Planning for Success What matters in building a successful secondary program in Chinese?

Effective Programs… Have clearly stated outcomes for student learning Align outcomes with national and/or state standards Ensure continuous student progress from year to year Consider their clients and stakeholders Consider the relationship between outcomes, time, and use of instructional time

Time: Contact Hours and Language Learning  DLI Spanish= 240 hours (8 weeks) Chinese= 480 hours (16 weeks)  Secondary School 150 contact hours (180 days X 50 minutes)  150 days X 50 minutes= 125 hours  Elementary school total immersion; dual language 180 days X 5 hours= 900 hours  Elementary Pullout 60 mins. per week X40 weeks= 40 hours 150 mins. per week X 40 weeks = 100 hours

Time Implication: Good curriculum and good use of instructional time are critical.

Effective Programs…  Regularly measure student learning to determine if outcomes are being achieved

Assessment Evidence  Performance data from validated external proficiency instruments collected at regular intervals throughout the sequence of study that demonstrate students make continuous progress.  Data from other performance measures, such as: Portfolios; Portfolios; Internally developed performance assessments administered at regular intervals Internally developed performance assessments administered at regular intervals  Adapted from:A Guide for Action in Planning Language Programs Ruta Couet, Gregory Duncan, Jennifer Eddy, Myriam Met, Martin Smith, Maria Still, Ann Tollefson.

Effective Programs  Conduct systematic review of assessment evidence to inform and adjust the instructional program from day-to-day and year-to-year  Ensure that curriculum, instruction and assessment are integrally linked and are designed to achieve the stated performance goals.  Adapted from:A Guide for Action in Planning Language Programs Ruta Couet, Gregory Duncan, Jennifer Eddy, Myriam Met, Martin Smith, Maria Still, Ann Tollefson.

Effective Programs…  Ensure high quality instruction delivered through technology and/or classroom teachers  GOOD TEACHING IS THE KEY VARIABLE IN PROGRAM SUCCESS

Effective teachers…  have clearly defined expectations for what students should know and be able to do.  understand the relationships among national standards, state standards, local curriculum, and the his/her long range and short range objectives for student learning.  can identify student performance in light of objectives.  have a repertoire of instructional approaches that enable students to move toward learning goals.  Know how to choose wisely within their repertoire.  engage in professional dialogue and reflective practice

Effective Teachers…  plan and facilitate classroom instruction to actively engage and motivate learners.  conduct the class in the target language without needing to resort to English at least 80% of the class period.  know when to use English for instructional purposes and when it is not necessary or appropriate.

Effective Teachers…  plan and carry out real-world tasks in real-world settings in culturally appropriate ways.  design activities so that all learners are involved and engaged.  design classroom activities so that student/teacher and student/student interactions are meaningful and functional.  use an effective approach to developing literacy for foreign language learners.  use a variety of structured and balanced activities (pair, group, full-class)

Effective Teachers…  align assessments with standards  develop assessments that reflect ALL their teaching goals, materials, that occur in class, encompassing all skills including intercultural competence/awareness.  collect evidence of student learning beyond pencil and paper tests, designing tasks that simulate real-life use of language.  use multiple ways to collect information on student progress

What matters in language learning? Intensity Interaction Authentic Tasks Cross cultural interaction

Intensity Effort and persistence required for challenging learning. The basics of language may be boring to students. Intensity is increased by engaging tasks that motivate learners to expend effort and persist in challenging tasks.

Intensity Implications for the classroom Good language instruction requires active cognitive engagement in learning tasks that are interesting to students. Good language instruction requires active cognitive engagement in learning tasks that are interesting to students.

Authentic Tasks Students need real-life reasons to use language as a tool for communication. Students need real-life reasons to use language as a tool for communication. Students need to have real-life reasons to want to understand what is being said to them and to make themselves understood. Students need to have real-life reasons to want to understand what is being said to them and to make themselves understood. Students need to use language to communicate about topics that are engaging and motivating. Students need to use language to communicate about topics that are engaging and motivating. Students need to use language with meaning and for a purpose. Students need to use language with meaning and for a purpose.

Interaction  Students need extensive opportunities to hear (or read) language used by others, and to use language with others in meaningful and purposeful ways.  Students need to be engaged in understanding others and making themselves understood.

The Educator’s 11 th Commandment THOU SHALT DO IT WELL