s pecial b lote ced lowdown d chool ouble i to-s ack- ssue! · polish, portuguese, russian,...

Check out our website at www.sedl.org/loteced 1

LOTE CEDLOTE CEDLOTE CEDLOTE CEDLOTE CED LowdownLanguages Other

Than English

Center for Educator

Development

Contact Information:

LOTE Center for EducatorDevelopment

Southwest EducationalDevelopment Laboratory

211 East 7th StreetAustin, Texas 78701-3281

Voice: (512) 476-6861Fax: (512) 476-2286

Lillian KingDirector

[email protected]

Elaine PhillipsField Specialist

[email protected]

Albert BosquezLayout/Design Artist

Curriculum Development TrainingCurriculum Development TrainingCurriculum Development TrainingCurriculum Development TrainingCurriculum Development TrainingModule Now AvailableModule Now AvailableModule Now AvailableModule Now AvailableModule Now Available!!!!!

The long-anticipated second part of Module III: Developing Curriculum/Addressing Assessment is now ready. Module III-A addressed standards-basedperformance assessment for classroom teachers; Module III-B deals with thedevelopment of TEKS-based curriculum. To help language learners achieve highlevels of proficiency, educators must agree on high standards. Project ExCELLpaved the way by supporting the development of the TEKS for LOTE and sup-porting documents such as the Framework. Now Texas school districts mustdevelop their own LOTE curriculum to help their students attain the high goalslaid out in these standards. The TEKS for LOTE describe what language learnersshould know and be able to do. The local LOTE curriculum will answer the ques-tion: How do we get them there?The goals of Module III-B are:

The module presupposes a comprehensive understanding of the Texas Essen-tial Knowledge and Skills for Languages Other Than English (TEKS for LOTE) andits Program Goals (the 5 Cs) and Progress Checkpoints (proficiency levels). Hence,the materials are best suited for TEKS for LOTE-trained writing teams as theybegin to deliberate on how they will proceedin the actual writing of curricula. In the past,TEKS for LOTE training manuals produced bythe LOTE CED have been available only to itstrained facilitators who offer training throughlocal school districts and regional EducationService Centers. However, a copy of ModuleIII-B is being sent to LOTE coordinators aroundthe state. Ideally, the school districts with LOTEcoordinators will invite LOTE teachers fromsurrounding areas to participate in their dis-cussion and curriculum development pro-cess. In this way, teachers in smaller schooldistricts can get ideas they can use in devel-oping their own curriculum, and larger dis-tricts will benefit from the ideas of others out-side their districts. Facilitators Bobette Dunn and Dorothy

Cox (Fort Bend ISD) lead a TEKS forLOTE workshop at the Spring 1999 TFLAConference in Nacogdoches.

Featured In This Issue...Curriculum Development Training Module

Now Available...................................p. 1

Focus on Guiding Principle 6: Offering aVariety of Languages......................p. 2

Foreign Language Can Be A Path Outof Ethnocentricity...........................p. 4

A Class Act: Connections.......................p. 6

Dreams Come True...................................p. 7

Lifelong Learning: The ProfessionalDevelopment of Teachers...............p. 8

LOTE CED Bulletin Board........................p. 10

Teachers of the Year................................p. 12

I Always Know Whose Pig is Dead..........p. 12

2003 Assessment of Foreign LanguageStudents...................................................p. 13

A Letter From Ginger Cline.....................p. 16

Friends In High Places..............................p. 17

Evaluating Technological Resources.....p. 18

SPECIAL BACK-TO-SCHOOLDOUBLE ISSUE!

September 2000 www.sedl.org/loteced Volume 3.3

• to provide coordinators or curriculum development team chairpersons with background information on curriculum develop-

ment in general and standards-based curriculum development inparticular,

• to offer descriptions and examples of four approaches to curriculum development, and• to provide the inspiration and forum for discussion that districts

need to begin work on developing foreign language programscentered on the TEKS for LOTE.

For more information on Module III-B or anyof the TEKS for LOTE training modules, pleasecontact the LOTE CED.q

2 Check out our website at www.sedl.org/loteced

The publication A Texas Framework for LanguagesOther Than English is based upon a set of GuidingPrinciples or key statements about the teaching andlearning of languages other than English. TheseGuiding Principles are supported by languageeducation research and experience. They also arebased on a strong commitment to the importance oflanguages as part of each student’s educationalprogram in Texas schools. There are eight GuidingPrinciples in all, and each issue of the LOTE CEDLowdown takes an in-depth look at one of them.This issue focuses on Guiding Principle 6:Offering a Variety of Languages.

Students should have opportunities to developproficiency in a variety of languages. In additionto English, there are currently dozens of languagesused by the people of Texas. These languagesinclude, but are certainly not limited to: Arabic,Chinese, Czech, Danish, French, German, Greek,Hungarian, Indic, Italian, Japanese, Khmer, Korean,Laotian, Native American languages, Norwegian,Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Ta-galog, Vietnamese, and Yiddish. Moreover, the tenmost frequently-spoken languages other than Englishin the United States include languages such as Span-ish, Chinese, Tagalog, Italian, and Vietnamese (U.S.Bureau of the Census, 1990).

In states like Texas where Spanish is a commonlyspoken language, limited resources may causecommunities to choose Spanish as the only lan-guage offered in a PreK-12 sequence. Neverthe-less, considering the vast array of languages usedin Texas and in the United States and consideringthe relative and emerging world importance ofsome of the less commonly taught languages,school districts,as often as pos-sible, shouldfind ways to of-fer students theopportunity tolearn a varietyof languages.Knowledge oflanguages suchas Chinese,Japanese, and Russian is becoming more andmore important as countries and states that usethese languages come to the forefront of interna-tional relations and the world economy.

For optimum learning, school districts should pro-vide students with opportunities to study at leastone language other than English in an extendedsequence starting in elementary school and con-tinuing through high school. Shorter sequentialprograms should, of course, remain available.Ideally, districts should offer PreK-12 programsin some of the less commonly taught languages;however, if such programs are not feasible, dis-tricts should begin by offering high school pro-grams in these languages and progress fromthere. Opportunities to study third and fourth lan-guages also should be provided in high school;then students can pursue higher levels of profi-ciency in these languages at post-secondary in-stitutions.

Focus On Guiding Principle 6: Offering a Variety of Languages

Check out the NationalCouncil of Organiza-

tions of Less CommonlyTaught Languages atwww.councilnet.org

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Texas Foreign Language Association (TFLA)November 3-5; Austin, TXE-mail: [email protected]

Fifth Annual Two-Way Dual Language ImmersionConferenceNovember 13 - 15, 2000; Albuquerque, New MexicoPhone/FAX: 505/247-2798http://www.dges.aps.edu

National Association of District Supervisors ofForeign Languages (NADSFL)November 15-16; Boston, MAE-mail: [email protected]

American Council on the Teaching of ForeignLanguages (ACTFL)November 16-19; Boston, MATel: (914) 963-8830http://www.actfl.org

American Association of Teachers of German(AATG)November 16-19; Boston, MAE-mail: [email protected]

Modern Language Association (MLA)December 27-30; Washington, D.C.E-mail: [email protected]

American Association of Teachers of Slavic & EastEuropean Languages and American Council ofTeachers of Russian (AATSEEL & ACTR)December 27-30; Washington, D.C.http://clover.slavic.pitt.edu/~aatseel/

Upcoming ConferencesUpcoming ConferencesUpcoming ConferencesUpcoming ConferencesUpcoming Conferences


Resources

• CLEAR, the Center for Language Education and Research at Michigan StateUniversity, offers on-site technology training workshops for foreign languageteachers around the country. Training is tailored to meet the needs of the request-ing institution and averages 1-2 days in length. Design of the workshop dependsof the participants’ current skills and the institution or district’s equipment. Somefunding is provided by the U.S. Department of Education. For more information,contact: Jane Ozanichat at CLEAR, A712 Wells Hall, Michigan State University,East Lansing, MI 48824-1027. Call (517) 432-0470 or e-mail [email protected].

