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The Art of Teaching

Free Response Skills

Presented byLou Baskinger & Ed Weiss

APAC 2014

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50% of the exam

4 sections with equal weight – 12.5% each

All 3 modes in action Interpretive Interpersonal Presentational

The Free Response Section

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The total time needed to complete the free

response section is approx. 1h30

The email is the first free response task It lasts 15 minutes

The cultural comparison is the final task of the exam It lasts 7 minutes

Free Response Facts

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Testing Conditions Your school Conversations you need to have

Tech director AP coordinator Exam proctor

Free Response Logistics

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The email will be done in the same room as

the multiple choice sections

The cultural comparison is done in an environment where recordings can be done such as a language lab, library or computer lab

Free Response Logistics

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15 minutes of reading and writing

Skill sets that begin in year one

Skills that can be practiced at all levels

A task that has real world applications

The Email

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Interpretive Mode

Reading the email This task should take approx. 3 –

4 minutes

Interpersonal Mode Writing the email

This task will take approx. 10 minutes

Modes of Communication

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Maintains the exchange with a response that is clearly appropriate within the context of the task

Provides required information (e.g., responses to questions, request for details) with frequent elaboration

What the Scoring Guidelines Tell Us

The Task

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Fully understandable, with ease and clarity of expression; occasional errors do not impede comprehensibility

Varied and appropriate vocabulary and idiomatic language

Accuracy and variety in grammar, syntax, and usage with few errors

What the Guidelines

Tell Us Language

control

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Mostly consistent use of register appropriate for the situation; control of cultural conventions appropriate for formal correspondence (e.g., greeting, closing), despite occasional errors

Variety of simple and compound sentences, and some complex sentences

What the Guidelines Tell Us

Language control

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Opening salutation

Answer the 1st question

Answer the 2nd question

Ask for information

Closing salutation

The Big 5

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The register is FORMAL despite the fact that

students usually are informal in their emails

Avoid using conventions of speaking Ask questions in a more formal method than “pitch of voice” method

Use a mix of simple and complex sentences

Use a variety of tenses and grammatical structures

The Big Picture

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The email is formal and is not coming from a

friend or family member Because it is task oriented, it will be from

someone proposing an opportunity or an invitation

Examples Join a study abroad group Be a part of an environmental study group Work at a summer camp

The Nature of the Email

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While reading, underline or highlight key

words This will prompt the student to elaborate on

these key ideas

While reading, underline or highlight the questions This will remind the student to answer them

First Job - Reading

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Have students read a variety of

communicative pieces i.e. letters, emails, Q & A

The length of the email is brief and must be read in 2-3 minutes so, have students read a variety of readings at that length

Reading Strategies

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Provide concise replies BUT take the time to

add conventions of politeness Thank you for having contacted me I appreciate receiving your email

Respond to all questions in a complete manner

Demonstrate a sense of organization

Writing Strategies

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When responding to the questions, provide

sufficient details – go beyond the simple “yes” and “no” type answers Elaboration!!!

With only about 10-12 minutes to write, this is an exercise requiring spontaneous (yet organized!) writing

Writing…

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Strategies for each step of the email

Let’s look at the BIG 5

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Remember the register – FORMAL

Open with a “Dear Sir or Madame” (& last name)

-pay attention to spelling of “Dear” (M/F)-Cher vs Chère Distinguido/a-Caro / Gentile Sehr Geehrte

Include an expression of politeness to begin the message

Opening Salutation

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This polite register which follows cultural

conventions addresses the rubrics demand for:

Elaboration Maintaning the exchange Appropriate language Cultural conventions

Opening…

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Examples of opening politeness:

“Thank you for your correspondence”

“I appreciate having received your email”

“I thank you for having sent me this note”

Opening…

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The responses give the student the

opportunity to:

Personalize their email Demonstrate the ability to form compound

and complex sentences Use a variety of appropriate vocabulary Demonstrate language control

Responses to Questions

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There are generally two questions in the

original email to be answered by the student The questions offer the opportunity for

elaboration, certainly beyond “yes” and “no”.

Coming later, a scaffolded example based on…. Example: The email concerns an invitation to

join a student travel group. A question asks if the student is interested in travelling during the summer to study abroad.

