a decade of foreign language standards influence impact future directions title vi international...

A Decade of foreign language standards

InfluenceImpactFuture Directions

TITLE VI International Research and Studies Program

Goals of the project1) create a bibliography of standards as they appear in the professional literature; categorize topics addressed and annotate major works

2) assess how standards have been institutionalized in educational programs and identify the degree to which standards have forged connections between K-12 and higher education

Goals of the project3) advance work toward expanding standards development and implementation in the U.S. Government’s identified critical needs languages.

4) identify areas in which research and professional development could more effectively promote teaching toward standards.

Task Forces and Members

Literature Survey: Sally Magnan, Chair

TF members: Katherine Arens, Frank (Pete) Brooks, Robert Davis, Virginia Scott Assistants: Jacques Arceneaux, Barbara Bird

Institutional Impact: Debbie Robinson, Chair

TF members: Michael Everson, David Jahner, Ursula Lentz, Aleidine Moeller

Professional Development: Eileen Glisan, Chair

TF members: Elizabeth Bernhardt, Nathan Bond, Iman Hashem, Grisel Lopez-Diaz

Research & activities – 3 years

Year 1: SurveyAs of Feb. 2010 respondents = 1286

Year 2: Analysis

Year 3: Implications, Recommendations

Where are we with standards?

What do the data mean?

Where do we go from here?

Literature Review

Task Force Charge

Review professional literature

With ACTFL, create a searchable site of Standards literature

Literature Review

Database search to locate Standards references

23 databases

22 search terms

1998 to 2009

Literature Review

Reference typesArticles, 425

Book reviews, 134

Dissertations, 42

Books and chapters, 101

News articles, 135

TOTAL, 900

Literature Review

Classifications

Primary focus

Substantial mention

Passing mention

Literature Review

Top journals for StandardsModern Language Journal, 181

Hispania, 68

Die Unterrichtspraxis, 49

Foreign Language Annals, 35

French Review, 32

ADFL Bulletin, 24

Literature Review

Results will be available in new searchable ACTFL library

Literature Review

Select a topic

Literature Review

Pick a “C”

Literature Review

Pick an instructional level

Literature Review

Select a language(s)

Literature Review

Reference and short annotation

Literature Review

Conference presentations

Trends from 1998-2009 from the report

Will not be listed individually in the library

Institutional Impact

State Supervisors

The National Standards have influenced policy in my state.

Yes 80 %

No 20 %


The state has produced tools or products related to NSFL

Yes 74 %No 21 %Other 37 %

Ex.Curriculum frameworks, model units and lessons, classroom application documents, targets by proficiency level


Standards revision based on:Benchmarking—other states 37 %International Benchmarking 47 %21st Century Skills 58 %College/career readiness 37 %Stronger performance-based 58 % assessmentCredit by proficiency 21 %Other 26 %


Institutional Impact: All respondentsState standards based on National Standards

77 % yes 7 % no16 % don’t know

Local or departmental curriculum/program of study based on National Standards

80 % yes14 % no 6 % don’t know


Concerted effort to implement standards-based program

Strongly Agree 37%

Agree 27%

Neutral 19%

Disagree 8 %

Strongly Disagree 8%


Perceptions: Standards-based program vs. non standards-based

66% of teachers can compare

34% cannot compare


Foster more positive attitudes towards language learning in students

Strongly Agree 37 %

Agree 33 %

Neutral 22 %

Disagree 4 %

Strongly Disagree 4 %


Retention of students improved and students take more language

Strongly Agree 22 %

Agree 28 %

Neutral 35 %

Disagree 9 %



Easier to communicate goals and objectives to various stakeholders

Strongly Agree 47 %

Agree 36 %

Neutral 12 %

Disagree 2 %



Students’ communicative ability has improved

Strongly Agree 28 %

Agree 35 %

Neutral 26 %

Disagree 7 %



Increased professional dialogue among language colleagues

Strongly Agree 32 %

Agree 34 %

Neutral 22 %

Disagree 6 %



Increased dialogue among colleagues of all disciplines

Strongly Agree 20 %

Agree 27 %

Neutral 30 %

Disagree 12 %



Easier to promote concept of life-long learning to students

Strongly Agree 33 %

Agree 35 %

Neutral 21 %

Disagree 5 %



Standards-based assessment has facilitated articulation

Strongly Agree 24 %

Agree 33 %

Neutral 29 %

Disagree 8 %


Strongly Agree 9 %

Agree 21 %

Neutral 40 %

Disagree 15 %


Can Compare Cannot Compare


AssessmentStatewide assessment of communicative ability?