• From the NCLRC, the National Capital Language Resource Center in Washing-ton, DC, you can obtain resource materials and research reports related tolearning strategies. The files can be downloaded from the center’s web site inpdf (i.e., ready-to-use) format. Teacher resources include a questionnaire togather information on students’ current use of learning strategies, a selection ofmaterials for teaching learning strategies in the LOTE classroom, and a set of 26“cards” with strategy name, definition, example, and explanation for why andwhen to use it. Research reports available at this site deal with students’ and

teachers’ perceptions of language learning strategy use. q

NATIONAL LANGUAGE RESOURCE CENTERS:RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO YOU

NA TIONAL LA NGU AGE RESOURCE C ENTER WEB SITES

National Capital Language ResourceCenter (NCLRC)

http://www.cal.org/nclrc

Slavic & East European LanguagesResource Center (SEELRC)

http://www.unc.edu/depts/slavic/

National K-12 Foreign Language ResourceCenter at Iowa State University

http://www.educ.iastate.edu/nflrc

Center for Language Education andResearch (CLEAR)

http://clear.msu.edu

National East Asian Languages ResourceCenter

http://www.flc.ohio-state.edu/nflrc

Language Acquisition Resource Center(LARC)

http://ssrl.sdsu.edu/larcnet/home.html

National Foreign Language ResourceCenter

http://www.LLL.hawaii.edu/nflrc/

Center for Advanced Research onLanguage Acquisition (CARLA)

http://carla.acad.umn.edu

National African Language ResourceCenter (NALRC)

http://african.lss.wisc.edu/nalrc/


Foreign Languages Can Be a Path Out of EthnocentricityForeign Languages Can Be a Path Out of EthnocentricityForeign Languages Can Be a Path Out of EthnocentricityForeign Languages Can Be a Path Out of EthnocentricityForeign Languages Can Be a Path Out of EthnocentricityForeign Languages Can Be a Path Out of EthnocentricityForeign Languages Can Be a Path Out of EthnocentricityForeign Languages Can Be a Path Out of EthnocentricityForeign Languages Can Be a Path Out of EthnocentricityForeign Languages Can Be a Path Out of Ethnocentricityby Ross Steele - The following article focusing on Native speaker fluency vs. intercultural communicative competencyhas been reprinted with permission from Vol. VIII (3) of International Educator. The LOTE CED staff found this article to beinteresting and thought provoking. While we do not necessarily endorse the opinions expressed in the article, we felt it mightbe a good catalyst for instilling conversation and prompting reflection among LOTE educators.

Foreign language requirements at the secondary and post-secondary levels ensure that millions of students willhave some exposure to a second language. Unfortunately, a substantial percentage of students do not pursueforeign language study once they have met their requirement. What can language educators do to ensure thatsuch learners take something with them at the end of their program?

Linguistic competence declines if learners do not continue to use the foreign language. If the learner has notmastered basic functions in the foreign language, there is little likelihood the language will be used for communi-cative purposes in life beyond the classroom. If the learner leaves the course with little new, conscious knowl-edge about the foreign society or without having consciously reviewed the attitudes and beliefs about theforeign culture that he or she brought into the classroom, then the course will have had little influence on theworldview the learner carries later into life.

Learners do not arrive on the first day of the course like empty vessels waiting to be filled with a new language. Theymay know little or nothing of the language itself, but they bring with them attitudes and beliefs about the nativespeakers of that language and about their country. These attitudes andbeliefs have been formed by the society in which they live, by what theyhave seen on television or read in the press, by opinions expressed insideor outside the family, by views presented by the instructor and in educa-tional materials during the instruction process since kindergarten, and byentrenched national beliefs resulting from the historical links between theircountry and the countries where the foreign language is spoken.

The attitudes and beliefs the learner brings to the foreign language classare often stereotypical images of the foreign country and its inhabitants.Have we as educators fulfilled our task if learners reach the end of the course without having reviewed thoseimages in the light of critical analysis that will show learners how influenced they are by an ethnocentric view ofthe world? In the years after the course, learners may not be able to remember much about the grammar of thelanguage, but a more open attitude to otherness and a willingness to accept behaviors and values that aredifferent from those that constitute the social norm in their own culture will enhance their ability to communicatewith people from other ethnic backgrounds at home and abroad. This will enable learners to be more enlight-ened and tolerant citizens and to interact positively with foreigners visiting the home country or encounteredduring professional or social excursions in other countries. Each more enlightened and tolerant citizen will providean additional window to the world and so increase the home country’s capacity to play a successful andculturally sensitive role in the global village.

In planning the course, the instructor has to take into consideration its short- and long-term objectives. Often thelong-term goals consciously or unconsciously take precedence when this choice is made. I suggest that this isbecause native speaker fluency has been the conventional standard against which all levels of competence arecalibrated. Because linguistic competence has been the ultimate goal, each course has been seen as a stageon the way to native speaker fluency. Michael Byram has pointed out that the native speaker may not be themost appropriate model for the foreign language learner. Interculturally competent communicators possess skillsthat enable them to mediate between people from different societies; native speakers do not need those skillsfor everyday interaction with fellow members of their own society. Furthermore, fluent foreign language speakershave their own personality and cultural individuality resulting from their upbringing and education in their homeculture; they should not be expected to abandon that individuality in an effort to clone the native speaker. Suchattempts at cloning often end in deep frustration, because no matter how culturally and linguistically competentthe foreign language learners are, they remain outsiders to varying degrees depending on the native speaker’spersonal attitude to foreigners and the foreign country’s general perception of the learner’s home country.

Because the relationship between linguistic and intercultural goals varies depending on each individual’s purposein learning the foreign language, it would seem desirable that each course should be seen as an autonomous unitwith priority given to short-term objectives that do not set unattainable linguistic standards based on the model of


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Regional Education Service Centers

Call your TEKS liaison to request TEKS for LOTEtraining! See page 11 for more information.

the educated native speaker. Learners who decidenot to continue formal foreign language study afterthe end of the course should expect to leave thecourse with skills that will be useful for their life. Theskills associated with awareness of theethnocentric origin of foreign stereotypesand ways of becoming an efficient intercul-tural communicator will be more valuableto the majority of such users than willlinguistic skills that have not progressedpast the beginner/novice level andthat probably will not be usedoutside the classroom. Givingintercultural communicativecompetence equal importancewith linguistic skills, as both a short-term and a long-term objective,increases the relevance of foreignlanguage courses for students intoday’s global village, whereaccess to a world beyond tradi-tional borders is technologically easy.Giving more importance to intercul-tural skills in foreign language learningunderscores the foreign language courseas a part of the general education thatenhances the role the learner can play insociety. Learning a foreign language thus becomesa significant educational experience for all students.

Cool Sites to Check OutCool Sites to Check OutCool Sites to Check OutCool Sites to Check OutCool Sites to Check Out

FrenchFrenchFrenchFrenchFrenchhttp://www.utexas.edu/world/frenchintexas/annonce-anglais.htmhttp://www.utexas.edu/world/frenchintexas/annonce-anglais.htmhttp://www.utexas.edu/world/frenchintexas/annonce-anglais.htmhttp://www.utexas.edu/world/frenchintexas/annonce-anglais.htmhttp://www.utexas.edu/world/frenchintexas/annonce-anglais.htmThe Department of French and Italian at the University of Texasat Austin is conducting a research project on the French, past andpresent, in Texas. It includes a symposium (to be held in March2001), a publication and a web site. The research ismultidisciplinary, analyzing the French presence in Texas from theviewpoints of History and Ethnohistory, Sociolinguistics, LiteraryCriticism, Art History, History of Science, Migration Studies andCultural Studies.

GeneralGeneralGeneralGeneralGeneralhttp://www.pitt.edu/~dpbrowne/bilingual/http://www.pitt.edu/~dpbrowne/bilingual/http://www.pitt.edu/~dpbrowne/bilingual/http://www.pitt.edu/~dpbrowne/bilingual/http://www.pitt.edu/~dpbrowne/bilingual/Did you know that Mick Jagger speaks French? or that SandraBullock speaks German? This web site offers lists of famousbilinguals and multilinguals organized by language spoken or bycareer (actors & actresses, athletes & sports figures, politicians,and singers). Entertaining for LOTE students and teachers alike!

http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~tpayne/lingolymhttp://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~tpayne/lingolymhttp://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~tpayne/lingolymhttp://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~tpayne/lingolymhttp://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~tpayne/lingolymThis address will take you to the University of Oregon Departmentof Linguistics’ U.S. Linguistic Olympics Web site. There are over 25language puzzles geared to students who are native speakers ofEnglish. These problems may be downloaded for personal orclassroom use. Although the problems are geared to secondaryschool students, many are challenging even to professional linguists.

