message
from the LOTE CED/TEA
Dear LOTE Educators:
The LOTE Center for Educator Development and the LOTE Unit at the Texas Education
Agency are pleased to offer you Learning Languages Other Than English: A Texas
Adventure. The video series and this professional development video guide provide a new
means of sharing information about the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for
Languages Other Than English (TEKS for LOTE) while showing the positive impact these
standards can have on student learning. Teachers from around the state have consistently
asked for more examples of what the TEKS for LOTE look like in the classroom; Learning
Languages Other Than English: A Texas Adventure and this manual respond to this request.
The video series shows actual classroom footage and interviews with teachers and students
illustrating the guiding principles behind the TEKS for LOTE and the implementation of the
five program goals outlined therein: communication, cultures, connections, comparisons,
and communities.
Barriers to communication such as time and distance are being broken down by advancing
technologies faster than we can learn how to use them. This phenomenon amplifies the
significance of language learning in the 21st century as we have increased opportunities
for face-to-face and electronic communications with people of varied linguistic and cultural
backgrounds. Changing demographics within our own country make it advantageous to
know other languages in addition to English.
Besides being attractive—and often
essential—to potential employers, the ability to communicate in a language other than
English makes us a valuable resource within our local communities.
In the face of a changing world, the TEKS for LOTE and accompanying professional
development materials such as this video series strive to modernize the teaching and
learning of LOTE. They support language learning concepts such as learning in context,
offering extended sequences of language learning, making LOTE accessible to all students,
offering less commonly taught languages, employing proficiency-based curricula,
esteeming heritage speakers, and experiencing cultures through language.
We hope the exemplary classrooms you see in Learning Languages Other Than English: A
Texas Adventure inspire you to try something new in your own classrooms. We trust the
materials provided in this manual will challenge you to act on that inspiration!
Elaine Phillips
Director
LOTE Center for Educator Development
Carl Johnson
Director of LOTE
Texas Education Agency
LEARNING LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH
A TEXAS ADVENTURE
Lillian King Meidlinger
Elaine M. Phillips
Languages Other Than English Center for Educator Development (LOTE CED)
Southwest Educational Development Laboratory
211 East Seventh Street
Austin, Texas 78701
(800) 476-6861
www.sedl.org/loteced/
Produced in collaboration with the Texas Education Agency
Authors/Editors:
Lillian King Meidlinger
Elaine M. Phillips
Design/Layout:
Shaila Abdullah
Chuck Reese
Reviewers:
Bobette Dunn
Renée Wooten
TEA LOTE Directors:
Carl Johnson
María Treviño
Table of Contents
Special Instructions to the Facilitator . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Video 3:
4: Communication and Connections
Comparisons . . . . . . . 61
About Learning Languages Other Than English:
A Texas
Texas Adventure
Adventure .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 42
A
Comparisons.. . . . . . . .622
About Communication and Connections
Using the
the Videos
Videos for
for Professional
Professional Development
Development .. .. .. 82
Using
Video 1: Overview of the TEKS for LOTE
Video 1: Overview of the TEKS for LOTE . . . . . . . 11
About Overview of the TEKS for LOTE . . . . . . . . 2
About Overview of the TEKS for LOTE . . . . . . . 12
To the Session Leader. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
To the Session Leader. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Participant Worksheets
Participant Worksheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Video Viewing Worksheets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Video Viewing Worksheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Investigating Further . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Investigating Further . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Videos 2-5: Communication Segment
Videos
2-5:theCommunication
About
CommunicationSegment
Segment. . . . . . . . . . . .272
To the the
Session
Leader. . . . .Segment
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .282
About
Communication
Participant
Worksheets
To
the Session
Leader. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Video Viewing
Worksheets.
Participant
Worksheets
. . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .352
Investigating
Further
. . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .362
Video
Viewing
Worksheet
Investigating Further . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Video 2: Communication and Cultures
About Communication and Cultures . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Video 2: Communication and Cultures . . . . . . . . . . 45
To the Session Leader. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
About Communication and Cultures . . . . . . . . . . 46
Participant Worksheets
To the Session Leader. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Video Viewing Worksheets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Participant Worksheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Investigating Further . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Video Viewing Worksheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Further
. . Connections
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Video 3:Investigating
Communication
and
About Communication and Connections. . . . . . . . . 2
To the Session Leader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
To the
the Session
Session Leader.
Leader. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .642
To
Participant Worksheets
Worksheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Participant
Video Viewing Worksheets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Video Viewing Worksheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Investigating Further . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Investigating Further . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Video 5: Communication and Communities
Video 4: Communication and Comparisons. . . . . . . 77
About Communication and Communities . . . . . . . 2
About Communication and Comparisons. . . . . . . 78
To the Session Leader. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
To the Session Leader. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Participant Worksheets
Participant
Worksheets
. . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .832
Video Viewing
Worksheets.
Video
Viewing
Worksheet
Investigating
Further
. . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .842
Investigating Further . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Appendices
A: TEKS
for LOTE . . .and
. . . Communities
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .933
Video
5: Communication
B: TEKSpectations
. . . and
. . . Communities
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .943
About
Communication
C: the
Background
Information
To
Session Leader.
. . . . . on
. . .the
. . .Five
. . . Cs
. . .. .. .. .. .. .963
D: Sample Facilitation Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Participant Worksheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
E: LOTE Teacher Competencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Video Viewing Worksheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Investigating Further . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Appendices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1
A: TEKS for LOTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-3
B: TEKSpectations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-5
C: Background Information on the 5 Cs . . . . . . A-7
D: Sample Facilitation Techniques. . . . . . . . . . A-11
E: LOTE Teacher Competencies . . . . . . . . . . . A-15
Participant Worksheets
Video Viewing Worksheets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Investigating Further . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
A Texas Adventure
1
VIDEO GUIDE
special instructions to the facilitator
A Texas Adventure
3
ABOUT LEARNING LANGUAGES OTHER THAN
ENGLISH: A TEXAS ADVENTURE
Learning Languages Other Than English: A Texas Adventure is a five-part video series developed by
the LOTE Center for Educator Development and the Texas Education Agency’s LOTE Unit and
produced by the TEA’s T-Star Studios. The videos include interviews with students, teachers,
parents, and administrators. Most importantly, they show LOTE learners in classrooms across
Texas putting the standards, the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Languages Other Than
English (TEKS for LOTE), into practice.
special instructions to the facilitator
THE VIDEOS
The series is comprised of five, 30-minute videos. The first video provides an overview of current
thought on LOTE teaching and learning in Texas. The remaining four videos focus on the goal
of communication plus one additional “C” (cultures, connections, comparisons, or
communities). Videos 2-5 each begin with an identical segment, about seven minutes in length,
that briefly defines the five program goals and goes into some detail on the three modes of
communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational). The remaining portion of these
four videos illustrates and expands upon the given program goal, or “C.” In this way, each video
can be used independently, yet still contain the important message that communication is at the
heart of learning a language. Although the videos may be presented in any order, we recommend
you begin with the Communication Segment (see p. 27) before completing videos 2-5.
Overview of the TEKS for LOTE (Video 1): This video provides an overview of the
philosophies and policy that currently drive the teaching and learning of languages other than
English in Texas. It makes a good advocacy piece that can be shown to parents, administrators,
and community members as well as LOTE educators.
Communication and Cultures (Video 2): This video includes brief testimonials by teachers
and others involved in LOTE education that provide real-world examples of how teachers
incorporate cultures into their language classrooms and why it is important to do so. The
video shows classrooms focusing on the Cultures program goal and learning about the
concepts of practices, products, and perspectives.
Communication and Connections (Video 3): This video features several different
classrooms “connecting” to other subject areas, both in immersion and traditional classroom
settings. Also shown are students using the language to connect with target language resources
such as news reports, web sites, and authentic documents.
Communication and Comparisons (Video 4): This video includes footage of teachers and
students making comparisons between the target language and culture(s) and their own
language and culture. Also shown are classrooms where the students are learning about the
important influences that languages and cultures have upon one another.
Communication and Communities (Video 5): This video shows teachers and students using
the target language both within and beyond the school walls for purposeful communication
with local and world communities. It also includes several students reflecting on the value of
learning LOTE for career development, as well as for personal enrichment and enjoyment.
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THE VIDEO GUIDE
Goals of Learning
Languages Other Than
English: A Texas
Adventure
This manual is a companion guide to the video series, Learning Languages Other Than English: A
Texas Adventure. The videos and guide can be used for professional development to heighten
awareness about the way languages are presently being taught and learned in Texas, as well as to
make evident the possibilities and benefits that learning languages for real-world purposes offers.
• To help viewers identify
issues, concerns, and
questions with regard to the
implementation of the TEKS
for LOTE.
The study guide provides materials to be used for professional development in conjunction with
the videos in the series and includes the following components:
• Background information on the development of the videos and the changes being brought
about in LOTE classrooms across the state as the TEKS for LOTE are being implemented.
• Suggestions for using the video series in a variety of professional development contexts and
suggestions and tips for workshop facilitators.
• Appendices: helpful resources for developing training sessions and supplemental handouts
for participants.
Individual workshop units contain the following sections:
About… — Includes a synopsis of the video, episode breakdown, suggestions for using the
video, questions addressed in the video, and goals for the participants.
To the Session Leader — Consists of brief explanations/notes to the facilitator on guiding
participants through the activities on the worksheets in the next sections.
Video Viewing Worksheet — Includes worksheet masters with instructions for previewing, viewing, and post-viewing activities to be used as participants watch the video.
Investigating Further — Consists of worksheet masters and a brief bibliography of
suggested readings for two types of follow-up activities.
Further information on the use of these components and the video viewing and follow-up
activities is found in the chart on page 9.
special instructions to the facilitator
• Six workshop units: one for each of the five videos (see p. 4) and an additional unit for the
Communication Segment that appears at the beginning of videos 2-5.
• To make participants
aware of the creative ways
in which the TEKS for LOTE
are being implemented in
Texas classrooms by
showing examples of
communicative, standardsbased classrooms that
illustrate the changing
paradigm of LOTE
instruction.
• To give participants
opportunities to work
with colleagues in the
in-depth exploration of
TEKS implementation.
• To challenge LOTE
educators to reflect on their
own practices and to
develop new or additional
strategies
for implementing the
TEKS for LOTE.
Highlights
Some of what you’ll see in Learning Languages Other Than English: A Texas Adventure:
• students using the target language to communicate with one another and with native
speakers
• teachers reflecting on how implementing the TEKS for LOTE has positively affected their
classrooms
• students presenting information in the target language
• teachers using authentic materials, including technology, to make language come alive
• students and others commenting on the benefits of knowing a LOTE
A Texas Adventure
5
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COMMUNICATIVE,
TEKS FOR LOTE-BASED CLASSROOM
In these videos, you will see classrooms in which teachers strive to create a communicative,
standards-based learning environment as described below.
• Students are aware of what they should know and be able to do to meet the standards at the
various proficiency levels.
• Students see a personal and practical value to what they are learning.
• Students are an integral part of the learning process and have a hand in the construction of
their own knowledge.
special instructions to the facilitator
• Students have the opportunity to employ a variety of technological resources in their
language learning.
• Students learn through active, in-depth investigation and exploration.
• Students use their knowledge of the target language to reinforce what they know about other
subject areas and vice-versa.
• Students learn with other students, teachers, and individuals beyond the school walls.
• Students learn in multiple, real-world contexts, through opportunities to address and reflect
on authentic problems or situations.
• Students work creatively and use divergent and higher order thinking skills.
• Students use authentic documents and technology to interact with native speakers and the
target culture(s).
• Students have the opportunity to determine how they learn best in classrooms that respect a
variety of learning styles and preferences.
THE CHANGING PARADIGM OF LOTE EDUCATION
In recent years, research in language instruction has contributed to the changing focus of LOTE
education. It is evolving to include programs that provide instruction from Pre-Kindergarten
through Grade 16 and that allow all learners to develop language proficiency and skills they can
use in the real world as exemplified in the classrooms of Learning Languages Other Than English:
A Texas Adventure.
The learning and teaching of languages in Texas and the nation clearly focus on the goal of
communicative proficiency and cultural awareness, as well as the development of linguistic skills.
This “new” paradigm has actually evolved over more than two decades with input from many
sources such as the Standards for Foreign Language Learning: Preparing for the 21st Century and
various state documents and frameworks including the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for
Languages Other Than English and A Texas Framework for Languages Other Than English. The
chart that follows summarizes developing trends in the learning and teaching of languages other
than English.
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THE CHANGING PARADIGM OF PRE-K TO GRADE 12 LOTE EDUCATION
BUILDING ON...
MOVING TO...
an emphasis on offering traditional languages
(such as Spanish, French, German, and Latin)
course offerings that include traditional languages and less
commonly taught languages (such as Chinese, Japanese, Russian,
and Arabic)
programs starting in grades 7 or 8
programs starting in elementary school and continuing
uninterrupted through high school
LOTE courses for college-bound students and
students perceived as “above average”
LOTE courses for all students
academic language learning that focuses on
preparing students to study LOTE literature
language learning that enhances future career opportunities and
fulfills students’ personal interests and the needs of all sectors of
society (government, community, business, and education)
curriculum based on memorization
curriculum based on acquiring the language through meaningful
communication
grammar- and literature-based curriculum
proficiency-based curriculum that focuses on speaking, listening,
reading, writing, viewing, and showing but also includes the study
of grammar and literature
language learning as a separate subject area
language-across-the-curriculum, language as part of an
interdisciplinary curriculum
placing native speakers in regular LOTE
programs
course offerings and/or assignment options specifically designed to
maintain and expand language proficiency of native speakers
placing bilingual, ESL, and LOTE students in
separate programs
programs that combine students with LOTE backgrounds and other students (e.g., dual-language and
immersion programs)
curriculum that emphasizes facts about the
LOTE culture(s)
curriculum that provides ways to experience culture through
language and that explores the student's own culture in the context
of exploring other cultures
textbook-driven instruction
a wide variety of instructional approaches and materials (including
the Internet, CD-ROMs, and authentic materials such as
newspapers in the language)
from A Texas Framework for Languages Other Than English
A Texas Adventure
7
USING THE VIDEOS FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS
Research on staff development shows that one-shot workshops seldom contribute to participants’
meaningful understanding and transfer of new knowledge into their daily practice. Learning Languages
Other Than English: A Texas Adventure is designed to encourage reflection, as well as to instruct and
illustrate. We recommend taking as much time as needed to complete the sequence of activities for
each video. The series is adaptable to a variety of professional development formats.
District In-Service
special instructions to the facilitator
The workshop activities in each unit have been divided into segments to make them adaptable to
workshops of various lengths.
• Each video can easily be the subject of an entire day’s in-service training with video viewing
activities completed in the morning and follow-up activities conducted in the afternoon.
(Participants will need access to the recommended readings in Investigating Further in advance of
the training.)
• A half-day session can be used to complete the three video viewing activity segments, for
example, with another half-day session scheduled at a later date and devoted to the activities in
Investigating Further. This format works particularly well because it allows time for participants
to have researched the topics using the recommended readings and provides them an opportunity
to apply the major concepts discussed in the video to their own teaching/learning context.
Study Group
Consider the following planning options when using this series with a study group:
• Begin with the video that is of most interest or best fits the needs of the group.
• Meet after school or during campus in-service time to complete the activities.
• Identify group members to be responsible for each activity section (e.g., one person leads the
Preparation activity; another, the Observation tasks), or choose a different facilitator for each video.
• Match the time schedule to the group’s purpose and number of videos and activities.
• Share photocopies of the Investigating Futher readings. Have all study group members do the
readings on their own, saving group time for discussion and activities.
• Alternatively, divide up the readings in the Investigating Futher section, and share information
with one another during the study group meeting.
Individual Use
If you are watching the video series on your own and wish to use the activities in this study guide, simply adapt
the To the Session Leader instructions. As you watch the videos and read through the activities, you may wish
to:
• Record your reactions and responses to activities/discussion questions in a journal, then mark your
calendar to review the journal at a later date.
• Find a peer with whom you can discuss any interesting or problematic issues that emerge from your
viewing.
• Share your independent professional development experience at an in-service session.
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PREPARING FOR THE WORKSHOP
Components of the Study Guide Units
Each unit includes the following sections. The activities are designed to be completed sequentially in the order listed below.
SECTION
USE THIS COMPONENT TO...
About …
Introductory material specific to the video includes a
synopsis, episode breakdown, and suggestions for
video usage.
Familiarize yourself with the video and prepare for the
workshop.
Questions Addressed uses an inquiry-based format to
help identify issues addressed in the video.
Share with participants and ask them to look for some
answers as they view the video.
Goals for Participants sets out basic objectives for
workshop participants.
Share verbally with participants at onset of workshop
or have posted on a flip chart.
To the Session Leader
Brief explanations/instructions for guiding participants
through the workshop activities.
Video Viewing Worksheet
Worksheet masters with instructions for pre-viewing,
viewing, and post-viewing activities to be used as
participants watch the video episode.
Prepare to lead workshop activities by familiarizing
yourself with these instructions in light of the
companion worksheets.
Make sufficient number of worksheets for each
participant.
Preparation: Priming activity to be completed
prior to viewing the video.
Activate participants’ prior knowledge of video
content.
Observation: Activities to be done in conjunction
with video viewing. Times are indicated so that
the video may be stopped at appropriate intervals
to complete tasks.
Identify and elaborate on important concepts within
the video.
Reflection: Processing activity to be completed at
the end of the video.
Get participants to process, share and/or apply
concepts and information in the video to their
personal classroom teaching experiences.
Investigating Further
Worksheet masters with instructions for two types of
follow-up activities.
Acquire copies of recommended readings to share with
participants ahead of time.
Exploration: Reflective questions/situations to be
considered and researched using bibliographic
resources listed on the handout.
Do in-depth reflection and research on key concepts
from the video.
Expansion: Teaching Scenario and follow-up
questions to be contemplated, discussed with
peers, and used for action research.
Encourage participants to reflect on thoughtprovoking comments from the video and to respond
to frequently debated topics in LOTE education.
A Texas Adventure
9
Workshop Materials
The facilitator needs to gather a few materials before the workshop.
Worksheet Pagination Key
5
.
3
.
2
• Prepare photocopies of the TEKS for LOTE and TEKSpectations included in Appendices A
and B.
Video 5
• Make copies of the video’s worksheets included in this manual. Each video has five
worksheets of one or more pages in length. Each page is identified as to the video, worksheet,
and worksheet page number. See Pagination Key at left.
Worksheet 3
Page 2
special instructions to the facilitator
• Have on hand chart paper, transparencies, and some basic art supplies (crayons, markers,
paper) for the use of participants.
The Investigating Further (Exploration and Expansion) activities are an integral part of the
workshop design and require the use of bibliographic resources. Some of these will be part of the
facilitator’s or district’s professional library. Others can be found in the libraries of local universities
or may be acquired through an inter-library loan program. Every effort should be made to acquire
the texts needed to complete these activities as participants must be familiar with them to complete
many of the activities.
Facilitator’s Checklist
Make copies of relevant worksheets and gather the necessary materials.
Go over sections of the TEKS for LOTE and background information from Appendix C that
are relevant to the particular video on which the workshop focuses.
Be thoroughly familiar with the To the Session Leader section and all activity worksheets.
Try some of the activities yourself before conducting the workshop.
Watch the video before the workshop and be aware of stop and start places within the
Observation section.
r
Acquire and familiarize yourself with the recommended readings listed in the Investigating
Further section. Provide copies to participants to read in advance of the workshop or
organize discussion activities during the workshop.
Tips for a Successful Workshop
• Know your audience – be aware of their concerns and their level of familiarity with the TEKS
for LOTE.
• Phrase questions in varied ways and follow-up participant responses with additional
questions.
• Allow ample time for participants to respond to questions/situations posed.
• Provide for plenty of participant interaction with one another and with you.
• Allow sufficient time for practice and reflection.
• Use the suggestions in To the Session Leader or your own creativity to select a variety of
grouping formats for the activities: individual reflection, pair and small group work, and
large group interactions. (See also, Appendix D, Sample Facilitation Techniques.)
