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Drafted April of 2013 by Elementary, Middle, and High School Teachers, Principals, Migrant Coordinator, Instructional Coaches and Language Program Coordinators

WOODBURN SCHOOL DISTRICT

SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION INSTRUCTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR K-12

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Table of Contents

Introduction

A historical overview of the Woodburn School District’s (WSD) journey into and through second

language acquisition.

Philosophy

A brief statement that identifies the philosophical underpinnings and research of language

acquisition in Woodburn.

Approach(es)

An explanation of the systems and processes that support our philosophy.

Methods

The bodies of philosophically grounded and purposively integrated strategies and techniques that

constitutes one translation of an approach into professional practice.

Strategies

The collection of philosophically grounded and functionally related techniques that serves as an

implementation component of an instructional method.

Techniques

Specific actions or action sequences that have been designed to achieve a defined, strategic

objective.

Organization

An overview of possible schedules within a second language classroom.

Assessment

performance based assessments, on-going formative assessments

Language Proficiency Levels

Q&A

Woodburn School District Second Language Acquisition common agreements and norms

Woodburn School District- Second Language Acquisition Framework – April 18, 2013.

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References

An annotated list of resources that support various components of the WSD instructional

framework.

Glossary

A short dictionary of terminology used throughout the document.


Page | 4Introduction

Students learn academic language throughout the school day through the combination of language instruction for content learning and language instruction for language learning. Where both types of language instruction are crucial to the overall academic language of development of a student, this instructional framework addresses the explicit teaching languages that are in addition to a student’s primary language. (Take out/ move.)

This purpose of this document is to consolidate the most effective instructional practices in language instruction for language learning. This document provides direction for teachers and administrators alike in informing school and classroom practice. All professional development and materials for the explicit teaching of language acquisition in the district are aligned to this framework. This document is a culmination of years of thinking and work by many educators in the Woodburn School District.

Prior to 2007, WSD ascribed primarily to a “content-based” ELD approach to language instruction. Teachers were trained in Guided Language Acquisition Design (GLAD), Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP), and Sheltered Instructional Techniques. Teachers were expected to use comprehensible input strategies and provide explicit vocabulary instruction related to their various areas. Foreign language courses applied a variety of approaches to language instruction across the district.

In 2007, the state of Oregon adopted English Language Proficiency Standards that provided a list of 24 functions and related forms. The district began to incorporate forms and functions into its English language instruction. Some Spanish and Russian foreign language teachers also incorporated forms and functions.

Although Spanish and Russian language courses at the High School had always been leveled, in 2008-2009 the district moved to leveled language instruction for all students learning English as a second language.

In 2010 English as a Second Language Teachers were trained in Systematic ELD. This is a framework using forms and functions based approach to language development which uses the gradual release as the main mechanism for language instruction.

In April of 2013, a district team convened to review and recommend a common approach to second language instruction. This work laid the foundation for consistent practices, professional development, and use of materials for English, Spanish and Russian as a second-language classes.


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Participants:

FacilitatorLena Baucum

AdministratorsIrene NovichihinTodd Farris

TeachersAlejandro LopezDina MoritzRonda JonsonSarah Hollingsworth

Language Program CoordinatorsUlita SeleznevDavid WinterburnLiliana Heller-MafricaMariam BaradarMarci Schnegelberger


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P

hilosophy

In Woodburn School District we believe that cognitive learning theories, with emphasis on

communication, guide the teaching and learning process for all language programs. Language

acquisition is one of the most fascinating aspects of human development. All languages are

fundamentally innate and the same universal principles underlie all of them (Chomsky, 1952).

Therefore, linguistic competence in the primary language (L-1) supports acquisition of

subsequent languages (L-2). The acquisition of language is a developmental progression

through predetermined stages as follows: Pre-Production; Early Production; Speech

Emergence; Intermediate Fluency; Advanced Fluency. This progression is true for the first

language as well as the acquisition of subsequent languages. Movement through these stages is

dependent upon a learner receiving comprehensible input that is slightly beyond their current

language ability (CI=I+1) (Krashen, 1981).

Children are born in possession of an innate ability to comprehend language structures in

discourse (Chomsky, 1957). “Primary discourse is language acquired through face-to-face

interaction in the home and represents the language of initial socialization. Secondary

discourse is language acquired in social institutions, beyond the family, and involves acquisition

of specialized vocabulary and functions of language appropriate to those settings.” (Cummins,

2001). School-age children acquire social and academic language concurrently. Many of the

language skills required in basic interpersonal communication (BICS) are useful in developing

cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP) (Cummins, 1999).

Recent neuroscience research related to language, language learning, and language

instruction has contributed to the foundations of new models of learning. In these cognitive

models, communication continues to be the purpose of language and language acquisition. The

model incorporates principles of social interaction, active learning, and explicit language

instruction (Bialystok, 1990a). Students participate in programs where teachers

implement research-based practices and progress along an accelerated

timeline of language development (Douglas Fisher et.al 2011).


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NOTE: Additional information and resources on Philosophy can be found in the Appendix __.


