The Tipping Point: Language Learning for a Changed World”

Missed the Convention?

We Have Your Answer— 2013!

Couldn’t attend the 2013 Convention? Not to worry! You can now access many of the same great sessions that convention attendees did from the comfort of your own home or classroom. Perhaps you attended the gathering but couldn’t get to everything you wanted? No problem—you can still catch up on some excellent featured sessions, as well as the very well-received keynote address at the Opening General Session. The ACTFL Annual Convention and World Languages Expo is unarguably the world’s most comprehensive event for language educators at all levels of instruction and has long been a staple on language educators’ professional development calendar. For the first time, ACTFL is bringing a portion of the convention directly to you! Don’t miss out on this incredible professional learning experience just because you couldn’t make it to Orlando. For a nominal fee, you now have an opportunity to access a selection of sessions from the 2013 ACTFL Convention and earn professional development credits or CEUs.

All registration information is available online at www.actfl.org/ • A package of 10 learning sessions selected from more than access-actfl. Before you sign up, you can: 600 sessions presented at ACTFL 2013: • View the welcome address by 2013 ACTFL President Toni Theisen • The Keys to Planning for Learning: Focus on Unit Design • See the presentation of the 2014 ACTFL National Language • Assessing Performance—Using AAPPL to Improve Teacher of the Year Award to Linda Egnatz Language Learning • Check out ACTFL’s best-selling books during the 2013 • Global Possibilities for Students—Helping Students Reach convention Their Linguistic Destinations • Hear what both attendees and exhibitors had to say about • The IPA as a Framework for Thematic Units ACTFL 2013 • The Keys to Planning for Learning: Linking Curriculum to Performance By registering for Access ACTFL, you can earn 12 hours of • Building Proficiency Using Classroom Formative Assessments professional development units or CEU credits. • Real-World Texts: Building Critical Thinking Skills and You will get: Cultural Understanding • Full content of the convention keynote address by Tony • Common Core and Language Learning: Developing Literacy Wagner: “Creating Innovators with Play, Passion, and Purpose” • Taking on the Tough Guys: Homework, Grading, and Feedback • The ACTFL Plenary Session: “The Tipping Point—Language • See What Goes on in the Classroom of the ACTFL National Learning for a Changed World” Language Teacher of the Year! • All handout materials from those videotaped sessions

16 The Language Educator n February 2014 ACTFL Plenary Session: “The Tipping Point: Language Learning for a Changed World” Missed the Convention? PMLA Publications of the Modern Language Association of America We Have Your Answer— 2013! PMLA Is Online Containing more than 1,300 pages a year, PMLA is Couldn’t attend the available from all FilmArobics, Inc. major subscription 2013 Convention? Not to worry! You can Learning Language services. Library now access many of the same great sessions that convention attendees did from the Through Film subscribers receive comfort of your own home or classroom. Perhaps you attended the gathering but current issues couldn’t get to everything you wanted? No problem—you can still catch up on some 724 E. Eisenhower Avenue electronically (in PDF) and may excellent featured sessions, as well as the very well-received keynote address at the Palatine, IL 60074 www.mlajournals.org choose to receive Opening General Session. 1-800 TEACH-IT them in print as well; 2014 subscribers will also The ACTFL Annual Convention and World Languages Expo is unarguably the world’s 1-800 (832-2446) receive all issues from 2002–13 in electronic form. (An most comprehensive event for language educators at all levels of instruction and has fax: 847-367-5669 electronic archive of PMLA issues from 1884 to 2008 is long been a staple on language educators’ professional development calendar. For the www.filmarobics.com available through JSTOR.) first time, ACTFL is bringing a portion of the convention directly to you! [email protected] Don’t miss out on this incredible professional learning experience just because The leading journal in literary studies you couldn’t make it to Orlando. For a nominal fee, you now have an opportunity to for more than a century, PMLA reach- access a selection of sessions from the 2013 ACTFL Convention and earn professional es over 27,000 subscribers and 1,900 development credits or CEUs. libraries—the largest circulation of any scholarly journal in the humanities.

Upcoming Special Issues All registration information is available online at www.actfl.org/ • A package of 10 learning sessions selected from more than Leslie Boaz access-actfl. Before you sign up, you can: 600 sessions presented at ACTFL 2013: October 2015 Emotions: what role have they played in • View the welcome address by 2013 ACTFL President Toni Theisen • The Keys to Planning for Learning: Focus on Unit Design Leslie Boaz teaches Spanish and French cultures around the world? • See the presentation of the 2014 ACTFL National Language • Assessing Performance—Using AAPPL to Improve at Wheatland High School in Wheatland, Teacher of the Year Award to Linda Egnatz Language Learning October 2016 Literature WY, as well as French classes through the area community college. in the World: reflections on • Check out ACTFL’s best-selling books during the 2013 • Global Possibilities for Students—Helping Students Reach She was the 2010 Wyoming Foreign Language Teachers Associa- the diversity of dominant convention Their Linguistic Destinations tion (WFLTA) Teacher of the Year, 2011 Pacific Northwest Council and less-taught languages for Languages (PNCFL) Teacher of the Year, and a 2013 ACTFL • Hear what both attendees and exhibitors had to say about • The IPA as a Framework for Thematic Units and of their spheres of use. ACTFL 2013 • The Keys to Planning for Learning: Linking Curriculum to National Language Teacher of the Year finalist. She has served as WFLTA Executive Council Member, Secretary-Treasurer, President- Performance Value Pricing By registering for Access ACTFL, you can earn 12 hours of Elect, and President. Currently, she is WFLTA Past President, the • Building Proficiency Using Classroom Formative Assessments A subscription to the professional development units or CEU credits. WFLTA representative to PNCFL, and PNCFL President-Elect. She • Real-World Texts: Building Critical Thinking Skills and chairs the state team for language advocacy, has been a delegate to electronic format is $190 and to the print and electronic formats is $210 You will get: Cultural Understanding the ACTFL Assembly of Delegates, and helped chair the Wyoming (domestic and Canadian) or $240 (foreign). • Full content of the convention keynote address by Tony • Common Core and Language Learning: Developing Literacy State Standards Foreign Language Review and the University of Wagner: “Creating Innovators with Play, Passion, and Purpose” Wyoming P–21 Council Foreign Language Articulation project. • Taking on the Tough Guys: Homework, Grading, and Feedback Free Trial Subscription • The ACTFL Plenary Session: “The Tipping Point—Language Boaz believes all students can learn a language. “I strive to make • See What Goes on in the Classroom of the ACTFL National my classroom a positive learning environment, and believe that we For a free trial subscription to the electronic version Learning for a Changed World” Language Teacher of the Year! need to focus our classrooms toward building great communicators,” of PMLA, or for more information, please write or call • All handout materials from those videotaped sessions she explains. “Language classrooms open the door to the world and Library Subscriptions, Modern Language Association, help students understand and appreciate the lingual, cultural, and 26 Broadway, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10004-1789; Register now for only $129 online at www.actfl.org/access-actfl. Access remains active until June 2014. social makeup of the world. We give students skills to be success- 646 576-5166; fax 646 576-5160; [email protected]. ful as we build their understanding of the world and ability to work All prices subject to change. with its citizens.”

The Language Educator n February 2014 17 The Focus on assessment Learner and Feedback

Technology

Instruction

Cultural Proficiency

Assessment and Feedback

Editor’s Note: We continue our series of six theme issues of The Language Educator with this focus on Assessment and Feedback. The articles here, selected by a review team of language educators, provide specific examples of implementation in language Professional Development learning that will foster ongoing discussion. The Language Educator will conclude this series with a thorough exploration of Professional Development in April. We sincerely thank Greg Duncan of InterPrep, Inc. for agreeing to write an introduction to this special section focusing on Assessment Embracing the Paradigm Shift in and Feedback. Learning and Assessment By Greg Duncan What kinds of assessments improve For more than a century, our nation has focused on assessment of learning (i.e., summative assessment): Students attend classes and take learning and teaching? tests, and we give them grades. But Popham (2008) and Stiggins (2007) remind us that what motivated learners need is assessment for learning. anguage learning in the 21st century must apply to the real world. We need to provide students opportunities to get feedback while they Embracing this perspective has required the entire language teach- L are on the learning path, regarding what they have already accom- ing profession to re-envision how to enable learning and has resulted plished and what remains to be addressed (i.e., formative assessment). in a paradigm shift, over the last three decades, focusing less on It is imperative that we clarify the difference between these two students being able to talk and write about language and more on stu- types of assessment—that we understand (1) the power of forma- dents being able to use language in real-life contexts. It’s exactly where tive assessment (maybe better labeled “formative feedback”) to guide language learning should be—and it’s what our learners deserve. learners as they learn; and (2) the opportunity provided by summa- Keller (1983) advises us that when learners get what they want or tive assessment to celebrate success as learners demonstrate their need, they experience increased motivation for learning. But motiva- ability to use language in real-world situations. tion only survives if students feel like they are meeting their goals. When our instruction focuses on performance or proficiency (i.e., When the teacher’s focus is on giving motivated learners what they real-life language use), our assessments must mirror that approach. need in order to grow, the purpose of assessment becomes clear. Scholars such as Mueller (2013), Wiggins (1993), and Stiggins (1987) remind us that “authentic assessment” mirrors what and how students Talk about this issue in the discussion group in the have learned in class and puts them into real-world situations to dem- ACTFL Online Community—The Language Educator Magazine (tinyurl.com/the-language-educator). onstrate their knowledge and skills. Many teachers, however, still feel Proficiency Guidelines 2012 and organized by communicative mode, challenged to create assessments that mimic tasks from the real world. LinguaFolio is useful in describing the kinds of tasks and functions stu- An easy default can become the “end of unit test” when students sit dents need to be able to do in order to reach certain levels of proficiency. (and mostly write) to show us what they know about language. When we plan learning and assessment experiences to appeal to When students perceive that the language class is about giving them learners, we are empowering them to take charge of their own learn- worthwhile skills, they invest more of themselves in the learning pro- ing and to go beyond what we as teachers can provide. Central to cess. When teachers use performance-based assessments, they find that, such learning is the critical role of feedback. Self-efficacious learners rather than injecting a “testing” element of fear and dread, assessment must have meaningful feedback for learning to continue (Brookhart, becomes an energizing addition that provides focus, clarity, and purpose. 2008). This comes in a variety of forms—from informal help as we Such assessments bring new meaning to the term “teaching to the test.” circulate during activities to thoughtful written reactions on assign- Let’s clarify: Teaching to a bad test is bad; teaching to a good test is good. ments to face-to-face conferences throughout the school year. Shortly after the publication of the ACTFL Performance Guidelines Research is convincing about two things: Students need “dollops” for K–12 Learners (1998), ACTFL stepped up to help language educa- of feedback (Hattie, 1992), and feedback must be descriptive rather tors view performance assessment in a more contextual way when than evaluative. Unfortunately, much of the feedback we provide our it introduced the concept of the Integrated Performance Assessment students is evaluative in nature. Letter grades, numbers associated (IPA). This process of three linked assessments brings the student first with a rubric, or comments like “Great job” are examples of evalua- to an interpretive experience in which he or she reads or hears informative feedback, which is, by its nature, judgmental and closed-ended. tion on a topic. After demonstrating his or her understanding of the Evaluative feedback generally does not include guidance about what text (whether read or heard), the student moves to an interpersonal needs to be done to improve. The central question to ask about feed- task that requires either speaking or writing, and finally participates back is if the learner knows how to improve as a result. If the answer in a presentational task also linked to the same topic. The organic feel is “no,” chances are it was evaluative. Descriptive feedback, on the to this assessment plays right into the real-life nature of language use. other hand, lets students know how they did in the context of what The Ohio Foreign Language Association has created a comprehensive was expected, and always includes an opportunity for the learner to website on the IPA (tinyurl.com/ofla-ipa) which provides exemplars, a think through what to do to make the product better. template for creating an IPA, and other helpful information. ACTFL has Within the assessment arena, the latest frontier for language recently published Implementing Integrated Performance Assessment educators seems to be the alignment of teaching, assessing, and grad- (2013), which guides educators toward using IPAs with their students. ing. Standards-based grading (describing student progress relative Developing assessments can be time-consuming, but the more we to established standards of performance), rather than letter grades, can share with one another, the lighter the burden becomes. Teachers has long been an accepted practice of elementary schools—a time in Jefferson County (KY) Public Schools have created and posted a when parents want to know how well their children are acquiring number of good examples of performance-based assessments nestled certain skills that will affect future learning in higher grades. But within thematic frameworks for Levels 1, 2 and 3 of middle and high then, somehow, our society seems to find it acceptable for schools to school (tinyurl.com/jefferson-county-ky-ipa). Another site of shared move to a more traditional—and less informative—way of report- resources and exemplars comes from four New Jersey school districts, ing progress. Fortunately, some visionary school districts are moving who joined forces through a three-year Foreign Language Assistance forward to push standards-based grading beyond just early educa- Program (FLAP) grant to create what they call thematically organized tion. One example is the Adlai E. Stevenson High School District assessments (flenj.org/CAPS/rubrics.shtml), similar in concept to IPAs. 125 outside Chicago. Its Evidenced Based Reporting initiative (www. One of the most powerful assessment tools at a teacher’s disposal myebrexperience.com/mission--vision--norms.html) aims to “report is self and peer reflection on learning. Many teachers use the highly grades that are accurate, consistent, meaningful and supportive of effective practice of sharing “can-do” statements for courses, units and/ learning.” This example heralds a fresh and better way to describe or lessons with their students and then helping them to monitor their progress and to communicate that progress to stakeholders. journey toward meeting those goals (see www.actfl.org/publications/ Assessment is the key to language learning. Only through the as- guidelines-and-manuals/ncssfl-actfl-can-do-statements). Such tools are sessment lens can learners find out if they are meeting their goals, to powerful in the hands of motivated learners, as they reflect on their own what extent those goals are being met, and what they still need to do. learning and help assess the learning of classmates. Another useful tool Through the feedback received, our students’ motivational fires are for self and peer reflection is LinguaFolio® (www.ncssfl.org/links/index. fed. When we combine authentic assessment and authentic reporting php?linguafolio), developed by the National Council of State Supervi- of progress, we put a powerful tool in the hands of potential lifelong sors for Languages (NCSSFL). Calibrated against the levels of the ACTFL language learners.

References Hattie, J. (1992). Measuring the effects of Stiggins, R.J. (1987). The design and development schooling. Australian Journal of Education, 36(1). of performance assessments. Educational ACTFL (1998). Performance guidelines for K–12 Measurement: Issues and Practice, 6(33–42). learners. Yonkers, NY: Author. Keller, J.M. (1983). Motivational design of instruction. In C.M. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional design theories Stiggins, R.J. (2007). Assessment for learning: An Adair-Hauck, B., Glisan, E.W., & Troyan, F.J. (2013). and models (pp. 386–433). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. essential foundation of productive instruction. Implementing integrated performance assessment. In D. Reeves (Ed.), Ahead of the curve. Alexandria, VA: ACTFL. Mueller, J. (2013). Authentic assessment toolbox. Retrieved from http://jfmueller.faculty.noctrl. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree. Brookhart, S.M. (2008). How to give effective feedback edu/toolbox/index.htm, December 23, 2013. Wiggins, G.P. (1993). Assessing student performance. to your students. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Popham, W. J. (2008). Transformative assessment. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

The Language Educator n February 2014 19 Special Focus on Assessment and Feedback

By Douglass Crouse Using Real-World Tasks to Assess Student Performance

imee Mack came to a quick realization traditionally non-tested subjects such as world A last spring as she and colleagues pored languages and the arts in the assessment mix. over Connecticut’s new teacher evaluation “We’re really seeing a confluence of things, system: Their jobs would depend on being from Race to the Top to the shift in teacher able to share evidence of their language learn- evaluations,” says Craig Waterman, Assess- ers’ growth with the entire school community. ment Coordinator for District-Determined “We knew that as a department we were Measures at the Department of Elementary going to be looking at data as part of our and Secondary Education in Massachusetts, evaluation,” says Mack, a French teacher and where at least three districts have begun world languages team leader at Brookfield using AAPPL. “But student learning can’t The kids love the test. High School. “That made me wonder: Does a just be (measured as) growth on traditional They say, “Wow can we standardized test for world languages exist?” standardized tests. That’s not the full range of She soon heard about something that what we do in schools. The majority of teach- do that again?” seemed to fit the bill: the ACTFL Assess- ers are teaching in content areas that aren’t —Gregg Roberts ment of Performance toward Proficiency in currently assessed using standardized tests. Languages. Called AAPPL Measure or simply Those teachers want feedback about what like having an external assessment because AAPPL, the online, performance-based test they’re doing. The goal is to expand the range it’s standardized and we can see how well assesses students in the Interpersonal, Inter- of what we’re assessing, to cover the full our programs are doing.” pretive and Presentational modes of com- range of learning that takes place in school.” Language departments have experi- munication, with tasks that require learners With such aims in mind, Mack piloted mented with a wide variety of assessments to listen, read, speak, and write about topics AAPPL last spring with 80 of her French in recent years, from district-generated tests commonly explored in language classrooms. students, who took a version of the test that to commercial models. In 2001, ACTFL and Each task—whether typing out an e-mail assesses learners in the Novice-to-Intermediate other organizations worked with the Center message, video chatting with a recorded na- range as described by the ACTFL Proficiency for Applied Linguistics to create the frame- tive speaker, or making selections based on an Guidelines 2012 and the ACTFL Performance work for the Foreign Language National As- understanding of something heard, read, or Descriptors for Language Learners. (A second sessment of Educational Progress (FL NAEP) viewed—occurs in the context of a Standards- version targets Intermediate-to-Advanced learn- which targeted 2003 as the launch year for a based classroom. Students can take one or all ers.) Based on her positive experience, Mack Spanish-language test for students in Grade portions of the test; they then receive reports and her colleagues had all their French and 12. The design of the FL NAEP pushed the that classify their demonstrated level of Spanish students complete the Interpersonal boundaries of large-scale testing of languages performance and offer detailed suggestions for Speaking and Listening portion of the test this by including a simulated conversation and moving up. (Sample tests in Arabic, Chinese, past fall. They plan to re-assess in the spring. designing authentic tasks to assess Interpre- French, German, Spanish, and Russian can be Mack and instructors at other districts tive and Presentational modes of communi- found at aappl.actfl.org/demo. More languag- that have piloted AAPPL say the content cation. Due to funding cuts, the FL NAEP es are being added, including English.) and format of the test have fueled discus- was never officially administered. AAPPL’s availability comes as states grapple sions about what needs to happen in their Out of that initiative came much of the with two interrelated, high-stakes challenges: classrooms in order for students to achieve research and thinking that ultimately shaped (1) finding ways to evaluate teachers’ effec- proficiency gains. AAPPL’s proving grounds AAPPL, which was further enhanced by a tiveness in the classroom and (2) identifying include Utah, where the state’s dual language FLAP grant and pilot testing in Glastonbury assessments that reliably gauge what students immersion students now take the test. Public Schools and funding from several know and are able to do. This quest is espe- “We know that instruction is always driv- STARTALK projects. Language Testing Inter- cially critical given that many states weigh—or en by what you test,” says Gregg Roberts, the national (ACTFL’s official testing office) pro- soon will weigh—students’ standardized test state’s World Languages and Dual Immersion grammed a production version and built the scores heavily in teacher evaluations, and also Specialist. “Students need proficiency targets Internet delivery, rating, and client reporting because pressure has mounted to include so their language will be stretched. And we platforms.

20 The Language Educator n February 2014 How AAPPL Is Scored “We wanted to address the fundamental test takers receive a score report that rates their level of perfor- question of, ‘What does language assessment AAPPL mance in each of the three communication modes from N-1 up to look like?’” says ACTFL Director of Education I-5, along with concrete recommendations for reaching the next level. Paul Sandrock. “We needed evidence of all A score of N-1 reflects the abilities described as Novice Low in the ACTFL Proficiency three modes and it had to have an authentic Guidelines 2012. Scores of N-2 and N-3 reflect Novice-Mid abilities, with N-3 being a stron- feel. It was really the NAEP project that gave ger performance within the Novice-Mid range; N-4 reflects Novice-High abilities. This means it a lot of push, that ‘this is possible.’” that a learner who receives the score of N-4, in addition to performing all Novice level After five years in development, AAPPL functions fully, also shows performance at the Intermediate level, but not consistently. went live in January 2013. Since then, nearly Within the Intermediate level, a score of I-1 reflects the abilities described as 20,000 students have taken the test in ap- Intermediate Low in the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines 2012. Scores of I-2, I-3, and I-4 proximately 130 school districts. As part of are all in the Intermediate-Mid range. Given that Intermediate Mid represents a broad its effort to identify quality assessments for range of abilities, the delineation allows learners and teachers to determine where the its own districts, Massachusetts hired San performance falls within that broad range and to track progress within that range. I-5 Francisco-based WestEd, a nonprofit focused reflects Intermediate-High abilities. This means that a learner who receives the score on educational research and analysis since of I-5, in addition to performing all Intermediate-level functions fully, also shows 1966. WestEd evaluated AAPPL as part of an performance at the Advanced level, but not consistently. Learners are presented with examination of assessments in diverse subject Advanced-level tasks on Form B so that they are given the opportunity to provide areas to determine which aligned with state evidence of performance at that level. standards and could be considered for use by ACTFL Proficiency ACTFL AAPPL Measure districts, says Carlos Camargo, Project Man- Form Guidelines Performance Scale Performance Score ager and Assessment Coordinator for WestEd. Intermediate High I-5 “One of the reasons that AAPPL came out Intermediate Mid I-4 ahead in reliability and validity is because Intermediate Mid Intermediate I-3 ACTFL has strong assessment programs and B has been testing this program with thousands Intermediate Mid I-2 Intermediate Low I-1 of students across the country,” Camargo A says. “There were some new vendors that . . . Novice High N-4 lacked data on whether their assessments Novice Mid N-3 Novice worked for different populations of students. Novice Mid N-2 There was also a great deal of information to Novice Low N-1 support the interpretation coming out of the [AAPPL] test. At the end of the day, we think of assessment as an interpretation argument. and district leaders wondered how students in students can see if they’re on track for achieve- It boils down to a number on a scale, and different schools would fare, says Matt Rega, ment on [Advanced Placement] language all the documentation has to support that Director of Assessment. They were pleased, he exams. Students—and their parents—will number. AAPPL is a good measure that can says, when they read through the score reports know that if they continue to meet those say, ‘This student has these proficiencies and a few days after tests were administered. “We targets that they’re in good shape to score high competencies compared to other students.’” found it was pretty consistent across buildings, on the AP exam by the end of ninth grade.” AAPPL provides information for the test with all (scores) falling within one sub-level on Minnetonka’s adoption of AAPPL reflects taker, instructors, parents, and district leaders the proficiency scale,” notes Rega. a growing wave of interest in language im- that helps all stakeholders see where indi- Minnetonka began using AAPPL this past mersion programs in Minnesota and other vidual and group learning stands, where gaps fall as an alternative to homegrown assess- parts of the country. Rega credits his own reside, and how to move students forward. ments and a previous commercial test. From district’s program with helping reverse a That was an important consideration here on, the district plans to assess immer- negative enrollment trend by attracting stu- for school administrators in Minnetonka, sion students once a year in the spring as dents from other districts. MN, where Spanish and Chinese immersion part of a districtwide drive to gauge progress Seven years ago, he says, enrollment had students in Grades 3–5 took the Interpre- toward grade-level proficiency targets. dropped to about 6,600 students in Grades tive Reading, Interpersonal Listening and AAPPL offers a comprehensive, one-stop K–7. Now, six years after immersion came Speaking, and Interpretive Listening por- assessment that students say they enjoy and to Minnetonka, enrollment stands at 9,800, tions of AAPPL Measure this past fall. The which allows teachers to use a common Rega says, with more than 2,200 students district’s language teachers were familiar with vocabulary of proficiency when discussing stu- enrolled in the immersion program. the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines, but they dent work and progress,” Rega says. “Teachers In Utah—a state that has become a sought precision on their students’ progress have even created end-of-year targets where national model of success for dual language