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VIDEO 1
overview of the TEKS for LOTE
A Texas Adventure
11
ABOUT OVERVIEW OF THE TEKS FOR LOTE
Video 1, Overview of the TEKS for LOTE, provides a summary of the philosophies and policy
for the teaching and learning of languages other than English in Texas. Included in this video,
you’ll find the following:
• A summary of the state curriculum framework’s eight Guiding Principles for language
learning.
• A look at the Five Cs that are the foundation of the TEKS for LOTE: Communication,
Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities.
overview of the TEKS for LOTE
• Pictorial and anecdotal evidence that support the TEKS for LOTE in the teaching and
learning of languages. These include classroom footage and interviews and ideas from
students, teachers, administrators, and parents.
The Guiding Principles address timely issues such as inclusion, student learning variables,
advanced proficiency, benefits of extended learning sequences, native speakers, less commonly
taught languages, the interdisciplinary nature of language, and cultural understanding. Other
key points of this episode include the value of learning to communicate in real-world contexts
using natural language, the benefits that the shift to a proficiency-based curriculum can bring,
and the importance of knowing another language in today’s job market.
Episode Breakdown
I
(0:00 – 5:45)
Introduction
(5:46 – 21:11)
II Guiding
Principles
(21:12 – end)
III 5 Cs
Use Video 1: Overview of the TEKS for LOTE to...
• Kick off a professional development workshop for new teachers of LOTE.
• Help those involved in LOTE education to identify important issues related to learning
a LOTE. (May be particularly helpful to administrators who have responsibility for
LOTE but limited familiarity with the subject area.)
• Promote student-teacher interaction about the relevance of learning a LOTE.
• Facilitate discussions at parent or community meetings about the importance of LOTE
and how languages are learned .
• Use as an advocacy piece in support of the establishment and/or maintenance of
LOTE programs.
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Questions Addressed in Video 1: Overview of the TEKS for LOTE
Goals for Participants
Inclusion of All Students
Acquiring languages other than English is essential for all students.
Can anyone learn a new language? Should everyone have the opportunity to do so? Why is it important to
include students of varied backgrounds in the LOTE classroom? The benefits that language learning offers to
students are discussed in this episode. What are the benefits of inclusion to the classroom?
Student Variables
Multiple student variables affect how students acquire languages.
Do we all share the same life experiences in learning a language? What evidence from your language learning
and/or teaching experiences illustrates that the age, gender, ethnicity, and/or socio-economic background of
students might come into play? Should accommodations be made to suit students’ varied learning styles? Can
LOTE teachers be all things to all students?
Advanced Proficiency
Knowing languages other than English at advanced proficiency levels upon graduation benefits students and society.
What specific advantages do advanced language users have over those who have not reached an advanced
level of proficiency? Are advanced level skills necessary to communicate in complex business and/or social
situations? Is the LOTE teaching force prepared to teach advanced level students?
• To become more familiar
with the TEKS for LOTE and
their underlying
philosophies (Guiding
Principles).
• To identify issues, concerns,
and questions with regard
to the TEKS for LOTE and
Guiding Principles.
• To develop creative ways of
addressing the Guiding
Principles and the 5 Cs by
reflecting on professional
and personal language
learning experiences.
Benefits of Extended Sequences
LOTE programs that start in elementary school and continue uninterrupted through high school allow students
the possibility of reaching advanced levels of proficiency and benefit students in other academic and social arenas.
What are the obstacles to starting language learning in the elementary school? How does one articulate
extended programs from elementary to middle to high school? What non-linguistic benefits do extended
sequence LOTE programs offer students?
Native Speakers
Maintaining and expanding the language of native speakers benefits the individual and society.
How can we utilize the valuable linguistic and cultural resources of native speakers in the classroom? How does
one make the most of native speaker skills in a classroom setting? In what specific ways does reinforcing
language skills help the native speaker? How might instructional needs vary among native speakers?
Offering a Variety of Languages
Students should have opportunities to develop proficiency in a variety of languages.
Why are less commonly taught languages less commonly taught? Are less commonly taught languages also less
commonly spoken? Are languages such as Arabic, Chinese, and Russian more difficult to teach and/or learn?
Interdisciplinary Nature of Language
Learning languages other than English is interdisciplinary.
Is learning through a language more effective than learning about a language? How are the two different?
How can the learning of LOTE reinforce or enhance the learning of other subject areas? How does one ensure
that the connections made between subject areas are not superficial?
Increased Cultural Understanding
Languages other than English enable students to better understand other cultures.
How does learning a language promote cross-cultural understanding? How does one offer students culturally
authentic experiences, especially in remote areas or in less commonly taught languages? Why is it important
to incorporate culture into the LOTE classroom daily rather than having a “culture day”?
The Five Program Goals
The 5 Cs form the foundation of the TEKS for LOTE – Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities.
What is the basis of the curricula for the national standards? Why are the Cs so popular? What do the 5 Cs
offer that previous curricular frameworks have not? Are some Cs more important than others?
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TO THE SESSION LEADER
Use a variety of grouping and processing strategies to lead participants through the activities
associated with Video 1, Overview of the TEKS for LOTE. Provide participants copies of the
TEKS for LOTE and the worksheets referred to in the directions that follow, and gather any
supplies needed to complete the activities.
PREPARATION
Refer to worksheet 1.1.1 for the following activity.
overview of the TEKS for LOTE
This video provides an overview of the TEKS for LOTE, focusing primarily on an elaboration
of eight Guiding Principles that support the standards. The Guiding Principles illustrate key
notions about the teaching and learning of LOTE in Texas. For example, the first Guiding
Principle addresses inclusion, asserting that acquiring a LOTE is essential for all students.
• Before participants watch the video, ask them to take some time to jot down their key
“Professional Guiding Principles.”
• Ask a few volunteers to share with the group.
OBSERVATION
Refer to worksheets 1.2.1 and 1.2.2 for the following activities.
I Introduction (0:00 – 5:45)
• Stop the video and ask participants what they saw or heard in the introduction that
particularly caught their attention.
• They may share their thoughts with a partner or in small groups for a few minutes.
II Guiding Principles (5:46 – 21:11)
• As participants view this portion of the video, ask them to take notes on the worksheet
to organize the information they see and hear.
• Stop the video and allow time for them to finish their notes, then solicit comments on
each Guiding Principle to assure a common understanding.
III 5 Cs (21:12 – end)
This section provides some anecdotal information about the implementation of the program
goals and their real-world applications. After viewing the segment, participants work in pairs
on the following activity.
• Ask them to imagine that they will be explaining the LOTE program goals to parents
during Back-To-School Night.
• Assign a program goal to the pairs, and have them develop a clear explanation that covers
all the important components for that “C.” (They may use the worksheet or a blank
transparency for their descriptions. Limit them to one paragraph.)
• After several minutes, elicit at least one description per C from participants.
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REFLECTION
Refer to worksheet 1.3.1 for the following activity.
Once participants have watched Video 1, Overview of the TEKS for LOTE, they should
reflect on how the Guiding Principles and the 5 Cs were or were not reflected in their own
language learning experiences.
• Allow time for participants to complete the worksheet and share their information in
small groups, identifying similarities and differences among their experiences.
• Reconvene as a large group and report on small group conclusions.
• For those Guiding Principles and Cs that were less present in personal language
learning experiences, discuss how increased attention to those areas might have altered
that education.
overview of the TEKS for LOTE
• (You may also wish to have participants develop a mnemonic device for remembering
the Guiding Principles.)
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For the Investigating Further (follow-up) activities, remember to obtain copies of the supplemental
readings and distribute them to participants in advance of the workshop. Participants will need to
have studied some or all of the chapters/articles in order to complete most of the Exploration and
Expansion activities.
EXPLORATION
Refer to worksheets 1.4.1 to 1.4.3 for the following activities and readings for further study.
Participants evaluate how well their current LOTE program takes the Guiding Principles into
consideration by reflecting on a series of questions provided on the worksheet.
overview of the TEKS for LOTE
• Choose from the techniques suggested in Appendix D, or use one of your own to lead
the group through the reflective process.
• Once participants have identified one or more of the principles that they deem most
needed in their program, they should investigate further by choosing from among the
suggested readings you have distributed.
• After considering one or more of the readings, participants share ideas and brainstorm
ways their identified guiding principles can be used to strengthen their program.
EXPANSION
Refer to worksheets 1.5.1 and 1.5.2 for the following activities and recommended readings.
These three tasks allow participants to reflect on and personalize the situation set forth in the
teaching scenario. They may discuss with a partner, in small groups, or with the whole group;
the suggested readings will help them prepare their responses.
• In the first activity, guide participants to read, reflect on, and discuss the challenges for
each teacher described in the teaching scenario. Have them share the suggestions they
devise.
• In the next task, lead participants to think about the connections between oral proficiency
and error correction and how their views have or have not changed over the years.
• Finallly, provide an opportunity for participants to consider their own professional
development and to identify potential areas for continued growth. They should list at least
five and prioritize them from most to least urgent.
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PARTICIPANT WORKSHEETS
Video Viewing Worksheet
Investigating Further
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1.1.1
video viewing worksheet
PREPARATION
Video 1, Overview of the TEKS for LOTE, provides a summary of the state standards for foreign language
learners, focusing primarily on the eight Guiding Principles that support the standards. The Guiding
Principles illustrate key notions about the teaching and learning of LOTE in Texas. For example, the first
Guiding Principle addresses inclusion, asserting that acquiring a LOTE is essential for all students.
Before watching the video, take some time to reflect on what you consider to be your key Professional
Guiding Principles. Identify them by filling in the following illustrations with simple 2-3 word phrases.
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video viewing worksheet
1.2.1
OBSERVATION
I Introduction
What did you see or hear in this section of Video 1 that particularly caught your attention? Share
your thoughts with other workshop participants.
II Guiding Principles
Use the following chart to organize the information you see and hear in this portion of the video
about the Guiding Principles.
GUIDING PRINCIPLE
MAIN IDEA
OBSERVATIONS/COMMENTS/QUESTIONS
Inclusion of All
Students
Student Variables
Advanced Proficiency
Benefits of Extended
Sequences
Native Speakers
Offering a Variety of
Languages
Interdisciplinary
Nature of Language
Increased Cultural
Understanding
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video viewing worksheet
1.2.2
III 5 Cs
This section provides a brief look at the program goals (5 Cs) and anecdotal information about
their implementation and real-world applications.
Imagine that you will be explaining the LOTE program goals to parents during Back-To-School
Night. Choose one of the Cs and develop a clear explanation that covers all the important
components for that C. Limit your description to one paragraph.
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video viewing worksheet
1.3.1
REFLECTION
Now that you’ve seen an overview of the Guiding Principles and the 5 Cs, think about how they were or
were not reflected in your own language learning experiences. Below, write examples for each that apply.
8 GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Inclusion of All Students
Student Variables
Advanced Proficiency
Benefits of Extended Sequences
Native Speakers
Offering a Variety of Languages
Interdisciplinary Nature of Language
Increased Cultural Understanding
5 Cs
Communication
Cultures
Connections
Comparisons
Communities
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1.4.1
investigating further
EXPLORATION
• Reflect on how well your current LOTE program takes the Guiding Principles into
consideration. To begin, consider the following questions:
– Are all types of learners represented in foreign language classes in your district, including
those with special needs?
– Do you include instructional strategies that address learners with non-traditional learning
styles or preferences? For example, do you include activities for the musically inclined? the
kinesthetic learner? the shy or anxious student?
overview of the TEKS for LOTE
– Does the program begin in the early grades, providing learners an opportunity to reach
advanced levels of proficiency? Does it offer Level IV or higher in all languages that are
taught?
– Does your district’s program offer special classes for heritage language learners? Do you
provide learning opportunities geared to the needs of native speakers in your classes?
– What less commonly taught languages are offered in your school district? Are they offered
at advanced levels?
– How do you integrate your foreign language curriculum with that of other disciplines?
Have you collaborated in designing an interdisciplinary lesson or unit with colleagues in
history, math, science, etc.?
– Do you see evidence in the classroom that students are better understanding the concept
of culture? What indication is there that learners are open to new ideas and less prone to
passing judgment on other cultures?
• Now choose one (or more) of the 8 Guiding Principles that you deem most needed for
strengthening your program. Study at least one of the readings for further study related to it
(see pages 23-24). Use these questions to guide your follow-up group discussion:
Guiding Principle: _____________________________________________
– What ideas did you discover that addressed your concerns about your program?
– What circumstances peculiar to your context would need to be dealt with?
– What suggestions were made that could be implemented in your program to
strengthen support of this Guiding Principle?
– What is the first step you might take to use what you learned?
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1.4.2
For Further Study
Inclusion
Bar-Harrison, P. & Daugherty, C. P. (2000). Multiple realities of the classroom. In R. M. Terry (Ed.), Agents of change in a changing
age (pp. 79-105). (Northeast Conference Reports). Lincolnwood, IL: National Textbook Co. This chapter explores several issues
facing teachers of LOTE and includes a section on diverse student populations including ethnic, at-risk, special needs, gifted, and
heritage language students. It looks at sample classroom behaviors and recommends changes and strategies to improve instruction.
Spinelli, E. (1996). Meeting the challenges of the diverse secondary school population. In B. H. Wing (Ed.), Foreign languages for
all: Challenges and choices (pp. 57-90). (Northeast Conference Reports). Lincolnwood, IL: National Textbook Company. This
chapter begins with a brief overview of “change in the collective U.S. student body,” and then describes three districts who have
changed their LOTE programs to meet the needs of diverse student populations. The chapter also suggests methods to help special needs
students become successful in the foreign language class and addresses additional areas of concern affecting LOTE instruction.
Rosenbusch, M. H. (1998). Is foreign language education for all learners? In M. Met (Ed.), Critical issues in early second language
learning (pp. 57-80). Glenview, IL: Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley. National (and state) standards for LOTE endorse the inclusion
of all students in LOTE education although foreign language educators usually have little experience with “mainstreamed” students, and
little research has been done on inclusion in LOTE classrooms. This chapter provides a brief look at how two school districts are dealing
with inclusion, the challenges that learners with various disabilities face, and the suitability of immersion for all students. It concludes with
a brief list of resources on inclusion in general education that are useful for LOTE educators.
Student Variables
Gardner, H. (1985). Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences. New York: Harper Collins. Gardner’s theory challenges the
belief that intelligence is a single, general capacity present to a greater or lesser degree in every person that can be measured by an
IQ test. He posits the existence of a number of intelligences, present to varying degrees, that combine to make up an individual’s unique
intelligence profile.
Oxford, R. L. (1990). Language learning strategies: What every teacher should know. Boston: Heinle & Heinle. A language learning
strategy is a deliberate action taken by a learner in order to improve knowledge or comprehension of the target language. Oxford
outlines various strategies, provides a survey to help learners identify their own, and offers examples of activities for training students to
most effectively use strategies in developing their reading, writing, speaking, and listening proficiencies.
Young, D. J. (1999). Giving priority to the language learner first. In D..J. Young (Ed.), Affect in foreign language and second language
learning: A practical guide to creating a low-anxiety classroom atmosphere (pp. 241-246). Boston: McGraw-Hill. This chapter
summarizes information from the entire volume including: sources of language anxiety (personality, beliefs, instruction), suggestions for
coping with LA, and suggestions for making the language classroom less stressful. Other chapters provide advice on helping learners
deal with negative affect related to reading, writing, listening, speaking, and learning grammar, as well as individual differences.
Theisen, T. (2002). Differentiated instruction in the foreign language classroom: Meeting the diverse needs of all learners. LOTE CED
Communiqué, Issue 6. Austin, TX: SEDL. This article discusses reasons teachers may differentiate in the classroom based on students’
varying levels of readiness, differing interests, and diverse learning profiles. It offers strategies for differentiating lessons based on the
lesson’s content, how learners process or make sense of the lesson, and how learners demonstrate what they have learned.
Advanced Proficiency/Extended Sequences
Curtain, H. (1998). When should an elementary school foreign language program begin? In M. Met (Ed.), Critical issues in early
second language learning (pp. 24-56). Glenview, IL: Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley. This chapter examines three questions: what
are reasonable language proficiency expectations for children who begin early to learn another language; what is known about a
“critical period” for language learning; and what are the other benefits that accrue for early foreign language learners?
Gilzow, D. F., & Branaman, L. E. (2000). Lessons learned: Model early foreign language programs. Washington, DC: Center for
Applied Linguistics. This volume highlights seven early-start, long-sequence LOTE programs built around the 5 Cs. Program descriptions
include characteristics of the communities, illustrative classroom activities, assessment practices, and keys to success. In the concluding
chapter, “readers can quickly identify effective strategies or promising directions in a specific area of program design, implementation,
or evaluation.”
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1.4.3
Norden, J. B. (2001). Early language learning programs: Reaping the benefits, facing the challenges. LOTE CED Communiqué, Issue
4. Austin, TX: SEDL. This paper provides an overview of various types of early language learning programs and issues related to
implementing them in the elementary school. The paper includes questions for discussion and an annotated bibliography.
Native Speakers
Webb, J. B., & Miller, B. L. (2000). Teaching heritage language learners: Voices from the classroom. Yonkers, NY: ACTFL. This
book addresses the question of what teachers should know and be able to do to successfully teach heritage language learners.
Chapters offer information on getting to know the heritage learners, standards and heritage learners, and monitoring students’
progress. They include case studies and a description of a project focused on preparing teachers to teach heritage learners.
Gonzalez-Pino, B. (2000). An infusion curriculum for the heritage speaker of Spanish. Texas Papers in Foreign Language Education,
5, 93-110. This article provides an overview of program models for heritage speakers of Spanish and reviews three surveys of
heritage language learners with regard to their feelings about taking mixed classes versus classes specifically for heritage learners. It
also discusses the interest expressed by students when information on “Southwest Spanish” was included in a course.
Variety of Languages
Rhodes, N. (1998). Which language should young students learn? In M. Met (Ed.), Critical issues in early second language
learning (pp. 81-102). Glenview, IL: Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley. This chapter responds to a variety of questions such
as: What criteria do districts use in selecting which languages will be taught? What are the “right” reasons for selecting a
language to teach? Is there a rationale for choosing one over the other (and wouldn’t that vary with the times)? Respondents
express divergent viewpoints such as building on the skills of heritage language learners, focusing on “national interest and
international competitiveness,” and looking beyond Western European languages in this age of globalization.
Met, M. (1989). Which foreign languages should students learn? Educational Leadership, 47, 54–58. Although enrollment figures
mentioned in the article are dated, the answer Met gives to the article’s title question still resonates. Which language students
choose to learn depends on their purpose for learning a language. To communicate in the marketplace (cooperate as well as
compete), for international relations, to live in a global society, and for personal and intellectual enrichment are a few of the
possible purposes and each may lead to different choices.
Interdisciplinary Nature of Language
Bragger, J. D., & Rice, D. B. (1998). Connections: The national standards and a new paradigm for content-oriented materials
and instruction. In J. Harper, M. Lively, & M. Williams (Eds.), The coming of age of the profession (pp.191-217). Boston:
Heinle & Heinle. The authors discuss the relationship between content-based instruction and the national standards, pointing out
the paradigm shift to interdisciplinary instruction in education in general. They present a four-stage developmental model for
implementing Connections that gradually expands the content orientation of the curriculum and offer specific examples of how
content can be implemented at each stage.
Increased Cultural Understanding
Galloway, V. (1998). Constructing cultural realities: “Facts” and frameworks of association. In J. Harper, M. Lively, & M. Williams
(Eds.) The coming of age of the profession (pp. 129-140). Boston: Heinle & Heinle. Galloway humorously and articulately
lays out the difficulties of developing cross-cultural understandings when the cultures involved do not share the same form-meaning
frameworks. Because even (especially) the “seemingly familiar” can lead to false impressions, learners must develop the ability
to see the target culture through the lens of that culture, not their own. Galloway discusses the use of authentic texts and how to
prime learners to understand them in terms of target culture “realities.”
Phillips, E. (2001). IC? I See! Developing learners’ intercultural competence. LOTE CED Communiqué, Issue 3. Austin, TX: SEDL.
