[ola] Re: [ola] RE: [ola] Re: Beginning of the year Œreview¹
- From: Caleb Zilmer <caleb_zilmer@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "ola@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <ola@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2013 13:56:57 -0500
This conversation reminds me of a tweet I saw the other day. I liked that it,
too, focuses on the practice of target language usage and real communication
rather than isolated grammar drills and the boring rules. Here is the link for
anyone that's
interested...http://leesensei.edublogs.org/2013/08/27/what-exactly-are-they-reviewing/#.Uh-Y91K9Kc1
Enviado desde el iPhone de Caleb Zilmer
El 29/08/2013, a las 11:19, Call Daniel <dcall@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> escribió:
> Thanks, Arnold! Your way of putting things is so helpful. I especially like
> your “island in the world of Proficiency” metaphor.
>
> Dan Call
> Spanish Teacher
> Franklin Pierce High School
>
>
>
> From: ola-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ola-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
> Arnold Bleicher
> Sent: Thursday, August 29, 2013 8:09 AM
> To: OLA Listserve
> Subject: [ola] Re: Beginning of the year Œreview¹
>
> 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 ‘review’
>
> 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 ‘review’,
> 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 ‘review’, 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
> ‘information’ 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. It’s 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 can’t
> conjugate or what vocab they don’t 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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