Potomac Life Skills blends with ACTFL Modes of Communication and Real World Connections

Upcoming meeting:

Wednesday, December 6th 

3:30-4:30 IS Latin Room 186

Cindy oral presentations
Esther- Quizlet Live (bring laptops)

Announcements:
Conferences- Sara Matey FETC
Mimsy- August Academics

Intercultural ice breaker- handouts

• Discussion of language team goals 2016-17 WL Goals
• Working on: Enrollment conversation
• Upper school Flow Charts: new course proposals?
• Spanish
  Latin
  French
  
  
  Chinese

21st Century Skills    Lead with Languages
The gap between the skills people learn and the skills people need is becoming more obvious, as traditional learning falls short of equipping students with the knowledge they need to thrive, according to the World Economic Forum report New Vision for Education: Fostering Social and Emotional Learning Through Technology.

Building Bridges in Languages:  Please remember that Jenni Hoffman in second grade is still looking for a language partner.  Jenni's times are mornings either 8-8:30 or 9:10-9:30.  Michelle O'Hara has also offered LS library times if Jenni's don't work with your schedule.

Reinvigorating Teaching Toward a Student-Centered Classroom

Click on the link to continue.  So I made a big decision. I decided to rewrite my entire French 8 curriculum during the summer.

Five Rules for the Three Modes of Communication

In order to help students better master the units we teach, remember these rules when selecting activities:

1. They must be authentic.
2. They should always be engaging.
3. Activities should be varied.
4. They need to be focused on the unit theme.
5. Perhaps most importantly, they should force students to use the target language.

Click Authentic Activities  for the complete article. (You may recognize some practices and resources that some of us already use!)


What are you? A Language Teacher or Acquisition Facilitator?

So how can language teachers facilitate “communicative” experiences that will lead to real communication and result in acquisition? The first step is to shift one’s mindset from that of being an instructor to that of being a facilitator, since explicit instruction will not result in unconscious acquisition. The second step is to recognize that acquisition can only be facilitated by providing sufficient doses of comprehensible input (CI).  Click here to read more.

Primary Source Resources   Browse select resource guides here. 

Tech Corner:

Hour of Code:
Students can do their coding in another language. They get a certificate of completion when they finish.
Hour of Code

Using Wordless Short Films in the Language Classroom
Español

Peer Grading Tool
Peer Grade

Google Expeditions: Like taking the Magic School Bus!
Take a field trip to another country! Look at the ruins!  Check out the virtual possibilities!
Google Expeditions

Memrise- Like Duolingo but different: We use mems to help you form vivid, sensory memories. We test you continuously, always making sure to give your brain just the right workout. We remind you of what you've learned at scientifically optimized times so your memories are always growing stronger, and never forgotten.
Memrise

Teachers Toolbox

Accommodations...continued:Teaching WL to kids with dyslexia

From Jonathan Shee- OESIS, French teacher at St. Luke's School 

Working with students who have language based learning disabilities can present some additional challenges when learning a world language.  Some basic strategies might help eliminate major stress points along the way - here are some suggestions for what to take a look at or focus on:

* Course selection - generally speaking, world languages that have a phonetic basis tend to be easier for students with language processing issues.  Oftentimes, students who have received help for their learning challenges have acquired the strategies and structures for breaking words down into component parts - therefore integrating similar patterns may help a student pick up new words and structures.

* Prioritize speaking and listening while not focusing on accuracy.  Usually the end goal of learning a world language is for students to be able to interact in conversation, therefore letting them hear the sounds/patterns/intonation of spoken language and integrate new words in their responses without being assessed is very important to establish a level of comfort in the new language.  Allowing for mistakes permits students to build their vocabulary, integrate grammatical structures and learn response patterns - all skills teachers want to establish within a language class.

* When working with grammar - use context cues, mnemonics and patterns to help students recall information when needed.  If students learn a song that goes with verb endings, even if they have to start at the beginning, they can eventually apply the correct ending.  By allowing them to have a starting point and follow the same pattern, you are playing to the strengths of a student who struggles with language learning.  Again, when directly worked with, students can learn the patterns and rhythms of a language - they may just need help with the first step!