“Giving interculturalcommunicative competence equal

importance withlinguistic skills, as both a short-term and a long-term objective,

increases the relevance offoreign language courses for

students in today’s globalvillage...”

Ross Steele is an associate professor and the chairof the Department of French Studies at the Uni-versity of Sydney (Australia), as well as an adjunctfellow of the National Foreign Language Center(Washington, D.C.). These remarks were ex-cerpted from his contribution to “Foreign Language

Policy and Pedagogy: StudiesCommemorating Ronald

Walton,” ed. RichardLambert and Elana

S h o h a m y(Amsterdam andP h i l a d e l p h i a :Benjamins, forth-coming, 2000). q


q

INTERDISCIPLINAIRE À LA CARTE:MAKING CONNECTIONS IN THE FRENCH CLASS

Mapping relationships throughout the curriculum in aninterdisciplinary experience, as the latest research shows,can dramatically impact upon students’ learning. The worldlanguage curriculum provides a natural and perfect milieufor such implementation. This can be done on a team teach-ing basis or simply with the language teacher alone as thearchitect. Projects that derive from high student interest canalso inspire creative techniques, spanning the gamut ofmultiple intelligences.

Students at the intermediate level of French study atSouthern Regional High School, Manahawkin, NJ, delvedinto an interdisciplinary venture revolving around GastonLeroux’s literary work, Le Fantôme del’Opéra. The worlds of French literature,language, culture, creative writing, art,music, theater, and technology meldedinto one. Classmates explored the hu-manities in many activities and studiedinterrelationships.

Eagerly devouring the text of thispopular novel, young linguists discussedplot and plunged into the depths of liter-ary analysis. They traced elements ofthe natural and supernatural, becomingphilosophers in discussions of myth ver-sus reality. Portraying psychologists,they deciphered the emotional interplayof characters, analyzed love triangles,antithesis, hypnotic charm, interior andexterior beauty, and various other phe-nomena. The French language wasused as the primary medium of communication through brain-storming.

Historical connections interfaced beautifully with anoverview of the latter half of nineteenth-century France, thetime period of the setting of Le Fantôme de l’Opéra, throughstudent research. Students investigated the major scientificand mathematical discoveries of the era. The key conceptswere presented to the class in jigsaw, cooperative fashion.The requirement was a specified number of sentences inFrench practicing the past tenses.

Motivated to write, each student created a compositionand a poem in French on any chosen theme related to thenovel. Some chose the recurring phenomenon in world lit-erature of the beauty and the beast. Results were elating,with some works being entered into national writing con-tests and our school literary magazine, Visions.

Tempera paints, assorted brushes, and super rolls ofheavy paper now set the atmosphere for the next phase. Acollective class mural of assorted scenes and impressionswas designed, as students listened to and interpreted the

powerfully hypnotic and inspiring strains from the soundtrackof Andrew Lloyd Weber’s Phantom of the Opera. They drew,painted, and became expressive artists, adding original linesof poetry.

Entirely enveloped by a brightly colored mural, with mu-sic in the background, the classroom was metamorphosedinto a scene for a dramatic poetry reading of student work.Our own custom booklet of literary creations was compiled.

Phantom fanaticism caught on quickly as some classmembers surfed the Internet on their own time to find a “Phan-tom” Web site, where theories and thoughts were exchanged.One student’s keypal even visited “Box Five” at the Opéra

Garnier in Paris.The highlight and culminating ex-

perience of this humanities endeavor wasa trip to New York City to see the Broad-way production of Phantom of the Opera.Learners then wrote critiques and reac-tions in French.

Tying the projects together in atrue technological fashion, Southern Net-work News produced and broadcast a veryprofessional looking video tracing our ac-tivities.

Many other projects using the the-matic approach can help to interweavecurriculum connections. For example, stu-dents voyaged back in time to the MiddleAges by studying the province of LaBretagne. The mysterious myths, legends,and romances, such as Le Roi Arthur and

les Chevaliers de la Table Ronde, from French children’sstorybooks, encouraged students to investigate historicalconnections like the feudal system. Travel brochures andaudio and video tapes make another fun learning project asstudents “tour” the region. Immersing themselves in the roleof troubadours, many created and illustrated their own medi-eval myths. The unit ended with a sampling of crêpes andcider.

Learning activities such as these are geared to elementsof Gardner’s Seven Multiple Intelligences: the linguistic, logi-cal-mathematical, spacial, intrapersonal, musical, interper-sonal, and kinesthetic realms. The areas of reading, writing,speaking, and listening are covered. Enthusiasm and joybubbled, learning flourished, and creative energy flowed fromstart to finish in our attempt to create a mini-world, whereone discipline flowed smoothly into the next.

A CLASS ACT is a new feature to the LOTE CED Lowdown that will present actual classroom activities tied tothe 5 Cs: Communication, Cultures, Comparisons, Connections, and Communities. This article focuses on

Connections and is reprinted with permission from the AATF National Bulletin, Vol. 25, No.3 , January 2000.

A CLASS ACT: CONNECTIONSA CLASS ACT: CONNECTIONS


The mission of The NationalMuseum of Language, asnoted in its brochure, is “toenhance understanding of allaspects of language in history,contemporary affairs, and thefuture. By fostering the study ofthe nature of language, its

The NML is in the very earlystages of planning and devel-opment, thus the exact locationand projected opening datehave yet to be specified. Forfurther information, to becomea contributing member, or toshare your ideas, contactAmelia C. Murdoch, President,National Museum of Language,7100 Baltimore Avenue, Suite202, College Park, Maryland20740 or e-mail:[email protected].

At some point in your life—perhaps many—you’ve prob-ably visited an art museum, anair and space museum, amuseum of science and indus-try, or a natural history mu-seum. But a museum of lan-guage? Not likely, for there isnone. A four year old AmeliaMurdoch wasn’t looking for amuseum of language at thetime, but she was wanting tofind out more about the Frenchwords in a story her motherread to her; and later, as shebecame a student of foreignlanguages (Latin, French,Provençal, and Spanish), shewas frustrated at the lack ofinformation available on lan-guages and linguistics and thedifficulty (at the time) of findinglanguage organizations toanswer her questions. Fromthese early beginnings devel-oped the desire to make“language and linguistics moreaccessible to the public.”Amelia C. Murdoch, Ph.D., hasjoined forces with interestedparties from diverse groups—educational, governmental,social, scientific, literary, tech-nological, and business—tobegin a project which willculminate in the developmentof a National Museum ofLanguage (NML). An organiz-ing committee began meetingin mid-1997 to lay the ground-work for the project and buildon work that had begun yearsearlier: to devise mission andvision statements, to establishsubcommittees and by-laws, toset up a budget, and mostimportantly, to identify qualified

individuals interested in andavailable to work on the Na-tional Language Museumproject. Murdoch, president ofthe NML nonprofit organization,says of the diverse group ofvolunteers, “…Everyonereflects a different interest. Wehave broad representation fromthe community, so that ourmuseum can meet a widerange of interests.”

According to an InformationBulletin Update (August 15,2000), “[t]he Museum will serveas a resource for people in allwalks of life, and will contributeto better understanding andcommunication among indi-viduals and among the peoplesof the world. The goals of thenew museum include plans forfuture exhibits and programssuch as the linguistic heritageof America, the history oflanguage, world languagedisplays, language and tech-nology, linguistics, and a younglinguist program. Among thefacilities of the Museum will bean exhibit gallery, a theater forreadings and presentations,viewing/listening rooms, alibrary and media center, andresearch accommodations. Aweb site and a ‘virtual museum’are under development.”

development and its role insociety, and by exploringlinguistic problems and ways ofovercoming them, the Museumwill serve as a resource forpeople in all walks of life, andwill contribute to better under-standing and communicationamong individuals and amongthe peoples of the world.” TheNML Newsletter (Fall 1999)indicates that the museum will“serve as a repository, a studycenter, and a teaching institu-tion; it will sponsor researchand lectures; establish aforeign language theater;present exhibits; and create alibrary of language materials,including films, tapes, andtelevision and radio pro-grams… Lastly, but perhapsmost importantly, the NMLenvisions the establishment ofan outreach program for theyoung would-be linguist: acentral agency providinginformation, encouragement,and assistance in the study offoreign languages.”

