seal of biliteracy implementation: benefits & challenges · seal of biliteracy implementation:...
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SealofBiliteracyImplementation:Benefits&Challenges
KristinJ.Davin,UniversityofNorthCarolinaatCharlotte
LindaEgnatz,Lincoln-WayWestHighSchool
AmyHeineke,LoyolaUniversityChicago
Languageisnotacollegerequirement,itisanenviablelifeskill.
Languageisn’ta“creditforgraduationtocheckoff,”butaskillthat“checksyouin”tofutureopportunity.
Why the Seal?
It is both Incentive and Recognition.
ACTFL - Egnatz - 2017
Context
Ø 42of50stateshavenoWorldLanguagegraduationrequirement
Ø In7statesandD.C.wherethereareWorldLanguagegraduationrequirements,themaximumobligationistwoyearsofcourseworkbeginninginhighschool.
(O’Rourke,Zhou,&Rottman,2016)
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ParticipatingStates
VariationsinpolicyacrosstheU.S.• Tiersofseal
• WorldLanguageproficiencyrequirements
• Englishlanguageproficiencyrequirements
• RequirementsforEnglishlearners
• Collegecredit
• Acceptedformsofevidence
• Typesofschoolsallowedparticipation
(Davin&Heineke,2017)
The Illinois Experience
The State Seal of Biliteracy certifies attainment of a high level of proficiency,
sufficient for meaningful use in college and a career, by a graduating public high
school pupil in one or more languages in addition to English.
Illinois Senate Bill 1221
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Per legislation:The purposes of the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy are as follows:
(1) To encourage pupils to study languages.(2) To certify attainment of biliteracy.(3) To provide employers with a method of identifying people with language biliteracy skills.(4) To provide universities an additional method to recognize applicants seeking admission.(5) To prepare pupils with 21st century skills.(6) To recognize the value of foreign language and native language instruction in public schools.(7) To strengthen intergroup relationships, affirm the value of diversity, and honor the multiple cultures and languages of a community.
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“Language learning is not a nice to have,
it’s an essential.”
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• 2015 graduates: High School Recognition - transcripts/diploma/ceremonies
• 2017 graduates: College entrance requirements - especially for ELLs
• 2017 graduates: Advanced Placement credit - by legislative action state university coursework is aligned to proficiency levels
• Student scholarship and internship opportunities
2014 Lincoln-Way #210 District Pilot2015 18 districts / 494 Seals
2016 59 districts / 2630 Seals
2017 72 districts / # Seals not yet available
The Illinois Experience
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How is Proficiency measured?
• World Language:– AP Language & Culture Exam (4+)– IB Language Exam– AAPPL (Intermediate High)– STAMP Exam (Avant Assessment) (7+)– CEFR (B2)
• English Language – WIDA (4.8)– SAT (waiting for cut score for 2017-18)
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Align Curriculum, Instruction, Assessments andCelebratory Recognition to reflect proficiency
Goals at each level of language learning.
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ResearchQuestions
• HowareschoolsputtingtheSealofBiliteracyintopractice?
• Whatdostudents,teachers,andadministratorsperceiveassuccessestoimplementingtheSealofBiliteracy?
•Whatdostudents,teachers,andadministratorsperceiveaschallengestoimplementingtheSealofBiliteracy?
DataSources
Interview– WorldLanguage(WL)&ESLDepartmentchairsat3districts– Approximately4-8WLandESLteachersatonehighschoolineachdistrict
Survey– WL&ESLteachersateachschool– 10th &12th gradersatonehighschoolineachdistrict
FocusGroups– Focusgroupswith:(a)12thgraderspursuingthesealand(b)12thgraders
notpursuingthesealatonehighschoolineachdistrict
Context:DistrictA4th year of implementation
7,110 students97% graduation rate
District A: Implementation Logistics
AssessmentOptions • StudentscantaketheAPexamattheendofthesemester• StudentscantaketheSTAMP4sinFebruaryonaSaturday
Advertising • Teachersadvertiseintheirclasses• WLCoordinator visitsallupperlevellanguageclasses• Describeatparentnight
Recognition • AwardsnightinAprilforthoseexpected toearnSealofBiliteracy
• Emblemplacedondiploma• Lineontranscript
Context:DistrictB2nd year of implementation
4,726 students95% graduation rate
District B: Implementation LogisticsAssessmentOptions
• StudentscantaketheAPexamattheendofjunior/senioryear
• StudentscantaketheAAPPLinFebruary duringschoolday
Advertising • Emailblasttoallseniors• Letter mailedhometostudentsmeetingEnglishrequirements
andenrolledinyear4or5ofWorldLanguagestudy• Letter deliveredinhomeroomtostudentsmeetingEnglish
requirementsandenrolledinyear4or5ofWorldLanguagestudy
Recognition • Emblemplacedondiploma• Lineontranscript
Context:DistrictC3rd year of implementation
3,978 students95% graduation rate
District C: Implementation Logistics
AssessmentOptions • StudentscantaketheAPexamattheendofyear• StudentscantaketheAAPPLafterschoolonce infalland
onceinspring(STAMP forHebrew)anytimeduringH.S.
