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)

ACTFL - Egnatz - 2017

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

ACTFL - Egnatz - 2017

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.

ACTFL - Egnatz - 2017

“Language learning is not a nice to have,

it’s an essential.”

ACTFL - Egnatz - 2017

• 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

ACTFL - Egnatz - 2017

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)

ACTFL - Egnatz - 2017

Align Curriculum, Instruction, Assessments andCelebratory Recognition to reflect proficiency

Goals at each level of language learning.

ACTFL - Egnatz - 2017

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

lindaegnatz@gmail.com@miprofeAP

www.lindaegnatz.com

ACTFL - Egnatz - 2017

Kristin J. Davin

kdavin@uncc.edu@KJDavin