The Language Educator n February 2014 21 Special Focus on Assessment and Feedback Learn more about AAPPL at www.aappl.org. immersion—the use of AAPPL is an important component of students’ proficiency-based Many of Mack’s students in Connecticut Intermediate Mid. A teacher might say of the learning, according to Roberts. Immersion viewed AAPPL as “just something else we were first student, ‘But he talked and talked!’ Then students receive proficiency ratings on their doing in class,” she says. Still, it was a different we have to ask, ‘But what did he really say?’” report cards rather than grades, which parents way of being evaluated. “Students had had a Already, feedback from students who have learned how to interpret at open house bit of one-on-one assessments with me, but have taken AAPPL has led some teachers meetings. The state even brings in university the whole computer-based element was new to to change their strategies and emphases in professors trained in conducting modified oral them. I like that the creators of the assessment class. Some of Mack’s students, for example, proficiency interviews (OPIs) to check that go to lengths to make it look like (the native said they struggled to recall some of what students are on track to hit proficiency targets. speaker) is listening. The kids are sometimes they had learned in earlier years of study. fooled: Is this person really seeing me?” “Many upper-level students said they wished At a time of shrunken school budgets they had remembered some older vocabulary; around the country, cost was a factor in for example, they hadn’t really had school Brookfield’s decision to adopt a commer- vocabulary since French I.” That, she says, cial test. AAPPL costs $20 per test taker for made her “think about spiraling and always the complete, four-part assessment. The going back to reinforce the most basic skills. It interpersonal portion alone, which is rated also has forced me to focus more on speaking by certified evaluators, costs $10 per student and reading. Part of my evaluation is: How can and the presentational writing portion $5. I incorporate the things that are emphasized in The interpretive reading and listening por- the test in my everyday instruction?” It answers this very basic tions are offered together for $5. Mack also has taken time to explain to students the value of the score report and question: “When it comes Mack and her colleagues were asked to present—and justify—their wishes. For the strategies for improvement that each to communication, can this Mack, the sole French teacher at her high includes. “We’ve talked about [the Novice person get the job done?” school, a key argument was the difficulty ratings of N-1 and N-2] and what each —Carlos Camargo in finding an independent rater to evaluate means. We had never had that conversation large numbers of speaking samples. After before. Before, it was, ‘You’re getting an A or Third-grade dual immersion students in hearing this and other teachers’ input, school a B.’ This isn’t about a letter grade. It’s about French, Spanish, and Mandarin took the In- board members approved the Interpersonal improving. It’s the idea that everyone is at terpersonal Speaking and Listening portion Speaking and Listening portion of the test a different level and all they’re trying to do of AAPPL on a required basis for the first for all French and Spanish students. is go up a level. If my students achieve that time last spring. Brookfield took that action as part of an goal when we do the spring assessment, that’s “Our elementary immersion program is overhaul of its foreign language program, information I’ll want to share with people.” driving our secondary program, as parents undertaken with guidance from Glastonbury Performance assessments such as AAPPL, demand that the high school program incor- Public Schools’ world languages department. with the emphasis on measuring what stu- porate proficiency targets as well,” Roberts Glastonbury, which offers six languages dents can do with language, go to the heart says. “I always tell colleagues (in other states), taught by more than 50 teachers, played an im- of effective communication, says Camargo if your state standards are proficiency-set, it’s portant role in piloting AAPPL through work of WestEd, a devout linguaphile who is cur- easier to get immersion schools in place and funded by a five-year FLAP grant. The district rently teaching himself Korean. attract younger students. That gets the high piloted AAPPL with high school students, “Language is about communication and school and secondary teachers to take notice, recently added it as a benchmark measure for exchange. It’s not information alone, but and they start to really create and design their eighth graders, and may try it out at the fifth- using information in a particular context to curriculum around proficiency.” grade level, says Rita Oleksak, Director of the move things or other people. What AAPPL does is measure the efficacy of that ex- For students and teachers, AAPPL hasn’t district’s foreign language department. change, and that’s very novel,” says Camargo. produced the type of anxiety usually associ- “We’re looking at what the results tell What’s more, he adds, “it focuses on what ated with standardized tests, Roberts says. us,” says Oleksak, a former ACTFL President it takes to move along that continuum from “Teachers see the benefits of having the who was recently named NADSFL Supervi- Novice to Advanced. It answers this very (speaking) prompts as part of their instruc- sor of the Year. “It presents a good opportu- basic question: ‘When it comes to communi- tions. And the kids love the test. They say, nity for teachers to think through, analyze, cation, can this person get the job done?’” ‘Wow can we do that again?’” Roberts says. and interpret the data. For instance, what if “Parents (love it), too. They say, ‘Someone’s you have a student who’s great in class but Douglass Crouse is a contributing writer to The finally telling me what my child can do with only comes out at Novice High? And then Language Educator. He also teaches French at Sparta the language they’re learning.’” you have a quiet student who comes out at Middle School in Sparta, New Jersey.

22 The Language Educator n February 2014 Assessments Improve Learning and Teaching

How to Develop, Implement, and Maintain a Performance Assessment Program By David Jahner

he world language profession has made significant advances Establish Goals and Proficiency Targets in performance assessment during the past 15–20 years. Most T Once you have gathered essential resources and become familiar language educators have at least a basic understanding of the three with them, determine what you want to assess and how you want modes of communication and know the importance of encourag- to assess that performance. Which communicative mode do you ing learners to communicate in the target language. But questions want to assess? What course(s) are you going to focus on? If you are still remain: How well should students perform at various points starting out, it may be easier to select one mode (e.g., Presentational along their language learning journey? Can students analyze their speaking) and one level and develop it thoroughly than to develop performances to target areas for improvement? Is there a common multiple assessments concurrently. understanding of performance among the language educators in your “Start small! Quality is far more important than quantity,” advises school, district, and/or state? Laura Droms, Spanish teacher and department chair at Mountain For an individual teacher, department, or district, developing and View High School (GA). Tasks that assess multiple modes with implementing a quality performance assessment program can help document-based questions and authentic materials take longer to you begin to answer these questions.

Getting Started: Do Your Homework! In order to implement a successful performance assessment program, Performance Assessment Resources it is essential to do your homework. The more time, discussion, and ACTFL Performance Descriptors for Language Learners research your team devotes at the onset, the higher the payoff in the www.actfl.org/publications/guidelines-and-manuals/actfl- long run. Begin by reading current research from the general educa- performance-descriptors-language-learners tion field on topics such as performance assessment and the role of formative assessment before looking at documents that are specific ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines 2012 to world languages. Doing so will help you determine where world www.actfl.org/publications/guidelines-and-manuals/actfl- language performance assessment fits into the bigger picture. proficiency-guidelines-2012 “Start with the end,” says Greta Lundgaard, Plano Independent Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition School District (TX) World Language Coordinator. “Assessment tasks (CARLA) and rubrics need to align with and reflect student learning goals www.carla.umn.edu outlined for each course at the state or district level.” Center for Applied Second Language Studies (CASLS) When it is time to dive into language-specific resources, there is a www.casls.uoregon.edu wealth of information available. Compile documents that will be crucial to any performance assessment project. Make sure your work is ground- Center for Language Education and Research (CLEAR) ed in realistic expectations by referring to the newly refreshed World- www.clear.msu.edu Readiness Standards for Learning Languages, the ACTFL Performance NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements Descriptors for Language Learners, ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines 2012, www.actfl.org/publications/guidelines-and-manuals/ncssfl- Scoring Guidelines from Advanced Placement exams, STARTALK re- actfl-can-do-statements sources, and the recently released NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements. Scoring Guidelines from Advanced Placement exams National Language Resource Center websites such as CARLA, CLEAR, media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/ap/apcentral/ap13_ and CASLS also provide a wealth of information about the performance french_lang_scoring_guidelines.pdf assessment development cycle as well as additional resources and research (see box for website URLs). These documents can help guide STARTALK resources discussions and expectations about how well students can be expected https://startalk.umd.edu to perform and should be referred to throughout the development World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages process to ensure tasks and rubrics align to proficiency targets. Start by www.actfl.org/publications/all/world-readiness-standards- asking what language functions students should be able to demonstrate learning-languages at the end of the academic year and then work backward.

The Language Educator n February 2014 23 Special Focus on Assessment and Feedback

create and are by their nature more complex. Keep detailed records Watch out for: of your team’s discussions and the evolution of the assessment pro- • Specific grammar equirementsr gram. If you work out the details of the development process with • Prescribed number of sentences and topics the first type of rubric and task, it will make it easier once you are • Questionable real-world scenarios ready to move on to other types of performance tasks. If you have a large department or district, different teams could work on different Better Prompt: types of tasks (e.g., one group works on Interpersonal writing while You are excited about summer camp. Your camp counselor has another works with Interpersonal speaking, and yet another works e-mailed you information about three roommates. Review the stu- on integrated performance assessments [IPAs]). dent profiles and based on your own activities, interests, and person- It is also crucial that everyone working on the assessment project ality; decide which person will be the best roommate for you. Take agree on proficiency targets. For example, if the desired learning profi- some notes and leave your camp counselor a voice mail introducing ciency target for the end of the second year of instruction is Intermedi- yourself and naming your roommate and explaining your choice. Try ate Low, the tasks and rubrics need to be aligned to those district or to fill up the 2-minute limit on your camp counselor’s voice mail. state level established benchmarks. Using the aforementioned docu- Task includes the following components: ments, especially the ACTFL Performance Descriptors and NCSSFL- • More open-ended; gives students opportunity to show off what ACTFL Can-Do Statements, will ensure everyone has a clearer under- they can do standing of what students should know and be able to do. • Descriptions of three potential roommates provides scaffolding information, to prompt the unrehearsed speaking task without Developing Tasks limiting it by dictating specific things to say After you have agreed upon learning targets and have an understand- • Plausible real-world scenario ing of the functions to be assessed, it is time to develop tasks to pilot in the classroom. Don’t start from scratch to create tasks; instead, in- Once tasks have been developed, ask a colleague or two to re- corporate resources you have gathered at conferences and workshops, spond to the prompt as if they were students. This can help ensure and from websites and others. Because so much thought and work the task is worded properly and will elicit the kinds of responses you was put into the theoretical underpinnings of the program, creat- are seeking. It is also crucial that responses can be tied back to the ing tasks that align to a targeted performance level should be made learning standard(s) and language functions you want to assess. Once somewhat easier. However, it is important to note that while it may be again, refer to the documents referenced earlier in this article to make comparatively easy to develop a task, developing a solid task can take sure your tasks are not too easy or too difficult. The tasks also need to time and needs to be field tested if possible. It is also crucial for tasks align with the proficiency targets established earlier in the process. to be based in a real-world context that is meaningful to learners. Melanie Hutsell from Peachtree Ridge High School (GA) con- Designing the Rubric curs: “A real-life connection is important, I think, for kids to see the After determining what type of assessment you want to develop and relevance and the meaning of what they are doing. Quality tasks also creating a common understanding and agreement of the skills stu- have some built-in challenges to encourage students to push them- dents should exhibit at the end of a given period of instruction, the selves beyond the basic requirements.” next step is to determine how you will assess student performances. A word of caution: While it is important to develop tasks that Coupled with that in most cases will also be deliberations of how provide a real-world context, it is also important that the context be that evaluation will convert to a grade. plausible and not contrived. “It does not make sense to write a letter Some important questions to ask at this stage include: How many to your principal offering solutions for bullying if he or she does not criteria and performance levels will there be? Is your rubric written in speak the target language. A better option would be to write a com- student-friendly language? Does a student have to exceed expectations ment on an anti-bullying blog that exists in the target language,” ad- in order to receive an A? What is the minimum amount of evidence a vises Holly Brodnax, Spanish teacher at Grayson High School (GA). student needs to provide? The answers to these types of questions will Below is another example of an ineffective versus effective task, as likely vary based on school, district, or state policies. Most impor- suggested by Lundgaard, which includes things to look out for when tant, however, is the fact that analytic rubrics are excellent diagnostic developing tasks. tools for students and consistent use of the same rubric informs students for each and every performance. Weaker Prompt: “One of the major advantages to using rubrics is to give learn- Record a podcast for your new ePal. Make sure to say at least three ers feedback on how to improve their performance the next time,” complete sentences in the first person about at least three of the follow- contends Lundgaard. Rubrics that can be flexible enough to work ing topics: your family; what your family members are like; your school for a variety of situations (e.g., classroom tasks, quizzes, and larger schedule and activities; what your friends are like; your hobbies and assessments) enable learners to gain a clearer and more consistent interests. Bonus: Talk about what you are going to do this summer. picture of performance goals.

24 The Language Educator n February 2014 Assessments Improve Learning and Teaching

Once a rubric/scoring guideline is established, determine what ad- with the scoring rubrics, but the teacher is also reinforcing how to ditional resources teachers and students will need to understand how interpret the rubric and encouraging learners to set goals. That way, to interpret and apply the rubric. Hutsell agrees: “Performance assess- when the teacher provides his/her evaluation of the performance, the ment can be revolutionary for many teachers. Teachers need to under- student can compare his/her score with the teacher’s. Students can stand what kinds of activities work when shifting to performance mea- also begin to assess one another’s performances and provide quality sures and need training on strategies, rubrics, and implementation.” feedback, so the burden does not always lie with the teacher. Often this means creating a more detailed explanation of the rubric. For example, if “task completion” is one of the domains in the rubric, Ongoing Refinement what does “superior completion” versus “adequate completion” of a After all the work of developing the rubric and tasks, how can your given task mean and how can you ensure that teachers share a com- team know if the implementation is successful? By its nature, per- mon understanding of that difference? If “language control” is one of formance assessment rubrics and tasks need to be viewed as organic the domains, what is the difference between “full control” and “partial documents that are evaluated and refined on a regular basis. Teachers control”? Anticipate the sticking points and try to provide as much should retain representative samples of student performance from detail as possible. Doing so will help ensure a more successful rollout throughout the year that can be used to establish benchmarks of and provide the basis for ongoing professional learning. Again, it is im- various performance levels. It can also inform whether or not the portant to make sure your rubrics and explanations are aligned to the tasks and rubrics are functioning as anticipated. Do instructors agree learning targets established earlier. Double check your rubric language that a sample is representative of a performance level on the rubric? with the language found in the documents referenced in this article. At Why? Do student performances reveal gaps in the rubric that weren’t this point, the learners become directly involved in the process. anticipated? Does the task need to be revised? Writing out justifica- tions of various student performance levels can help inform and Preparing Learners for the First Performance Assessment deepen understanding of the assessments, not only for teachers, but Not only is it important for teachers to understand the scoring also for learners. As teachers and learners become more familiar with guidelines and how to interpret them, but it is essential that students the rubrics, it is likely that student performance will improve. understand how their performances are going to be evaluated. Nearly Constantly applying actual student performances to the scoring every learner who enters a language classroom wants to be able to guidelines insures a deep understanding of the rubrics and expected speak the target language, so it should make sense to them that their student performance for everyone involved. It also provides oppor- ability to communicate in the target language would be an essential tunities for language teachers to demonstrate how well students are part of any world language course. Teachers who are the most suc- doing to administrators and parents. Finally, a quality performance as- cessful at implementing performance assessments are those who take sessment program provides a solid foundation for ongoing professional the time to explain the performance rubrics to students. learning and collaboration. Often, students know what is important in evaluating a speaking or writing sample, but they may not necessarily be familiar with the Final Thoughts and Advice profession’s vernacular. For example, students may know it might be Many educators are hesitant to implement performance assessments important to evaluate their ability to be understood, but may not be because of how time-consuming it can be to assess samples and familiar with the term “comprehensibility.” Taking the time to show develop a comprehensive program. students sample performances and have them apply the scoring “I tell myself the practice is what is important and that it’s not rubric will benefit everyone. the end of the world if I don’t grade everything they record,” offers “I’d like them to learn the terminology of the rubric enough to be Hutsell, and Droms agrees. “The practice of doing the tasks is really able to score a sample and understand why the samples fall where the most important part. Your feedback is obviously helpful in that they do on the rubric,” explains Hutsell. Show students samples of process, but not necessary every time,” she says. Brodnax encourages previous student work and have them explain why a sample should teachers to get their students more involved in assessing perfor- receive the score it did. There should be no surprises. mance: “I believe it is important to practice on a consistent basis It is also helpful to display visuals to help define various perfor- even if the task is not graded. Students can informally self-assess and mance levels. Brodnax shares an innovative idea: “I use an Oreo cook- set goals for themselves each time they practice.” ie. I tell the students that to meet my expectations they must create an Developing and implementing a performance assessment program Oreo with their performance. A cookie with no cream is dry and does in your language classroom requires planning and commitment, but not meet my expectations, one side of the cookie with some cream the payback is worthwhile, because teachers can help learners more approaches expectations, but to exceed my expectations the cookie easily set meaningful performance goals and gauge how much they must be double-stuffed. To encourage them to exceed expectations, I are improving in their ability to communicate in the target language. give them double-stuffed Oreos before their first practice assessment.” When the first task is done, another useful idea is to have students David Jahner is Executive Director of the Southern Conference on Language Teaching (SCOLT). evaluate their performance. Not only do they become more familiar

The Language Educator n February 2014 25 Special Focus on Assessment and Feedback

By Leslie M. Grahn Let the Data Be Your Guide

ore than ever before, data has become dent interest data can also be connected to Leveraging the Power of Formative M a focal point in teacher practice. Data content through the use of real-life scenarios Assessment is being collected through student work and incorporated into projects and performances. In their 2009 book, Advancing Formative performances across a wide variety of for- Learning preference data inform teach- Assessment in Every Classroom: A Guide for mats that are used to inform students about ers about the need to vary the modality of Instructional Leaders, Moss and Brookhart their achievement. Assessments, both formal presentation and activity to increase student describe formative assessment as “an inten- and informal, are used to gauge student engagement in the lesson. Teachers should tional learning process teachers engage in learning and progress within the curriculum. be vigilant that the mode of presentation and with their students to gather information In many districts across the country, teacher engagement in the classroom is not tailored during the learning process to improve teams are conducting data conversations to their own learning preferences. Varying the achievement.” Teachers collect formative using standard protocols to guide discussion. modalities accessed by the learners can often data about student learning throughout the Data conversation protocols can take forms close a gap of understanding for students. In lesson, checking for understanding through such as the Classroom-Focused Improve- addition, learning style and multiple intel- observation, visual cues, and written work. ment Process (CFIP), the Tuning Protocol, ligence data from students can inform teacher Data may be collected before, during, and and Lesson Study. Based on this data, decisions about student groupings. after instruction and may be individual, decisions are being made about interven- As a teacher considers the classroom activi- group, or whole class data. tions, acceleration, and student placement. ties for a series of lessons, she reflects on the Some examples of formative data collected However, these data do not tell us the whole types of learners the activities address. Are during the lesson might include reading story. What if we expand our view of student there opportunities for students to work in student body language and other nonverbal data to see how it can be used to make day-to- groups? Do activities allow for students who cues. Every Pupil Response (EPR) strategies day decisions in our classrooms? How can the learn best through music, movement, or visu- also provide immediate feedback on student collected data guide and inform daily practice? als? Learning activities can easily be adapted to learning to the teacher. EPR strategies provide provide a variety of processes. A written work- whole class data where students indicate their Knowing Our Learners sheet activity where students rearrange words understanding to the teacher using a variety A great place to start is to collect data about into sentences, for example, can be trans- of tools. In midstream, teachers demonstrate students. What are their interests? What are formed into a kinesthetic activity by cutting responsiveness and flexibility by making their learning preferences? A wide variety of the sentence parts into strips that students can changes in their lessons based on the real- interest, multiple intelligence, and learning then manipulate to achieve the same results. time formative data they receive (see table). style inventories are accessible online which will yield data about learners. Inventories in the target language can be administered Examples of EPR Assessment Strategies which will give students practice in the language while collecting data about them. Pinch cards An EPR strategy where students pinch the answer on a Data about student interests can be col- card to indicate their response. (Ex.: True-False-Not sure) lected through generic inventories or may Step left, step right Students move to the left or right to indicate their be targeted to a specific theme or unit being understanding. (Ex.: Step left if the statement is true, taught. A “KWL” chart is an example of a step right if it is false.) data collection tool where students share Thumbs up, thumbs down Students indicate their understanding by gesturing with information they already KNOW about a their thumb up for understanding, thumb sideways if topic (K), list what they WANT to know their understanding is not complete, and thumb down if about a topic (W), and chart what they have they do not understand. LEARNED through the unit (L). KWL chart Whiteboards Dry erase boards are used by students individually or in data taps into students’ prior knowledge on small groups to display their responses. a particular topic, which increases student engagement. When instructional activities Student response systems Students use clickers or smartphone apps to submit their acknowledge students’ interests and exper- responses. tise, motivation and learning increase. Stu-

