Understanding Proficiency and IPAs Ohio Foreign Language Association

Presenter Information Martha Pero Hudson City Schools

Objectives: You will be able to... 1) Explain the characteristics of the proficiency levels. 2) Explain the 3 modes of communication. 3) Explain the use of IPAs for SLOs. 4) Explain the parts of an IPA. 5) Develop an example IPA.

One Stop Shopping for Information m

I. Proficiency Vs. Performance Proficiency to communicate meaningful information in spontaneous interaction understandable to native speakers does not mean perfection Performance performance in familiar contexts practiced and rehearsed connected to specific curriculum

Proficiency OR Performance? A. Mrs L. is a French teacher who just completed a chapter on food with her French 1 class. She decides to take her students to a local African restaurant as a capstone activity. At the restaurant, students are expected to order their food and provide opinions in the target language (all functions they have rehearsed in class). The students do very well in performing these tasks. B. Suddenly, two African men come to the table and start interacting with her students. Their questions are not necessarily related to food. After the initial shock, Mrs L.'s students start uttering a few words ("Yes", "No", "sometimes") and using simple sentences ("I am 13 years old", "Yes, I like French"), they have a hard time understanding the native speakers.

II. Proficiency Levels What are the proficiency levels? Novice IntermediateSuperior Advanced

Proficiency Levels

Proficiency Levels for SLOs Level 1: Novice-mid Level 2: Novice-high Level 3: Intermediate-low Level 4: Intermediate-Mid Level 5: Intermediate-High AP: Advanced-Low

Proficiency Levels Defined

Proficiency Sublevels LOW a baseline performance for the level; sustained but skeletal for the level; “Just hanging on” MID solid performance for level; quantity/quality for the level; may have some features of the next level HIGH sustained performance close to the next major level

Examples Determine why the speakers are Novice and Intermediate Novice Intermediate

Further Proficiency Descriptions erformanceDescriptorsLanguageLearners. pdf

Proficiency Sublevel Differences Differences between low and mid is the quantity and quality with the same function Differences between mid and high is not being able to sustain criteria for the next level

Peaks and Lows of Proficiency Students might spike into the next proficiency level They are unable to sustain it and return to the lower proficiency level

III. The Modes of Communication Interpersonal Interpretive Presentational

Interpersonal Communication 1) Interpersonal communication is... 2) Interpersonal communication is NOT...

Interpretive Communication 1) Interpretive communication is... 2) Interpretive communication is NOT...

Presentational Communication 1) Presentational communication is... 2) Presentational communication is NOT...

IV. IPAs Explained Integrated Performance Assessment

Why IPA? Proficiency based (new Ohio Standards are proficiency based, too!) SLO guidelines do not allow the use of multiple choice tests Approved by the Ohio Department of Education

Characteristics of IPA Authentic Performance-based Based on three modes of communication Integrated Show developmental progress of proficiency Blend with classroom instruction/experiences

V. Where IPAs Fit In

Steps to write an IPA 1) Language function to be targetedLanguage function 2) Decide interpretive task* 3) Decide presentational task* 4) Decide interpersonal task* *Do NOT have to be in this order

PROFICIENCY Rubrics for IPAs rubrics.html#.UecsA2Q9Cng

VI. Examples of IPAs performance-assessment-ipa- center.html#.Uecsj2Q9Cng Spanish 2: 49/spanish_ii__ipa_food-gazpacho.docx French 1: 49/fr1b_c6_ipa.docx

Selected Thematic Focus: Family Language Level of Students: Novice-Mid Essential Question: Can you describe your family? Elements to explore within the thematic focus: Function: Describe your family. Text type: Lists isolated sentences.

Selected Thematic Focus: Family Task: You are participating in an exchange program with a student from country X. To get to know them before you visit them and they visit you, you exchange letters. You and your classmates have received your letters (with their pictures!) today in your language class.

Selected Thematic Focus: Family 1) Interpretive: Students receive a letter, with a picture, from a host family. They need to answer questions about the host family. 2) Interpersonal: Students, in groups, compare and contrast their host family pictures. 3) Presentational: Respond to your host family's letter to describe your family.

VII. Let's Create an IPA! Using the template, create an IPA with your partner/group. Be prepared to share your ideas at the end of the work time!

IPA format

Final thought... How do IPAs, proficiency, etc., transform how we think about language instruction?

Works Cited ACTFL PERFORMANCE DESCRIPTORS FOR LANGUAGE LEARNERS. Alexandria, VA: American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, Print. "ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines." ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 July Bleicher, Arnold. "Assessing Performance to Demonstrate Growth." ACTFL Workshop. Dublin Scioto High School, Dublin. 15 July Lecture. Pero, Martha, and Cecile Laine. "WELCOME TO THE OFLA ONE-STOP SHOP FOR ALL YOUR STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES NEEDS! - Home."WELCOME TO THE OFLA ONE-STOP SHOP FOR ALL YOUR STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES NEEDS! N.p., n.d. Web. 18 July Sandrock, Paul. Through World Languages: Developing Literacy through Language Learning. N.p.: American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, n.d. PDF. Sandrock, Paul. The Keys to Assessing Language Performance: A Teacher's Manual for Measuring Student Progress. Alexandria, VA: American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, Print. Swender, Dr. Elvira. "ACTFL Proficiency Levels in the Work World." Proc. of CIBER 2012 Conference, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. N.p.: n.p., n.d Print.