Upload
grace
View
21
Download
0
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
Teaching Heritage Speakers: Best practices. Maria M. Carreira STARTALK, UCLA July 18, 2011. Workshop topics The ins and outs of HL teaching. 5 components of “Enduring knowledge”: Core curriculum of this workshop A larger number of components “Important to know and do” - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Citation preview
Teaching Heritage Speakers: Best practices
Maria M. CarreiraSTARTALK, UCLA
July 18, 2011
Workshop topicsThe ins and outs of HL teaching
• 5 components of “Enduring knowledge”: Core curriculum of this workshop
• A larger number of components “Important to know and do”
• Many items “Worth knowing”
Five Components of Enduring Knowledge
• The general principles of good language teaching also apply to HL teaching.
• HL teaching should be learner-centered, rather than curriculum centered
• Curriculum and syllabus design should be grounded on issues of language and identity
• Program design should make linguistic and demographic sense
• HL teaching should be assessment intensive
Today’s presentation
AM: Two views of what language teachers do• Why HL teaching must be learner-centered• Curriculum, syllabus and program design
within the learner-centered paradigmPM: Responding to Individual learner needs• Differentiation strategies• Assessment
Project description
• Each language group will develop a teaching unit to be used with HL learners. The development of the unit will follow a 3-step process, with each requirement being the primary focus of specific meetings. Teaching units will be presented to the class on the last day of the workshop.
Unit requirements
• Spans three to four class periods (3-5 instructional hours)
• Exemplifies the 5 components of “Enduring understanding”
• Incorporates components that are “Important to know and do”, as well as “worth knowing”;
• Is anchored in the HL community• Is aligned with the Standards for foreign language
learning and other best L2 practices
Today’s assignment
Using rubrics 8, 9, and 10 in the “Guide to HL Teaching”, thegroup will discuss HL learner characteristics and the dimensionof learner variation in the classroom. This information will serveto identify general goals and pedagogical approaches andstrategies for the unit. In addition, the group will describe theteaching context and the societal use of the HL in their area ofresidence as well as at a national level. On the basis of thisdiscussion, participants will select an HL theme/topic for theinstructional unit and identify resources in the HL community and elsewhere.
TWO VIEWS OF WHAT LANGUAGE TEACHERS DO
Part I
View # 1: Teach Languages
View #2: Teach language learners
The “What-centered” view versus
The “Who-centered” view
Traditionally, language teaching has been “what centered”
“What centered” = “curriculum centered”
Teachers start at the front of the curriculum
The what-centered view with L2 learners
The curriculum-centered classroom
But what if…
And...
What happens when you apply a curriculum-centered approach to
HL teaching?
The what-centered view with HL learners
The “who-centered” view
“Who-centered” = “learner centered”
The “learner-centered” classroom
Why is the learner-centered view better?
• HL learners differ from each other with regard to- linguistic abilities (in the HL and in English)- literacy skills
- affective needs- goals for their HL
• HL learners also differ from L2 learners
Exploring the “WHO”
What does the “learner-centered” view teach us?
Exploring the “who”
• Definitions;• Research on the “typical” HL learner;• Research on HL learner variation
Definitions:Who is a heritage language learner?
• Narrow definitions – based on proficiency
• Broad definitions – based on affiliation
Definitions orient us to the what of HL teaching
Example of a narrow definition
“An individual who is raised in a home where a non-English language is spoken, who speaks or merely understands the heritage language, and who is to some degree bilingual in English and the heritage language” (Valdés, 2001, p. 38)
Example of a broad definition
Heritage language learners are individuals who “…have familial or ancestral ties to a particular language and who exert their agency in determining whether or not they are HLLs (heritage language learners) of that HL (heritage language) and HC (heritage culture) (Hornberger and Wang, 2008, p. 27)
HL learners who fit the narrow definition also fit the broad definition
In high school I was one of very few Latinos. My friend and I were called the "Mexican kids". This was always funny to me because my Dad's family always told me I was American. In school I was labeled Mexican, but to the Mexicans, I am an American. I am part of each, but not fully accepted by either. In high school, I was considered Mexican because I spoke Spanish but I was considered "Pocho" by my Dad's family because my Spanish was not up to their standard. It's this weird duality in which you are stuck in the middle. Latinos are often told that they are not Americans but also that they are not connected to their heritage. You take pride in both cultures and learn to deal with the rejection. You may never be fully embraced by either side. That's why you seek out other people like yourself. Socializing with people who share a common experience helps you deal with this experience.