Dreams Come True!Dreams Come True!Dreams Come True!Dreams Come True!Dreams Come True!

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jointed development activitiesrepresent a significant “industry”in education. However, focusedprofessional development that isbased on high standards ofteaching and learning and thatprofoundly changes practice isessential to improved teachingand better student achievement.

Fortunately, there is now muchagreement about what profes-sional development should be. Itshould be focused on whatteachers in individual schoolsneed to know and be able to dofor their students. Teachersshould work together to designand implement professionaldevelopment based on sharedconcerns and strengths. Ulti-mately, professional developmentshould build ‘professional com-munities’ committed to higherstudent learning. Data aboutstudent performance and studentwork should become tools forpulling a school faculty togetherto work collaboratively on helpingstudents reach agreed-uponstandards. Teachers want--andresearch confirms the wisdomof--continuous learning opportu-nities that are focused, reflective,and coherent.”

Promising Professional Develop-Promising Professional Develop-Promising Professional Develop-Promising Professional Develop-Promising Professional Develop-ment Programsment Programsment Programsment Programsment Programs

Some consensus has beenreached on what makes profes-sional development activitieseffective. The U.S. Department ofEducation publication mentionedabove identifies several charac-teristics of promising programs:

Today’s teachers face increasingchallenges brought on by anincreasingly diverse studentpopulation; a greater range ofstudent goals and learningstyles; and an emphasis onthematic learning, collaborativelearning, technology, and stan-dards-based instruction. Foreignlanguage teachers, in particular,face increasing enrollments anda shortage of certified teachersas well as an emphasis on theexclusive use of the targetlanguage in the classroom.Strong, relevant professionaldevelopment is crucial, now morethan ever, but traditionalformats may not be adequate. Apublic domain document, Promis-ing Practices: New Ways toImprove Teacher Quality*,produced by the U.S. Depart-ment of Education emphasizesthat districts must find ways toimprove professional develop-ment practices:

“Most districts support teachers’investment in their professionalknowledge and skills. Teacherstake advantage of classes spon-sored by their districts, work onadvanced certificates or degrees,and attend workshops andsummer institutes. Yet, theseefforts often have little impact onstudent learning because theytend to be disjointed, unfocusedand offer teachers few opportuni-ties to learn by doing and reflect-ing on practice with their col-leagues. In other words, profes-sional development frequentlylacks connections to practice andto high standards of studentachievement or teacher develop-ment.

Changing these patterns inprofessional development is quitea challenge. Short-term, dis-

• They respect and nurture theintellectual and leadershipcapacities of teachers, prin-cipals, and others in the schoolcommunity.

• They reflect the best availableresearch and practice inteaching, learning, and leader-ship.

• They enable teachers todevelop further expertise insubject content, teachingstrategies, uses of technolo-gies, and other essentialelements in teaching to highstandards.

• They promote continuousinquiry and improvement inthe daily life of schools.

• They are plannedcollaboratively by those whowill participate in and facilitatethat development.

• They require substantial timeand other resources.

• They are driven by a coherentand long-term plan.

• They are evaluated ultimatelyon the basis of their impact onteacher effectiveness andstudent learning, and thisassessment guides subsequentprofessional developmentefforts.

Professional Development inProfessional Development inProfessional Development inProfessional Development inProfessional Development inTexas: The LOTE CED’sTexas: The LOTE CED’sTexas: The LOTE CED’sTexas: The LOTE CED’sTexas: The LOTE CED’sResponseResponseResponseResponseResponse

As a professional developmentresource center for Texasteachers of LOTE, the responseof the LOTE CED has beenmultifaceted.

LIFELONG LEARNING:THE PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT OF TEACHERS

LIFELONG LEARNING:THE PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT OF TEACHERS

• They focus on teachers ascentral to student learning, yetinclude all other members ofthe school community.

• They focus on individual,collegial, and organizationalimprovement.

Needs Assessment.Needs Assessment.Needs Assessment.Needs Assessment.Needs Assessment. We beganby conducting a needs assess-ment survey of LOTE teachersand coordinators in the stateand have used the results ofthat survey as a guide in all ofour endeavors. For example,newsletters include news ontraining opportunities and


conference dates becauseteachers indicated an interest inthis information; a recent issuealso discussed the informationgap activity, a subject withwhich many respondents indi-cated they were not familiar.Only 18% of respondents (Spring1998) indicated they had re-viewed the TEKS for LOTEextensively, so the Centerprepared four training modules(see below) expanding on thestandards and included sampleimplementation activities regu-larly in workshops and newslet-ters. Sample activities incorpo-rating the TEKS for LOTE wereat the top of the list of re-sources teachers requested aswere conference sessions on avariety of topics, internetresources, and regional anddistrict training.

TEKS for LOTE Training.TEKS for LOTE Training.TEKS for LOTE Training.TEKS for LOTE Training.TEKS for LOTE Training. Wehave developed four TEKS forLOTE training modules to helpteachers familiarize themselveswith the new standards, beginthe process of implementing andassessing them in the classroom,and develop standards-basedcurricula. Over seventy trainedfacilitators are available toprovide workshops throughschool districts and regionalEducation Service Centers. Thisprofessional developmentinitiative follows the moretraditional in-service patternbecause of the large number ofLOTE teachers in Texas and theneed to disseminate informationover a large area in a timelymanner. The training modules,however, are flexible. Districtsare encouraged to use non-traditional formats to helpteachers process the informa-tion, such as after-school study/work groups where sufficienttime is allowed for a great dealof hands-on practice.

Peer Coaching/MentoringPeer Coaching/MentoringPeer Coaching/MentoringPeer Coaching/MentoringPeer Coaching/MentoringInitiative.Initiative.Initiative.Initiative.Initiative. Teachers should beinvolved experientially in theprofessional developmentprocess since, by itself, knowl-edge of how to change does notmean change will be initiated.For improvement to occur, newand refined skills have to beguided, practiced, and reflectedupon in collaboration withcolleagues. One goal of theLOTE CED is to create a net-work of LOTE teachers inTexas, trained in using peercoaching/mentoring models ofprofessional development to helpthem implement state standards.To date, this initiative hastrained twenty-two teachers inpeer coaching and mentoringtechniques and has equippedthem with the materials andknow-how needed to providetraining to LOTE colleaguesaround the state. We believethis model is an obvious choicefor effective professionaldevelopment because personalchoice and participant involve-ment are key characteristics ofsuccessful professional develop-ment programs and activities.Peer coaching/mentoring allowsfor various entry levels andindividual differences to be builtinto the professional develop-ment structure; faculty takeresponsibility for identifyingneeds and determining goals fortheir own professional growth.Peer coaching involves pairing upexperienced teachers who havecommon needs, goals, andinterests and who workcollaboratively to assist oneanother in the growth process.In mentoring, a more experi-enced teacher is paired with anew or less experenced col-league. (For additional informa-tion, see the LOTE CEDLowdown, Vol. 3.1) The sameconstructivist learning theo-

ries** applied in classrooms asstudents are guided in learner-centered activities and coopera-tive learning experiences areequally valid in teachers’ ownlearning experiences. Teachersare learners in professionaldevelopment settings, and bothpeer coaching and mentoringallow teachers to build knowl-edge through interactions withcolleagues and by drawing uponwhat they already know.

Informational Resources.Informational Resources.Informational Resources.Informational Resources.Informational Resources. TheLOTE CED also aims to keeplanguage teachers informed andup-to-date on what is happeningin the field of foreign languageeducation through resourcessuch as this newsletter and aweb page and by sponsoringworkshops and sessions at stateand regional conferences.

In sum, the LOTE CED attemptsto model itself after the char-acteristics of promising profes-sional development programs byproviding a variety of resourcesthat respect and nurture theknowledge and skills of TexasLOTE teachers, that encouragecollaboration and reflect cur-rent research, and that promotelong-term planning and life-longlearning.

