A PEEK INSIDE AN ELEMENTARY WORLD LANGUAGE PROGRAM Dawn Carney, Wan Wang, Lan Wu MaFLA 2014

Desired Outcomes  EWL Program goals  Oral proficiency targets  Curriculum development  Assessment  Success & challenges  Chinese EWL – Driscoll School

What are the standards for our world language program? What should our students be able to do in each grade level/grade level span? Program Goals

Program: Standards  Standards: 5C’s of ACTFL  Communication Interpretive Interpersonal Presentational  Culture  Connections  Comparisons  Community American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages

K-5 World Language  Content-enriched FLES * (2008 Override)  Proficiency in the 3 modes of communication  Understanding of and appreciation for other cultures  Reinforcement of skills from other curriculum areas  Development of students as language learners  Program Model  Grades K-2: 3 x 20 minute lessons, 60 minutes/week  Grades 3-5: 3 x 30 minute lessons, 90 minutes/week *Foreign Language in Elementary School

Program: Proficiency-Based  ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines in the four skills of speaking, writing, listening, reading  Novice  Intermediate  Advanced  Distinguished  Superior  3 subcategories: low, intermediate, high

Our Proficiency Targets

Novice respond to simple questions use: isolated words lists of words memorized phrases some personalized re-combinations of words or phrases ask memorized, formulaic questions satisfy immediate needs WORD level

Intermediate “conversation” partner in simple, direct conversations describe and narrate ask and answer simple questions handle survival language “create” with language SENTENCE level

How to design an elementary world language program? How to determine articulation with an existing upper grades program? Curriculum development

Our curriculum design, K-5  Understanding by Design integrated with 5C’s of the National Standards  Thematic approach, grounded in Enduring Understandings and Essential Questions of culture  Learning activities in the 3 modes of communication: interpersonal, interpretive and presentational  Knowledge and skills by grade level  Spiraling curriculum K-5

Curriculum development process  Designated curriculum developer/leader  Elementary and language expertise  Time: research, site visits, development  Plan: process and content

Learning Expectations  Grades K-2  Themes of School and Community, Family, and Climate  Grades 3-5  Themes of Community, Leisure time, Climate, Food

Internal Assessment: Our FY15 Pilot  Challenge: assess for oral proficiency  Project that serves as interpersonal tool  Evidence of growth  Planned addition of listening

Internal Assessment: Formative Activities Sample learning activities, novice mid-novice high  Classroom interviews/surveys; exchanging personal information  Descriptions of people and places  Descriptions of daily life: school and home  Asking for information to get around in a Spanish/Chinese speaking country  Asking for information to solve a problem  Explaining by describing why or how

External Assessment  STAMP  Standards-based Measurement of Proficiency  PSB pilot 2012 in grade 8  AAPPL  ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages  PSB pilot 2014 in grades 7*  STAMP 4Se  Anticipated spring 2015, grade 5

Success & challenges  Continuously developing & revising curriculum  Continuously transitioning existing middle grades and high school program  Hiring and retaining qualified teachers  Scheduling  Educating all stakeholders

Routines  Opening routine K-4  G5

Space  Immersion classroom environment.

Instructional strategies

Pair oral work

Culture  Chinese New Year  Moon Festival  Dragon Boat Festival  Authentic documents in instruction

Culture: Chinese New Year

Parent involvement  Chinese open house and morning coffee  PTO support

Parent involvement  Chinese open house and morning coffee  PTO

Language and communication are at the heart of the human experience. The United States must educate students who are equipped linguistically and culturally to communicate successfully in a pluralistic American society and abroad. - Standards for Foreign Language Learning

Contact us  Dawn Carney   Wan Wang   Lan Wu 

Resources Books  Languages and Children, Making the Match: New Languages for Young Learners, Grades K-8 (4 th ed), Curtain, Dahlberg  Practical Handbook to Elementary Foreign Language Programs (FLES*), Lipton  Elementary Foreign Language Programs (FLES*), An Administrator’s Handbook, Lipton