Broad + narrow definitions = two orientations to HL teaching
Linguistic needs (narrow definition)
Affective needs (broad definition)
Filling in details
• Definitions• Research on the “typical” HL learner• Research on HL learner variation
Factors in heritage language development
• Age of acquisition of English (ages 4, 8)• Order of acquisition of the languages (HL first,
followed by Eng., both lags. at the same time);• Language use at home (only the HL, HL + Eng.,
English only);• Schooling in the HL;• General exposure to the HL e.g. time spent abroad,
media use, demographic density of local HL speakers;
Typical HL learner (from NHLRC Survey)
• Used their HL exclusively until age 5, when they started school (+)
• Has visited their country of origin once or twice; (+)
• Listens to music, watches soap operas, and attends religious services in their HL (not much reading) (+/-);
• Little to no schooling in the HL (-);• US born (?)
Linguistic strengths and needs
• Some facility in informal/spoken language• Low literacy (limited command of embedding
– compound sentences, little to no command of the academic registers)
• Grammar areas in need of attention: those learned after age 5 – Aspect, the subjunctive, perfect verb forms (Montrul, 2008, 2011);
Curriculum• Particular language
features acquired after age 5; e.g. Aspect, subjunctive, perfect subjunctive
• Linguistic skills acquired through schooling (expansion of bilingual range, literacy, vocabulary and grammar);
We also have the “why” (orientation)
Typical learner profile (cont.)• Has positive associations with his HL, but also
some insecurities;• Is a “hyphenated American” (e.g. Arab-American)• Wants to learn more about his roots;• Wants to connect with other members of his/her
community;• Enjoys using his/her HL to help others;• Would like to take professional advantage of
his/her HL skills (only Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese speakers)
Reasons for studying the HLCareer or job
To explore their roots
To communicate with family and Friends in the US
To meet a language requirement
To communicatewith family and friends abroad
Spanish 1 2 3 4
Chinese 1 2 3 4
Russian 2 1 4 3
Korean 3 2 1 4
Tagalog 2 3 1 4
Vietnamese 2 3 1 4
Persian 1 2 3 4
Socio-affective orientation of the curriculum
• Responds to HL learners’ affective needs– i.e. the need to explore issues of identity, builds on learners’ positive associations, combats negative associations;
• Responds to HL learners’ social needs – i.e. the desire to connect with other US speakers;
• Responds to HL learners’ professional goals;
Exploring the “how”
Exploring the “how”
• Definitions: Two orientations (identity + language)
• Research on the “typical” HL learner: Details on identity and socio-affective issues, and linguistic needs)
• Research on HL learner variation
Research on HL Learner variation
Individual learner variationVariation in the class
Research on HL Learner variation
Individual learner variationVariation in the class
Review: Critical factors in proficiency
• Home language (the HL + English, only the HL, English only);
• Age of acquisition of English (before 5, after 10);
• Order of acquisition of English (simultaneous, sequential)
• Schooling in the HL;• Overall exposure to the HL: travel abroad,
media use, density of local HL speakers;
Variation as a function of life experiences
Hl learner type Home language
Age of acquisition of English
Schooling Travel abroad/overall HL exposure
Advanced bilingual, schooled
Only the HL > 10 yes yes
Advanced bilingual, unschooled
Only the HL > 10 no yes
Typical bilingual, HL + English < 5 no yes
Quasi typical bilingual I
HL + English < 5 yes yes
Quasi typical bilingual
HL + English > 5 yes no
HL + English > 10 yes yes
HL + English > 10 no yes
Receptive bilingual English Birth no yes
English Birth yes yes
Variation in the classroom contextThe NHLRC Survey
One-track program: L2 and HL learners together (L2-HL classes)
Dual-track program: Separate classes for L2 andand HL learners (HL classes)
Type 1: Only one HL course (most common);
Type 2: Two levels of HL instruction;
L2-HL class: Japanese 300 (Third year college course)
• 16 students (12 HL learners + 4 L2 learners)• HL learners:
All have intermediate-to-advanced aural skills8 had three or more years of schooling;4 had one to two years of schooling;
• L2 learners: All had taken four semesters of Japanese
Variation in Japanese 100
• Between HL learners• Between HL and L2 learners
HL Class: Arabic 100 for HL learners
Arabic: Diglossia • Modern Standard Arabic (High prestige, formal situations, written, known by educated speakers, lingua franca among Arabs from different countries);
• Colloquial Arabic (Low prestige, home language, informal communications, not commonly written, mutually unintelligible regional dialects) (Maamouri 1998)
Arabic 100: • 11 students from six Arab countries (Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Morocco, Egypt) and 1 student from Indonesia (Muslim). • 2 have four or more years of education abroad, 3 have three years of religious education in Arabic in the US; the rest have no literacy skills in Arabic;
Variation in Arabic 100
• Between HL learners• Dialectal• Diglossic• Literacy
HL Class: Hindi 100 for HL learners
India: Hindi is the official language of the country. Individual states have their own official languages. 29 languages have over 1 million speakers. India’s languages stem primarily from two language families: Indo-Aryan in the north, and Dravidian in the south. Many languages have their own writing systems (Brass 2005, Hasnain 2003).