26 The Language Educator n February 2014 When creating formative assessments, it An example of how a teacher might make but does it give the student information about is essential to articulate one’s questions and a “near future instructional adjustment” her strengths and areas for growth? Saphier, prompts clearly to ensure that the data will would be to analyze a set of student work Haley-Speca, and Gower propose in their be most informative about student learn- for a class. The teacher sorts the student book, The Skillful Teacher: Building Your ing. Special attention should be paid to the work into groups based on a predetermined Teaching Skills (2008), that “for feedback to thinking behind selecting and implementing criteria: (a) student work that demonstrates have maximum effect, students have to be formative assessment tools. For example, a little understanding of the concepts taught expected to use it to improve their work and, teacher could choose to use an “exit ticket” are in one stack; (b) student work that in many cases, taught how to do so.” for his class to collect formative data about demonstrates some understanding of the One example of meaningful feedback is student learning. An exit ticket is a quick concepts taught in a second stack; and (c) offering “warm” and “cool” feedback to stu- check for understanding that students com- the work that demonstrates high levels of dents. Warm feedback is given in the form of plete at the end of class and submit as they understanding in the third. For the next a statement that recognizes specific positive exit the classroom, usually consisting of one class, the teacher may create student groups aspects of the student work. Cool feedback to three questions. As the teacher creates the and provide a scaffolded assignment for the is given in the form of an open-ended ques- exit ticket, he considers the data he is hoping struggling group, a reinforcing assignment tion that encourages the student to reflect on to receive through the tool, thinking “Will for the middle group, and an enrichment ways he can improve or enhance the work. these data tell me what I want to know about assignment for the advanced group. An example of warm and cool feedback student learning at this point?” Prompts that Other responses to formative data, be- for a writing assignment: are vague or generic may not give specific yond flexible grouping, might be to: Warm: You made imaginative use of the enough data to the teacher to make informed • vary the mode of presentation or vocabulary in your writing. decisions about future learning experiences. activity type; Cool: How can you use more variety in Student class work can also be used as • address misconceptions and errors; the types of sentences you write? formative data. While using student work • assign peer tutors/study buddies; to guide instruction and lesson planning, a • provide additional models and How, as teachers, can we know that our teacher might reflect on the follow questions: exemplars; feedback is effective? In her 2008 book, How • What are my students communicating • chunk material; to Give Effective Feedback to Your Students, to me through their work? • connect new learning to previous Brookhart suggests the following ways to • Are they struggling? content; know if your feedback is good: • Are they ready to move ahead? • create parallel, tiered activities based • if your students learn—their work • Are there aspects of their learning that on readiness levels; improves; need to be scaffolded or supported? • create a set of learning centers; • if your students become motivated; and • Am I noticing common errors and • customize rubrics for student growth; • if your classroom becomes a misconceptions? • provide a graphic organizer; place where feedback, including • offer choices; or constructive criticism, is valued and Responding to Formative Data • use questioning to clarify learning gaps. viewed as productive. Collecting student formative data can be quite an easy task. The challenge lies in Empowering Students Through Feedback Classrooms are data-rich environments using the data to inform teacher practice. Moss and Brookhart (2009) write that and student data can come in many forms. Popham, in his 2011 book entitled Trans- “through formative assessment, teachers Guided by the data collected from students, formative Assessment in Action, suggests six shift from correcting to informing” and that teachers are empowered to make informed types of responses teachers might have to “formative assessment is strongly linked to choices about their planning and instruc- formative data: increased intrinsic motivation in the areas of tional practices while students are informed • Immediate instructional adjustments self-efficacy, self-regulation, self-assessment, about their own learning. Listening to the based on assessed performance and self-attribution.” How can we empower messages we receive about our students’ • Immediate instructional adjustments students to own their learning? Meaningful learning through data and responding to that based on student-reported feedback is a powerful tool to that end. data brings a new perspective to our work as understanding As teachers, we give feedback to students we strive to meet the needs of all learners in • Near future instructional adjustments on a regular basis. “Good job,” “Well done,” our classrooms. • Last chance instructional adjustments and “Super!” are examples of comments a Leslie M. Grahn is the Acting Coordinator of World • Students’ learning tactic adjustments teacher may leave on student work in the Languages for the Howard County (MD) Public School • Classroom climate shifts form of written feedback. That type of feed- System. back may be good for a student’s self-esteem,

The Language Educator n February 2014 27 Special Focus on Assessment and Feedback

Aligning Integrated Performance Assessments with Common Core Standards for Younger Learners By Dorie Perugini

beginning what they need to do in order to be successful and view as- “Language teachers . . . express frustration with assessments that sessments as opportunities to demonstrate their growth in these areas. emphasize only low-level recall of vocabulary, manipulation of Unlike the end-of-the-chapter tests I had in my language classes that grammatical structures by filling in blanks, and other substitutions did little more than signal my classmates and me that we were about to for real communication. The transition to performance assessment move on to a new topic, IPAs allow students to finish a unit knowing focuses both students and teachers on communication. The what they can do with the language that they couldn’t do before. message that is being communicated becomes the critical Helping Students Practice Real-World Skills component rather than grammatical accuracy, keeping in mind that perfect accuracy is a lifelong goal.“ —Paul Sandrock, The With the adoption of the Common Core Standards, teachers repeated- Keys to Assessing Language Performance ly hear that the expectation is to help our students graduate college- and career-ready. Students are now expected to graduate high school “fully prepared for the future [so that] our communities will be best hen I reflect on my language learning experiences, I remember positioned to compete successfully in the global economy” (see Com- W thinking of assessments as abrupt, and always unwelcome, mon Core Standards Mission Statement: www.corestandards.org/). disruptions of instruction. Classes were mainly focused on studying No longer valued are activities of rote memorization, but instead each a topic, which consisted of a list of semi-related vocabulary words we classroom activity should help students hone skills and understand- were expected to memorize for a weekly quiz. With few exceptions, ings that have wide applicability outside the classroom. I remember my school language learning experiences as the teacher Since our expectation is for students to leave our classrooms and students talking about Spanish, but never really communicat- world-ready, we would be doing our students a great disservice if we ing in Spanish. The assessments in these classes, which emphasized did not provide them with sufficient opportunities to practice these vocabulary memorization and verb conjugation, were far from skills under our guidance. During a workshop presented last sum- performance-based and did not help me understand how I could use mer by the National Network of Early Language Learning (NNELL) the language in authentic situations outside of the classroom. on creating IPAs for classroom use, participants were asked to reflect The four strands outlined in the English Language Arts (ELA) on how they might react and demonstrate understanding in the real Common Core State Standards (Reading, Writing, Speaking and world after completing the following authentic interpretive activities: Listening, and Language) are performance-based at their core. It is interesting to note how closely the ELA strands connect to the Com- munication Standards of the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages through the three modes of communication (Interper- • Speaking • Reading sonal, Interpretive, and Presentational) and the level of proficiency • Listening • Listening demonstrated (Novice, Intermediate, or Advanced). By creating integrated performance assessments (IPAs) based Interpersonal Interpretive on the ELA Common Core strands, instruction no longer needs to be interrupted by tests and quizzes, but instead students engage in authentic, real-life tasks that provide the teacher with the feedback he or she needs to guide instruction and measure student learning. Since implementing IPAs in my own elementary Spanish classes, the stu- Proficiency levels Presentational dents themselves see formative and summative assessment activities as a natural extension of their learning and as a result I rarely hear my • Language students ask the dreaded question, “Is this going to be on the test?” • Conventions • Writing • How language By planning each of my units with the ELA strands in mind, I design functions • Speaking • Vocabulary my lessons to help students grow in each of the communication modes. By communicating these goals to my students, they know from the NNELL Summer Institute, 2013, Paul Sandrock

28 The Language Educator n February 2014 • Read the newspaper • Look for information on a website • Listen to a radio traffic eportr • View a PowerPoint presentation • Hear someone telling a story • Watch a movie or TV program

If you’re anything like me, after reading an interesting news article, you might tweet a link to your followers with a brief comment. After looking for information on a website, you might finally make a pur- Interpretive Mode chase you’ve been considering for a while. But, if we ask ourselves The Interpretive Mode of Communication is one-way communication honestly, are these the kinds of authentic reactions we ask of our that supports the ELA Common Core strands of reading and listening. students? Furthermore, are we providing our students opportunities In the Interpretive Mode, the student is receiving the information but to read news articles and websites that pique their varied interests? does not have the opportunity to interact with the writer or speaker. While this list of activities may seem common for teachers, are Outside the classroom, the Interpretive Mode of Communication is these the kinds of activities our elementary-aged students engage in seen in common daily activities such as reading a news article, watch- on a daily basis outside of the school day? ing a TV show, or reading a letter or e-mail from a friend. As many of my colleagues know, one of my mantras for teaching In creating interpretive tasks for my elementary school-aged students, is: If I don’t know what engages my students outside of class, I will it’s important I keep in mind not only my students’ interests, but also never know how to engage my students in class. I hate to admit how their abilities. In order to allow my students to complete these perfor- many times I thought I was creating an activity that would captivate mance tasks successfully, I must be sure they understand key vocabulary my students’ attention, only to find out my students no longer cared and context and also ask them to complete tasks at their Novice level. about the fad they so loved the year before. This is true not only for creating a rich and engaging thematic context for our lessons, but Interpersonal Mode also for knowing the many different ways our students are capable of Unlike the Interpretive Mode of Communication, the Interpersonal demonstrating understanding. The more I take interest in what my Mode is two-way communication that allows for the active negotia- students do after they leave the school grounds, the better I can cre- tion of meaning among individuals. Students completing tasks in the ate lessons and assessments that allow them to demonstrate linguistic Interpersonal Mode use verbal and nonverbal cues to make mean- performance in ways that are truly natural and authentic. ing and communicate their ideas. Rather than designing an activity in which students ask questions to which they already know the Incorporating Each of the Three Modes of Communication answers, teachers design interpersonal activities that give the students One of the characteristics of IPAs is that they include tasks from each opportunities to learn new information. In the real world, interper- of three modes of communication within a single thematic focus. sonal communication happens all the time: chatting with a friend, Choosing the thematic focus is the teacher’s opportunity to create a texting a family member, or videochatting with a colleague. Just as in rich and engaging context for language learning that will captivate authentic interpersonal communications, classroom activities should the students’ interests. For example, rather than creating a unit in be spontaneous and done without the use of a script or written notes. which students memorize and discuss a list of fruits and vegetables, a Though my Novice-level students need a highly predictable, teacher can create a context in which students discover what healthy highly contextualized environment in order to be successful in inter- eating looks likes in different countries around the world. With this personal communication, they look forward to these activities. They thematic focus, students will use the communicative modes to gather new information and demonstrate understanding. “Healthy Eating Around the World” is a thematic unit I have • For a more complete step-by-step guide to creating IPAs, adopted in my own third-grade classroom. Not only does having a check out Paul Sandrock’s The Keys to Assessing Language rich thematic unit help me create activities using the three modes of Performance: A Teacher’s Manual for Measuring Student communication, but it also has rich connections with the third grade Progress (2010) at www.actfl.org/publications/books-and- health and physical education curriculum. Because elementary-aged brochures/the-keys-assessing-language-performance students have limited life experiences, I have noticed my students • For more information on the National Network for Early truly enjoy participating in activities in which they get to talk about Language Learning, visit www.nnell.org themselves and their own lives. Discovering their own cultural • For more details on the alignment of the Common Core norms allows my young students to be more understanding when State Standards and the National Standards for Learning exploring cultural norms from around the world. Languages, visit www.actfl.org/commoncore

The Language Educator n February 2014 29 Special Focus on Assessment and Feedback

Example of an Interpretive Task from Grade 3 Healthy Eating Around the World Unit

Description of Performance Task Degree of Targeted Control Implications for Grading (Conceptual, Partial or Full Control)

• Students will read an e-mail from their • Identifying fruit/vegetable names—full • Students will maintain focus through pen pal, “Susana,” describing her daily control reading despite areas of partial and eating routine. • Identifying descriptions—partial control conceptual comprehension of text. • While reading, students will highlight • Illustrating schedule—partial to full the names of fruits and vegetables. control • While reading, students will underline the descriptions (adjectives) Susana uses to describe the fruits and vegetables. • After reading, students will illustrate Susana’s schedule using the provided graphic organizer.

Example of an Interpersonal Task from Grade 3 Healthy Eating Around the World Unit

Description of Performance Task Degree of Targeted Control Implications for Grading (Conceptual, Partial or Full Control)

• Students will interview their classmates • Students will ask their classmates what • Students will answer all questions asked to find out about their favorite fruits. their favorite fruit is using a complete by their peers. • As a follow-up question, students will sentence—full control. • Students will speak clearly. ask their classmates why that fruit is • Students will answer their classmates’ • Students will accurately represent their their favorite. questions using complete sentences— peers’ responses on a bar graph. • Students will record the answers by partial control. creating a bar graph of the class’s • Students will ask for clarification, when favorite fruits. needed, in the target language—partial control. • Students will comprehend the answers of their peers—partial to full control.

Example of a Presentational Task from Grade 3 Healthy Eating Around the World Unit

Description of Performance Task Degree of Targeted Control Implications for Grading (Conceptual, Partial or Full Control)

• Students will write an e-mail in response • Students will complete the sentences in • Students will use complete sentences to their pen pal, Susana, describing their the graphic organizer—full control. when writing their e-mail. daily eating routine using the provided • Students will include at least two • Students will use proper e-mail graphic organizer. sentences describing which fruits are formatting (greeting, body, sign off). • Students will include in their e-mail the in- most and least popular in their class. formation about their class’s favorite fruits. • Students will attach the bar graph they • Students will self-edit their e-mail. created to the e-mail. • Students will peer-edit their e-mail.

30 The Language Educator n February 2014 Tips for Getting Started hen I first decided to try IPAs in my classroom, I wasn’t quite sure find it fun to have a conversation with one of their classmates using W where to begin. In The Keys to Assessing Language Performance the words and phrases they have been learning in class. (2010), Sandrock provides a step-by-step guide to designing IPA tasks. But as a new teacher looking at the seven-step processes, I felt that it seemed Presentational Mode a bit daunting. Rather than allow myself to be overwhelmed, I decided to The Presentational Mode is a more formal form of communication implement key aspects to designing IPAs one at a time until I felt com- than the Interpretive or Interpersonal Modes. Presentational tasks, fortable enough moving on to the next. If you are interested in designing both oral and written, are one-way communication that often is IPAs for your classroom, here are some tips to help you get started: edited and revised before it is presented to an audience. In the IPA, presentational tasks may be culminating activities that draw upon the • Keep the end in mind. What do you want your students to know knowledge students gained through their completion of the interpre- and be able to do at the end of the unit? tive and interpersonal tasks. Presentational tasks should be age- • Create an engaging thematic focus. Remember, if you don’t know appropriate and give the students an opportunity to present infor- what engages your student outside of the classroom, it will be mation in a way they would outside of school. A true presentational difficult to engage them in the classroom. task should go beyond students displaying what they learned only • Know your students’ abilities. Before you begin, keep in mind to the teacher, and should demonstrate to the students how they can where your students fall on the proficiency scale. If you create use the language with audiences outside the classroom. Examples of tasks that are beyond what they are capable of producing in the authentic presentational tasks include giving a speech, publishing a target language, the students will quickly revert to English. story, recording a podcast or news report, or making a video. • Plan activities for each of the three modes. The more your students Before I adopted IPAs in my classroom, students were often ner- practice each of the modes, the more comfortable they will feel. vous to perform presentational tasks. Upon reflection, I realized that • Align activities with the Common Core Standards. Familiarize their anxiety might have come from the fact that they felt unprepared yourself with the Common Core Standards and look for natural for the activity at hand. Since implementing IPAs in my classroom, I connections with your curriculum. For elementary teachers, try have noticed a change in my students. They are now eager to present collaborating with classroom teachers to develop new activities. what they have learned because, as a result of basing the presentation • Make it authentic! If your students won’t ever do it outside of on their interpretive and interpersonal tasks, they are comfortable class, do you need to spend time practicing it in class? and well-versed in speaking and writing on the topic. • Make time for reflection. After completing each activity, make time to reflect on the experience. Were the students truly engaged? Dorie Perugini is an elementary Spanish teacher at Naubuc School, Glastonbury, What did this activity tell me about my students’ learning? Is this Connecticut. an activity I can use again next year? CHECK OUT

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By Karen Luond Fowdy and Lisa Hendrickson Assessing What Matters

ichael, a 20-year-old student on a wanted their students to be able to say, “I took language proficiency, and ensure that the M yearlong Congress–Bundestag Youth (2, 4, 7) years of (language) and I can. . . .” focus of the curriculum is on the knowledge Exchange Scholarship Program in Leipzig, Ger- In an educational climate where an in- and skills that truly promote language use. many, wrote to his high school German teacher: creasing number of initiatives and mandates are imposed on teachers, determining “what “How do we design assessments matters” helps to prioritize our instructional that matter?” “I wouldn’t exchange this experience, goals to prepare students like Michael for The process for designing meaningful assess- even though it is difficult at times. I lifelong learning. The Statement of Philoso- ments starts with developing a meaningful am grateful for the passion for German phy in the National Standards for Learning context and focus for learning. Once this that you instilled in us in your classes. Languages clearly defines what matters, is established, the teacher designs assess- You helped us to ask questions, to saying: “The United States must educate ments that reflect real-life communication. have adventures, and much more. We students who are linguistically and culturally With the performance tasks in mind, the learned how to have conversations and equipped to communicate successfully in a teacher designs instruction that prepares the understand German, even when it was pluralistic American society and abroad.” students for success. hard. Simply put, this experience is Keeping this philosophy in mind, we worth it. It is a huge challenge and I teach what matters when we design meaning- Developing Meaningful Context and Focus am looking forward to the person that I ful thematic units with a global perspective Theme am becoming.” that are framed by enduring understandings The teacher starts by identifying a unit theme and essential questions (see Understanding that is global in nature, broad enough in scope by Design by Wiggins & McTighe, 1998, and How did Michael’s four-year high school to include more than one standard, and can be other publications by these authors). German program prepare him for this reintroduced at different levels of instruction. experience? What helped him to gain these A rich theme allows students to develop skills insights? Part of the answer lies in the focus of “If we do not find ways to measure what that transfer to other disciplines and connect the Standards-based curriculum he experi- we value, we shall simply end up valuing to real-life situations. A theme is not limited to enced which was composed of thematic units what we measure.” —Comment from an activity, a grammar point, a vocabulary list, centered around meaningful themes that were WAFLT Fall Conference workshop partici- or a technology tool. The College Board’s Ad- connected to culture. Throughout his course of pant, quoting blogger Will Richardson vanced Placement (AP) Course and Exam for study, performance assessments in the Interper- foreign languages has identified six overarch- sonal, Interpretive, and Presentational Modes ing themes (Global Challenges; Science and of Communication helped him track progress Because assessment is the starting place Technology; Contemporary Life; Personal and toward goals to develop proficiency. Classroom for curriculum design, it is imperative that Public Identities; Families and Communities; instruction and practice prepared Michael for teachers design assessments that measure and Beauty and Aesthetics) that are a help- success in the assessments. He knew that he what matters. Every teacher has heard the ful guide to articulated thematic curriculum was preparing to interact with native speakers question, “Will this be on the test?” We know design. These themes provide meaningful and function in another culture. that students and parents assign value to the context, encourage critical thinking, develop knowledge and skills that will be assessed literacy skills, and connect to other disciplines. “What do you want your students to and set their learning goals accordingly. If the take away from your program?” assessments only measure discrete gram- Globalizing the Theme When asked this question, workshop partici- mar and vocabulary skills, the students will Traditionally, language teachers have strived to pants at the 2013 Wisconsin Association for focus on learning about the language, rather teach their students about the cultures associ- Language Teachers Fall Conference responded than on learning to use the language. In a ated with the target language. Today’s intercon- that they wanted their students to be ready Standards-based curriculum, summative nected world presents new challenges as we to travel and explore cultures, to have the performance assessments that describe what prepare for a world that we can only begin to confidence in their ability to communicate students are able to do in the language, pro- imagine. Our students may, in fact, use the with others, and to be globally aware. They vide a road map toward developing increased language they have learned in school in the fu-

32 The Language Educator n February 2014 Assessments Improve Learning and Teaching

ture, but it is even more likely that they will be at discrete-point grammar and vocabulary called upon to apply the global competencies usage. It is essential that the rubrics used to Theme: Daily Routine they have developed in our classes. They will evaluate performance assessments describe Enduring understandings: need to be better prepared to live and work in the essential characteristics of each mode of Every person has a certain rhythm of other cultures or with people whose cultures communication being assessed and show life (routine). and backgrounds are different from their own. students how they can continue to develop Various factors influence this rhythm. Looking at a theme from a global perspec- their proficiency. The rubric becomes an Essential questions: tive creates not just a bridge to the target cul- effective learning tool that provides valuable What factors influence people’s daily ture for the students, but also a connection to feedback to students, parents, and adminis- routines around the world? the world. For example, when teaching a unit trators as it describes student progress. How much control do you have over about daily routine, the teacher does not limit In the 2010 ACTFL publication, The your everyday routine? the lesson to the American students’ normal Keys to Assessing Language Performance, daily activities or even to the daily routine of Sandrock provides teachers with steps to de- students in the target country. Instead, the veloping rubrics to assess performance along Designing Assessments that Reflect teacher considers how students around the with examples of rubrics for different levels Real-Life Communication world eat breakfast, get ready for and travel of proficiency in the three modes of com- to school, and spend their free time outside Having established a globalized theme that is munication. According to Sandrock, rubrics of school. When examining how a theme framed by enduring understandings and es- for describing performance in the different such as “Daily Routine” unfolds around the sential questions, the teacher now designs the modes of communication might include world, the teacher opens the lens to deeper summative integrated performance assess- categories, such as the following: considerations of the impact of factors such ment (IPA) consisting of three tasks in the In- • Interpersonal: negotiation of meaning, as climate, politics, history, economics, social terpersonal, Interpretive, and Presentational use of strategies when there is lack status, age, and culture upon one’s existence. Modes of Communication. These tasks allow of comprehension, means of asking By looking at global implications of a students to demonstrate what they know and for clarification, ability to sustain a theme, the teacher’s role changes from that of can do upon completion of the lesson. They conversation an expert who must teach students how people build the confidence students need to com- • Interpretive: level of detail under- live in the target culture to that of a companion municate and interact with native speakers in stood, ability to provide a summary, explorer as both teacher and students learn to real-life situations (see box below). ability to use context clues to help reflect, “That’s different. I wonder why they do Just as one does not evaluate an comprehension it that way.” By examining cultural products, orchestra’s performance on the basis of the • Presentational: accuracy of vocabulary practices and, most important, their underlying performers’ knowledge of scales, finger- and structure, organization and flow, perspectives, students begin to suspend judg- ing, or rhythms, the teacher cannot assess a impact on the audience, use of clear ment while they explore other cultures. communicative performance by looking only and supportive examples

Developing Enduring Understandings and Essential Questions The Integrated Performance Assessment for a “Daily Routine” Unit Once the teacher has established a global theme, consideration of the enduring un- DAILY ROUTINE | Level: Novice High/Intermediate Low derstandings and essential questions inspire Interpersonal Assessment Interpretive Assessment Presentational students to explore the topic and expand their Talk to each other about Read e-mails from Costa Assessment worldview. These concepts describe what the your daily routine. What is Rican teens and identify Prepare a presentation teacher wants students to take away from the an ideal routine for you? similarities and differences for your partner school in lesson. They help to develop lessons that are Try to come to a consensus in their daily routine in Costa Rica that describes “cognitively engaging, intrinsically interesting, on aspects that make a Guápiles, Limón, Costa a typical daily routine culturally connected, and communicatively daily routine more or less Rica compared to the daily in Monroe, Wisconsin. purposeful,” as has been noted by Clementi, beneficial to people your routine of teens in Monroe, Consider aspects of the Curtain, and Sandrock in workshop presenta- age. Look at pictures of Wisconsin. routine that might not be tions and personal communications. daily routines of teens familiar to your audience In the example of a “Daily Routine” unit, around the world and in another culture. the enduring understandings and essential discuss how your lives are questions may be identified as shown in the similar and different. box at the top of the next column.

The Language Educator n February 2014 33 Looking at a theme from a global perspective creates not just a bridge to the target culture for the students, but a connection to the world.

