STARTALK 2017

BRINGING CULTURE FROM THE THEME

DOWN TO DAILY/WEEKLY TASKS AND

ACTIVITIES

STARTALK Spring Conference 2017

Claire Kotenbeutel & Audrey Li

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Outcomes• STARTALK Principle : Integrating Culture, Content, and Language in a

World Language Classroom– STARTALK Sub-Principles:

• Learning experiences are designed to allow students to use language as they work with the content and cultural topics of the unit.

• Learners engage in meaningful and purposeful communication. They Communicate. They know how, when, and why to say what to whom.

• CAN DO:*I can identify the appropriate cultural components that link to my theme.*I can determine which cultural components are most appropriate for different age levels.*I can create a learning plan that uses cultural knowledge to prepare learners to complete language tasks.

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*LE6c: My students frequently use cultural products and practices to contextualize language tasks.

*LE6d: My students can use their language skills and cultural understanding to interact effectively in a cultural context other than their own.

*LT1d: My students and I access local and global target language communities as language and culture resources

*LT2e: My students and I expand the learning experience to local and global target language communities.

TELL Criteria:

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NORMS FOR FOCUS SESSION

MONITOR YOUR SIDE CONVERSATIONS and questions in order to maximize focused input: you will be able to share your expertise during the Reflective Collaboration session.

BE OPEN MINDED: respect new perspectives and information

PROCESS THE INPUT: take notes, draw visuals, etc.

LAW OF TWO FEET: if you realize this topic is not one you want to explore, this is the only opportunity to change strands.

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Why this Focus Session?

Why, despite years of concerted efforts, integration of culture, content and culture remains a challenge? (outcomes, slide 2)

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The problem:

• Curriculum design tends not to consider a culture theme –

• Culture tends to be an afterthought, something random to accompany language/content, or simply extracurricular activities to provide fun and varieties in a program

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First step towards bringing culture to

daily tasks/activities

Backward design!

What is the goal of the program in regard to culture?

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What is the program theme?What culture theme(s) fit the program

curriculum the best?How can the program culture theme(s) be

broken down to smaller units appropriate for the units in the program?What language and content best represent

the culture theme in each unit?

Plan with the program’s “culture theme” as

the guide

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Plan with the program’s “culture theme” as

the guide

Program theme:Program culture theme?

should help deciding on the language to use, content to learn, and learning contexts to provide

Unit culture theme(s)?should help deciding on the language to use, content to learn, and learning contexts to provide

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Plan with the program’s “culture theme” as

the guide

1. Identify relevant cultural practices/products

2. Create language/content targeting such cultural practices/products

3. Design tasks accordingly

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Example:

Arabic Model Curricula by One World Now! https://startalk.umd.edu/public/model-curricula/arabic-curricula?st=1

Silk Road

STARTALK Model Student Curricula:https://startalk.umd.edu/public/searchresources/model%2520curricula

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• Students will plan a trip abroad to attend a summer travel camp. They will explore various camp options and choose the one that appeals to them and register to attend. Before leaving on the trip, they will need to make preparations. Where will they go? What will they see? They will learn about the regions of the country they will visit, some of the landmarks, the geography, and climate. At home in the US, they will practice greeting others, courtesy expressions and culturally appropriate gestures, making introductions, talking about themselves and their preferences. They will make and taste some authentic foods. They will apply for necessary travel documents. They will be able to comment on why they are excited to travel the country with other pre-teens and teenagers who have similar interests.

Oh, the places we will visit: travel camp abroad

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Example:

• What Happened to My Ear?

• And, where did this activity go WRONG?

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• Lundi, le 14 juin

• (5 minutes) une chanson

• (10 min.) les devoirs à corriger avec un partenaire (act. 4 , page 139

• (10 min.) revision des meubles dans une chambre

• (10 min.) de quelle couleur est…….?

• l’activité avec un partenaire

• (10 min.) Van Gogh - mon oreille….qu’est-ce qui s’est passé?