Gambhir (2008) identifies two primary categories of HL learners in Hindi classes – ancestral, associate (cognate and non-cognate)
Hindi 100: 16 students from five different language backgrounds;Hindi/Urdu (7); Gujarati (4); Punjabi (2);Telugu (2); Marathi (1)
Variation in Hindi 100
• Dialectal• Cross linguistic• Between learners
HL classes v. L2-HL classes
• Which scenario seems more challenging?• What is the problem?• How does this problem arise?
Two categories of problems: Arabic and Hindi
• In the Arabic and Hindi programs “HL classes” are seen as a “catch all” destination for all students that do not meet the traditional profile of L2 learners.
• Arabic and Hindi 100 do not make linguistic sense.
The Japanese problem
L2-HL class: Japanese 300 (Third year college course)
• 16 students (12 HL learners + 4 L2 learners)• HL learners:
All have intermediate-to-advanced aural skills8 had three or more years of schooling;4 had one to two years of schooling;
• L2 learners: All had taken four semesters of Japanese
The Japanese problem
• The class does not make “demographic” sense
Lesson
• Curriculum and program design should make linguistic and demographic sense.
LEARNER CATEGORIES MEET PROGRAM REALITIES
But there’s another problem
Placement scenario #1: One track program, no HL classes
Placement scenario #2: Dual-track program, one HL class
Placement scenario #2: Dual-track program, one HL class
Placement scenario #3: Dual-track program, two HL classes
What’s the point?
Any way you slice it, you end up with more categories of students than there are levels of instruction. As such, you end up with mixed ability classes (classes enrolling studentswith different skills, goals, backgrounds… in theHL).
Question: How do you deal with these classes?
Dealing with variation
Program level: Mitigate the problems of diversity through smart curriculum design and placement. 1) Design courses that are tailored to the local student population and that make linguistic sense.2) Use placement to build maximally homogeneous classes.
Class level: Accept and deal with diversity through Differentiated Teaching (DT)
Summary of this presentation and preview of the next one
Enduring knowledge
• Learner-centered Teaching: HL learners present a wide range of linguistic, social, and psychological profiles. For that reason, HL teaching should be learner-centered, rather than curriculum centered. The tools and strategies of Differentiated Teaching make it possible to address individual learners’ needs in specialized HL classes, as well as in mixed classes (classes enrolling HL and L2 learners).
Enduring knowledge
• Learner-centered Teaching: HL learners present a wide range of linguistic, social, and psychological profiles. For that reason, HL teaching should be learner-centered, rather than curriculum centered. The tools and strategies of Differentiated Teaching make it possible to address individual learners’ needs in specialized HL classes, as well as in mixed classes (classes enrolling HL and L2 learners).
Enduring knowledge
• Curriculum and syllabus design: The broad and narrow definitions of the term “HL learner” identify two general orientations for curriculum and syllabus design: language and identity. Use the profile of the “typical HL learner” to lay the general instructional plan. Build in additional pathways to help students that deviate from this profile achieve objectives.
Enduring knowledge
• Curriculum and syllabus design: The broad and narrow definitions of the term “HL learner” identify two general orientations for curriculum and syllabus design: language and identity. Use the profile of the “typical HL learner” to lay the general instructional plan. Build in additional pathways to help students that deviate from this profile achieve objectives.
