STARTALK Professional Development Course for Swahili Instructors: Theory and Practice July 19 th to 30 th, 2010 University of Wisconsin, Madison Alwiya S. Omar Indiana University, Bloomington

Understanding by design According to Wiggins and McTighe (2005) the following factors are important in designing a curriculum:  National Standards (instructional designs and assessment designs)  Student needs

Course design ‘Backward’ design (Wiggins and McTighe 2005)  Stage 1: Identify desired results (proficiency goals)  Stage 2: Determine acceptable evidence (assignments and assessment)  Stage 3: Plan learning experiences and instruction (recourses and teaching methods)

Stage 1: Desired Results LevelGoal  1 st year ACTFL Intermediate low/ILR 1  2 nd yearACTFL Intermediate high/ILR 1+  3 rd yearACTFL Advanced mid/ILR2  4 th yearACTFLAdvanced high/ILR2+

Proficiency levels and sub-levels  Levels ACTFL Novice/ILR 0+ ACTFL Intermediate/ILR 1 ACTFL Advanced/ILR 2 ACTFL Superior/ILR 3  Sub-levels Low – just hanging on Mid – length and strength; some features of the next level ACTFL High/ILR+ – functions most of the time at the next higher level

Proficiency guidelines for speaking at the Novice/0+ level  communicate minimally and with difficulty  use a number of isolated words and memorized phrases  frequent pauses  recycle their own and interlocutor’s words  maybe understood with great difficulty even by sympathetic native speakers

ACTFL proficiency guidelines for writing at the Novice/0+ level  able to copy or transcribe familiar words or phrases  reproduce from memory a modest number of isolated words and phrases in context  can supply limited information - names, numbers,..  use of formulaic language

Proficiency guidelines for reading at the Novice/0+ level  able to recognize the symbols of an alphabetic and/or syllabic writing system  can identify highly contextualized words and/or phrases  can recognize cognates and borrowed words

Proficiency guidelines for listening at the Novice/0+ level  able to understand some short, learned utterances and speech is clearly audible  comprehend words and phrases that refer to basic personal information  May request repetition and/or slower speech

Proficiency guidelines for speaking at the Intermediate/1 level  able to handle successfully a variety of uncomplicated communicative tasks  conversation is generally limited to topics about self, family, home, daily activities, and social needs such as food, shopping, travel and lodging  can create with language and produce strings of sentences  generally understood by sympathetic listeners  can give instructions and directions

Proficiency guidelines for writing at the Intermediate/1 level  able to meet a number of practical writing needs  can write short, simple communications, compositions, descriptions, and requests for information in loosely connected texts  able to write on daily routines, common events, and other topics related to personal experiences and immediate surroundings  Write mostly is in present time, with inconsistent references to other time frames

Proficiency guidelines for listening at the Intermediate/1 level  able to understand sentence-length utterances which consist of re-combinations of learned utterances on a variety of topics.  Can understand contents that refer primarily to basic personal background and needs, social conventions and somewhat more complex tasks, such as lodging, transportation, and shopping.  can follow instructions and directions.

Proficiency guidelines for reading at the Intermediate/1 level  able to read and understand connected texts dealing with a variety of basic and social needs.  able to read linguistically noncomplex texts which impart basic information and to which the reader brings personal interest and/or knowledge  can read short, straightforward descriptions of persons, places and things

Proficiency guidelines for speaking at the Advanced/2 level  able to handle with ease and confidence a large number of communicative tasks.  participate actively in most informal and some formal exchanges  narrate and describe in major time frames  handle with ease situations with complications  contribute to conversation with much accuracy and clarity

Proficiency guidelines for writing at the Advanced/2 level  able to meet a range of work and/or academic writing needs with good organization and cohesiveness  able to write about familiar topics relating to interests and events of current, public, and personal relevance  demonstrate the ability to narrate and describe with detail in all major time frames in texts of several paragraphs in length.

Proficiency guidelines for listening at the Advanced/2 level  able to understand main ideas of texts that frequently involve description and narration in different time frames or aspects  texts may include interviews, short lectures on familiar topics, and news items and reports primarily dealing with factual information.

