1. USING ILR/STANAG LEVEL DESCRIPTORS AND TEXT TYPOLOGY AND PASSAGE RATING IN CLASSROOM TEACHING TOWARDS PROFICIENCY James Dirgin Director Proficiency Standards Implementation Branch Defense Language Institute Monterey, California

2. SOME PRINCIPLES OF TEXT TYPOLOGY AND PASSAGE RATING 1- Authentic reading passages can be graded according to their difficulty 2- Rating done by using both the STANAG levels and also from the in-language perspective – Exceptions? 3- Each Passage Contains Multiple “Levels” of language, but usually has one Core level 5-Rating is a “Process” not a “Product” 6-Passages must be approached from all 3 directions by triangulation: Reader’s, Writer’s and Target Language Perspectives

3. THE TRIANGULATION PROCESS OF PASSAGE RATING MODES DOCUMENT STANAG LEVELS TARGET LANGUAGE TEXT LEVEL

4. WHY DO WE RATE A TEXT? AREAS OF USAGE DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT -Formal or Informal DA batteries & tools -Understanding Students’ progress -Course assessment and evaluation CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT -Overall Scope and Sequence Design (lesson progression, tasks, content) -Authentic passage selection

5. TEST DEVELOPMENT - Benchmark Advisory Test, DLPT-5, and other in-course, end-of-course, or exit tests CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION - Material & Task selection/preparation - Students classroom progress - Selecting and assigning tasks & activities within the targeted and appropriate content in class

6. HOW DO WE RATE A TEXT? 1- ASSIGN AN “INTUITIVE” RATING BASED ON EXPERIENCE and TRAINING, then 2- CONFIRM THE INITIAL RATING, APPLY: i) STANAG LEVEL DESCRIPTIONS ii) TEXT MODES iii) TARGET LANGUAGE KNOWLEDGE, then 3- FINALIZE THE RATING – READY TO EXPLAIN WHY NOT ABOVE OR BELOW THE ASSIGNED RATING (BRACKETING) [2+= WHY NOT L2 AND WHY NOT L3]

7. STANAG AND TEXT MODES STANAG READING DESCRIPTORS FOCUS ON…STANAG READING DESCRIPTORS FOCUS ON… - NATIVE/NON-NATIVE READER FUNCTIONS - CONTENT AREAS OF TEXTS - HOW DOES A NON-NATIVE/NATIVE READ AUTHENTIC TEXTS TEXT MODES FOCUS ON …TEXT MODES FOCUS ON … - WRITER’S COMMUNICATIVE PURPOSE -RATING A TEXT FROM IN-LANGUAGE PERSPECTIVE -HOW DOES A NATIVE READ A TEXT Text Rating Captures Both Directions

8. PROFICIENCY LEVELS / TEXT MODES TEXT MODES TEXT TYPES Projective Mode – L4/L5 Unpredictable turns of thought, Beyond the Lines Opinions on highly abstract concepts Evaluative Mode – L3 Ideas Through Hypothesis, Analysis and Discussion Reading Between the Lines Editorial pieces, technical reports Instructive Mode – L2 Facts Informative Purposes, Reading On the Line News from the media Orientation Mode – L1 Loosely ordered, Simple, Highly Predictable Announcements, ads, notices

9. KNOWING THE STANAG LEVELS AND LINGUISTIC PROPERTIES & LEVELS OF AUTHENTIC TEXTS CAN: Enable Teachers for Conducting Daily Diagnostic Assessment & Check Progression of Students through STANAG tasks Enable Teachers for Conducting Daily Diagnostic Assessment & Check Progression of Students through STANAG tasks Give Teacher a Closer Understanding of “Range of Abilities” Among Students in the Same Class through STANAG level descriptions and profiles Give Teacher a Closer Understanding of “Range of Abilities” Among Students in the Same Class through STANAG level descriptions and profiles Provide Teacher with a more clear idea on the levels of authentic tasks Provide Teacher with a more clear idea on the levels of authentic tasks

10. IN RETURN A TEACHER CAN … Choose/assigne appropriate level tasks Choose/assigne appropriate level tasks Choose the right level authentic materials Choose the right level authentic materials Choose appropriate content domains Choose appropriate content domains Understand the limits of scaffolding when assigning tasks to Students to work together Understand the limits of scaffolding when assigning tasks to Students to work together Optimize the Use of Materials and Tasks in Proficiency Attainment Optimize the Use of Materials and Tasks in Proficiency Attainment Optimize His/Her Role as a Facilitator Optimize His/Her Role as a Facilitator

12. USING LEVELS IN TESTING AND TEACHING IN TEST DEVELOPMENT & DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT: TEXT AND TASK MUST BE AT THE SAME LEVEL! TEXT LEVEL TASK LEVEL (Q Level) Ss LEVEL SAMESAME SAME IN TEACHING & COURSE DEVELOPMENT: TEXT, TASK, AND STUDENT CAN BE AT DIFFERENT LEVELS! TEXT LEVEL TASK LEVELHIGHER Ss LEVEL SAMESAMELOWER ANY COMBINATION OF THE ABOVE FACTORS ARE POSSIBLE

13. TEST DEVELOPMENT USE L2 ITEM = L2 TEXT = L2 TASK = L2 EXAMINEE(S) INSTRUCTIONAL USE L2 STUDENT --- L3 TEXT --- L2+ ACTIVITY L2 STUDENT --- L2 TEXT --- L3 ACTIVITY L2 STUDENT --- L2+ TEXT --- L3 ACTIVITY L2 STUDENT --- L2 TEXT --- L2 ACTIVITY L2 STUDENT --- L1+ TEXT ?--- L2 ACTIVITY Applying: 1- The Mastery Principle (%80) 2- Descriptors Define the Worst (MUST), Average (COULD) and Worst Case (MAY) Profiles and Performance Scenarios in a given range