Designing Instruction to Prepare Students assessments provide meaningful practice riculum that is defined by “assessing what for Success and feedback that prepare the students for matters” brings a focus to these seemingly success in the summative assessments, as disparate educational requirements and This approach to thematic Standards-based noted in The Keys to Planning for Learning ensures that we are teaching for the higher- instruction represents a significant shift in by Clementi and Terrill (2013). level thinking and literacy skills that they en- focus for language teachers who are accus- For example, the students will learn and compass. As knowledgeable practitioners of tomed to teaching from a grammar-based practice the specific functions, structures, Standards-based instruction, we are poised syllabus. Rather than teach isolated grammar and vocabulary in order to complete the IPA to open the door to the world, as we teach concepts such as the past tense of irregular for the “Daily Routine” unit (see box below). the skills to communicate effectively within verbs and try to make the concepts interest- the global community. ing to students while looking for ways to Challenges and Opportunities A culturally rich thematic curriculum transfer the learning, these same concepts As educators today, we can find our inboxes with performance assessments that mea- are taught in connection to a theme, for a overflowing with educational initiatives such sure and give value to increased language purpose, and only as needed. The focus as the Common Core State Standards, STEM, proficiency ensures that we are teaching of instruction is on using the language for 21st Century Skills, Educator Effective- what matters in the classroom. Students communication rather than on learning ness, and other district, state, and national today have “a heightened social awareness, about the language structures. Focused and mandates. An effective world language cur- a genuine appreciation for diversity and mul- purposeful learning activities and formative ticulturalism . . . and a broader worldview in general” (see The Way We’ll Be: The Zogby What needs to be taught for students to be successful in performance assessments? Report on the Transformation of the American Dream by Zogby, 2008). DAILY ROUTINE | Level: Novice High/Intermediate Low Just as we never know what might inspire and empower a student like Michael to Language Functions: Structures: Vocabulary: study in Germany, we do not know how our Ask questions Question words / question Free time and daily students will affect the future as they connect Provide information formation activities with the world and learn about languages Express likes and dislikes Verbs Time expressions and cultures. It is our privilege and duty to Describe daily routine • present tense teach them the communication skills and Maintain conversation • reflexive vs. global competence they will need in our non-reflexive verbs interconnected world. • common regular / stem changing / Lisa Hendrickson has previously taught Spanish and irregular verbs that Karen Luond Fowdy has previously taught German describe daily routine at Monroe High School and Monroe Middle School in Modal Verbs / Verb Monroe, Wisconsin. They are now independent world Expressions: have to / language curriculum consultants. want to / should / like to / would like to / need to

34 The Language Educator n February 2014 Assessments Improve Learning and Teaching

The Realities of Implementing Integrated Performance Assessment in an Imperfect World By Rebecca Brazzale

any times in language education, we are presented with what chapter included a focus on Puerto Rico, and vocabulary for cloth- M Frank Grittner, ACTFL charter member and Past President, ing, describing how clothes fit, and expressing opinions. The main called “evangelical movements”—seemingly one-size-fits-all methodolo- grammar focus was the irregular present tense (verbs like “to bring,” gies promised to fix all of our pedagogical problems. These movements “to come,” and “to make”) and prepositions such as “of,” “from,” and frequently pop up in our profession, only to disappear a few years later. “for.” At the end of the chapter, students needed to take a district Often it is hard to know which of these ideas, theories, and models are assessment that included some of the elements in the chapter. worth our attention and implementation, and which are simply passing Whereas with a traditional method I might have proceeded fads. One new model that has recently gotten considerable attention is through the chapter, page by page, teaching each lesson as it was the integrated performance assessment (IPA). Introduced over a decade found in the text, I instead decided to use the IPA model and create a ago, the IPA has been publicized as a better assessment model that thematic unit based around Puerto Rico High Fashion week, an event promotes the use of backward design principles in the language class- I found in a few minutes of searching on the Internet. room. The IPA is a thematically organized assessment that incorporates During this unit, I first introduced students to Puerto Rico High the three modes of communication (Interpersonal, Interpretive, and Fashion Week and told them they were going to participate in a class- Presentational) in a way in which all parts of the unit are related to one room fashion week. After preparation using the textbook activities, another through a specific cultural context. Throughout the IPA, stu- students were asked to read a text about fashion trends, discuss the dents are led to communicate with the target language about the theme influence of fashion trends in the United States with a classmate, and in original ways. The teacher coaches improvement in performance by prepare and present their own fashion sketches to the rest of the class. providing feedback to students after each assessment task using specific Rubrics were used to help students prepare for each activity and to rubrics. These units, which are created by the teacher, use authentic ex- assess their performance. We used the textbook vocabulary and gram- amples instead of textbook materials and expose students to the target mar as the building blocks for each of these activities, but the assess- culture through realistic situations. ments were based on the IPA. The unit took approximately 2½ weeks. Overall, the unit proved to be very successful. Students enjoyed The IPA in a Real Classroom designing their own fashions, and they were able to perform well on In my teaching, I have had several successful experiences with the the district assessment. With this unit, I was able to create a hybrid IPA. For example, one year I was required to teach a chapter in our IPA that used both the textbook and authentic materials, allowing me Spanish textbook about clothing and shopping. Elements from this to comply with the expectations of my district while still incorporating authentic materials in a new and creative way. I also had an enjoyable time teaching this unit and felt accomplished as an educator. My students were creating original language and discussing authentic Basic Structure of an cultural themes in a variety of contexts. Instead of using the textbook Integrated Performance Assessment without any thought, I had delivered exciting instruction, and I had still complied with my district’s curriculum expectations. 1. Presentation of authentic cultural context 2. Interpretive Task (listening, viewing, reading) The Realities of Using the IPA The purpose of the IPA model is to create a more meaningful classroom environment that brings language learning into an authentic 3. Interpersonal Task (spontaneous two-way conversation, context. This allows students to acquire effective strategies and skills written or spoken) that can better prepare them for language use beyond the classroom. Despite the benefits of the IPA, teachers who wish to use it may 4. Presentational Task (polished presentation, written or spoken) encounter a number of obstacles, such as: • Your district has invested in textbooks and expects you to Rubrics are used to guide and assess students for each activity. use those materials, because your school- and districtwide assessments are designed around specific chapters.

The Language Educator n February 2014 35 Special Focus on Assessment and Feedback

• You are overwhelmed by the thought of changing your Reality #2: I am overwhelmed by the thought of a complete teaching style and overhauling all of your lessons. planning overhaul. • You feel overwhelmed by the amount of authentic reading If you are stressed by the thought of doing something completely and listening materials you would have to find to implement new but are willing to take baby steps in a new direction, my advice this model. is to start by focusing on only one IPA principle for now: establishing • You feel you have no time to integrate new ideas, no matter an authentic context. One of the best ways to orient your planning how promising, into your teaching. towards the IPA model is to think of a real-life cultural context on • You are skeptical that all of this change will actually result in which you could focus each unit. For example, if you are teaching better language instruction. a chapter about an ancient civilization, introduce your students to The IPA was an assessment model about which I was somewhat the unit by presenting a real-world situation that could possibly skeptical at first. But after spending three years experimenting, I am happen to them in the target culture. You could, for example, state satisfied that it can make language assessment and instruction a more that they are going to visit a certain museum and need to learn all of meaningful experience for both students and teachers. Still, it may the vocabulary and phrases necessary to understand the exhibits. By be a model that needs to be implemented strategically so as to not starting your unit with an authentic context, you automatically orient overwhelm the already stressed language instructor. In this article, your unit towards IPA principles. Then, as you progress through the I offer suggestions for integrating the IPA into the daily realities we textbook chapter, you can continue to think of elements related to face as teachers and I will outline a few strategies that have worked this context that can bring more real-world flavor into your teaching. for me in my classroom. This usually requires no extra time and can actually make planning Reality #1: I am expected to use our textbooks because our school more enjoyable and interesting. and district assessments are built around specific chapters. Reality #3: I feel intimidated by the amount of authentic reading, This is a reality that many of us encounter: We do not live in a world listening, and viewing materials I would have to find. where our textbooks can be ignored. In a recent mini-course on IPAs, One of the cornerstones of the IPA model is the use of authentic reading, Assistant Professor Mary O’Donnell from James Madison University listening, and viewing materials. In this context, authentic means made stated, “We are not yet to the point where we can completely ignore by native speakers for native speakers. While the Internet has made it the textbook. We might eventually reach that moment, but for now easier to find authentic texts, many of us still feel the burden of finding we need to make compromises.” high-quality, reproducible, authentic audio and video. My advice is to It may also be possible that some of us feel guilty when we do use your textbook readings and audio as a starting point, but incorpo- not use our textbooks for at least part of our instruction; after all, rate them into the IPA model during your unit. Then, as you have time, they cost a lot of money. In addition, if we are new teachers, we may look for materials online and share them with your colleagues. After a not yet have the tools or experience to divorce ourselves from these while, you will have a large collection of good options for future units. nicely packaged curriculum guides. If, however, you are motivated now to look for authentic materi- If this is your reality, my advice is to use the vocabulary, grammar als, here are a few suggestions to make your life easier: principles, and cultural themes presented in your textbook as the • Use the Google search engine from the target country (you can building blocks of your IPA unit. For instance, if your chapter about find a list aten.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Google_domains ). clothes and shopping incorporates the future tense (which may not be For example, if you are focused on France, use www.google.fr. the logical choice for a context in which shopping commonly occurs), Be sure to set your filters so that you do not get any inappro- you can still use your imagination to build an authentic assessment priate material. incorporating these elements from the chapter. For example, students • Ask other teachers which websites have worked well for them. can analyze the fashions of Paris and predict which of these fashions Build an online collection of useful websites using Google Docs will eventually be popular in the United States. If there happens to be (https://docs.google.com), Dropbox (www.dropbox.com), or a wiki. a listening or reading assessment mandated, think about incorporat- • YouTube (www.youtube.com) is becoming an indispens- ing this assessment as the interpretive portion of your IPA. You can do able resource for authentic video. If YouTube is blocked at the same with district speaking assessments or required projects. your school, consider asking your students’ parents to talk It may be the case that you already have most of your curricu- to the school board about changing this restriction. If this lum decided for you, but you can still weave elements together in is not a possibility, you also might try search websites such a meaningful way using the IPA framework. Even if your standards as TeacherTube (www.teachertube.com), SchoolTube (www. do not specifically mention the three modes, it is likely that you can schooltube.com), or DotSub (dotsub.com). relate the listening, reading, writing and speaking skills present in all • If possible, download the materials and store them offline so district assessments into your own units. In my teaching, I have used you can share and have access to them when needed. one district assessment at a time as part of my IPA units, which has • Always make sure to record where you found your materials allowed me to link district assessments to my classroom units, creat- online. There is nothing more frustrating than not being able ing a less stressful experience for me and for my students. to find a great video or audio clip when you need it.

36 The Language Educator n February 2014 Assessments Improve Learning and Teaching

Reality #4: I’m in survival mode and have no time to spare. However, if you make a conscious effort to scan or keep student examples, you can acquire models that can be used in future units. Most of us are involved in multiple activities both related to and separate from our language classrooms. This leaves us little time to Reality #5: I am skeptical that all of this change will actually spend creating entire units in one school year. If this sounds familiar, result in better language instruction. reread the suggestions shared above and consider what is realistic for You might not have any models in your school or district that can you. If you can create only one IPA unit this school year, celebrate your you show you how it all works, but research from the original pilot- accomplishment and proceed with the textbook or other on-hand unit ing of the IPA model along with subsequent research at the postsec- plans. After a couple of years, your IPA collection will have grown, and ondary and elementary levels strongly support this type of assess- with experience, it will become easier for you to plan future units. One ment and document the influence of the IPA on both learners and resource I recommend is the collection of examples of IPA assessments teachers. [Read more in Chap. 3 of Implementing Integrated Perfor- for learners at Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced levels contained in mance Assessment (2013).] I encourage you to read more about the Implementing Integrated Performance Assessment (2013). In addition to IPA and ask other teachers who have implemented the model how it ideas for presentational and interpersonal tasks, the examples of inter- is working in their classrooms. In my experience, it has helped me pretive task comprehension guides serve as templates to follow without become a better language teacher. I am now incorporating backward much difficulty, allowing you to create well-scaffolded interpretive tasks. design more into my teaching, and my students have become more Many teachers may be overwhelmed by the rubrics associated aware of the target culture. It has also helped me create several in- with each IPA task. Although rubrics are effective tools, they can be teresting units that I enjoy more than those I have found in the text- difficult to create. A helpful website for rubric development is the book. After awhile, I even found the planning process to be easier, Foreign Language Educators of New Jersey CAPS Rubrics website because I knew the structure of the IPA and could anticipate the next (flenj.org/CAPS/rubrics.shtml). This site contains generic rubrics phase. My students seem more interested in our class activities and I for all proficiency levels for each IPA task, which can be used in feel we are all on the same page about where the unit is heading. the beginning and then modified later. When I began using the IPA Although using the IPA in your classroom could seem like a chal- structure, I found these rubrics to be a huge timesaver. lenge, with thoughtful implementation it can help us all to improve Finally, allow your current students to provide good models our teaching and bring our language classrooms into the 21st century. for you to use in future years. While in a perfect world you will be able to show your students what high-quality work looks like, you Rebecca Brazzale is a graduate student in Spanish Pedagogy at Brigham Young may not be able to accomplish this during the first couple of years. University, Provo, Utah.

NEW IMPLEMENTING FROM ACTFL! INTEGRATED PERFORMANCE

Presentational Interpersonal ASSESSMENT

IMPLEMENTING Integrated Performance Assessment By Bonnie Adair-Hauck, Eileen W. Glisan, and Francis J. Troyan

Bonnie Adair-Hauck University of Pittsburgh Eileen W. Glisan Indiana University of Pennsylvania Francis J. Troyan The Ohio State University

Interpretive brand-new publication from ACTFL from well-known and highly respected language education experts Bonnie Adair-Hauck, Eileen W. Glisan, and Francis J. Troyan explores integrated performance assessment (IPA) and Feedback A its use by language educators. Implementing Integrated Performance Assessment is a follow-up to the ACTFL Integrated Performance Assessment Manual published in 2003. The book provides readers with expanded guidelines for how to design IPA tasks to inform the backward design of a unit. Suggestions on how to provide effective feedback and how to GET improve learner performance are shared. Also included is a reconceptualized rubric for the Interpretive Mode and YOUR COPY the addition of IPA rubrics for Advanced-level language performance. TODAY! The book is now available from the ACTFL Online Store at www.actfl.org/store.

ACTFL member price: $25.95; Non-member price: $29.95

The Language Educator n February 2014 37 Special Focus on Assessment and Feedback

The Role of Cultural Portfolios in the Implementation of Culture-Based Standards in Second Language Classes By Gabriela Zapata, Vianey Cabrera, Consuelo Sigüenza-Ortiz, and Gayle Vierma

“The best part about the experience was the reception from most of the staff upon learning that I was doing a project to learn more about Argentinian food and culture, and the Spanish language. I was treated to a plate of empanadas (on the house!) and everyone was very warm and eager to learn about my studies. While I was slightly embarrassed [to speak Span- ish] at the beginning, their enthusiasm sparked my own excitement for the project, Communities Standards in the classroom, on cultural similarities and differences and and the night was underway!” we needed to bring our students close to the the development of their target language. —Danny, an Intermediate-Low Hispanic community in Los Angeles with- Before each portfolio activity, instructors Spanish student out requiring too much extra work, and to develop in-class materials that will assist develop motivating tasks that would be con- students to find the locations where they his quote illustrates the kind of ex- nected to the topics discussed in class and can complete their projects (e.g., places in periences in which we are hoping to T that would maximize the use of the target the local Hispanic community or websites); immerse second language Spanish and language. We also believed that the imple- to approach native speakers in socially and Portuguese students through the implemen- mentation of the Standards merited authentic culturally appropriate ways; and to focus tation of a new curriculum based on the assessment tools (as defined by Wiggins & on the linguistic aspects that will facilitate National Standards for Learning Languages McTighe in Understanding by Design, 2005). the successful completion of the assigned (i.e., the 5 Cs). work. For example, first, teachers create After considering findings in the existing The year 2011 marked a turning point for interpersonal and/or presentational tasks literature and doing research on programs in the teaching of foreign languages at the Uni- for in-class practice, and students work in private institutions such as ours, we decided versity of Southern California (USC). That pairs or groups with the language that they that the most appropriate answer was the year, the Administration of the USC Dornsife will need to apply in the portfolios. These development of cultural portfolio projects. College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences deter- tasks are followed by oral presentations in Four different comprehensive portfolio mined that all language instructors needed which linguistic and sociolinguistic aspects projects were implemented in each level of to become ACTFL-certified oral proficiency of students’ work are analyzed by the whole Spanish and Portuguese instruction. The interview (OPI) testers and writing proficien- class, and recommendations for improvement portfolios involve hands-on tasks that are cy test (WPT) raters, and language programs are made. In addition, instructors work with were expected to offer second language stu- based on the topics discussed in class (e.g., students on guidelines that will help them dents curricula that incorporated the tenets food, buying clothes and other products, choose the place where they can complete of the Standards. the arts, the environment, business), and their activities, and essential cultural aspects The USC Spanish and Portuguese Lan- they require that students use the target are discussed and analyzed. Once the in-class guage Programs embraced the challenge, language to interact with native speakers in preparation tasks are completed, students and in late 2012 we started working on the Los Angeles in different contexts and social work individually on their portfolio activities. new curriculum for our three basic levels of settings. Students are asked to document Students’ portfolio work is evaluated with instruction—beginning, intermediate, and their interactions through video and/or audio a set of 11 holistic categories that focus on advanced-low. One of our challenges was the recordings, photographs, and written reports (1) the comprehensiveness of the material role that culture would play in instruction. or short essays, and they are also expected to submitted; (2) creativity; (3) the depth of We knew that to materialize the Cultures and produce reflections that allow them to focus the linguistic reflections; (4) the depth of the

38 The Language Educator n February 2014 Assessments Improve Learning and Teaching

cultural reflections; (5) the use of target vo- language classes did not interact with the Spanish speaker. In addition, I easily un- cabulary; (6) the use of target grammar; (7) local community and, as reported by student derstood the rapid dialogue of the person reading comprehension; (8) listening com- Benjamin for many, this task constituted “the I was speaking with. I feel that with more prehension; (9) oral proficiency; (10) overall first time I was going to speak Spanish to a practice . . . I will be able to communicate accuracy; and (11) overall fluency. According person who uses Spanish in real life.” at a much more advanced level. to students’ proficiency levels, each category Benjamin’s instructor, Ellen Oliveira, is assessed as “exceeds expectations,” “meets did not share his fears, but her main worry When asked to describe what they be- expectations,” “almost meets expectations,” instead was that “students would not put lieved was the key to their reported linguistic and “does not meet expectations.” Because much effort into the portfolio.” Her feelings success, the interviewees shared insightful each portfolio task focuses on one or two were mirrored by the three other instruc- views that point to key pedagogical aspects, modes of communication (i.e., Interper- tors we interviewed, as all of them feared and also give a glimpse of the kind of social sonal, Interpretive, or Presentational), not procrastination and lack of interest, which and cultural encounters that they had. Stu- all assessment categories might be applied in would result in works that lacked depth and dents first praised the guidance and support the evaluation of a specific task. would not fulfill the cultural and linguistic they had received from their instructors. One example of what students experi- objectives of the activity. Instructor Lori They also seemed to convey the idea that the ence when they complete their portfolio Mesrobian also believed that since “the port- linguistic empowerment that they felt when projects is a task that required Intermediate- folios [were] a new element to the [Spanish] they were able to use their target language in Low Spanish students (second semester of program, students did not really know the a limited, but successful, way was in part due instruction) to have a meal at a Hispanic amount of time and work that they entailed,” to the clear instructions in the portfolio as- restaurant and to interview the personnel on and she was afraid her students “would wait signments and the opportunities for practice topics related to the food served (e.g., ingre- until the last minute before they completed and cultural discussions to which they had dients, traditional ways of cooking), the his- the assignments.” Also, because she did been exposed in class. These opinions sup- tory of the restaurant, and the owners’ and/ not have any experience with this type of port what second language teaching meth- or servers’ personal stories. After students project, Mesrobian was concerned about the odology experts and researchers have been had submitted their work and been assessed, kind of support she was giving her students: advocating since the 1980s: the need for we conducted a series of interviews with a “I did not know what my expectations were, well-defined, organized, and structured tasks sample of students from five different classes and [because of this] it was sort of difficult that allow for scaffolding and guide students (who volunteered to be interviewed) and to communicate that with my students . . . I toward successful (and motivating) results. their instructors. Through our exchanges, felt myself assuming the role of cheerleader But perhaps the most revealing and excit- we first discovered that both students and and psychologist and parent because I was ing aspect of students’ experiences was the instructors had concerns prior to the project, trying to get them comfortable going out role the native speakers in the community but they were of a different nature. into the community and speaking Spanish.” played in the success of the activity. For As expected, students’ main worry was For the most part, students’ and instruc- instance, all of the interviewees highlighted the use of the target language in a real-life tors’ worries did not materialize. The students the native speakers’ willingness to help and setting. Even though all of the students reported positive linguistic and social experi- their positive attitude toward students’ use of we interviewed reported having received ences both in their portfolio reflections and Spanish. Student Devon provides an excel- comprehensive in-class training from their interviews. When considering their Spanish lent example: “I was really nervous about teachers, and the project required them to use, all of them were realistic, but positive. speaking to the server, which definitely use the vocabulary and grammar with which Student Alexa says, “I learned that my Span- comes off in the recording . . . But Raul, the they had been working in class, they saw the ish, although far from fluent, is not complete- owner/cashier/head chef, went above and be- task as daunting. Their main fear was not to ly terrible. I was able to have a short conver- yond to help me feel comfortable, even after be able to produce the necessary language to sation with the waitress and ask questions.” I had stopped the recording! I had retreated carry out a conversation on food or to un- These feelings were shared by Danny, who back to English to order, but he encouraged derstand the people with whom they would describes his experience in similar terms: me, with a big friendly smile on his face, to have to interact. In addition, they worried From this activity, I realized that I am order in Spanish. So I did!” The helpful and about the prospect of embarrassing them- more than capable of carrying out a brief encouraging reaction that students encoun- selves, offending native speakers, or just be- (and simple) conversation with a native tered in the community provided them with ing in what might turn out to be an awkward Spanish speaker. Most importantly, I the confidence and motivation that they situation. These feelings probably arose from feel that I was able to communicate the needed to be able to use the target language. the fact that, even though the USC campus specifics of my questions and inquiries, Our interviewees were also impressed by is located in a predominantly Hispanic area and convey my points without much the native speakers’ friendliness and open- of Los Angeles, most of the students in our interpretation on the part of the native ness (which they did not expect), as aptly

