OPI

Actfl guidelines

History of OPI

• What kinds of classes do you take as a Spanish major?

• So what can you do in the language if you grad. with a degree in Span?

• How would you approach language learning differently if you were going to be a spy for the C.I.A. as opposed to wanting to read and discuss Don Quijote in the language of Cervantes?

• 1950s??? What was going on?• BTW, did the U.S. learn its lesson of “Linguistic

Preparedness”?

Interagency Language Roundtable Scale (ILR)Speaking 5 (Functionally Native Proficiency) equivalent to an educated

native speakerSpeaking 4+ (Advanced Professional Proficiency, Plus)Speaking 4 (Advanced Professional Proficiency) fluent and accurate on all

levels normally pertinent to pro. needs

Speaking 3+ (General Professional Proficiency, Plus)Speaking 3 (General Professional Proficiency) most formal and informal

conversationsSpeaking 2+ (Limited Working Proficiency, Plus)

Speaking 2 (Limited Working Proficiency) routine social demands limited work contexts

Speaking 1+ (Elementary Proficiency, Plus)

Speaking 1 (Elementary Proficiency) Routine travel needs; simple questions

Speaking 0+ (Memorized Proficiency) immediate needs using rehearsed utterances.

Speaking 0 (No Proficiency)

• What do you notice about this scale?

• What’s the highest level?

• Where do you think you fall?

• Would this work for high school or college?

• Do you want to be a zero?

Interagency Language Roundtable Scale (ILR)Speaking 5 (Functionally Native Proficiency)

Speaking 4+ (Advanced Professional Proficiency, Plus)Speaking 4 (Advanced Professional Proficiency)

Speaking 3+ (General Professional Proficiency, Plus)Speaking 3 (General Professional Proficiency)

Speaking 2+ (Limited Working Proficiency, Plus)

Speaking 2 (Limited Working Proficiency)

Speaking 1+ (Elementary Proficiency, Plus)

Speaking 1 (Elementary Proficiency)

Speaking 0+ (Memorized Proficiency)Speaking 0 (No Proficiency)

ACTFL Guidelines

Superior

Superior

Superior

Superior

Superior

Advanced –high

Advanced-Low/Mid

Intermediate – High

Intermediate – Low/Mid

Novice – High

Novice – Low/Mid

What differences do you see?

Why did they replace levels 3-5 with one superior level?

Effects of OPI on Language Teaching

• How do teachers often interact with students differently than interviewers interact with interviewees in the proficiency interview?

• Correct• explain• Interrupt students’ expressions• require complete sentences• generate all topics• simplify the way that they speak to their students• very different than the way they would speak to

another proficient speaker of the TL.

• You are teaching about families and questions with “cómo”

• T: ¿Cómo es tu familia? • S: Pues una poco loca,

estás una familia grande, soy tres hermanos y nos gusta jugaremos deportes.

• T: What might a teacher say at this point??????

• Teachers often focus on accuracy of students’ speech NOT content.

• You are travelling on a bus in Mexico and meet a tourist from Germany.

• You: ¿Cómo es tu familia? • Amigo: Pues una

poco loca, estás una familia grande, soy tres hermanos y nos gusta jugaremos deportes.

• You: What might you say at this point?

What other effect might the guidelines have on teaching?

• Focus on what you do with the language rather than grammar principles.

• One teacher says to students, after chapter 8 you will be able to use the imperfect…..

• Another teacher says, after chapter 8 you’ll be able to share experiences from your childhood, talk about things you did when you were a kid etc.

• Guidelines = organizing principle.

• What does that mean?

• Skill getting• Pseudo communication• Learning structures• Teacher-centered• Controlled speech• Structured/focused

(predictable)• Complete sentences• Slow rate of speech• Systematic correction

• Skill using• Interaction, communication• Accomplishing tasks• Student-centered• Creative use of language• Open-ended, Spontaneous

activities

• Natural rate when possible• Delayed correction

What are some examples of skill getting and skill using activities?

• Read these sentences aloud to a partner and Fill in the blanks with correct form of the verb in parentheses.

• Ayer, yo ______ (tener) frio.

• Write three sentences using tener in the imperfect.

• Here is a picture of two people in a market in Guatemala.

• One of you is the woman sitting down selling fruits and veggies. The other is the woman standing up wanting to buy some fruit. You are friends.

• Have a conversation where you catch up on things and make a transaction.

Standards for Foreign Language Learning• Five C’s????? Anyone name them all?• What is the purpose of

the standards?

• What are the 3 standards within “Communication”?

Standards for Foreign Language Learning

• SAMPLE LEARNING SCENARIO: NEWSCAST• Description: In the Spanish II class in Williamston High

School, a small, rural community in Michigan, students worked in groups to write, produce, and videotape a fifteen-to-twenty minute Spanish language news show that included news events; a live, from-the-scene report; weather; sports; and commercials. The news events included items from the Spanish-speaking world, the United States, the state, and local areas.

• Does this lesson incorporate all five C’s?• Does this lesson incorporate all of the standards for

communication?