Enduring knowledge
• Program design should make linguistic and demographic sense: HL classes should not be conceived of as a catch all repository of students that do not fit the profile of typical L2 learners. Program design should take into consideration local realities surrounding the use of the HL language, language-specific properties, particularly those involving related dialects and languages, and practical considerations such as enrollments vis-à-vis available resources.
RESPONDING TO THE NEEDS OF ALL LEARNERS
Part II
Short quiz (formative assessment)T/F• To be considered a HL learner, a student has to have some
facility in the HL;• HL learners study their HL mainly so that they can travel
abroad;• Issues of identity and group membership figure prominently
in the lives of HL learners;• The “what centered” view of teaching is premised on a fixed
curriculum.
Short quiz (cont.)
Which of the following is NOT a critical factor in the linguistic development of HL learners?
1. age when English was learned;2. language use at home;3. grades in school;4. formal education in the HL
From one-size fits all to learner-centered teaching
Not so good Better Best
Start at the front of the book, curriculum is fixed
Start with a curriculum that is designed to meet the needs of the majority (typical learner)
Start with a curriculum that targets majority needs and is flexible enough to respond to the needs of individual learners.
Appropriate for homogeneous classes, not for mixed classes
Weakness: Neglects those who fall outside that group.
Strength: Meets the needs of all learners.
Differentiated Teaching (DT)
In differentiated classrooms, teachers begin where studentsare, not the front of a curriculum guide. They accept and buildupon the premise that learners differ in important ways…Indifferentiated classrooms, teachers provide specific ways foreach individual to learn as deeply as possible and as quicklyand possible, without assuming one student’s roadmap forlearning is identical to anyone else (Tomlinson, 2000:2).
What can you differentiate?
• Content • Process (how you gain mastery of the material)• Product (how you demonstrate mastery of the
materialAccording to students’• Readiness• Interest• Learning profile
Concerns…
• It’s too much work!• What am I, a psychic? How I am supposed to know
about the needs of my students? • If everyone is doing something different, how do I
keep track of students’ work and progress?• So now I have to discard everything I’ve been doing
for years and start something new?
Quick answers• It’s too much work! – When done right,
differentiation actually decreases the amount of work done by the instructor.
• What am I, psychic? How I am supposed to know about the needs of my students?
• If everyone is doing something different, how do I keep track of students’ work and progress?
• So now I have to discard everything I’ve been doing for years and start something new?
Quick answers• It’s too much work! – • What am I, psychic? How I am supposed to know
about the needs of my students? Use ongoing assessment (formative assessment).
• If everyone is doing something different, how do I keep track of students’ work and progress?
• So now I have to discard everything I’ve been doing for years and start something new?
Quick answers• It’s too much work! – • What am I, psychic? How I am supposed to know
about the needs of my students? • If everyone is doing something different, how do I
keep track of students’ work and progress? Hold the students accountable for keeping track of their own learning.
• So now I have to discard everything I’ve been doing for years and start something new?
Quick answers• It’s too much work! – • What am I, psychic? How I am supposed to know
about the needs of my students? • If everyone is doing something different, how do I
keep track of students’ work and progress? • So now I have to discard everything I’ve been doing
for years and start something new? No, many of the strategies of DT are familiar to teachers and are part of the best practices of language teaching.
Key to dealing with concerns:
• Teaching the routine• Knowing what to differentiate• Knowing when to differentiate• Knowing how to differentiate
Teaching the routine
• Think of experienced travelers at a busy airport;
• Expect shared responsibility;• Give clear directions and expectations;• Discuss potential problems (use scenarios);
What to differentiate(Wiggings and McTighe, 2001)
What to differentiate(Wiggings and McTighe, 2001)
Instructor selected, fixed core objectives for the class
Instructor selected, fixed core objectives for the class
Negotiated objectives. Negotiated objectives.
Student selectedobjectivesStudent selectedobjectives
When to differentiate
• Don’t differentiate all the time – only when needed:
What happens if you differentiate all the time?