14. IDENTIFYING L2 STANAG TASKS A L2 READER CAN… A L2 READER CAN… UNDERSTAND THE MAIN IDEA(S) AND DETAILS UNDERSTAND THE MAIN IDEA(S) AND DETAILS PRIORITIZE THE INFORMATION PRESENTED PRIORITIZE THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IDENTIFY THE PERSONS, PLACES AND THINGS AS THEY RELATE TO THE MAIN IDEA &DETAILS IDENTIFY THE PERSONS, PLACES AND THINGS AS THEY RELATE TO THE MAIN IDEA &DETAILS UNDERSTAND THE INTERRELATIONSHIP AMONG THESE PERSONS, PLACES AND EVENTS UNDERSTAND THE INTERRELATIONSHIP AMONG THESE PERSONS, PLACES AND EVENTS UNDERSTAND THE SEQUENCING OF EVENTS UNDERSTAND THE SEQUENCING OF EVENTS UNDERSTAND THE CAUSE/EFFECT RELATIONSHIPS IN THE TEXT UNDERSTAND THE CAUSE/EFFECT RELATIONSHIPS IN THE TEXT UNDERSTAND THE CO-TEXT UNDERSTAND THE CO-TEXT UNDERSTAND THE OUTCOMES AND RESULTS UNDERSTAND THE OUTCOMES AND RESULTS

15. MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF L3 TEXTS Mostly in the Evaluative Mode Mostly in the Evaluative Mode Opinion or Editorial Pieces Opinion or Editorial Pieces Scientific Articles Scientific Articles Social/Cultural/Political Issues Social/Cultural/Political Issues Author Present - Personal Views Author Present - Personal Views Abstract and Concrete Lexicon Abstract and Concrete Lexicon Contain Abstract Linguistic Formulations Contain Abstract Linguistic Formulations Messages in Most Part are “Overtly Implied” Messages in Most Part are “Overtly Implied” Extended Discourse Extended Discourse

16. SOME L3 TASKS UNDERSTAND THE MAIN IDEA(S) & OPINIONS UNDERSTAND THE MAIN IDEA(S) & OPINIONS UNDERSTAND HOW THE IDEAS ARE ORGANIZED UNDERSTAND HOW THE IDEAS ARE ORGANIZED UNDERSTAND THE INTERRELATIONSHIP AMONG THE SUPPORTING FACTS, IDEAS AND OPINIONS UNDERSTAND THE INTERRELATIONSHIP AMONG THE SUPPORTING FACTS, IDEAS AND OPINIONS UNDERSTAND HYPOTHESIS,ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSIONS ON ABSTRACT ISSUES UNDERSTAND HYPOTHESIS,ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSIONS ON ABSTRACT ISSUES UNDERSTAND THE CO-TEXT UNDERSTAND THE CO-TEXT UNDERSTAND THE CONCLUSIONS DRAWN AND SOLUTIONS/SUGGESTIONS PRESENTED UNDERSTAND THE CONCLUSIONS DRAWN AND SOLUTIONS/SUGGESTIONS PRESENTED START TO UNDERSTAND AUTHOR INTENDED TONE, ATTITUDES, AND SHAPING START TO UNDERSTAND AUTHOR INTENDED TONE, ATTITUDES, AND SHAPING START TO DETECT PRESENCE OF TAILORING AND HIDDEN MESSAGES START TO DETECT PRESENCE OF TAILORING AND HIDDEN MESSAGES

17. WHO GETS THIS TRAINING? ALL TEST DEVELOPERS, PROJECT MANAGERS AND TEST REVIEWERS ALL TEST DEVELOPERS, PROJECT MANAGERS AND TEST REVIEWERS ALL COURSE DEVELOPERS, PROJECT MANAGERS AND EDITORS ALL COURSE DEVELOPERS, PROJECT MANAGERS AND EDITORS ALL MATERIAL DEVELOPERS FOR MAINTENANCE AND SUSTAINMENT ALL MATERIAL DEVELOPERS FOR MAINTENANCE AND SUSTAINMENT ALL FACULTY & COURSE DEVELOPERS FOR ADVANCED LEVEL PROGRAMS IN CE ALL FACULTY & COURSE DEVELOPERS FOR ADVANCED LEVEL PROGRAMS IN CE ALL CONTRACT SCHOOLS/ORGANIZATIONS ALL CONTRACT SCHOOLS/ORGANIZATIONS DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT CENTER STAFF AND FACULTY - NEW DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT CENTER STAFF AND FACULTY - NEW MOST IMPORTANTLY…SCHOOL HOUSE FACULTY AND ACADEMIC SPECIALISTS MOST IMPORTANTLY…SCHOOL HOUSE FACULTY AND ACADEMIC SPECIALISTS - %50 TRAINED-

18. In closing… - Text Rating under Proficiency Guidelines (STANAG, ILR, ACTFL…) is a “process” - This process helps all stakeholders to speak from the same sheet of music - Creates an effective standardization process among various strands of language education - Level granulation-Plus levels allows finer Level Isolation in tests, more reliability and validity - Allows applying skill integration and level integration in classroom activities. - Allows utilizing Task Based and Content Based approaches into the same activity.

19. THANK YOU! QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS?