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Antes de Ser Libres – Before we were free

Description

Antes de Ser Libres is an individualized learning module for talented Spanish students in

the eighth grade. I have tailored this module to fit the individual needs of one of my students this

year, Kate, but it could be adapted for other advanced language learners in the future. Advanced

knowledge of Spanish vocabulary and grammar, and enjoyment of reading literature are a

requisite for the learner. The module is an in-depth literary study of the novel Antes de Ser Libres

(Before We Were Free) by Julia Alvarez. Over the course of the module, the student will explore

the concept of Freedom and how it relates to the narrative and to the events that occurred in the

Dominican Republic in the 1960s. This year I will use this module as a substitution for the eighth

grade Spanish curriculum during two weeks of the third academic quarter, and for the entirety of

the fourth quarter. Working in an independent school, I have been given the permission to

exempt Kate from coming to Spanish class with the rest of her classmates for the duration of this

module, and from doing the graded assessments required from eighth grade students. Instead, she

will work on this project individually at the library with the supervision of the head librarian. She

will report back to me at the end of each class period, and we will meet individually every

Thursday during lunch time to discuss her progress. All our interactions will be exclusively in

Spanish.

The learner

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Kate is an exceptional eighth grade student. She excels academically in all areas, but she

particularly enjoys the humanities. There is not a gifted education program at Severn School, but

all of her teachers agree her performance and depth of thought goes well above her peers. This is

my second year as Kate’s Spanish teacher. She does not come from a Hispanic background and

to the best of my knowledge she has not had regular contact with native speakers. However, she

can write and speak in Spanish with more ease and grammatical accuracy than many of the

students taking literature courses in Spanish at the college level that I have met. Kate has been

taking Spanish since elementary school, like most of her peers, but her knowledge of the Spanish

language is due to her passion and motivation to learn the language, in addition to her admirable

higher level thinking skills. Last year she came to talk to me and asked me for more challenging

work. She was especially interested in learning Spanish grammar. During the last year and a half

she has been working on advanced grammar, but I knew she was still frustrated about having to

participate in assessments and collaborative learning experiences that were below her level of

achievement. I am advocating i\on her behalf to get her to skip two years of Spanish as she

transitions into the upper school next year. Unfortunately, she does not have the option of being

accelerated while in middle school. I believe that her level of Spanish is well above the eighth

grade curriculum and all of her peers. An individualized learning plan seemed to be an

appropriate measure to challenge Kate and to meet her needs.

Rationale for this Module

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Fitting the learner’s needs and selecting the appropriate text

The eighth grade curriculum focuses on the acquisition of basic vocabulary and grammar in

Spanish. By the end of the year, students should be able to write short paragraphs in Spanish and

to have conversations with a sympathetic interlocutor. They should also be able to comprehend

short readings. At the same time, students explore the realities of Spanish Speaking cultures

through movies, readings, etc. For the vast majority of students, this is a challenging curriculum.

Nonetheless, Kate has expressed to me that the material is not challenging enough for her and

she has consistently demonstrated mastery of all the content we are going to cover until the end

of the year. Kate is highly motivated, introspective, and an avid reader. She is an independent

learner and prefers working alone. Keeping her personal characteristics in mind, I determined

that an individualized literature based learning module would be the best fit for her. Since the

moment I introduced the idea to her, she was delighted and got straight to work. I asked her to

select a novel out of a list provided by me, and she picked Before We Were Free. As with the

other novels I selected, Before We Were Free is age appropriate; the language is not overly

complicated; it has an overarching concept (Freedom); it has been published both in Spanish and

in English, and it goes in depth the culture and history of a Spanish-speaking country (the

Dominican Republic in this case). In the process of developing this module, I used some of the

same format and methods used in Spanish literature classes at the college level.

Research-base rationale

There is limited literature available about gifted and talented students in the foreign

language classroom. It is also important to mention that Spanish (or any other foreign language)

is not considered a core academic subject in most schools. Nevertheless, the “Partnership for 21st

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Century Skills” (P21) and the Modern Language Association (MLA) emphasize the need of

teaching effective multicultural and multilingual competence at the K-12 level if we expect our

students to be successful workers and citizens in the 21st century (Oxford, 2010 & Barnes-Karol,

2010). Realistically speaking, considering the way the U.S. educational system is currently set-

up, acquiring a foreign language in the school environment is an inaccessible goal for most

students. However, for talented students as Kate, it could be an achievable goal if provided with

properly differentiated and challenging instruction.

As Gwendolyn Barnes-Karol (2010) indicates, the purpose of teaching Spanish is to help

students become “knowledgeable global citizen and a lifelong learner”. Truly knowing Spanish

means “developing functional proficiency in all four language skills (reading, writing, speaking

and listening), while being immersed in the linguistic, cultural, and literary heritage and

contemporary realities of the Spanish-speaking world” (Barnes-Karol, 2010). This module aims

to develop the learner’s knowledge of the Spanish language in all its extensions at the same time

as fostering appreciation and understanding of a culture associated with the language. The

literary review I conducted supports my belief that using literature, especially a text with a high

affective and historical value like Before We Were Free, as a vehicle to enter another language

and culture is powerful plan.

My key findings:

From Reading (Literature) In, Across, and Beyond the Undergraduate Spanish Curriculum by

Barnes-Karol (2010)

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Language used by native speakers is inseparable from their cultural and historical

experience, so that to understand language is to understand the significance of events and

texts and the associations with them that speakers retain today.

From a broad humanistic perspective, Marta Nussbaum (1997) writes of the value of

reading literature as crucial for students’ becoming world citizens.

Reading literature would allow students to see language used creatively in ways that

everyday conversation does not.

Reading literature would help students to get to know another culture, worldview, or

historical period in ways that doing grammar exercises would not.

Reading literature in Spanish might allow students to start to enter a community of

Spanish-speaking people around the world because they would have the shared

experiences of reading the same books.

Foreign language educators should facilitate students to become educated speakers who

have deep translingual and transcultural competence, and who can operate between

languages effectively. To a large degree, this capacity can only come from sustained

encounters with text.

From Promise (Un)fulfilled: Reframing Languages for the Twenty-First Century by Raquel

Oxford (2010).

The Modern Language association report “Foreign Languages and Higher Education:

New Structures for a Changed World” (2007) indicates that “Language deficiency that is

prevalent in the United States cannot be solved at the college level alone. While learning

another language is possible at any age, learning languages other than English must be

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included in the earliest years of the K-12 system if the United States is to have a citizenry

capable of communicating with educated native speakers in their languages”.

The “Partnership for 21st Century Skills” identified four main “21st century student

outcomes” that should prepare students to be successful workers and citizens in this

changed world. These outcomes are: core subjects and 21st century themes; learning and

innovation skills; information, media and technology skills; and life and career skills.

Translingual and transcultural competence are across all four of these outcomes.

One of the main interdisciplinary 21st century themes identified by the P21 is Global

Awareness, which involves “learning from and understanding other nations and cultures

while working collaboratively with individuals representing diverse cultures, religions

and lifestyles in a spirit of open dialogue” (Oxford, 2010). This learning module aims to

foster a sense of global awareness in the learner.

The P21 emphasizes communication skills as part of the learning and innovation skills

that 21st learners should develop: “With developed communication skills students are able

to communicate for various purposes (communication with interpretative, interpersonal,

and presentational dimensions). P21 highlights effective communication in diverse,

multilingual environments” (Oxford, 2010).

Students should be given the opportunity to practice life and career skills in the foreign

language classroom including leadership, ethics, accountability, personal productivity,

personal responsibility and self-direction. The nature of this learning module offers the

possibility of developing these skills.

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Intended Outcomes for the Learning Module

By the end of the module…

1. a. The student will learn about the history and culture of the Dominican Republic through

literature.

b. The student will learn metacognitive strategies to become a more proficient reader in

Spanish.

c. The student will learn advanced vocabulary and grammatical structures in Spanish.

