Program+Development+-+Thinking+Template


 * Essential Questions**

//"And questions long buried under answers may be unearthed" (Tom Barone, 2001, p. 3).//

In this space, list no more than 5 to 7 questions that would guide others in exploring your topic area in ways that will help them to develop a deep, enduring understanding of it.

1) What sort of difficulties might one encounter in wanting to begin a program in a less commonly taught language (LCTL__)__?

2) The events of 9/11 clearly demonstrated a national deficiency in proficiency with LCTLs. Why has the educational community failed to implement significant numbers of programs that target these critical languages?

3) How can the educational community create a “felt need” for LCTLs?

4) How do demographics and political affiliation affect the success of educational programs?

5) What factors influence language learning?


 * Key Concepts**

//". . . the emphasis should be on a few powerful ideas that students are unlikely to discover on their own and that can help them make sense of a wide variety of more specific ideas" (Putnam & Borko, 1997, p. 1271).//

//5 key concepts to create a successful program//:


 * //1.Collaboration//** with communities, teachers and parents explores the need of an expanded language **//curriculum//**.


 * //2.Curriculum//** thematically organized, sequential, integrated and standards-based informs content-related/based **//materials//**.


 * //3.Materials//** (a collection of developmentally appropriate, authentic and varied resources) reflect the target **//culture//**.


 * //4.Culture//** embedded in instruction, providing a focus on products, practices and perspectives fosters **//compelling experiences//**.


 * //5. Compelling experiences//** through a sustained sequence of language instruction implemented by highly qualified teachers and supported by school and university necessitate **//collaboration//**.


 * Communication in the international marketplace
 * Living in a multiethnic society
 * National security
 * Realistic objectives
 * Collaboration between school and community
 * High quality learning materials


 * Guiding Principles**

//". . . Search for principles. Carefully separate them from the detail used to explain them. Principles are concentrated truth, packaged for application to a wide variety of circumstances// //. . . . It is worth great effort to organize the truth we gather to simple statements of principle" (Richard G. Scott)//

In this space, make a list of no more than 7 principles (or rules of thumb) that others could use to guide them in applying key concepts from your topic area to their own classrooms or contexts.

1) Presently in the U.S., less commonly taught languages (LCTLs) consist of approximately thirty of eighty non-North American Languages.

2) Though LCTLs can be primarily found at the university level, their difficulty makes it almost impossible for students to reach a function level based on those classes alone.

3) After the events of 9/11/01 LCTLs are receiving more attention from the federal government, as seen in both FLAP and the new language initiative.

4) As the federal government funds LCTLs, the priority of various LCTLs is flexible.

5) Teachers of LCTL’s find both training and materials lacking.

6) Certification concerns at the K-12 level pose problems for districts looking to include LCTLs.


 * Personal Reflections**

//"For what you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing: it also depends on what sort of person you are" (Lewis, 1955, p. 136).//

In this space, note 1 reflection or personal connection that each person in your group made with your topic area.

Person 1: Greg Barfield With the recent elimination of my district's elementary program, I need to revamp our middle/high school progam to be articulated between grades 6-12.

Person 2: Steve Brock: I learned about the dearth of teacher training and materials in LCTLs, issues I am dealing with presently as I begin a Chinese program in Omaha in 2006-07. For instance, my teacher, who is Chinese, asked me recently in she should teach standard Mandarin or a more simplified version. Answers I hope to learn in China next week.

Person 3: Rosanne Zeppieri: Over the past two years, I have had several phone calls and face-to-face conversations with parents of Mandarin Chinese students who question the efficacy of teaching traditional characters. On mainland China, the people write in simplified characters. I have learned that there is no easy answer to this question. In our community, many of the influential Chinese parents originate from Taiwan where traditional characters are used. So, the question remains, traditional or simplified?

Secondly, we struggle with students who speak Chinese at home and attend Chinese school on the weekend seated next to entry-level learners in our middle school classes. We do not offer a class for native speakers. We need a system that allows us to place students in classes according to their proficiency level.

Person 4: Elena Farkas: Presently working on developing the K-12 Russian Immersion Program I have been facing many questions. One of them is - what defines a successful program? Working with my group memeber will help me to indentify those steps to be able to create, develop and share our model with another districts.


 * Quality Models**

//". . . we teach who we are" (Palmer, 1998, p. 2).//

In this space, list no more than 5 quality models of your topic area in action.

1) Articulated programs

2) Standards- based programs

3) Balanced and developed parent, teacher, community ties

4)


 * Powerful Quotations**

//"The voice of the mentor becomes the internal voice of the protégé" (Lipton & Wellman, 2003)//

In this space, list no more than 20 powerful quotations related to your topic area. Please use the following format: "Quotation" (Author's Last Name, Year of Publication, p. #). "Quotation" (Author's Last Name, Year of Publication, p. #).


 * Resources & Materials**

//"The selection of a material or activity is also the selection of an array of forces that will influence how students will be challenged to think . . . the curriculum is a mind-altering device" (Eisner, 2004, pp. 13, 72).//

In this space, make a list of the TOP TEN resources and materials that you would recommend to a foreign language educator who is interested in understanding and using your topic area to improve their practice.