The Language Educator n February 2014 39 Special Focus on Assessment and Feedback

described by students Jeremy and Devon. ception about it that this activity helped ions, we feel that they support the value of Jeremy says, “I was concerned that the staff at then break through so I was surprised at authentic assessment projects in the second La Taquiza [the restaurant visited] would be the amount that they got out of the activ- language classroom as valid tools for the im- less than enthusiastic to help with the project, ity.” These words aptly summarize our goal plementation of the Cultures and Communi- as they had a restaurant to manage. However, for the cultural portfolios, and we feel that ties Standards. We also believe that learners’ the staff were all willing to help, and very they might constitute a first step towards participation in this kind of task can provide welcoming. I hadn’t had much interaction students’ deeper understanding of the target them with exposure to the target culture as with the staff in the past, so it was nice to see culture and its practices, and their use of the represented by the local Hispanic community how helpful they were.” Devon describes a target language beyond the classroom. (in this instance), and it can stir their curios- similar experience: “I was just taken aback by Both the students and instructors who ity and willingness to learn more about it. how close of a community the whole market participated in our interviews feel that the However, in some of the opinions presented, [where the restaurant is located] felt. There projects are a welcome change to our cur- we have also shown that, in order for these was such a familial aura to the whole place. I riculum. However, two of our interviewees projects to be successful, instructors need to was only inside for around a half-hour, but in also raised important issues that could have prepare students linguistically and socially/ that half-hour, you really felt like family . . . a negative impact on our objectives. culturally for the tasks ahead, and those tasks not just a customer. They treat you so respect- Student Jeremy was ambivalent about the need to mirror the content of the class. fully, and that level of respect and quality cultural value of the portfolios. He felt that, We are also aware that our privileged permeates into the goods they sell.” since most students take Spanish classes only to location in terms of the proximity of our The interviews and reflections also showed fulfill their language requirement, they are not institution to a thriving and diverse Hispanic that some of our students’ experiences were able to move beyond a particular task to learn community facilitates the development of enhanced by the decorations of some of the more about the community because they are authentic tasks such as the one described establishments they visited and the taste of the only really interested in completing the activity in this article. Nevertheless, for language regional dishes they tried. Alexa, an art major, for a grade without having much interest in the instructors with no such resources, students’ says, “The restaurant was filled with reds and target language or culture. This, of course, is a access to the Internet provide opportunities blues, and was very bright and loudly deco- legitimate concern, but we believe it should not for authentic activities such as the develop- rated. There was also music playing in the back- hinder language students’ opportunity to use ment of a profile of a target-culture company; ground that added to the colorful atmosphere. the target language beyond the classroom and the analysis of newspaper articles on cur- The meals were similar, with a variety of spices be exposed to the target culture as represented rent issues; or the creation of students’ oral and flavors filling a single dish.” For student in the local Hispanic community. (recorded) research reports on specific topics Benjamin, the surprising aspect was the rich- Instructor Jaclyn Cohen-Steinberg affecting the target-language-speaking world, ness and taste of the food, which he emphasized noticed that her students were prone to all of which are also tasks that we have devel- both in his interview and reflections. “The most overgeneralize about intercultural similari- oped for our students’ portfolio assignments. surprising thing about my experience was how ties and differences and aspects of the target Cultural portfolio activities are an excel- delicious the chicken is. I didn’t know chicken language in their portfolio reflections. This is lent way to promote meaningful use of the could be that good, to be honest . . . I had never probably an unavoidable problem, but one target language, and they can constitute a really eaten ‘authentic’ Hispanic food before . that can be addressed by training students first step towards the materialization of the . . most of the ‘Hispanic’ food I’ve had is from to move beyond superficial comparisons to culture- and community-based standards in places like Baja Fresh and Taco Bell. I’m glad more in-depth critical thinking. By address- second language classes. I went to this restaurant though, since it’s so ing these issues in class, and by completing Gabriela C. Zapata is an Associate Professor (Teaching) much better than any of those fast food joints.” more portfolio projects, students can become of Spanish and Director of Spanish and Portuguese The many positive aspects of this more aware of their overgeneralizations and Programs, Department of Spanish and Portuguese, Uni- portfolio project that were reported by our the complexities of cultural aspects. versity of Southern California, Los Angeles, California. students were also highlighted by their In the final section of our interviews, we Vianey Cabrera is a Lecturer in Spanish and Portu- instructors, who were pleasantly surprised asked students and instructors how they guese, Department of Spanish and Portuguese, Univer- by the overall comprehensiveness of the sub- felt about the way in which the projects had sity of Southern California, Los Angeles, California. mitted work and students’ use of the target been assessed. Both groups were satisfied language. Mesrobian also refers to the social with the holistic categories we had devel- Consuelo Sigüenza-Ortiz is an Assistant Professor (Teach- and cultural implications of this task, noting, oped because they felt they not only con- ing) of Spanish, Department of Spanish and Portuguese, “My students were so surprised at how ac- sidered linguistic aspects, but also rewarded University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California. cessible the Hispanic community was in Los effort and creativity. Gayle Vierma is an Assistant Professor (Teaching) of Angeles, which led me to believe that before Even though in this article we present a Spanish, Department of Spanish and Portuguese, Uni- this activity there was some sort of miscon- sample of students’ and instructors’ opin- versity of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.

40 The Language Educator n February 2014 Assessments Improve Learning and Teaching

The Seal of Biliteracy: Giving Value to Language Learning By Karen Muldrow

I speak Chinese with my family, but I can’t read or write the lan- 2014 ACTFL National Language guage,” shares a parent. “I took four years of Spanish,” adds another, Teacher of the Year Linda “but I don’t know enough to have a conversation.” Both envision Egnatz (right) is shown with something different for the next generation. They are hoping that Illinois Senator Iris Y. Martinez. The Illinois Council on the their children will be bilingual and biliterate by the time they finish Teaching of Foreign Languages high school. Due to advocacy by parents and educators from both presented Martinez with a English Language Learning (ELL) and foreign language communities, Distinguished Service Award their dream is one step closer to becoming a reality. State legislators for promoting language study in the state. from California to New York are signing on to bills that would provide “Seals of Biliteracy” to high school graduates who meet literacy standards in English and at least one other language. While the practice of endorsing mastery of two or more languages is unanimous support in our legislature because of the importance of still a new concept, it has gained increasing support since 2011 when multilingual skills in economic growth and development.” California became the first state to create a Seal of Biliteracy. In the last “A Seal of Biliteracy is about more than just seat time.” says Gregg two years, Illinois, New York, and New Jersey have all passed legislation Roberts, World Languages and Dual Language Immersion Specialist at the creating state Seals of Biliteracy. Washington and Utah have legislation Utah Department of Education. “Time in class doesn’t reflect true value. planned for 2014. Proponents of the Seal point out that while different We want to measure proficiency in both English and the second language, states may have started their pursuit from different perspectives, they so that whether a Utah student is moving into a career, or is college- all hope to promote multilingual proficiency and to acknowledge and bound, they are proficient and ready to compete in the global market.” reward students who have this vital 21st century skill. Even with broad support, the details of implementing a Seal of In New Jersey, two professional associations, New Jersey Teach- Biliteracy need to be identified in each state. The U.S. Department ers of English as a Second Language/New Jersey Bilingual Education of Education has no specific guidelines to promote second language (NJTESOL/NJBE) and Foreign Language Educators of New Jersey learning. After state legislators are on board with the idea, indepen- (FLENJ) joined together to advocate for awarding a Seal of Bilit- dent organizations or local districts are often left to make decisions eracy to qualified graduating seniors. With input from Mary Curran, about assessments and standards. By way of example, California pro- Associate Dean of Local-Global Partnerships at Rutgers University, vides that standards be set at the local level. Illinois is trying to stan- New Jersey established “rigorous yet attainable” criteria for earn- dardize the minimum requirements and is in the process of identifying a Seal of Biliteracy. NJTESOL/NJBE Executive Board Member ing the proficiency level to meet the state’s need for a more bilingual Elizabeth Franks points out that the Seal “allows students from workforce. New Jersey allows districts to choose assessments from a diverse backgrounds to be recognized for the inherent value of their list of research-based, data-driven tests. Utah is considering a multi- native language as they acquire high levels of English proficiency.” tiered Seal with learners earning different levels of the Seal based on FLENJ President Jean Modig adds that “offering the Seal is a way to Intermediate or Advanced levels of proficiency. Roberts points out encourage [all] students to pursue biliteracy, honor the skills that that “as we work to establish a Seal of Biliteracy for Utah we look to they attain, and provide evidence of skills that are attractive to future examples from other districts and states. But the challenges that we employers and college admissions offices.” face in Utah are not the same as those in California.” Linda Egnatz of the World Languages Department at Lincoln-Way In most states, the Seal of Biliteracy is an optional program with North High School in Frankfort, IL—who is also the recently named little cost for implementation. As more states begin to adopt the idea 2014 ACTFL National Language Teacher of the Year—sees the Seal of a Seal of Biliteracy, organizations across the nation are beginning as a win-win for everybody. to have a dialog about how to develop standards that best meet the “Some initially thought of the Seal as an ELL issue,” she says, needs of everyone involved. “but ultimately, in Illinois, this is a conversation about jobs.” Egnatz Roberts emphasizes that, “advocacy is the key to making the Seal points out that in her state, some large companies, such as Caterpil- the norm statewide.” Egnatz points out that in Illinois, advocacy lar, have been vocal about their frustrations in trying to hire locally includes interested organizations providing resources to districts that because there aren’t enough multilingual applicants. “We received Continued on p. 47

The Language Educator n February 2014 41 Special Focus on Assessment and Feedback

By Cherice Montgomery The Transformative Power of Performance-Based Assessment

hat comes to mind when you hear the been linked to motivation and/or proficiency to go. Instead, I want to use the power of W word assessment? For students and development. When we thoughtfully plan assessment to communicate to students the teachers alike, the word often evokes feelings our assessments so that they strategically af- incalculable value of their language skills, to of anxiety, stress, and frustration. This may fect students’ perspectives on language learn- celebrate their progress, and to facilitate risk- be a result of the things we do with assessing, we can improve their language learning taking. I want my assessments to evaluate ment, and of the things assessment does to experiences and transform their beliefs about language learning even as they facilitate the us. In an Education Week article from 1993 themselves in powerful ways. shaping of meaningful personal and profes- entitled “The Invention of Intelligence,” These realizations led me to ask myself: sional identities. Most of all, I want to use F. Allan Hanson, a professor of anthropology What kind of language learners are my as- the power of assessment not just to calculate at the University of Kansas, explains: sessments constructing? Who do I want my grades, but also to enable students to use In a very real sense, tests have invented students to become? How might I use the their language skills to improve themselves, all of us. They play an important role power of assessment to transform language their lives, and the world around them. in determining what opportunities are teaching and learning in meaningful ways? offered to or withheld from us, they mold While I want my assessments to provide The Transformative Potential of the expectations and evaluations that a realistic picture of students’ progress, I also Performance-Based Assessments others form of us (and we form of them), want them to build my students’ confidence Creating meaningful assessments does not and they heavily influence our assess- in their language skills. Although I would have to be an overwhelming project. The ments of our own abilities and worth. like my students to become accurate target remainder of this article outlines a simple Therefore, although testing is usually language speakers, I also want them to be- process for designing performance-based considered to be a means of appraising come strategic target language users who ac- assessments which consists of five steps: qualities that are already present in a per- tively draw on their skills to solve real prob- son, in actuality the individual in contem- lems and make substantive contributions Step 1: Select a Meaningful Topic porary society is not so much measured to society. I do not want my assessments to The first step in creating a transformative, by tests as constructed by them. constantly indicate all that my students do performance-based assessment is to identify not know and just how far they still have a meaningful topic that naturally motivates This statement highlights the fact that assessment is a powerful tool. It can be used to accept or reject, to validate or denigrate, Creating Meaningful Performance-Based Assessments to include or exclude, to build or destroy. Steps Rationale In language education, each experience that students have with assessment influences 1. Select a meaningful topic Motivates students to want to their assumptions about language learning (it communicate is easy/hard, interesting/boring, fun/painful), 2. Locate culturally authentic texts Builds students’ knowledge of the topic so their beliefs about their language abilities (I they have something to say about it am/am not good at learning language), their 3. Develop cognitively challenging Involves students in making sense of texts confidence in their language skills (I can/ interpretive tasks about the topic cannot use my language to accomplish real 4. Design opportunities for students to Invites students to express their opinions tasks), their self-perceptions (I am smart/ talk about the topic and the texts dumb), their willingness to take risks and invest time in language learning (I do/do not 5. Support students in sharing their Supports students in publicly sharing want to talk with native speakers), and their learning with templates, tools, and what they have learned about the topic expectations for their future success (The tar- timely feedback by talking about the text with authentic get language will/will not become an integral audiences part of my life). Each of these factors has also

42 The Language Educator n February 2014 Locating Culturally Authentic Texts Searching for culturally authentic materials can be frustrating if you do not know students to want to say something about where to look. Here are several strategies and websites that may help. it. In order to accomplish this, ask your- What are you trying to find? Strategies self questions like: What do my students talk about in the hallways? Which cur- Advertisements Ads of the World rent events seem to capture their attention? adsoftheworld.com/ What cultural topics intrigue them? Which Children’s books International Children’s Digital Library social problems or community issues seem to www.childrenslibrary.org/icdl/SimpleSearchCategory? concern them? Students particularly enjoy ilang=English discussing topics that are directly related Comic strips Lambiek Comiclopedia – Compendium of comics from to their personal lives, such as childhood around the world memories, dating, education, entertain- www.lambiek.net/artists/index.htm ment, fashion, friendship, or technology. The Bedetheque – Database of comics in French Course Themes and Recommended Contexts www.bedetheque.com/ from the AP Curriculum Frameworks offer a Comics Auf Deutsch – Collection of comics in German wealth of additional possibilities for topics. webgerman.com/german/comics/ In addition to capitalizing on a real-life Culturally authentic resources Culture Connection reason to communicate that is connected to for Spanish teachers cultureconnection.wikispaces.com/ students’ daily lives, effective performance- Images or infographics Do a Google image search based assessments also focus on identifying Look for a curated collection such as Infografías en an appropriate setting and audience for that castellano communication. Ask yourself: In what real- infografiasencastellano.com/ life settings and for what real-life purposes Stock Xchng do people naturally discuss the topic I have sxc.hu/ selected? Which groups of target language speakers could serve as an appropriate audi- Materials in the target Enter search terms in the target language (i.e., tecnología) ence for such a discussion? Your answers language to these questions will help you to craft a Narrow search by entering terms in quotation meaningful context for your assessment that marks (i.e., “technology cartoons” or “technology infographics”) will allow you to avoid using decontextual- ized or contrived prompts. You will then be Use a country-specific search engine such as Search ready to locate intriguing texts that students Engine Colossus: An International Directory of Search Engines can listen to, read, or watch in order to learn www.searchenginecolossus.com/ more about the topic you have selected. Music Charts All Over the World Step 2: Locate Culturally Authentic Texts www.lanet.lv/misc/charts/ The second step in creating a transformative, Newspapers Kiosko.net en.kiosko.net/ performance-based assessment is to select two or three culturally authentic texts that Newseum will give students something interesting to www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/ say about the topic (see table at right for Newspaper Map resources). newspapermap.com/ Ideally, the texts you choose will rep- Pedagogical materials Most pedagogical materials come in the form of resent a variety of different perspectives, documents, PDFs, or PowerPoints. Try a filetype search genres, and culturally authentic media (e.g., (filetype:doc tecnología), (filetype:pdf tecnología), advertisements, children’s picture books, (filetype:ppt tecnología) comic strips, famous art works, literary texts Realia The Realia Project such as poetry or short stories, newspaper www.realiaproject.org/ or magazine articles, radio interviews, realia, Texts Librivox songs, video clips). Incorporating a diverse https://librivox.org/ array of materials gives students a wider Project Gutenberg range of ideas to discuss, tends to encour- www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page age more critical thinking, and increases the Reading Resources for French Teachers readingresources4frenchteachers.wikispaces.com/Home Special Focus on Assessment and Feedback

likelihood that students will be able to access realize that they can use the target language Step 3: Develop Cognitively Challenging information from at least one of the texts. to do real things in the real world. They Interpretive Tasks Texts that activate students’ prior knowl- begin to perceive themselves as competent Designing intellectually interesting interpre- edge, build their understanding of the topic, students and to believe that they are capable tive tasks that involve students in actively and help them to explore the topic from of learning the target language. As their exploring the texts you have selected is different perspectives are especially effec- confidence increases, they are willing to the third step in creating meaningful, tive in preparing students to communicate take more risks in their language learning. performance-based assessments. Tasks that about the topic (technology will serve as the However, these outcomes depend on the require students to think critically about sample topic for the examples that follow): extent to which students experience success the ethical implications of the topic for • You might activate students’ per- when working with culturally authentic society, or engage them in examining the sonal experiences through texts that tasks. Many students worry that culturally meaning of a text for their personal lives, are help them make personal connections authentic texts will be too difficult for them especially likely to create shifts in perspec- to technology, such as cartoons that to understand. tive that affect how students view themselves highlight some of humorous social Any culturally authentic text can be and value the language they are learning. For behaviors that technology helps to made accessible for even beginning language example, students could survey one another perpetuate (like a child sitting in an learners when teachers thoughtfully develop to find out how they are using technology in upstairs bedroom texting a parent in carefully structured interpretive tasks that their daily lives (e.g., Do you send more than the kitchen to find out if dinner is involve students in actively exploring it. For 100 text messages per day?), and then com- ready). instance, instead of editing or simplifying pare their results with national averages re- • You could build students’ knowledge culturally authentic texts, consider using ported in an infographic. They could analyze about the topic of technology with strategies such repetition, redaction, visual- brochures or commercials for several different magazine quizzes about the nature ization, and collaboration. Repetition allows brands of a particular product to identify and frequency of teen technology students to listen to or view the text repeat- what techniques are used to get people to use, carefully selected quotes from a edly for different purposes (e.g., watching buy technology items, or could work together research report on the negative effects a video clip initially to identify the genre, in pairs to sort various items of technology of media consumption by young then to identify key events, and finally, to that are pictured in advertisements into cat- children, or a short newspaper article determine how the main character feels egories such as “needs” or “wants.” about how the portability and ubiq- about the events). Redaction means carefully Students could also skim newspaper or uity of technology is changing cultural selecting only brief quotes from the text on magazine articles and copy statements onto norms. which you want students to focus. Visual- index cards that serve as evidence to support • You could expose students to multi- ization involves choosing texts that offer their personal position on whether technology ple perspectives regarding the topic extensive visual support (such as children’s has a positive or a negative effect on society. through texts such as an infographic picture books, comic strips, infographics, or Such statements could be used in conjunc- that compares technology use in the maps) or having students illustrate impor- tion with what students have learned from target culture with that of the United tant events or processes from the text. Col- short video clips as the substance of a debate States, a radio interview that discusses laboration asks students to work together to regarding the value of emerging technolo- the pros and cons of technology use, complete activities that will help them better gies. These kinds of tasks are especially useful or a video clip from a popular talk understand the meaning of the text (such as because they allow students with Novice-level show in which parents and children sharing information to complete graphic or- proficiency to respond by creating lists that express their opinions about appropri- ganizers, working together to match pictures consist of isolated words, while students with ate technology use. with text, or helping one another sequence Intermediate or Advanced proficiency can main events from the text). However, tasks answer using sentences or paragraphs. Tasks Each of these different types of texts as- that use repetition, redaction, visualization, like these are also intellectually interesting sists students in developing an expanded or collaboration to support comprehension and personally meaningful, so they motivate understanding of the topic and encourages are not enough. Language learners also need students to want to communicate about what students to think more critically about it. tasks that help them evaluate the content they are hearing, reading, or viewing. Culturally authentic texts also play impor- and accuracy of the texts they are reading; tant roles in capturing students’ interest and challenge them to think critically about what Step 4: Design Opportunities for Students preparing them to use their language for they are listening to, reading, or viewing; to Talk and assist them in forming opinions that real-world purposes. Most importantly, when What we assess communicates to our they can express about the topic. students experience success when interpret- students what we value. Thus, if we hope ing a culturally authentic text, they begin to

44 The Language Educator n February 2014 Assessments Improve Learning and Teaching

to transform our language learners into culates, providing just-in-time feedback on class is working on another assignment. proficient language speakers, we must orally students’ performance. Later, he listens to the recordings and assess their interpersonal skills. However, provides feedback on student performance many teachers find it easiest to assess pre- The teacher is not the only person who using the same simple rubric that students sentational communication tasks. They often can evaluate oral assessments. Peer used to self-assess their own performance avoid interpersonal oral assessment because evaluation is an excellent way to help guide before returning the voice recorders. In they feel it takes too much class time, they students’ attention to the key features in schools where sufficient classroom access to lack access to enough technology for each a conversation that they need to practice technological equipment may be an issue, student, or they feel that their students are in order to improve their language students might use their own electronic incapable of successfully participating in performance. One approach is to seat devices (such as cell phones or tablets) to interpersonal activities such as spontaneous students in groups of eight, with the four record themselves. conversations and debates. The fourth step students who will be assessed facing one in creating a performance-based assessment another, and a different “peer evaluator” Pedagogical techniques can strengthen is inviting students to orally express personal sitting behind each one. The four students students’ success with interpersonal opinions about the texts they have read or in the center of the group converse about activities. One such technique is called viewed. Consequently, the remainder of this an audio or video clip, while the students Human Graphing. The teacher begins this section offers several ideas for overcoming seated behind them must use a checklist or whole class conversation activity by placing the challenges commonly associated with rubric to assess the individual performance a line made of tape on the floor and posting oral assessment. of the peer they were assigned. signs written in the target language on the wall or whiteboard so that they form a Oral assessment can be quick and easy to Technology can facilitate the administration continuum: Die for It [Disagree], Convince prepare. It does not have to be difficult to of interpersonal oral assessments. For Others, Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neutral, design or time-consuming to administer. instance, Eric Diaz, a Spanish teacher from Agree, Strongly Agree, Convince Others, & For example, during the last 5 minutes of Lakeridge Middle School in Orem, UT, Die for It [Agree]. Next, the teacher makes a class, Skye LeFevre, a middle school Spanish checks out small voice recorders to pairs controversial statement, and students must teacher from American Fork, UT, invites of students on designated testing days. He physically arrange themselves along the several pairs of students to draw a topic from gives them a few minutes to complete a continuum based on the degree to which a box, have an impromptu conversation conversation template that will guide their they agree with the statement. The teacher about it in front of the class, and then interpersonal conversation, and then gives then asks students to discuss their opinions respond to questions from their peers. them 5 minutes to collaboratively record with those standing near them, or calls on In this way, she can continuously assess brief conversations while the rest of the individual students to justify their opinion. the interpersonal communication skills of a few of her students each day without taking up a lot of class time. The format she Sample Rubric for Expressing and Justifying Opinions uses increases students’ comfort level with 4 3 2 1 spontaneous speaking and allows her to support them in learning the skills they need Clearly states an States an opinion States an opinion, Expresses to actively negotiate meaning. opinion, provides and provides at but only gives a agreement or Another simple technique for helping multiple reasons least one reason to reason if prompted disagreement with students to become more comfortable in to justify the justify the opinion to do so someone else’s actively negotiating meaning is to ask them opinion, and opinion, but cannot to change topics and partners frequently. For defends the opinion state their own instance, a teacher can arrange students in with additional inside/outside circles, and then display a dis- explanation when cussion prompt on a PowerPoint slide. The challenged prompt could be a controversial opinion to Creo que . . . porque Creo que . . . Creo que . . . Sí/Estoy de acuerdo. defend, an interesting image for discussion, . . . , además . . . porque . . . OR OR a question that evokes students’ personal OR OR No creo que . . . No/No estoy de experiences with a topic, or a quotation No creo que . . . No creo que . . . acuerdo./ that students read and then evaluate. Each porque . . . , porque . . . No lo creo. time the teacher advances to a new prompt, no obstante . . . students change partners. The teacher cir-