Responses to Questions

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THIS IS THE MOST FORGOTTEN ITEM OF ALL

THE FIVE TASKS THAT STUDENT MUST PERFORM!!!

The omission of this one item can result in the difference of a point on this task

Remember the register - FORMAL

Request for Information

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Examples

Would you be able to send me a detailed brochure about your program? The question would be asked in a FORMAL

manner You would not use the “voice intonation”

method Vous pourriez m’envoyer une brochure? Pourriez-vous m’envoyer une brochure? Est-ce que vous pourriez m’envoyer une

brochure?

Request for Information

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There are any number of appropriate closing

salutations for the email – these formal email closings tend to be shorter than those used in letters

Cordially Sincerely

Closing Salutation

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To demonstrate varied, appropriate and

idiomatic language as well a control of cultural conventions, these expressions can add to the quality of the email:

Thank you in advance I am looking forward to your answer Pending a favorable response I thank you for having contacted me

Helpful Expressions

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Email reading and writing can begin in level

one

Preparing students for the Email

Dear French 1 student,This week we have a test.There is a help session today after school.Would you like to come?Cordially,Monsieur Bib

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Opening salutation

Answering questions

Closing salutations

The concept of formal vs. informal communication

Skills acquired in level 1

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Level 2 Email Prep

Dear Central Hgh Student,The teachers and administrators of Central High want our school to be number one in the area. Please answer the following questions:1) In which sports or activities did you participate

this year?2) What new activities would you like at CHS?Thank you for your cooperation,Mister Javert, principal

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The ability to express oneself in present and

past tenses

The capacity to express preferences

Skills acquired at level 2

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Students in a level 2, 3 or 4 class are asked if

they would like to participate in a study abroad program for three weeks in the summer

Yes I would like to participate I would like to participate in the study abroad

program I am interested in participating in your three

week study abroad program. I love travel.

Question answering skills scaffolded

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I am quite interested in your three week study

abroad program. I have traveled a lot with my family and love learning about other cultures, especially the food and fashion.

The idea of taking part in a three week study abroad program fascinates me! Having already traveled to nine different countries with both my parents and youth groups, I have a passion for expanding my horizons through exposure to new cultures.

Question answering skills scaffolded

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Like all skills on the AP exam, student

exposure begins on day one of level one The email is an activity that is easily

adaptable to all levels Spontaneous writing is a skill that will be

fostered across our curriculum Your students can reach a high level of

proficiency with the email early in the AP course

In summary…

The Cultural Comparison

Presentational Speaking

Effective treatment of topic within the context

of the task

Clearly compares the student’s own community with the target culture, including supporting details and relevant examples

Demonstrates understanding of the target culture, (despite a few minor inaccuracies)

What the Scoring Guidelines Tell Us

The Task

The What?

These three dimensions/descriptors of the Presentational Scoring Guidelines are the…Gate Keeper

The Task – El Umbral

Organized presentation; effective use of

transitional elements or cohesive devices

Fully understandable, with ease and clarity of expression; occasional errors do not impede comprehensibility

Varied and appropriate vocabulary and idiomatic language

What the Scoring Guidelines Tell Us

Language control

Accuracy and variety in grammar, syntax, and usage

with few errors

Mostly consistent use of register appropriate for this presentation

Pronunciation, intonation and pacing make the responses comprehensible; errors do not impede comprehensibility

Clarification or self-correction (if present) improves comprehensibility

What the Scoring Guidelines Tell Us

Language control

The How?

These dimensions/descriptors of the Presentational Scoring Guidelines score the language performance

El Lenguaje

7 minutes

1 minute to read directions 4 minutes to read theme of the

presentation and to prepare it

2 minutes to record the presentation

The Cultural Comparison

Skill sets that begin in year one

Skills that can be practiced at all levels

A task that has real world applications

The Cultural Comparison

Interpretive Mode

Reading the theme and relating it to what the student has experienced throughout his/her years of study