*A downloadable version of PromisingPractices: New Ways to ImproveTeacher Quality is available at:http://www.ed.gov/pubs/PromPractice/

**A constructivist theory of learningrecognizes that learners constructknowledge and learn by doing forthemselves and by interacting withothers.

q


NEW PEER COACHING/MENTORINGFACILITATORS AID TEXAS ISDS

The most recent participants in a training-of-trainersfor peer coaching and mentoring sponsored by theLOTE CED (See LOTE CED Lowdown, Volume 3.2)completed their field practice this past spring and arenow busy conducting their initial training workshops intheir school districts. These Texas teachers of LOTE,along with the original group of trainers, are availableto share their expertise with other schools and districtsand through the regional ESCs. If you and otherLOTE teachers in your district would be interested inreceiving training in peer coaching and mentoring,contact your regional ESC and request a workshop orcontact the LOTE CED for more information. Currentpeer coaching/mentoring facilitators include thefollowing:

Amarillo: Betty OlsonAustin area: Claire Curtice, B.J. ParisBeaumont: Helen SampleCorpus Christi: Tomacita OlivaresDallas/Fort Worth: Patty Hodge, Nancy Hulama, JonKeesling, Monica Marchi, Kim MalcolmHouston: Leah SequeiraOdessa: D’Ann HervadaSan Antonio: Greg Foulds, Julia Lozano, Cindy Ong,Rosanna Pérez, Teresa TattersallTyler: Craig GibsonWichita Falls: Renée Wooten

You can find the Texas EssentialKnowledge and Skills for

Languages Other Than English(TEKS for LOTE) on-line at:

http://www.tea.state.tx.us/teks/114toc.htm

TEKS FOR LOTETEKS FOR LOTETEKS FOR LOTETEKS FOR LOTETEKS FOR LOTEON-LINEON-LINEON-LINEON-LINEON-LINE

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTOPPORTUNITIES AT FALL TFLA!OPPORTUNITIES AT FALL TFLA!OPPORTUNITIES AT FALL TFLA!OPPORTUNITIES AT FALL TFLA!OPPORTUNITIES AT FALL TFLA!

Austin is host to the fall TFLA confer-ence where it is anticipated some 1900participants will be in attendance.Among the LOTE CED facilitatorspresenting workshops are Cindy OngCindy OngCindy OngCindy OngCindy Ong,Rosanna PerezRosanna PerezRosanna PerezRosanna PerezRosanna Perez, and Teresa TattersallTeresa TattersallTeresa TattersallTeresa TattersallTeresa Tattersallwhose workshop is entitled Peer Coach-ing in Action: A New Model for Profes-sional Development. Engagé! ActiveLearners in the Language Classroom willbe facilitated by Renee Wooten Renee Wooten Renee Wooten Renee Wooten Renee Wooten andKathy GilbertKathy GilbertKathy GilbertKathy GilbertKathy Gilbert. Bobette DunnBobette DunnBobette DunnBobette DunnBobette Dunn andDorothy CoxDorothy CoxDorothy CoxDorothy CoxDorothy Cox present Make AssessmentYour Best Bet!, and Pam YoungPam YoungPam YoungPam YoungPam Young andDebbie OliverDebbie OliverDebbie OliverDebbie OliverDebbie Oliver will facilitate Startingwith Standards: A TEKS for LOTEPrimer geared to new teachers andthose who haven’t yet received profes-sional development related to thestandards. Don’t miss the opportunity toget training designed especially forTexas LOTE teachers and to have anenjoyable learning experience led bythe LOTE CED’s excellent facilitators!

LOTE CED staff will be workingthrough the Texas EducationAgency to bring you a video

series entitled “TEKS for LOTE:Learning Languages in Today’s

Language Classrooms.” Theseries will be produced by TEA’sT-STAR Studios and will premiere

on the T-STAR network in thewinter/spring of 2001.

LOTE CED to DevelopLOTE CED to DevelopLOTE CED to DevelopLOTE CED to DevelopLOTE CED to DevelopVideo SeriesVideo SeriesVideo SeriesVideo SeriesVideo Series


Project ExCELL PublicationsWe often receive requests for the publicationsproduced by Project ExCELL (Excellence andChallenge: Expectations for Language Learners). Thepublications include:

• A Texas Framework for Languages Other ThanEnglish

• Professional Development for Language Teachers:Implementing the Texas Essential Knowledge andSkills for Languages Other Than English

• Preparing Language Teachers to Implement theTexas Essential Knowledge and Skills forLanguages Other Than English

All three Project ExCELL documents include a copy ofthe Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for LanguagesOther Than English. Photocopied versions are availablefrom the Texas Foreign Language Association (TFLA)for the cost of duplicating and mailing. The cost to TFLAmembers is $2.50/each or $6.00 for all three; the costto non-members is $3.50/each or $9.00 for all three.

Send checks payable to TFLA to: Phyllis B.Thompson, Houston Baptist University, 7502Fondren, Houston, TX 77074

An original version of A Texas Framework for LanguagesOther Than English can be obtained from TEA. Thecost to tax-exempt organizations (e.g., educationalorganizations, government agencies, etc.) is $8.00/each;the cost for all others is $10.00/each.

To order, contact: Publications Distribution and Sales,Skip Baylor, Texas Education Agency, 1701 NorthCongress Avenue, Austin, TX 78701, (512) 463-9744.

In order for teachers to implement the TEKSfor LOTE in the classroom, the LOTE CEDhas developed training modules for languageteachers, coordinators, and administrators.

• Module I - TEKS for LOTE:Overview

• Module II - TEKS for LOTE:Classroom Implementation

• Module III-A - TEKS for LOTE:Addressing Assessment

• Module III-B - TEKS for LOTE:Developing Curriculum

• Peer Coaching and Mentoring forTeachers of LOTE

Contact the TEKS liaison at your ESC orthe language coordinator in your ISD tofind out about workshops in your area. (Formore information, see articles onprofessional development, page 8, andpeer coaching trainers, page 10, thisissue.)

DON’T FORGET!DON’T FORGET!DON’T FORGET!DON’T FORGET!DON’T FORGET!Fall TFLA Conference

November 3-5Austin, TX

Contact TFLA for more information at (713) 468-4959

LOTE CEDTraining Modules

LOTE Publications -Ordering Information

q

Peer Coaching/Mentoring Trainers Craig Gibson andHelen Sample conduct a workshop at the Spring TFLAconference in Nacogdoches.


I always know whose pig is dead

I am not a good mimic, and I have worked now in many

different cultures. I am a very poor speaker of any lan-

guage, but I always know whose pig is dead, and when I

work in a native society I know what people are talking

about and I treat it seriously and respect them, and this

in itself establishes a great deal more rapport, very of-

ten, than the correct accent. I have worked with other

field workers who were far, far better linguists than I,

and the natives kept on saying they couldn’t speak the

language, although they said I could! Now, if you had a

recording it would be proof positive I couldn’t , but no-

body knew it! You see, we don’t need to teach people to

speak like natives; you need to make the other people

believe they can so they can talk to them, and then they

learn.

Margaret Mead, 1964

Eight Texas LOTE educators were named Teachers of the Year at the Texas Foreign LanguageAssociation’s spring conference in Nacogdoches last April. Award winners for French were JudyJudyJudyJudyJudy RaingerRaingerRaingerRaingerRainger,Hutchinson Junior High in Lubbock and Geneviève Lesieux,Geneviève Lesieux,Geneviève Lesieux,Geneviève Lesieux,Geneviève Lesieux, Jones High School in Houston. Niels Nielsen,Niels Nielsen,Niels Nielsen,Niels Nielsen,Niels Nielsen,Lanier Middle School (Houston) and Rustin Buck,Rustin Buck,Rustin Buck,Rustin Buck,Rustin Buck, Clements High School (Fort Bend) won German Teachersof the Year awards. Yoshiko Brotherton,Yoshiko Brotherton,Yoshiko Brotherton,Yoshiko Brotherton,Yoshiko Brotherton, Fort Bend ISD was named Japanese Teacher of the Year, andLaura M. Giles,Laura M. Giles,Laura M. Giles,Laura M. Giles,Laura M. Giles, Amarillo High School won for Latin. Spanish Teachers of the Year are Lynn Basdeo,Lynn Basdeo,Lynn Basdeo,Lynn Basdeo,Lynn Basdeo,Frankford Middle School in Plano and Jennifer Clayton,Jennifer Clayton,Jennifer Clayton,Jennifer Clayton,Jennifer Clayton, Hays High School in Buda.

