Shifting to Proficiency Principals leadership Academy, June 2016

Why Proficiency? Research clearly shows that an essential factor in global competitiveness is fluency in a second (or for some students, third) language. Recognizing the importance of proficiency, BCPS has established the goal of graduating students proficient in a second language. BAS

What is Proficiency? Proficiency is what students can do with the language as opposed to what students know about the language. Proficiency is described by range of performance. BAS: Before there was ever a Passport school, Office of World Languages began plotting out the 9 year pathway to proficiency for students (that includes new courses and a shift in instructional model)

How does proficiency develop? Building proficiency is not always linear. Students move both forward and backward as they develop their language skills. Students may be at different levels of proficiency in each skill area: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. BAS

What do current best practices say teachers must provide? Multiple opportunities for students to… use the target language in authentic tasks to solve real world problems engage in interpretive and interpersonal communication interact with vocabulary and grammar in context using authentic resources BAS engage in presentational communication Personalize what they are learning

How is teaching for proficiency different from traditional methods? Direct & grammar-driven instruction  Authentic tasks and real world communication Choral repetition, scripted activities are the  Multiple opportunities for interpersonal bulk of student talk communication New vocabulary presented in word lists,  Vocabulary and grammar presented in new grammar presented in isolation context using authentic resources BAS Paper and pencil summative assessments  Assessed through interpretive, interpersonal and presentational tasks Teachers focused on what students  Students focused on what they can do know about the target language with the target language

2014-2015  Integrated Performance Assessments (IPA) Our progress: 2014-2015  Integrated Performance Assessments (IPA) with Can Do statements 2015 - 2016 Authentic Resources with Tiered Activities 2016 – 2017 Personalization and Customization BAS: This transformation already started with the IPAs released in 15-16 in all languages.

What does it look like to use authentic resources in a learner-centered classroom? JO / KS Handouts- infographic, activities, description of tiered activities

Look-Fors in All World Languages Classrooms (Yes, even level 1!) Students using the language they own in real-world situations Students speaking to each other in the target language in non-scripted tasks Students interacting with authentic resources in a variety of tasks Students asking questions and initiating communication in the target language Teachers monitoring student progress via ongoing formative assessment that drives instruction BAS

What You Should Not See in ANY World Languages Classroom: Teachers lecturing for long periods of time (even in the target language) Students using choral repetition as their primary speaking practice Students working out of a textbook, on an isolated grammar activity, or a worksheet asking low-level recall questions Students completing verb charts or grammar exercises as instructional activities Teachers posting verb charts or grammar rules on the wall, boards, overhead, etc. Objectives containing grammatical terms or references JO / KS

Professional Development Topics/Sessions Integrated Performance Assessments Using Authentic Resources in the World Languages Classroom Tiered Activities with Authentic Resources Using Tiered Activities to Personalize and Customize Learning Unlocking Proficiency Levels Comprehensible Input and Output Lesson Planning for Proficiency Good Teaching is Good Teaching Novice is Not Enough Instructional Shifts Why Now?

Support For Chairs and Teachers: Summer Academies New Teacher Orientation/New Teacher PD Sessions Professional Study Day in August Department Chair Meetings Informal Observations With Feedback Conference Opportunities Partially Funded by OWL Professional Development Modules Still Available in BCPS One OWL Presents Target Sessions for Passport Schools Collaborative Sessions Based On Teacher Requests

Contact Information Brian Schiffer, Director of Fine Arts, Social Studies, World Languages and ESOL Judy Opfer, Coordinator of World Languages Kimberley Shinozaki, Supervisor, Office of World Languages Jacquie Cioffi, Resource Teacher, Office of World Languages Mara Ma, Resource Teacher, Office of World Languages Debbie Wilson Matusky, Resource Teacher, Office of World Languages JO / KS

Questions?