This paper examines how and why culture has traditionally been taught and suggests additional components that are crucial in
developing students’ intercultural competence, the learner’s ability to “understand culture as a broad organizing and socially
constructed concept.” The paper suggests strategies for helping students develop cross-cultural awareness and self-awareness
with regards to their own culture and proposes a hypothesis-refinement approach to the teaching and learning of culture.
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investigating further
1.5.1
EXPANSION
In Video 1, one coordinator suggests that changes brought about by the TEKS for LOTE in language
classrooms also mean changes for teachers of LOTE. These include going back to school, traveling
abroad to raise their proficiency level in the language, and using—not just talking about—the foreign
language.
With the idea of “change” in mind, read the following teaching scenario, and reflect on the
questions that follow. Discuss your reactions with other participants. The recommended readings
on page 26 should help you prepare your responses.
Teaching Scenario
Ms. Harker, his colleague, is a first-year teacher well-versed in second language acquisition theory but
with only six weeks of student-teaching experience. She spent a semester in Vienna in a study abroad
experience. She feels confident in her ability to design standards-based lessons but is disappointed in
the students’ reluctance to participate in oral activities.
Mr. Schulz and Ms. Harker each teach sections of first and second year German; Mr. Schulz also teaches
the third year German class. They plan to work closely together. Their principal offers four substitute hours
per semester to teachers to work collaboratively on improving instruction. The German teachers have
decided to take advantage of the training in collegial collaboration provided by the district. They will have
to arrange time before and after school for conferencing together and can use the substitute hours to observe
each other’s classes.
overview of the TEKS for LOTE
M
r. Schultz taught German for seven years during the 1970s. He is now returning to
the classroom after an absence of twenty-two years during which time he worked
for a German pharmaceutical company and traveled abroad frequently. Mr.
Schultz believes he can still relate well to the students, and he has a strong desire to share his
love for German language and culture with them. However, he is unfamiliar with the learnercentered methodologies and the proficiency orientation used in his textbook. He is concerned that
students will make mistakes when they work in pairs.
1) Consider the challenges facing each of these teachers. What changes might be in store for
them? What strengths does each appear to have that can benefit the other? What steps are they
taking already to compensate for their lack of experience or expertise? What benefits do you
think might accrue because of those steps? What complications could arise?
After examining some of the recommended readings, prepare three suggestions for each
teacher that address the challenges you listed.
2) How would you respond to Mr. Schultz’s concern about student errors? Do you notice your
students making errors when they work in pairs? Do they make errors when they are doing
activities as a whole class? How would you reply to Ms. Harker’s disappointment at the
students’ reluctance to speak German? What strategies do you suggest she use to overcome
students’ reticence?
Have your views on error correction and/or oral proficiency changed since the earlier years of
your teaching career? How?
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1.5.2
investigating further
3) Consider the challenges you face in your classroom. What strengths (program and personal)
can you draw on? Would you be willing to collaborate with a colleague to find ways to grow
professionally in self-identified areas? What other professional changes might benefit your
classroom vis à vis implementation of the TEKS for LOTE?
Read Smith and Rawley’s article, then list at least five changes, prioritizing them from most
to least urgent, in your opinion.
overview of the TEKS for LOTE
Recommended Readings
Ballman, T. L. (1998). From teacher-centered to learner-centered: Guidelines for sequencing
and presenting the elements of a FL lesson. In J. Harper, M. Lively, & M. Williams (Eds.),
The coming of age of the profession (pp. 97-111). Boston: Heinle & Heinle. Ballman’s
chapter highlights the benefits of learner-centered instruction and describes an instructional
sequence in which “one activity leads to the next, and student responsibility gradually
increases” as teachers provide the linguistic support needed at each stage.
Lee, J. F., & VanPatten, B. (1995). Making communicative language teaching happen. New
York: McGraw-Hill. (In particular, Chapters 1-3: “On Roles and Tasks,” “Research
Insights,” and “Comprehensible Input”). Chapter 1 presents a rationale for the changes in
the role of the language teacher from that of being a provider of knowledge to one of
architect and resource person. Chapter 2 offers a highly readable look at research insights on
the acquisition of grammar, the effects of explicit instruction, and the development of
communicative language proficiency. Chapter 3 describes the kinds of target language input
that are most useful to learners and provides numerous examples of how teachers can include
more input in their classrooms.
Phillips, J. K. (1998). Changing teacher/learner roles in standards-driven contexts. In J.
Harper, M. Lively, & M. Williams (Eds.), The coming of age of the profession (pp. 3-14).
Boston: Heinle & Heinle. Curricular changes brought on by the implementation of state
and national standards for students of LOTE have important implication for teachers of
LOTE as well. Within the context of the standards, both teachers’ and students’ roles will
change. Phillips outlines what those changes will be for teachers (e.g., increased
competencies, a repertoire of approaches) and for learners (e.g., more active participation
and collaboration, strategizing).
Smith, A. N., & Rawley, L. A. (1998). Teachers taking the lead: Self-inquiry as professional
development. In J. Harper, M. Lively, & M. Williams (Eds.), The coming of age of the
profession (pp. 15-36). Boston: Heinle & Heinle. This chapter emphasizes the important
contributions of classroom teachers to professional conversations and urges teachers to take
the lead by “telling their stories and portraying their views of what is important in their
work.” The authors value the knowledge teachers gain from experience and encourage a
reflective model of professional development in which what is most often “tacit” knowledge
becomes explicit through questioning, reflection, study and discussion. They see teachers
not just as recipients of research, but—through self-inquiry—as researchers in their own
right with important contributions to make to the profession.
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VIDEOS 2-5
communication segment
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ABOUT THE COMMUNICATION SEGMENT
Videos 2-5 each begin with an eight-minute segment
that briefly defines the 5 Cs and provides detail on the
program goal of Communication. The three
communication modes (interpersonal, interpretive,
presentational) are elaborated upon with both narrative
and illustrative classroom footage.
Episode Breakdown
(0:00 – 2:50)
I
5 Cs
communication segment
The focal program goal of Communication is presented
at the beginning of Videos 2-5 because it is inextricably
linked to the content of the other Cs. It is the vehicle by
which the other four are explored and, in turn, the content of Cultures, Connections,
Comparisons, and Communities is used to further the communication skills.
This segment has been included in Videos 2-5 so that they can be used independently of
one another yet still contain the important message that Communication is what learning
a language is all about. The remainder of each video features the other “C” for which it
was named.
(2:51 – 3:39)
II
Language Skills
(3:40 – 5:44)
III Interpersonal
(5:45 – 7:00)
IV Interpretive
(7:01 – 8:10)
V Presentational
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Use the Communication Segment (Videos 2-5) to...
• Provide the audience with a brief refresher on the 5 Cs.
• Deliver the message that the development of communication skills is a key focus of
language study through which the other program goals can be explored.
• Review the communication modes and discuss the importance of creating learning
experiences and activities that use all three modes.
• Facilitate discussion about the importance of not just learning about language but also
using it to communicate with others.
COMMUNICATION PROGRAM GOAL AND
PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS
Goals for Participants
• To review the 5 Cs in
general and the
interpersonal, interpretive,
and presentational
communication modes in
detail.
The student communicates in a language other than English using the skills of listening,
speaking, reading, and writing.
The novice level student is expected to:
(A) engage in oral and written exchanges of learned material to socialize and to provide and obtain
information;
• To identify issues, concerns,
or questions regarding the
5 Cs and the
communication skills and
modes.
(B) demonstrate understanding of simple, clearly spoken, and written language such as simple
stories, high-frequency commands, and brief instructions when dealing with familiar topics; and
(C) present information using familiar words, phrases, and sentences to listeners and readers.
• To contemplate the big
picture of communication:
to see it as a whole of
content, skills, and modes.
The intermediate level student is expected to:
(A) engage in oral and written exchanges of learned material to socialize, to provide and obtain
information, to express preferences and feelings, and to satisfy basic needs;
(C) present information and convey short messages on everyday topics to listeners and readers.
The advanced level student is expected to:
(A) engage in oral and written exchanges including providing and obtaining information, expressing
feelings and preferences, and exchanging ideas and opinions;
(B) interpret and demonstrate understanding of spoken and written language, including literature,
on a variety of topics; and
(C) present information, concepts, and ideas on a variety of topics to listeners and readers.
communication segment
(B) interpret and demonstrate understanding of simple, straightforward, spoken and written
language such as instructions, directions, announcements, reports, conversations, brief
descriptions, and narrations; and
Questions Addressed in the Communication Segment (Videos 2-5)
Review of the 5 Cs
The TEKS for LOTE are organized around the 5 Cs: Communication, Cultures, Connections,
Comparisons, and Communities.
What are the benefits of mastering the content of all five program goals? Is it possible to fit all of the
Cs into your curriculum? Are some Cs more important than others?
Communication Skills
Communicative proficiency includes the mastery of language skills including listening, speaking,
reading, writing, viewing, and showing.
Are some language skills easier to teach than others? How do you deal with the variance in students’
proficiency among the skills? Viewing and showing are relatively new to the language skill set; why
have they been added, and what do they mean to you?
Communication Modes
Students use language skills to develop proficiency in three modes of communication: the
interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational modes.
How do you provide practice in all three communication modes? Why is it necessary to do so? Does
use of all three modes hinge on a student’s proficiency level? Why or why not?
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TO THE SESSION LEADER
Use a variety of grouping and processing strategies to lead participants through the activities
associated with the Communication Segment (Videos 2-5). Provide participants copies of the
TEKS for LOTE and the worksheets referred to in the directions that follow, and gather any
additional supplies needed to complete the activities.
PREPARATION
Participants use worksheet CS.1.1 for the following activity.
Before participants view this video segment, have them take a few minutes to mind map
(create a graphic representation) of their understanding of the relationship among the 5 Cs,
the language skills (reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing, showing), and the
communication modes (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational).
communication segment
• Provide colored pencils or markers for this task, and have participants use chart paper or
the space provided on Worksheet CS.1.1 to develop their mind map.
• Set the mind maps aside in a safe place as they will be used again later.
OBSERVATION
Refer to worksheets CS.2.1 and CS.2.2 for the following activities. Since the following sections are
relatively short, you may wish to have participants view the entire segment and then go back and
view individual sections again as they are discussed by the group.
I 5 Cs (0:00 – 2:50)
This video segment emphasizes that mastery of the 5 Cs is the key to advanced proficiency in
a foreign language. Ask participants to rank the Cs from “easiest to teach” through “most
challenging to teach” and share their responses with a partner or the whole group.
Elicit challenges inherent to the teaching of each C. Examples include the following:
• Communication: Mastery of all three modes or teaching the new skills of viewing and
showing are challenges.
• Cultures: Knowing and teaching about cultural perspectives is complex because
perspectives are not always known by non-native speakers and are often transparent for
native speakers.
• Connections: Making meaningful links between the target language and other subject
areas and finding authentic materials from which students can access information can be
time-consuming.
• Comparisons: Abstract structures or lexical connotations and steering away from cultural
stereotypes are challenges for this program goal.
• Communities: Finding linguistic and cultural resources beyond the classroom may
require a great deal of resourcefulness.
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II Language Skills (2:51 - 3:39)
Communicative proficiency derives from the mastery of different skills and modes. In addition
to the traditional skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, the TEKS for LOTE
document includes viewing and showing as vital language skills.
• In groups of 2-3, have participants discuss what viewing and showing skills are and why
they are particularly important in the language classroom. Elicit responses from the
groups when they come back together.
• Ask how teachers often use viewing and showing skills in their classrooms to supply
context to language that may not be 100% comprehensible to their students (e.g.,
sketching on the board, pointing to pictures, using pantomime).
• Ask if they also require or encourage their students to do the same to make themselves
more comprehensible.
III Interpersonal Mode (3:40 – 5:44)
• Ask for examples of other creative ways of getting students to exchange information
where they have to negotiate meaning, that is, extemporaneously adjust and clarify their
language for a listener or reader.
• List all suggestions on a transparency or flip chart as participants brainstorm.
• Afterwards, have the group analyze the list to be sure each item actually requires
negotiation.
IV Interpretive Mode (5:45 – 7:00)
communication segment
This segment shows a mock job fair and e-mail pals to illustrate students using the
interpersonal mode.
When practicing the interpretive mode, students must determine meaning without interacting
with the language source.
Have participants work in small groups to identify at least three strategies language learners can
use to help them understand a text (oral or written) that may be just beyond their proficiency
level. (Sample strategies may include looking/listening for cognates, guessing meaning from
context, applying prior knowledge, looking for root words, looking for visual cues, etc.)
V Presentational Mode (7:01 – 8:10)
Mastering the presentational mode is important, but students may often be reluctant to
perform in front of the class.
Ask participants to list and then share some methods they use to lower the anxiety level of their
students for presentational activities in the target language. (Sample responses may include
having students do presentations with a partner or group rather than solo, letting students choose
the medium they are most comfortable with—videotape rather than live, etc.)
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REFLECTION
Refer to worksheet CS.3.1 for the following activity.
Once participants have discussed the Communication segment, they reinforce the relevance of
the communication skills and modes as they use them in the post-viewing activities based on
the mind maps created earlier.
• First have participants revise, enhance or re-create their mind maps using any information
gleaned from the video and related discussion.
• Post the mind maps around the room, and have participants engage in a gallery walk to
view the works.
communication segment
• After a few minutes, ask participants to work alone or in pairs on an activity on the
worksheet. They choose one from among the three tasks representing the three modes.
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• Allow adequate time for completion of the tasks, then reconvene the whole group so that
those who chose Task 3 can make their presentations. Have participants who chose Task
2 read their posted interpretations, and ask the “artist” if the interpretations match his or
her intent. Those who chose Task 1 can share their reactions or anecdotes about the
experience and any “negotiation of meaning” that occurred. Elicit comments on the
choice of tasks among the group. Was any mode not selected, etc.?
For the Investigating Further (follow-up) activities, remember to obtain copies of the supplemental
readings and distribute them to participants in advance of the workshop. Participants will need
to have studied some or all of the chapters/articles in order to complete most of the Exploration
and Expansion activities. Evaluation worksheets should be provided at the end of the workshop.
EXPLORATION
Refer to worksheets CS.4.1 to CS.4.3 for the following activities and readings for further study.
Provide a few minutes for individual participants to jot down different types of assignments
they regularly make that fall under the three communication mode categories.
• When they finish, ask participants to share and record their responses in three columns
on the board or a flip chart, then divide participants into groups of five and have them
discuss their responses to the questions using the Insiders/Outsiders activity described
in Appendix D (or another discussion option of your choice).
EXPANSION
Refer to worksheets CS.5.1 and CS.5.2 for the following activities and recommended readings.
Guide participants to read the teaching scenario, and allow them time to reflect on it using
the activities and discussion questions on the worksheet.
• In the first task, provide chart paper for groups to develop a partial assessment rubric
(the criteria and percentages but not the descriptors for each level). Post them on the
wall so that participants can take a gallery walk and examine the work of the other
groups. They may also compare them with the ACTFL Performance Guidelines for
K–12 Learners (see the recommended readings).
communication segment
• For the second activity (p. CS.4.2), refer participants to their copy of the performance
expectations for the Communication program goal (p. A-3), and guide them to fill in
the chart with a sample activity for each progress checkpoint. Refer them to the
recommended readings (CS.4.3) for examples.
• For the second task, help participants evaluate the portion of their class time that is
spent in truly communicative activities. Have them analyze the practice activities in a
chapter of their textbook using Lee and VanPatten’s definitions of mechanical,
meaningful, and communicative tasks. Ask how they would make the mechanical and
meaningful activities more communicative. Encourage them to develop some
“structured input” activities as described by the authors.
• Finally, invite participants to reflect on performance-based assessment and compare a
recent evaluation they have used in class with Wiggin’s criteria for authenticity.
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EVALUATION
communication segment
In Appendix E, you will find a self-assessment tool for teachers to use in evaluating
their strengths and identifying areas for growth with regard to helping their students
meet the Communication program goal. Pass out photocopies of the Teacher
Competencies for Professional Development: Communication Strand. Allow time for
participants to complete it on their own at the end of the workshop, or encourage
them to reflect on it and fill it in at home.
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PARTICIPANT WORKSHEETS
Video Viewing Worksheet
Investigating Further
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CS.1.1
video viewing worksheet
PREPARATION
This video segment briefly defines the 5 Cs and provides an in-depth look at the
Communication program goal and, more specifically, the three communication modes
(interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational).
communication segment
Before viewing the video, use this sheet of paper to create a mind map—a graphic
representation of your understanding of the relationship among the 5 Cs, the language skills
(reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing, showing), and the communication modes
(interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational). Save the mind map to use again later.
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video viewing worksheet
CS.2.1
OBSERVATION
I 5 Cs
The TEKS for LOTE and this video segment emphasize that mastery of the 5 Cs is the key to
advanced proficiency in LOTE. In your opinion, which C is the most challenging from a teaching
perspective?
Rank the Cs from “easiest to teach” through “most challenging to teach,” and make notes as to why
you ranked the Cs the way you did so that you can discuss your ranking with other participants.
5.
4.
communication segment
Most Challenging to Teach
3.
2.
1.
Easiest to Teach
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video viewing worksheet
CS.2.2
1.2.1
II Language Skills
Communicative proficiency derives from the mastery of different skills and modes. In addition to the
traditional skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, the TEKS for LOTE document lists viewing
and showing as vital language skills.
What are these skills and why are they particularly important in the language classroom? Share your
thoughts with other participants. How often and in what ways do you develop the skills of viewing
and showing in your classroom?
communication segment
III Interpersonal Mode
The segment shows a mock job fair and e-mail pals to illustrate the interpersonal mode. What are
some other creative ways of getting students to exchange information where they have to negotiate
meaning? In other words, how do they have to extemporaneously adjust and clarify their language as
an aid to comprehension for a listener or reader? Brainstorm ideas with the whole group.
IV Interpretive Mode
When practicing the interpretive mode, students must determine meaning without interacting with
the language source. What are some language learning strategies they can use to help them
understand language that may be just beyond their proficiency level? Write some of them below and
share with other participants.
1)
2)
3)
V Presentational Mode
Mastering the presentational mode is important, but students may often be reluctant to perform in
front of the class. List some techniques you use to lower students’ anxiety levels for presentational
activities.
1)
2)
3)
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video viewing worksheet
CS.3.1
1.2.2
REFLECTION
Retrieve the mind map you created prior to viewing the video. Take ten minutes to revise, enhance
or re-create the mind map using any information you gleaned from the video and related activities
or discussion. Post your mind map on the wall and take a few minutes to study those of the other
participants.
Finally, choose one of the following three activities to complete. For tasks 1 and 3, use the target
language and your best communicative strategies to help group or audience members who might not
understand the language.
Task 2 – Interpretive Mode
Choose a mind map other than your own from those on the gallery wall. Try to interpret its
meaning, writing a few explanatory sentences on a piece of paper. Do not consult the mind
map’s artist! Post your interpretation next to that mind map.
Task 3 – Presentational Mode
Prepare a short explanation of your own mind map, and present it to the whole group using the
target language that you teach. Use plenty of visual cues for those who might not understand
the language.
communication segment
Task 1 – Interpersonal Mode
Working in groups of three, describe and show your mind map to your partners and listen to
them describe and show theirs. Ask specific, complex questions of each other and respond
accordingly, elaborating on aspects that are not clear.
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CS.4.1
investigating further
EXPLORATION
• Hall (1999) contends that the “principles of communication and communicative
competence that underlie the Communication goal and its three standards provide a
frame for designing a pedagogy of foreign language learning around involvement in
a wide range of meaningful experiences that encompass the diversity of
communicative needs of our students” (p. 50).
communication segment
Think about the classes you currently teach or have recently taught and reflect on the
communicative needs of your students. Now list below several types of tasks you
commonly assign that fall under the three communication mode categories. When
you finish, discuss the questions that follow with other participants.
I commonly ask my students to:
Interpersonal Tasks:
Interpretive Tasks:
Presentational Tasks:
– What are the communicative needs of your students?
– Is it easier to think of assignments for some modes than it is for others? Which ones
are easiest? Why do you think that is?
– Often when we think of communication, we focus on the oral skill. Look back at
the activities you listed and see if your assignments included listening? reading?
writing? viewing? showing? What communication skills appear to get the least
attention in your classroom?
