For language instructional programs, to what extent have language teaching staff (faculty and AIs) been exposed to current language pedagogy training for performance based teaching?
African Language AIs and Faculty attend pre-semester workshops through the African Language Program, Center for Language Excellence (CLE), and Center for Innovative teaching. Examples of workshop - which focus on different aspects of language pedagogy and assessment - include topics such as:
- Integrating a Standards-Based and Thematically Organized Curriculum
- Facilitating a learner- centered classroom
- Using the target language 90% of the time and the necessary comprehensible input to achieve this
- Integrating Language, Culture, and Content
- Use of authentic materials in the lower level of language instruction
- Proficiency based assessment
They also attend National African Language Resource Center (NALRC) summer institutes for Professional Development. In Summer 2017, instructors participated in the NALRC workshop that focused on:
- Using Standards-Based, Thematically Organized, Backward Curriculum Design with Performance Assessment in the three Modes of Communication
- Integrating Language, Culture, and Content in LCTLs Classroom
- Training participants to create a Learner-Centered Classroom
In Summer 2015, African Language Instructors attended CLW workshop on ACTFL OPI familiarization workshop that helped in integrating proficiency based assessment in their teaching.
African Language faculty have attended Interagency Language Round Table Roundtable/ACTFL OIP workshops and all are certified to conduct OPI nationally in their respective languages as ILR or ACTFL testers or both. [Of note: A. Beidy Sow is the only nationally certified Bamana tester is the US.]
Collaboration and sharing ideas with teachers from other language departments as seen in the following example:
IU Foreign Language Share Fair: Beatrice Okelo, Swahili Associate Instructor and graduate student in Linguistics, chaired the IU Foreign Language Share Fair organizing committee in the Fall 2013 (November 8) and Spring 2014 (March 28). Taiwo Ehineni, Francis Mwanzia, and Mpolokeng Lesetla were also part of the organizing committee. The fall event focused on “Beyond the Vocab List: From Presentation to Application”, and the spring event focused on “Planning for Flexibility: Accommodating Different Language Levels”. At the fall event, Taiwo Ehineni was one of the presenters on classroom activities, and Dr. Antonia Schleicher was a plenary speaker on Teaching Vocabulary in Context. The Second Language Share Fair is organized by Center for Language Technology (CeLT)
How does your program describe their instruction as performance-based? (What are your metrics or learning outcomes, etc.) What are your requirements for a student to be considered proficient?
African language instructors attend workshops on proficiency-based assessment. American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) guidelines are used.
In summer 2017, African language instructors attended a CLE workshop that had a session on Assessment and the following questions were discussed:
- What are Proficiency Targets?
- Why are proficiency targets important for planning instructional objectives?
- How are proficiency levels defined?
- What are reasonable expectations for attaining proficiency in a classroom setting?
- What is the difference between the “traditional grammar approach” and the “proficiency” approach?
Desired Proficiency goals and learning outcomes follow ACTFL Guidelines and World Readiness Standards
After two semesters, desired proficiency goal is ACTFL Intermediate Low. Students will be able to:
- Share likes and dislikes
- Talk about and describe aspects of the target language world, such as food, clothing, types of dwellings, modes of transportation, buildings, and monuments.
- Give and follow simple instructions to participate in classroom activities. Prepare and contribute information for an audio or video exchange or for web page on topics, such as school and hobbies.
- Prepare and present short announcements, such as the current date, time and weather information.
- Prepare and present and/or record short skits, and simple plays based on student interests
After four semesters, desired proficiency goal is ACTFL Intermediate High. Students will be able to:
- Share opinions, via discussion or written exchanges on articles, short stories, books, comics, movies, videos, music, and art.
- Engage in role-plays in the target language or participate in simulated authentic situations like exchanging an unwanted item in a store.
- Talk/write about current issues or historical events, for example, elections.
- Perform scenes from Swahili plays, live or on video.
- Demonstrate and explain how to accomplish a task, such as making a traditional dish.
After six semesters, desired proficiency goal is ACTFL Advanced Low/Mid. Students will be able to all the above tasks, as well as:
- Create and present skits or short plays on a variety of topics.
- Write and produce a short original recording, such as a newscast, a talk show, or a game show.
- Create and present reports (oral and in writing) on topics of their choice.
- Narrate in major time frames
- Provide detailed description