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P

edagogical Approaches

Woodburn combines the cognitive approach (which incorporates many aspects of the

communicative approach) with systemic functional linguistics to ensure that a teacher acts as a

facilitator that guides students through cooperative learning tasks to practice forms and

functions of the language in various social and academic contexts. There is explicit modeling of

the language to be learned, and also of effective strategies for language learning and

communication. Classroom activities, guided or independent, encourage students to

communicate and construct meaning in a social context. Students are expected to use

metacognition as they reflect on the strategies and processes that they are using to derive

meaning.

The Woodburn approach to language instruction bases instruction on the following:Teacher Role

Establishes structured learning routines for purposeful language practice and student engagement

Provides and facilitates authentic and meaningful language experiences that can be applied to a variety of situations (Krashen, 1982)

Provides students with engaging practice in all four domains

Models second language learning strategies (including metacognitive strategies) and provides students with practice (Pearson & Gallagher, 1983)

Provides explicit language and grammar instruction through inductive constructivism (Piaget, 1967).

Provides explicit instruction regarding L1 language interference (i.e., in the pronunciation of school and eschool).

Uses formative data to inform instruction and provide comprehensible input, ZPD (Vygotsky, 1978) i+1 (Krashen, 1982).

Student Role Actively participates in the language learning

process (Vygotsky, 1978) Makes meaning from language and context clues

by creating, testing, and modifying hypothesis about how language works (Vygotsky, 1978)

Uses and practices strategies for language learning (Vygotsky, 1978)

Links new learning to existing knowledge (Vygotsky, 1978)

Applies learned language to new contexts (Vygotsky, 1978)

Uses metacognition to reflect and improve upon how to better learn language (Flavell, 1979)

Learning Environment Learner/student centered (Dewey, Piaget, Vygotsky, ??) Print/visual rich (Cummins, 1989) Supports risk taking/low anxiety (Krashen, ??) Provides a context for authentic communication that is based in the real world (Krashen, ??) Allows for a range of language experiences that incorporate a variety of registers and communicative purposes Social/ Cooperative Learning (Krashen, ??)


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M

ethods

Woodburn School District integrates two methods to provide students with purposeful and effective language instruction: gradual release of responsibility and cooperative learning.

Gradual release of responsibility (Pearson & Gallagher, 1983) provides a practical method for ensuring that students are instructed within their zone of proximal development (Vygotsky, 1978). Using this method, responsibility for the learning task gradually shifts from the teacher to students. The teacher initiates the learning by modeling or demonstrating new learning, then facilitating guided practice of the new learning, and finally providing students with independent practice and application to the real world. The teacher provides students with feedback throughout the process. Within a language learning context, teachers provide students with ample time to interact and use the target language in meaningful ways on a daily basis. Gradual release of responsibility serves to compartmentalize instructional time according to student need.

Cooperative learning is a method of instruction that allows students to interact, practice, and apply the language in meaningful ways. In the language learning classroom social interaction is an essential ingredient to ensure that students are able to communicate, negotiate meaning, and use other metalinguistic strategies. Cooperative learning provides the context in which language is both learned and acquired.


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S

trategies and Techniques

Strategies are the umbrella for techniques that are selected and used in practice. The following is a collection of strategies with corresponding techniques that support the cognitive approach to teaching. They are grounded in communicative application of systematic language forms and functions (sentence frames and vocabulary). These strategies should be applied in all four domains. This list is not exhaustive but rather a collection of the most common and useful techniques that should be part of a teaching repertoire within each of the strategies.

Modeling (Comprehensible Input):The language frames and vocabulary, as determined by the communicative purpose of the lesson, are introduced thru explicit interactive instruction. The teacher models by incorporating Think Alouds to show students how to use the targeted language. The teacher prompts students to participate in the structured language practice by using interactive techniques while checking for correct language use. Although the teacher is modeling the language, students are expected to actively process and practice the language. (Fisher, Frey, 2007)

Techniques Listening Speaking Reading WritingChoral Response: Teacher models targeted language and whole class repeats.

X X

Pictorial Input Chart: Teacher draws, labels, and writes relevant words and information on the charts while describing and explaining the emerging visuals.

X X

Comparative Input Charts: Same as pictorial input chart, only two objects or people are compared.

X X X X

Cooperative Strip Paragraph: Teacher provides strips with sentences imitating the targeted language and organizes them in a logical order.

X X X X

Fishbowl: Teacher models language practice routines with chosen student(s) in front of the class to give example of proper procedures.

X X

Graphic Organizers: Teacher uses a variety of graphic organizers to visually highlight the vocabulary that will be used within the targeted sentence structures.

X X X X

Illustrated Word Bank: List of vocabulary with visual/pictorial representations along with the targeted sentence structure.

X X X X

Picture Cards: Pictures with written labels to support vocabulary. X XSentence Construction Chart: Sentences frames created with blanks for insertion of specific vocabulary to produce a particular kind of sentence. For example: The __________ lives in the ___________. Teacher lists under each line vocabulary that can be inserted and models how to construct sentences.