2. a. The student will understand the interaction between biography (and history) and

testimonios in Latin American literary tradition.

b. The student will understand how to apply reading strategies to become a more proficient

reader in Spanish, including self-generated questions to guide reading.

c. The student will understand the multiple meanings of Freedom and how the characters

and the real people from that time period sacrificed life as they knew it in the pursuit of

freedom.

3. The student will be able to write a fictional document in Spanish using proper vocabulary

and grammar that reflects the writing style and purpose of a testimonio as if she were one of

the characters in the story.

Model of Instruction: Concept based/ Inquiry based (adapted)

Conceptual Understanding and Overarching Question

Freedom – What is freedom?

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Essential Understandings/Essential Questions

What is the significance of your study?

Is literature an effective vehicle to carry one’s voice through history?

How does reading in Spanish compare to reading in English?

What strategies can I use to read more effectively in Spanish?

What elements can be identified that reflect bias, prejudice, discrimination?

Should literature reflect one’s cultural context?

Content-specific Essential Understandings/Questions

How does Before We Were Free compare to In the Time of the Butterflies (another one of

Julia Alvarez’s novels which was made into a movie)? How does knowing these two

parallel stories enrich your perspective?

To what extend is the novel autobiographical/historically accurate?

What is the purpose of writing a testimony?

What features of a testimonio can be found in this novel?

Why are there constant references to butterflies in the novel? What do butterflies

symbolize?

Student generated questions:

How did Trujillo restrict people’s freedoms? How did the events of this time period

impact normal people?

How did the constant political turmoil shape the culture of the Dominican Republic?

Who is Chucha (a character of the book)? What does she represent?

Learning goals

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Language goals

Speaking and listening goals: All conversations between the student and I will be conducted

exclusively in Spanish. She is expected to be able to carry on a conversation in Spanish, although

at slower pace than a conversation between native speakers. The focus will not be placed on

grammar skills, but rather on effective communication.

Reading goals: The student will be required to read the whole novel Antes de Ser Libre in

Spanish. She will read at least one chapter per week, but ideally two or three. Once the reading in

Spanish has been completed, she will read the English version Before We Were Free, mostly

outside of class time, to check for understanding.

Writing goals: The student will keep a dialog journal in which she will summarize each chapter,

pose questions to guide our discussions and keep a list of newly acquired vocabulary.

Additionally, all reflections and responses to specific questions assigned throughout the lessons

of this learning module are to be recorded in the journal. All writing must be done in Spanish.

Grammatically speaking, the student will focus on the past tenses and the subjunctive in her

writing. Additionally, she will be held accountable for mechanics and orthography of all written

work.

The module incorporates the following ACTFL (American Council of Teachers of Foreign

Languages) standards for foreign language learning:

COMMUNICATION - Communicate in Languages Other Than English

Standard 1.1: Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express

feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions

Standard 1.2: Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of

topics

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Standard 1.3: Students present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or

readers on a variety of topics.

CULTURES - Gain Knowledge and Understanding of Other Cultures

Standard 2.1: Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the

practices and perspectives of the culture studied

Standard 2.2: Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the

products and perspectives of the culture studied

CONNECTIONS - Connect with Other Disciplines and Acquire Information

Standard 3.1: Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the

foreign language

Standard 3.2: Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are

only available through the foreign language and its cultures

COMPARISONS - Develop Insight into the Nature of Language and Culture

Standard 4.1: Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through

comparisons of the language studied and their own

Standard 4.2: Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through

comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.

COMMUNITIES - Participate in Multilingual Communities at Home & Around the World

Standard 5.1: Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting

Standard 5.2: Students show evidence of becoming life-long learners by using the language

for personal enjoyment and enrichment.

Assessments

Pre-assessments : (1) Of language competence and motivation: Performance in class and

graded assignments during the two years I have had Kate as a student. (2) Of background

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knowledge in the Dominican’s Republic history: KWL chart and preliminary conversation

with the student.