TFLA recognizes Teachers of the Year annually at its spring conference. Awards are competitive, andteachers are nominated by their colleagues or administrators. Several factors are considered in the selec-tion process including involvement in TFLA, excellence in teaching, professional contributions, publishing,awards, etc. If you wish to nominate an outstanding colleague, contact TFLA, 1320 Modiste Drive,Houston, TX 77055 or look for a nominations ballot in the fall issue of the TFLA Newsletter. Friend ofthe Profession awards are also presented at both the spring and fall conferences. Why not nominatesomeone you know who is a strong advocate for foreign language learning!?!

Teachers of the Year

q

q


2003 ASSESSMENT OF FOREIGN2003 ASSESSMENT OF FOREIGN2003 ASSESSMENT OF FOREIGN2003 ASSESSMENT OF FOREIGN2003 ASSESSMENT OF FOREIGNLANGUAGE STUDENTSLANGUAGE STUDENTSLANGUAGE STUDENTSLANGUAGE STUDENTSLANGUAGE STUDENTS

As previously reported (LOTE CED Lowdown,V. 2.2), a project is currently underway thatprovides, for the first time, for a nationwideassessment of foreign language learners. Theassessment will be part of the National Assess-ment of Educational Progress (NAEP), alsoknown as the Nation’s Report Card. The contractfor the first phase of this project was awarded inMay, 1999, to the Center for Applied Linguistics(CAL) who worked with the American Councilon the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)and the American Institutes for Research (AIR)to make recommendations to the National As-sessment Governing Board (NAGB), the entityresponsible for formulating policy and oversee-ing all NAEP assessments.

The fourteen-month project lays the groundworkfor the assessment instrument by preparing aframework; test and item specifications based onthe framework; preliminary achievement levels;a strategy for sampling students; backgroundvariables to be collected from students, teachers,and administrators; and a strategy for reportingNAEP results. Because Spanish is the mostcommonly studied foreign language in theUnited States, the first foreign language NAEPwill be administered to 12th grade students andwill include those who have learned Spanish ina variety of ways (including outside the class-room) and for varying lengths of time.

WHAT WILL IT LOOK LIKE?The foreign language NAEP is based on ageneral framework for assessing communicativeability in languages other than English. In thisframework, listening, speaking, reading andwriting skills are assessed within three modes ofcommunication: interpersonal, interpretive, andpresentational.

• The interpretive mode relates to theunderstanding of spoken or writtenlanguage, such as listening to a broad-cast or reading a magazine.

• The presentational mode involvescreating spoken or written communica-tion, such as giving a speech or writinga story.

The framework states that communicative abilitywill be assessed through authentic communica-tion tasks that are called for in daily life, school,and work. Assessment tasks will reflect fourinterrelated goals that provide the basis forcommunication. These goals include the follow-ing :• gaining knowledge of other cultures;• connecting with other academic subject areas

to acquire knowledge;• developing insights into the nature of lan-

guage and culture through comparisons; and• participating in multilingual communities at

home and around the world.

• The interpersonal mode involves two-way, interactive communication, such asconversing face to face or exchanging e-mail messages. (2003 Assessment continued on page 14)


The two assessment areas not assessed by theSpanish NAEP, due to practical considerations oftime and expense, are reading and writing in theinterpersonal mode and speaking in the presenta-tional mode. The four assessment areas chosenare those most used in real world communicationby secondary school students.

HOW WILL LEARNERS BE ASSESSED?Performances on assessment tasks will be evalu-ated on the criterion of how well the studentunderstands (comprehension) and can be under-stood (comprehensibility). This criterion sub-sumes language knowledge, the appropriate useof communication strategies (such as asking forclarification or inferring the meaning of un-known words from context), and the applicationof cultural knowledge to enhance communica-tion.

ASSESSMENT EXERCISES

The Spanish NAEP will assess students’ commu-nicative ability in Spanish using a variety of oraland written stimulus materials, accompanied byother non-textual materials such as photos,artwork, graphics, and videos. Different responsemodes will be combined with the stimuli indeveloping items. Each assessment area hasdifferent formats and specifications. The inter-pretive mode (both listening and reading) will beassessed using multiple-choice and short con-structed-response type exercises; the presenta-tional mode through short and extended con-structed-response type exercises, and the inter-personal mode through a one-on-one conversa-tion format. Although specifications vary acrossassessment areas, they are all based on and tiedtogether by the framework.

• listening and speaking in the interpersonalmode,

• listening in the interpretive mode,• reading in the interpretive mode, and• writing in the presentational mode.

The consensus building committees recommendthat the Spanish NAEP focus on:

All students (100% of the sample) will completetwo of the three tasks in the assessment areas B,C, and D. Possible combinations for individualstudents include B-C, B-D, and C-D. The exami-nation time for each student is 50 minutes,divided into two blocks of 25 minutes duration.Because of the costs of administering and scor-ing the conversation-based tasks, only a subset(20%) of the entire sample will be administeredtasks in assessment area A. Those students beingassessed on tasks in assessment area A have anadditional 20-25 minutes of testing time.

REPORTING OF RESULTS

In the first stage of data collection, a backgroundquestionnaire will be administered to a randomsample of 12th graders in U.S. public and privateschools including those who have foreign lan-guage experience with Spanish (in and out ofschool), those who have experience with anotherlanguage, and those with no foreign languageexperience. From among this initial group,students will be randomly selected for the NAEPassessment, and achievement will be reported forfour groups:

A. Interpersonal Mode: Listening/speaking(conversation-) based tasks

B. Interpretive Mode: Listening-based tasksC. Interpretive Mode: Reading-based tasksD. Presentational Mode: Writing-based tasks

A variety of exercises will be included to assessstudent’s proficiency in the three communicationmodes. The exercises assess students in the fourareas identified.

1) Non-heritage language students with U.S.school experience learning Spanish andcurrently studying Spanish in the 12thgrade.

2) Non-heritage language students with U.S.school experience learning Spanish andwho completed their last Spanish coursebefore the current year.

3) Spanish heritage speakers with U.S. schoolexperience learning Spanish.

4) Spanish speakers (heritage and non-heri-tage) without U.S. school experiencelearning Spanish.


RECOMMENDED SPECIAL STUDIES

continued from page 14.

Because the primary assessment is limited interms of the age of the learners and the languagechosen, the NAGB asked the committees torecommend options for possible small-scalestudies that could be done at the same time. Thecommittees identified and prioritized three suchstudies:

• Achievement of early language learners inJapanese. A small-scale study at the 4thgrade level would provide information onadvantages of an early start in languagelearning and could focus on the advantagesof different types of programs (ForeignLanguage in the Elementary School,Partial Immersion, or Total Immersion).The study could show what young childrenare capable of achieving in a languagegenerally perceived as very difficult tolearn and which has a different writingsystem than English.

• Achievement of 12th graders in Japanese.Since it is likely that achievement inlanguage learning varies depending on thelanguage studied, useful information canbe gathered by comparing language learn-ing achievement results for two languagesat the same grade level (Spanish andJapanese).

• Achievement of early language learners inSpanish. The third recommendationproposes a small-scale study of 4th gradelearners in Spanish in order to compare,“to some degree,” the results of 12thgraders with those of 4th graders. Sincemost immersion programs in the U.S. areSpanish, sampling would not be difficult.

This information has been excerpted/reprintedwith permission from the web site of the Centerfor Applied Linguistics. For more informationand to see sample assessment tasks and draftsample rubrics, visit the Web site at http://www.cal. org/flnaep/review.html.

You can download the full text of the framework athttp://www.nagb.org. q

DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN ACCESSTHIS AND PAST VOLUMES OF THELOTE CED LOWDOWN ON-LINE?