How to differentiate
• Master a small number of instructional tools;
How to differentiate
• Master a small number of instructional tools;• Let the students do the heavy lifting
Activities
Don’t have to be teacher-centered
Don’t have to be teacher graded/approved
Don’t have to be teacher-crushing
Basic tools
• Flexible grouping• Centers• Agendas• Templates
Basic tools
• Flexible grouping: Grouping strategies, types of groups
• Centers• Agendas• Templates
Grouping strategies
Flexible
By ability
By interest
By learning style
By student choice
By chance/proximity
By HL/L2 status
Types of groups
• Learning partners (1/1)• Small groups (3-5)• Half-class/half-class
Learning partners (1/1)
• For peer editing• For peer teaching
Types of groups
• Learning partners (1/1)• Small groups (3-5)• Half-class/half-class
Forming small groups (3-5)The Jigsaw Sequence
(Dodge, 2006:118)
“Home base” group
11 22
33 4411 22
33 4411 22
33 4411 22
33 44
1111
1111
2222
2222
3333
3333
4444
4444
“Expert” group
Activities for a jigsaw sequence
Forming small groups (3-5)The Jigsaw Sequence
(Dodge, 2006:118)
“Home base” group
11 22
33 4411 22
33 4411 22
33 4411 22
33 44
1111
1111
2222
2222
3333
3333
4444
4444
“Expert” group
Comprehension Design a Compare React to text; Questions graphic organizer two texts re-write the textKnowledge/Comprehension Application/analysis Analysis Synthesis/evaluation
Activities for a jigsaw sequence
Translate all or part of the textDo a “cloze” activity with part of the textReduce the textExpand the textSummarize the informationRepresent the informationAdd a chart, map, picture and write a captionAnswer inference and opinion questionsRe-write the ending
Holding all students accountable for group work
• How do you do it?
Holding all students accountable for group work
• Asking questions• Group quiz• Quick visual quiz• “Regular” quiz• Group contribution check
Identify a contribution you made to your group andone made by another student (see Rubric 11)
Types of groups
• Learning partners (1/1)• Small groups (3-5)• Half-class/half-class
Instructional practices cont.
• Group work• Centers• Agendas• Templates
How I use centers
• Virtual spaces (Blackboard)• Computer graded• Work can be repeated for a better grade• Work is done outside of class• Work is done independently by students• Work is self-paced(the workbook can also be a source ofcenter activities)
Instructional practices
• Group work• Centers• Agendas and contracts• Templates
How I use agendas and contracts
• Agendas: A list of activities students must complete in a given time. I use it to vary the pace of instruction.
• Contracts: An agreement between the teacher and student. I use it to vary the process and product. For example, students have a choice about how they will demonstrate mastery of the material (i.e. write an essay, re-write the ending of a story, make a presentation, etc.)
Sample agenda
Date due: (usually in 1-2 weeks)Work to be completed:• Workbook # 7, 8, 9, 10 • Blackboard, #1, 2. Must be completed with agrade of 90% or better.• Textbook, read “xxxxx” and answer questions1-7. Use a spell check. • Prepare a “Sum it up” card for this unit.
Instructional practices
• Group work• Centers• Agendas and contracts• Templates
To teach grammar and grammatical analysis
• Constructivist grammar activities(López-Sánchez and Mojica-Díaz 2006)Students use authentic materials to discover the patterns and principles of their language of study.Instructor acts as a facilitator
Examplepalabra significado significado oración
Mi my me
Tu you your
Te pronoun tea
Se I know pronoun
De of give
Mas more but
Si yes if
El the he
Example for HL-L2 paired interactions
____ (ser) a fines de agosto. Ito, el aparcero, ya no ________ (sonreir). ____ (ser) natural. La cosecha de fresas _________ (terminar), y los trabajadores, casi todos braceros, no recogían tantas cajas de fresas como en los meses de junio y julio. Cada día el número de braceros disminuía. El domingo sólo uno - el mejor pizcador - vino a trabajar. A mí me caía bien. A veces hablábamos durante nuestra media hoa de almuerzo. Así fue como supe que era de Jalisco, de mi tierra natal. Ese domingo fue la última vez que lo vi.
Say it Write it
Paired interactions between HL and L2 (Bowles, 2011 a,b)
• HL and L2 learners were matched for proficiency
• In Bowles 2011a, L2 learners benefited more from the activity than HL learners.
• In Bowles b, both types of learners benefited equally from the activity.
What made the difference?