X X X X

Model Texts: Teacher uses model texts incorporating targeted language in order to demonstrate examples or correct usage.

X X

My Turn, Your Turn (Echo): Teacher will state a word, phrase or sentence and the students “echo”. This can be used with a whole group, small group, and/or with individual students.

X X

Process Grid: Teachers categorize important concepts using a grid with a variety of headings. (For example: Animal/ Characteristics /Habitats/Food)

X X X X


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Tapes & Songs/Chants/Videos: Teacher uses auditory and visual language, so that students can gain familiarly and comfort, in a low pressure way.

X X X X

Total Physical Response: Teacher uses coordination of language and physical movement to give commands to students in the target language, and students respond with whole-body actions.

X X


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Guided Practice (Structured Language Practice):Interactive language practice develops automatic and fluent accuracy of the taught language. Teacher provides activities that are carefully structured to promote communicative interaction between students and plays the primary role in guiding the language practice. Students practice the new language multiples times during every lesson by using charts, graphic organizers and word banks while teacher monitors accuracy and provides corrective feedback. (Dutro, (Fisher, Frey, 2007))

Techniques Listening Speaking Reading WritingAll of these techniques should be modeled with the fishbowl technique before expecting students to use them. (Find Fishbowl technique in the modeling section above.)

X X X X

A-B Partners: Some students are partner A and others are partner B. Each partner is given a job to practice the target language. Partner A: Tell me about the jaguar. Partner B: The jaguar lives in the jungle and is a carnivore.

X X X X

Lines of Communication: Students line up facing a partner and share ideas with each other using taught language. One line moves down and last person walks to beginning of line in order to change partners at signal.

X X

Board Game: Teacher makes game cards based on prompts and sentence frames that have been taught and practiced.

X X X

Card Game: Student use vocabulary cards (picture or word) to take turns asking and answering questions using taught language patterns and vocabulary. (EX: Go Fish, Memory)

X X X

Clock Appointments: Students find 4 partners and note names. Take turns speaking and listening and quickly changing partners at signal.

X X X X

Debates: A polarizing statement is given. Students choose which side of the debate they are on. They form two lines. First student in each line gives their reason using target language. Next students continue until every student has had a turn. Teacher or class determines which side best supported their thinking.

X X

Give One, Get One: Students independently generate possible responses to a prompt on handout. At the signal, they find a partner and take turns listening and speaking. At signal, find a different partner.

X X X X

Round Table: Each small group is given a topic. Each student in group has to respond to the topic by using taught language.

X X X X

Structured Role Play: Student assumes an assigned role and uses the language they have learned to communicate in given scenarios. They respond according to script and change roles at the signal.

X X X X

Talking Chips: Students “spend” their chips to talk by flipping them from one color to the other.

X X

Talking Sticks: Students speak only when holding the talking stick using taught language. They take turns by passing the talking stick.

X X

Talking Triangle: Students are in groups of 3. Partner 1 shares X X


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with partner 2 sentence frame. Partner 3 restates what partner 2 said using “He/She” form”.Tea Party: Students are given a blank bingo card. They ask questions (from previously taught language) to different students in class to collect responses or signatures. If it’s yes/no question, they have to prompt for additional information.

X X X X

Think, Pair, Share: Student think quietly and then talk softly to a partner.

X X

Think, Write, Share: Same as above and then students write down their response.

X X X X


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Independent Practice:The students practice using new language knowledge independently, or with a partner, with minimum support from teacher in the new context. Students take ownership of language practice by relying on visuals, notes, activities and classroom learning. The teacher collects data on student performance and provides relevant, meaningful feedback to help students apply language correctly. This piece of student work could also be used as assessment. (Fisher, Frey, 2007)

Techniques Listening Speaking Reading WritingAll guided practice routines above can be used for independent practice.Dialogue Bubbles: Teacher gives students blank dialogue bubble sheet to fill in with taught language. Then students share with A-B partners.

X X X X

Journals: Students write prompt and answer it. (Shared journals-Students write and then pass journal to someone else to add to it.)

X

Presentations: Students share a project that they have done that shares the new language that they have learned.

X X x X

Ticket-out-the-Door: At end of lesson, students quickly write a response to a prompt to show their learning from that day or week. This may include self-reflection.

X

Whip Around: Used at end of lesson. Each student quickly says a sentence in response to that day’s prompt. As soon as one student finishes, the next student says their sentence.

X X


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Metacognition:Refers to a level of thinking that involves active control over the process of thinking that is used in learning situations. Teacher leads students in discussing how they organize, manage, monitor and evaluate their own language learning. Teacher explicitly models techniques and allows students to choose those that work best for their own language learning. Teacher and students reflect on how what they have learned can be applied to a range of topics and link what they learn in second language to other content learning.(CALLA???)

Techniques Strategies/ProcessesThink AloudNote Taking/Graphic Organizer: Student uses or creates a visual representation like a Venn diagram, timeline, chart, etc.

