Giving Kids a Can-do Attitude! September 17, 2010 Nadine Jacobsen KY NELL Representative Spanish Teacher Dunn Elementary Louisville, KY

Background  Spanish Teacher, Louisville, KY  Second language learning started in the university.  No language exposure in elementary school.  Elementary School with 600+ students  With k-2 twice a week 30 minutes = 60 min./wk  With 3-5 once a week 40 minutes / wk

Motivation for the Action Research  Personal experience learning a second language.  Job search with a B.A. in Spanish  Grading 600+ students every 6 weeks (with no assistance)  Providing students with genuine & motivating feedback.

“I can’t do it”

“I can do it!”

or... Do it with fun: confidence building, assessment integrated, real-life, performance based tasks! Assessment You could...bribe them to do it with prizes and candy!

Linguafolio Inspired I can statements

I CAN tell you what I like! “I like to write.”

I CAN tell you what I would like to be when I grow up! “I would like to be an artist.”

“I can...” Statements: Answer that inevitable question: “What did you learn at school today?”

Build confidence by saying, “I can!”

Give purpose to lessons.

Match assessment to curriculum using real-life performance-based tasks.

Support student-centered learning experiences.

Provide an opportunity for parents to get involved.

Unit 4: What do I enjoy from celebrations?

Classroom Action Research

My Wonderings  How does what students believe they can do with Spanish compare with what they really can do with it?  How do learners feel about what they can do in Spanish?  How effective are “I can” statements?  Given a topic, to what extent can learners talk about it in Spanish?

My Plan 1. Survey all five classes in 3 rd grade. 2. Choose 30 learners by randomly drawing their names out of a bag after they completed the survey. 3. Orally Interview the 30 learners assessing what they can do using Spanish. 4. Compare what learners felt they could do using the language to what they could do in an oral interview with me in Spanish.

Total Student Enrollment : 619

3 rd Grade Enrollment: 120

The Survey ¡Si Se Puede! I can with no help! I can with some help. I need to work on this. 1. I can talk about things in my classroom! 2. I can give directions! 3. I can talk about my home! 4. I can talk about birthdays! 5. I can talk about the weather! 6. I can talk about what I like and don’t like to do! 7. (Fill in what else you can do!) I can :

Unit 4) Cuando es tu cumpleaños? Cuantos anos tienes? Que te gusta hacer en la fiesta? Can you sing a Birthday song? Able to answers questions: 0 (3) 1 (Need to work =3) 2 (some help = 2) 3+ (Can do=1) Unit 5) Que tiempo hace? Able to describe the weather given pictures and gestures learned in class: 0 (3) 1 (Need to work =3) 2 (some help = 2) 3+ (Can do=1) Unit 6) Que te gusta hacer? Que no te gusta hacer? Able to answer given pictures and gestures acting out activities learned in class: 0 (3) 1 (Need to work =3) 2 (some help = 2) 3+ (Can do=1) The Oral Interview Rubric Examples

My Data Analysis Plan 1. Code survey results. 2. Create pie graphs measuring the responses for each unit. 3. Create a pie graph for a total of all the responses. 4. Create graphs to compare the survey to the interview for each unit. 5. Look for patterns.

What do learners believe they can do in Spanish?

Total Survey Results

Each Question / Unit (1-4)

Units 5 & 6 1)First unit identifying classroom objects and people. 2)Less time was spent on directions and more time was spent on learning the classrooms in the school and Unit 1. 3)This unit combined the home and family. 4)The most fun of all the units; however, learners have a higher self- efficacy with these language goals. 5)We just finished this unit, lots of fun talking about the weather. 6)One of the 3 rd grade classes had not been introduced to Unit 6; however, throughout the year we talked about what we liked to do in class.

How does what learners believe they can do compare to what they can do?  Below are the results of thirty learner’s surveys based on question 1-6.  Over fifty percent of their responses reflect they were confident they could demonstrate the “I can” statements without help.  The interview demonstrates learners thought they could do better than they really could do.  It also demonstrates the contrary showing they could do more than what they thought they could do in regards to their answers about needing to work on certain statements.

#7: Fill In “I can...” Survey Entry  119 learners were asked to fill in what they thought they could do in the language. 114 responded.  89% responded with something they could do orally.  4% claimed they could read in Spanish.  4% claimed they could listen and follow directions in Spanish.  3% claimed they could write in Spanish.

 I can talk about myself.  I can talk about school supplies and books.  I can talk about school.  I can talk about seasons.  I can talk about the weather.  I can talk about what I like to do.  I can talk in Spanish!!  I can tell what I do in the classroom.  I can tell what sports I like to play.  I can tell when my birthday is.  I can sing a birthday song in Spanish (Espanol).  I can sing a pinata song.  I can sing happy birthday to you.  I can sing some of the songs.  I can sing Spanish songs.  I can sing the "Meses del ano" song.  I can write in Spanish.  I can write Spanish books.  I can stay on task.  I can ask basic questions and respond to them.  I can count in espanol.  I can count to triente (30).  I can name the people in my family.  I can say my name and how I feel in Spanish.  I can say my name and my family's name.  I can say what I like to do outside and inside.  I can say what my room is like.  I can talk about animals.  I can talk about colors.  I can talk about days, months and seasons.  I can talk about englasa (church).  I can talk about food.  I can talk about math.  I can talk about me.  I can talk about my cat.  I can talk about my sport. I can read in Spanish.  I can read some Spanish.  I can follow directions  I can read a book in Spanish. Examples Of Learner’s I Can Statements