Teaching for Results Orientation Session

Facilitated by: Shauna Watson

Objectives:Analyze course goals, related competencies, and routines

in order to clarify outcomes for the course.

Articulate how course assessment enable participants to demonstrate mastery of the course goals and competencies.

Describe connections between lesson and unit planning as well as the benefit of ensuring alignment between the two.

Solve common obstacles to maintaining a focus on student achievement in the classroom.

Agenda

•Welcome•Classroom Expectations•Goals, competencies, & routines •Assessments•Unit Planning•Closing

Trends in Foreign Language Instruction

A national survey on Foreign Language teaching in U.S. schools conducted in 2008 showed the following trends in Foreign Language Instruction: http://www.cal.org/projects/Exec%20Summary_111009.pdf

•Foreign language instruction remained relatively stable at the high school level from 1997 to 2008 but decreased substantially in elementary and middle schools.

•Moreover, only a small percentage of the elementary and middle schools not teaching languages in 2008 planned to implement a language program within the next 2 years.

•Inequities existed in access to FL education. Languages were offered in smaller %s in rural schools & schools whose students were from lower socioeconomic backgrounds

Survey data revealed a number of other disturbing trends:

• Nearly one third of public elementary and secondary schools with language programs reported that language teaching had been negatively affected by NCLB.

• The disparity between public and private elementary school language offerings increased exponentially, with private schools offering languages at much higher rates.

• The shortage of language teachers was so severe that some schools were seeking alternative sources of teachers, such as agencies that provide teachers from other countries, commercial language schools, and foreign governmentsthat send teachers to the United States.

Some positive trends are also evident fromthe survey results:• Language teachers at both the elementary and secondary levels were integrating national and state language standards into their teaching more than they did a decade earlier and using the target language in the classroom more frequently.

• There were pockets of innovation—in particular,immersion programs where elementary schoolsoffered language instruction resulting in high levels of proficiency.

• More language classes were using authentic literature from the target culture than before.

• The use of technology based materials—Internet resources, ‐computer assisted instructional materials, instructional technology‐—increased significantly.

• Both elementary and secondary schools continued to offer language classes for native speakers.

•After reading the course routines, briefly discuss the following questions in pairs:

o How does this routine help you to meet the course goals?

o In what ways does the routine connect to your personal goals?

o What are you most excited about in relation to this course routine?

o What are you most nervous/anxious about in relation to this course routine?

Course Assessments

•Are aligned to the course goals and competencies

•Read introductory paragraph about the course assessment in the syllabus

•Rotate through three centers (15 minutes) Center 1: Handout OS.2Center 2: Handout OS.3Center 3: Handout OS.4

Course Assessments

•In what ways do the course assessments require participants to demonstrate mastery of the three course competencies?

•How will the course assessments prepare participants to close the achievement gap?

Unit Planning Review•What are the key components of Strategic

Design?- Correctly label each heading - Examples

•Unit goals should drive instruction. •Whether planning long term or short term

goals, SMART criteria is a good practice to follow

•You should always bring a unit plan to sessions. This course doesn’t require a particular format, however key elements should be found within.

Effective Unit Plans

•Name of assigned component •Three-five bullet points that synthesize

the descriptions of the component •An example of the component•Benefits of including this component •Ramifications of leaving this

components out•Connection of the component to the

strategy implementation planning form •Connection to current approach to unit

planning

Homework

•Read Handout 1.2: What is a Content Domain?, circling/highlighting key points. Be prepared to discuss this in the next session.

•Review the syllabus again to ask any additional clarifying questions during the next session.

•Bring a copy of content standards to the next session.

Objectives:Analyze course goals, related competencies, and routines

in order to clarify outcomes for the course.

Articulate how course assessment enable participants to demonstrate mastery of the course goals and competencies.

Describe connections between lesson and unit planning as well as the benefit of ensuring alignment between the two.

Solve common obstacles to maintaining a focus on student achievement in the classroom.