• Material + taskHL learners are better at tasks that tap into
intuitive use of language, L2 learners, on the other hand, do better at tasks that require meta-linguistic knowledge;
HL learners are more familiar with home vocabulary; L2 learners, on the other hand, are more familiar with academic vocabulary
Take home lesson about HL + L2 pairings
• Take advantage of complimentary strengths of learners
• Match HL-L2 pairs for proficiency• Mix tasks that require intuitive knowledge,
and tasks that require meta-linguistic knowledge
• Hold both students accountable for contributing to the task
Back to…
• Group work• Centers• Agendas and contracts• Templates
Templates to vary instruction by interest
• The dialectal journal• The multiple-entry journal• Text-to-_____x_____ comparisons
Dialectal Journal (Dodge 2006: 67)
In this column, recordIn this column, record In this columnIn this column• a passage • write a reaction• a main idea • discuss its significance• an important event • make an inference
Text-to-self connections(Harvey and Goudvis 2000:266)
Passage from the textPassage from the text
This reminds me of…This reminds me of…
Passage from the textPassage from the text
I agree or disagree because…I agree or disagree because…
Passage from the textPassage from the text
I find this interesting because…I find this interesting because…
Text-to-text connections(Harvey and Goudvis 2000:267)
Passage from the textPassage from the text
This reminds me of…This reminds me of…
Character from the textCharacter from the text
This character reminds me of…This character reminds me of…
A theme of the textA theme of the text
This reminds me of…This reminds me of…
Text-to-world connections(Harvey and Goudvis 2000:267)
Passage from the textPassage from the text
This reminds me of…This reminds me of…
Character from the textCharacter from the text
This character reminds me of…This character reminds me of…
A theme of the textA theme of the text
This reminds me of…This reminds me of…
Text-to-language connections
Five important nouns in the reading:Five important nouns in the reading:
Five verbs used in connection with the Five verbs used in connection with the verbs:verbs:
Five words that are entirely new to you:Five words that are entirely new to you:
Five words that you are vaguely familiar but Five words that you are vaguely familiar but you do not use: you do not use:
Five words you know but did not know how Five words you know but did not know how to write:to write:
One “spelling discovery” (rule or One “spelling discovery” (rule or generalization):generalization):
Activities to review the material
• The exit card• Sum-it-up!
These can also be used as the basis for attendance/participation grade.
The exit card (Dodge 2006)
Describe an “aha!” momentDescribe an “aha!” moment
Formulate a question about a point that Formulate a question about a point that remains unclear. Describe one or two remains unclear. Describe one or two strategies that you will use to answer this strategies that you will use to answer this question.question.
Compare and contrast ____________Compare and contrast ____________
Sum it up! (Dodge 2006)
Topic/question/sentenceTopic/question/sentence
E.g. The verb “haber”E.g. The verb “haber”
Date:Date:
What I already knew.What I already knew. What I could already What I could already do.do.
What I learned.What I learned. What I can do now.What I can do now.
What I still need to What I still need to figure out.figure out.
What I would like to What I would like to be able to do.be able to do.
Assessment
• Diagnostic (pre-instruction) • Formative (during instruction)• Summative (post instruction)
Two roles for diagnostic assessment
• To build maximally homogeneous classes
Two roles for diagnostic assessment
• To build maximally homogeneous classesBUT PLACEMENT CANNOT ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM OF LEARNER DIVERSITY
Two roles for diagnostic assessment
• To build maximally homogeneous classesBUT PLACEMENT CANNOT ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM OF LEARNER DIVERSITY
• To inform curriculum design
Two roles for diagnostic assessment
• To build maximally homogeneous classesBUT PLACEMENT CANNOT ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM OF LEARNER DIVERSITY
• To inform curriculum designTHIS IS CRITICAL IN A LEARNER-CENTERED CLASSROOM (BUT NOT IN A CURRICULUM CENTERED ONE).
Formative assessment
Formative assessment Summative assessment
Purpose To improve instruction and provide feedback to students
To measure student competency
When administered Ongoing, throughout unit End of unit or course
How students use results
To self-monitor understanding,Identity gaps in understanding and strengths
To monitor grades and progress toward benchmarks
How teachers use results
To check for understanding, modify their own teaching to enhance learning
For grades, promotion
How programs use results
To modify the curriculum and program
To report to external entities
Adapted from Checking for Understanding. Formative Assessment Techniques for Your Classroom by Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey, ASCD, 2007
Why do we need formative assessment?