SIMPLY GO TO:www.sedl.org/loteced/lowdown

Make a case for including Less

Commonly Taught (LCT)

languages in your district’s

language program! Following is a

list of the World’s top ten

languages by population:

Source: SIL International’s 13th editionof Ethnologue (for more information,visit www.sil.org/ethnologue)

1. Chinese, Mandarin

2. Spanish

3. English

4. Bengali

5. Hindi

6. Portuguese

7. Russian

8. Japanese

9. German

10. Chinese, Wu


(Cline continued on page 17)

RRRRREFLECTIONSEFLECTIONSEFLECTIONSEFLECTIONSEFLECTIONS ONONONONON THETHETHETHETHE 1998-99 T 1998-99 T 1998-99 T 1998-99 T 1998-99 TEXASEXASEXASEXASEXAS/////SSSSSPAINPAINPAINPAINPAIN I I I I INITIATIVENITIATIVENITIATIVENITIATIVENITIATIVE T T T T TEACHEREACHEREACHEREACHEREACHER E E E E EXCHANGEXCHANGEXCHANGEXCHANGEXCHANGE

PPPPPROGRAMROGRAMROGRAMROGRAMROGRAM

Some things are just too big for words. I am overwhelmed with emotion every time my mind

drifts to the oasis of memories about my year in Spain as an exchange teacher. I loved it and

would go back in a second. Putting it into words is something like mining for diamonds. I know the

whole experience was a treasure, but the points where I was changed, forced to see from a new

perspective, meld my culture and that of another people, stripped of things I took for granted and

made to see what really mattered - those are the true jewels. Months later some are just now

surfacing.

One of the obvious benefits was role-reversal. I am a teacher, but I became a student. I was

able to experience the joy and frustration of stretching my language skills beyond my comfort

zone. (Think you’re smart, try dealing with bureaucracy in any language.) I realized what is and

what is not survival language, what helps me retain and what enables laziness. Some of the stuff

in my old textbooks gained new importance and some became trivial. I even saw through my hus-

band and children, who went monolingual, how much can be achieved with very little language. (My

three year-old’s first word was “mío” (mine) and suddenly she had the attention of her class-

mates.)

I considered myself tolerant and open-minded. It is easy to think that when you do not feel

any real threat to your position. Suddenly, I was a minority and an immigrant. My accent was

different. My color and features were conspicuous. I sometimes imagined I was not different, but

there were subtle reminders. For example, with friends and with strangers I fielded some really

tough questions about the stereotypical America that seemed to come out of nowhere. (Why are

you [Americans in general] so patriotic? Not to mention, I was there during the Lewinsky scandal

and a “military retaliation”.) I caught unintentionally pointed comments affirming their superior-

ity over us. (They have public education starting at three and we don’t start until five.) I learned

to not take it personally. Those moments gave me insight into what they value and what they

struggle with. On home soil, people now ask me tough questions and I find myself just as emotion-

ally charged in defense of the Spanish right to their opinion. I learned not to be right all the time

and how to avoid an argument. I am from a diverse school with a lot of immigrants. It made me

more aware how hard it must be for some of my students to take social risks or get too close to

some of their peers. My experience had advantages some of my students do not, like being tem-

porary, but I come nearer relating to them and gaining their confidence than I did without it.

The following was written by Ginger Cline, participant in the 1998-99 Teacher

Exchange Program and Spanish Teacher at Irving High School in Irving, Texas.


✮ Support for foreign and bilingual education has recently come from both the Secretary of Education and the Presidentof the United States of America. In March of this year, Secretary Richard W. Riley touted dual immersion programs, abilingual teaching strategy designed to help students learn two languages at once. Native English-speaking childrenand non-English-speaking children learn together in classes where half of instruction is in English and the other half isin a second language, usually Spanish. Secretary Riley calls dual immersion “an idea whose time has come in a globaleconomy” and continues to promote the benefits and value of “bi-literacy.” “It is high time we begin to treat languageskills as the asset they are,” he said while calling for an additional $50 million a year for recruiting and training bilin-gual teachers. Although some groups are critical of bilingual education, claiming that not enough instruction is givenin English, others cite successful programs such as the one at Oyster Elementary School in Washington, DC. In thisdual immersion program, each class has a Spanish and an English teacher, and both languages receive equal weight.Within three to four years, even children with no English language skills become bilingual and bi-literate. There arecurrently about 260 dual immersion programs in the United States; Secretary Riley has called for an expansion of thatnumber to 1000.

Riley Endorses ‘Dual Immersion’ Programs. Education Week, March 22, 2000.

✮ In an April, 2000 memorandum to the heads of executive departments and agencies, President Bill Clinton alsoexpressed support for foreign language and international education. His memorandum directs agency and departmentheads, working in partnership with the private sector, to take several steps that would—among other things—increasethe number and diversity of students who study and intern abroad, and promote international awareness and skills inthe classroom and on campuses, including strengthening foreign language learning at all levels, and helping teachersacquire the skills needed to understand and interpret other countries and cultures for their students.

Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies, April 19, 2000.http://www.ed.gov/PressReleases/04-2000/00419.html

SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND LOTE EDUCATORS WILL WANT TO STAY ALERT TO SEE HOW THESE ENCOURAGING WORDS

PLAY OUT IN LEGISLATION AND/OR FUNDING FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHERS, STUDENTS, AND PROGRAMS.

Friends in High Places

Remember all those college courses that cited research on how language is acquired

with different methods and age? I watched my family and was amazed. My husband had taken

basic Spanish before the trip. In Spain he took classes and studied at home. Though his social

contacts were limited, he learned more from the friends we made and the television. He be-

came proficient but by no means perfect. My three year-old daughter, on the other hand, went

to school and was immersed. She spoke as well as her classmates by the end of the year and it

was beginning to affect her English. And my baby was not talking as much as her older sister

had at one year, but clearly understood gobs in both languages. Sadly, what was so effortlessly

gained was also quickly lost. With only me speaking to the children in Spanish and no one who

did not respond to English both daughters reverted. It opened my eyes to the vacuum in my

community for early-childhood language programs. We did not qualify for bilingual education

and could not commute 50 miles for an immersion school. As for my high school classroom I

was convinced that students need more real communication and times when they cannot fall

back on the crutch of English. I also realize that whether my students ultimately retain Span-

ish or not, they will take away valuable lessons of other kinds.

Last but not least, I look back and realize that if I had taken my own excuses when I

heard about this program, I would never have gone. I have been guilty like everyone else of

putting off things I really want to do in hopes of a less stressful time. But I don’t like to look

back and realize I missed my chance. I prefer to look back and savor the memories. Those are

the experiences that charge my batteries and make me a better person, and yes, a better

teacher. I hope my students catch some of that spirit. After all, language learning is about

risk-taking and so is life.q


The following article was published by the National Capital Language Resource Center and hasbeen reprinted here with their permission. The article appeared in the The NCLRC Language

Resource electronic newsletter in January of 1999 (volume 3, number 1).

EVALUATING TECHNOLOGICAL RESOURCES FOR THEEVALUATING TECHNOLOGICAL RESOURCES FOR THEEVALUATING TECHNOLOGICAL RESOURCES FOR THEEVALUATING TECHNOLOGICAL RESOURCES FOR THEEVALUATING TECHNOLOGICAL RESOURCES FOR THEFOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSROOMFOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSROOMFOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSROOMFOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSROOMFOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSROOM

by Lynne Bouden and Kate Newman Jerris

The use of technology in theforeign language classroomallows students to take a moreactive role in the process oflanguage learning (Schreck &Schreck, 1991, p. 478). Technol-ogy is also a source of diversetarget language realia. Referringto Internet use, Osuna andMeskill (1998) write that, “Thecomputer serves as a gateway tothe virtual foreign world where‘real people’ are using reallanguage in ‘real context’” (p.71). With the variety of technol-ogy-based language resourcesavailable, it is important to knowhow to identify the most usefultools. This article aims to provideteachers with basic guidelines forthe evaluation and selection oftechnological resources.

The initial step in choosingtechnological materials for theforeign language classroom is toidentify the needs of the stu-dents. Teachers must considerthe students’ language level, thelearning goals to be attainedthrough technology use, and thetypes of tasks which will be mostappropriate. With regard tolanguage level, many CD-ROMand other software materials aredesigned for use with specificgroups of learners. With use ofthe Internet, however, teacherswill have to decide which Websites are level-appropriate. To doso, teachers should consider whoauthored the site; sites authoredby native speakers may bebetter-suited to higher-levellearners, while those authored bynon-native speakers or languageteachers may be used moreflexibly at different languagelevels. For teachers of languageswith multiple dialects, such asSpanish, it is also important toverify that the materials arecompatible with the dialecttaught in the classroom.

