Anne wrote:
Hi, Brian. Do you have a rubric for the first standard (interpersonal communication)?
I like Brian’s reply because it talks about use of English, which is a huge topic that has never gotten enough attention. I also like it because, once I get a nice rubric for the interpersonal piece of the grading pie, I’m pretty much going to run with it for the rest of the year, and maybe try to run into Harrell in the summer and ask him where we go with all of this, in terms of what is most simple and most effective. Here is Brian’s reply to Anne:
Hi Anne,
I believe this scale covers all levels, but level 1 the best:
0 = not attentive, uses English unnecessarily
1 = fully attentive (Ben’s rules about nothing on desk, laps, clear eyes, etc.), and NO unnecessary use of English
2 = signals when he/she does not understand (perfect from the first day to the last for all levels)
3 = able to respond to L2 (NOTE: this does NOT say able to respond IN L2 – again, following Ben’s original ideas, students can always respond with up to 2 words in English. What? They don’t understand? Then that is why level 2 says use the signal. EVERYONE, including language level 1 students, can get to level 3 on this scale, because signalling (level 2 on the scale) insures that the teacher never goes out of bounds. Signalling gives them ownership of the pace of the class. From there, level 3 says they ALL can repond. Yes/No answers, Either/Or answers, 2-word English answers, etc.
4 = this is speaking in L2 that is non-forced, non-reactive (i.e. not an elicited response – student spoke up in L2 becuase they wanted to). This does not imply long strings of L2 – may just be a few words.
On these types of scales, level 3 is the achieveable goal, level 4 is the advanced one that is there for the taking, but not required of the students.
Quiz: Are there 2-word English answers at level 4 on this scale?
No. Because this use of English is only allowed as a response to a circled question. That is level 3. Any other use of English is the ultimate no no – level 0.
More advanced classes:
My idea is that the same scale is used again. Except many more students could work at level 4. I’d say still keep the same scale – don’t move output down into the required ‘level 3? of the scale. HOW well they speak at level 4 – that’s the PRESENTATIONAL SPEAKING AND WRITING rubric – the way it is now I think is perfect for the novice and intermediate low classes. For a higher level class, since what I called above the “assumptions” about their ACTFL proficiency level are a bit higher, then perhaps that scale could be different.
Okay, I don’t know if any of that made sense. I currently am teaching all Spanish II classes (which isn’t too much different unfortunately from the level I classes, since those are all taught textbook-style), but the gist of my rambling above is that I think the INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION SCALE above captures what both level I and II classes need to be striving for.
Related:
https://benslavic.com/blog/2011/10/30/brian-on-standards-based-grading/