department of world languages and esl northport-east northport ufsd mrs. jennifer nesfield district...

Department of World Languages and ESL

Northport-East Northport UFSD

Mrs. Jennifer NesfieldDistrict Chairperson forWorld Languages and ESLJanuary 2014

“With languages, you are at home

anywhere.” ~Edmund de Waal, author

Department of World Languages

District Wide Initiatives

Department of World Languages A review of our 2012-2013 initiatives

1. Focus on developing a spiraling curriculum for writing on all levels incorporating diverse writing formats, including new literacies and authentic writing.

• Teachers were provided with professional development during the year that focused on enhancing students’ writing skills (presentational writing skills and tasks). The teachers then worked together to find level appropriate media and develop writing tasks that allowed students to respond in writing to audio and / or written text.

• Teachers created assignments that focused on teaching a variety of writing formats outlined in the CCLS, including, but not limited to, formal letters, reviews, essays, and news reports.

• All secondary World Language teachers participated in additional item writing staff development and submitted sample questions for the FLACS regional assessments

Sample presentational writing assignments given in World Language

classes Spanish 5IB

Students are given two sources on a subject (i.e. news paper article, magazine advertisement, graph, etc.). They must read the sources, formulate a thesis that is applicable to both. Once the thesis is formulated, they write an essay that utilizes information from each source to support the thesis.

Topic: Immigration• Source 1: Authentic language

magazine article

• Source 2: Introduction to an Internet blog

Sample presentational writing assignments given in World Language

classes French 8

Students will read a letter (or email) from their pen pal and write an appropriate response.

Italian 3R

Students will listen to a radio advertisement about a city in Italy. They will then be asked to write a formal letter to their travel agent asking for additional information related to what they heard on the radio.

Common Core Standards for Writing

TEXT TYPES AND PURPOSES•Write arguments to support claims using valid reasoning and relevant evidence•Write informative/explanatory texts•Write narratives

PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF WRITING•Produce clear and coherent writing appropriate to task, purpose, and audience•Strengthen writing by planning, revising, editing, and rewriting•Use technology to produce and publish writing to interact and collaborate with others

RANGE OF WRITING•Write over shorter and extended time frames

RESPONDING TO LITERATURE•Oral and written presentations responding to literature

Department of World Languages Review of 2012-2013 Initiatives 2. Align curricula and assessments to support the

Common Standards, including, but not limited to the creation of local assessments and Student Learning Objectives (SLOs).

• World Language teachers were given professional development that focused on the how the Common Core ELA Shifts correspond to language instruction.

• Pre and post assessments were created for every WL class.

Department of World Languages Review of 2012-2013 Initiatives

3. Continue to move forward with our differentiated instruction efforts, expanding the use of tiered assignments and anchor activities at all levels of instruction.

• Teachers participated in professional development activities throughout the year that focused on the creation of differentiated activities that could be used in their classes.

• All members of the department (7-12) continued to expand their use of differentiated instruction.

• The Italian and French teachers executed a review and reassessment of seventh through ninth grade language curricula.

Samples of differentiated assignments given in World Language classes

Italian Level 5Students are asked to complete a Pic-Tac-Toe where they must select 3 assignments on a given topic, each one representing a different ability level and format.

Spanish 2RStudents were placed into groups based on language ability levels and asked to describe the same daily routine in different ways. Each exercise was designed to challenge the students using a strategy suited to their particular skills.

Group A: visual learners

Group B:strong writers

Department of World Languages Review of 2012-2013 Initiatives

4. Continue to nurture a culture of respect in the World Language classrooms by highlighting cultural differences and similarities between the various target language populations and Americans.

• Teachers worked cooperatively to design culturally rich lessons for the IB and Advanced Language and Culture classes. The new units that were created emphasized not only music and art, but provided the students with opportunities to compare and contrast American culture with the cultures in other countries.

• Teachers in the After School Language Program incorporated lessons that focused on cultural diversity.

• NHS students participated in a variety of cultural activities after school sponsored by the various language clubs.

Department of World Languages 2013-2014 Department Initiatives

• Continue to implement the Common Core Learning Standards in all World Language classes.

• Provide the World Language faculty with additional professional development that will help them to further develop and improve students’ target language presentational writing skills at all levels and require the students to use higher order thinking to relate non-fictional text to their written pieces.

• Provide the faculty with professional development that will help them explore the use of Flipped Instruction practices. Flipped instruction, using the Moodle environment in particular, will help diversify the teachers’ use of instructional technology.