The Language Educator n February 2014 45 Special Focus on Assessment and Feedback

(Students’ responses can be evaluated based then created advertisements, children’s dents to possess extensive vocabularies or a on a simple rubric such as the one below.) stories, pop-up books, PSAs, and puppet strong command of sophisticated structures Interpersonal tasks like these provide shows in Spanish designed to teach children to complete the kinds of tasks outlined in students with structured opportunities to about these issues. Students’ products were the previous section. With adequate guid- cognitively process both the conceptual given to the volunteer medical teams to ance from the teacher, even Level 1 students ideas and cultural content they encounter use with future patients. When students can comment on complex topics. Teachers in the texts in socially satisfying ways. This know they will be sharing their work with can identify which portions of a task need processing can help students find joy and authentic target language audiences for scaffolding (i.e., extra support) by asking satisfaction in their language learning, and real purposes, they are motivated to invest themselves, “At what points during this por- prepares them to appropriate the content for more time in developing the content of their tion of this task are students likely to strug- their own creative self-expression in presen- message, in accurately choosing the words gle?” Teachers can then improve student per- tational tasks. and sentence structures most appropriate formance by breaking each task into smaller for communicating their message, and in chunks and building additional support into Presentational tasks can promote creative improving the quality and aesthetic appeal of those segments of the task. Templates are an self-expression. Once students have had the what they produce (see table below). excellent way to structure tasks for students. opportunity to explore a topic, consider a For example, graphic organizers provide variety of perspectives on the topic through Step 5: Support Students with Templates, a template for helping students to analyze culturally authentic texts, and participate in Tools, and Timely Feedback a topic, brainstorm vocabulary, categorize tasks that help them to make sense of the Templates can support students in preparing ideas, or organize their thinking in prepara- meaning of those texts, they are ready to quality products. It is not necessary for stu- tion for a speaking task. Storyboards support creatively package and share what they have learned with target language communities. For instance, students exploring the topic Creative, Free Tools for Sharing Presentational Communication of technology might prepare advertisements Product Tool URL designed to warn target language speakers Audioposters Fotobabble www.fotobabble.com/ of the dangers of excessive technology use, Glogster www.glogster.com/edu or public service announcements (PSAs) Thinglink www.thinglink.com/ that advocate for the ethical use of emerging technologies in target language cultures. Books Bookr www.pimpampum.net/bookr/ These tasks become especially powerful Shutterfly www.shutterfly.com when the teacher looks for ways to connect Brochures MyBrochureMaker mybrochuremaker.com/ them to the Communities Standards. For Comics Kerpoof www.kerpoof.com/ example, during their units on health and ToonDoo www.toondoo.com/ hygiene, Carrie Gold from Provo, UT and Infographics Infogr.am https://infogr.am/app/#/home Sarah Fox from Lansing, MI each created Magazines Flipboard https://flipboard.com/ service learning projects for their classes by Flipsnack www.flipsnack.com/ partnering with doctors who volunteered Issuu issuu.com/ their time in medical clinics in Honduras and the Dominican Republic. Using Newsletters Letterpop letterpop.com/ culturally authentic materials collected Oral interviews AudioBoo audioboo.fm/ from these countries by the doctors, the SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/ teachers developed learning centers designed Stories LittleBirdTales https://www.littlebirdtales.com/ to engage students in comparing and Photopeach www.photopeach.com/ contrasting common threats to health in Storybird storybird.com/ those countries with those most typical of Timelines OurStory www.ourstory.com/ the United States. Students examined photos and analyzed information from various Videos (commercials, Animoto animoto.com/ articles to discover how a lack of information documentaries, game GoAnimate goanimate.com/ regarding issues such as cleaning wounds, shows, or soap operas) avoiding the transmission of HIV, and Websites Weebly www.weebly.com/ protecting against malaria-carrying Wix www.wix.com/ mosquitoes can affect quality of life. Students

46 The Language Educator n February 2014 Checklist for Developing Performance-Based Assessments 1. TOPIC Have I identified a topic that my students will find intriguing? Y N students in designing, planning, sequencing, 2. TEXTS Have I selected several texts . . . Y N and producing multimedia projects. Story • that will motivate students to want to communicate? maps assist students in developing the char- • are culturally authentic and represent a variety of perspectives on acters, conflict, plot, and setting of stories. the topic? Templates for writing projects might contain • that will build my students’ knowledge of the topic through dif- prompts that help students outline content. ferent genres and media sources? They might also include models that help • that foster cultural comparisons? students express complex thoughts in simple • that will help students make meaningful, personal connections to phrases, provide sentence frames to help • target language speakers? structure students’ ideas, elicit details and examples that students can use to support 2. TASKS Have I developed interpretive tasks that will . . . Y N their assertions, or offer word banks that • assist students in understanding the meaning of the texts? help students complete the task. Checklists (Comprehension) might include a series of steps for students • actively engage students in making sense of the issues raised by to follow and can provide visual remind- the texts? (Content) ers of the individual components of each • prepare students to express, justify, and defend their opinions task, while process tracking sheets can help about the texts? (Communication) students self-assess their own progress and 3. TALK Have I . . . Y N log their contributions to a group assignment • created at least one opportunity for students to communicate as they work through various stages of each interpersonally? task. Once students have used such tem- • designed at least one opportunity for students to present what plates to help them complete the task, they they have learned to an authentic audience? need opportunities to evaluate their own 5. TOOLS Have I provided students with sufficient templates, tools, and timely Y N work prior to turning it in (see table). feedback to ensure their success?

Tools such as rubrics allow students and their peers to evaluate their own practice before formal assessment takes place. Effective rubrics share several common Muldrow continued from p. 41 characteristics. Most contain an even number (4 or 6) of degrees of possible performance. may want to implement the Seal of Biliteracy. “Illinois does not have a state supervisor that This helps the teacher resist the tendency covers foreign language education, and not all areas have a regional board of education,” to rate everyone’s performance in the she says. Egnatz approached her school board about being a pilot school this year. She average category. Only a few performance feels that by doing so her district can help identify considerations for other school boards dimensions are included to enable students and provide a model for how a school might implement the program should they decide to focus on just a few, manageable aspects of to do so. New Jersey is following a similar path, with seven pilot districts applying their their performance at a time. Each category Seal’s criteria for graduating seniors during the 2013–14 academic year. represents a facet of the project that, if Californians Together, in collaboration with Velazquez Press, provides resources and addressed by students, will significantly an outline of six steps for advocates in any state to follow as they work to implement a improve their performance. The descriptions Seal of Biliteracy: of performance in each box of the rubric 1. Clarify purposes and rationale clearly describe what students must 2. Determine the level of pathway awards to be granted change in order to shift their performance 3. Define the criteria for granting the awards to the next level. Vague terms such as 4. Develop outreach strategies and an application process “frequently,” “sometimes,” or “mostly” are 5. Design the award and the award presentation process, avoided in favor of terms that are more 6. Seek endorsements and spread the word! precise and measurable (e.g., 50%, or 3 out of 5 times). Descriptions are simple and Their website (sealofbiliteracy.org) is often a first stop for people interested in pro- parallel one another so that the qualities moting a Seal of Biliteracy. of performance at each level can be easily “This is an important issue,” Roberts emphasizes. “Monolingualism is the illiteracy of compared. Perhaps the most important the 21st century. The Seal of Biliteracy can provide something tangible to represent the importance of being multilingual in today’s society. It’s a step in the right direction.” Continued on p. 53 Karen Muldrow is a Spanish teacher at Cincinnati Country Day School, Cincinnati, Ohio. Special Focus on Assessment and Feedback

Assessment as an Authentic, Communicative Experience—Steps for Creating Performance-Based Assessments and Rubrics to Demonstrate Student Understanding By Crystal Brim

uestion: What is truer than truth? Answer: the story. This Jewish the ability to discuss my personality, family, friends, and interests. Q proverb came to mind as I thought about the words assessment Connecting with others through authentic experiences and meaningful and grade. What does a grade mean? Numerical equations compute conversation transformed my thinking about grammar worksheets and GPAs from a number that teachers assign to student learning. An A in drills: Grammar became a tool to help me communicate. I discovered one school system equals 90–100%. In others it equals 94% and above. that it was the ability to exchange ideas with real people that mattered Conversely, a failing grade is 70% and below at certain schools and 60% more than speaking and writing with perfect discourse. and below at others. Some schools insist that students’ grades should When I became a Spanish teacher, I desired to recreate a similar ex- not be based at all on behavior; the grade should demonstrate only what perience for my students. But doing so would require a paradigm shift they know. These percentages represent truth on the transcript. from the instructional methods of drilling grammar to which I had But, considering faculty personality, teaching philosophy, and the been exposed. My first step was to create a learning community based school district/state standards, what does a grade mean? When stu- on meaning-bearing communication demonstrated in skills-based dents complete the school year or graduate, how can they demonstrate performance. I focused on fostering an environment of opportunities their understanding and skills? Answer: the story. Performance-based where students could learn and demonstrate the ability to transfer. assessments, documented and compiled in a portfolio (including Meaning-bearing communication is essential to encourage the ex- the rubric), provide the story. Furthermore, educators can create an change of ideas and student motivation. I see evidence of knowledge and authentic and personal language learning experience for students by skill retention when communication and assessment are centered on ideas developing performance-based assessments that focus on meaning- relevant to my students’ own lives. When something is relevant and mean- bearing communication. The key to creating effective assessments is to ingful, we have a better chance of remembering it. Hence, I began with the work backward, step-by-step, from the desired results. easiest subject for a student to communicate in target language: one’s self. My desired result was for students to communicate the story of Step 1: Determine What You Want Students to Know their lives from childhood to the present, just as I had to in Mexico Content coverage is the sin of curriculum development, according as an exchange student. My secondary goal was for students in differ- to Wiggins and McTighe. In The Understanding by Design Guide ent language course levels to complete the same project, demonstrat- to Creating High-Quality Units (2011), they state that the textbook ing their knowledge of both that level’s language structures and an should serve as a resource, not the syllabus of a course: “We don’t ability to think within the continuum of cognitive processes. I want- start with content; we start with what students are expected to be ed Level 2 students to move beyond lower-order thinking skills and able to do with content.” Advanced Placement (AP) students to exhibit higher order thinking In my first years of teaching, I was required to teach the same skills. For that reason, I created two semester goals from which to curriculum as the other instructors who taught my courses. Course work backward: By the end of the first semester in Level 2 Spanish, material was covered with each turn of the textbook page. Once the students in groups of three will converse for 6 minutes in the present last page of the chapter arrived, the paper-and-pencil test happened. indicative tense discussing their personalities, family, friends, and In this paradigm, the content determined the assessment instead interests. AP Spanish Literature and Culture students will compose of the assessment informing the unit’s curriculum. Once I was able free-verse poetry about their personalities, family, friends, and inter- to teach using my textbook as a resource instead of as a syllabus, I ests, accurately using a variety of literary devices. could start working backward from my desired result. Teaching learners to transfer, or apply what they have learned in Step 2: Decide How You Want Students to Demonstrate Their one way or context to another, on their own (Wiggins & McTighe, Understanding 2011), is one of my overarching curriculum goals for each language Performance-based tasks and assessments promote academic growth level. When I studied in Mexico as a foreign exchange student in high when centered on meaning-based communication and communica- school, I had to transfer what I had learned in my Spanish class the tion/thinking skills. To achieve my semester goals for Level 2 and AP, moment I met my host family. Initially, most conversations required I created a performance-based assessment that would embody my

48 The Language Educator n February 2014 Assessments Improve Learning and Teaching

philosophy of a learning community with the vertical articulation of and images. Once the story was complete, students needed to language skills and integration of communication and technology import the visual components of their mosaic and the correspond- skills. The project was called Autorretrato (Self-Portrait). ing narrative into a video-editing program. Because many of my Wiggins and McTighe assert that teaching for understanding students learned this cross-curricular skill in my language course, it (in my case, meaning-bearing communication) involves ongoing was necessary to teach the required technology skills and review the inquiries about a big idea, versus a focus solely on the acquisition of guidelines of digital citizenship. knowledge and skill. This student inquiry and investigation should Technology is a tool for communication, similar to the way be framed by essential questions. Essential questions are conceptual grammar functions to convey ideas. Technology use should not be questions that organize a unit of study and influence learning expec- the focus of our language curriculum, but it certainly helps connect tations and assessment products or performances. In Mapping the students with content and deposit it in their long-term memory. Big Picture (1997), Jacobs provides a list of eight best writing prac- Additionally, we address Common Core’s writing anchor standards tices for generating essential questions to guide learners and refine by teaching technology skills in language classrooms. Best practices teaching. In addition to essential questions, Wiggins and McTighe in teaching technology involve first presenting your own product define authentic performance as conditional knowledge and skill in or past student examples and then modeling specific skills required context. If students can demonstrate when, where, and why to use to meet your standards. Also, instructors should distribute a rubric what they have learned, then they demonstrate understanding. with detailed expectations when presenting their model example and Accordingly, I began designing the Autorretrato project by required skills. When students receive the scoring standards for a working backward from these essential questions: “What is a self- project before they begin the project, the expectations can guide their portrait?” “What makes us who we are?” “How do we convey who work and students can take ownership of their learning. we are to others?” “How do others experience and react to us?” These After teaching the technology skills required for the video, stu- questions created the foundation for an authentic, communicative dents must learn those skills. This is a great opportunity for project- experience. Once the project was completed, students could answer based learning because students learn best by doing. The first time these essential questions and the process was documented in the you assign an intricate technology project, it is advisable to allocate creation and presentation of the Autorretrato assessment. a week of instructional time to monitor and guide them as they con- Once I established the conceptual framework for this unit of study, struct their own learning. If you struggle philosophically with allow- I determined that the final product would demonstrate students’ skills ing that much class time, remember that the more students engage working with video editing software programs, in keeping with my with content, the probability that the content will be stored in their school’s mission of technology use. Next, I identified the modes of long-term memory increases. communication I desired students to demonstrate: Presentational writ- Once students imported their storyboards into a video-processing ing and speaking and Interpretive listening. Finally, it was necessary to program and I taught students how to use it, they had to import music decide the linguistic structures that would be used to communicate for they felt established a certain mood and reflected their self-images. each level. Students in Level 2 communicated in the present indicative When music is incorporated, the editing process begins. Students tense (including all irregular forms). They were also required to show chose a theme song with lyrics to open and close their video. They their understanding of affirmatives and negatives and of compara- selected wordless music for the background of the narrative and took tives and superlatives. AP students were required to demonstrate their care to comply with copyright law concerning all songs. The song clips ability to communicate with a variety of verb tenses and grammatical had to correspond precisely with the transition between images and structures. Additionally, I wanted AP students to engage in the same narrative. At first, the editing process can be tricky but students grow higher order thinking skills as are on the AP Exam: application, analy- more confident and knowledgeable with time and practice. sis, synthesis, and evaluation. Therefore, AP Spanish Literature stu- To add another dimension to the mosaic, the individual’s voice nar- dents completed a different version of the Autorretrato project. They rated the story in Spanish, corresponding to the text of the video. This wrote poetry in Spanish, using literary devices they learned in class. component gave students the chance to demonstrate their pronunciation Based on the essential questions of this project, students created a skills and learn how to record and mix the voice-over with the back- mosaic to most accurately present themselves to others. The mosaic ground music. Finally, students included a title page (Quien soy: Who I was composed of Spanish narrative, still photos, video clips, personal am, name, date, meaningful quote) and finished with a word cloud of artwork, and the music they felt best conveyed their self-image. the video’s narrative. Last, students were required to cite their sources. Students in Level 2 created a video (using iMovie or Window’s Movie Our Level 2 learning community connected and became closer Maker) depicting their lives from childhood to present day. First, from viewing these products: We saw Seth’s cows and watched him they composed the narrative in four segments: their personalities, drive his tractor in Georgia; we “met” Sydney’s family and friends in family, friends, and interests. Second, students worked collabora- Africa and saw what life is like there; we traveled to Sweden to see tively in what I call Writer’s Workshop to edit each other’s language Hanna’s home and hear about her dreams and listen to her favorite structures and write interpersonal comments on content. Next, they band. We experienced life together, in another language. AP Spanish created storyboards to illustrate the narrative with still photographs Literature students related similarly to one another by completing

The Language Educator n February 2014 49 Special Focus on Assessment and Feedback

a different version of the Autorretrato project. They wrote poetry Intermediate, Advanced), modes of communication (Interpersonal, in Spanish, applying the proper use of literary devices they learned Interpretive, Presentational) and domains of performance. For this in class. Their videos had the same technical components, yet they project, my target performance range for Level 2 was Intermediate. focused on establishing a strong poetic voice through their word (Learn more at www.actfl.org/publications/guidelines-and-manuals/ choice. AP students were motivated to learn literary devices because actfl-performance-descriptors-language-learners). they needed to create with them and they observed how writing style The Global Self-Assessment Grid contains a series of “can-do” further conveyed a message about the individual. statements concerning the three communicative modes. This chart is “designed to help students determine what they are able to under- Step 3: Determine How to Effectively Measure Students‘ stand and to communicate in a world language. It also helps them Understanding set goals concerning what they want to be able to understand and Standards-based rubrics, with detailed skill levels, establish learning communicate. The Global Grid gives them a road map to help them expectations for the unit and empower students to take ownership develop proficiency in the language they are learning. The Global of their learning. Ineffective rubrics are those that list an expectation Self-Assessment Grid is based on the European Language Portfo- but establish no standard. For instance, an ineffective rubric for an lio (ELP) designed by the Council of Europe and the LinguaFolio® oral presentation might state “pronunciation: 1 2 3 4 5,” “grammar: designed by the National Council of State Supervisors for Languages 1 2 3 4 5.” The teachers would listen and circle the number they (NCSSFL) in the United States.” (Find out more at tinyurl.com/ felt represented the student’s performance. Note the word felt. You concordia-global-grid). My target performance range on the Global could substitute the word believed, but on what is that belief based? Grid for this project was Exploring Mid. For the AP version of the Would there be evidence or feedback to inform student improvement? Autorretrato project, I consulted AP rubrics for poetry analysis and In a public school classroom of 35 students it would be difficult for added descriptors about creative writing. (AP rubrics can be accessed any teacher to provide the amount of individual feedback that would at apcentral.collegeboard.com.) lead to student growth. Numerically based rubrics are similar to the After establishing the standard skill level of target language use, notion of a GPA representing student understanding. In fact, it is hard you must determine what features of the performance you wish to to use a numerically based rubric without looking for what is wrong assess and describe them in as much detail as possible (in abbrevi- to justify the score. With every error, the student fears dropping down ated form) for each category of performance: Exceeds the Standard, a number. However, a standards-based rubric, composed of narrative, Meets the Standard, Approaching the Standard, and Does Not Meet the encourages the evaluator to look for what is right. Standard. For the Autorretrato project, I had two separate rubrics: Scoring a performance with any type of rubric brings objective cri- Spanish Language Use and Production Standards: Movie. There was teria to what has traditionally been a subjective endeavor. Rubrics with no need to reinvent the wheel for my Level 2 Spanish Language Use standards-based descriptors are more effective and fair. In A Guide to rubric because excellent examples are already available. I con- Curriculum Mapping (2008), Hale identifies descriptors as well-written sulted writing and speaking performance descriptors from Fairfax skill statements that clarify the learning expectation relationship County Public Schools (FCPS - www.fcps.edu/is/worldlanguages/ between a skill and the aligned content learning. Ideally, it is the de- pals/#rubric). I used their writing rubric to assess the following cat- scriptors, rather than the evaluators’ affective response, that judge the egories: task completion (development of the Autorretrato storyline), performance. The evaluators’ role becomes that of determining which comprehensibility, level of discourse, vocabulary, language control, category of performance the learner achieves. Guskey and Bailey as- and mechanics. I added two categories from FCPS’s Level 2 speaking sert in Developing Standards-Based Report Cards (2010) that grading rubric to assess the voice-over: fluency and pronunciation. involves one group of human beings (teachers) making judgments In the past, my Autorretrato project consisted of a visual art pro- about the performance of another group of human beings (students). duction and presentational writing in the target language. However, Though grading will always be an exercise in professional judgment, my current school’s mission incorporates the use of technology as a standards-based rubrics provide students and parents with the means 21st century skill. Therefore, I transformed the project into a cross- to interpret the professional judgment the teacher has made. curricular digital media production and it was appropriate for me To create an effective rubric, you must first establish the standard to allocate a grade for a performance of knowledge in technology. skill level of target language use. I consult the ACTFL Performance Though language use rubrics are relatively easy to acquire, I found Descriptors for Language Learners, Concordia Language Villages’ that a cross-curricular digital media production required combining Global Self-Assessment Grid, and AP Spanish Language and Litera- several rubrics and creating descriptors of my own. ture rubrics. I cull descriptors from these resources to determine Rubric writing is an ongoing process of creating, implementing, as- the standard of student performance I expect at each language level sessing, and rewriting. After changing the project standards, I studied and for each assessment. The ACTFL Performance Descriptors for multiple technology rubrics online and in books and synthesized them Language Learners provide “descriptive performance outcomes for implementation. Essentially, the first rubric was a rough draft. The adaptable to fit differences in languages and learners.” The descrip- best way to improve a rubric is to assess projects with it and rewrite tors are organized according to ranges of performance (Novice, the rubric with what you learned. After assessing the digital project