Formative : (1) Periodically check and provide feedback on the dialogue journal. (2) Weekly

one-on-one discussions with the student.

Summative : (1) Using the RAFT (Role/Audience/Format/Topic) model, write a creative

letter from the perspective of another character of the story. Role: Anita’s dad/ Audience:

Anita and her siblings/ Format: A Letter left for his family/ Topic: His version of the events,

knowing that he will not see his family again. (2) Create and deliver a Power Point

presentation to an audience of faculty members and administrators.

Re-assessment : (1) As a self-assessment, read the same novel in English after completing it

in Spanish to confirm full understanding. (2) As part of the final presentation, and also as

self-assessment, evaluate the value of having worked on this learning module. Select the

most significant parts of it to be included in the presentation.

Differentiation Plan

This learning module is intended to be a substitution of the regular eighth grade Spanish

curriculum. The learner has repeatedly shown mastery of all the content to be covered in the

grade-level curriculum. Because the regular curriculum does not offer much room for increased

depth and complexity, substitution is the best option.

The environment in which the student works is also differentiated. She will work

individually at the library while her classmates are in class, and she will meet with me on a

weekly basis to discuss her progress in a conversation conducted solely in Spanish.

The content of this individualized learning module follows all the principles of a

differentiated curriculum:

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Is broad in scope.

Is organized around a substantive issue that is defined from scholars in the discipline (Latin

American Studies/Spanish language and literature)

Allows for the continual development of levels of abstraction to understand concepts,

generalization, principles and theories of the area of study.

Allows for integration of multiple disciplines within the area of study.

Allows for a wide and diverse selection of areas that the learner can independently pursue.

The nature of the novel, along with the structure of this individualized learning module,

leads itself to a high level of depth and complexity. In addition, the conversations I carry on

with the student each week emphasize higher level thinking. Either directly or indirectly the

learner will work on all eight dimensions of DEPTH:

(1) Language of the discipline- The learner will acquire new vocabulary in Spanish that is

specific to the theme of the novel or to literary analysis.

(2) Details- What exactly happens in the story?

(3) Patterns- What does the author say in other works (such as In the Time of the Butterflies)?

(4) Trends- Why did the author write a testimonio?

(5) Unanswered questions- The student will craft her own “unanswered questions” and she will

participate in an academic discussion on possible answers for teacher generated and self-

generated questions.

(6) Rules of the discipline- Pay special attention to spelling and grammar when writing.

(7) Ethics- Should literature reflect one’s cultural context?

(8) Exploring the big ideas- Freedom.

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In terms of complexity, the student will also be able to see the discipline in a broader context

through this learning module. The Spanish language will serve as a vehicle for communication

rather than the final goal of instruction. Moreover, she will have access to learn from the history

and culture of a country that is rarely taught below the college level, and even less at the middle

school level. Lastly, the final project (the product) will challenge the student to reinterpret the

story from the perspective of a different character.

It is important to mention how working on more advanced, sophisticated, and abstract skills

and processes is an integral component of this learning module. Skills and processes will be

discussed in more depth in a later section.

The rest of the eighth grade class will participate in a one or two day lesson on the content of

this learning module. I will select a passage of the novel that effectively carries the message of

the story and its affective connotation. I will use short videos as an introduction to the topic. I am

considering using the trailer of In the Time of the Butterflies, which is available online on

Youtube.

Skills & Processes Developed in this Learning Module

Developing stronger reading, writing, listening and speaking skills in Spanish, that are

extended to a far more advanced and sophisticated level than the regular eighth grade

curriculum.

Using research methods to acquire background information on an unknown subject matter

(historical study).

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Interpreting information by summarizing the story and making an inference on what subtle

references in the story actually mean.

Reporting information via a Power Point presentation.

Thinking creatively by retelling the story from the voice of another character in the story.