X

Cognate Search: Students make connections between 1st language words and 2nd language words. (crear/create)

X

Sketching: Students quickly sketch a visual representation of their learning.

X

Use Imagery: Use or create an image to understand and/or represent information.

X

Find a pattern: Look at a list and find a pattern. Make up a rule that explains that pattern.

X

Ticket out the door: Students write a quick sentence about what they learned and how they will use it or reflect on their learning.

X

Language Logs: Students write in their journal to record what they are learning for future reference. Students make 3 column chart to list “words I know”, “words I’ve heard” and “word I don’t know”.

X

Double Entry Journal: Draw line down middle of journal page. Students write something that they learned from ELD class and then write how they will use it or remember it.

X

Substitute/paraphrase: Think of a similar word or descriptive phrase that replaces the word that you don’t know.

X X

Talk yourself through it: Students use inner resources to reduce anxiety by reminding yourself of your progress, the resources you have available and your goals.

X X


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Vocabulary Development:Sustained attention to vocabulary development is critically important to the overall listening and reading comprehension of second language learners. Teacher explicitly instructs vocabulary in the target language and students immediately practice it within a communicative context, not in isolation.

Techniques Listening Speaking Reading WritingGraphic Organizers: Teacher uses a variety of graphic organizers to visually highlight the vocabulary that will be used within the targeted sentence structures.

X X

Illustrated Word Bank: List of vocabulary with visual/pictorial representations along with the targeted sentence structure.

X X X

My Turn, Your Turn: Teacher will state a word, phrase or sentence and the students “echo”. This can be used with a whole group, small group, and/or with individual students.

X X

Pantomime & Gestures: Teacher will assign an action to a new vocabulary word/phrase and pantomime it to the students. Students will repeat. Teacher will repeat the action and say the vocabulary word or phrase and students will repeat. Teacher says the word or phrase and students will pantomime the action.Pictorial Input Chart: Teacher draws, labels, and writes relevant words and information on the charts while describing and explaining the emerging visuals.

X X X X

Picture Cards: Pictures with written labels to support vocabulary. X XRealia: Teacher brings in real objects or imitation of materials to show physical form of the vocabulary word being taught.


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Developing Grammar Awareness:The goal of grammar instruction is to enable students to use linguistic forms accurately, meaningfully and appropriately. Furthermore, grammar instruction should not be taught in isolation but rather teacher uses an inductive approach to draw students’ attention or promote students’ noticing of some feature(s) of a grammatical structure.

Techniques Listening Speaking Reading WritingRecasting: Teacher reformulates what a student has said or written incorrectly in a more accurate, appropriate or meaningful way.

x x x

Enhancing the input: Teacher boldfaces targeted grammatical forms or structures in a text which makes them more salient and draws students’ attention to them.

x

Input flooding: Similar to enhancing the input, but teacher purposefully chooses texts in which particular structures are especially frequent therefore enhancing their saliency and promoting noticing.

x

Consciousness-raising task: Teacher provides a list of language data (i.e. example sentences) from which students induce a grammatical generalization.The garden path strategy: Teacher gives students information about structure without giving them the full picture. The reason for giving students only a partial explanation is that they are more likely to learn the exceptions to the rule if they are corrected at the moment the overgeneralization error is made than if they are given a long list of exceptions to the rule to memorize in advance.Input processing:Output production:

NOTE: Additional information and resources on Structures can be found in Appendix __.


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O

rganization of Instruction

Sonia: leveling of classes (no more than two combined levels)

This section addresses how the instruction is organized in terms of both the content of the instruction and the time. The percentages of time found here are not intended to be prescriptive in any way, rather to act as a guide for use of time to ensure ample practice of language across the domains.

ContentWoodburn SD uses twenty-four functions as s a means of organizing language content into workable and meaningful portions of language that serve as an instructional focus at different stages of language proficiency. These language functions are presented by proficiency levels to ensure that students receive the appropriate rigor as they progress through each stage of language development.

Forms and functions cannot be taught in a vacuum. Therefore, language function(s) are grouped into thematic units that provide students with in a relevant and meaningful context for learning language. The thematic units serve two specific purposes: they act as a catalyst for authentic vocabulary development as well as allow for the recycling of the language functions in a variety of contexts.

Within each unit, the vocabulary demands increase moving from basic to more specific academic language, while the functions move from interpersonal to the more rigorous interpretive and presentational modes.

TimeLanguage learning occurs within four domains: reading, writing, speaking and listening. Though the amount of time spent within each domain varies depending upon the age and the language proficiency level of the student, oral language development, is fundamental in ensuring that language learners achieve a full range of language proficiency. For this reason, oral language practice commands a significant presence in daily language instruction. Below is a chart that suggests a percentage of instructional time within each of the four domains.