– Do the activities you listed reflect “a wide range of meaningful experiences?” Are
the assignments relevant to the real world as well as to the classroom?
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investigating further
CS.4.2
The three performance expectations for the
Communication program goal correspond to the three
modes of communication: interpersonal, interpretive,
and presentational. The Communication goal is the
one whose performance expectations vary the most by
each progress checkpoint (proficiency level).
Use your copy of the TEKS for LOTE to study the
performance expectations for the three progress
checkpoints for Communication and compare them
across levels (A-novice to A-intermediate to Aadvanced). Think of a task to illustrate the
performance expectations at each proficiency level and
fill in the chart below. The readings for further study
(p. 42) will help you prepare your answers.
SAMPLE ACTIVITIES BY PROGRESS CHECKPOINT
Communication
Intermediate
Communication
Advanced
A)
A)
A)
B)
B)
B)
C)
C)
C)
PRESENTATIONAL
INTERPRETIVE
INTERPERSONAL
Communication
Novice
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CS.4.3
investigating further
For Further Study
communication segment
Hall, J. K. (1999). The communication standard. In J. K. Phillips & R. M. Terry (Eds.),
Foreign language standards: Linking research, theories, and practices (pp. 15-56).
Lincolnwood, IL: National Textbook Company. Hall begins with a brief overview of
theoretical considerations that support the central place of Communication in the
standards-based classroom and research on classroom discourse—the kind of target
language communication that goes on in the typical foreign language class. The final
section elaborates on implications for curriculum design based on Communication.
Hall discusses how to create an environment in which learners can best develop their
skills in the three communication domains (modes): interpersonal, interpretive, and
presentational.
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Shrum, J. L., & Glisan, E. W. (2000). Teacher’s handbook: Contextualized language
instruction. Boston: Heinle & Heinle. [In particular, chapters 6, 8, and 9: “Using an
Interactive Approach to Develop Interpretive Skills,” “Developing Oral Interpersonal
and Presentational Communication,” and “Developing Written Communication Skills
Through Integration of the Three Modes.”] Each of these chapters begins with a
conceptual orientation that outlines the theoretical principles related to the chapter
topic. This overview of the topic and related research is followed by episodes and
case studies that provide an opportunity to consider the topic in a specific context.
Chapter 6 introduces the three modes, then focuses on an interactive model for
developing interpretive (listening and reading) skills. Chapter 8 offers engaging
examples of interpersonal and presentational (oral) activities, and Chapter 9 tells how
to integrate the three modes to help learners develop their ability to communicate in
writing.
investigating further
CS.5.1
EXPANSION
In this video segment, several teachers mention that what students want most is to learn to
communicate—to use the target language. Do you agree? What do you think students mean when they
say they want to learn to communicate in the target language? Do the practice activities in your
textbook help students develop real world communication skills? What does communication mean to
you? What components comprise one’s communicative ability? How is it developed? How can it be
assessed?
Read the following teaching scenario and then reflect on the questions that follow and/or discuss your
reactions with your group. The recommended readings should help you prepare your responses.
Teaching Scenario
Mr. Ware suggests that performance doesn’t matter much if it doesn’t reflect cultural awareness, and Ms.
Bergman mentions the importance of accuracy in communicative interactions. Mr. Garcia insists that an
extensive vocabulary and the use of strategies like circumlocution are important components of
communication and should also be considered.
All agree that the evaluation must include both written and oral communication and productive and
receptive skills. They also agree that the assessment must reflect the real world goals suggested by the
standards. They decide to meet next week to discuss a format for this departmental assessment.
communication segment
M
s. Wharton and her colleagues in the Spanish department at Somewhere High
School are discussing a proposal to use the ACTFL Performance Guidelines for K-12
Learners to develop an evaluation to assess their students’ communicative ability
relative to their level of study. She believes it is important to evaluate students in all three modes
of communication; she finds that several of her colleagues have additional opinions on what the
evaluation should include.
1) With which of these Spanish teachers do your opinions align most closely? Are there other
important elements of one’s communicative ability that they did not mention? If you were to
assess your students’ communicative ability at the end of the year, what components would you
include on your rubric?
List the components and assign a percentage to each according to its relative importance in your
opinion. Compare your components with the performance domains of the ACTFL Performance
Guidelines for K-12 Learners. Are there variations? Explain how you arrived at your conclusions.
2) Most teachers agree that grammatical accuracy plays an important role in one’s ability to
communicate well in another language. They also recognize that the ability to excel at structured
practice may not necessarily translate into communicative proficiency. Furthermore, teachers
often find that, once the structured practice in the textbook has been completed, there is little
time left over for real-world communication.
Read how Lee and VanPatten (1995) classify the grammar practice activities commonly found in
textbooks, then analyze a chapter in the text that you currently use. Choose a chapter at random,
and look at each activity found there, identifying it as mechanical, meaningful, or communicative
according to Lee and VanPatten’s classifications. How many activities did you identify as
communicative? How many did you find in which students are encouraged to negotiate for
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CS.5.2
investigating further
meaning—to ask follow-up questions, request clarification, come to an agreement,
elaborate on their answer, etc.?
Look at those you classified as meaningful, and brainstorm ways that you might make
them more communicative. You might also want to try your hand at developing some
structured input activities as described by Lee and VanPatten in Chapter 5.
3) Think about all the ways you evaluate the communicative abilities of your students:
quizzes and exams, homework assignments, projects, portfolios, class work, etc. How
many of these assessments evaluate learners’ ability to use the target language for realworld purposes? Since the TEKS for LOTE are performance-based standards, assessments
of students’ progress in meeting the goals must include performance-based tasks.
communication segment
Choose a recent chapter or unit evaluation that you used in class and compare it to
Wiggins’ description of authentic assessment. Does it include real-world tasks? Is at least
part of it performance-based? How could you revise it to make it more authentic?
Recommended Readings
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. (1998). ACTFL Performance
guidelines for K-12 learners. Yonkers, NY: Author. Inspired by the ACTFL Proficiency
Guidelines and Standards for Foreign Language Learning (national standards document),
these performance guidelines attempt to describe “how well” learners (who begin
languages at various entry-points) should do “what.” They are organized in chart format
according to the three communication modes (interpersonal, interpretive, presentational),
three benchmarks (novice, intermediate, and pre-advanced), and six performance
domains (comprehensibility, comprehension, language control, vocabulary usage,
communication strategies, and cultural awareness.)
Lee, J. F., & VanPatten, B. (1995) Making communicative language teaching happen. New
York: McGraw-Hill. (Chapter 5, “Grammar Instruction as Structured Input”) This
chapter looks at traditional approaches to grammar instruction and the “tenets that
underlie it.” The authors contend that a traditional approach is incompatible with
communicative language learning and propose a new kind of grammar instruction that
focuses learners’ attention on form-meaning connections; that is, they introduce new
structures in such a way that the “grammatical form carries meaning and learners must
attend to the form in order to complete the task.”
Wiggins, G. (1996). Toward more authentic assessment of language performances. In C.
Hancock (Ed.) Teaching, testing, and assessment: Making the connection (pp. 69-86).
Lincolnwood, IL: National Textbook Company. Wiggins believes that learners should be
“taught by their tests how language challenges are typically encountered in the world.” He
defines “performance,” discusses the criteria for “authenticity,” and provides examples of
authentic tests.
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VIDEO 2
communication & cultures
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ABOUT COMMUNICATION & CULTURES
This 30-minute video takes an in-depth look at the Program Goal of Cultures. Following the
eight-minute Communication Segment (included in each of Videos 2-5), there are several
brief interviews and comments by teachers and others involved in LOTE education. These
narratives present some important elements of teaching culture and provide real-world
examples of how teachers implement Cultures into their language classrooms and why it is
important to do so.
Also included is video footage of several classes where the current focus is the Cultures program
goal.
• One teacher helps her students discover the significance of the café in French life through
role-play and an innovative classroom setting.
Episode Breakdown
(0:00 – 1:19)
I
Portrayal of
Culture
(1:20 – 8:28)
Communication
Segment
communication & cultures
• A teacher of Arabic discusses the importance of getting students to look beyond their
preconceived notions of the Arab world in order to better understand its cultures which
are rooted in civilizations that are thousands of years old.
• Teachers and students of Spanish celebrate el Día de los Muertos, using literature and
other aspects of the holiday to gain a better understanding of the cultures behind it.
Throughout Video 2, the terms practices, products, and perspectives are used. Practices (what
people do) and products (what people create, both tangible and intangible) are nothing new
to the LOTE classroom. Language teachers know what these are for the cultures associated
with the language they teach and integrate them into their lessons. The teaching and learning
of perspectives (how people perceive things) is a more complex and somewhat new element in
the teaching of culture. Connecting the three is important; there is simply no separating a
culture’s practices and products from its perspectives.
(8:29 – 12:24)
II
Reflections on
Teaching Culture
(12:25 – 17:14)
III Practices and
Perspectives
(17:15 – 21:22)
IV Dispelling Myths
(21:23 – end)
V Products and
Perspectives
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Use Video 2: Communication & Cultures to...
• Facilitate discussion about the elements and issues involved in teaching cultures.
• Review the concepts of practices, products, and perspectives and discuss their relative
interdependence.
• Show several means of delivering cultural content in the LOTE classroom.
• Deliver the message that the learning of LOTE is inseparable from the learning of
culture.
CULTURES PROGRAM GOAL AND
PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS
Goals for Participants
• To better understand the
Cultures program goal in
general and the concepts of
practices, products, and
perspectives in particular.
The student gains knowledge and understanding of other cultures.
The novice level student is expected to:
(A) demonstrate an understanding of the practices (what people do) and how they are
related to the perspectives (how people perceive things) of the cultures studied; and
• To identify issues, concerns,
and/or questions with
regard to the teaching of
Cultures.
(B) demonstrate an understanding of the products (what people create) and how they are
related to the perspectives (how people perceive things) of the cultures studied.
• To practice identifying
cultural perspectives
associated with products
and practices.
The intermediate (advanced) level student is expected to:
(A) use the language at the intermediate (advanced) proficiency level to demonstrate an
understanding of the practices (what people do) and how they are related to the
perspectives (how people perceive things) of the cultures studied; and
Questions Addressed in Video 2: Communication & Cultures
Language and Culture are Inseparable.
Teacher Arun Precash puts it well: “Language is the portrayal of culture.”
Why must culture be included as part of the LOTE curriculum? How much culture is enough? Do you
see culture as an integral part of everyday lesson plans or as something separate to be done as its
own unit?
communication & cultures
(B) use the language at the intermediate (advanced) proficiency level to demonstrate an
understanding of the products (what people create) and how they are related to the
perspectives (how people perceive things) of the cultures studied.
The Learning of Cultures is Multi-Faceted.
Students use their teachers’ knowledge, technology, study abroad, and their personal experiences
to learn about target cultures.
What local resources are there for delivering cultural content to students? If local resources are not
plentiful, how else might teachers provide students with opportunities to learn about target cultures
in meaningful ways? What are the benefits of making cultural content accessible in varied formats?
Cultures are Comprised of Practices, Products, and Perspectives.
The study of cultures includes the observation and analysis of its products, practices, and
perspectives.
Do you integrate the concepts of cultural practices, products, and perspectives into language
instruction? How do you see the relationship among the three? Can you identify the perspectives
that influence the products and practices of the culture(s) associated with the language you teach?
If you are not a native speaker, how do you verify your hypotheses about perspectives?
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TO THE SESSION LEADER
Use a variety of grouping and processing strategies to lead participants through the activities
associated with the Video 2, Communication & Cultures. Provide participants copies of the TEKS
for LOTE and the worksheets referred to in the directions that follow, and gather any additional
supplies needed to complete the activities.
PREPARATION
Refer to worksheet 2.1.1 for the following activity.
This video focuses on issues related to the teaching and learning of the Cultures program goal.
• Ask participants to take a few minutes to reflect and then write down three ways in
which they currently use cultural content in the classroom for language practice and
growth.
communication & cultures
• Form small groups to compare these and list the different strategies they find.
OBSERVATION
Refer to worksheets 2.2.1 to 2.2.3 for the following activities.
I Portrayal of Culture (0:00 – 1:19)
The teacher at the beginning of the video states that “language is the portrayal of culture.” Ask
participants to think of specific examples or anecdotes to illustrate this statement and share
with the group.
II Reflections on Teaching Culture (8:29 – 12:24)
In this segment, five individuals discuss various elements important to cultural content
instruction. Ask participants to jot down what they think is the key point that each individual
makes. Use the follow-up suggestions below to draw out their responses.
• Helen Nakamoto describes the Japanese business card and a perspective underlying it.
Ask if there is a parallel example of such a product in the culture(s) they teach.
• Arun Precash demonstrates a greeting extended to women in India and tells why it is
important to know about it. Elicit perspectives behind the tacit rules for greeting in
American culture.
• Dan Bolen makes the point that learning about other cultures helps students increase
their knowledge of their own culture, but he doesn’t give any specific examples. Ask
participants for examples, or have them tell about an “aha” experience they have had with
regard to American culture as a result of learning something about another.
• Rose Potter mentions that the study abroad experience has benefits beyond those of a
linguistic nature and refers to the broadened perspective that travel affords. Ask
participants to think back on a learning experience they had in another culture that
could not have been replicated in the classroom and to share it with a partner.
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• Marybeth Hughes talks about how communications technology has enabled today’s
LOTE students to learn in real time about the life experiences of someone from
another culture. Ask about other kinds of technology besides e-mail that participants
use to help learners connect with the target culture(s) in meaningful ways.
III Practices and Perspectives (12:25 – 17:14)
In this segment, participants hear about the French classrooms of Rosalon Moorhead and
Yvette Heno.
• Ask them to take a few minutes to list authentic materials they use or would like to
use that could prompt a better understanding among students about target culture
practices and perspectives.
• Encourage the whole group to share as you list their responses on a flip chart or an
overhead transparency.
IV Dispelling Myths (17:15 – 21:22)
• After viewing this section, elicit examples of stereotypes they have heard their students
express about members of the target culture(s).
• Elicit stereotypes they have heard about the “typical” American, and ask participants
to discuss the misconceptions upon which they are based.
• Ask for volunteers to describe the types of activities they use to enhance knowledge
and reduce stereotyping with regard to the target culture(s) they teach.
V Products and Perspectives (21:23 – end)
In this video segment, several Spanish teachers share how they incorporate target culture
products and perspectives on traditional Mexican holidays into their classes.
communication & cultures
Two teachers discuss the importance of dispelling stereotypes in this video segment.
• After participants have viewed this portion of the video, tell them to fill in the chart
on worksheet 2.2.3, hypothesizing about the target culture perspectives related to
sample target culture products selected.
• Ask participants to reveal what new things the exercise helped them learn about the
target culture.
REFLECTION
Refer to worksheet 2.3.1 for the following activity.
Role-play can be an effective means for learning about a culture while practicing language skills.
• Prepare strips of paper, each with one of the products or practices listed on the next page.
Assign or allow groups to select one strip of paper about which they will prepare a roleplay dramatizing the American perspectives associated with that product or practice.
• Ask participants to make notes on the handout as they watch each role-play. Afterwards,
ask them to discuss the perspectives of American culture that they believe were
portrayed. For example, for the product “fast food,” a role-play might show people
gulping tasteless food in order to hurry back to work, illustrating that Americans
consume fast food because time is valued more than the quality of their food.
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– PRODUCTS: microwave ovens, HMOs, amusement parks, school-sponsored
activities (e.g., sports, clubs), hired dog walkers, talk shows (e.g., Jerry Springer,
Oprah), concealed weapons, “dry” counties, SUVs, storage units, NASCAR, all-youcan-eat buffets
– PRACTICES: one-stop shopping, road rage, going to a dog park, tailgating, working
overtime, telecommuting, hiring a wedding planner
For the Investigating Further (follow-up) activities, remember to obtain copies of the supplemental
readings and distribute them to participants in advance of the workshop. Participants will need to
have studied some or all of the chapters/articles in order to complete most of the Exploration and
Expansion activities. Evaluation worksheets should be provided at the end of the workshop.
EXPLORATION
communication & cultures
Refer to worksheets 2.4.1 and 2.4.2 for the following activities and readings for further study.
Participants work in pairs or small groups to consider issues and concerns related to Cultures,
to reflect on their own classrooms, and to choose from the readings for further study which
will provide an in-depth look at the issue.
• Ask participants to share ideas from the readings that they find most stimulating.
• To follow-up, pairs or groups select an authentic text. Suggest that they look back at their
responses to Observation III on worksheet 2.2.2 where they list some authentic texts.
They then develop a student-centered activity using the text they have chosen that will
allow learners to compare an element of the target culture with their own culture.
EXPANSION
Refer to worksheets 2.5.1 and 2.5.2 for the following activities and recommended readings.
Guide participants to read the teaching scenario and to reflect on it using the activities and
discussion questions on the worksheet.
• The first three tasks ask them to reflect on what they have read, the use of the target
language in their own classroom to discuss complex topics such as literature and culture,
and the use of the target language with beginning-level learners. Use a variety of
facilitation techniques from Appendix D to vary the discussion formats.
• In the final task, language groups develop a sequence of activities to allow learners to
discuss a cultural topic at the appropriate proficiency level. Leave time for each group to
share its sample activity sequence.
EVALUATION
In Appendix E, you will find a self-assessment tool for teachers to use in evaluating their
strengths and identifying areas for growth with regard to helping their students meet the
Cultures program goal. Pass out photocopies of the Teacher Competencies for Professional
Development: Cultures Strand. Allow time for participants to complete it on their own at the
end of the workshop, or encourage them to reflect on it and fill it in at home.
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PARTICIPANT WORKSHEETS
Video Viewing Worksheet
Investigating Further
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2.1.1
video viewing worksheet
PREPARATION
Video 2 focuses on concepts related to the teaching and learning of the Cultures program goal.
communication & cultures
Take a few minutes to reflect and then write down three ways in which you currently use cultural
content in the classroom for language practice and growth. Compare answers with other
participants, and see how many different strategies you find.
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video viewing worksheet
2.2.1
OBSERVATION
I Portrayal of Culture
At the beginning of Video 2, Arun Precash states that “language is the portrayal of culture.” Can
you think of a specific example or anecdote to illustrate this statement?
II Reflections on Teaching Culture
In this segment, five individuals discuss various elements that are important to cultural content and
instruction. As you listen, list the key point that each one makes.
• Helen Nakamoto (Japanese teacher)
• Dan Bolen (Administrator)
communication & cultures
• Arun Precash (Hindi teacher)
• Rose Potter (Study/travel abroad advocate)
• Marybeth Hughes (LOTE Coordinator)
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2.2.2
video viewing worksheet
III Practices and Perspectives
Rosalon Moorhead has converted her classroom into a French café in order for her students to
learn about the important role that the café plays in French life. Yvette Heno uses information
from the French news to host an American-style talk show, thus bringing a French perspective to
American issues and media formats.
communication & cultures
Take a few minutes to list authentic materials you use or would like to use to promote an
understanding of target culture practices and perspectives. Share how you have gained access to
useful target culture documents.
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video viewing worksheet
2.2.3
IV Dispelling Myths
The cultures of less commonly taught languages such as Arabic are often enigmatic or completely unfamiliar
to American students. Yvette Heno and Fadwa Saqer work to encourage knowledge of the Arab world and its
long history as well as to dispel cultural stereotypes and misconceptions.
Share some stereotypes students may have about the peoples who speak the language you teach. Identify some
stereotypes others may hold about the “typical American.” Provide examples of activities you use to enhance
knowledge and reduce stereotyping with regard to the target culture(s) where that language is spoken.
V Products and Perspectives
Spanish teachers Aurora Hansis, Teresa Tattersall, and Yolanda Soliz talk about how they incorporate the
products and perspectives of el Día de los Muertos into a classroom celebration of this traditional Mexican
holiday. The products their students learn about and create (e.g., the satirical poems and skull/skeleton
puppets) reveal information about Mexican perspectives on death (e.g., it is not necessarily scary and can
be humorous).
Reflect on perspectives of the target culture(s) you teach as you complete the chart below.