Advocacy, Parent Relations, Public Relations

Fortune, Tara W., & Tedick, Diane J. (2003, August). What parents want to know about FL immersion programs. CAL. (EDO FL-03-04). Washington, DC: Center for Applied Linguistics. Retrieved May 26, 2006, from http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/0304fortune.html

A short digest that provides useful background information on FL immersion programs. (Contributed by user:chericem1)

Panetta, Leon (1999, May). Foreign language education: If 'scandelous' in the 20th Century, what will it be in the 21st Century? Stanford, CA: Stanford Language Center. Retrieved June 12, 2006 from http://language.stanford.edu/about/conferencepapers/panettapaper.pdf

Historical overview from Clinton cabinet member about the lack a federal language policy in the United States. (Submitted by Steve Brock).

Weizbicki, Cynthia (n.d.). Tips for conducting a public advocacy workshop. Washington, D.C: Joint National Conference on Languages. Retrieved June 12, 2006 from http://www.languagepolicy.org/advwkshop.html

Practical tips from the Joint National Conference on Languages (JNCL) about conducting an advocacy workshop. The audience here would be language teachers per se. (Submitted by Steve Brock).

Curriculum Development

Crandall, JoAnn. (1994, January). Content-centered language instruction. Washington, DC: Eric Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED367142) Retrieved May 26, 2006, from http://www.ericdigests.org/1994/content.htm

This ERIC digest addresses issues of curricular content and program development models intersect. (Contributed by user:chericem1)

National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages (n.d.). Retrieved 20 June 2006, from http://www.councilnet.org/home.htm.

This site addresses issues relating to LCTs, including objectives and their annual conference. (Submitted by Steve Brock)

Janus, Louis (1998). Less commonly taught languages of emerging Importance: Major issues, cost problems, and their national implications. UCLA International Institute. Retrieved 20 June 2006, from http://www.isop.ucla.edu/pacrim/title6/Break6-Janus.pdf

Conference paper provides a framework for understanding LCTs before the recent federal government impetus on their behalf. (Submitted by Steve Brock)

Model Foreign Language Programs

Branaman, Lucinda, Rhodes, Nancy, & Holmes, Annette. (1999). National directory of early foreign language programs. CAL. Washington, DC: Center for Applied Linguistics. Retrieved May 26, 2006, from http://www.cal.org/resources/immersion/Default.aspx

This searchable database of immersion programs allows users to search by state, program model, grade level. If you click on each link, you can see more information about what type of immersion program (total, partial, 2-way) is offered, how many students are served and at what grade levels, when the program began, the URL of the school's website, and additional contact information. (Contributed by user:chericem1)

Program Development

ACTFL. (n.d.). Characteristics of effective elementary school foreign language programs. ACTFL. Retrieved May 26, 2006, from http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3655

A nicely-organized, annotated summary of key characteristics of effective FL programs at the elementary level. (Contributed by user:chericem1)

CARLA. (n.d.). Resources for language immersion education. Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition. Retrieved May 26, 2006, from http://www.carla.umn.edu/immersion/resources.html

This annotated list of resources provided by the Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition will connect you with an international list of professional listservs, organizations, and materials designed especially for language immersion teachers and parents of children in such programs. (Contributed by user:chericem1)

Rosenbusch, Marcia. (1995, June). Guidelines for starting an elementary school foreign language program. ACTFL. Washington, DC: Eric Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics. Retrieved May 26, 2006, from http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3654

A brief summary of things to consider in developing an elementary foreign language program, including cautions in program planning, the planning process, components of program design, characteristics of programs that lead to fluency, and ways to determine program feasibility.(Contributed by user:chericem1)

Curtain, Helena, & Dahlberg, Carol Ann. (2000). Planning for success: Common pitfalls in the planning of early foreign language programs. CAL Digest, December, EDO-FL-00-11. Retrieved 20 June 2006 from http://www.cal.org/resources/Digest/0011planning.html

Article discusses a number of common problems with beginning early language programs, including the neglect of LCTs. (Submitted by Steve Brock).

Sally Morrison. Less Commonly Taught Languages. ACTFL //Washington, DC: ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics. Retrieved June 18, 2006, from http://www.cal.org/ericcll/faqs/RGOs/lctl.html

This annoted list of resources comprises articles, websites, institutes, and professional journals dealing with less commonly taught languages.//

//**References**

Eisner, Elliot W. (2002).// The arts and the creation of mind.//New Haven: Yale University Press.

Lewis, Clive S. (1955).// The magician's nephew.//NY: Scholastic.

Lipton, Laura, & Wellman, Bruce. (2003).// Mentoring matters: A practical guide to learning-focused relationships (2nd ed.). //Sherman, CT: MiraVia.

Palmer, Parker. (1998).// The courage to teach: Exploring the inner landscape of a teacher's life.//San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Putnam, Ralph T., & Borko, Hilda. (1997). Teacher learning: Implications of new views of cognition. In B.J. Biddle, et. al. (Eds.),// International handbook of teachers and teaching //(pp. 1223-1297). Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers. Fred Genesee, Ed.(1994)// Educating Second Language Children:The whole child, the whole curriculum, the whole community//. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.