• (5 min.) les devoirs pour demain - une image à décrire (couleurs, meubles)

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Focus on culture:

During this activity...

1.What is the culture theme?

2. What strategies did I use to incorporate culture into the lesson?

3. How did I introduce culture while introducing language and content?

4. What types of questions did I use?

5.Were the students involved? How?

6. Will students understand ?

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Application resources

• You are NOT alone! Help, Suggestions, Resources are just a “click” or a call/text away.

– STARTALK Resources site has examples and curricula

• Model Curricula by Theme, by language, by grade or level. Video: Integrating Culture, Content and Language

• Laura Terrill (01/10/17) “The Power of the Image”

• Your TEAM LEADER!!!

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Tips for Implementation/Application

Identify your culture theme before you plan your lessons.Divide the culture theme into sequences of manageable

subparts. Let the subparts help guide the planning of your daily or weekly

tasks/activities.Prepare your students or guest speaker for the tasks/activities.Students can be invited to search for similar concepts/products

and bring them to class.

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Potential Pitfalls

• Be careful not to overwhelm students with everything that you think is interesting – appropriate load, appropriate for the age, the context…., meaningful and comprehensible.

• Choose what is relevant, not what is convenient (e.g., food culture – not any menu from a local restaurant but a menu that lists the dishes typical of the region)

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Summary

–Backward design!

•Define the culture theme(s) for the program, then break it down to manageable subparts, sequence them for each unit.

• Identify the relevant language/content, design daily/weekly tasks/activities accordingly.

• - Be resourceful and be mindful!

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Summary

STARTALK Sub-Principles:• Learning experiences are designed to allow students to use language

as they work with the content and cultural topics of the unit.• Learners engage in meaningful and purposeful communication.

They Communicate. They know how, when, and why to say what to whom.

• CAN DO:*I can identify the appropriate cultural components that link to my theme.*I can determine which cultural components are most appropriate for

different age levels.*I can create a learning plan that uses cultural knowledge to prepare

learners to complete language tasks.

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*LE6c: My students frequently use cultural products and practices to contextualize language tasks.

*LE6d: My students can use their language skills and cultural understanding to interact effectively in a cultural context other than their own.

*LT1d: My students and I access local and global target language communities as language and culture resources

*LT2e: My students and I expand the learning experience to local and global target language communities.

TELL Criteria:

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In Preparation . . .

• Think Application: How much of this topic already applies? How much do you want to implement this year?

• Think Growth: What topics relate to your problem of practice or continuous improvement goal?

• Think Collaboration: What experiences you can share? or What additional questions can you pose?

GIVE ONE/GET ONEFind someone who can teach you something. . . What can you teach others?What do we want to learn more about?

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Table Topics

• How to integrate social/classroom language within a cultural topic

• How to avoid using English with novice learners

• Culture from Theme to Lesson Language Specific

• Adapting STARTALK model curricula for my program

• My idea is . . .

• Another idea is …

• Ask the Presenters . . . Have further questions? See us at our tables!

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Linguafolio OnlineAs you work throughout the day, remember you will be responsible for uploading evidence to Linguafolio Online.

• I can contribute to the development of an action plan based on a problem of practice or continuous improvement goal.

• I can contribute to the learning of others.

• I can learn from others.

• I can act on insights gained from self-reflection and the reflection of others.

• I can receive and act on feedback to improve a plan, product, or performance.

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NORMS FOR REFLECTIVE COLLABORATION

LAW OF TWO FEET: if you are not learning or contributing to the learning of someone else, use your feet and find a new table.

SHARE IDEAS, but pay attention to how you are impacting the table and how others are responding.

REMAIN OPEN-MINDED and assume that comments, questions or statements from others are coming from a positive collegial place.

PAUSE BEFORE RESPONDING to allow others enough time to think, and paraphrase to check for understanding

BALANCE between advocating for your ideas and learning from the ideas and experiences of others.

GROUP YOURSELF THOUGHTFULLY with colleagues you can learn from and learn with.

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LET’S LEARN TOGETHER!