Presentational Mode

An informative formal presentation that compares with detail two cultures

Modes of Communication

Introduction – Topic of the presentation

Information of the World Language-speaking culture

Information of the student’s own culture

Comparison of the two cultures with detail

Conclusion – Bringing the presentation to closure*

The Big 5

The register is FORMAL

Information that is accurate and detailed

Similarities and Differences emphasized

The Big Picture

Organized with effective use of transitional

elements or cohesive devises

Fully understandable

Ease and clarity of expression

Varied and appropriate vocabulary and idiomatic language

The Big Picture

Así comoIgual queDe la misma maneraSemejanteEn cambioAl contrarioA diferencia deSin embargoSino

Transitional Elements

Accuracy and variety in grammar, syntax and usage

Consistent use of register appropriate presentational mode

Pronunciation, intonation and pacing - comprehensibility

Clarification or self-correction improves comprehensibility

The Big Picture

A formal presentation which explains a product, practice or perspective of a world-language speaking culture and clearly compares this product, practice or perspective to one of the student’s community

The Nature of the Cultural Comparison

Products - the things people make and use. The can be

tangible (item of clothing, an artesian work, a monument) o intangible (laws, education system)

  Practices - The actions of a people. The manners of

celebrating holidays, special events but also can be daily practices… the way in which the members of a culture great each other, learn, work or interact on a daily basis

  Perspectives - The things that indication how the people

of a culture see the world, what their values are, what they believe, the relation between the humans and nature, their attitudes about life and death, religious beliefs, the concept of family and friends, the value of work.

Products, Practices, Perspectives

Read the prompt, underline key words

Be sure to focus on the intent of the question

Think product, practice, and/or perspective

First Job - Reading

Provide an introductory statement…

Inform the audience what you will be presenting

Provide information of the target language culture

Compare this information with your own community

Define your community!

Organization Strategies

Presentational Speaking is no different than Presentational

Writing

It is not merely Uds. – It is formal in tone – conventions of formality

in organization and phrasing

Speaking…

Address the audience

Inform them of the topic

Inform them of the focus on comparison of cultures

Opening Statement

If time allows, bring the presentation to closure…restate what you have accomplished in your presentation.

Closing

… quisiera comparar…… una semejanza entre esto y mi comunidad es…… lo que hay en común en las dos comunidades…… un nexo entre las dos culturas… otra semejanza… en ambas culturas / comunidades… se puede concluir que…

Helpful Expressions for Organization

A look at level 1

Scaffolding the Cultural Comparison

Conocer and Saber

to know and to knowHay

there is, there areAcabar de

to have justMe gusta – to likeDibujar – to draw

Skills acquired in level 1

Avancemos 1 – McDougal Littell

Murals of MexicoIntroduce Frida Kahlo

¿Qué opinión tiene tu comunidad del arte? ¿Hay un artista o una artista en tu comunidad que

conoces? ¿Qué pinta o dibuja? ¿Por qué te gusta su arte?

Por ejemplo

Preterite and Imperfect Tenses

Irregular Conjugation of Ir

Demonstratives

Skills acquired in level 2

Avancemos 2 – McDougal Littell

Copa Mundial

¿Participabas en un deportes? ¿Fuiste a un partido profesional de un deporte? ¿Qué opinión tiene tu comunidad sobre los deportes? ¿Son importantes… por qué sí o por qué no? Compara la copa mundial y The Super Bowl ¿Cómo es La Copa Mundial como March Madness?

Por ejemplo

Open Ended…

Use the AP Question Format

- Fashion the question to the unit that you are presenting in class

Level 3

Nuestra comunidad

The “Anchor” Unit

Create and distribute graphic organizers for the

task

Keep these graphic organizers as a log of information

Teach transitional devices… start with basic words and develop them into more sophisticated phrases

Practice often… starting at the beginning of the course

Critique presentations pointing out good efforts

During the year…

CULTURAL COMPARISONS

 Tema de la presentación: _________________________________________________________________ 5 Producto 5 Práctica 5 Perspectiva

País(es): _______________________________________________________________________________

Puntos que discutir: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mi comunidad:___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

An example…

Contact informationLou Baskinger – lgbaskin@aol.com

Ed Weiss – edweiss@comcast.net

The entire presentation can be viewed at Eds site:

Simply Google “Ed Weiss”

The last link on Ed’s site is titled “A-PAC”