STARTALK Fall Conference

Celebrating Success and

Planning for the Future

October 16, 2015

SESSION OVERVIEW

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Welcome (NFLC)

Remarks (ODNI & NSA)

Summer 2015

• Findings, Successes, & Challenges (NFLC & NSA)

• Stakeholder Survey Findings (CAL)

Navigating the Conference (NFLC)

Student learning:

Teacher development:

Materials development:

generate student interest to induce demand for school-year programs

ensure an adequate supply of effective teachers to meet the increased demand

build lasting infrastructure to support these languages even in the absence of direct government funding

STARTALK: THE VISION

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• Not included in the SP version

VIDEO: STUDENT STORIES

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REMARKS

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Mr. Stuart Dornfeld Chief, Foreign Language Program Office (FLPO), Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), Chief, Human Capital Office (CHCO)

Dr. Leonard ReinsfelderAssociate Director of Education and Training (ADET), NSA

Mr. Mark WolkowDirector of Academic Outreach, National Cryptologic School (NCS)

Dr. Laura MurrayTechnical Director, Center for Language and Area Studies, National

Cryptologic School (NCS) & Chairperson, STARTALK Steering Committee

SUMMER 2015 FINDINGS

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Betsy Hart

Director of Programs, NFLC

Program Manager, STARTALK

Diane Varieur

Contracting Officer Representative, NSA

Government Program Manager, STARTALK

STARTALK 2015

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Sources of information

1. Program data

2. Participant surveys

3. Site visit reports

4. Final reports and reflections

5. Stakeholder surveys

PROGRAM DATA:

AWARDS

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Program

• 97 student

• 54 teacher

Invitational

• 9 infrastructure building

• 1 program planning

23 combination

Student Programs

Chinese 54

Arabic 16

Hindi 13

Russian 13

Urdu 10

Korean 4

Portuguese 4

Persian 3

Turkish 2

Dari 1

Swahili 1

PROGRAM DATA:

LANGUAGE OFFERINGS

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Teacher Programs

Chinese 38

Arabic 15

Russian 14

Hindi 11

Korean 10

Portuguese 7

Persian 6

Urdu 5

Swahili 4

Turkish 2

Dari 1

PROGRAM DATA:

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS (THRU 2015)

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Students: 45,300

Teachers: 10,573

Total: 55,873

SURVEYS

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Impact • Program Director (2014)

• Longitudinal Participant (2007 – 2013)

Participant

• Teacher (2015)

• Student (2015)

Stakeholder

• Team Leaders (2015)

• Program Directors (2015)

• Program Instructors (2015)

• Site Visitors (2015)

PARTICIPANT DATA:

STUDENTS

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92.30%

95.40%

79.00%

88.40%

90.80%Learning a language during the

summer was a good experience.

I could understand most of what

was happening in the classroom.

I received feedback from my

classmates that was helpful to me.

I had many opportunities to speak

the target language.

The target language was used in

the classroom most of the time.

PARTICIPANT DATA:

TEACHERS

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More than 95% of respondents agreed with the

following three statements:

1. The teacher trainers were knowledgeable about language education and were good resources for information about program implementation, materials, etc.

2. The instructors were able to prepare me for teaching my target language and culture.

3. After participating in this program, my confidence in teaching the target language has increased.

SUCCESSES:

PROGRAMMATIC

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• More instructors are involved in planning.

• Instructors are reflecting and planning daily.

• Programs offer observation, coaching, and peer review.

• Programs have strong administrative support.

• Program directors have pre-program meetings with

participants and parents.

