Foreign Languages in the 21st Century

ClassroomA Series of Workshops from the Department of International and Second Language Studies at the

University of Arkansas at Little Rock and

the Arkansas Department of Higher Education

September 2011-April 20121

2011-2012 Grant Schedule

• AM & PM - 9/12 - Sessions 1 & 2 – Introduction to the Partnership for the 21st Century Skills and the FL Skills Map

• AM - 10/10 Session 3 – LIS – Think Creatively / Work Creatively

• PM - 10/10 Session 4 – LIS – Critical Thinking / Problem Solving

• AM - 10/31 Session 5 – LIS – Communication and Collaboration

• PM - 10/31 Session 6 -- IMT – Information Literacy

• AM – 12/5 Session 7 – IMT -- Media Literacy

• PM – 12/5 Session 8 – IMT -- Technology

• AM - 1/30 Session 9 – share/evaluation/report on fall Skills Map activities by participants

• PM - 1/30 Session 10 – LCS – Flexibility and Adaptability

• AM - 2/27 Session 11 – LCS – initiative and Self–Direction

• PM - 2/27 Session 12 – LCS – Social and Cross-Cultural Skills

• AM – 4/2 Session 13 – LCS – Productivity and Accountability

• PM – 4/2 Session 14 – LCS – Leadership and Responsibility

• AM & PM - 4/26 - Sessions 15 & 16 – share/evaluation/report on spring Skills Map activities by participants 2

Today’s Schedule

8:30-9:15 – breakfast, conversation, and housekeeping

9:15-9:30 – Summary of P-21, the 5 Themes, the 3 Modes of Communication, and 4 Proficiency Levels

9:30-11:45 – Think Creatively/Work Creatively

11:45-12:45 – Working lunch

12:45-2:30 – Critical Thinking/Problem Solving

2:30-3:00 – Summary: OH, AHA!, OMG!3

Partnership for 21st

Century Skills:Review of What You

Should Know

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What we “Know”

• Proficiency levels? N / I / A / S

Novice– OUTCOME: Students in the novice range

are able to comprehend and use short memorized phrases and sentences. This proficiency level reflects the beginning stages of language learning which could be at the elementary, middle, or high school levels.

What we “Know” • Proficiency levels?

Intermediate:

OUTCOME: Students are able to express their own thoughts, provide descriptions, and communicate about familiar topics using sentences and strings of sentences. They comprehend general concepts and messages about familiar and occasionally unfamiliar topics. They can ask questions on familiar topics.

What we “Know”

• Proficiency levels?

Advanced

OUTCOME: Students in the advanced range are able to narrate and describe using connected sentences and paragraphs in at least three time frames when discussing topics of personal, school, and community interest and can comprehend main ideas and significant details regarding a variety of topics.

21st Century L2 Learners

• Students learn to use the language• Learner-centered with teacher as

facilitator/collaborator• Focus on the three modes: interpersonal,

interpretive, and presentational• Backward design focusing on the end

goal

21st Century L2 Learners

• Use of thematic units and authentic resources

• Emphasis on learner as “doer” and “creator”

• Emphasis on the perspectives, practices, and products of the culture

• Integrating technology into instruction to enhance learning

21st Century L2 Learners

• Using language as the vehicle to teach academic content

• Differentiating instruction to meet individual needs

• Personalized real world tasks• Seeking opportunities for learners to

use language beyond the classroom

21st Century L2 Learners

• Assessing to find out what students can do

• Students know and understand criteria on how they will be assessed by reviewing the task rubric

• Learners create to “share and publish” to audiences more than just the teacher.

What We’re “Learning”Interdisciplinary Themes

Global Awareness

Financial, Economic, Business and Entrepreneurial Literacy

Civic Literacy

Health Literacy

Environmental Literacy

Creativity

Insert cartoon here

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Think Creatively/ Work Creatively

Prof. Sherrie Ray Treviño14

Pros and Cons of the

P-21 FL Map

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Critical Thinking/ Problem Solving

Dr. Dave McAlpine16

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Criteria

• Students as inquirers frame, analyze, and synthesize information as well as negotiate meaning across language and culture in order to explore problems and issues

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Hallmarks of these Criteria

• Exercising sound reasoning in understanding• Making complex choices and decisions• Understanding the interconnections among

systems• Identifying and asking significant questions

that clarify various points of view and lead to better solutions

• Framing, analyzing, and synthesizing information in order to solve problems and answer questions

Pros and Cons of the

P-21 FL Map

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Some Thoughts on Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

• “To be playful and serious at the same time is possible, and it defines the ideal mental condition”, John Dewey

• The best thing we can teach our students is how to teach themselves

• Thinking skills is one of three foundational skill sets critical to workplace success. Thinking skills are the “raw materials” that enable mastery of all the other other competency domains (US Dept. of Labor).

• Critical Thinking is the capacity of active investigative thinking.

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Some Thoughts on Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

• Critical thinking is purposeful, reasoned, and goal directed.

• When we engage in high-quality thinking, we function both critically and creatively.

• Habits of mind, such as analysis, interpretation, precision and accuracy, problem solving, and reasoning, can be AS or MORE IMPORTANT than content knowledge in determining success.

• Problem Solving is understood to be the process of applying scientific methods of defining and describing a problem, generating potential solutions, and implementing, 2

1

Some Thoughts on Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

monitoring, and evaluating the effectiveness of one’s intervention. In P-21, it is the application of learning and innovation skills to a specific area of inquiry (L2 content).

• Basic skills still form the essential elements for problem solving.

• Students need to have persistence and tolerance for ambiguity to keep searching for a solution.

• Problem solving involves teamwork and cooperation.

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Some Thoughts on Critical Thinking

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Definition Key Words

Remembering: can the student recall or remember the information?

Understanding: can the student explain ideas or concepts?

Applying: can the student use the information in a new way?

Analyzing: can the student distinguish between the different parts?

Evaluating: can the student justify a stand or decision?

Creating: can the student create new product or point of view?

define, duplicate, list, memorize, recall, repeat, reproduce, stateclassify, describe, discuss

explain, identify, locate, recognize, report, select, translate, paraphrase

choose, demonstrate, dramatize, employ, illustrate, interpret, operate, schedule, sketch, solve, use, write

appraise, compare, contrast, criticize, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, examine, experiment, question, test

appraise, argue, defend, judge, select, support, value, evaluate

assemble, construct, create, design, develop, formulate, write

Paradigm Shift in Instructional PlanningOld Paradigm Current Paradigm

Objectives Stated in terms of grammatical knowledge as provided in textbook

Stated in terms of what learners should know and be able to do with the language

Content/Culture Content limited to bits and pieces of cultural information included in textbook; connections to other disciplines absent

Interdisciplinary and cultural connections; integration of cultural and academic content; culture explored by means of the 3 Ps

Skills Practice of individual skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing

Integrated practice of the 3 Modes of Communication

The Learner Mostly passive and learn the material presented by the teacher

Actively engaged in learning and constructing meaning; has opportunities to explore own interests

The Teacher The center of instruction and the audience for learners; students work to impress the teacher

Facilitates instruction and guides student learning; provides feedback and assistance

Materials Textbook as primary material Textbook as one of many tools; uses authentic materials

Assessment Purpose to evaluate student achievement; focus on discrete-point grammar items; paper-and-pencil

Purpose to assess progress in meeting standards, provide feedback, and improve instruction; completion of real-world tasks

Creativity is the Future of Education

http://youtu.be/S0UgTe2xml4

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OH

AHA!

OMG!!!27