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 about the language

1. mechanical learning 2. undeveloped skills 3 unusable in the real world Voy, vas, va, vamos Ir + a + infinitive stem changing verbs

Teaching LANGUAGE

1. Natural learning 2. Skills in reading, writing, listening, speaking 3. Usable in the real world

Skill Acquisition 1 st language -listen -speak -read -write 2 nd language -listen -read -write -speak

Skill Acquisition 1 st language -listen-INPUT -speak-OUTPUT -read-INPUT -write-OUTPUT 2 nd 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 AcquiredLearned “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) 2.Superior 3.Distinguished

Let’s Talk about Proficiency in 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 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 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. 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