Additional strategies include:
*Be sure to use a clear and understandable font when giving out work/projecting materials
*Help students identify the speaker in the sentence (ie - circle it!), this will help them with verb conjugation
*When reading longer passages, allow for a vocabulary bank that they can reference - try to not force them to translate each word individually as that loses the context /main idea of the passage.
*Teach vocabulary that is used regularly - what is used will be remembered, obscure vocabulary should be avoided as it will use up the mental resources you are trying to get to remember the structures/patterns/routines of the target language.

Online resources:

http://dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/dyslexics/living-with-dyslexia/school/foreign-language

http://www.readandspell.com/us/dyslexia-and-foreign-language-learning

https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/dyslexia/learning-a-foreign-language-with-dyslexia

http://www.ldonline.org/article/6065/

http://dyslexia.yale.edu/

More descriptors from Fairfax County Schools: (Thanks Esther Yu)
Fairfax County Special Needs Document

Descriptors

Summer Conference:

iFLT 2018 Registration is NOW OPEN! TPRS and TCI

Sponsored by...  1. Observe live language classes! Watch master teachers facilitate acquisition through a variety of powerful CI approaches. Spanish, French & Mandarin, 3rd - 12th grades.   2. Train with experts. Learn from master teachers who are experienced in a variety of CI-based approaches and who are highly successful in their own classrooms.     3. Practice Practice specific techniques and hone your skills with highly trained coaches who are experienced in CI-focused, research-informed approaches.

WL News:

ACTFL CAN DO STATEMENTS

Here are the two statements that were shared at the last meeting:
Intercultural Can Do Statements

Intercultural Reflection

Science in French

IIE Study Shows That Studying Abroad Has a Direct Impact on Skills Needed for Career Success

Education Abroad Leads to Significant Gains in 11 of 15 critical 21st Century Workplace Skills

STEM majors highly value the gains made in skills outside of their majors during study abroad. Among science majors that went on a program outside of the sciences, 47 percent reported their study abroad contributed to a job offer, whereas among those who went on a science focused experience, only 28 percent reported it contributed to a job offer. STEM majors described academic programs at home as more insular and viewed study abroad as an opportunity to gain “soft” skills that others in their field lack.

Click here for the full article.

Watch #CTH17 with Ambassador Susan Rice

More than 10,000 people across the United States (and beyond) tuned in to watch Ambassador Susan E. Rice headline last week's CHINA Town Hall. Ambassador Rice answered questions from the live audience on a range of critical bilateral issues, from North Korea to the war on drugs, and also shared her thoughts on President Trump's upcoming state visit to China. CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO Jump ahead to some of the highlights: North Korea: "The Trump administration has correctly continued to ratchet up the sanctions, but we do need to be talking to the Chinese—in a way that I don't believe or at least I'm not aware of that we are now—about the complexities on the Korean peninsula, and we do need to leave the door open to diplomacy." Trump's upcoming state visit to China: "It's important that he not settle—as the Chinese may want him to—for pomp and circumstance." Challenges in the U.S.-China economic relationship: “There are issues that are very frustrating to the U.S. side. We need to manage them and we need to play hardball, but we can’t make empty threats that we may not be willing to back up.” Climate change: U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement "is a signal to the world that we don't stand by our agreements." South China Sea: The United States conducts freedom of navigation operations "on an equal opportunity basis, challenging the claims of all claimants, not just China." War on drugs: The fentanyl threat "is not only killing far too many Americans, but is also one that will destabilize China if left unaddressed, so we have a mutual interest in this." Global health: China is an important player in "helping to prevent, detect, and contain disease outbreaks, but also in helping to build the capacity of weaker countries" to do the same. ISIL, Syria, & Iran: "We have sought to enlist China's cooperation on fighting terrorism broadly, on dealing with the ISIL threat specifically, on Syria, and on Iran and the nuclear problem quite effectively." Belt & Road Initiative: "The economics of some of the proposed linkages are not as real in practical terms as they may be attractive in strategic terms." Africa: China's involvement in Africa "has the potential to undermine the aspirations of civil society in these countries." Human rights: "I'm concerned that in the current administration, human rights have essentially fallen off the agenda with China, but not only with China—it's a phenomenon we see replicated, from the Philippines to Turkey to Saudi Arabia." China-bashing in U.S. elections: "We need to prevail on our policymakers and our leaders to be more judicious in how they employ China in our domestic politics."