Proficiency guidelines for reading at the Advanced/2 level  able to read somewhat longer prose of several paragraphs in length  get the main ideas and facts but may miss some details.  texts include short stories, news items, bibliographical information, social notices, personal correspondence, routined business letters, and simple technical material written for a wider audience

Proficiency guidelines for speaking at the Superior/3 level  able to communicate in the language with accuracy and fluency in order in formal and informal settings from both concrete and abstract perspectives  discuss interests, explain complex matters in detail, and provide lengthy and coherent narrations, with ease, fluency, and accuracy  can hypothesize and discuss abstract topics

Proficiency guidelines for writing at the Superior level  able to produce most kinds of formal and informal correspondence, complex summaries, reports, and research papers on a variety of topics treated both abstractly and concretely and in major time frames  use a variety of sentence structures, syntax, and vocabulary to direct their writing to specific audiences  demonstrate an ability to alter style, tone, and format according to the specific requirements of the discourse  demonstrate a strong awareness of writing for the other and not for the self

Proficiency guidelines for listening at the Superior/3 level  able to understand the main ideas of all speech in a standard dialect, including technical discussion in a field of specialization  Can follow the essentials of extended discourse which is propositionally and linguistically complex, as in academic/professional settings, in lectures, speeches, and reports  show some appreciation of aesthetic norms of target language, of idioms, colloquialisms, and register shifting  able to make inferences within the cultural framework of the target language

Proficiency guidelines for reading at the Superior/3 level  able to read with almost complete comprehension and at normal speed expository prose on unfamiliar subjects and a variety of literary texts  reading ability is not dependent on subject matter knowledge, although the reader is not expected to comprehend thoroughly texts which are highly dependent on knowledge of the target culture  read easily for pleasure  superior-level texts feature hypotheses, argumentation, and supported opinions, and include grammatical patterns and vocabulary ordinarily encountered in academic/professional reading.

Implications of OPI concepts for Teaching and Learning Structure of the ACTFL OPI  Warm-up – makes interviewee feel comfortable  Level checks – prove what the speaker can do; establish strength  Probes – demonstrate to the interviewee his/her weakness  Wind-down – level of comfort

Role plays Role plays can be used for level checks or probes to solicit functions that cannot be readily proven through a conversational mode Several role play situations are available and can be chosen according to content and appropriateness for the interviewee

Sample Intermediate/1 Role play You are in city X. You missed your plane to New York. Ask the person behind the counter three or four questions to find out what you need to know to get to New York quickly.

Sample Advanced/2 Role play When you arrived at the airport in city Y, your luggage is not in the baggage claim area. You speak with a service representative, explain why you and your luggage did not arrive in the same flight, and make arrangements to have the bags delivered to your hotel.

Sample Superior/3 Role plays You just received an award for “_______ of the Year”. Make a brief speech accepting this award. You are leading a discussion at your club on a book/movie you read/saw recently. Describe a major theme of the book/movie, and discuss the significance of the theme to society

Role play situations Role plays can be used to reinforce old functions (OPI level checks - on level cards) or introduce new functions (OPI probes - higher level cards)

Application of ACTFL OPIs to Language instruction/assessment  Teacher’s role - guide students; good listener; encourage students to use language to express their meaning  Student focused  Phases of the interview Warm-up – prepare students for the class Level checks – review of old materials Probes – introduction of new materials Wind down – leave students with a “can do” sense  Opportunity for role playing

Assessment According to Cifford (2006)  Achievement - Rehearsed or memorized responses using the content of a specific textbook or curriculum  Performance - Semi-rehearsed ability to communicate in specific familiar settings  Proficiency - Unrehearsed general ability to accomplish communicative tasks across a wide range of topics and setting

Prochievement According to Pino (1998)  Prochievement - Proficiency oriented achievement tests A combination of achievement, performance, and proficiency tests

Prochievement Rifkin Blend of achievement and proficiency test Constrained by material Tasks rehearsed and lifelike Students work with new texts not taught in class Mimic real world experience

References Clifford, R. (2006) Classroom Implications of the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines. Workshop presented at the ALTA conference, March 23, 2006, Rutgers University. Pino, B. (1998) Prochievement Testing of Speaking: Matching Instructor Expectations, Learner Proficiency Level, and Text Type. Texas Papers in Foreign Language Education. V3 n3 pg Fall 1998 Rifkin, B. Testing in the Proficiency-Oriented Curriculum: Proficiency, Achievement, and Prochievement Testing. Wiggins, G. and McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by Design. Merrill Education/ASCD Textbook series for ACTFL proficiency guidelines

Maswali? Please contact me at: Tel: Office: 326 Memorial Hall Bloomington, IN Indiana University African language web page: ASANTE!