Improving Proficiency Outcomes Through Effective Assessment in the Chinese

Immersion ClassroomApril , 2013

National Chinese Language Conference, BostonShen Yin, Kojo Hakam and Michael Bacon

Portland Public Schools K-12 Mandarin Immersion Program

The Long Journey…

千里之行始于脚下

What is “effective” assessment?

Summative vs. Formative

Formal vs. Informal

Feedback and how you use it (cycle)

Student centered

Empowers teacher and most importantly student

Essential Questions

Where are you going?

Where are you now?

How do you close the gap?

Setting Outcome Targets

Why?AccountabilityImprovementCelebration

How?ACTFL National StandardsLinguaFolio CAN DOsNational and Local Data (casls.uoregon.edu)Teacher training and involvement (i.e. OPI Training)

What are our targets?

Upon completion of…

3rd Grade: Intermediate Low

5th Grade: Intermediate Mid

8th Grade: Intermediate High

10th Grade: Intermediate High/Advanced Low

12th Grade: Advanced Low/Advanced Mid

How do we close the gap?

Language and literacy development is intentional

Language and literacy development is explicit

Effective instruction and assessment is developmentally appropriate

Clear expectations and student ownership

Engaging, meaningful and contextualized

In K-5 we focus on:

Rigorous process - step by step guidance

- clear and high expectations

Powerful input - meaningful instruction

- efficient teaching tools

Then output will come naturally

Step by step guidance

Clear and high expectations

Meaningful instruction & Efficient teaching tools

-making teaching connected

Meaningful instruction- Create with the language

Warm-up: Discuss with a partner

Why is “assessment” important?

Use one paragraph with at least 4 connectors and at least 5 academic vocabulary words

为什么“评估”很重要？

讲一段话

应该用4个连词

应该用5个高级的生词 (跟中文教学有关）

How do we get “there”?

Essential Questions:

What does ‘there’ mean?

What does ‘there’ look like?

How do we move students from ‘here’ to ‘there’

How to get ‘there’

Sample Rubrics (Presentational Mode)

Classroom Strategies tied to ACTFL Guidelines

Opening writing Prompts （开头）

Think, write, pair, share

Unrehearsed speaking prompts (Voice Thread)

Feedback (Rubrics)

Peer Review/Self-Correction/Revision

Experiential Learning

Sample ‘Can do’ Statements (8TH GRADE):

Filial Piety (孝顺)

Students can use connected sentences of at least one paragraph length (IM/IH)/ or connected paragraphs with academic vocabulary (IH/AL) to compare and contrast the concept of respect towards the elders between the US and China.

Students can use connected sentences of at least one paragraph length with some academic vocabulary (IM/IH)/ or connected paragraphs with academic vocabulary (IH/AL) to explain and defend opinion on why he/she will or will not take care of his/her parents when they get old

Tasks with explicit requirements get better results

“No, because that’s weird”.

“I dunno”

“Yes, because they took care of me when I was young”.

Voice Thread Sample

When you get older will you take care of your parents? Why or why not?

When your parents get old, do you think you should take care of them? Why or Why not? Please use this week’s vocabulary and 2 paragraphs to answer

Scaffolding

1. 题目选择：我要讲有关___________________因为……..

2.决定你的观点(guan dian; perspective)

我觉得/我认为…….

因为…… (一段)

Peer Review

Student Output

8th Grade 2009

8th Grade 2011 Results (STAMP)

QUESTIONS?