Colorado LEAP Appendix

Bryce, according to Diana, the LEAP Appendix will make no sense to people without the overall LEAP Framework, which actually is online on the DPS site: http://leap.dpsk12.org/
Below is the DRAFT of the Appendix which is not official so you need to know that, but here it is. I am including these longer texts in these comments here because linking to documents gets weird due to the format of the blog. Here is the Appendix in draft form:

World Languages LEAP Framework Appendix

Rationale:
The New Colorado Academic Standards for World Languages are based on four assumptions.  (See CDE link)
For these assumptions to be successful:
• The target language must be used most of the time. (90% of the time – ACTFL position statement: American Council of Teaching Foreign Languages; 5/22/10)
• Acquisition of language occurs when students understand messages through listening, reading, and viewing.
• Students demonstrate acquisition through speaking and writing.
• The best environment for second language acquisition is one in which teachers use the target language instead of teaching about the target language.
Essential Practices:
•  “Input” defined as listening and reading activities are the key to language acquisition. “The more comprehensible input students obtain in the target language, the more acquisition takes place.” Krashen, 1982, 1985, 1994.
• The majority of activities in the effective WL classroom are input-based.
• The teacher is the only person in the class who speaks the language accurately and fluently.
• Teacher speaks in the target language 90% of the class time. Target language is 100% comprehensible.
•  “Output” defined as speaking and writing, does not lead to acquisition of the language; therefore practicing speaking or doing more writing will not result in more proficiency.
• Students do not acquire language from speaking to or practicing the language with other students.
• In the effective classroom, a very small amount of time, less than 10% is spent on output activities.
• Speaking in English about the language, e.g. discussing the standards-based objective of comprehension or teaching grammar paradigms, for more than a few seconds, is not effective teaching.
• Rigor and Hard work = Active listening and focused comprehensible reading
Indicator LE-2: Fosters a supportive and respectful learning environment among students
Page 4
Student Behaviors
Effective examples:
Referring to group work and content discussions:
• Students acquire the language when they comprehend the message.
• The teacher is the only one in the classroom who can speak the language accurately and fluently, therefore group work, cooperative learning, paired practice activities are not good examples of student behaviors if language acquisition is the objective.
• Students do not acquire language from speaking to or practicing the language with other students. (Krashen link)
• The discussion of content in English is not a productive use of class time.
• Content discussions in English are only appropriate when addressing cultural topics.
Indicator LE-3: Motivates students to learn, take academic risks, and demonstrate classroom leadership
Page 6
Student Behaviors
Effective/Distinguished examples:
Referring to students actively working, working hard, talking to one another about work:
• “hard work” is staying focused 100% of the time, listening to comprehend, reading to comprehend.
•  “visibly, actively working” = active listening
•  “take active role” refers to students actively listening, watching and responding appropriately with body language and short answers.
• Students do not “facilitate discussions” due to the fact that they do not have sufficient language.
Indicator LE-5: Classroom resources and space reflect and promote students and their learning
Page 8
Teacher Behaviors
Effective Examples:
Academic Tools – essential in all World Languages classroom
Wall posters of:
• Question words
• High frequency vocabulary structures: verb structures, common adjectives and adverbs
• Numbers; Colors
• Rejoinders
• Reading strategies
• Rubrics for writing and speaking
Classroom library
• Variety of children’s literature in including picture books, chapter books, novels, fiction and non-fiction
Other materials
• Props for storytelling and reader’s theater
• Places (beach, mountains, cinema, home, etc.) illustrated in posters (space available)
Page 9
Student Behaviors
Effective Examples:
Referring to independent or team learning:
•  “independent learning” = independent reading (FVR – Free Voluntary Reading) classroom library (Krashen, Foreign Language the Easy Way. PD online)
• ”team learning” Students do not acquire language from speaking to or practicing the language with other students. (See Krashen link)
• “Output” defined as speaking and writing, does not lead to acquisition of the language; therefore practicing speaking or doing more writing will not result in more proficiency. (See Krashen link)
• “team learning” may include output activities but in the effective classroom, a very small amount of time, less than 10% is spent on output activities.
Indicator I-1: Clearly communicates the learning objective(s) for the lesson, connecting to larger rationale
Page 11
Teacher Behaviors
Effective/Distinguished Examples:
Referring to referring to objective(s) throughout lessons, allows students to talk about objective(s), invites students to comment on objective:
• Speaking in English about the language, e.g. discussing the standards-based objective of comprehension or teaching grammar paradigms, for more than a few seconds, is not effective teaching.
In beginning or novice (levels 1, 2 and 3) World Languages classes, the overall objective remains the same. See below:
• Daily lesson objective is the from the New Colorado Academic Standards for World Languages: Understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics (CDE link to standards)
• Secondary objectives: Demonstrate comprehension of a listening activity or reading selection
• Daily objective: a list of vocabulary and verb structures or reading selection.
• Conversation/discussion in English about language objective does not contribute to language acquisition.
• Since the overall objective remains the same students only need brief (a few seconds) amount of time spent on discussion of objective.
• Teachers should remind students how specific strategies, e.g. questioning technique and repetition, are important for acquisition.
Student Behaviors
Effective/Distinguished Examples:
Referring to unit goals as related to lesson objective:
• Unit goal is always “Comprehension and Acquisition of vocabulary” (e.g. Why is repetition important in WL? Because the more one hears and understands a word in a context, the more likely it will be acquired.)
Indicator I-2: Provides descriptive feedback to students on achievement and next steps
Page 12
Teacher Behaviors
Distinguished Examples:
Referring to teacher has students set next steps; students give one another feedback on their progress with tasks and learning
•  Teacher has control of the sequence of vocabulary and structure from the high frequency list.
• Students may request certain vocabulary structures within the limits of the high frequency list.
• Students encourage one another by actively demonstrating comprehension or helping others with comprehension.
Indicator I-3: Supports student success with rigorous tasks
Pages 13-14
Teacher Behaviors and Student Behaviors:
Effective/Distinguished Examples:
Referring to rigor:
What do rigor and rigorous tasks look like when language skills are at a novice/beginning or intermediate level? Higher order thinking skills of Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation are explained in Bloom’s Taxonomy: examples of TPRS/TCI Activities.(link to Bloom’s and TPRS) See below:
Analysis:
o Answering why questions (when answer may be either indirectly stated or implied in story)
o Break down the main actions of the story
o Use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast characters (physical description, personalities, like/dislikes, etc.)
Synthesis:
o Write an original story.
o Compose a class story.
o Invent new details for a story.
o Generate/invent answers to hypothetical questions.
o Rewrite a story adding details/characters that were not in the original
Evaluation:
o Evaluate appropriate and inappropriate actions of characters.
o Compare cultures.
o Predict what will happen next in reading or story.
Referring to purposefully creating student group, provide independent practice:
• “student groups” may be output activities such as running dictation, group reading translation
•  “provide independent practice” – Students do not acquire language from speaking to or practicing the language with other students. (See Krashen link)
Indicator I-4: Uses questioning effectively
Page 15
Teacher Behaviors
Effective examples:
Referring to effective questioning, higher level critical thinking, styles of questioning other than whole group:
• Effective questioning in the WL classroom relies upon lower level questions: yes/no, either/or, who, what, where, when, how.
• Effective language acquisition practices do not require students to “explain their thinking.”
• Effective questioning looks different from other content areas: e.g.yes/no either/or who, what how/where/when – close –ended  questions
• See Effective examples: feedback loops
• Whole group questioning is appropriate, necessary and optimal; individual questioning occurs but with less frequency.
Distinguished examples:
Referring to whole group questioning, initiate and create questions for each other
• Whole group questioning is appropriate, necessary and optimal; individual questioning occurs but with less frequency.
• Students in WL settings cannot act as facilitators of sophisticated questioning or responding; cannot initiate and create questions of each other or teacher. Not applicable. Students do not yet possess enough vocabulary or structure or control.
• See ELL bullets referring to questioning, i.e, pace, structure,wait time on page 15. Apply to WL classrooms.
Page 16
Student Behaviors
Referring to all bullets:
• Effective questioning in the WL classroom relies upon lower level questions: yes/no, either/or, who, what, where, when, how.
• The majority of activities in the effective WL classroom are input-based.
• The teacher is the only person in the class who speaks the language accurately and fluently.
Referring to engage in dialogue with one another, initiate and create questions:
• Students can only exhibit these behaviors in memorized dialogues which is not true language acquisition.
Indicator I-7: Is proactive in planning for and addressing all students’ needs
Page 18
Teacher Behaviors
Effective Examples:
Referring to differentiates instruction, grade-level content, offering students choices for their learning, grouping:
• “Differentiation” This occurs through the use classroom libraries, questioning techniques, e.g. asking the “why” question to those students at a higher level of proficiency; asking more proficient students to retell the story or add the details.
• “grade-level materials” =  proficiency level materials
• “offering students choices for their learning” through classroom libraries.
• “grouping” Keep in mind that whole group teacher led activities are the most effective in WL classrooms.
page 19
Student Behaviors
Effective Examples:
Referring to differentiated tasks, choices for how they learn, groups, talk about tasks they are working on, work independently
• differentiated instruction = acquisition of vocabulary and structures through kinesthetic, aural, oral activities.
• Language acquisition happens by listening to the teacher speaking the language and understanding the message and through reading and understanding the message.
• “choice” Students can volunteer to perform, or listen and watch.
• “choice” comes from selection of reading materials. Students can choose to push themselves through reading on their independently
• “Various groups with various tasks” Keep in mind that whole group teacher led activities are the most effective in WL classrooms.
• “Independent work” does not lead to acquisition except when reading. Only observed in reading or culture units.
Indicator I-9: Demonstrates deep knowledge of content area and relevant standards
Page 21
Teacher Behaviors
Effective/Distinguished Examples:
Referring to demonstrates strong, accurate knowledge of content area’s key concepts, structures, standards, and content-specific terminology
• “Teacher demonstrates….” = strong control of language, not concepts, but rather advanced ability/proficiency to speak the language.
• Teacher speaks in the target language 90% of the class time. Target language is 100% comprehensible.
• “Explanation of concepts” Teacher spends no more than 2-3 minutes explaining grammar concepts in English during a lesson.
• Language acquisition does not arise from explanation of content-related concepts. Minimal use only.
Indicator I 12: Promotes students’ active and appropriate use of academic language
Page 25
Teacher Behaviors
Effective Examples:
Error! Referring to ^^…this bullet also applies to students in world language classrooms who are learning second or additional languages. This bullet does NOT apply to students in world language classrooms.
Referring to more student talk occurs than teacher talk….
• Practicing speaking the language does not lead to language acquisition.
• Students do not acquire language from speaking to or practicing the language with other students.
• The majority of activities in the effective WL classroom are input-based.
• Input comes through listening to and comprehending the teacher and through reading comprehension.
Effective examples of instructional strategies…
• Many, but not all, of these strategies apply to best instructional strategies for teaching world languages.
Page 26
Student Behaviors
Error! Referring to ^^…this bullet also applies to students in world language classrooms who are learning second or additional languages. This bullet does NOT apply to students in world language classrooms.
• Practicing speaking the language does not lead to language acquisition.
• Students do not acquire language from speaking to or practicing the language with other students.
• The majority of activities in the effective WL classroom are input-based. Input comes through listening to and comprehending the teacher and through reading comprehension.
Indicator 1-14: Provides opportunities for creativity/innovation, critical thinking, and problem solving
Page 28
Teacher Behaviors
Effective Examples
Referring to opportunities to grow students’ problem-solving skills
• “Problem solving” in world language classrooms occurs in speaking and writing activities where students exhibit skill of *circumlocution.
• Acquiring a second language requires growth, invention and creativity.
*Talking around a word or phrase through definition or description. This technique is usually employed when the speaker/writer or listener/reader does not know the word or phrase.
Additional Resources/Articles
• CDE World Languages Standards link http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeassess/UAS/AdoptedAcademicStandards/World_Languages_Standards_Adopted_12.10.09.pdf
• ACTFL link http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=5151

