Assessing and Reporting Student Progress in Heritage Language Schools SOHL Annual Conference October 2012 Presenter: Nadia Prokopchuk

Overview Part A Ministry Directions Language Literacy Language Proficiency Common Framework of Reference (CFR) Charting Language Skills: Group Activity Part B Assessment - General Information Assessment in Heritage Language Programs Reporting Progress Group Decisions

Ministry Directions A province-wide focus on student assessment begins in What is the purpose? To increase provincial graduation rates and to ensure smooth transitions within and beyond schooling. To inform parents about their child’s progress on a regular basis

Focus on Student Success We want students to achieve and succeed in school so that they can pursue career goals. The ministry is responsible for: Curriculum: what students are learning; Instruction: how they are learning it; Assessment: where progress is made.

Focus on Family Engagement Research shows that family support is important for student learning. Parents have a role to play by: –becoming involved in school activities –supporting learning in school and after school hours –being a role model for lifelong learning

Support for Literacy Well-developed literacy skills are the key to student success at school. What are literacy skills? Literacy skills are the tools that help students to learn new things and to function every day. Without literacy skills, students can’t move forward in life.

Overview Part A Ministry Directions Language Literacy Language Proficiency Common Framework of Reference (CFR) Charting Language Skills: Group Activity Part B Assessment - General Information Assessment in Heritage Language Programs Reporting Progress Group Decisions

Language Literacy Language literacy: - is more than just reading and writing - requires the support of everyone in a child’s life - involves the skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing, and representing to accomplish a wide range of tasks.

Language Literacy The term applies to language skills in any language. It is not limited to language use at school. It includes print and non-print materials, visual, audio, and multimedia sources. Families have a role to play in building literacy in first or heritage languages.

Language Literacy For students to be literate in any language, they need to work at it. It takes time, motivation, commitment, and support. The goal is to become more proficient in a language to meet personal, social, and academic needs.

Language Literacy Learning and using more than one language promotes language literacy. How does it work? The brain can compare and contrast the way each language ‘works’. Students analyze differences and adjust language to suit their needs.

Overview Part A Ministry Directions Language Literacy Language Proficiency Common Framework of Reference Charting Language Skills: Group Activity Part B Assessment - General Information Assessment in Heritage Language Programs Reporting Progress Group Decisions

What is Language Proficiency? When students are proficient in a language, it means that they have the ability to use the language accurately and fluently for various purposes. Building proficiency takes time and an environment of language support. Proficiency = Fluency + Accuracy

Heritage Language Study Learning a language is cumulative, meaning that proficiency does not happen quickly. With frequent and intensive instruction, greater progress can be made. Heritage language progress after school hours should be viewed through the lens of contact hours and frequency of instruction.

Is Proficiency Possible? The aim of most language programs is language proficiency. Factors such as age, time, prior experience, and motivation are critical to success with language learning. Heritage language programs can provide students with a good start toward proficiency.

Overview Part A Ministry Directions Language Literacy Language Proficiency Common Framework of Reference (CFR) Charting Language Skills: Group Activity Part B Assessment - General Information Assessment in Heritage Language Programs Reporting Progress Group Decisions

“CFR” The CFR, or Common Framework of Reference, is based on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) introduced to SOHL in previous years. The Ministry of Education has adopted this framework to monitor and assess the progress of English language learners.

Heritage Languages and the CFR The CFR offers a set of internationally recognized language descriptors within five skill areas: Listening, Spoken Production, Spoken Interaction, Reading, and Writing. The CFR descriptors give observable and attainable evidence of language performance.

The Levels It is common for learners to have different strengths in each of the skill areas.

Overview Part A Ministry Directions Language Literacy Language Proficiency Common Framework of Reference (CFR) Charting Language Skills: Group Activity Part B Assessment - General Information Assessment in Heritage Language Programs Reporting Progress Group Decisions

Possibilities for Your Class Take 10 minutes to study the handout with CFR “Can-Do” descriptors. Focus on Levels A1.1 and A1.2 Do the skills and descriptors reflect some of the goals of language learning in your class?

Group Activity – Charting Language Skills At your tables, decide which of the ‘Can-Do’ skills apply to your heritage language program(s). Record your decisions on the master sheet.

Overview Part A Ministry Directions Language Literacy Language Proficiency Common Framework of Reference (CFR) Charting Language Skills: Group Activity Part B Assessment - General Information Assessment in Heritage Language Programs Reporting Progress Group Decisions

Assessment – General Information Refer to the handout Outcomes: Plan with the end goal in mind. Where do you want the students to be at the end of a lesson, a unit, or at the end of the year? Assess progress regularly.

Overview Part A Ministry Directions Language Literacy Language Proficiency Common Framework of Reference (CFR) Charting Language Skills: Group Activity Part B Assessment - General Information Assessment in Heritage Language Programs Reporting Progress Group Decisions

Assessment in HL Programs Assessment Flow Chart (Handout) Initial Assessment Samples - helpful for determining what students know or remember from the previous year’s study - can guide program planning for the current year

Overview Part A Ministry Directions Language Literacy Language Proficiency Common Framework of Reference (CFR) Charting Language Skills: Group Activity Part B Assessment - General Information Assessment in Heritage Language Programs Reporting Progress Group Decisions

Reporting Progress Ongoing Assessment Charts Year-end Assessment View the samples provided. Compare these samples to your current assessment practices. Are they similar? Which items would be a useful addition to your program?

Thank You Your participation is valued. Your dedication is evident. Your commitment to heritage languages is applauded. Have an excellent year!

Questions? Contact the SOHL office for copies of the handout for Initial Assessment. Ministry contacts: Corey Hadden, Director, Instruction Unit Nadia Prokopchuk, Senior Program Manager