Department of World Languages

Data Review

Common Assessments2013 FLACS Checkpoint A

Regional AssessmentWorld Language Department

Regional Checkpoint A Assessment

Regional Checkpoint A Assessment

Level Range Number Percent

4 85-100 292 67%

3 65-84 136 31%

2 55-64 6 1%

1 0-54 2 <1%

FLACS A Assessments were given in French, Italian, and Spanish

Proficiency and Mastery LevelsFLACS Checkpoint A Exam Results

Common AssessmentsFLACS Checkpoint A Regional

AssessmentFrench Exam

Regional Checkpoint A French Assessment

Regional Checkpoint A French Assessment


4 85-100 31 72%

3 65-84 11 26%

2 55-64 1 2%

1 0-54 0 n/a


AssessmentItalian Exam

Regional Checkpoint A Italian Assessment



4 85-100 84 70%

3 65-84 33 28%

2 55-64 2 1%

1 0-54 1 <1%


AssessmentSpanish Exam




4 85-100 172 64%

3 65-84 91 34%

2 55-64 3 1%

1 0-54 1 <1%

Common Assessments2013 FLACS Checkpoint B

Regional AssessmentWorld Language Department

Midterm Midterm Checkpoint B Regional Assessment

Checkpoint B Regional Assessment

Level Range Number Percent Number Percent

4 85-100 192 44% 263 62%

3 65-84 210 48% 156 37%

2 55-64 25 6% 6 1%

1 0-55 8 2% 0 n/a

FLACS B Assessments were given in French, Italian, and Spanish

Proficiency and Mastery LevelsRegents/Checkpoint B Exam Results

Common AssessmentsFLACS Checkpoint B Regional

AssessmentFrench Exam




4 85-100 31 42% 46 71%

3 65-84 33 45% 19 29%

2 55-64 6 8% 0 n/a

1 0-55 3 4% 0 n/a

Common AssessmentsFLACS Checkpoint B Regional Assessment

Italian Exam




4 85-100 26 26% 74 74%

3 65-84 68 68% 26 26%

2 55-64 6 6% 0 n/a

1 0-55 1 1% 0 n/a

Common AssessmentsFLACS Checkpoint B Regional

AssessmentSpanish Exam




4 85-100 135 52% 143 56%

3 65-84 109 42% 107 42%

2 55-64 13 5% 6 2%

1 0-55 4 2% 0 n/a

International Baccalaureate (IB) Courses

Percent scoring 4 or BetterWorld Language Department

International Baccalaureate (IB) Courses

data breakdown by language

Language Total Number of Students Percent scoring 4 or better

French 14 (13 SL and 1 HL) 86%

German 8 88%

Italian 36 83%

Spanish 92 (66 SL and 26 HL) 100%

The number of students successfully taking HL language grew significantly in 2012-2013.

After School Elementary Language Program2013-2014

• This year we have 178 students registered for the program. Students are bused from their home schools to Pulaski Road School on Wednesday afternoons.

• There are 9 sections, including 4 sections with second, third, or fourth year participants.

• In 2013-2014 we have invited the IB language students from Northport High School to join our ASLP teachers in the classroom. The upperclassmen help with small group activities and practice the target language with the elementary students.

English as a Second LanguageReview of 2012-2013 Initiatives

Align curricula and assessments to support the Common Standards, including, but not limited to the creation of local assessments and Student Learning Objectives (SLOs).

• ESL teachers were given professional development that focused on the how the Common Core ELA Shifts correspond to TESOL instruction.

• Pre and post assessments were created for every testing band (K, 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, and 9-12).


Continue to move forward with our differentiated instruction efforts, expanding the use of tiered assignments and anchor activities at all levels of instruction.

• Teachers worked together throughout the year to create differentiated activities for their students at both the elementary and the secondary levels. The activities were often student specific in order to meet the varied language and ability levels of the ELLs.


Continue to nurture a culture of respect in the ESL classrooms by highlighting cultural differences and similarities between the various populations represented and American society. ESL teachers will also work closely with the DASA teams in all schools to ensure the ELLs have a clear understanding of DASA legislation.

• ESL teachers organized and attended several community outreach

programs during the year, including the Welcome Tea, the Thanksgiving Luncheon and Recognition Ceremony, and Multicultural Night.

• The ESL teachers adapted the district DASA presentations for the English Language Learners and their families. The presentations were shared with students during the day and with families at the community outreach events sponsored by the ESL department.

English as a Second Language 2013-2014 Department Initiatives

• Continue to implement the Common Core Learning Standards in all ESL classes and work with mainstream English and Math teachers to adopt and adapt CCLS modules in order to make them more accessible to the ELLs.

• Provide the ESL faculty with professional development that will help them comprehend the changes to the state ESL screening exam and successfully administer the new NYSITELL to incoming students identified as possible LEP students.

• Provide the faculty with professional development that will help them explore the use of Flipped Instruction practices. Flipped instruction, using the Moodle environment in particular, will help diversify the teachers’ use of instructional technology.

2013 New York State English as a Second Language Achievement

Test (NYSESLAT) Results

Number Tested

Beginner Intermediate Advanced Proficient

77 students took the

NYSESLAT in May 2013

13 (17%) students tested at

the Beginner

level


the Intermedia

te level


the Advanced

level

11 14(%) students tested

Proficient

We serviced 80 LEP students and 31 transitional students in our ESL program during the course of the

2012-2013 school year .In 2012-2013 our ELL population was comprised of students from a wide variety of

countries, including El Salvador, Honduras, Columbia, France, Italy, Denmark, Russia, China, Japan, Korea,

Laos, Turkey, Ukraine, Pakistan, and Vietnam.

MerciGrazieGraciasDankeArigatoThank You

department of world languages and esl northport-east northport ufsd mrs. jennifer nesfield district...

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