Thinking critically by judging the value of the learning module, judging most effective

metacognitive reading strategies, giving textual evidence to references of freedom in the text,

etc.

Lesson chunks

The lesson plans for this learning module are equivalent to lesson chunks. The student will be

working on the module for almost three full months. Each lesson plan encompasses the work the

student will do over the course of several days. Some of them last a couple days, while others

last for more than two months. Since this is an individualized project and it does not follow a

regular class schedule, the student might be working on different lessons simultaneously.

The learning module will be organized in the following chunks:

1. Introduction to the historical background, and the theme of the novel.

2. Guided reading of the novel Antes de Ser Libres, first in Spanish and then in English. The

focus of this section is on the concept of Freedom.

3. Exploring metacognitive strategies to read more effectively in Spanish.

4. Exploring different perspectives in works by the same author. The student will watch the

movie In the Time of the Butterflies, based on the book by Julia Alvarez.

5. Summary of learning through a Power Point presentation for a professional audience.

A description of each lesson chunk/plan follows.

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LESSON 1: Introduction – KWL chart

Date: March 3rd and 4th, 2011/ Closure: end of May

ACTFL Standards Addressed: 1.2, 2.1, 3.1 and 3.2

Specific objectives for this lesson: Pre-assess student’s prior knowledge of the history and culture of the Dominican

Republic during the twentieth century.

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Ignite curiosity on the learner regarding the content of the book and predict what might happen in the story.

Acquire basic background knowledge of the history of the Dominican Republic during the time period in which the novel takes place, in order to improve comprehension of the novel.

Anticipatory set: Model how to fill out a KWL chart for the student and explain to her the specific objectives of the lesson before she goes on to work on her own.

Activities: Read the back cover of Antes de Ser Libres to have a very general idea of what the book

is about. Fill out a KWL chart on the historical events that occurred in the Dominican Republic

during the XX century. Only fill out the K and W columns. The L column will be filled out at the end of this learning module.

Conduct informal research using the Internet to gain a basic understanding of the events that occurred in the Dominican Republic during the XX century. Also, find information on the author of the book to understand her personal connection to the events narrated in the book. Key findings can be used to fill out the KWL chart, making sure to include the sources of information.

Discuss findings with me in our weekly meeting that week. Use the questions created on the W column to guide chapter reading.

Closure: Upon reading the book, answer the questions from the W chart. By the end of the learning module, fill out the L column to self-assess learning.

Assessments: Formative: Check the K and W columns once completed by the student. Assess

knowledge and understanding of the new material in an informal conversation during our weekly meeting.

Summative/Self-assessment/Re-assessment: Upon reading the novel, the learner will fill out the “L” column of the KWL chart and attempt to answer the student generated questions in the “W” chart.

Homework: None

Materials: Book Antes de Ser Libres KWL Chart Writing utensil Computer with access to the Internet

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Notes/Management:In a previous conversation with the student she told me that she did not have much previous knowledge on the subject matter of the book, but she was eager to learn. This is the reason I why incorporated consulting other sources as part of this lesson.

LESSON 2: Guided Chapter Reading

Date day 2: Second week or March – Mid-May

ACTFL Standards Addressed: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1 and 5.2

Specific objectives for this lesson: Develop stronger reading and writing skills in Spanish through extensive practice and

feedback. Use previous and newly acquired vocabulary and grammar knowledge to communicate

orally and in writing. Focus on the use of the preterite and imperfect tenses.

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Gain an understanding of the relationship between the historical events that occurred in the culture studied and the writing of a testimonio to represent one’s voice.

Acquire new vocabulary in Spanish. Explore the concept of freedom as presented in the novel. Look at and analyze different perspectives of events.

Activities: Read the novel Antes de Ser Libres, at a minimum rate of a chapter per week. For each chapter, write a summary in Spanish using proper vocabulary and grammar.

Focus on the use of preterite/imperfect and the subjunctive. For each chapter, jot down questions to guide our weekly discussions. These questions

can be regarding details of the chapter, confusing content, or open-ended/general. For each chapter keep a list of new vocabulary.