Advertising • Teachersadvertiseintheirclasses• Emailblasttoallstudents
Recognition • SealprintedondiplomaforstudentswhoqualifiedviaAPexamasjuniorsorthroughAAPPLasseniors
• Notedontranscript
Findings:SuccessesofImplementation
Success:MotivatingforStudents
96%feltitwasimportanttoknowmorethanonelanguage
81%feltthattheSealofBiliteracywouldbenefitthem
“Forme,mySpanish2teachertoldmeaboutitandthescholarshipopportunitiesandIwasjustlike,‘Heythatsoundslikeaprettygoodwaytogeteasymoney.’ So,thatwasmymotivationfortheSealofBiliteracy”(FocusGroup;SchoolA)
“Itgivesyouamotivetofinish.BeforeIwaslikewhyamIinthisclass?[Kidsare]reallybusywithextracurricularorotherstudies.Andasseniorswe'redoingapplicationsforcolleges,orwe'regettingourtranscriptsinandwe'regettingscholarships”(FocusGroupSchoolB)
The extent to which you feel each item is a benefit of the Seal of Biliteracy?Strongly StronglyDisagree Agree
Future employment opportunities 4% 5% 14% 23% 54%Future career use 5% 3% 14% 25% 54%Additional seal on transcript 7% 3% 18% 25% 48%College credit 6% 3% 16% 28% 46%Ability to travel abroad 8% 7% 17% 25% 43%Appreciation of diversity 7% 7% 20% 26% 41%Ability to speak to others 9% 12% 22% 26% 31%Stronger analytical skills 14% 12% 29% 22% 24%Ability to speak to family 27% 17% 22% 12% 22%Higher ACT/SAT 34% 15% 28% 11% 12%Better grades 31% 21% 26% 12% 11%
Success:MotivatingforStudents
Success:WashbackonInstructionIt’saniceaward…youputthestickeronthediplomaand…youhonorstudentsfortheskill.Butasadepartmentyoutakeontheresponsibilitytogetthekidstothatlevel…wereallyhadtoshiftourcurriculum tobesurethatallofourteachersknew[that]bytheendoflevelone,thosestudentsshouldbesolidlyatnovicemidandapproachingnovicehigh…Youdon’tjustgoteachandthenjusthaveyourfingerscrossedthatthey’retherebecauseinafour-yearsetuplikeoursit’sgottobeprettyaggressivetogetthemtointermediatemidorintermediatehigh…IhavetosayIwasalittleblindtotheamountofchangestothecurriculumthatitwouldtake.AndIthinkthat’swhyI’mparticularlyproudofthesenumbers.(DepartmentChair;SchoolA)
Some[teachers]areverygrammardriventhat’sbeen…thereality…Andaswehaveconversationsaboutmovingtowardsmoreproficiencyandtestingforwhatstudentscandoversuswhattheycan’tdo,that’sbeenabigshift.Wehavearticulationmeetingstwiceayearwherewetalkaboutsomeofthoseissuesmovingforward.(DepartmentChair;SchoolB)
Success:WashbackonInstructionØ 56%ofteachersindicatedthattheSealofBiliteracyhaschangedtheirinstruction
Ø 69% ofteachersindicatedthattheSealofBiliteracyhaschangedtheirassessment
Ø Towhatextenthasimplementationofthisawardchangedyourinstructionandassessment?