TARGET CULTURE: ____________________________________
PRODUCT
CATEGORY
EXAMPLE OF A PRODUCT
FROM A CHOSEN CULTURE
WHAT THE PRODUCT REVEALS
ABOUT UNDERLYNG PERSPECTIVES
Culinary Items
Religious Artifacts
Clothing
Works of Art
Educational System
Transportation System
Government
Other
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video viewing worksheet
2.3.1
REFLECTION
Consider an American product or practice from among those offered by the session leader. Then think about
the American perspective(s) reflected in it. Working with a partner, develop a brief role play involving the
product or practice selected that dramatizes an associated American perspective. Present your role play to the
whole group who will try to identify the perspective(s) portrayed. Use the chart below to take notes as you
watch the other role-plays.
GROUP 5
GROUP 4
GROUP 3
GROUP 2
GROUP 1
PRODUCT
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PRACTICE
RELATED PERSPECTIVE(S)
investigating further
2.4.1
EXPLORATION
• Hoecherl-Alden (2000) says that “[t]hose who have attained basic knowledge of a second
language alongside a list of cultural facts remain, for all intents and purposes, monolingual,
having merely glimpsed the target culture and the language informing it.” Think about the
degree to which the Cultures program goal is reflected in your classroom. To begin, consider
the following questions:
– Do you feel confident in your knowledge of a variety of target culture products and
practices and your understanding of target culture perspectives related to them? Are you
readily able to use technological resources to keep up-to-date?
– Is culture a foundation of your curriculum or is it more of an “add-on” component? How
much of what goes on in your classroom is based on the target culture and related products,
practice, and perspectives? To what degree are themes approached from the perspectives of
the target culture(s)?
– How do you avoid stereotyping members of other cultures and help students to do so also?
Is the target culture portrayed from a middle-class, mainstream perspective in your
classroom or from a variety of social, economic, and geographic identities?
• Choose one or more of the readings for further study on page 58, and discuss with other
workshop participants the ideas you find most stimulating.
– What ideas did you uncover related to any concerns you might have regarding the
implementation of Cultures? Share one idea that stimulated you to want to undertake a new
activity or unit of study with your students. Were there any ideas you did not agree with or
understand?
• To follow up, choose a theme that your students would enjoy exploring based on ideas that you
have gathered from the readings and discussion. Imagine ways in which target culture
products, practices, and perspectives could form the core of students’ exploration of the theme.
communication & cultures
– Do you guide your students to explore the target culture through the observation and
description of it? Do you guide them in hypothesis formation and refinement? Have you
attempted to instill self-awareness in students with regard to their own culture? Do they
also have access to target culture reflections on their culture?
List four authentic texts (oral or written, including any technological resources such as the
Internet, film, CDs, etc.) that you could use to introduce the theme. Choose one authentic text
and, based on it, create a student-centered activity through which learners explore an element
of the target culture and hypothesize on the related perspectives.
1.
2.
3.
4.
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2.4.2
investigating further
For Further Study
communication & cultures
Galloway, V. (1999). Bridges and boundaries: Growing the cross-cultural mind. In M. A.
Kassen (Ed.), Language learners of tomorrow: Process and promise (pp. 151-187).
Lincolnwood, IL: National Textbook Company. In this chapter, Galloway asserts that the
traditional approach to teaching culture by “bridge-building” should give way to what she
calls “growing the cross-cultural mind.” To this end, she proposes a complete paradigm shift
from information sharing about other cultures to an individual process of inquiry and reflection,
of hypothesis-testing. Culture becomes the sub-text for all “language” learning and for all other
program goals. Galloway discusses the cross-cultural inquiry model through the lens of the 5
Cs and provides examples of many useful activities for engaging learners in this reflective
process.
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Lange, D. L. (1998). Planning for and using the new national culture standards. In J. K. Phillips
& R. M. Terry (Eds.), Foreign language standards: Linking research, theories, and practice
(pp. 57-135). (ACTFL Series) Lincolnwood, IL: National Textbook Company. Lange contends
that in spite of the attention devoted to it in the past forty years, the teaching of culture remains
a superficial component of the language classroom. The National Standards Project and
standards developed by individual AATs lead us away from an information sharing approach
to culture learning and toward one in which culture is seen as an integral part of language
learning. There are, however, issues related to national, state, and AAT standards for culture.
These are discussed along with theoretical models for teaching culture, curricular
organization, assessment, instruction, and research related to culture learning.
investigating further
2.5.1
EXPANSION
In this video, a teacher explains that she uses only French in her classroom and insists that her
students do so as well. How do you feel about her comments? Do you consider target language use
in the classroom as a cultural “text”?
Read the following teaching scenario and then reflect on the questions that follow and/or discuss
your reactions with your group. The recommended readings should help you prepare your responses.
Teaching Scenario
T
Ms. Williams feels it adds cultural authenticity to speak only French with her students. Her only
disappointment is the students’ reluctance to use the language for what she considers real
communication. They do not hesitate to read their answers to comprehension questions or to ask for
a hall pass in French, but when she introduces discussion questions based on a reading, for
example, she is hard-pressed to get anyone to make eye-contact, much less say anything in French.
Ms. Lane, the Level I teacher says she uses French for classroom management with her students who
are beginners. When she uses French for other purposes, her students become frustrated and
complain that they have no idea what she’s saying. Perhaps after they’ve studied the language
longer…?
Mr. Carlson, the Level II teacher also uses French for classroom management; he conducts the class
in French about half the time. He feels it is too difficult to teach grammar and especially culture using
the target language; he does not want to slight those important components of the curriculum.
communication & cultures
he French teachers at George Washington High School have had numerous
discussions lately in light of their desire to increase their students’ oral proficiency. Ms.
Williams teaches Advanced Placement French IV classes at her school. She is quite
pleased with her students; they do excellent work on their written assignments and read at
an advanced level. They have no trouble understanding what she says in class, even though
she conducts the entire lesson in French.
1) Do you agree that speaking only the target language adds to cultural authenticity of the
classroom? Why do you think the AP students in Ms. Williams’ class do not respond to the
discussion questions that she proposes? At what ACTFL proficiency level would you expect
a language learner to be able to participate in an extemporaneous discussion: intermediate?
advanced? superior? What do learners need to know and be able to do before they discuss a
topic? What steps could Ms. Williams take to prepare her students to discuss a literary
passage they have read?
2) What percent of the time do you expect a teacher to use the target language in a first year
class? Why would learners get frustrated and/or complain when the instructor uses the
language that they are there to learn? What are some strategies you can use to help students
understand when you use the target language in class? What are some strategies your
students need to acquire to help them understand when you are using the target language?
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2.5.2
investigating further
3) Do you believe the target language should be used with beginning students to talk about
such potentially complex issues as cultural perspectives? If not, at what level do you expect
students to be able to understand such an explanation? If so, are you willing to use English
if your students simply don’t “get it”? How have you been able to use the target language
to help students learn about the target culture?
4) Think of a cultural topic you would like your students to be able to “discuss”—at the
appropriate proficiency level. Use suggestions from the readings listed below to develop a
sequence of activities that would prepare the students to be able to do so.
communication & cultures
Include background knowledge students would need to understand the topic, related
vocabulary and structures, communicative small group practice, etc. Share your ideas with
other participants.
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Recommended Readings
David, R. L., & Siskin, H. J. (1994). I can’t get them to talk: Task content and
sequencing in the advanced conversation course. In G. K. Crouse (Ed.), Meeting new
challenges in the foreign language classroom (pp. 39-54). Lincolnwood, IL: National
Textbook Company. Advanced oral skills are not an automatic outcome of having
mastered the structures and lexicon of the target language. Nor does providing learners
with an interesting topic of conversation necessarily lead to a lively discussion. Essential to
the learners’ ability to “discuss” a topic according to the authors is appropriate design and
sequencing of tasks. The authors provide a sample unit that can be used as a model for
teachers who wish to design speaking activities for their students.
Omaggio Hadley, A. (1993). Teaching language in context, 2nd edition. Boston: Heinle
& Heinle. [See especially Chapter 5, “A proficiency-oriented approach to listening and
reading” as it relates to the development of the listening skill (pp. 162-195) and Chapter 6,
“Developing oral proficiency.”] In Chapter 5, Omaggio discusses the processes and skills
involved in listening comprehension and recommends a plan for designing listening
activities. The chapter provides numerous specific examples of activity types: pre-listening,
listening for the gist, listening with visuals and many more. Chapter 6 addresses the
development of learners’ ability to speak the target language. Omaggio discusses
characteristics of learners “interlanguage”—that less than perfect production of the target
language that gradually approaches the “real thing”—and comments on its implication for
instruction. Once again she recommends a plan for designing speaking activities and
provides many specific examples.
VIDEO 3
communication & connections
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ABOUT COMMUNICATION & CONNECTIONS
Video 3 takes an in-depth look at the program goal of Connections. After a brief introduction
and the eight-minute Communication Segment that is included in Videos 2-5, this video features
seven different classrooms and educators connecting to other subject areas and using the language
to connect with target language resources.
Teachers can implement the Connections program goal by providing students with opportunities
to access information in the target language.
• In Video 3, students access information in French by reading and referencing a weather
report from a French publication as they connect to the disciplines of math, geography, and
science.
Episode Breakdown
communication & connections
• A Spanish teacher helps her students to access information in Spanish by providing them
with authentic, Spanish-language materials such as Mexican report cards, phone books,
invitations, and more.
• Spanish students in another classroom use Spanish-language web sites to do research on
Venezuela.
Teachers can also implement the Connections program goal by developing interdisciplinary
lessons. This video features:
• footage of the ultimate in interdisciplinary learning: the immersion classroom where the
target language is used for instruction in all content areas;
• a Spanish IV class connecting to history, social studies, and the fine arts through the study
of target culture visual arts and drama;
• a FLES teacher who uses Spanish with her young students to reinforce TAAS objectives by
implementing a lesson on sentence structure that mirrors what the students have learned in
English Language Arts; and
• a class of heritage language learners using Spanish to study art and history in a lesson that
affords them opportunities to explore their own cultural heritage and reinforces and
expands on the school’s history curriculum.
(0:00 – 8:12)
Communication
Segment
(8:13 – 15:04)
I Access to
II
Information
• Review the objectives of accessing target language information and connecting to
other subject areas.
(15:05 – 18:36)
• Facilitate discussion about issues related to interdisciplinary language learning and
target language resources.
Content Immersion
• Show some innovative means of implementing the Connections program goal in
the LOTE classroom.
(18:37 – end)
III Interdisciplinary
Connections
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Use Video 3: Communication & Connections to...
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• Deliver the message that connecting to other subject areas and using target
language materials can make language learning more real and therefore more
meaningful and motivating to students.
CONNECTIONS PROGRAM GOAL AND
PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS
Goals for Participants
• To review the Connections
program goal in general
and the notions of
interdisciplinary connections
and access to information
in detail.
The student uses the language to make connections with other subject areas and to
acquire information.
The novice level student is expected to:
(A) use resources (that may include technology) in the language and cultures being studied
to gain access to information; and
• To identify issues, concerns,
or questions with regard to
the implementation of the
Connections program goal.
(B) use the language to obtain, reinforce, or expand knowledge of other subject areas.
The intermediate (advanced) level student is expected to:
(A) use resources (that may include technology) in the language and cultures being studied
at the intermediate (advanced) proficiency level to gain access to information; and
Questions Addressed in Video 3: Communication & Connections
Learning LOTE is Interdisciplinary.
Students add to their educational experience by using LOTE to connect to other subject areas
within the school curriculum.
What are some reasons for connecting students of LOTE to other disciplines? What subject areas have
natural connections to LOTE? Which ones are more difficult to connect to? Do you have to be an
expert in another subject area in order to make connections to it? Do you collaborate with colleagues
from other disciplines in order to make interdisciplinary connections as meaningful as possible?
The Study of Languages Affords Students Access to New Information.
Students who have knowledge and skills in LOTE have expanded access to information that is
not always available to those who know only English.
communication & connections
(B) use the language at the intermediate (advanced) proficiency level to obtain, reinforce, or
expand knowledge of other subject areas.
• To weigh the significance of
learning from original,
untranslated target
language material and to
develop new ideas on
making meaningful
interdisciplinary
connections.
Why is it important for students to acquire information originally created in the target language
(versus a translation)? What insight can target language sources lend to the study of cultural
perspectives? What advantages do students of LOTE have over peers who are limited to Englishonly resources? What target language resources are available to your students inside the
classroom? Do you provide information about linguistic resources outside of the classroom?
Making Connections Provides Insight and Motivation.
Reinforcing what students are learning in other classes makes subject matter increasingly
relevant to them. Having access to original target language texts provides students with an
insider’s view of the target language and culture.
What are some of the abstract benefits of connecting to other subject areas? How does learning
about another subject area or doing research using authentic materials expand a student’s circle of
experience? What evidence have you seen that students are more engaged when they recognize
the target language’s relevancy outside the LOTE classroom walls? How can you alter your
Connections curriculum for different proficiency levels or age groups? What are some of the
obstacles to developing meaningful connections?
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TO THE SESSION LEADER
Use a variety of grouping and processing strategies to lead participants through the activities
associated with Video 3, Communication & Connections. Provide participants copies of the
TEKS for LOTE and the worksheets referred to in the directions that follow, and gather any
additional supplies needed to complete the activities.
PREPARATION
Refer to worksheet 3.1.1 for the following activity.
Before viewing the video, participants should reflect on the various disciplines that they
incorporate into their teaching of LOTE.
• Allow time for participants to fill in the figures on the worksheet.
communication & connections
• Ask volunteers to share what and how they already “connect” in their LOTE classroom.
• Elicit specific target language resources and the strategies used with them.
OBSERVATION
Refer to worksheets 3.2.1 and 3.2.2 for the following activities.
I Access to Information (8:13 – 15:04)
Ask participants to share the target language resources they noted on the worksheet as they
watched this segment of the video.
• Emphasize and reinforce positive characteristics of those materials (e.g., interesting to
students, applicable to the lesson being taught, task-appropriate to the proficiency-level).
• Brainstorm with participants to add other resources to the list. Use a flip chart or
transparency to record responses.
II Content Immersion (15:05 – 18:36)
In this activity, participants discuss how teaching language through content (as in the
traditional foreign language classroom) is distinct from teaching content through language (as
in the immersion classroom in the video).
• Have participants work in groups of three to make a mind-map illustrating key
differences between and characteristics of the two instructional approaches.
• Ask each group to present and briefly explain their mind-map, or post maps around the
room and let participants take a “gallery walk.”
III Interdisciplinary Connections (18:37 – end)
Participants will take notes on the knowledge and skills that are reinforced/expanded upon in
this segment’s featured classrooms.
• As they complete their notes, post three pieces of chart paper around the room, one
labeled Knowledge Reinforced, one labeled Skills Reinforced, and one labeled Knowledge
Expanded.
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• Provide one example under each heading:
Knowledge Reinforced:
Skills Reinforced:
Knowledge Expanded:
historical facts, sentence structure terminology
identification of major artists, parsing sentences
segments of history not covered in regular LOTE
curriculum, recognition of cultural symbolism in art
• Ask participants to move about freely, adding examples to each chart from the video and
from their own experiences.
• After several minutes, reconvene the group and ask participants to elaborate on their
examples and/or ask questions of others. Ask how they think the reinforcement/expansion of
knowledge and skills affects students.
REFLECTION
Refer to worksheet 3.3.1 for the following activity.
• Use a strategy such as Insiders/Outsiders (See Appendix D) or one of your own to guide
their discussion.
• Allow 15-20 minutes for small group work, then come back to the whole group to share.
communication & connections
Begin by reading together the paragraph that begins with “Lost in Translation.” Then ask
participants to work in target language groups to respond to the questions on the worksheet
related to accessing original vs. translated texts and target language vs. American texts on the same
topic.
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For Investigating Further (follow-up) activities, remember to obtain copies of the supplemental
readings and distribute them to participants in advance of the workshop. Participants will need to
have studied some or all of the chapters/articles in order to complete most of the Exploration and
Expansion activities. Evaluation worksheets should be provided at the end of the workshop.
EXPLORATION
Refer to worksheets 3.4.1 to 3.4.3 for the following activities and readings for further study.
In these activities, participants consider what it really means to connect to another discipline
and how technology and content-based instruction can facilitate those connections.
communication & connections
• Using the chart on worksheet 3.4.1, participants compare and add to two lists of tasks.
(The activities in the left-hand column exemplify situations in which students are
learning about language through a task related to another discipline. The activities in the
right-hand column illustrate tasks in which students are using the target language to
learn about the other subject area.) Ask participants to add pairs of tasks in each column
and discuss the differences.
• Next, participants engage in a reflection on the (their) use of technology in LOTE
instruction. Allow time for completing the first two columns of the chart on 3.4.2, and
then ask participants to offer suggestions for the disadvantages that are mentioned.
Readings under For Further Study (p. 74) can help them prepare their answers for this
activity and the one that follows.
• In the last task, participants use the readings by Bragger and Rice and Met to develop
definitions for a variety of terms used to describe programs that focus, to varying degrees,
on content learning. Ask volunteers to share the definition of their preferred program
type and to compare it with their current program.
EXPANSION
Refer to worksheets 3.5.1 and 3.5.2 for the following activities and recommended readings.
Guide participants to read the teaching scenario and to reflect on it using the activities and
discussion questions on the worksheet.
• For the first task, place flip charts or giant post-it notes around the room, each with a
heading or key words conveying one of the expressed concerns related to implementing
interdisciplinary projects. Use the Carousel technique described in Appendix D to
facilitate discussion. Groups move from chart to chart, adding new ideas as to how each
concern can be addressed.
• For the second task, ask volunteers to share their positive experiences with collaborative
projects and electronic discussion groups in which they have engaged.
• The third task provides an opportunity for participants to work in language groups to
brainstorm ideas for a thematic, interdisciplinary unit based on the Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills for another discipline such as mathematics, history, geography, etc.
EVALUATION
In Appendix E, you will find a self-assessment tool for teachers to use in evaluating their strengths
and identifying areas for growth with regard to helping their students meet the Connections
program goal. Pass out photocopies of the Teacher Competencies for Professional Development:
Connections Strand. Allow time for participants to complete it on their own at the end of the
workshop, or encourage them to reflect on it and fill it in at home.
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PARTICIPANT WORKSHEETS
Video Viewing Worksheet
Investigating Further
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video viewing worksheet
3.1.1
PREPARATION
Video 3 focuses on the teaching and learning of the Connections program goal. The program goal
has two components: access to information and connecting to other subject areas.
Take a few minutes to reflect on the subject areas you might incorporate in your teaching of LOTE.
Use the figures below to list three favorite subject areas, target language resources for each, and
strategies for using them.
RESOURCES
STRATEGIES
RESOURCES
STRATEGIES
RESOURCES
STRATEGIES
SUBJECT AREA
SUBJECT AREA
SUBJECT AREA
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video viewing worksheet
3.2.1
OBSERVATION
I Access to Information
Teachers use a variety of target language resources to enrich their lessons. As you watch this section, note
the types of target language resources used or mentioned by these teachers. What others can you think of?
• Robert Swope (French Teacher):
• Zenda Gutiérrez (Spanish Teacher):
communication & connections
• Shari Harris (Spanish Teacher):
II Content Immersion
In Joyce Ramos’s immersion classroom, Spanish is the medium for learning the first grade curriculum.
Assistant Principal Dan Bolen mentions that Joyce and the other immersion teachers at her school do
“whatever it takes” to make sure that the curriculum is understood and mastered.
How is teaching language through content (as in the traditional foreign language classroom) distinct from
teaching content through language (as in the immersion classroom)? How are the teaching skills different?
What is most challenging about each? How does students’ motivation/engagement figure in? (Recall the
faces of the young children in the immersion classroom.)
Discuss these questions, and make a mind-map on a separate piece of paper to illustrate key differences
between and characteristics of the two instructional approaches.
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3.2.2
video viewing worksheet
III Interdisciplinary Connections
In non-immersion classrooms, the target language is often used to reinforce or expand knowledge
obtained in other disciplines. As you watch this section of video, think about the age and
proficiency levels of the students you see and what knowledge is being reinforced.
