Moving Students Up the Proficiency Ladder

Peg Bobber

Lincoln-Way NORTH Lincoln-Way EAST High Schools

Today’s Objectives: I can….

1. Discuss my thoughts on language learning versus language acquisition.

2. Familiarize myself with the 2012 ACTFL proficiency guidelines.

3. Get some ideas for how to move my students into higher levels of proficiency

WHY THE FOCUS ON SKILLS? Let’s do the MATH

makes language learning useful+makes language learning more natural+makes our students successful______________________________STUDENT SUCCESS=STUDENT MOTIVATION=STUDENT RETENTION

Teaching Language?

Teaching about Language?

TEACHING FOR LANGUAGE SKILLS

Read

Speak Write

Listen

Teaching about the language

Teaching about the language

1. mechanical learning2. undeveloped skills3 unusable in the real world

Voy, vas, va, vamos

Ir + a + infinitive

stem changing

verbs

Teaching LANGUAGE

Teaching LANGUAGE

1. Natural learning2. Skills in reading, writing, listening, speaking 3. Usable in the real world

Skill Acquisition

1st language-listen -speak-read

-write

2nd language-listen-read-write-speak

Skill Acquisition

1st language-listen-INPUT-speak-OUTPUT-read-INPUT

-write-OUTPUT

2nd language-listen-INPUT-read-INPUT-write-OUTPUT-speak-OUTPUT

How can we make learning a second language more natural for students?

1. Give a lot of input before we expect output.

2. Focus on learning skills (big picture)

3. Teach vocabulary and grammar in the context of a skill.

Language is…

By:• Reading• Listening• Engaging in Meaningful

Conversation

In order to.. Write! Speak! Communicate! Create!

By:• Memorizing Vocabulary• Studying Grammar

In order to… Edit Revise Correct errors Fill-in-the-blanks

Acquired Learned

“The Sponge” “The Monitor”

D. Floyd 2012

WHY THE FOCUS ON SKILLS? Let’s do the MATH

makes language learning useful+makes language learning more natural+makes our students successful______________________________STUDENT SUCCESS=STUDENT MOTIVATION=STUDENT RETENTION

ACTFL 2012 Proficieny Guidelines-levels to

describe:1. NOVICE-(high/mid/low)

2. INTERMEDIATE-(high/mid/low)

3. ADVANCED-(high/mid/low)

4. Superior5. Distinguished

Let’s Talk about Proficiencyin SPEAKING and WRITING

How can we increase student’s current skills?

1. Communicate where they are at and where they are going.

2. Provide experiences for practicing and risk taking.

3. Structure Assessments with level appropriate expectations and higher expectations.

1. Communicate where they are at and where they are going.

a. Show levels and descriptors for ACTFL proficiency standards

b. Use proficiency based learning targets

c. Show examples of writing and of speaking at this level

A. Show levels and descriptors for ACTFL proficiency standards

ACTFL website

Global Self-Assessment grid CONCORDIA Language Villages.

Classroom Collage

NOVICE LEVEL -me!Memorized words and phrases

Communicate on everyday, predictable topics

Can be difficult to understand even with a sympathetic listener/reader/

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL -myself and others

LOW

o Beginning to create

o Can answer questions

o Can complete basic

communicative tasks

MID AND HIGH Creating strings of sentences Can exchange basic

information Asking questions Managing one time frame

with ease Able to elaborate a little

ADVANCED LEVEL -myself, others, my community

Narrate in 3 time frames

Ask questions

Negotiate/persuade/convince

Extended discourse with varied vocabulary

B. Use proficiency based learning targets

What is the student going to be able to DO with the content.

Use next level up to challenge.

What is the student going to be able to DO with the content.

Use next level up as a challenge.Speaking Activity: Describe your best friend

NOVICE-describe/list adjectives

INTERMEDIATE-explain why/compare him/her to yourself/tell activities you do together,

what makes a good friend

ADVANCED-compare your best friend with your best friend from childhood. What type of friendship are you hoping to have with a future spouse?

C. Show examples of writing and of speaking at this level

OPI (Oral Proficiency Interview Samples from ACTFL home page)

Show high, medium, low writing products. Have students “self-assess” their writing with a rubric or a checklist.

Today’s Objectives: I can….

1. Discuss my thoughts on language learning versus language acquisition.

2. Familiarize myself with the 2012 ACTFL proficiency guidelines.

3. Get some ideas for how to move my students into higher levels of proficiency