• For instructors: Provides the knowledge base for good teaching, differentiation, curriculum design, and school and program reform
• For students: Fosters learning by encouraging metacognition and independence, offering multiple representations of knowledge, previewing summative assessment, lowering the stakes of testing
How can we do formative assessment?
• The oral quiz• The “aha” moment card• The exit card • The group quiz• The KWL chart
What I knowWhat I want to learnWhat I learned
• Almost any pedagogical activity can function as formative assessment
Summative Assessment(Grades)
How do you?
• Maintain standards• Address issues of fairness
Suppose the following HL Learners are all in the same class:Advanced bilingual, schooled: Born abroad. Arrived in the US at age 9;Typical HL learner: US-born. Both parents are native speakers, immigrants.Receptive bilingual US-born. Speaks HL only with mother. Father does not speak HL.
How do you assign a grade to these students?
Advanced bilingual, schooled: Born abroad. Arrived in the US at age 9;Typical HL learner: US-born. Both parents are native speakers, immigrants.Receptive bilingual US-born. Speaks HL only with mother. Father does not speak HL.
How I do it• Final grade is made up of many components (quizzes, tests,
homework, writing portfolio, hybrid exercises, exit cards);• Some components are graded holistically (exit cards,
homework exercises, portfolio assignments), others are graded on a discreet-point scale (quizzes, hybrid exercises, tests, main writing assignment);
• Some components can be done several times (hybrid exercises);
• Lower-stake items serve to preview higher-value items (homework and hybrid exercises preview the quizzes, and the quizzes preview the tests, peer writing assignments preview “elderly” writing assignments);
Grades
BACKWARDS DESIGNHow do I decide on these components of the grade?
Basic idea: Two examples
• No Backwards Design: Dinner at my house• Backwards Design: Catching a flight• Different ways of making a flight
Essential Important Worthy
Step 1
• Identify desired results distinguishing between(a) results everyone must obtain (enduring understanding, important)(b) results that can vary from one student to the next depending on their needs, goals, etc. (a subset of the “important to know and do” and “worth knowing” components)
Step 2• Determine acceptable evidence of results• Chart a continuum of assessment methods
(formative assessment):Informal checks for understanding;Observation;Exit cards, homeworkQuizzes/tests;Performance tasks, projectsPortfolios
Step 3: Plan learning and instruction
• What enabling knowledge and skills will allow students to achieve results?
• What activities will give them this knowledge?• What materials are best suited to accomplish
this goal?• Is the instructional sequence coherent and
logical?• What is the appropriate pacing?
Stages in the Backward Design Process
Summarizing: Enduring knowledge
• Assessment: Use diagnostic assessment prior to the start of instruction for placement purposes and to fine-tune the curriculum to your particular group of students. Use formative assessment throughout instruction to modify teaching and to help students prepare for summative assessment, which is the basis on which a final grade is assigned. Apply the principles of Backwards Design to decide on the pacing of instruction and use of activities.
A word on workload
• Don’t go cold turkey. Aim to introduce a differentiated activity every week or two. Build up a bank of activities over time;
• Take advantage of templates;• Work with others;• Don’t try to differentiate every aspect of instruction.
Use differentiation only when needed;• Press on. This will be difficult at first but the results
are well worth it.
Project description
• Each language group will develop a teaching unit to be used with HL learners. The development of the unit will follow a 3-step process, with each requirement being the primary focus of specific meetings. Teaching units will be presented to the class on the last day of the workshop.
Unit requirements
• Spans three to four class periods (3-5 instructional hours)
• Exemplifies the 5 components of “Enduring understanding”
• Incorporates components that are “Important to know and do”, as well as “worth knowing”;
• Is anchored in the HL community• Is aligned with the Standards for foreign language
learning and other best L2 teaching practices
Today’s assignment
Using rubrics 8, 9, and 10 in the “Guide to HL Teaching”, thegroup will discuss HL learner characteristics and the dimensionof learner variation in the classroom. This information will serveto identify general goals and pedagogical approaches andstrategies for the unit. In addition, the group will describe theteaching context and the societal use of the HL in their area ofresidence as well as at a national level. On the basis of thisdiscussion, participants will select an HL theme/topic for theinstructional unit and identify resources in the HL community and elsewhere.