For each teacher, list specific knowledge the teachers might be reinforcing. What skills are being
reinforced? What knowledge is being expanded?
communication & connections
• Jane McCurdy (Spanish IV Teacher):
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• Irma Minhares (FLES Teacher):
• Marian Newland (Spanish for Spanish Speakers Teacher):
video viewing worksheet
3.3.1
REFLECTION
Jeremy Munday of the Linguistic and International Studies Program at the University of Surrey in England
writes about the perils of translating the popular book Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (changed to
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone for the American audience):
Lost in Translation: In some instances the translators have been unsure of the connotation of a name.
The surname of the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, is interpreted by some translators as relating to
fudge the sweet and by others probably more correctly as being linked to fudging the issue. Other names
are so culturally bound that the translators often have to accept they can't translate the full connotation.
Fawkes the Phoenix may suggest Guy Fawkes to the British audience, but in Slovak and Dutch he
becomes Felix (to keep the alliteration) and in Norwegian he is Vulcan, which retains the fire link.
Munday, J. (2001, December 14). Harry Potter takes up baseball [Online].
Available: http://www.surrey.ac.uk/news/releases/01-1214potter.html
Certainly none of these translator changes are devastating to the storyline. Still, some cultural referents and
connotations may be lost, and those who can “gain access to information” from the original text have a
certain advantage over those who read in translation.
Besides connotation, why is it important for language learners to access original, untranslated material?
(Contemplate how a translated poem often becomes a “new” poem.) What insights can students gain from
accessing information in the target language? (Consider, for example, how reading or listening to the news
from a target language source may differ from listening to a report on the same topic from an American
source.)
Now think of three target language texts that you have used in your classes (literature, realia, video, songs,
magazine articles, etc.). How would students’ learning have been affected if the texts had been read/heard in
translation? What, if anything, was gained by having access to target language texts?
In the chart below, provide examples from personal experience that illustrate the variations, even
discrepancies, that sometimes occur between a text and its translation or between a target language source
and an American one on the same topic. Share your favorite example with the whole group.
Translation?
TEXTS
Transformation?
TRANSFORMATION
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3.4.1
investigating further
EXPLORATION
• Since your students are studying a language and culture that is new to them, you probably
feel they are always obtaining and expanding their knowledge of that language and culture
in your classroom. But are they necessarily obtaining and expanding their knowledge of any
other disciplines?
Think about the kinds of connections you usually make, then study the activities in the
columns below. Put a check mark by any that you have done with your students, then discuss
the questions that follow the chart.
communication & connections
Learning (in the target language)...
to say numbers
to convert Fahrenheit to Celsius
to read a target language weather report
how weather pressure is measured
terms for geographical features
the characteristics of those features
health vocabulary to describe symptoms
and suggest remedies
how target culture researchers are
working to prevent a disease
the names of the specialized shops found
in the target culture
how the development of large Americanstyle discount stores is changing the
target culture’s economy
How would you characterize the differences in the tasks set out in the two columns above?
Which tasks do you feel best exemplify connecting with other disciplines? Can you add pairs
of examples to the list?
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investigating further
3.4.2
• In addition to connecting to other disciplines and access to information, the Connections
program goal also indicates that students are to “use resources (that may include technology)
to gain access to information.”
Make a list in the space below of every type of technology that you have used in your
language classroom, then circle those that you use regularly.
Now brainstorm advantages and disadvantages of using technology in language instruction.
Present your list of disadvantages to the group in an attempt to find someone who can help
you address each obstacle. Share your suggestions with other participants.
ADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES
RECOMMENDATIONS
communication & connections
How would you rate your efforts to incorporate technology into language instruction:
exceptional, adequate, or needs improvement? What technology mentioned in the readings
for further study would you be interested in incorporating in instruction?
• There are several terms used for language programs that emphasize Connections: contentbased instruction, content-enriched/related instruction, content-driven programs, languages
across the curriculum, theme-based courses, interdisciplinary instruction, etc.
Study the chapters by Bragger and Rice and Met on page 74, then write a definition for each
term that you find. Based on the definitions you wrote, discuss the type of program you
would prefer.
Which terminology would you use to describe your classroom or your district’s current
program? If none of those given seem to fit, what label would you invent to describe it?
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3.4.3
investigating further
For Further Study
communication & connections
Bond, N., Nicholson, S., & Peterson, C. (2002). Using technology in a standards-based
LOTE curriculum. LOTE CED Communiqué (Issue 5). Austin, TX: SEDL. This issue briefly
discusses the benefits of using technological resources in LOTE instruction. It presents
specific examples of standards-based activities incorporating technology and offers
suggestions for those who have a single computer in their classroom.
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Bragger, J. D., & Rice, D. B. (1998). Connections: The national standards and a new
paradigm for content-oriented materials and instruction. In J. Harper, M. Lively, & M.
Williams (Eds.), The coming of age of the profession (pp.191-217). Boston: Heinle &
Heinle. The authors discuss the relationship between content-based instruction and the
national standards, pointing out the paradigm shift to interdisciplinary instruction in
education in general. They present a four-stage developmental model for implementing
Connections that gradually expands the content orientation of the curriculum and offers
specific examples of how content can be implemented at each stage.
Martínez, A., & Herren, D. (1998). Challenges and opportunities: Curriculum pressures in
the technological present. In J. Harper, M. Lively, & M. Williams (Eds.), The coming of
age of the profession (pp. 141-167). Boston: Heinle & Heinle. Martínez and Herren
acknowledge that foreign language teachers have long used technology in their
classrooms, but they quickly point out the advances that have been made recently and the
empowerment afforded students through the use of the computer. Most of the chapter is
devoted to descriptions of useful software and media; it provides a very good overview for
LOTE educators who are in search of basic information about what technology is actually
“out there” and how it is useful for language learners.
Met, M. (1999). Making connections. In J. K. Phillips (Ed.), Foreign language standards:
Linking research, theories, and practices (pp. 137-164). (ACTFL Foreign Language
Education Series). Lincolnwood, IL: National Textbook. Met links Connections to a variety
of topics such as constructivist epistemology (connecting the known to the unknown),
communicative language teaching (communicating about meaningful content), curriculum
reform (interdisciplinary instruction), and content-based instruction. She addresses the
standard related to access to information and discusses connections to other disciplines at
length, providing examples of connections to mathematics and science, social studies, and
the arts.
investigating further
3.5.1
EXPANSION
In Video 3, several teachers mention using target language instruction to enrich what students are
learning in other classes and/or to reinforce TAKS objectives. Do you feel that making
interdisciplinary connections should be part of your responsibility as a language teacher? Why or
why not?
Read the following teaching scenario and then reflect on the questions that follow and/or discuss
your reactions with your group. The recommended readings should help you prepare your responses.
Teaching Scenario
Dr. Franklin is aware that the students in his Arabic class have been concerned about global tensions
since the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center and that they appear particularly eager
to learn as much as they can about the Arab world. He believes this is an ideal time to work with
colleagues to help all the students in school do the same. He imagines the possibility of involving
several disciplines in addition to foreign languages: Language Arts, World History, Geography, Fine
Arts, Government, Economics, etc.
His idea is not received with a great deal of enthusiasm at first; every one is already heavily involved
in their own projects/curriculum, state-mandated tests already take up a great deal of instructional
time, and so forth. Dr. Franklin is determined to persevere, however; he is sure he can find a means
of convincing at least a few of his colleagues to participate in developing a cross-disciplinary project
focused on the Arab world.
communication & connections
A
s part of his personal professional development plan and because he enjoys
learning from electronic discussion groups, Dr. Franklin has been following a
thread from FL TEACH (http://www.cortland.edu/flteach/) in which other
language teachers are talking about interdisciplinary projects with which they are involved
at school. He is intrigued by the possibility of enriching the curriculum through collaborating
with colleagues in other disciplines as well as with those who teach other languages and cultures.
1) How do you feel about the cross-disciplinary project that Dr. Franklin proposes? What do
you think would be the contributions made by each of the disciplines listed? Can you think
of other subject areas that could also contribute? How?
Imagine all of the concerns that could be raised by Dr. Franklin’s colleagues. For each
concern, try to think of a strategy for overcoming the difficulty.
2) Have you ever participated in a cross-disciplinary project in your school? What was the
outcome? What do you see as the strengths of working with colleagues in this way? What
are the benefits to the learners?
Have you ever participated in an electronic discussion group or at least followed a thread
without contributing? If so, what was your reaction?
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3.5.2
investigating further
3) Choose a discipline with which you would like to make a connection in your LOTE
classroom. Go to the related web site listed below and read about the TEKS for that
discipline.
communication & connections
After examining the recommended readings, outline a thematic unit related to one of
the goals for that discipline and which also incorporates one or more of the LOTE
program goals.
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Economics: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter118/
Fine Arts: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/teks/httoc.htm#ch117
Health Sciences: http://www.texashste.com/
Home Economics: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/ch122toc.html
Language Arts: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter110/
Math: http://www.tenet.edu/teks/math/teks/bu.html
Science: http://www.tenet.edu/teks/science/stacks/teks/teksmain.html
Social Studies: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/resources/ssced/teks/tekshome.htm
Technology Applications: http://www.tcet.unt.edu/START/teks/
Recommended Readings
Lorenz, E. G., & Verdaguer, P. (1997). Connections: A K-8/university collaboration
to promote interdisciplinary teaching. In J. K. Phillips (Ed.), Collaborations:
Meeting new goals, new realities (pp. 141-170). Lincolnwood, IL: National
Textbook. The chapter describes an NEH-funded project which developed objectives
and activities for teaching culture in Spanish and French classes in grades K-8 in the
Montgomery County Public Schools in Rockville, Maryland. Authors discuss the
challenges of interdisciplinary teaching, implementation of the culture scope and
sequence, and materials development.
Met, M. (1999). Making connections. In J. K. Phillips (Ed.), Foreign language
standards: Linking research, theories, and practices (pp. 137-164). (ACTFL
Series). Lincolnwood, IL: National Textbook. Met links Connections to a variety of
topics such as constructivist epistemology (connecting the known to the unknown),
communicative language teaching (communicating about meaningful content),
curriculum reform (interdisciplinary instruction), and content-based instruction. She
addresses the standard related to access to information and discusses connections to
other disciplines at length, providing examples of connections to mathematics and
science, social studies, and the arts.
VIDEO 4
communication & comparisons
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ABOUT COMMUNICATION & COMPARISONS
Video 4 takes an in-depth look at the Program Goal of Comparisons. After a brief introduction
and the eight-minute Communication Segment that is included in each of Videos 2-5, this video
features footage from several classrooms where teachers and students are making comparisons
between the target language and cultures and their own language and culture. In addition,
students learn about the influence that languages and cultures have upon one another.
It is natural for language learners to compare the target language with their own as a reference
point for comprehension. A nice by-product of these comparisons is that students start to gain
a deeper understanding of how language functions in general. Video 4 shows:
• Spanish III students enhancing their knowledge of both English and Spanish structures
by comparing how each describes events in the past.
Episode Breakdown
communication & comparisons
• Students of Japanese comparing expressions of likes and dislikes in Japanese and English.
(0:00 – 8:14)
Communication
• Students in both classes learning some of the nuances of language and gaining insight into
the notion that there are many ways to communicate similar ideas.
It is also natural for language learners to compare the target cultures about which they are
learning to their own culture. Learning about the similarities in and difference between
cultures helps students better comprehend the concept of culture. This understanding ideally
leads to greater acceptance of cultures perceived as different. Video 4 shows:
• A Japanese class using a Venn diagram to compare the Japanese school system with that
of the United States.
• A Spanish class performing skits that bring to life comparisons of el Día de los Muertos and
Halloween.
• A French class making comparisons between French and American fashions for teenagers.
In the United States, evidence of the impact that languages and cultures have upon one
another is all around us. We eat tacos, drive Hondas, celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, work pro
bono, etc. Recognizing the influence that languages and cultures have upon one another
heightens learners’ awareness of linguistic and cultural interrelationships and interdependency.
Video 4 shows:
Segment
• French students discovering how food terminology has been borrowed from English into
French and vice versa.
(8:15 – 14:51)
• Two Latin classrooms learning about the influence the Roman Empire continues to have
on modern society in the realms of city planning and classical literature.
I Nature of
Language
Use Video 4: Communication & Comparisons to...
(14:52 – 21:26)
II
Concept of Culture
• Review the objectives of comparing languages and comparing cultures.
• Facilitate discussion about issues related to linguistic and cultural comparisons and the
influences language and cultures have on one another.
(21:27 – end)
III
Influence of
Language and
Culture
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• Show some innovative means of implementing the comparisons program goal in the
LOTE classroom.
• Deliver the message that comparing languages and cultures and recognizing the
influence that languages and cultures have on one another helps students gain insight
into the nature of language and concept of culture.
COMPARISONS PROGRAM GOAL AND
PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS
Goals for Participants
• To review the Comparisons
program goal in general
and its subtopics (the nature
of language, the concept of
culture, and the influence of
one language/culture on
another) in detail.
The student develops insight into the nature of language and culture by comparing the
student’s own language and culture to another.
The novice level student is expected to:
(A) demonstrate an understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the
student’s own language and the language studied;
• To identify issues, concerns,
or questions with regard to
the implementation of
Comparisons.
(B) demonstrate an understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the
student’s own culture and the cultures studied; and
(C) demonstrate an understanding of the influence of one language and culture on another.
The intermediate (advanced) level student is expected to:
(B) use the language at the intermediate (advanced) proficiency level to demonstrate an
understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the student’s own
culture and the cultures studied; and
(C) use the language at the intermediate (advanced) proficiency level to demonstrate an
understanding of the influence of one language and culture on another.
Questions Addressed in Video 4: Communication & Comparisons
Linguistic Comparisons Contribute to Understanding the Nature of Language.
Students gain insight into the nature of language when they compare their own language with
one they are learning.
What features of language lend themselves to making comparisons? What elements are more
difficult to compare? What sorts of things do students learn when they compare languages? Why is
it important to study the role connotation plays in language comparisons (e.g., the word family does
not necessarily evoke the same image as the word familia)? In what ways can comparisons be used
to help students discover how their own language functions? Why is learning about the nature of
language beneficial to students?
communication & comparisons
(A) use the language at the intermediate (advanced) proficiency level to demonstrate an
understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the student’s own
language and the language studied;
• To refresh/exercise skills by
completing a variety of
comparative activities,
including analyzing
language for cultural
connotations.
Cultural Comparisons Facilitate Comprehension of the Concept of Culture.
Students who use the target language to make comparisons between their own culture and other
cultures are better able to understand the concept of culture.
What cultural products and practices lend themselves to making comparisons? Do such comparisons
facilitate the analysis of cultural perspectives? How can you use cultural comparisons to reduce
stereotyping? What is meant by the “concept of culture,” and why is it important for students to
understand culture in the abstract?
Languages and Cultures Influence One Another.
When students make linguistic and cultural comparisons, they come to understand how different
languages and cultures impact each other.
What are some ways in which the target language you teach has influenced American English? Can
evidence of your target culture’s cultural products, practices or perspectives be seen in American culture?
When such influences are discovered in the language classroom, what benefits or insights does learning
about them bring to students? How can the interrelationships between languages and between cultures
be used to make students better language learners?
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TO THE SESSION LEADER
Use a variety of grouping and processing strategies to lead participants through the activities
associated with Video 4, Communication & Comparisons. Provide participants copies of the
TEKS for LOTE and the worksheets referred to in the directions that follow, and gather any
additional supplies needed to complete the activities.
PREPARATION
Refer to worksheet 4.1.1 for the following activity.
communication & comparisons
Video 4 focuses on concepts related to the teaching and learning of the Comparisons program
goal. Teachers of LOTE readily make cultural and linguistic comparisons in their classrooms
to facilitate learner comprehension, especially for the novice level student. Before having
participants watch the video, ask them to list, then share some of the more “creative”
comparisons their students have made in the past.
OBSERVATION
Refer to worksheets 4.2.1 and 4.2.2 for the following activities.
I Nature of Language (8:15 – 14:51)
In this video segment, two teachers have their students compare linguistic features of the target
language with similar features in English.
• Stop the video and ask participants to work with a partner who teaches a different
language to compare their languages using the worksheet as a guide.
• After several minutes, ask pairs to share what they learned about the other target
language, their own target language, and/or the nature of the two languages.
II Concept of Culture (14:52 – 21:26)
After watching this segment, lead into the next activity by noting how the three featured
classrooms use a variety of hands-on tools—including graphic organizers, props, and
collages—to bring to life cultural comparisons on topics of interest to learners.
• Have participants individually fill in the Venn diagram on the worksheet to compare an
element of two American subcultures (e.g., Texan/Tejano, Southern/Mid-Western,
urban/suburban/rural).
• Allow a few minutes, then ask them to share their ideas about how the two subcultures
are the same and different.
• Also ask the participants if they feel they can draw any conclusions about the
subcultures’ perspectives by analyzing their diagram.
(You may wish to do a diagram of your own and be the first to share to get the discussion
rolling.)
III Influence of Language and Culture (21:27 – end)
Guide participants in small group conversations about the influence of one language on
another.
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• Have participants fill in the tables on the worksheet.
• After ten minutes, ask a representative from each group to share some key points from
their group’s discussion.
• Ask how learning about the interrelationships of languages and cultures helps us to be
better language learners. Sample points to get the discussion rolling could include:
– Studying influence opens our minds to the importance of other cultures and
heightens our awareness of significant contributions they have made. (Students often
tend to think the world begins and ends at the U.S. borders!)
– Recognizing how culture shapes language prepares learners not to accept word-forword translations and thereby helps them avoid making potentially false assumptions
about language use.
REFLECTION
Engage the group in reading and talking about the first paragraph on the worksheet.
• Ask two or three participants to briefly share incidents when they used the correct word
according to a dictionary, but didn’t get quite the response they were expecting when they
used it.
• Go over the example based on a framework developed by Thomson & Thomson (p. 87),
then ask participants to work with a partner to complete the blank chart on page 88.
• After 15-20 minutes, ask the pairs to share their analyses with the whole group.
For Investigating Further (follow-up) activities, remember to obtain copies of the supplemental
readings and distribute them to participants in advance of the workshop. Participants will need to
have studied some or all of the chapters/articles in order to complete most of the Exploration and
Expansion activities. Evaluation worksheets should be provided at the end of the workshop.
EXPLORATION
communication & comparisons
Refer to worksheets 4.3.1 and 4.3.2 for the following activity.
Refer to worksheets 4.4.1 and 4.4.2 for the following activities and readings for further study.
In these activities, participants reflect on the implications for their curriculum of implementing
Comparisons. They also consider how they can best help learners apprehend the concept of
culture and the nature of language.
• To begin, ask participants to reflect on how well their current curriculum helps learners
meet the Comparisons program goal. Use the readings in For Further Study for a more indepth look at the issue, and together share ideas they find most stimulating.
• Intercultural activities are designed to help learners develop cultural self-awareness and
understand the dangers of over-generalization. For example, learners may be asked to
prioritize a list of values (efficiency, physical beauty, intelligence, etc.), ranking them
according to their importance to “most Americans.” In this activity, students quickly
discover that no two lists are identical, even among members of the same culture.
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Several games and simulations developed by interculturalists also allow learners to
experience the discomfort that comes when everyone does not play by the same “rules.”
In these simulations, groups of students “belong” to one of two different cultures, each
with its own conventions; yet they must interact with classmates from the other “culture”
with whose norms they are not familiar.
• Assign pairs or groups to create an activity to help learners develop awareness of their own
cultural framework. Ask each group to lead others through the activity that they have
created.
• In the final task, have participants think about the activities they have previously used in
the classroom to compare the target language and culture with the native language and
culture. Have them choose one of these activities and analyze it according to the accuracy
of the cultural picture it presents.
EXPANSION
communication & comparisons
Refer to worksheets 4.5.1 to 4.5.3 for the following activities and recommended readings.
This section focuses on the use of authentic documents to help learners make cultural and
linguistic comparisons and also asks them to reflect on an inductive approach to teaching and
learning languages.
• Guide participants to read, reflect on, and discuss the teaching scenario.
• In the first task, they may refer to the reading by Omaggio Hadley to prepare a case for
the inductive approach mentioned in the scenario.
