Model PerformanceIndicators

Key Questions aboutModel Performance Indicators

• What are they?• What do they look like?• Why are they important?• How do teachers use them in the classroom?• How do teachers create them?

Before We Begin

• How comfortable are you with being able to communicate effectively with people in this room?

• How conscious do you need to be about the language you use to share information about what you know or what you have done?

• Let’s try an activity or two to get you outside your comfort zone.

Activity – Talk to Me

• Find a partner.• Tell your partner what you did last weekend.• Describe at least three activities.• Speak in complete sentences.• Finish your response within one minute.• Do NOT use any words that contain . . . the

letter “s.”

Activity – Write with Me

• Find a new partner.• Work with your new partner to write a response

to the question below, using complete sentences.• Finish your response within two minutes.• For this time, you may not use . . . any words that

contain the letter “o.”

• Question – What are the three branches of the federal government, and what powers are associated with each of them?

MODEL PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

WIDA Standards Framework

Features of Academic Language

Performance Definitions

StandardsMatrix

What are Model Performance Indicators?

• WIDA’s standards framework shows examples of how language is processed or produced within a particular context through MODEL PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (MPIs).

• MPIs are meant to be examples and not fixed guidelines of the language with which students may engage during instruction and assessment.

Important to Remember

• The focus is on differentiating for students and helping them with what they can do while moving them forward.

• Creating MPIs and MPI strands in your content area is important, but you are not expected to do this every single day for every single student.

• The process becomes more internalized with a little practice.

Organization of the 2007 Standards Matrix

GRADE 8

ELD STANDARD 4 - The Language of Science EXAMPLE TOPIC: Forms of energy

Organization of MPIs within the 2012 Standards

STRAND

MPI

GRADE 8

ELD STANDARD 4 - The Language of Science EXAMPLE TOPIC: Forms of energy

Turn and Talk – Discuss how the MPI changes from level to level. What varies for the student and for the teacher across the strand?

STRAND

MPI

Listening

Speaking

Reading

Writing

Process, understand, interpret, and evaluate spoken language in a variety of situations

Process, understand, interpret, and evaluate written language, symbols, and text with understanding and fluency

Engage in written communication in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes and audiences

Engage in oral communication in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes and audiences

Language Domains

Receptive versus Expressive Language

The Elements of the MPI

The Language Function

The Content Stem/Example Topic

The Support

Elements of Model Performance Indicators

The Model Performance Indicator (MPI) consists of three elements:

• Language function: describes how students use language to demonstrate their proficiency

• Content stem/example topic: specifies context for language instruction; derived from state content standards

• Support: sensory, graphic, or interactive resources embedded in instruction and assessment that help students construct meaning from language and content

Elements of MPIs

Follow oral directions to design area maps using manipulatives and illustrated examples in small groups

Content Stem/Example Topic

Language Function

Instructional Support

The Model Performance IndicatorLanguage Function

The Model Performance IndicatorContent Stem/Example Topic

The Model Performance IndicatorSupport or Strategy

Language Function

• WIDA does not provide lists of various language functions for teachers.

• These are the verbs that teachers use in identifying what they want students to do (i.e., Bloom’s).

• Language function focuses on how students share the content knowledge.

• The 2007 & 2012 booklets show examples from different grade levels and content areas.

Examples of Language Function

• Define• Paraphrase• Explain• Describe• Critique• Discuss• Give examples• Distinguish• Draw conclusions

• Summarize• Compare• Identify• Categorize• Locate• Interpret• Name• Match• List• And the list goes on . . .

Support Examples

Specific Examples of Sensory Supports

Example Use of GraphicOrganizers

Using the Example to Experiment with Elements of MPIs

Follow oral directions to design area maps using manipulatives and illustrated examples in small groups

Content Stem/Example Topic

Language Function

Instructional Support

Activity – Making MPIs

• 1 = Language Function

• 2 = Content Topic

• 3 = Instructional Support

Activity Directions

• Write 2 or 3 examples for your element of an MPI on a Post-It note that corresponds to your number and color. For example, if your number is 2, then try to write down about 3 different examples of content topics to use in the activity. (This gives you more choice.)

• Raise your Post-It.• Silent Hunt – Find the other two numbers to

complete a group of 3 (1 of each color). Do this without talking.

Activity Directions

• Put all three elements together as a group to create an MPI. Read it as a group.

• Discuss the following:– Domain?– Are the supports appropriate? Did you need to

adjust your choice? If the supports aren’t appropriate, how would you change them and why?

– What proficiency level do you think the MPI addresses?

– What might you do to differentiate the MPI for the next higher proficiency level? For the next lower?

Now it’s your turn to try on your own …

Look at the provided Model Performance Indicator (MPI) to identify its elements.

Circle the language function.Underline the example topic.Place a box around the support.Now, transform each element in the blank box

to the right.

GRADE 8

ELD STANDARD 4 - The Language of Science EXAMPLE TOPIC: Forms of energy

Example of an MPI Strand

STRAND

MPI

Activity – Strand Sort

• As a group, sort the MPIs into a strand according to the proficiency level. (Hint: The performance definitions may be helpful.)

• Raise your hand when you think your group has the elements of the strand in the right order. We will come check them.

• If any were misplaced, discuss why that might be.

Debriefing Questions

• What did you notice across the strand of MPIs?

• What was easy about the activity?• What was difficult about the activity?• What types of things did you discuss while you

were attempting to sort them into the correct order?

P.16 (2012)

(Content Standard)

(Instructional Task)One day of a teacher’s lesson plan.

(from Bloom’s – includes Content Standard & Instructional Task)

(ELD Standards)

(technical)

Off you go!

• Use the blank template and guiding questions to create your own MPI strand.

• Use a content area topic of your choice.

Available Resources

* Taken from 2007 English Language Proficiency Standards & Resource Guide.

More Available Resources

* Taken from the 2012 Amplified English Language Development Standards book.

Work Smarter…Not Harder!

English Language Development

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