Kinder – 1st Beginner through AdvancedReading 10 %Writing 10Speaking 40Listening 40

2nd – 5th Grades Beginner through Advanced


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Reading 20Writing 20Speaking 30Listening 30

6th – 8th Grades Beginner/Novice Intermediate AdvancedReading 10 20 30Writing 10 20 30Speaking 40 30 20Listening 40 30 20

High School Beginner/Novice Intermediate AdvancedReading 20 25 30Writing 20 25 30Speaking 30 25 20Listening 30 25 20

Add paragraph here

Kinder – Grade 5

Modeled35%

Guided30%

Inde-pendent

30%

Metacognition5%

All proficiency Levels

Grades 6-12


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Modeled 20%

Guided40%

Inde-pendent

30%

Metacognition10%

Beginner - Intermediate

Modeled 20%

Guided30%

Inde-pendent

40%

Metacognition10%

Advanced

Add instructional sequence

NOTE: Additional information and resources on Organization can be found in Appendix __.


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L

anguage Proficiency Levels

The ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines are a description of what individuals can do with language in terms of speaking, writing, listening, and reading in real-world situations in a spontaneous and non-rehearsed context. For each skill, these guidelines identify five major levels of proficiency: Distinguished, Superior, Advanced, Intermediate, and Novice. The major levels Advanced, Intermediate, and Novice are subdivided into High, Mid, and Low sublevels. The levels of the ACTFL Guidelines describe the continuum of proficiency from that of the highly articulate, well-educated language user to a level of little or no functional ability.

These Guidelines present the levels of proficiency as ranges, and describe what an individual can and cannot do with language at each level, regardless of where, when, or how the language was acquired. Together these levels form a hierarchy in which each level subsumes all lower levels. The Guidelines are not based on any particular theory, pedagogical method, or educational curriculum. They neither describe how an individual learns a language nor prescribe how an individual should learn a language, and they should not be used for such purposes. They are an instrument for the evaluation of functional language ability.

The ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines were first published in 1986 as an adaptation for the academic community of the U.S. Government’s Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) Skill Level Descriptions. This third edition marks the third edition of the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines includes the first revisions of Listening and Reading since their original publication in 1986, and a second revision of the ACTFL Speaking and Writing Guidelines, which were revised to reflect real-world assessment needs in 1999 and 2001 respectively. New for the 2012 edition are the addition of the major level of Distinguished to the Speaking and Writing Guidelines, the division of the Advanced level into the three sublevels of High, Mid, and Low for the Listening and Reading Guidelines and the addition of general level description at the Advanced, Intermediate, and Novice levels for all skills.

The direct application of the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines is for the evaluation of functional language ability. The Guidelines are intended to be used for global assessment in academic and workplace settings. However, the Guidelines do have instructional implications. The ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines underlie the development of the ACTFL Performance Guidelines for K-12 Learners (1998) and are used in conjunction with the National Standards for Foreign Language Learning (1996, 1998, 2006) to describe how well students meet content standards.

http://actflproficiencyguidelines2012.org/


http://actflproficiencyguidelines2012.org/

http://actflproficiencyguidelines2012.org/glossary#functionallanguageability

http://actflproficiencyguidelines2012.org/glossary#proficiency

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NOVICERe

adin

g, w

riting

, spe

akin

g an

d lis

teni

ng

ListeningAt the Novice level, listeners can understand key words, true aural cognates, and formulaic expressions that are highly contextualized and highly predictable, such as those found in introductions and basic courtesies.

Novice-level listeners understand words and phrases from simple questions, statements, and high-frequency commands. They typically require repetition, rephrasing, and/or a slowed rate of speech for comprehension. They rely heavily on extralinguistic support to derive meaning.

Novice-level listeners are most accurate when they are able to recognize speech that they can anticipate. In this way, these listeners tend to recognize rather than truly comprehend. Their listening is largely dependent on factors other than the message itself.SpeakingNovice-level speakers can communicate short messages on highly predictable, everyday topics that affect them directly. They do so primarily through the use of isolated words and phrases that have been encountered, memorized, and recalled. Novice-level speakers may be difficult to understand even by the most sympathetic interlocutors accustomed to non-native speech.ReadingAt the Novice level, readers can understand key words and cognates, as well as formulaic phrases that are highly contextualized.

Novice-level readers are able to get a limited amount of information from highly predictable texts in which the topic or context is very familiar, such as a hotel bill, a credit card receipt, or a weather map. Readers at the Novice level may rely heavily on their own background knowledge and extralinguistic support (such as the imagery on the weather map or the format of a credit card bill) to derive meaning.

Readers at the Novice level are best able to understand a text when they are able to anticipate the information in the text. At the Novice level, recognition of key words, cognates, and formulaic phrases makes comprehension possible.WritingWriters at the Novice level are characterized by the ability to produce lists and notes, primarily by writing words and phrases. They can provide limited formulaic information on simple forms and documents. These writers can reproduce practiced material to convey the most simple messages. In addition, they can transcribe familiar words or phrases, copy letters of the alphabet or syllables of a syllabary, or reproduce basic characters with some accuracy.


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Read

ing,

writi

ng, s

peak

ing

and

liste

ning

ListeningAt the Intermediate level, listeners can understand information conveyed in simple, sentence-length speech on familiar or everyday topics. They are generally able to comprehend one utterance at a time while engaged in face-to-face conversations or in routine listening tasks such as understanding highly contextualized messages, straightforward announcements, or simple instructions and directions. Listeners rely heavily on redundancy, restatement, paraphrasing, and contextual clues.