ACTFL Position Statement on Use of the Target Language in the Classroom

Research indicates that effective language instruction must provide significant levels of meaningful communication* and interactive feedback in the target language in order for students to develop language and cultural proficiency. The pivotal role of target-language interaction in language learning is emphasized in the K-16 Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century. ACTFL therefore recommends that language educators and their students use the target language as exclusively as possible (90% plus) at all levels of instruction during instructional time and, when feasible, beyond the classroom. In classrooms that feature maximum target-language use, instructors use a variety of strategies to facilitate comprehension and support meaning making. For example, they:
1. provide comprehensible input that is directed toward communicative goals;
2. make meaning clear through body language, gestures, and visual support;
3. conduct comprehension checks to ensure understanding;
4. negotiate meaning with students and encourage negotiation among students;
5. elicit talk that increases in fluency, accuracy, and complexity over time;
6. encourage self-expression and spontaneous use of language;
7. teach students strategies for requesting clarification and assistance when faced with comprehension difficulties; and
8. offer feedback to assist and improve students’ ability to interact orally in the target language.
*Communication for a classical language refers to an emphasis on reading ability and for American Sign Language (ASL) to signed communicative ability.
Approved by the ACTFL Board of Directors 5-22-10
• Krashen video link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiTsduRreug&feature=youtube_gdata_player
• TPRS and Bloom’s link http://curriculum.dpsk12.org/lang_literacy_cultural/world_lang/resources/Bloom_Taxonomy_and_TPRS.pdf