• In the second task, participants work together to select an authentic text and outline
several activities they might use to help students access the text.
• Finally, participants choose an activity they have used to make cultural comparisons in
the classroom. Have them analyze it to determine the degree to which it accurately
portrays the target culture as a whole.
EVALUATION
In Appendix E, you will find a self-assessment tool for teachers to use in evaluating their
strengths and identifying areas for growth with regard to helping their students meet the
Comparisons program goal. Pass out photocopies of the Teacher Competencies for Professional
Development: Comparisons Strand. Allow time for participants to complete it on their own at
the end of the workshop, or encourage them to reflect on it and fill it in at home.
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PARTICIPANT WORKSHEETS
Video Viewing Worksheet
Investigating Further
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83
4.1.1
video viewing worksheet
PREPARATION
Video 4 focuses on concepts related to the teaching and learning of Comparisons. Teachers of LOTE readily
make cultural and linguistic comparisons in their classrooms to facilitate learner comprehension, especially for
the novice level student.
Use the space below to list some of the more innovative comparisons that students in your classes have made
in the past between languages, between cultures, and with regard to the influence that languages and cultures
have on one another.
SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES
Between Target Language and Native Language:
Between Target Culture(s) and Native Culture:
INFLUENCE
Of Target Language on Native Language and Vice Versa:
Of Target Culture(s) on Native Culture and Vice Versa:
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video viewing worksheet
4.2.1
OBSERVATION
I Nature of Language
In this segment of the video, teacher Ginger Cline’s Spanish III students use authentic texts to identify
grammatical structures about which they are learning and compare them with their equivalents in English.
Work with a partner who teaches a different language from you to compare a simple feature of the two
target languages (e.g., word order, cognates, idiomatic expressions). What would you say the two languages
have in common? What is vastly different? What generalizations about each language might you make based
on the comparison?
II Concept of Culture
The three classrooms featured in this segment use a variety of hands-on tools (including graphic organizers,
props, and collages) to bring cultural comparisons to life. The students are learning about topics that are of
interest to them and that are pertinent to their lives.
Use the Venn diagram below to compare two American subcultures (e.g., Texan/Tejano, Southern/MidWestern, urban/suburban/rural). You can narrow the focus of your comparison by concentrating on a
particular product (food, local government, etc.) or practice (e.g., driving, shopping).
How are the two subcultures the same? How are they different? Can you draw any conclusions about the
subcultures’ perspectives by analyzing your diagram?
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4.2.2
video viewing worksheet
III Influence of Language and Culture
Languages and cultures influence and are influenced by other languages and cultures. In this video
segment, French teacher Estella Getzen leads learners in thinking of words borrowed and lent between
English and French. Latin teacher Randy Thompson’s students explore elements of Roman city
planning that are evident in contemporary maps of their hometown of San Antonio. Latin teacher
Vince McGee points out evidence of classical literary themes and philosophies in great English
literature of more modern times.
Discuss linguistic and cultural influences with other participants as you fill in the tables below using a
target language of your choice. In the second row, music’s influence is used as an example. You can
choose any other cultural component if you prefer and discuss the influences on the target and
American culture.
86
Words in (TARGET LANGUAGE)
Borrowed from American English
Words in American English
Borrowed from (TARGET LANGUAGE)
Do the borrowed words have the
same sense in both languages?
Examples of (TARGET CULTURE)
Music’s Influence on American Music
Examples of American Music’s
Influence on (TARGET LANGUAGE)
What effects have the
contributions had?
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video viewing worksheet
4.3.1
REFLECTION
An important concept for learners is the role that connotation plays in understanding the meaning of words
in different cultures. Connotations are the ideas or meanings suggested by or associated with a word or
object. For example the word bread has a wide variety of meanings depending on the language/culture being
considered. In the United States, bread likely evokes images of sliced sandwich bread bought at the
supermarket. In France, however, the equivalent word (pain) still most often refers to a crusty baguette
bought daily at the neighborhood bakery. Bread may evoke images of peanut butter; pain, of camembert or
Nutella. In other words, bread and pain do not really refer to the same thing, nor do they necessarily have
the same cultural associations in France and the United States. As you think back on your own language
learning experience, can you recall a time when you used the “correct” word but conveyed a meaning you
did not intend?
The relevance of word associations is important enough for businesses that a Massachusetts-based company,
Thomson & Thomson, offers Connotation Services—reports that identify possible negative connotations
associated with names that may be introduced into the global marketplace.
We’ve all heard stories of translation gone awry such as the marketing of the Chevy Nova in Spanishspeaking countries where “No va” means “It doesn’t go.” And most language teachers have a collection of
amusing student “pearls.” With these examples in mind, work with other participants to compare the
connotations of words of your choice. First study the example below based on Thomson & Thomson’s
framework, then pick an American product and analyze it using the blank chart on the next page.
When you have finished, do an analysis of the same product but from the point of view of a native speaker
of the target language you teach. This activity is one to use in your classroom, as well!
PRODUCT: M&Ms Candy
COUNTRY
United States
LITERAL
MEANING
none
PRONUNCIATION
ISSUES
CONNOTATIONS &
ASSOCIATIONS
NAME IN
CONTEXT
Lots of nasal
Associates product with the
The connection
consonants, but not a
confectionery M&M/Mars
between the name
problem. Somewhat
company, which has a long
and product is
alliterative.
standing solid reputation.
strong; name is
“Mmmm...” is onomatopoetic,
easy to remember.
PERSONAL
OPINION
Good name
a sound for when something
tastes good.
France
none
The nasal “Ms”
Association with the letter
No connection
Somewhat
separated by the
“M,” the abbreviation for
between name
meaningless
French word for “and”
monsieur. Product could be
and product.
name
sound awkward.
construed as masculine in
nature.
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video viewing worksheet
4.3.2
PRODUCT: ________________________________________
COUNTRY
United States
(Target Country)
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LITERAL
MEANING
PRONUNCIATION
ISSUES
CONNOTATIONS &
ASSOCIATIONS
NAME IN
CONTEXT
PERSONAL
OPINION
investigating further
4.4.1
EXPLORATION
We shall not cease from exploration and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started
and know the place for the first time.
—T.S. Eliot
• Eliot’s familiar quote reminds us of one of the more important aspects of the Comparisons
program goal: awareness of one’s own language and culture, of the nature of language and
the concept of culture.
Does your current curriculum provide learners opportunities to develop awareness in these
two critical areas? To begin, reflect on the following questions:
– With what linguistic aspects of the target language do you most often make explicit
comparisons with the English language? Are these comparisons successful? Do learners
respond favorably to grammatical comparisons or do they appear confused? In one
French class in this video, the teacher explains that the students learn about French
grammar through reading letters from their French pen pals written in English. What do
you think would be the impact of reading a letter in which a pen pal writes, “They have
the hairs browns,” as compared to the description of adjective agreement and placement
in the textbook you now use?
– Other than grammatical comparisons, what other linguistic aspects are objects of
comparison in your classroom? For example, do learners reflect on non-verbal language
in the target culture? proxemics? connotation of words?
– Do language students in your school have access to target culture perspectives on
Americans and American culture? Can they easily identify what they consider to be the
misperceptions? How do you use them to broaden awareness of their own assumptions
about the target culture?
communication & comparisons
– Before students can learn to recognize multiple realities, they must first realize that their
perceptions are filtered through the lens of their own culture; they must recognize that
they have a culture. How does your curriculum help learners to develop cultural selfawareness?
– How do you engage students in using cultural “texts” or aspects of the language for
comparative purposes? How do you try to avoid stereotyping?
– In what types of activities do your classes most often engage when Comparisons are the
focus of the lesson: Listening to lectures? Reading descriptions of the target culture (e.g.,
holidays, school systems)? Analyzing a written or oral text and making inferences about
the culture or language based on it? Interacting with native speakers? Conducting
ethnographic interviews? Other?
• Choose one or more of the readings for further study, and discuss the ideas you found most
stimulating.
What ideas did you uncover related to any concerns you had as you reflected on the preceding
questions? What ideas stimulated you to want to undertake a new activity to help students
compare cultures or languages? Were you inspired to try a new process for implementing the
Comparisons goal? What ideas did you not agree with or understand? How do you feel about
Fantini’s suggestions for developing learners’ intercultural competence?
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4.4.2
• Helping learners understand they are culture-bound creatures themselves is particularly important
when making cultural comparisons.
Read Smith’s article, below, then devise a “pre-culture” activity that sensitizes learners to the dangers of
stereotyping or helps them recognize that they, too, are a product of the culture in which they live.
Once you’ve created that activity, share it with other participants by leading them through it.
• Both Wright and Robinson-Stuart and Nocon describe approaches to culture learning that involve
engaging learners in discovering the target culture rather than having information presented to them.
(Wright refers to this as a “process approach involving comparisons;” Robinson-Stuart and Nocon use
ethnographic interviews with their students.)
Describe the strategies you use to help students learn about the target culture. With which approach
does your current strategy most closely match? Is it more heavily weighted toward information sharing
or towards having students read, hypothesize, and attempt to discover target culture perspectives?
Think of one information-sharing activity that you currently use, and reflect on how you could adapt
it to be more learner-centered.
For Further Study
Fantini, A. E. (1998). Comparisons: Towards the development of intercultural competence. In J. K. Phillips & R. M.
Terry (Eds.), Foreign language standards: Linking research, theories, and practices (pp. 165-218). (ACTFL Series).
Lincolnwood, IL: National Textbook Company. Fantini provides an overview of the theoretical and conceptual
aspects of the Connections standards and speaks of their inextricable link to Cultures. He suggests that the program
goal is a vehicle for moving students beyond communicative competence to intercultural competence and reflects on
the “implications and applications of intercultural explorations in the language classroom.”
Robinson-Stuart, G., & Nocon, H. (1996). Second culture acquisition: Ethnography in the foreign language
classroom. Modern Language Journal, 80, 431-449. The authors report on a study in which students were trained
in and used ethnographic interview techniques as part of their Spanish course requirements. Students’ attitudes
toward the target cultures were enhanced through the project. The article describes a program for implementing the
ethnographic interview as a tool for understanding the “insider’s perspective.”
Smith, A. N. (1995). Prerequisites to teaching and learning culture. In G. K. Crouse (Ed.), Broadening the frontier of
foreign language education (pp. 57-76). Lincolnwood, IL: National Textbook Company. Smith also believes
engaging only in information sharing with regard to other cultures results in greater stereotyping and ethnocentricity.
Before learners can be open to other cultures, he argues they must first be made aware of the influence of their own
culture on their ways of thinking, doing, being. This chapter provides several useful “pre-culture” or readiness
activities that teachers can use to heighten learners’ cultural self-awareness.
Wright, D. A. (2000). Culture as information and culture as affective process. A comparative study. Foreign Language
Annals, 33, 330-41. Wright reports on a study designed to determine differences in cross-cultural adaptability
between groups of German learners based on how they learned about German culture. One group learned in an
“information-acquisition” approach (reading culture notes in the book and answering discrete-point questions); the
other, through a “process- and learner-centered approach” involving comparisons. The method used with the
treatment group is described and results of the study are reported.
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investigating further
4.5.1
EXPANSION
In Video 4, you see a Spanish class in which students are comparing ways that English and Spanish speakers narrate
and describe using past tenses. The teacher indicates that the students used authentic documents to discover the past
tenses rather than having the structures explained to them and then practicing with worksheets.
In another class, students glean cultural information and compare American and French clothing styles by examining
French fashion magazines. How do you feel about the use of authentic documents to introduce learners to cultural
information, themes, and grammatical structures? How can they aid in the development of learners’ ability to compare
cultures and languages? Read the following teaching scenario and then reflect on the questions that follow and/or
discuss your reactions with your group. The recommended readings should help you prepare your responses.
A
nne Baxter is planning a six-week long trip to Madrid this summer and is excited about the prospect
of gathering authentic documents and realia to use in introducing students in her first and second year
Spanish classes to a variety of topics next year. She plans to gather materials that will be useful for
most of the themes covered in the textbooks such as food (nutritional charts, restaurant menus), clothing (fashion magazine
ads, department store catalogs), education (report cards, semester course schedules), leisure activities (movie schedules,
popular music), etc.
Anne has not been quite satisfied with the cultural information provided by her textbook and has sometimes been dismayed
by the students’ reaction to the information contained there. For example, readings related to the family, time, and work
vs. leisure seem to elicit stereotypes such as “Boy are they lazy!” or “What babies! Living at home at that age!” Anne
would like to guide learners to make appropriate linguistic and cultural comparisons through the use of some authentic
texts. However, she’s also not sure how learners will react to documents produced by and for native speakers.
1) Anne plans to use authentic documents to introduce her students to a theme or topic. How will her students be
able to understand a target language text if they are not already familiar with the vocabulary and structures used
in it? What are some challenges that she and her students might have to deal with?
communication & comparisons
Teaching Scenario
Review the pages from Omaggio Hadley, and then suggest how she might cope with each obstacle you mentioned.
2) Anne is concerned about her students’ attitudes toward the target cultures as evidenced by some of the comments
they have made after reading the culture notes in the textbook. Share any experiences you have had with your
students’ over-generalizing or repeating stereotypes.
How have you tried to help learners uncover target culture perspectives and compare them with those of their own
culture? Read some of the suggestions in the articles recommended on the next page about how to help learners
tackle authentic texts. Then develop some activities that you could use with your students.
First choose some authentic written texts appropriate for the level of your students and related to a theme you deal
with in class. Next, outline some activities you could develop to help learners not only understand the words, but
also to identify and compare the cultural perspectives represented there with those of their own culture.
3) Stereotypes can be inadvertently reinforced not only through the native culture framework or point of reference
implicit in information shared with students in textbooks and documents, but also through the choice of target
culture representatives to which learners are exposed.
Brainstorm some of the activities you have previously used to make cultural comparisons in the classroom. Choose
one or two of the activities that lend themselves to analysis. Determine the degree to which the view of the target
culture presented was actually representative (more or less) of the whole of the culture.
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4.5.2
investigating further
For example, in a lesson which describes how members of the target culture celebrate a given
holiday, think about for which native speakers this description may be true. Do all members of the
target culture even celebrate this holiday? What about recent and second or third generation
immigrants? Do the rituals described apply to middle and upper income families only? How might
the celebration be different for those in lower income brackets? Do traditions vary from region to
region or from metropolitan areas to rural? What other factors could affect how someone celebrates
(or doesn’t celebrate) the holiday?
communication & comparisons
Upon reflection, do you now believe that the activities provided a fair and accurate picture of the
target culture, or do you feel that they might actually have contributed to over-generalization on
the part of learners? If the latter is the case, what could you do differently the next time students
are engaged in the activity?
Recommended Readings
Byrnes, H. (1991). Reflections on the development of cross-cultural communicative
competence in the foreign language classroom. In B. F. Freed (Ed.), Foreign language
acquisition research and the classroom (pp. 205-218). Lexington, MA: D.C. Heath.
Byrnes seeks to answer “whether, to what extent, and how” instruction in the foreign
language classroom can help learners discover underlying cultural presuppositions about the
target culture through the use of authentic written texts. The difficulty, of course, is getting
past one’s own cultural reality—“the interpretive bias of an outsider.” Her solution is
comparisons, using a “thematically connected mosaic of texts”: L1 texts about C1, L1 texts
about C2, L2 texts about C1, and concluding with L2 texts about C2.
Galloway, V. (1992). Toward a cultural reading of authentic texts. In H. Byrnes (Ed.),
Languages for a multicultural world in transition (pp. 87-121). Lincolnwood, IL:
National Textbook Company. In this chapter, Galloway also discusses the problems caused
by the imposition of one’s own cultural framework on a target culture “text,” offering
examples of how typical culture notes in the textbook may actually increase overgeneralizations and stereotyping. She mentions several “coordinates” that should be involved
in the selection of authentic texts (e.g., learners’ own cultural frame of reference and
background in the target language and culture) and suggests pre-reading, reading, and postreading tasks that can be developed to aid learners in comprehending texts. The appendices
are particularly useful as they outline specific activities that fall into each category.
Omaggio Hadley, A. (1993). Teaching language in context, 2nd ed. (pp. 195-223) Boston:
Heinle & Heinle. In these pages, the author discusses the processes and skills involved in
reading comprehension and recommends a plan for designing reading activities that enable
learners to access authentic documents. She discusses the teaching of reading skills and
provides sample formats for predicting, gisting, getting the main idea, extracting details, etc.
Siskin, H. J., & Davis, R. L. (1996). Authentic documents revisited: Teaching for crosscultural understanding. In E. Spinelli (Ed.), Creating opportunities for excellence
through language (pp. 1-18). Lincolnwood, IL: National Textbook Company. The
authors propose a task-based, student-centered, process approach to teaching culture and
one that recognizes culture’s dynamic nature. Their model also uses authentic documents
and includes activities for activating background knowledge, gathering information,
formulating and refining hypotheses, and synthesizing what has been learned.
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VIDEO 5
communication & communities
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ABOUT COMMUNICATION & COMMUNITIES
Video 5 takes an in-depth look at the program goal of Communities. After a brief introduction
and the eight-minute Communication Segment that is included in each of Videos 2-5, this video
shows footage of teachers and students using the target language in communities within and
beyond the school walls. It also features several students reflecting on the value of learning LOTE
for career development, as well as for personal enjoyment.
Episode Breakdown
(0:00 – 8:10)
communication & communities
Learning a language can increase one’s opportunities for participating in communities locally,
regionally, nationally, and internationally. When students use the LOTE they are learning in
multiple, “real-world” contexts, they are more likely to understand the impact and importance
that language proficiency has in today’s society. Video 5 highlights teachers and students using
the target language to reach out to multiple communities.
• A French teacher provides his student with an immersion-like experience by speaking almost
exclusively in French, thus creating a classroom community that is bonded by its need for
the target language from day one.
• German students reach out to the international community by communicating with “e-pals”
in Germany to learn about the similarities and differences of their school systems.
• A Spanish III class pays a visit to a native-speaking community when they go to the local
farmer’s market and interview the Spanish-speaking vendors.
Language students also reach communities by using the target language for personal enrichment
and career development. In Video 5, students of Spanish learn the value of knowing Spanish in
the local healthcare community which is their city’s largest industry. Students from around Texas
talk about how knowing a LOTE will help them in future careers as well as for the pursuit of
personal interests such as travel.
Communication
Segment
(8:11 – 12:02)
I Within the
School Setting
(12:03) – 20:30)
II Beyond the School
Setting
(20:31 – end)
III
Personal Enrichment and Career
Development
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Use Video 5: Communication & Communities to...
• Review the objectives of using the language in a variety of communities for a variety
of reasons.
• Facilitate discussion about issues related to using the target language beyond the
classroom and using the language for personal enrichment and career development.
• Show some innovative means of implementing the Communities program goal in the
LOTE classroom.
• Deliver the message that using the language outside of typical classroom settings
makes the target language more “real” for students and helps them to see how they
might actually use it for work or pleasure.
COMMUNITIES PROGRAM GOAL AND
PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS
Goals for Participants
• To review the Communities
program goal in general
and the subtopics of
Communities within and
beyond the classroom and
using language for personal
enrichment and career
development specifically.
The student participates in communities at home and around the world by using languages
other than English.
The novice level student is expected to:
(A) use the language both within and beyond the school setting through activities such as
participating in cultural events and using technology to communicate; and
• To identify issues, concerns,
or questions with regard to
the implementation of the
Communities program goal.
(B) show evidence of becoming a lifelong learner by using the language for personal
enrichment and career development.
The intermediate (advanced) level student is expected to:
(B) show evidence of becoming a lifelong learner by using the language at the intermediate
(advanced) proficiency level for personal enrichment and career development.
Questions Addressed in Video 5: Communication & Communities
LOTE Increase Access to Communities at Home and Around the World.
Students who know another language have increased opportunities to interact with their local,
regional, national, and international communities.
How can you help students use the target language to access local communities? Do you know of
ways to help them interact with regional, national, or international communities? If opportunities to
participate “actively” are limited locally, how do you bring Communities into the classroom? What
specific ways can technology be integrated into the curriculum to enable students to use the language
in real-world contexts? How do you evaluate students’ interactions with different communities?