CHALLENGES:

PROGRAMMATIC (1 of 2)

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1. Staffing

• Changes in proposed leadership

• Program director not on site

2. Differentiation• Number of sections in student programs• Levels of experience in teacher programs

3. Combination programs that are barely connected

4. Consent forms

5. Surveys

CHALLENGES:

PROGRAMMATIC (2 of 2)

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6. Recruiting, registration, and attendance

7. Participant fees

8. Programs serving non-STARTALK languages

9. Day programs with resident students

10. Perceptions of nepotism

11. Program Director fatigue

SUCCESSES:

CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION

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• Target languages used at least 90% of the time

• Environments conducive to learning

• Culturally authentic resources utilized

• Time devoted to structured and unstructured peer sharing

• 96% of students report enjoying learning foreign languages

• 95% of teachers report gaining useful knowledge and skills

CHALLENGES:CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION (1 of 2)

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Student Programs

• Learner-centered classrooms

• Opportunities for meaningful, unrehearsed

communication

• Balancing meaningful guided and independent

practice

• Frequent and effective checks for understanding

CHALLENGES:

CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION (2 of 2)

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Teacher Programs

• Modeling learner-centered classrooms

• Online sections connecting to and supporting program

goals

• Instruction addressing effective lesson design

COMPONENTS OF SUCCESS

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• Planning

• Team work

• Reflection

• Community

STARTALK 2016

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Summer programs

• Support and Improvement

• Review and package existing resources

• Alignment of proposal, curricula, site visit and final reports

Infrastructure (legacy) building

• Adapting model curricula to STARTALK languages

Stakeholder Survey ResultsSTARTALK 2015

Stakeholder Survey ResultsSTARTALK 2015

Margaret E. Malone

Program Directors: Topics and IssuesProgram Directors: Topics and Issues

N=116, provided feedback on:

� NSA funding

� Professional development for instructors

� 90% of student programs had 2+ days of

Professional Development!

� Curriculum templates

� Online programs

� LinguaFolio online

� Recruiting & Logistics

23

NSA Funding: Issues (Program Directors)NSA Funding: Issues (Program Directors)

% Agree2013

% Agree2014

% Agree2015

Procedures set by NSA for

receiving funds were consistent

and clear.96% 97% 97%

I received program contracting

documents in a timely manner

from NSA.76% 87% 95%

Invoices submitted to NSA/ONR

were processed and funds

received in a timely manner.89% 96% 95%

My program had adequate funds. 96% 80% 93%

24

Our InstructorsOur Instructors

�96% of instructors in teacher programs felt supported by the Program Director

− I enjoy teaching in this program. I also get reflections from the current issues and challenges that teachers may face, therefore, help me investigate more for solutions.

�97% of instructors in student programs felt supported by the Program Director

− I think that this program has very important aspect for developing sense of foreign language in young generation. They could try to speak the non-common language and realized that it was possible to learn!

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Professional Development: Topics NeededProfessional Development: Topics Needed

Student-centered instruction

Checking understanding

Culture

STARTALK principles

Assessment

Technology

Classroom management

Target language use

Interactive Activities

Lesson planning

LinguaFolio

Time management

Games

Teaching beginners

Teaching grammar

Program DirectorsInstructors in Student

Programs

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Our Program DirectorsOur Program Directors

�98% would apply for a STARTALK program again!

− Although the time and efforts invested in the STARTALK program from my part is very high, I found the experience as program director is rewarding. The positive impacts of our STARTALK program on participating teachers and their local school and heritage language community make [me] continue with the efforts.

− STARTALK takes an immense amount of work and commitment, but it's worth it to see the genuinely transformative effect on students and on teacher participants!

− It is an all consuming experience yet very rewarding.

27

STARTALK online componentsSTARTALK online components

Online component?

Teacher programs 56% (24)

Student programs 33% (25)

Did your program feature an online component for

participants this summer—one that had learning

objectives and an evaluation to determine if those

objectives were met?