Intermediate-level listeners understand speech that conveys basic information. This speech is simple, minimally connected, and contains high-frequency vocabulary.

Intermediate-level listeners are most accurate in their comprehension when getting meaning from simple, straightforward speech. They are able to comprehend messages found in highly familiar everyday contexts. Intermediate listeners require a controlled listening environment where they hear what they may expect to hear.SpeakingSpeakers at the Intermediate level are distinguished primarily by their ability to create with the language when talking about familiar topics related to their daily life. They are able to recombine learned material in order to express personal meaning. Intermediate-level speakers can ask simple questions and can handle a straightforward survival situation. They produce sentence-level language, ranging from discrete sentences to strings of sentences, typically in present time. Intermediate-level speakers are understood by interlocutors who are accustomed to dealing with non-native learners of the language.ReadingAt the Intermediate level, readers can understand information conveyed in simple, predictable, loosely connected texts. Readers rely heavily on contextual clues. They can most easily understand information if the format of the text is familiar, such as in a weather report or a social announcement.

Intermediate-level readers are able to understand texts that convey basic information such as that found in announcements, notices, and online bulletin boards and forums. These texts are not complex and have a predictable pattern of presentation. The discourse is minimally connected and primarily organized in individual sentences and strings of sentences containing predominantly high-frequency vocabulary.

Intermediate-level readers are most accurate when getting meaning from simple, straightforward texts. They are able to understand messages found in highly familiar, everyday contexts. At this level, readers may not fully understand texts that are detailed or those texts in which knowledge of language structures is essential in order to understand sequencing, time frame, and chronology.WritingWriters at the Intermediate level are characterized by the ability to meet practical writing needs, such as simple messages and letters, requests for information, and notes. In addition, they can ask and respond to simple questions in writing. These writers can create with the language and communicate simple facts and ideas in a series of loosely connected sentences on topics of personal interest and social needs. They write primarily in present time. At this level, writers use basic vocabulary and structures to express meaning that is comprehensible to those accustomed to the writing of non-natives.

INTERMEDIATE


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Read

ing,

Writi

ng, S

peak

ing

and

List

enin

gListeningAt the Advanced level, listeners can understand the main ideas and most supporting details in connected discourse on a variety of general interest topics, such as news stories, explanations, instructions, anecdotes, or travelogue descriptions. Listeners are able to compensate for limitations in their lexical and structural control of the language by using real-world knowledge and contextual clues. Listeners may also derive some meaning from oral texts at higher levels if they possess significant familiarity with the topic or context.

Advanced-level listeners understand speech that is authentic and connected. This speech is lexically and structurally uncomplicated. The discourse is straightforward and is generally organized in a clear and predictable way.

Advanced-level listeners demonstrate the ability to comprehend language on a range of topics of general interest. They have sufficient knowledge of language structure to understand basic time-frame references. Nevertheless, their understanding is most often limited to concrete, conventional discourse.SpeakingSpeakers at the Advanced level engage in conversation in a clearly participatory manner in order to communicate information on autobiographical topics, as well as topics of community, national, or international interest. The topics are handled concretely by means of narration and description in the major times frames of past, present, and future. These speakers can also deal with a social situa-tion with an unexpected complication. The language of Advanced-level speakers is abundant, the oral paragraph being the measure of Advanced-level length and discourse. Advanced-level speakers have sufficient control of basic structures and generic vocabulary to be understood by native speakers of the language, including those unaccustomed to non-native speech.ReadingAt the Advanced level, readers can understand the main idea and supporting details of authentic narrative and descriptive texts. Readers are able to compensate for limitations in their lexical and structural knowledge by using contextual clues. Comprehension is likewise supported by knowledge of the conventions of the language (e.g., noun/adjective agreement, verb placement, etc.). When familiar with the subject matter, Advanced-level readers are also able to derive some meaning from straightforward argumentative texts (e.g., recognizing the main argument).

Advanced-level readers are able to understand texts that have a clear and predictable structure. For the most part, the prose is uncomplicated and the subject matter pertains to real-world topics of general interest.

Advanced-level readers demonstrate an independence in their ability to read subject matter that is new to them. They have sufficient control of standard linguistic conventions to understand sequencing, time frames, and chronology. However, these readers are likely challenged by texts in which issues are treated abstractly.WritingWriters at the Advanced level are characterized by the ability to write routine informal and some formal correspondence, as well as narratives, descriptions, and summaries of a factual nature. They can narrate and describe in the major time frames of past, present, and future, using paraphrasing and elaboration to provide clarity. Advanced-level writers produce connected discourse of paragraph length and structure. At this level, writers show good control of the most frequently used structures and generic vocabulary, allowing them to be understood by those unaccustomed to the writing of non-natives.