Using LOTE Outside of the Classroom Makes the Target Language “Real.”
communication & communities
(A) use the language at the intermediate (advanced) proficiency level both within and
beyond the school setting through activities such as participating in cultural events and
using technology to communicate; and
• To develop classroom
activities and strategies that
incorporate the program
goal of Communities, e.g.,
expand the list of
community resources,
identify potential assessment
opportunities, and devise
activities based on real-life
experiences.
When students use another language outside of the classroom setting, they experience firsthand its true utility and benefits.
Are students interested in using the target language outside of the classroom? Do they share
anecdotes about communicating with native speakers or using the language outside of class in
other ways? How do you encourage shy or reluctant students to communicate outside of the
classroom? Do students see language proficiency as an asset that will help them function more
successfully in their local, regional, national, and/or international communities?
LOTE Promote Lifelong Learning.
Students become lifelong learners when they use the target language for personal enrichment
and career development.
How can you motivate students to pursue personal enrichment activities in the target language?
Where prospects for target language enrichment are few locally, how do you provide learning
activities that satisfy this need? Why is personal enrichment a part of this program goal? What
resources can students use to discover how the target language might be used in various careers?
Is it possible to assess “lifelong learning”?
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TO THE SESSION LEADER
Use a variety of grouping and processing strategies to lead participants through the activities
associated with the various segments of Video 5, Communication & Communities. Provide
participants copies of the TEKS for LOTE and the worksheets referred to in the directions that
follow, and gather any supplies needed to complete the activities.
PREPARATION
Refer to worksheet 5.1.1 for the following activity.
Many educators find Communities to be an especially challenging standard.
communication & communities
• Begin to eliminate obstacles with regards to Communities by asking participants to list
up to five specific obstacles they feel they face in implementing it in their classrooms.
• After a few minutes, have them work with a partner they don’t know or who is from a
different school or district. Ask them to compare their lists, offer advice to one another
on the obstacles they do not have in common, and come up with strategies for dealing
with those they do have in common.
OBSERVATION
Refer to worksheets 5.2.1 and 5.2.2 for the following activities.
I Within the School Setting (8:11–12:02)
In this segment, participants consider a variety of ways that Communities can be accessed
using resources within the classroom.
• Ask participants to note the resources (including technology) that are mentioned or
used in the video to facilitate access to different communities.
• Have the whole group brainstorm a resource list; write their suggestions on a flipchart
or transparency and make sure they consider “living” resources as they brainstorm.
• Finally, take a poll. Go down the list and for each item on it, ask the participants to raise
their hand if they feel it’s feasible for them to obtain that resource for their classroom.
II Beyond the School Setting (12:03–20:30)
In this video segment, several anecdotes are shared that illustrate how students use other
languages beyond the school walls, within their local communities. Spanish teacher Elías
Rodríguez also takes his students out “shopping for native speakers.” These experiences, when
students try (sometimes for the first time) to understand and be understood by a native
speaker, bring language to life.
• Ask participants to think about the students they saw and heard about in this segment,
then to think about their own classrooms.
• Using the guiding questions on the worksheet, have them draw a picture or write down
some thoughts about how some of their students would react and/or be changed by a
“farmer’s market”-type experience. Teachers whose students have already had such
experiences can reflect on how they saw their students react.
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• Ask volunteers to share and explain their drawings, or have all participants post their
reflections around the room for everyone to see.
III Personal Enrichment and Career Development (20:31–end)
Using LOTE for personal enrichment or career development can make language learning
interesting and pertinent to students, but how does one assess those goals?
• Provide an opportunity for participants to work in groups to brainstorm assessment ideas
for the series of activities listed on worksheet 5.2.2.
• Allow several minutes, then ask a spokesperson from each group to share their ideas.
REFLECTION
Refer to worksheet 5.3.1 for this activity.
The Communities program goal brings realism, relevance, and consequence to the study of
LOTE like no other “C” can.
• Have them take some time to reflect and then create a new Communities-based learning
activity for their students that is inspired by their own experience.
• After 20 minutes of working independently, ask participants to share both their
experiences and their new activities with the group.
communication & communities
• Ask the participants to think back on their first experiences using a language other than
their mother tongue outside the classroom.
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For Investigating Further (follow-up) activities, remember to obtain copies of the supplemental
readings and distribute them to participants in advance of the workshop. Participants will need to
have studied some or all of the chapters/articles in order to complete most of the Exploration and
Expansion activities. Evaluation handouts should be provided at the end of the workshop.
EXPLORATION
Refer to worksheets 5.4.1 and 5.4.2 for this activity and readings for further study.
• Lead participants to work in pairs or brainstorm together to consider how well their
current curriculum provides opportunities to use the target language both within and
beyond the classroom and for personal enrichment and career development.
communication & communities
• For the next task, allow participants to analyze the reading by Haas and Reardon
describing the development of a thematic unit on Chile that addresses Communities.
Then examine the challenges in organizing the project and note the strategies used to
address those problems.
• Finally, have participants read several learning scenarios and use them to spark ideas for
target language resources and connections in their town or nearby that they might
exploit through a learning scenario of their own.
EXPANSION
Refer to worksheets 5.5.1 and 5.5.2 for this activity and recommended readings.
This section provides an opportunity for participants to reflect on real world language use and
how Communities can help them address issues of authenticity in language learning. Guide
participants to read, reflect on, and discuss the teaching scenario.
• In the first task, ask them to weigh the relative benefits and drawbacks of two proposals
for developing a standards-based curriculum, taking the Communities goal into
consideration.
• In the second task, encourage them to share their personal experiences with curriculum
development projects.
• Finally, guide them to consider how content-based instruction might help their district
to implement Communities. In small groups, they share examples of authentic texts and
tasks they have used in the last year that helped students meet the Communities
standard.
EVALUATION
Appendix E is a self-assessment tool that teachers may use to evaluate their strengths and
identify areas for growth with regards to helping their students meet the Communities
program goal. Pass out photocopies of the Teacher Competencies for Professional Development:
Communities Strand, and allow time for participants to complete it on their own at the end
of the workshop, or encourage them to reflect on it and fill it in at home.
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PARTICIPANT WORKSHEETS
Video Viewing Worksheet
Investigating Further
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video viewing worksheet
5.1.1
PREPARATION
Video 5 focuses on concepts related to the teaching and learning of the Communities program goal. Many
educators find this goal to be especially challenging. What do you feel are the specific obstacles you face in
implementing Communities? Take a few minutes to list up to five of them below.
Obstacles to Implementing Communities
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Now, choose a partner—someone you don’t know or someone from a different school or district if
possible—and compare your lists. Which items are similar? Which items are different? What experience or
advice can you offer your partner to help him/her with the obstacles he/she listed? What strategies can you
come up with together for dealing with obstacles you have in common?
COMMON OBSTACLES
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DIFFERENT OBSTACLES
STRATEGIES/ADVICE
video viewing worksheet
5.2.1
OBSERVATION
I Within the School Setting
Taking students on a field trip is not always an option, but there are multiple ways to bring communities
into the classroom. As you watch this video segment, note the resources mentioned or used to access
Communities within the school setting.
George Trauth
Bobette Dunn
What other resources can be brought into the LOTE classroom to facilitate contact with different
communities? Brainstorm a list with other participants, and consider which resources are feasible for your
particular situation.
communication & communities
Heidi Kirby
II Beyond the School Setting
In this video segment, several students share anecdotes illustrating how they use a LOTE beyond the
school walls. Spanish teacher Elías Rodríguez takes his students out “shopping for native speakers.” These
experiences, when students try (sometimes for the first time) to understand and be understood by a
native speaker, bring language to life and seem to empower learners.
Think about the students you saw and heard from in this segment. Then think about the language
learners in your own classroom. Imagine them interacting with native speakers in an environment like
the farmer’s market you saw—or recall the experience if they have already had a similar one. How would
(did) they prepare themselves? Would it be (was it) their first time talking to native speakers? How would
(did) they behave? Would (Did) they actively engage or would they be (were they) reluctant? Most
importantly, what would (did) they get out of the experience?
Using a blank piece of paper, draw a picture or write down some thoughts about how such an experience
can change a language learner—confidence, attitude, motivation, etc.
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video viewing worksheet
5.2.2
III Personal Enrichment and Career Development
Greg Foulds’s Spanish II class discovers just how important and useful Spanish is in their community
and that it is crucial to know Spanish in one of the city’s top industries. Two students of LOTE
discuss the personal benefits of knowing another language in life, whether it be for career
advancement, increased interaction with their families, or travel.
Using LOTE for work and for fun is interesting and relevant to students, but how does one assess
personal enrichment or career development? Come up with some assessment ideas for the tasks listed
below, and share your ideas with other participants.
TASK
Interview someone from a profession that
requires use of the target language.
Learn the rules of a sport that is popular in
a target language country, and organize a
game.
Attend a cultural event or celebration
associated with the target language.
Write a letter to a company in a target
language country requesting information
about a career which sparks your interest.
Use target language resources to develop a
precise itinerary for a vacation in a target
language country.
Visit an art exhibit where artists from a
target culture are featured.
Listen to target language radio or television
for 30 minutes.
Contact a target language embassy or
consulate to obtain information about
working in that country.
Visit a restaurant where the target language
is spoken and use the language to order.
See a target language movie.
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IDEAS FOR ASSESSMENT
video viewing worksheet
5.3.1
REFLECTION
The Communities program goal brings realism, relevance, and consequence to the study of LOTE
like no other “C” can. Think back to your first experiences using a language other than your mother
tongue outside the classroom. Reflect for a few minutes on how you felt interacting with the target
language community and culture. Were you empowered? frightened? exhilarated? What about the
experience would you want your students to share? How might you have been better prepared for
those first encounters?
Using your own experience as inspiration, create a new Communities-based learning activity for your
students. To begin, work independently on creating the task. Then be prepared to share both your
experience and your activity!
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5.4.1
investigating further
EXPLORATION
• Reflect on how well your current curriculum takes the Communities program goal into consideration. To
begin, consider the following questions:
– Do learners use the target language in the classroom for purposes other than practice exercises and
activities from the textbook or workbook? Many learners feel using a LOTE to communicate with
English-speaking classmates is not “real” communication. How to you organize your class to make it feel
more like a target language “community”?
communication & communities
– Do students in your program have an opportunity to communicate with native speakers of the language?
How?
– Are there cultural events, lectures, museum exhibits, television programming, etc. in your community
through which learners in your program can participate in communities beyond the school? When this
is not the case, are they afforded opportunities through technology to reach out to the target culture?
– Do students in your classes use the target language for personal enrichment? In what ways? How do you
know? How might you find out? Can/should learners be required to use the language for personal
enrichment? How do you encourage your students to do so?
– Do students in your program learn how the language they are studying can be used for career
development? Are there specific opportunities in your region for using the language in summer or parttime jobs that students might have? Is there a more general career benefit to knowing the LOTE you
teach?
• The chapter by Haas and Reardon (see page 105) describes the development of a thematic unit on Chile
which addresses Communities. The lessons were a collaborative effort between a middle school teacher and
a teacher educator from a nearby college. Read the chapter and identify all the issues that were addressed in
accomplishing the unit.
Draw a line down the center of a piece of paper. Title the left-hand column “Challenges;” title the right-hand
column “Resolutions.” Fill in the chart as you read the chapter, then use your notes to discuss the resolutions
with other participants. Were there any unresolved challenges? Can you think of a strategy to address the
problem? If you were to implement such a thematic unit in your school, what obstacles would you face?
What strategies can you imagine to address the issues unique to your district/region?
• The readings for futher study contain not just single activities but also examples of learning scenarios
focused on the Communities program goal. Read several of the examples and take notes on your
reactions to them as you read. Then discuss with other workshop participants the ideas you found
most stimulating.
What were some of your initial reactions as you read the examples? “But there isn’t a local Chilean
bakery (bird conservancy… Russian theater group… etc.) in our town!” is not an uncommon
reaction. Even if obstacles come immediately to mind, the scenario descriptions are still engaging and
stimulating. If you do not have a Chilean bakery or Russian theater troupe in your area, what do you
have that could help you connect with a target language community?
Brainstorm with other participants the variety of target language resources and connections within or
near your community that could be accessed through a learning scenario.
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investigating further
5.4.2
For Further Study
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. (1999). Standards for foreign
language learning in the 21st century. Lawrence, KS: Allen Press. In addition to describing
the national standards for foreign languages, which closely resemble the TEKS for LOTE, this
document contains language-specific standards for nine different languages and learning
scenarios illustrating them. There are many more, but examples of scenarios implementing
Communities can be found on the following pages: Spanish (74, 75, 459, 468), French (77,
83, 86, 231, 232, 239), German (85, 273), Japanese (353-359), Russian (96, 421, 429),
Latin (170, 177, 186), and Italian (306, 308, 321).
Haas, M., & Reardon, M. (1997). Communities of learners: From New York to Chile. In J. K.
Phillips (Ed.), Collaborations: Meeting new goals, new realities (pp. 213-241). (Northeast
Conference Reports) Lincolnwood, IL: National Textbook Company. This chapter describes
the development of a thematic unit of study that focuses on Communities. Students of Spanish
in a middle school in New York learn about Chile and connect to native speakers through
e–mail communications, a guest speaker (a Chilean teacher and author whose story they read),
and through a visit to a local Chilean bakery. The chapter describes the activities of this
thematic unit in detail and provides illustrations of the e-mail correspondence and projects
created by the students.
communication & communities
Curtis, M. O., & Baskerville, J. J. (2001). Beyond the classroom: Service learning within the
multilingual community. In R. Lavine (Ed.), Beyond the boundaries: Changing contexts in
language learning (pp. 107-139). (Northeast Conference Reports) Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Curtis and Baskerville describe two service-learning projects in one district in which students of
Spanish connect with native speakers in their communities. The first project involves high school
students tutoring early learners at a local charter school; the second, working with “local
Hispanic immigrants who are preparing to become U.S. citizens.” In both cases, the service
projects are connected to a course on service learning (including history, culture, and
contributions of immigrants) and a course on “the Hispanic presence in the U.S.,” respectively.
In another district, students in any Level III course of the six languages offered can apply to be
a Student Ambassador. Those chosen design a practicum in which they research and develop
a product useful to the local community. For example, a student might produce an audio-taped
guide in French for use by French-speaking visitors to a local museum or a handbook for
Spanish-speaking staff at the botanical gardens.
Languages Other Than English Center for Educator Development. (2001). Great
TEKSpectations: Innovative learning scenarios for the LOTE classroom. Austin, TX: Author.
This document provides examples of learning scenarios implementing Communities, including
the ones on the following pages: Arabic (1), French (19, 23, 29), German (39, 43), Japanese
(56, 63), Latin (67, 71), Spanish (93, 101, 111, 115).
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5.5.1
investigating further
EXPANSION
In Video 5, some comments are made about the dichotomy between language as it may occur in
the foreign language classroom and language as it occurs in the community in real life. For example,
one teacher says that “Language is a living thing. It’s not something out of the textbook.” Two
language learners talk about having “an actual, real conversation” in the local market and contrast
that experience with the classroom where “we just speak with each other.” Other learners share
experiences using the target language in shops and to help foreign tourists. Finally, a French teacher,
a native speaker from Québec, says, “I tell the students accuracy is very important, but
communication comes first.”
communication & communities
Questions of authenticity in language learning—of using the target language in the community
for real-world purposes—are increasingly important to students and to the profession. How do
you feel about the quotations from the video?
Read the following teaching scenario and then reflect on the questions that follow and/or discuss
your reactions with your group. The recommended readings should help you prepare your responses.
Teaching Scenario
F
oreign language teachers in the local independent school district are meeting with their
coordinator to discuss how they will ensure that students in the district are able to meet
the goals outlined in the TEKS for LOTE. In addition, the state is currently undergoing a
textbook adoption process in all languages. After some discussion, teachers generally fall
into one of two camps: those who prefer to use the textbook as the curriculum and those
who prefer to develop a district curriculum.
In the first category, some teachers quickly point out that publishers have already correlated their textbooks
with the 5 Cs. Others in this group feel an in-depth analysis should also be conducted to identify areas
that would need to be supplemented to ensure all goals are fully implemented. The other group of
teachers suggests they collaborate to develop a curriculum unique to the district, one that uses contentbased learning scenarios built around the 5 Cs. Units could be developed for all languages with specifics
(such as authentic texts to be used, target language resources in the local community identified, and
structures to be introduced and reviewed) being devised by teachers of the six languages taught.
Textbooks would be used as a resource for introducing and practicing relevant structures, but the thematic
units would be more stimulating and provide increased opportunities for authentic target language use.
Proponents of using the textbook as the curriculum ask, “Why reinvent the wheel?” They also fear that
students’ language skills will deteriorate without the systematic structure and practice provided by the
textbook. Those who prefer to develop a content-based curriculum contend that the authenticity of
language-use-in-context and increased exposure to native speakers in the community motivates students in
a way that textbook activities never can and that the increased exposure to authentic texts and real-world
language use actually increases language skills and accuracy.
1) With which of these groups of teachers would you most likely align yourself? Develop a list
of pros for the opposite group’s proposal. Include at least ten benefits of their proposal for
foreign language learners in your district. Next, list all conditions or requirements not
currently in place that would have to be met before the plan you favor could be
implemented. Compare your reflections on the two proposals and discuss the relative
benefits and drawbacks you outlined with the group.
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investigating further
5.5.2
2) Have you ever participated in a curriculum development project in your school or
district? Compare the process with the new paradigm for instructional planning
mentioned by Shrum and Glisan (see Recommended Readings). What kind of issues did
you deal with, and how were the challenges resolved? How did the group (or did the
group) reach consensus? Was authenticity of language use (e.g., using the language in the
community) brought up for consideration as part of the discussion? What were the
primary points of agreement? What were the biggest bones of contention?
3) Consider the opportunities for real-world activities that exist in your current curriculum. Is
there any provision for the types of content-based instruction or thematic units discussed
in the recommended readings? How might content-based instruction help your district to
implement Communities? In small groups, share examples of authentic texts and tasks you
have used in the last year that helped students meet the Communities standard.
Ballman, T. L. (1997). Enhancing beginning language courses through content-enriched
instruction. Foreign Language Annals, 30, 173-186. The author contends that contentbased instruction in language learning is usually delayed until the intermediate level once
students have studied the basics of the linguistic system. This postponement means that
students receive little exposure to “cultural or real-world information” in the beginning
stages. She proposes instead a content-enriched instruction in which learners use the target
language to access “real-world” information on the target culture as they develop their
language skills. She describes a six-day unit lesson plan “to illustrate the uses and benefits”
of content enrichment.
Genesee, F. (1998). Content-based language instruction. In M. Met (Ed.), Critical issues
in early second language learning (pp. 103-124). Glenview, IL: Scott ForesmanAddison Wesley. Genesee presents a rationale for the appropriateness of content-based
language instruction, followed by a discussion about the pedagogical issues involved such
as the suitability of attention to form, when to address grammar, and the teacher
competencies required for content-based instruction.
communication & communities
Recommended Readings
Shrum, J. L., & Glisan, E. W. (2000). Teacher’s handbook: Contextualized language
instruction, 2nd edition. Boston: Heinle & Heinle. Chapter 3 (pp. 48-74) addresses a
“new paradigm for instructional planning” in terms of objectives, content and culture,
skills, the learner, the teacher, materials, and assessment. The authors discuss the use of
authentic materials and content-based instruction, delving into planning for instruction,
including state frameworks, year-long planning, unit planning and lesson planning.
“Teach and Discuss” activities and case studies provide an opportunity to reflect on a
variety of situations that may be encountered when designing curriculum.
Williams, M. K., Lively, M. G., & Harper, J. (1998). Designing theme-based activities:
Bringing ideas to speech. In J. Harper, M. Lively, & M. Williams (Eds.), The coming
of age of the profession (pp. 177-190). Boston: Heinle & Heinle. The chapter examines
important elements in the design of thematic activities, those that “promote reflective
processing.” The authors discuss important considerations such as making the topic
engaging, personalizing the activity, engaging higher order thinking skills, emphasizing
teamwork, etc. The chapter includes numerous concrete examples.
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