Teachers must also determine thepurpose that technology willserve in achieving learning goals,whether it be to aid with specificlanguage skills or to teach aboutculture. Furthermore, the teachermust decide what types of taskswill best promote the learninggoals. That is, will the technologybe used for assessment, practice,communicative interaction in thetarget language, research, orgames?

Another important criterion whenselecting technological resourcesis the irreputability. Teachersshould seek out software andconsult web sites that are de-signed by reliable sources suchas large companies, governmentagencies, or educational institu-tions (Osuna & Meskill, 1998, p.83). With Internet use, teachersshould be careful to choose sitesthat are regularly updated andwell-supported.

In addition to these points whichapply to the evaluation of peda-gogical materials in general,there are technology-specificconsiderations that influence ateacher’s choice of such materi-als. The following list highlightssome, but by no means all, of themost important elements thatneed to be considered before newtechnology is implemented in theforeign language classroom.

ü Does the Web site/softwareinclude sufficient examples todemonstrate specific peda-gogical points and/or activi-ties? If not, it may not beanymore useful than materi-als presented via a moretraditional medium.

ü Are directions and/or feed-back given in the learner’snative language or in thetarget language? If bothnative and target language

materials are available, howwill the teacher ensure thatstudents are gaining ad-equate exposure to the targetlanguage? While studentsmay be more at ease withtexts in their native lan-guage, the availability ofnative language materialsmay decrease use of thetarget language.

ü Does the Web site/softwareallow for creative use of thetarget language, or does itmerely ask for students torepeat previously learnedmaterial? A case can bemade for including both typesof activity. The appropriate-ness of either will dependlargely on the learning goalsand the learner profiles in aparticular classroom.

ü How interactive is the Website/software? Will studentsprimarily be reacting towritten texts on the computerscreen, or will they beactively engaged in theconstruction of a learningoutcome? Do students havecontrol over the pacing of thematerial? How frequently dostudents receive feedback?One of the major benefits ofusing computers in languagelearning is that the technol-ogy may foster greaterstudent involvement thanwould a traditional text.Furthermore, immediatefeedback is a non-threateningway to help students pinpointtheir strengths and weak-nesses in the target lan-guage.

ü Does the technology have aclear purpose? To whatextent are real-time video,audio, and the like incorpo-rated into the Web site/software? Are these featuresintegrated into lessons or are

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19Check out our website at www.sedl.org/loteced

they extraneous? Bear inmind also that some techno-logical features are moreuseful than others. In aprogram designed to teachpronunciation, for example,recording capabilities are oflittle use unless either theprogram itself or the teacherwill also be able to giveconsistent feedback to thestudent.

ü Is the Web site/softwareaesthetically pleasing? Willstudents enjoy using it? Towhat extent are graphics andother visuals integrated intothe site? Is the incorporationof such features purposeful orirrelevant? Visuals canpotentially enhance or detractfrom the student’s learningexperience; the presentationof onscreen material shouldneither bore nor overwhelmthe student.

ü Does the teacher need toguide the students throughthe software, or will thestudents be able to workindependently? Carefulattention should be paid tothe amount of technologicalsavvy required of the learner(and the teacher) in using aparticular program or Website. Additional considerationsinclude how much time it willtake to complete the activi-ties and whether the Website/software program iseasily navigable. If moretime must be devoted tolearning the mechanicalaspects of the technologythan to actual foreign lan-guage learning, then perhapsthe use of a particular pieceof software or Web siteshould be reconsidered.

ü Is the program organized in astrict sequence of units, orcan different sections be usedat random, according to anoutside syllabus? That is,could the Web site/softwarebe used by individual stu-dents outside of the class-room, or would it be better asa supplement to the teacher’sregular lesson plan? For the

purposes of lesson planning,teachers should considerwhether the materials standalone, accompany a specifictextbook, or can be incorpo-rated into an already estab-lished syllabus.

Some educators protest thattechnology in the classroomthreatens to replace the teacher.However, the teacher’s responsi-bilities are not diminished whentechnology is incorporated intothe classroom, since it is theteacher who chooses materials,plans and prepares lessons, anddirects students’ use of theseresources. Teachers must also beactive monitors of lessons, aidingstudents and checking theirprogress. Internet use, espe-cially, requires teacher involve-ment to make sure that studentsare indeed using the targetlanguage and that they do notstray from the language topic toexplore other Web sites orunrelated subjects. While teach-ers are still active in the learningprocess, technological resourcesallow students the opportunity forindependent language study.Such an opportunity may in-crease their interest in languagelearning and encourage them touse technology for learningoutside of class. Therefore,simply by introducing thesespecial resources to students,teachers play an important role.They provide students with anunderstanding of the value of thismedia and promote not onlyforeign language learning, butfuture learning through technol-ogy in all subjects.

N.B. The above article draws onmaterial discussed in ProfessorAlison Mackey’s course on EFLMaterials Preparation (LING 358)at Georgetown University in theFall of 1998.

ReferencesReferencesReferencesReferencesReferencesOsuna, M. & Meskill, C. (1998).Using the World Wide Web tointegrate Spanish language andculture: A pilot study. LanguageLearning and Technology, 1, 2,71-92.

Schreck, R. & Schreck, J. (1991).Computer-Assisted LanguageLearning. In M. Celce-Murcia(Ed.) Teaching English as aSecond or Foreign Language,Boston: Heinle and HeinlePublishers.

2001 ADFL Summer2001 ADFL Summer2001 ADFL Summer2001 ADFL Summer2001 ADFL SummerSeminars – StartSeminars – StartSeminars – StartSeminars – StartSeminars – Start

Planning Now!Planning Now!Planning Now!Planning Now!Planning Now!

Each summer the Associationof Departments of ForeignLanguages (ADFL) sponsorsintensive summer seminars.These very well-receivedseminars provide an opportu-nity for college and universitydepartment chairs, languagecoordinators, and programadministrators to discuss lifeand work in departments offoreign languages. In thesummer of 2001, one of theseminars will be held at theUniversity of Texas at Aus-tin. The registration fee is$250 ($300 for nonmembers)and it includes most meals,but not housing. For furtherinformation and glowingreviews of past seminars,check out the ADFL web siteat http://www.adfl.org/index.htm. You may also writeor call Elizabeth Welles,Director, or David Goldberg,Associate Director, ADFL, 10Astor Place, New York, NY10003-6981; (212) 614-6325.

LOTE Center for Educator DevelopmentSouthwest Educational Development Laboratory211 East 7th StreetAustin, Texas 78701-3281http://www.sedl.org/loteced

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE PD.

AUSTIN, TEXASPERMIT NO. 314

è Interested in working with colleagues to learn about and develop TEKS-based units of study?

è Would you like to earn some money for putting your ideas down on paper?

è Would you like to travel to Austin and stay overnight, expenses paid?

è Would you like to have your creative endeavors published for all Texas teachers of LOTE to see?

IF SO, APPLY TO ATTEND THE LOTE CED’S LEARNING SCENARIO WORKSHOP!IF SO, APPLY TO ATTEND THE LOTE CED’S LEARNING SCENARIO WORKSHOP!IF SO, APPLY TO ATTEND THE LOTE CED’S LEARNING SCENARIO WORKSHOP!IF SO, APPLY TO ATTEND THE LOTE CED’S LEARNING SCENARIO WORKSHOP!IF SO, APPLY TO ATTEND THE LOTE CED’S LEARNING SCENARIO WORKSHOP!

when?when?when?when?when? April 2001 (exact date to be announced)how?how?how?how?how? An application will be disseminated through Texas LOTE Coordinators in January2001. However, if you are interested in applying and would like to have an applicationsent directly to you in January, please call or e-mail Lillian King at the LOTE CED to beplaced on the learning scenario workshop mailing list.phone: (800) 476-6861, x288e-mail: [email protected]

LEARNING SCENARIO WORKSHOP – SPRING 2000LEARNING SCENARIO WORKSHOP – SPRING 2000LEARNING SCENARIO WORKSHOP – SPRING 2000LEARNING SCENARIO WORKSHOP – SPRING 2000LEARNING SCENARIO WORKSHOP – SPRING 2000

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