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ADVANCEDSUPERIOR

Read

ing,

Writi

ng, S

peak

ing

and

List

enin

g

ListeningAt the Superior level, listeners are able to understand speech in a standard dialect on a wide range of familiar and less familiar topics. They can follow linguistically complex extended discourse such as that found in academic and professional settings, lectures, speeches and reports. Comprehension is no longer limited to the listener’s familiarity with subject matter, but also comes from a command of the language that is supported by a broad vocabulary, an understanding of more complex structures and linguistic experience within the target culture. Superior listeners can understand not only what is said, but sometimes what is left unsaid; that is, they can make inferences.

Superior-level listeners understand speech that typically uses precise, specialized vocabulary and complex grammatical structures. This speech often deals abstractly with topics in a way that is appropriate for academic and professional audiences. It can be reasoned and can contain cultural references.SpeakingSpeakers at the Superior level are able to communicate with accuracy and fluency in order to participate fully and effectively in conversations on a variety of topics in formal and informal settings from both concrete and abstract perspectives. They discuss their interests and special fields of competence, explain complex matters in detail, and provide lengthy and coherent narrations, all with ease, fluency, and accuracy. They present their opinions on a number of issues of interest to them, such as social and political issues, and provide structured arguments to support these opinions. They are able to construct and develop hypotheses to explore alternative possibilities.

When appropriate, these speakers use extended discourse without unnaturally lengthy hesitation to make their point, even when engaged in abstract elaborations. Such discourse, while coherent, may still be influenced by language patterns other than those of the target language. Superior-level speakers employ a variety of interactive and discourse strategies, such as turn-taking and separating main ideas from supporting information through the use of syntactic, lexical, and phonetic devices.

Speakers at the Superior level demonstrate no pattern of error in the use of basic structures, although they may make sporadic errors, particularly in low-frequency structures and in complex high-frequency structures. Such errors, if they do occur, do not distract the native interlocutor or interfere with communication.ReadingAt the Superior level, readers are able to understand texts from many genres dealing with a wide range of subjects, both familiar and unfamiliar. Comprehension is no longer limited to the reader’s familiarity with subject matter, but also comes from a command of the language that is supported by a broad vocabulary, an understanding of complex structures and knowledge of the target culture. Readers at the Superior level can draw inferences from textual and extralinguistic clues.

Superior-level readers understand texts that use precise, often specialized vocabulary and complex grammatical structures. These texts feature argumentation, supported opinion, and hypothesis, and use abstract linguistic formulations as encountered in academic and professional reading. Such texts are typically reasoned and/or analytic and may frequently contain cultural references.

Superior-level readers are able to understand lengthy texts of a professional, academic, or literary nature. In addition, readers at the Superior level are generally aware of the aesthetic properties of language and of its literary styles, but may not fully understand texts in which cultural references and assumptions are deeply embedded.


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WritingWriters at the Superior level are able to produce most kinds of formal and informal correspondence, in-depth summaries, reports, and research papers on a variety of social, academic, and professional topics. Their treatment of these issues moves beyond the concrete to the abstract.

Writers at the Superior level demonstrate the ability to explain complex matters, and to present and support opinions by developing cogent arguments and hypotheses. Their treatment of the topic is enhanced by the effective use of structure, lexicon, and writing protocols. They organize and prioritize ideas to convey to the reader what is significant. The relationship among ideas is consistently clear, due to organizational and developmental principles (e.g., cause and effect, comparison, chronology). These writers are capable of extended treatment of a topic which typically requires at least a series of paragraphs, but can extend to a number of pages.

Writers at the Superior level demonstrate a high degree of control of grammar and syntax, of both general and specialized/professional vocabulary, of spelling or symbol production, of cohesive devices, and of punctuation. Their vocabulary is precise and varied. Writers at this level direct their writing to their audiences; their writing fluency eases the reader’s task.

Writers at the Superior level do not typically control target-language cultural, organizational, or stylistic patterns. At the Superior level, writers demonstrate no pattern of error; however, occasional errors may occur, particularly in low-frequency structures. When present, these errors do not interfere with comprehension, and they rarely distract the native reader.


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DISTINGUISHEDRe

adin

g, w

riting

, spe

akin

g an

d lis

teni

ng

ListeningAt the Distinguished level, listeners can understand a wide variety of forms, styles, and registers of speech on highly specialized topics in language that is tailored to different audiences. Listeners at the Distinguished level can understand language such as that found in classical theater, art films, professional symposia, academic debates, public policy statements, literary readings, and most jokes and puns. They are able to comprehend implicit and inferred information, tone, and point of view, and can follow highly persuasive arguments. They are able to understand unpredictable turns of thought related to sophisticated topics. In addition, their listening ability is enhanced by a broad and deep understanding of cultural references and allusions. Listeners at the Distinguished level are able to appreciate the richness of the spoken language.

Distinguished-level listeners understand speech that can be highly abstract, highly technical, or both, as well as speech that contains very precise, often low-frequency vocabulary and complex rhetorical structures. At this level, listeners comprehend oral discourse that is lengthy and dense, structurally complex, rich in cultural reference, idiomatic and colloquial. In addition, listeners at this level can understand information that is subtle or highly specialized, as well as the full cultural significance of very short texts with little or no linguistic redundancy.