50 The Language Educator n February 2014 Production Standards: Movie Project—Secondary Levels Technology Use Rubric

Movie Components Exceeds the Standard Meets the Standard Approaching the Does Not Meet the Standard Standard Visual elements: In addition to Meets the Still photographs and Still photographs and Still photographs and/or video clips explain video clips relate to the video clip do not relate Frame composition, Standard criteria: and reinforce overall storyline. Some do not to storyline Still photos/video clip/ Innovative and engaging: storyline; they are explain overall storyline word cloud student included Images may be organized with artistic and/or may not relate either original artwork, distracting and detract Resolution unity (balance between to the text in individual photography, or video from storyline or are variety and harmony) frames or sections of that contains clear inappropriate the movie. Portions of subject, art form, and Still photographs and composition lack variety Incorrect number of still content (meaning) video resolution are very and/or harmony between photos or video clips. clear frames Word cloud is missing Scanned images are Some images and/or Most images are not clear adjusted in a photo the video clip have poor editor to be clear with resolution. They are too balanced color small, grainy, or pixelated Images are appropriate Scanned images were size for clear viewing not adjusted in a photo editor Sound: In addition to Meets the Music matches the mood Music volume is too loud Music may distract viewer of the storyline and or too soft in portions of and/or is out of balance Music Standard criteria: visual elements the movie throughout the movie Voice-overs Music enhances movie: Variety of songs used in Volume is set to an ap- Portions of the voice- The majority of voice- harmonious fashion propriate level through- over are muffled/unclear over is difficult to out movie and fades in and/or improperly mixed understand because it Music was created by and out in accordance with music is muffled and/or poorly student with music with voice-overs mixed with music creation software Voice-over is very clear and properly mixed with music Editing/enhancing: In addition to Meets the Transitions flow Some unnatural pauses Movie is difficult to smoothly: no unnatural or clips do not accurately follow due to tempo and Image transition and Standard criteria: pauses between images, match the voice-over pacing problems pacing Incorporates video clips accurately matches speed Text is difficult to read Text pacing and effects (e.g., pan and voice-over speed Some text isn’t clear due due to font, size, or color movement scan, cross-dissolve) Text appearance matches to font, size, or color contrast Creative combination the mood of the movie; contrast of text, pacing and Text movement is text is clearly visible, movement reflect and Some text is too fast, too distracting. It is too fast accurately matches the enhance the mood of slow or moves chaotically to read and/or doesn’t voice-over speed and the storyline/visual across screen distracting match voice-over speed moves in an aesthetically elements/music the viewer pleasing manner across the screen Digital citizenship: All sources are used All sources are used Few sources are properly appropriately according appropriately according cited and/or usage Citing sources, copyright to copyright law and to copyright law but breaks copyright law compliance properly cited some sources are not properly cited

The Language Educator n February 2014 51 Special Focus on Assessment and Feedback

and consulting with colleagues, I realized that the rubrics I found person who he or she is? Choose as many as apply from the follow- online were laden with values-based language and vague descriptors. ing list: physical, personality, spiritual, cultural. Many of my original descriptors were not well-written because they Next, I provide comprehensible and meaning-bearing input. Level needed to be operationalized—a process of making a concept/learning 2 students read a book called La Gran Aventura de Alejandro (1994) expectation clearly distinguishable or measurable in terms of observa- by Kanter. This reader gives intermediate students the experience of tion. Consistent with the ongoing cycle of rubric composition, I offer reading simple material that exposes them to significant language my current draft of the cross-disciplinary rubric I use for this project. constructs and Spanish culture. We begin Level 2 with this reading When composing this technology use rubric (see p. 51), I begin because it facilitates conversation and reinforces the common vocab- with descriptors in the category Meets the Standard. In a culture of ulary and grammar taught by the textbook. The first several chapters grade inflation I desired to establish the criteria for achieving an A. focus on our Autorretrato themes: personality, family, friends, and However, I also wanted to provide an accessible challenge for my stu- interests, and the grammar used to convey those ideas. Using this dents by listing the descriptors for work that Exceeds the Standard— book reinforces my goal of presenting grammar as a tool for com- work that is worthy of a score of 97–100% and reflects the abilities of a municating ideas. After each chapter, the author includes specific different student than those who earn 90–94%. In fact, when students input-oriented activities for vocabulary and grammar: both referen- ask if I give any extra credit, I point them to the Exceeds the Standard tial (right or wrong) and affective (expressing opinion or belief). The portion of a rubric and state that they can execute those descriptors author also provides structured-output activities to practice speaking to go above and beyond to earn more points to improve their class and writing. Additionally, I create activities for students to transfer grade. I write the performance category Exceeds the Standard second the knowledge and skills they learned from the reader to a different because the students who wish to earn that grade must do everything context. For example, they write the narrative for the Autorretrato to meet the standard criteria plus the additional descriptors. In this projects in four segments that correspond with the book’s chapters. manner, the narrative of the rubric is very detailed, but does not repeat They must utilize the vocabulary and grammar that describes the itself unnecessarily. Thus it is user-friendly and students understand protagonist Alejandro to portray their own lives. Students conduct the precise expectations they must fulfill to earn the grade they desire. interviews with one another to practice interpersonal communication Educators of any content area can use this digital media production on the same content. Additionally, they write scripts and perform rubric and apply the grade range to each category that most appropri- plays that contain the cultural figures introduced in the book. In ately reflects the values of their school system. this play, students must interact with those cultural figures using the vocabulary and grammar taught in the reader. Step 4: Create the Learning Experience with Enabling Activities From comprehensible input to structured-output, these activi- The ideal curriculum begins with determining the desired results. ties prepare students to construct the Autorretrato movie. I also These results inform writing the unit’s essential questions. The es- give Level 2 formative assessments on the vocabulary and grammar sential questions, in turn, provide the framework of the assessment’s of this unit. I use quizlet.com to give students practice, and they content. Deciding the modes of communication and linguistic struc- take quizzes I create on quia.com. Additional formative assessments tures to incorporate generate the language of the rubric. Now you are consist of conversation tests measuring interpersonal communication ready to begin creating the activities that enable the learner to dem- of the content. Formative assessments are for learning. Therefore, onstrate understanding on a performance-based assessment. What students receive feedback online and on rubrics and are given further things must be taught and practiced to facilitate student learning and practice. Finally, they are ready for a summative assessment—an growth? First, begin with an information-exchange task to determine assessment of learning: the Autorretrato movie project. Individual what students know and think about the content. Second, provide projects are shown in class and I evaluate them according to both the comprehensible and meaning-bearing input. Third, create specific language and technology rubrics. An additional instructional goal is input-oriented activities. Finally, create structured-output activities. for the movies to be used didactically as comprehensible input. Stu- For the Autorretrato project, I began with an information-exchange dents in the audience react and respond to their classmates’ movies task that is an authentic and communicative experience: Antes de leer in writing. Later, they engage in interpersonal communication when (Before Reading) questions facilitated interpersonal communication discussing the content. The Autorretrato movie project also serves about what students know and think concerning self-portraits. These as a formative assessment to prepare students for their final exam questions are based on the essential questions of this unit: What is a interpersonal speaking portion, in keeping with my goal: “By the end self-portrait? What makes us who we are? How do we convey who we of the first semester in Level 2 Spanish, students in groups of three are to others? How do others experience and react to us? will converse for 6 minutes in the present indicative tense discussing AP students can discuss the essential questions in the target their personalities, family, friends, and interests.” language in conversation groups. Level 2 students discuss more con- My semester goal for AP students is to engage in the same higher crete ideas in a structured manner in the target language: Describe order thinking skills as the AP Exam: application, analysis, synthe- this portrait—what does she look like? Based on the next series of sis and evaluation. In this unit, the poem Autorretrato by Rosario pictures, what is her personality like? What do you think makes this Castellanos serves as the comprehensible input for AP students. They

52 The Language Educator n February 2014 Assessments Improve Learning and Teaching

must read each stanza of the poem and identify the theme portrayed thentic manner to others. Because the questions focused on the learn- and the literary devices used to do so. Just as Level 2 learners wrote er as an individual, the curriculum bore special meaning, maximizing prose that paralleled the reader La Gran Aventura de Alejandro, AP stu- content retention and facilitating both presentational and interper- dents were challenged with penning free-verse stanzas of similar themes sonal communication. Evaluating the project with a standards-based about their own lives. The first draft focused on content. Subsequent rubric clearly established the expectations of the assessment. Though drafts focused on using literary devices accurately to enhance the tone evaluating student projects relies on professional judgment, the nar- and lyricism of the poetic voice. Like Level 2 students, AP students rative in these rubrics makes the evaluation more credible and easier worked cooperatively in Writer’s Workshop to edit each other’s language to interpret by both students and parents. In fact, Spanish teachers, use and write interpersonal comments on content and literary device no matter the location, could assess my students’ understanding with usage. The final draft became a storyboard with images and AP students the same rubrics. Ideally, these explicit standards would make the created the same movie as Level 2 students. The rubric I created for evaluation more empirical and another teacher would score the proj- technology skills is used for my movie projects in all language levels. ect similarly. Collecting the Autorretrato project in a portfolio would These enabling activities and summative assessment equipped be useful for both students and instructors to measure academic learners to answer the essential questions with which my unit design growth over time. This communicative performance-based assess- began. I worked backward, step-by-step, from that desired result so ment shows that understanding is not a mere number decided by the that these questions framed the curriculum and guided the learning instructor. Understanding is a story told by the learner. experience. The inquiry and investigation process required students to self-reflect and empowered them to express their findings in an au- Crystal J. Brim is a Spanish Teacher at Darlington School in Rome, Georgia.

Montgomery continued from p. 47 Students need feedback from the teacher the most provocative forms of assessment throughout the creative process. Both showcase what students know and can do function of a rubric is its ability to provide interpersonal and presentational assessment with the target language, help students to students with targeted feedback that actually tasks offer many opportunities for teachers begin to see language as a tool for accom- improves performance. to identify patterns of error in student plishing real tasks, and support them in Brandee Mau, a German teacher at performance. Teachers can then provide experiencing increasing confidence and suc- Campbell High School in Gillette, WY, asks students with on-the-spot instruction, along cess with their language abilities. Ensuring her students to self-assess their own perfor- with just-in-time feedback and support to that assessment empowers our students in mance using rubrics that are aligned to the immediately improve performance during these ways may require us to shift our focus NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements, as they each task. Teachers can evaluate the quality from using assessment for more mundane record themselves spontaneously exchanging of the oral feedback they give by checking if purposes (such as assigning grades) toward information and expressing opinions about their feedback: those which provide cognitively challenging, their favorite books and popular movies. • elicits students’ evaluation of their emotionally engaging, and socially satisfying She reports that students willingly challenge own performance; opportunities to share interesting informa- themselves to progress to the next level of • draws students’ attention to what they tion with authentic audiences for meaning- performance, and she employs several differ- did well; ful purposes. ent strategies to support them in doing so. • shows students how patterns of Such assessments have the potential to Mau explains: “We use a conversation error, misconceptions, or inefficient influence students’ self-perceptions, shape card that draws attention to behaviors and processes affected performance; their identities, and affect their futures. gambits to keep in the conversation. I also • focuses on no more than three items As we design compelling assessment tasks encourage constant reflection through students have control over changing around culturally authentic tasks, carefully questioning (e.g., Why do you think this is about their performance; scaffold students’ progress, and focus on Intermediate-Low work?) Students set a goal • includes specific strategies or providing feedback instead of just a grade, detailing the steps they will take in order to concrete steps that lead to immediate assessment will begin to empower our stu- progress to the next level based on what they progress; and dents, transform our instruction, and change did or did not do.” Self-assessment draws • offers sincere encouragement. our world in positive and powerful ways. students’ attention to their own progress, helps them to celebrate their success, and The Power of Assessment Cherice Montgomery is an Assistant Professor of Spanish Pedagogy and Coordinator of the Spanish encourages them to develop a desire to Like most tools, the value of assessment Teaching Major Program at Brigham Young University, continue learning language throughout depends on our skill in using it. Some of their lives. Provo, Utah.

The Language Educator n February 2014 53 Special Focus on Assessment and Feedback

Developing Student Awareness with Self-Assessment Exercises By David Thompson

ne of the challenges of most language I have been pursuing for the past few years, list of strategies is adapted from the Strategy Oclasses is that contact time in the target and I am convinced that occasional, brief self- Inventory for Language Learning in Oxford’s language is scarce and precious. This is assessment exercises can help college students 1990 book, Language Learning Strategies: particularly so in the college environment, perform well in language courses as well as What Every Teacher Should Know. where students may be in class for as little understand the language learning process. I use a spreadsheet to compile the students’ as 50 to 60 minutes at a time, three or four responses into a simple graph that displays days per week during the term. Since college Administering a Strategies Survey the mean use of each strategy then project the students are expected to spend considerable In beginning and intermediate-level Spanish graph in class the next day (see opposite page). hours learning on their own, language courses, I start the term with a survey that, The frequency with which students report students must develop a toolkit of learning in addition to including typical questions using any particular strategy varies widely, strategies and study habits with which to about who they are and their previous study and sometimes I am pleasantly surprised by tackle assignments, tests, and projects. of Spanish, asks students to report the extent what students say they do. The main objec- Teaching students how to learn well on their to which they use a variety of language tive of this exercise, however, is to present own and to evaluate that learning is a goal learning strategies (see below). The short my students with an array of strategies for language learning, all of which can be productive for success during the semester. Strategies Survey As I refer to the graph, I congratulate the group on any strategies that many of them use Not at all true of me  Always true of me already, such as practicing Spanish with friends a. When I read Spanish or do homework I or family, then I mention the benefits of trying 1 2 3 4 5 repeat the material out loud. one or two strategies that few reported using b. When I struggle with homework or previously. For SPAN 303, a course focused on concepts in class I talk to my instructor 1 2 3 4 5 writing skills, relatively few students reported or tutor. reading Spanish language newspapers or magazines, so in class I talk about how read- c. I make vocabulary flashcards or keep a 1 2 3 4 5 ing authentic materials in Spanish is one of vocabulary journal. the best ways to improve writing proficiency. d. I practice Spanish with friends or 1 2 3 4 5 Discussion of language learning strategies and family outside of class. the graph takes no more than 5 minutes, yet e. I read Spanish language newspapers or later in the term I often hear from students 1 2 3 4 5 magazines. who tried one or more unfamiliar strategies f. I listen to Spanish language music or that resulted in some success. 1 2 3 4 5 watch Spanish language TV. Using Wrappers g. I take notes in class and review them 1 2 3 4 5 A second self-assessment technique that I use regularly. regularly in introductory Spanish courses is h. I write summaries of new material from 1 2 3 4 5 a post-test reflection, also known as a wrap- class or from readings. per. Wrappers are brief written exercises that i. When starting a reading, I first skim the students complete just prior to receiving a text, look at illustrations, and identify graded test or assignment (For a brief discus- 1 2 3 4 5 key words to help me understand what I sion of exam wrappers, see Appendix F of am about to read. How Learning Works: Seven Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching, by Ambrose, Bridges, DiPietro, Lovett & Norman, 2010).

54 The Language Educator n February 2014 Strategies for Learning Spanish SPAN 303-A (Fall 2013)

skim text, 2.69 Setting Personal Goals write summaries, 2.56 Many students who enroll in high- review notes, 3.75 intermediate and advanced-level college lan- listen to music/TV, 2.81 guage courses arrive with a vision of how they read newspapers/magazines, 2.19 intend to use the language for personal and practice with friends/families, 3.81 professional purposes, yet their understanding flashcards/vocabulary journal, 3.31 about how language learning happens may seek help, 3.81 still be shaky. Since my advanced students repeat out loud, 3.25 have studied Spanish for a number of years and have a stronger sense of their strengths 0.00 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50 4.00 4.50 5.00 and weaknesses as language learners, I give them the opportunity to shape a significant portion of the coursework for the term, usu- The first part of the exercise asks the individual • Do online grammar practice exercises ally 15–20%, in the form of personal goals. to report her preparation for the test and pre- • Write practice sentences They first write two or three personal goals dict her grade. After receiving the graded test • Study with a partner for the semester, using a list of sample goals as a and reviewing the results, she answers a few • Review conjugation charts in the back guide. Next, they identify their methods of pur- more questions to identify the reasons for any [of the book] suing these goals, making detailed statements wrong answers and determine what she will about the resources and practice work they will do differently in preparation for the next test While completing a post-test reflection is no commit to during the term. Each student creates (see the sample post-test reflection on p. 56). I guarantee that students will perform better a Google Doc (docs.google.com) with his goals collect the wrappers, make photocopies for my on the next test, this self-assessment exercise and methods, on which I make comments and own records and return the self-assessment to can raise their consciousness regarding what ask for revisions. Twice during the term students students a few days before the next test. it means to prepare and learn well. More- write a short reflection essay (3–4 paragraphs) in Wrappers provide fascinating insight into over, their responses to question 6 often which they must evaluate progress on their per- the ways students think about their learning indicate some misunderstanding of the test sonal goals and include specific evidence from and readiness for tests or performance mea- and appropriate ways to prepare for it. their work to demonstrate their learning. Stu- sures. Looking at the responses from students The sample responses above tell me that dents submit the reflection essays electronically in an intermediate-level course, for example, these students think of the test primarily on the same Google Doc where they formulated I see a clear trend: The students who are least as a measure of their ability to identify and their personal goals, and I use the comment accurate in predicting their grade are also implement correct vocabulary and grammar feature to post feedback in the margins. the most likely to perform poorly. In other structures, thus to prepare better means to do The reflection essays are the essential in- words, students who don’t know what they more grammar exercises or review verb con- gredient in making this a meaningful exercise don’t know are not likely to prepare well or jugation charts. In fact, some of them may in self-assessment. Most students recognize perform well on a test, and they can benefit have lost points due to incorrect structures, where they struggle in learning Spanish and from a self-assessment that helps them de- however the test itself is designed to measure are able to articulate concrete goals; however, velop awareness about their learning. their language ability in a real-world context, the results of the first reflection essay reveal a Below are some sample student re- such as giving directions to a lost tourist. gap between what students want to accom- sponses to question 6 on the test wrapper, Given what students report about their plish and how to demonstrate achievement. As which asks students to identify three things own preparation, then, I can help guide I give feedback on their first reflection essay I they plan to do differently in preparing for them both to stronger study methods as well almost always indicate the need for more spe- the next test. All of the samples are from as to a better understanding of the purpose cific examples that indicate progress toward students who felt their preparation for the of the test as a task-based performance. a personal goal. Sometimes students under- current test was not adequate. Wrappers help me show students that lan- estimate the time required to do independent • Use practice tests on the Supersite guage learning is about more than grammar; work toward goals, while others fail to locate [a textbook companion website] they can facilitate good conversations about appropriate resources. Most often, though, • I need to make more verb charts and various communication modes and the kinds students confuse the act of doing work toward review stem-changing verbs of practice that enable learners to navigate personal goals with evidence of progress, • Meet with a tutor those modes. I must also acknowledge that and this is why I love this particular form of • Make flashcards wrappers tell me something about my own self-assessment: It opens students’ eyes to the • Review previous tests teaching, specifically whether my tests and difference between effort and demonstration • Write down or speak about different feedback to students are eliciting the most of learning. Once they see this distinction concepts on the test significant forms of student learning.

The Language Educator n February 2014 55 Special Focus on Assessment and Feedback they begin to look for and incorporate into their Sample Post-Test Reflection reflection essays concrete examples of progress. Depending upon their stated goals, they might Spanish 201 include examples of a more expansive vocabulary, n a m e more sophisticated knowledge of a Spanish-speak- This activity is designed to help you reflect on your test performance and, more ing culture, greater facility in comprehending and importantly, on the effectiveness of your test preparation. Please answer the ques- commenting on a complex reading, or more elabo- tions honestly. Your responses will be collected to improve teaching and learning rate description and narration during conversation. in this course. They will have no impact on your grade. Seeing what constitutes a real demonstration of learning also helps them reformulate goals when necessary or to make better choices 1. Approximately how much time did you spend preparing for this test? about resources and work methods in pursuing 2. After taking the test, what grade did you expect to earn? their goals. In their second reflection essays I (approximately what %) ...... % almost always find more substantive evidence of 3. Did you prepare well enough for this test? yes no progress, which tells me the students are better understanding the relationship among goals, practice, and learning. I am especially encouraged 4. What percentage of your test-preparation time was spent in each of these by statements like the one below from students activities? who acknowledge a growing realization about what it means to learn a second language well. a. Reading textbook sections for the first time . . . . . % b. Rereading textbook sections ...... %

c. Reviewing your own notes ...... % “Overall, I’m discovering that to truly learn a language the way I’d like to d. Reviewing previous tests ...... % requires more diligence and focus than e. Reviewing other class materials ...... % I’ve been giving, or ever have given in (Which materials? ) the past. I like language, and since f. Practicing with classmates or tutor ...... % speaking and writing in English has g. Discussing challenging concepts / tasks with classmates, tutors always come easily to me, a somewhat or the instructor ...... % indolent mentality has probably surfaced h. Other (Please specify below) ...... % in my approach to Spanish. I don’t merely want to memorize, however, but be able to speak and understand like a 5. After you have looked over your graded test, estimate the percentage of points native speaker, which will take commit- you lost due to each of the following (percentages should add up to 100%). ment and practice.” a. From not using appropriate vocabulary ...... %

b. From not using appropriate structures ...... %

When I think about the most effective kinds c. From not using appropriate cultural knowledge . . . . % of assessments in language classes, it is clear that d. From not being able to communicate in different contexts . % self-assessment exercises contribute to stronger e. From other reasons (Please specify below) ...... % learning for students. Raising my students’ level of awareness about how they learn Spanish and how they can demonstrate their learning doesn’t 6. Based on your responses to the questions above, describe at least three (3) require time-consuming evaluations loosely things that you plan to do differently in preparing for the next test. For connected to course objectives, nor does it instance, will you spend more time studying, change a specific study habit or involve radically redesigning courses. Brief self- try a new one? Some other strategy? Please be specific in your descriptions. assessment exercises like those described here 1) can help students learn how to learn effectively, 2) moving them toward stronger performance in 3) language courses as well as higher proficiency.

David R. Thompson is an Associate Professor of Spanish, Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Linguis- 7. What can the instructor do to support your learning and your preparation for tics, Luther College, Decorah, Iowa. the next test?

56 The Language Educator n February 2014 Get Your Copy of the New ACTFL Publication— The Keys to Planning for Learning

Order Online The Keys to Planning for Learning: Effective Curriculum, The ACTFL Guide For ProFessionAL LAnGuAGe eduCATors Unit, and Lesson Design was recently published by at the ACTFL. This new book, written by Donna Clementi and ACTFL Store Laura Terrill with a Foreword by Heidi Hayes Jacobs, is www.actfl.org/store THE KEys the latest in the popular Keys series from ACTFL, which to Planning includes The Keys to the Classroom (Paula Patrick) and The for Learning Keys to Assessing Language Performance (Paul Sandrock). Effective Curriculum, Unit, and Lesson Design This book is available online at the ACTFL Store. Download the free app (available Donna Clementi anD laura terrill at the iTunes store) which allows educators to create units and daily lessons based on the templates from the book. Additional resources from the book are available at www.actfl.org/publications/books-and-brochures/the-keys-planning-learning.