Ø 31%usetheCanDoStatementsmoreØ 34%usetheACTFLstandardsmoreØ 38%usetheACTFLproficiencyguidelinesmoreØ 41%includemoreinstructionwithspeakingandlisteningØ 38% includemoreinstructionwithreadingandwritingØ 48%indicatedthatassessmentismoreproficiency-based
Success:GrowingPrograms
2016 2017
#ofgraduates Seal Commendation #ofgraduates
Seal Commendation
DistrictA 1848 4% 3% 1711 4% 2%
DistrictB 1220 1% 2% 1153 3% 4%
DistrictC 927 18% 3% 925 22% 4%
LanguagesAwardedDistrictA District B DistrictC
ChineseFrenchGermanSpanish
ChineseFrench*German*HebrewSpanish
ChineseFrenchGermanHebrewItalianJapaneseLatinPolish**RussianSpanish
*Commendations**Viatheportfoliooption
Success:GrowingPrograms (SchoolA)
2015 2016 2017N N N
ChineseLanguage 0 1 4FrenchLanguage 14 22 17GermanLanguage 15 23 20SpanishLanguage 98 144 227SpanishLiterature 21 16 10Latin 3 1 1
TotalTests 151 207 279
StudentsEnrolledinAPCourses
Findings:Challengesto Implementation
Challenge:AdvertisingtheAward
• “Ifeellikeitwouldhavebeenmorehelpfultoknowfreshmanyear.Like,ifyouwanttostudylanguage,youhavethepotentialoflearningtheSealofBiliteracy,sothatwouldprobablygetstudentsmoremotivatedtoactuallyfocushardandworkhardonlearningthatlanguage”(FocusGroup,SchoolB)
• “Myteacherlastyear… wasjustlike,yeahgotothiswebsiteandtakethistest.Everyonewaskindoflike,‘okay’,butdidn'tknowwhatitwasorwhereitwasorhowitwasbeingofferedoranything”(FocusGroup,SchoolC)
v48%ofsophomoreswereunawareoftheSealofBiliteracy
v23%ofseniorswereunawareoftheSealofBiliteracy
Challenge:AssessmentAvailability,FundingandTiming
WhatdoyouseeasbarrierstoallstudentsearningtheSealofBiliteracyinthisdistrict?
• 45%ofseniors sawthecostoftheassessmentasabarrier
• 22%ofseniors sawthelackofavailabilityofWLassessmentsasabarrier
“Thatwasareallybusytime thoughifIthinkaboutit.InallmyAPclassesitwasreallybusyinFebruary.That'sprobablyoneofthereasonsIdidn'ttakeit.Therewasalotgoingon”(FocusGroup;SchoolB)
“Wherealotofthestrugglescomefrom,likewe’vegotacoregroupofTagalogspeakersandwereallywanttodotheportfolio,butwedon’tnecessarilyhavethecapacityto…wehavefourSyrianspeakers…wedon’thavethecapacityhereto,tosupportthosestudents.Wedon’thaveany,anyofourstafforfacultyspeakthatlanguage”(DepartmentChair;SchoolC)
Challenge:ExtendedSequenceofStudy
WhatdoyouseeasbarrierstoallstudentsearningtheSealofBiliteracyinthisdistrict?
• 56%ofteachers indicatedthatstudentsdonotbeginstudyingaWLearlyenough
• 50%ofstudentsindicatedthatstudentsdonotbeginstudyingaWLearlyenough
“Iftheystartlearning[Hebrew]theirfreshmanyear,wenowunderstandthattheyarenotabletoreach[IntermediateHigh]inthesenioryearbecauseoftheresearchof700hoursingeneralneeded…toachievethatlevel…intermsofourexperiencewesawthosestudentswhobeganlearningthelanguagefreshmanyear…arenotabletoobtainthesealofbiliteracy.”
“Itseemslikeourcurriculumputsthemonaprettygoodpathfor[theseal].AtleastforSpanishandFrenchandGerman.Mineisalittlebitdifferentbecause…Chineseisoneofthemostdifficultlanguages. Idon’twantthattobeanexcuseforthekids,butIdotellthem,inordertolearnChinesefluently,youneedtobeinChinaforagoodamountoftime.ButIstillsaygoforitandtryit.”
Whymustweadvocate?
“ForeignlanguageisthemostimportanteducationI'veeverhad.TheabilitytocommunicatewithpeoplethatotherwiseIcan'tcommunicatewith.Like,Ican'ttellyouhowmanytimesI'vebeenoutintheworldingeneralandsomeoneisstrugglingwith
speakingEnglishandIjumpinandI'mlike,‘Igotyou.’AndIbetheirtranslatorandpeoplearejustsothankfulforit.Andtohavethatopportunitytobethatbufferandtheyjustkindofthink,ohlookatyou,youcan'tspeakSpanish,andI'mjustlike,‘Holdup.’AndIsurprisepeople.It'sthebest...IhaveabsolutelynoregretsabouttakingSpanishor
continuingSpanish.”(FocusGroup;SchoolA)
“Inmyverylife,evenwithmyparents,becausethere'salanguagebarrier,sometimesthere'smisunderstandingsandwegetintofights.Ithinkthatknowinglanguagesfluentlyis
oneofthemostbeneficialthingstopeoplebecauseitreducesconflictsandyoucanunderstandeachotherbetter.”(FocusGroup;SchoolC)
And…
Thank you!!
To colleagues and graduate students who have been instrumental in data collection and coding, including:
Amy Bedford
Todd Bowen
Peg Bobber
Justin Fisk
Cornelia Okraski
Linda L. Egnatz
[email protected]@miprofeAP
www.lindaegnatz.com
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Kristin J. Davin
[email protected]@KJDavin