District/department common assessment of communicative ability?

Yes 13% 11%

Yes 37% 32%

No 70% 68%

No 60% 66%

Don’t know 15% 20%

Other 27% 22 %

Other 10% 8%

can/cannot compare

can/cannot compare

Professional Development

5 Cs: Primary Focus of Formal or Informal PD

Communication 90 %

Cultures 56 %

Connections 37 %

Comparisons 32%

Communities 25 %


Formal Professional Development (PD) on Standards

51% of respondents received formal PD on Standards

Format of PD:Workshop 79 %Session/seminar/lecture 56 %Course 28 %Summer institute 24 %Series of workshops/package 12 %


Setting for Formal PD

School District 44 %College/university 41 %State conference 40 %Regional conference 35 %National conference 29 %State DOE 15 %NFLRC 9 %


Type of Support Received after PD to incorporate new skills

NONE 60 %Collegial/administrative support 24 %Resources 21 %Time 15 %

50% reported NO follow-up by school/ dept. chair to determine extent of implementation of new learning


Informal PD on Standards

Talking with colleagues 76%Reading professional literature 59 %Peer coaching/mentoring 46 %Independent study 34 %Study group 22 %Online discussions 15 %Conducting action research 10 %


PD Prompted Re-examination of Instructional Practices 74% reported that their PD prompted

them to implement new ideas and/or change their instructional practices.Prompted them to re-examine to greatest degree:

philosophy of teaching languagesinstructional practicesassessment practices


Responses to PD on Standards

Made few/no changes to teaching 7 %

Connected classroom activities to standards 38 %

Connected textbook/curriculum to standards 21 %

Implemented standards-based approach 34 %


Results: Respondents Never or Almost Never….

Teach students the terms products, practices, perspectives 46%

Provide opportunities for students to communicate with others via technology—i.e., key pals, blogs, online discussions, etc.

48%

Assess students’ ability to interact with TL communities 48%


Results: Respondents Always or Almost Always…

Use the target language 90% of the time or more in most of their lessons.

57 %

Provide students with the tools to engage in lifelong learning of the FL.

75%


Easiest & Most Difficult Goal Areas to Teach

Easiest: CommunicationCultures

Most Difficult:CommunitiesConnections


Methods Courses: Resources for Addressing Standards

Book: Standards for FL Learning in 21st Century 76 %Professional literature 72 %Textbook 68 %Websites & online materials 66 %State standards/frameworks 61 %Video clips of standards lessons 49 %Standards-based thematic units 48 %


Top 5 Topics Addressed*2-way tie for 2nd place, 3-way tie for 5th place

Communicative language ability 94 %

Importance of using TL, Integrationof Technology 93 %

Cultural 3 Ps 91%

Making input comprehensible, Making content meaningful, Teaching grammar in context 90 %


Activities Done in Methods Courses by Teacher Candidates

Top Two:Design oral, written, multimedia presentational communication tasks 88 %

Select an authentic text as basis for lesson or unit 84 %

Bottom Two:Design assessment to measure students’ understanding of 3 Ps 41 %Design a task to assess learners’ ability to interact in TL communities 34 %


District Supervisors: New teachers’ understanding of Standards is determined

through:

Interview questions 85 %Sample lesson plans 34 %Portfolios 34 %Demonstration lesson 32 %Teacher work samples 18 %None of the above 11 %Essay 6 %


Professional Development Being “well versed” in Standards

New teacher education graduatesYES 56 %NO 44 %

University mentorsCompletely 37 %Minimally 58 %Not at all 5 %


Input from professional Colleagues

Discussion of FL Standards in professional literature (not textbooks) outside our field District / university collaborations not in the literature for professional developmentResearch or data gathering projects with standards associated focus or reference

a decade of foreign language standards influence impact future directions title vi international...

Documents

mention slide

topic slide

literature review p

literature review results

proficiency level slide

instructional level

short annotation slide

studies program slide