Closure: Upon reading Antes de Ser Libres, read Before We Were Free (the English version of the novel) to check for understanding and to fully comprehend the storyline.

Assessments: Formative: Journal check (Chapter summaries & student-generated questions) and

weekly meetings to discuss progress and comprehension of the reading. Re-assessment (Self-assessment): Read the book in English to verify understanding.

Keep track o\fn elements missed on the reading in Spanish. Summative assessment: Using the RAFT (Role/Audience/Format/Topic) model, write a

creative letter from the perspective of another character of the story (not Anita).

Homework: Advance on the reading at home. Write in the journal at the end of each chapter. Most of the reading in English will be done at home as well.

Materials:

Before We Were Free, English version of the novel by Julia Alvarez. Antes de Ser Libres, Spanish version of the novel by Julia Alvarez. Journal Writing utensil

Notes/Management: The student will work at her own pace, as long as she fulfils the minimum requirements. Being a very self-motivated learner, she has been reading and writing on her journal at a much faster pace. This is positive, as it will allow us to spend more time analyzing the story at the end.

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LESSON 3:Exploring metacognitive strategies for reading in Spanish

Date day 1: Thursday, March 31st – Monday April 4th

ACTFL Standards Addressed: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 and 3.1

Specific objectives for this lesson: Identify useful strategies to improve reading in Spanish. Evaluate metacognitive reading strategies as far as their usefulness to better comprehend

this particular novel. Find metacognitive reading strategies that best fit the learning style of the student, and

discuss possible applications in other content areas.

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Anticipatory set: During our lunch meeting, discuss what metacognition is and why it is helpful to be aware of how we learn. Ask the student what her own reading strategies are when reading in Spanish and when reading in English. Briefly explain the purpose of this lesson and the its components before she goes on to work independently.

Activities: Find the different reading strategies recommended both in the 7th and 8th grade textbooks. Are these strategies applicable to what you are doing? How/Why? How are these strategies useful in this case in particular and in general? Can you think of other useful strategies for reading in Spanish? Explain them. Record all findings and thoughts in your journal using Spanish.

Closure: Upon finishing the novel, pick the three learning strategies that helped you the most while reading the novel.

Formative Assessment: Check student’s journal.

Homework: None

Materials: 7th and 8th Grade Spanish textbook. Journal Writing utensils

Notes: The Realidades book series that I use to teach the regular curriculum for 7th and 8th grades includes a reading strategy at the end of each unit to accompany a short reading. I found that looking at all of them at once offers a good compilation of reading/metacognitive strategies.

LESSON 4: Different perspectives in works by the same author

Date: Monday, May 2nd to Thursday, May 5th

ACTFL Standards Addressed: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 4.2, 5.1 and 5.2

Specific objectives for this lesson: Compare different perspectives on the same events by examining more than one

person’s/character’s view point and voice. Compare two works by the same author (the movie is an adaptation of the author’s work)

about a similar topic in order to gain a broader understanding of the subject matter. Examine the concept of Freedom as presented in the movie In the Time of the Butterflies.

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Develop fluency in Spanish by reading subtitles, while listening to the movie in Spanish.

Anticipatory set: Read the story and look at the pictures of the real Mirabal sisters on the websites http://www.colonialzone-dr.com/people_history-mirabal_sisters.html and http://www.el-bohio.com/mirabal/. Also look at the review and preface of Julia Alvarez’s famous novel In the Time of the Butterflies on her website (http://in-the-time-of-the-butterflies.juliaalvarez.com) and on The Big Read (http://www.neabigread.org/books/timeofthebutterflies/).

Activities: Read “A Postscript” from the book In the Time of the Butterflies (Alvarez, 1994). Watch the movie In the Time of the Butterflies with Spanish subtitles (the movie is in a

combination of English and Spanish, but predominantly in English). Take note of the different approaches and references to Freedom in the movie. Compare and

contrast them to those in Before We Were Free. Write down your observations in your journal.