Members: $25.95 • Non-members: $29.95

Also available are the two previous books in the Keys series: The KeYs To The CLAssroom A basic manual to help new language The ACTFL Guide For ProFessionAL LAnGuAGe eduCATors teachers find their way THE KEys Written by experienced language educator Paula Patrick, this book offers detailed to the Classroom guidelines to help new classroom teachers gain confidence and direction as they A basic manual to help new language teachers find their way begin their teaching careers. In addition to step-by-step strategies for everything by Paula Patrick from classroom organization to navigating Back-to-School Night, the book includes sample lesson plans, templates for student and parent letters . . . even advice on dealing with the inevitable difficult moments every teacher faces! Members: $22.95 • Non-members: $26.95

The KeYs To AssessiNG LANGuAGe PerFormANCe The ACTFL Guide For ProFessionAL LAnGuAGe eduCATors A teacher’s manual for measuring THE KEys student progress to Assessing Language Performance “Does this count?” “Is this going to be on the test?” Students constantly ask

A teacher’s manual for measuring student progress these questions. Why? They want to know how their teacher is going to evaluate

Paul Sandrock them. How can a teacher answer these questions in a way that will shape student learning and focus teaching on what really matters? Written by ACTFL Director of Education Paul Sandrock, this book provides language teachers with a step-by-step approach for designing performance assessments, developing effective rubrics, and using them to evaluate and track student progress in a standards-based program. Members: $22.95 • Non-members: $26.95 Reader responses to issues in language learning

Q: What kinds of assessments improve learning and teaching? Tell us about a time when your assessment or your feedback to your students improved their language performance. What was different and what impact did it make

ACTFL Invites Educators to I have had students take an assessment and after a short time, part- Offer Their Views in So You Say ner with another student to compare answers. Where they agreed, they could presume their answers were correct. Where they differed, April they could argue the reasoning as to why their response was the Q: How can educators improve their effectiveness? correct one and, if they were convinced of the opposing argument, Tell us about a time when you engaged in a profes- they could change the answer without penalty. Then I asked the stu- sional development activity that fundamentally dents to put both names on one paper to turn in, and keep one for changed what you do in the classroom. verification at the end of the testing time. I had fewer papers to look at, students reviewed and retaught each other, and I had evidence of So You Say is the section where you can speak up areas of difficulty to improve my teaching the next time. I found that on the issues most important to you. such peer teaching helped students better handle problematic areas Each issue of The Language Educator will include this on the next assessment of that skill or concept. feature where our readers can offer their opinions on Denise Collado, Spanish topics relevant to language education. Representative Albemarle High School, Free Union, VA statements will be published in the magazine. The new teacher evaluation system for all public school teachers in To offer your views on a topic, please go to the state of Washington has changed what I do in the classroom. www.actfl.org. You will be taken to a form where This year teachers will be evaluated on the following eight criteria: you may enter a message of no more than 150 1. Centering instruction on high expectations for student words. When finished, click submit and your achievement. message will reach the editor. 2. Demonstrating effective teaching practices. 3. Recognizing individual student learning needs and developing Thanks in advance for contributing strategies to address those needs. to more representative content for 4. Providing clear and intentional focus on subject matter content and curriculum. The Language Educator! 5. Fostering and managing a safe, positive learning environment. 6. Using multiple student data elements to modify instruction We tested students’ oral proficiency in Grades 5, 8, Level 3 high and improve student learning. school, and seniors. As the supervisor, there actually were times 7. Communicating and collaborating with parents and the school when I would get phone calls from parents or students asking that community. they be tested because they were in a grade in between where the 8. Exhibiting collaborative and collegial practices focused on SOPIs [simulated oral proficiency interviews] were not given! The improving instructional practice and student learning. students wanted to know if their proficiency had increased—perhaps This has improved my effectiveness by making the target visible. Just because they had really worked hard that year. I was never asked for like for our students, knowing the goal and the criteria for success additional grammar testing. makes it easier for us to attain them! Thekla Fall, Pittsburgh Public Schools (retired) Lynn Johnston, French and Spanish Pittsburgh, PA Alderwood Middle School, Lynnwood, WA

58 The Language Educator n February 2014 So You Say

I love Google Drive! When students share Assessments based on authentic materials After a performance assessment, I find it their writing with me and their peers, we have really helped my students find class- helpful to have students use the rubric and can work on it together either at the same room tasks engaging and really helped make a self-evaluation sheet to assess their own time or asynchronously. Peers provide culture the driving force behind my instruc- work, whether it be a writing task or a feedback in the same way I do. We use the tion. Through current video, students easily recorded interpersonal speaking task. They comment feature to ask clarifying ques- connect to the voices and viewpoints of the also go through the same process to evalu- tions or make suggestions. I require spell target culture. An example of this would be ate a classmate’s work. Another powerful and grammar check to be completed before having novice students viewing a commercial use of assessments is to have graded assess- I comment. I highlight errors that the for a product from Argentina then answering ments from previous years so that students student should be able to correct without simple questions about the video (interpre- can compare their own work with them. assistance in one color, the peer does the tive assessment). Later they would write a Wendy Brownell, Spanish same in another color. Then we comment letter asking for more information about the KIPP Denver Collegiate High School and revise the piece until it meets the stan- product (presentational assessment), and Denver, CO dard. Students really appreciate the oppor- finally they would discuss with a partner tunity to see what their peers have to say, how that product compares with a product I promote dynamic assessment instead and often they try to “one-up” each other from their own culture (interpersonal assess- of static assessment, because the former in terms of quality of work. The final piece ment). If students believe that what we assess allows teachers to assess students’ learning is one of which the student can be proud! is what is the most important, than we better constantly and help them learn more effectively through various scaffoldings. In fact, Sally Rivard, French be connecting assessment to the world with Lake Region Union High School, Orleans, VT whom we want our student to communicate. dynamic assessment and teaching should be a single activity in language classrooms Thomas Soth, Spanish I have found over the years that the most Northwest Guilford High School instead of separate ones. Thus, teachers effective way to improve student perfor- Greensboro, NC can not only offer certain strategies to the mance is by using a rubric with specific learners’ problem areas in a timely manner, descriptors that students understand and Assessments with specific rubrics improve but also help students understand their then having the students practice using the learning and teaching. For example, for a learning styles and how to learn more rubric to identify good (or poor quali- writing assessment, I included in my rubric effectively given their learning styles. For ties). In class, we would look together at the following four criteria: use of connecting example, 7 years ago, I taught an outgo- samples of student writing from the class words to help the reader follow the argument; ing extroverted student who was highly (the samples would be anonymous). The effectively incorporating vocabulary from the visual. She enjoyed reading and excelled students would identify good use of vo- unit of study; inclusion of a topic sentence at all reading tasks and tests, but when cabulary, structure, organization, etc. The for each paragraph; and a conclusion that taking listening tests, she struggled and key is to be very specific. If the descriptor describes the overall opinion and summarizes often failed. I tried to give her more visual is “uses several examples of Level 2 vo- the reasons. It improved my teaching because aids to teach in her learning style, but also cabulary including idioms,” those examples I knew the end goal. This ensured that during guided her to develop her auditory sensory in the text need to be identified. Another my classroom instruction, students repeat- preference. One of the things I did was to example might be “good use of transitions edly practiced all the required components find her a Chinese language partner from or sequencing words.” Again, the students of the written assessment. I was much more [Monterey Institute of International Stud- point out those specific words from the satisfied with the quality of the paragraphs. ies] given her outgoing personality. I asked sample. I would choose samples that had The majority of paragraphs demonstrated her to retell her language partner the world good examples in at least one category of that students were able to correctly incorpo- news she read in Chinese, and get a piece the rubric even though there may be weak- rate and apply what they learned during the of news from her language partner. Then nesses in other areas. Then I might ask unit. For those students who did not fulfill the next day, she would report both to me students to find one way the text could be the requirements, I wrote comments and/ during the special assistance class period, improved. For interpersonal speaking, the or spoke with them individually about what which was a 30-minute, tailored, 1-on- same process could be followed. The key they needed to improve. Then I allowed 1 instruction between her and me. She again is understanding the descriptors and them to revise their paragraphs. That gave the enjoyed doing this task and graduated with being able to find examples. students the opportunity to be successful and high scores for every skill she was tested. improve their grade. Mary Lindquist, French Judy Zhu, Chinese Downers Grove North High School (retired) Judith Cale, Spanish/German/ESL Defense Language Institute Downers Grove, IL Cherry Creek Schools, Aurora, CO Foreign Language Center, Monterey, CA

The Language Educator n February 2014 59 What’s Online for Language Educators

Educaplay en.educaplay.com Educaplay is a platform that allows teachers to create their own multimedia teaching activities. Among the activities World Languages e-Cards they can create are quizzes, video quizzes, dialogues, inter- www.123greetings.com/world_languages/ active maps, crosswords, riddles, and word search puzzles. The 123Greetings website is subtitled “Free Greetings for In addition, the learning resources section has activities in the Planet,” and the world languages section of the site 14 different languages. has e-cards for various holidays and for occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries. There are also congratulatory New Resource for ESL Teachers cards, as well as friendship, thank-you, and everyday cards. www.mastersinesl.org The languages currently offered on the site are German, The information and resources on the Masters in ESL Hindi, Mandarin, Russian, and Spanish. website is designed to help current and future teachers of English as a second language. It includes lesson plans, advice on using Common Core State Standards in ESL teaching, and a blog. Recent blog topics of discussion include What’s that APP? instructional technology tools in the classroom, online master’s degree programs, and overseas jobs. The Keys to Planning for Learning App This app accompanies the new book from ACTFL, The Keys to The Cervantes Virtual Center Planning for Learning: Effective Curriculum, Unit, and Lesson cvc.cervantes.es Design by Donna Clementi and Laura Terrill. The book—the latest in the Keys series from ACTFL—is a useful guide to assist teach- The Cervantes Virtual Center website was created by the ers, curriculum designers, administrators, and professional developers in Instituto Cervantes to help spread the Spanish language designing Standards- and performance-based curricula. The authors provide and Hispanic cultures. To achieve that mission, it provides easy-to-follow templates to develop units of instruction and daily lessons materials and services for Spanish teachers, students, that incorporate the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages, translators, and others interested in Spanish language st Common Core State Standards, 21 century skills, and technology integra- and culture. The site is organized by education, literature, tion. The accompanying app available at iTunes, ACTFL Unit and Lesson language, arts, and science. Planner, is a step-by-step guide to create units and daily lesson plans, based on this book’s templates. For more information on the book, visit: www.actfl.org/publications/books-and-brochures/the-keys-planning- Create Websites and More learning. Download the app at: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/actfl- education.weebly.com unit-and-lesson-planner/id744831885?mt=8. Weebly for Education is a free service used by teachers to Remembering the Kanji create classroom websites, blogs, and student e-portfolios. It offers a drag-and-drop website builder that can be used The official app to complement the Remembering the Kanji to add text, photos, videos, and maps. With the blogging books can be used to review lessons, slides, and flashcards feature, teachers can post class updates and homework as- of more than 3,000 Japanese kanji. It also enables a user signments for students and parents. to create study lists and flashcards, save notes, and practice drawing each Kanji on the screen with his or her finger. Kanji also can be looked up by stroke number. It is compatible with the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. For more information, and to download the app, visit https://itunes.apple. com/us/app/remembering-the-kanji/id424471278?mt=8. The Language Educator n February 2014 Latin American Culture Site AP Spanish Language and Culture mundolatino.org https://sites.google.com/site/apspanishlang/home The Mundo Latino website has videos, animated shorts, articles, Created by Carmen Gwenigle, who teaches AP Spanish at West High humor, and poetry. There is also a section with resources for children, School in Iowa City, IA, this AP Spanish Language and Culture which teachers of younger students may find especially useful. website offers resources for teachers and students of AP Spanish. Her class focuses on both grammatical accuracy and communicative flu- French Audio and Reading Exercises ency to help students build proficiency in reading, writing, listening, www.lepointedufle.net and speaking. The syllabus guideline on the site shares six thematic units on language and culture. The audio and reading exercises on this website include vocabulary, spelling, grammar, and reading and listening comprehension. There Virtual Museum of New France are also exercises and games intended to improve language literacy in children and adults. www.civilization.ca/virtual-museum-of-new-france The Canadian Museum of Civilization’s Virtual Museum of New France Chinese Grammar Wiki shares information about “the French North American adventure” resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/ and what drew the French to North America. It presents the French colonial experience from Acadia through Canada to Louisiana. It This website has grammar points for learning Chinese divided into does so through five main themes: colonies and empires, population, beginner, elementary, intermediate, and upper intermediate. There everyday life, economic activities, and heritage are also answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about grammar and the Chinese language, as well as links for free Latin Poetry Podcast browser plug-ins for pinyin. blogs.dickinson.edu/latin-poetry-podcast/about/ Science is Fun in Spanish This website features the translation, reading, and discussion of a www.ciencianet.com series of Latin passages. Christopher Francese, Associate Professor of Classical Studies at Dickinson College, who performs the readings, Spanish teachers who are looking for ways to incorporate teaching notes on the site that he is open to suggestions for other poems and about science into their language classes may find this site useful. passages to be read. This Spanish language page has science-related anecdotes, experi- ments, and quizzes. There are also links to stories and books about science and scientists.

Resources for Young Learners of German www.ukgermanconnection.org/kids-fun UK–German Connection is “dedicated to increasing contacts and understanding between young people in the UK and Germany.” The ACTFL does not vouch for These and other kids section of the site has resources for young German language stu- or endorse the content Web resources can be dents, including games and quizzes, stories and songs, and activities of any non-ACTFL accessed through the websites that may Publications area on the and recipes for kids to make. be mentioned in this ACTFL website at section or elsewhere in the magazine. www.actfl.org/publications/ the-language-educator/ web-watch-online. Visit today.

The Language Educator n February 2014 61 Calendar Volume 9, No. 2 n February 2014 Upcoming Events 2014

March 31 Deadline for scholar- July 19–22 American Asso- ships available to ACTFL mem- ciation of Teachers of French bers in 2014: Arab Academy Convention: “Le Français, Scholarship, SpeakMandarin langue à multiples visages,” Scholarship, Cemanahuac New Orleans, LA. www. Educational Community frenchteachers.org/convention/ Scholarship, IMAC Spanish Language Programs Scholar- MARCH ship, COINED Scholarship, june CELAS Maya Spanish Student/ March 13–15 Southern Confer- June 26–28 American Classical Teacher Scholarship. www.actfl. ence on Language Teaching League Institute, Williams- org/professional-development/ (SCOLT): “Uniting the Core/ burg, VA. www.aclclassics.org/ scholarships-and-grants Uniting the Corps,” Memphis, events/2014-acl-institute TN. www.scolt.org APRIL March 20–22 Central States july Conference on the Teaching of April 24–26 Southwest Confer- July 8–11 American Associa- Foreign Languages (CSCTFL): ence on Language Teaching tion of Teachers of Spanish and “Unlock the Gateway to Com- (SWCOLT): “Reaching New Portuguese Conference: “Articu- munication,” St. Louis, MO. Heights Through Proficiency,” lation: A Pathway to Success,” www.csctfl.org Snowbird, UT. www.swcolt.org Panama City, Panama. www. aatsp.org/?page=2014conference March 26–29 Teachers of April 30 Nominations for 2015 English to Speakers of Other ACTFL President-Elect and July 9 Early Bird Registration Languages (TESOL) Conference, Board Members Deadline. www. Deadline for 2014 ACTFL Portland, OR. www.tesol.org actfl.org/about-the-american- Annual Convention and council-the-teaching-foreign- World Languages Expo, San languages/governance/elections- Learn More March 27–30 Northeast Antonio, TX. www.actfl.org/ nominations Conference on the Teaching of 2014convention-expo at actfl.org Foreign Languages (NECTFL): “Sustaining Communities Through World Languages,” may Boston, MA. www.nectfl.org May 8–9 JNCL-NCLIS Legisla- tive Day and Delegate Assembly, Embassy Row Hotel–Dupont Circle, Washington, DC. www.languagepolicy.org

May 28 ACTFL Awards Nomi- nation Deadline. www.actfl.org/ about-the-american-council- the-teaching-foreign-languages/ awards Lead with Languages —A New Campaign from ACTFL In September 2014, ACTFL will launch Find More Upcoming Events Listed in an exciting new effort to promote the the ACTFL Online Community importance of global competence and language learning. Look for more to If you are looking for additional conferences, professional workshops, come in issues of The Language Educator and special events of interest to language educators and administrators, and on ACTFL.org! please visit the ACTFL Online Community Events Calendar at community.actfl.org/ACTFL/Events1/UpcomingEvents.

62 The Language Educator n February 2014 Volume 9, No. 2 n February 2014 The Language Educator Advertiser Index

2014 ACTFL Annual Convention and Modern Language Association 17 World Languages Expo Inside front cover FilmArobics Inc. 17 D.C. Public Schools 3 Implementing Integrated Performance Assessment 37 Vista Higher Learning 5 U.S. Department of State 9 The Keys book series 57 Outward Bound Costa Rica 15 AAPPL Inside back cover Raising Global Children 15 SANS Back cover

Announcements

Rifkin Receives ACTR Service Award Benjamin Rifkin, member of the ACTFL Board of Direc- tors, is this year’s recipient of the American Council of Teachers of Russian (ACTR) Service Award. Rifkin is currently Dean of The School of Humanities and Social Sciences at The College of New Jersey. His previous Anne Lair career was in teaching Russian at Temple University, at Middlebury College Russian summer school where he also served as Director of the program, at the Anne Lair is currently an Assistant Profes- University of Wisconsin-Madison, and at the Taft sor (lecturer) at the University of Utah, School in Connecticut. At Temple he also served as Vice Dean for Undergraduate Affairs in the College where she also serves as Director of the French language program of Liberal Arts. Rifkin has also previously served on lower division. Prior to this position, she was an Associate Professor the ACTR Board of Directors, New Jersey Council for and head of the French section in the Department of Modern Lan- the Humanities, and the Board of Directors of the guages at the University of Northern Iowa. In addition to directing Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Chair of the ACTR Awards Languages (NECTFL). His academic awards include two more than 26 MA research papers, she is author of the book, Les Committee and ACTR Past Arts de la Table, and co-author of Invitation Au Monde Francophone. President Jane Shuffelton with American Association of Teachers of Slavic and East Benjamin Rifkin. European Languages (AATSEEL) Awards for Best Work With Wynn Wong, Stacey Weber-Fève, and Bill VanPatten, she is co- in Pedagogy, an award for academic advising from the authoring Encore, a second-year French textbook. Lair was named University of Wisconsin, and three separate awards for the 2008 Outstanding Educator of the Year at the Secondary Level distinguished teaching at the University of Wisconsin. by the Iowa World Language Association, and she was honored in 2012 with the ACTFL Nelson Brooks Award for Excellence in the Teaching of Culture. Among her students and colleagues, Lair is known for her high We thank all of our standards, passion, energy, organization, and creativity. “Mine are immersion classes, since I teach only in the target language,” she Gold Corporate sponsors. explains. “It’s tough but rewarding.” Lair, who served as Co-President of the American Association of Teachers of French in 2010 and 2012, says that because of the termination of her program in Iowa, EMC World Languages she never misses a chance to promote the language and culture, be it through her university position or through the Alliance Française in Salt Lake City. “French is spoken by more than 230 million people over five continents. By 2050, there will be over 400 million French Houghton Mifflin Harcourt speakers,” she explains. “Through the profession, we reinforce our commitment to the French language and show it is not dying.”

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The Language Educator n February 2014 63 Help Us Honor

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ACTFL Nelson Brooks Award ACTFL-NFMLTA Paul Pimsleur for Excellence in the Teaching Award for Research in Foreign of Culture Language Education Do you know someone who captivates their stu- Have you read a great research article lately? dents in learning about the target culture(s)? Let the editor of that journal know that the Acknowledge their dedication to the teach- author should be submitted as a nominee for ing of culture by nominating them for the ACTFL the ACTFL-NFMLTA Paul Pimsleur Award for Nelson Brooks Award for Excellence in the Research in Foreign Language Education. Teaching of Culture. ACTFL Wilga Rivers Award for ACTFL-Cengage Learning Faculty Leadership in Foreign Language Development Programs Award for Education, Postsecondary Excellence in Foreign Language Know someone who is a fantastic example of a Instruction Using Technology postsecondary leader in our profession? with IALLT Help us to honor this individual with the Think that someone has excelled at integrating ACTFL Wilga Rivers Award for Leadership in technology into instruction at the postsecondary Foreign Language Education, Postsecondary. level? Recognize their commitment and recommend ACTFL Florence Steiner Award for them for the ACTFL-Cengage Learning Faculty Leadership in Foreign Language ACTFL National Language Teacher Development Programs Award for Excellence Education, K-12 of the Year Award in Foreign Language Instruction Using Have you worked with someone who deserves to Do you know a language teacher whose Technology with IALLT. be recognized for their leadership skills at the work is so exemplary that you think he or she K-12 level? would well represent our profession? ACTFL Award for Excellence in Nominate this person for the ACTFL Florence Contact your state association to nominate K-12 Foreign Language Instruction Steiner Award for Leadership in Foreign that person for the ACTFL National Language Using Technology with IALLT Language Education, K-12. Teacher of the Year Award, sponsored by ACTFL Know an educator who has done a and our corporate sponsors. remarkable job at integrating technology into ACTFL Melba D. Woodruff Award instruction at the K-12 level? for Exemplary Elementary Foreign ACTFL-NFMLTA Emma Marie That person would make a great candidate Language Program Birkmaier Award for Doctoral for the ACTFL Award for Excellence in Have you heard about an exemplary elementary Dissertation Research in Foreign K-12 Foreign Language Instruction Using foreign language program? Language Education Technology with IALLT. Consider nominating it for the Melba D. Have you read an exceptional doctoral disserta- Woodruff Award for Exemplary Elementary tion lately? ACTFL-NYSAFLT Anthony Papalia Foreign Language Program. Nominate the writer for the ACTFL-NFMLTA Award for Excellence in Teacher Emma Marie Birkmaier Award for Doctoral Education Dissertation Research in Foreign Language Were you inspired by an excellent teacher educator? Education, which recognizes an author Show your appreciation by nominating them that has contributed to the advancement of for the ACTFL-NYSAFLT Anthony Papalia Award the profession. for Excellence in Teacher Education.

To bestow these annual awards, ACTFL relies on its member organizations to nominate qualified candidates. Awards include cash If you answered YES to any of these questions, be sure to submit a nomination and assist ACTFL with prizes of $500. More information, including continuing to acknowledge excellence, hard work, and dedication to the profession. deadlines and how to apply, is available at www.actfl.org/awards. ViSiT www.aappl.org Experience for a free demo ThE and more info! AAPPL MEASurE

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AAPPL assesses Standards-based language learning across the three modes of communication in four components:

• Interpersonal Listening/Speaking • Presentational Writing • Interpretive Reading • Interpretive Listening

Language Testing international (LTi), The ACTFL Testing Office 800-486-8444 • www.languagetesting.com/contact-us 7:34 pm TEXT MESSAGE YOUR STUDENTS Hey, have you done Sr. Martín’s Spanish assignment yet? ARE CONNECTED 8:42 pm 24/7… SPANISH HOMEWORK Recording done and submitted in SANSSpace!

9:37 pm FACEBOOK POST Can’t wait for our class trip to Spain next month!

9:45 pm REAL-WORLD CONTENT Checking out the video link Sr. Martín posted in SANSSpace about life in Spain.

9:56 pm TWEET Can you believe it…families in Spain usually eat dinner at 10 PM!

CLOUD COMPATIBLE

… SANSSPACE MAKES LANGUAGE LEARNING AS MOBILE AS THEY ARE. Connect with SANS about SANSSpace™ offers the virtual language learning platform that connects your students to SANSSpace for Mobile content, collaboration, and feedback 24/7. Language Learning SANSSpace Mobile App for on-the-go learning [email protected] Virtual language lab recorder for listening and speaking practice 877-285-7729 Synchronous and asynchronous collaboration tools Tracking and reporting tools to evaluate learning progress Text, audio and video feedback capability SANSSpace extends language learning to your students anyplace, anytime. It’s a classroom that’s as mobile as they are.

sansinc.com/LE