Distinguished-level listeners comprehend language from within the cultural framework and are able to understand a speaker’s use of nuance and subtlety. However, they may still have difficulty fully understanding certain dialects and nonstandard varieties of the language.SpeakingSpeakers at the Distinguished level are able to use language skillfully, and with accuracy, efficiency, and effectiveness. They are educated and articulate users of the language. They can reflect on a wide range of global issues and highly abstract concepts in a culturally appropriate manner. Distinguished-level speakers can use persuasive and hypothetical discourse for representational purposes, allowing them to advocate a point of view that is not necessarily their own. They can tailor language to a variety of audiences by adapting their speech and register in ways that are culturally authentic.

Speakers at the Distinguished level produce highly sophisticated and tightly organized extended discourse. At the same time, they can speak succinctly, often using cultural and historical references to allow them to say less and mean more. At this level, oral discourse typically resembles written discourse.

A non-native accent, a lack of a native-like economy of expression, a limited control of deeply embedded cultural references, and/or an occasional isolated language error may still be present at this level.ReadingAt the Distinguished level, readers can understand a wide variety of texts from many genres including professional, technical, academic, and literary. These texts are characterized by one or more of the following: a high level of abstraction, precision or uniqueness of vocabulary; density of information; cultural reference; or complexity of structure. Readers are able to comprehend implicit and inferred information, tone, and point of view and can follow highly persuasive arguments. They are able to understand unpredictable turns of thought related to sophisticated topics.

Readers at the Distinguished level are able to understand writing tailored to specific audiences as well as a number of historical, regional, and colloquial variations of the language. These readers are


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able to appreciate the richness of written language. Distinguished-level readers understand and appreciate texts that use highly precise, low-frequency vocabulary as well as complex rhetorical structures to convey subtle or highly specialized information. Such texts are typically essay length but may be excerpts from more lengthy texts.

Distinguished-level readers comprehend language from within the cultural framework and are able to understand a writer’s use of nuance and subtlety. However, they may still have difficulty fully understanding certain nonstandard varieties of the written language.WritingWriters at the Distinguished level can carry out formal writing tasks such as official correspondence, position papers, and journal articles. They can write analytically on professional, academic and societal issues. In addition, Distinguished-level writers are able to address world issues in a highly conceptualized fashion.

These writers can use persuasive and hypothetical discourse as representational techniques, allowing them to advocate a position that is not necessarily their own. They are also able to communicate subtlety and nuance. Distinguished-level writing is sophisticated and is directed to sophisticated readers. Writers at this level write to their audience; they tailor their language to their readers.

Distinguished-level writing is dense and complex; yet, it is characterized by an economy of expression. The writing is skillfully crafted and is organized in a way that reflects target-culture thought patterns. At the Distinguished level, length is not a determining factor. Distinguished-level texts can be as short as a poem or as long as a treatise.

Writers at the Distinguished level demonstrate control of complex lexical, grammatical, syntactic, and stylistic features of the language. Discourse structure and punctuation are used strategically, not only to organize meaning but also to enhance it. Conventions are generally appropriate to the text modality and the target culture.


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A

ssessment


Page | 30

Q

&A

What is the role of grammar instruction in language acquisition? Do learners need to learn grammar rules explicitly? Are explicit grammar practice exercises necessary?

How long does it take a student to become proficient in a second language?

What is meant by “proficient”?


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R

eferences


Page | 32

Glossary of Terminology

Context-reduced language refers to communication where there are few clues about the meaning of the communication apart from the words themselves. The language is likely to be abstract and academic.

Context-embedded language refers to communication that occurs in a context of shared understanding, where there are cues or signals that help to reveal the meaning (i.e. visual clues, gestures, expressions, specific location).

Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills is the language that most of us use in daily informal interactions at home or in social settings. Social and academic language is acquired concurrently.

Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency is the language that is learned at school and is needed to explain new knowledge specific to academic subject. Social and academic language is acquired concurrently.

Primary discourse is language acquired through face-to-face interaction in the home and represents the language of initial socialization.

Secondary discourse is language acquired in social institutions beyond the family and involves acquisition of specialized vocabulary and functions of language appropriate to those settings

Approach (Pg. 171) Definition plus example

Method

Strategy

Techniques


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Appendix

Philosophy

A brief statement that identifies the philosophical underpinnings and research of language

acquisition in Woodburn.

Approach(es)

An explanation of the systems and processes that support our philosophy.

Methods

The bodies of philosophically grounded and purposively integrated strategies and techniques that

constitutes one translation of an approach into professional practice.

Strategies

The collection of philosophically grounded and functionally related techniques that serves as an

implementation component of an instructional method.

Techniques

Specific actions or action sequences that have been designed to achieve a defined, strategic

objective.

Organization

An overview of possible schedules within a second language classroom.

Assessment

performance based assessments, on-going formative assessments

Language Proficiency Levels

ACTFUL Proficiency Guidelines 2012


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