In writing, answer the following questions in Spanish: How does watching the movie broaden your perspective on the events that occurred

in the Dominican Republic in the midst of the XX century? How do the Mirabal sisters use their voice to pursue the freedom of their people?

How does that compare to Anita writing a journal? Are there any major differences in the portrayal of Trujillo and the key events of the

same time period in Before We Were Free and In the Time of the Butterflies?

Closure: Discuss student responses and analyze the different perspectives portrayed in the movie vs. the novel Before We Were Free during our weekly meeting.

Formative Assessment: Check student notes and responses to the questions in her journal, in addition to our conversation during our weekly meeting.Homework: None

Materials: Movie (DVD): In the Time of the Butterflies Book: In the Time of the Butterflies Journal Writing utensil DVD playing device Computer with access to the Internet

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Notes/Management: The student can choose to do part of this lesson at home. If we are on a time constraint, I will ask her to take some of the materials home to work on this lesson outside of class time.

LESSON 5: Preparing the final presentation

Date: Work during May/ Presentation: One day during the last week of May

ACTFL Standards Addressed: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 5.1 and 5.2

Objectives for this lesson: Be able to explain to others the historical events that take place in the Dominican

Republic during the XX century, as well as the use of testimonios as a vehicle to carry one’s voice in the pursuit of freedom.

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Develop a Power Point presentation at a professional level summarizing the learning that occurred throughout the module.

Develop public-speaking and presentation skills in English and Spanish. Present work to a panel of professionals (faculty members and administrators) using a

combination of English and Spanish.

Anticipatory set: Show the student a model Power Point Presentation. I will show her the one I used to present my student teaching experience, since it shares some of the same characteristics of the presentation she will be asked to do (it is in combination of English and Spanish, it includes many images, it summarizes the work I did over a period of time, etc.)

Activities: Brainstorm together about all the sections we want to include in the presentation and how

we want to present them. Find images to support the presentation. Some will be digital pictures of the student in

action, while others will be retrieved from the Internet. The Power Point presentation will be based mostly on images. Therefore, images will be the key to successfully delivering the message.

On draft paper, create an outline of the presentation. Indicate which parts will be delivered in English and which parts will be delivered in Spanish. Translate some sections if needed. Make sure all information is properly cited.

Locate additional resources if needed for the presentation. Create the PowerPoint presentation. Seek feedback from the librarians and me. Using the

feedback received, revise the presentation. Rehearse the presentation with different audiences (me, parents, a peer, etc.)

Closure: Final presentation for faculty members and administrators. Receive feedback from adults other than myself.

Assessments: Formative: Periodically check student progress on her PowerPoint presentation. Review

drafts and listen to mock presentations. Summative: Presentation to faculty members and administrators (Middle school

principal, foreign language department chair, Spanish teachers in the Upper school, etc.) Re-assessment (Self-assessment): Evaluate the value of having worked on this learning

module. Select the most significant parts of it to be included in the presentation.

Homework: Rehearse for the official presentation. If needed, work on the Power Point presentation, or locate resources and images from home.

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Materials: Example of an effective Power Point presentation. Computer with Microsoft Word and Internet access. Digital images to enhance the presentation. Projector, clicker, etc.

Notes/Management: I will need to send out an invitation ahead of time to all the faculty and administrators who I wish to listen to the student’s presentation. A final time, either during a lunch period or during an “enrichment class” will be determined once I have an idea of when the largest number of people can attend. The student is welcomed to invite her family members or a few classmates if she chooses to do so.

References

ACTFL. (2010). Standards for foreign language learning. Home - American Council on the

Teaching of Foreign Languages. Retrieved December 08, 2010, from

http://www.actfl.org

Alvarez, J., & Valenzuela, L. (2004). Antes de ser libres. New York, NY: Laurel-Leaf Books.

Alvarez, J. (2002). Before we were free. New York, NY: A. Knopf.

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