[ola] Re: Beginning of the year review¹
- From: Arnold Bleicher <arnoldb@xxxxxxxx>
- To: OLA Listserve <ola@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2013 08:09:14 -0700
I like Darcy's outline of how to deal with these first few days and weeks.
Grammar instruction at the lower levels (Novice) is pointless. Grammar and
control of structures play a more important role as the students move up the
scale of proficiency but at the lower levels it is a hinderance to their
ability to communicate using the language they have. Remember what John
DeMado says: "Grammar does not communication. It makes communication
accurate." How accurate does a Novice have to be? Not very.
Also keep in mind that you are assessing performance, which is an island in
the world of Proficiency. Without the follow-ups and level checks and
probes, one can't determine Proficiency. But one can get a good idea of
where the student is performing on a given task on a given topic. These
islands of performances grow into continents and then into a world of global
proficiency. When you look at the totality of their performance it is safe
to conclude that their proficiency is somewhere near the performance. For
example, a student demonstrating solid Novice High performance on a variety
of topics and tasks is very likely to be "proficient" in that range. One
showing vacillating performance between N-H and listing of the N-M may be a
different proficiency profile. Same for all other levels. A student showing
good I-L performance on a variety of tasks and topics will likely be
proficient in the N-H to I-L range. A student showing good performance on a
variety of topics and tasks will likely be proficient in the I-L to I-M
range. Again, without the benefit of level checks and probes it is not
really possible to determine the sub level but it is possible to get a good
idea of the major level (Novice, Intermediate, Advanced).
Someone produced a very nice graphic showing how the levels overlap. The
graphic highlights how it is not a linear progression but an exponential one
and the N-H shares a good deal in common with the I-L. They both have the
same functions and text type and accuracy/comprehensibility but the N-H
isn't sustaining it all the time. They are very similar profiles, much more
alike than a N-M and a N-H.
I wish you all a good school year.
Arnold
From: Darcy Rogers <rogersdr25@xxxxxxxxx>
Reply-To: OLA Listserve <ola@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wednesday, August 28, 2013 10:53 PM
To: OLA Listserve <ola@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [ola] Beginning of the year review¹
Hello OWLers!!!
As I was thinking about many of you who are just starting OWL, or even those
of you who have been doing it for a while, and thinking about the role that
grammar has had traditionally for many us in our beginning of the year, I
wanted to challenge us all to think about it from a different perspective.
I am guessing that many of us are used to starting each year with a
review¹, and this generally consists of some kind of grammar practice
(conjugation games or quizzes, vocab quizzes, etc.), which actually tells us
nothing about their actual language level. I would challenge you instead to
think of the beginning of the year as investigative, trying to find out what
LANGUAGE your students DO have. There is no need for review¹, since your
only goal is to identify what level they are at so that you can figure out
how to move them forward. They should be able to talk and write about lots
of different topics at whatever level they are at (NM, NH, IL, IM, etc.).
Our job is to give them exposure to as many different opportunities to show
us their level as possible.
These are some questions to keep in mind as we lead them through this:
What level are my students at?
What functions can they do?
What kind of language (text type-lists, phrases, sentences, etc.) am I
hearing?
What is our content and context, that is how many different topics can they
talk/write about?
Where are they on the ACTFL scale?
What overall language am I hearing/seeing in writing?
Think of yourself as an investigative reporter trying to collect as much
information¹ as possible about each student. Between all the activities in
class and the written journals and/or pre-assessments within the first two
weeks, you should have a solid idea of where students are. If you are still
unsure of certain students, pull them aside to do oral interviews and
determine better where they are. You could also do oral pre-assessments for
all if you felt so inclined.
I keep track of all their levels and they set goals based off what level
they think they are, with proof (their journal, pre-assessment,
conversations, etc.) I compare where I have them at with where they placed
themselves. If any discrepancies arise, it leads to some wonderful
conversations and possible goal re-setting. It¹s very empowering to have the
language and conversation be about their language level and what they CAN do
and what they need to do to get the next level instead of how well they can
or can¹t conjugate or what vocab they don¹t remember from the previous year.
What other ideas are out there?! What specific things do you do? I would
love to hear some different ideas around transforming those first two weeks
of class and creating an investigative, fun, community building space!!!! J
Darcy Rogers
Organic World Language (OWL)
Phone: 541.601.4509
Fax: 541.776.4099
Website: olaed.com
Facebook: tinyurl.com/organic-language-facebook
De: JoAnna Coleman <joannac@xxxxxxx>
Para: "ola@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <ola@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Enviado: Miércoles, 28 de agosto, 2013 6:49 P.M.
Asunto: [ola] Re: Songs!
We sing everyday in class - I incorporate the daily song into the OWL
format sometime during the class period - sometimes we play musical chairs
while singing, or use the song for Smoosh! or sing in a circle while doing
something (ie. send the clap, swaying, moving in and out like the tide), we
play "don't forget the lyrics" or combine singing with gestures.
We'll also watch the video without sound and one partner will describe what
they see to another who isn't looking at screen, then watch all together and
sing. Dance offs can be fun, too.
I am going to try a modified version of the embedding literacy activity we
did with Annie with songs this year as well
JoAnna Coleman
Spanish Teacher
Wilson High School
503-916-5280 ext. 75231
joannac@xxxxxxx
http://profecoleman.wordpress.com/
From: ola-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [ola-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] on behalf of
Harris levinson [hlevinson@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Wednesday, August 28, 2013 1:50 PM
To: ola@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [ola] Re: Songs!
I think the key is to make sure that everyone practices singing it as a
class. They need to risk singing aloud even though they fear they can't sing
or "don't have a voice." Singing in a group is powerful, fun, and can help
build community. You might give one quarter of the class verse 1, another
verse 2, another verse 3, and another the chorus. Or let everyone join in on
the chorus.
Perhaps you ask one of the dancers in class to choreograph some moves and
then teach the class his/her steps.
You might also ask them to develop a storyboard for their own music video to
the song, or to craft a lyrics book, puppet show, live theatrical
presentation, lo que sea.
Singing with my class has become one of the greatest joys of teaching for
me...and I am not one who looks to sing solo or even in public, but with
students in the classroom it's a real pleasure.
Suerte con las canciones.
Harris
2013/8/28 Heidi Hewitt <hambrozaitis@xxxxxxxxx>
> Hi everyone,
>
> I'm doing my música miércoles (music Wednesday) this year with OWL... AH! This
> morning I had one tough class and one decent one with a Juanes song and am
> wondering what kinds of things people have tried.
>
> Thanks!!!
>
> Heidi
>
> P.S. First day was GREAT! :) Thank you all for being so supportive.
--
Harris Levinson
Teacher, Adviser
Vashon Island High School
Tel: 206.463.9171 x141
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