STARTALK Principles in Curriculum Design and Implementation:

Best Practices

Infrastructure for 2007

34 programs in 21 states and DC

Major Lessons Learned: 2007

Both Student and Teacher Programs need

– More guidance in planning and implementation

– More effective teacher training and monitoring

– More guidance on integrating culture into their curricula

– Better ways to measure program outcomes

Advisory Board Recommendations

Develop and provide–Curriculum frameworks–Common assessment tools

STARTALK Program Design Principles

–Backward design–Standards-based –Thematic units

Infrastructure for 2008

81 Programs in 32 States and DC

Feedback

2008– 74% found them useful– Limited Creativity and Flexibility– Unsuited to some program models

2009– 90% acceptance rate– Request for tailored templates

STARTALK: Focus on Best Practices

A. Backward Design

B. Standards-based Curriculum

C. Instruction

Stages of Backward Design:

1. Identify desired results

2. Determine acceptable evidence of learning

Then and only then-

3. Plan learning experiences & instruction

Curriculum and Backward Design

PurposesPurposes

What students should know

What students should know What

students should be able to do

What students should be able to do

What would it

look like?

Curriculum: From Standards to the Classroom

StandardsStandards Curriculum

Frameworkor

Blueprint

CurriculumFramework

or Blueprint

CurriculumOutcomes

Assessments

CurriculumOutcomes

Assessments

UnitsUnitsDailyLesson Plans

DailyLesson Plans

STARTALK Curriculum Template: Major Elements

• Program Theme and Subthemes• Standards Targeted and Expected

Outcomes• Specific Knowledge and Skills• End of Program Performance Tasks• Other Assessment and Evidence of

Learning• Instructional Strategies• Materials and Resources• Technology

1. Identify Desired ResultsChoose a Program Theme and Unit Themes

Establish Goals for the Program from the National Standards

Identify Can-Do’s for each unit of your program

Identify Content Knowledge and Skills that align with your theme

Some examples of themes

• Ready to Travel• A Healthy Lifestyle• Getting Acquainted• Global Citizenship• Consumerism

Some Examples of Sub-Themes

A Healthy Lifestyle, • Choosing Healthy Foods• Sports and Activities

Ready to Travel • Getting around

town• Meeting people

What is evidence of student learning?

Designing Assessments

• listen with visuals • fill in graphs, charts, forms, graphic organizers, venn diagrams• follow a route on a map • check-off items in a list • draw what is described• put sentences in correct order

• listen for the gist—identify main idea• guess meaning from context• identify/categorize/classify thematic vocabulary• identify/categorize/classify authentic material• create questions from info in the piece

• identify specific information found in the piece• compose a title or headline• paraphrase in native language/target language• brainstorm and categorize synonyms

Sample Interpretive tasks

Interpersonal Mode

• Interpersonal mode tasks are two-way, spontaneous exchanges that involve negotiation of meaning between people.

• These tasks are unrehearsed, unrefined, non-scripted.

• May be based on information acquired in the interpretive mode.

Memorized material such as a skit is NOT an interpersonal mode task.

• Making a purchase• Meeting and Greeting• Ordering in a restaurant• Asking directions• Face to face or telephone conversations• Talking about friends and family• Discussing events of the day• Making plans• Negotiating who does what, gets what, with who, how, and where

Sample Interpersonal Personal Tasks

Presentational Tasks

Presentational mode tasks allow learners time to rehearse, revise, rewrite, consult sources, or otherwise prepare ahead of time.

These tasks require learners to use the language for a real world purpose other than display for the teacher or classroom.

Presentational mode tasks allow learners to use language in new and different contexts.

Sample Presentational tasks• Brochure or Itinerary• Letter• Web pages (Facebook/myspace page)• Video or Podcasts• Advertisement• Agenda, Schedule or Plan of the day, week• New beginning or ending of story, song• Demonstration • TV or Radio spot• Design a survey and present findings• Public Service Announcement or Infomercial• Essays, Plays • Poem, Song, Rap• PhotoStory, VoiceThread

Sample Presentational tasks• Brochure or Itinerary• Letter• Web pages (Facebook/myspace page)• Video or Podcasts• Advertisement• Agenda, Schedule or Plan of the day, week• New beginning or ending of story, song• Demonstration • TV or Radio spot• Design a survey and present findings• Public Service Announcement or Infomercial• Essays, Plays • Poem, Song, Rap• PhotoStory, VoiceThread

Curriculum Template: Major Elements

• Program Theme and Subthemes• Standards Targeted and Expected

Outcomes• Specific Knowledge and Skills• End of Program Performance Tasks• Other Assessment and Evidence of

Learning

• Instructional Strategies• Materials and Resources• Technology

Best Practices in Instruction1. Use of target

language

2. Student centered learning

3. Meaningful interaction

4. Integration of language, culture, and content

5. Differentiation

Examples?

REFLECTIONS

• Reflections from STARTALK Project Directors

• Your reflections: questions, thoughts …