Why do we need standards for world language learning?

1
Why do we need standards for world language
learning?

• Students, parents, administrators, and language
  teachers need to know what learning another
  language means in U.S. schools.
• If we are to align our efforts to increase
  language proficiency, we need common goals and
  terminology.
• If language learning is a journey, we need a map
  to show us the way.

2
What are the different types of standards?

• Content Standards
• What should students know and be able to do?
• Performance Standards
• How can students show they are achieving the
  content standards?
• Proficiency Standards
• How well are students achieving how can we
  measure progress?
• Program Standards
• When? Where? Who? the elements of program
  design
• State Standards Connecting a National Vision to
  Local Implementation (PDF) by Paul Sandrock,
  ACTFL

3
What are the National Standards for Foreign
Language Learning?

• A brief history
• 1993 work on national foreign language content
  standards began
• 1996 generic standards published
• 1999 language-specific standards published for
  Chinese, Classical Languages, French, German,
  Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and
  Spanish
• 2006 added language Arabic
• Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the
  21st Centuryhttp//www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.
  cfm?pageid3324 

4
The National Standards 5 Cs
5
Communication

• Communicate in Languages Other Than English
• Interpersonal Mode
• Interpretative Mode
• Presentational Mode

6
Cultures

• Gain Knowledge and Understanding of Other
  Cultures

PERSPECTIVES(Meanings, attitudes, values, ideas)
o
PRACTICES(Patterns of social interactions)
PRODUCTS(Books, tools, foods, laws, music, games)
7
Connections

• Connect with Other Disciplines and Acquire
  Information
• Further knowledge of other disciplines
• Recognize distinctive viewpoints

8
Comparisons

• Develop Insight into the Nature of Language and
  Culture
• Compare language studied to their own
• Compare culture studied and their own

9
Communities

• Participate in Multilingual Communities at Home
  Around the World
• Use the language within and beyond school
• Use language for personal enjoyment and enrichment

10
Instructional Strategies

• Speak in the target language (keep English to a
  minimum)
• Use real objects to convey meaning
• Teach vocabulary in context
• Try paired and small-group activities
• Focus on communication, not just perfect grammar
• from New Jersey World Language Standards, p. 60

11
Learning Strategies

• Show students how to
• Organize in advance by previewing, skimming, or
  reading for the gist
• Reflect on what theyve learned
• Summarize
• Ask for clarification or explanation
• from Standards for Foreign Language Learning p.
  34

12
Communications Strategies

• Circumlocution
• Guessing intelligently
• Deriving meaning from context
• Understanding, interpreting, and producing
  gestures
• Asking for and providing clarification
• Making inferences, predictions, and
  generalizations
• Drawing conclusions
• from Standards for Foreign Language Learning p.
  34