28

Of those who used it:N/A

Agree Disagree

The rationale behind LinguaFolio was clear. (N=55)90.9% (50)

9.1% (5)

0

LinguaFolio gave students useful information about their

progress in language learning. (N=54)77.8% (42)

22.2% (12)

0

Students demonstrated interest in using Linguafolio

Online mobile application (LFO to go). (N=55)58.1% (25)

41.9% (18)

12

The ability to use LFO to go increased student interest in

documenting their language progress. (N=54)60.0% (30)

40.0% (20)

4

The amount of time dedicated to LinguaFolio was

reasonable. (N=55)83.6% (46)

16.4% (9)

0

LinguaFolio was easy to administer. (N=55)72.7% (40)

27.3% (15)

0

LinguaFolio tutorials available from LinguaFolio Network

were useful. (N=54)89.1% (41)

10.9% (5)

8

LinguaFolio Help Desk support was useful in addressing

challenges we encountered. (N=54)95.2% (40)

4.8% (2)

12

Program Directors beliefs about LinguaFolioProgram Directors beliefs about LinguaFolio

29

LinguaFolio: WebinarsLinguaFolio: Webinars

Of the Program Directors who used LinguaFolio:

� 35 out of 40 attended the webinar: LinguaFolio Online: Navigation and Use in your STARTALK Program, and 89% of them found it useful for their program.

� 37 out of 40 attended the webinar: LinguaFolio Online: Setting up Your STARTALK Groups and Accounts, and 89% of them found it useful for their program.

� 29 out of 40 attended the webinar: The Top 10 Things you Need to Know for Successful Use in your STARTALK Program, and 86% of them found it useful for their program.

30

Program Directors beliefs about Team LeadersProgram Directors beliefs about Team Leaders

� 92% of Program Directors stated that they believe Team Leaders are helpful in developing their curriculum.

� 93% found answers to their questions from Team Leaders.

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Program Directors beliefs about the curriculum templateProgram Directors beliefs about the curriculum template

Agree Disagree

The curriculum template was valuable in

developing and refining our program plan.

(N=107)

93.4%

(100)

6.6%

(7)

The curriculum template facilitated lesson

planning. (N=108)92.6%

(100)

7.4%

(8)

32

Program Directors beliefs about the lesson plans and guidesProgram Directors beliefs about the lesson plans and guides

Agree DisagreeN/A

(did not

use)

I found the guides and templates for lesson

planning to be useful. (N=108)93.2%

(96)

6.8%

(7)5

I found the model curricula to be useful. (N=107)94.9%

(93)

5.1%

(5)9

I found the sample curricula and materials posted

on the STARTALK website to be useful. (N=107)95.9%

(94)

4.1%

(4)9

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Program Directors: Experiences with logistics and recruitingProgram Directors: Experiences with logistics and recruiting

Agree Disagree

I did not encounter difficulties recruiting participants.

(N=106)

75.5%(80)

24.5(26)

I did not encounter difficulties obtaining materials.

(N=105)

97.1%(102)

2.9%(3)

I did not encounter difficulties organizing program

logistics. (N=106)

89.6%(95)

10.3%(11)

34

Our legacyOur legacy

Responses

Yes, at least one former STARTALK student program participant came

back this year as a teacher, assistant or tutor in a student program.

51% (52)

Yes, at least one former STARTALK teacher development program

participant came back this year as a teacher, assistant or tutor in a

teacher program.

40% (41)

Yes, at least one former STARTALK teacher development program

participant came back this year as a teacher, assistant or tutor in a

student program.

33% (34)

None of the above. 22% (23)

Did you have any former STARTALK program participants

come back to teach or tutor in your program?

35

INFORMATION SESSION

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STARTALK Data: What Surveys Tell Us about

Programs

Friday 2:00pm, Salon 8, Mezzanine Level

NAVIGATING THE CONFERENCE:

FRIDAY

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Sessions 1 and 4• Language Learning 101 and 102

Session 2• Meet with your Team Leader

Lunch on your own

Session 3• Breakouts

Program Expo and Reception: 4:30 – 6:30pm

NAVIGATING THE CONFERENCE:

SATURDAY

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8:00am• Product Showcase

Sessions 5 and 6• Breakouts

Lunch Discussions

Session 7• Breakout Session

*** Hotel checkout @ 11am; baggage check from 7:30am in Ballroom C ***

ENJOY THE

CONFERENCE!