What does language proficiency mean to SYA?

In this issue, you will explore Southern Lazio with students at SYA Italy; sit in on a global citizenship class with Daniele Gatti; discuss the challenges and opportunities that technology presents to the field of global education with Head of Schools and Programs Aric Visser; and hear what SYA alums have to say about being polyglots. All of these stories have a common theme: the importance of language proficiency, and what it means to SYA today. 

Language proficiency has always been at the root of SYA's academic experience. From the first class in 1964, students have been challenged to step outside of their own comfort zone and experience the world from another perspective and through another language. I hope you enjoy this issue of News & Views, and I look forward to hearing from you soon. 

Best wishes,

Tom Hassan

President

president@sya.org

SYA IN THE FIELD: TECH & LANGUAGE

Technology use has a measurable impact on learning a new language, and in this article, Head of Schools and Programs Aric Visser discusses the challenges and opportunities of providing a global education in an increasingly connected world.

Read more…

SYA Strategic Plan Update and Opportunities for Teachers:

Dear John, With the season of thanks upon us, I want to take a moment to recognize the important partnership School Year Abroad has with The Potomac School. Thank you, on behalf of all at SYA, for your generous support in making the SYA experience available to your students. You may be interested to learn that 42% of our 2017-2018 class is made up of students from Member Schools. Of those 85 students, 48 (56%) received joint financial aid grants. In rough numbers, Member Schools are supplying us with nearly half our students and are providing more than half of those same students with nearly half of the aid they require to attend SYA. That is indeed something to be thankful for! Needless to say, SYA would not be what it is today without the strength of its consortium. We have redoubled our efforts to look for ways in which we can give something of value back to our Member Schools, in return for all you give to us. If you have a moment, please click on the link to view our recently-approved Strategic Plan (I will be sending you a hard copy in the mail as well). One of the five goals listed as a priority for SYA is to improve Member School relations and seek ways in which we can make our partnership more mutually beneficial. In that vein, I’d like to point out three programs we have updated and formalized in order to provide more benefit for your faculty members : 1. Travel Grants: we have long offered stipends to faculty and staff from Member Schools to help them visit one of our campuses abroad; however, this year, we have increased both the amount of the grant and the total number of grants, allowing more adults from Member Schools to enjoy the benefit. 2. Professional Development: In June 2018, for the third year in a row, we will be offering an Adult Enrichment seminar on our campus in Zaragoza, Spain. The title of the seminar is: 100 Years of Politics in Spanish Film. As we did last year, we will offer a $1,000 discount to any Member School employee who attends. 3. Faculty Positions: We are anticipating several openings for English and math teachers at our SYA schools in 2018-2019. SYA will continue to give preference in the hiring process to faculty from our Member Schools. More detailed information and links will be sent out to all Member School faculty and staff before winter break. But for the moment, if you know of teachers at The Potomac School who may want to take advantage of these opportunities, please direct them to Whitney Hermann at whermann@sya.org, and she will be able to guide them through the process. With best wishes for Thanksgiving, Thomas E. Hassan President

Blog question: What website or tool do you use to bring the far away near for your students?

People into Boxes?

Upcoming Meeting:

Wednesday November 1st
3:30-4:30 US French room --- Cindy's room US E219
Agenda:
Elba share
intercultural ice breaker
Tricia Trips recap
Cindy share
topics to discuss brainstorm

Intercultural Learning: The textbook is not a Curriculum

The Teachers’ Guide to Global, Collaborative Teaching and Learning is a searchable database of global projects and resources to help educators foster global competence and build connections with their students. This guide brings together opportunities and supports from organizations and institutions in the global education field for educators to find and connect with projects and programs that align with their curricula, goals, and interests.

Whether you are a new or a long time global collaborator, this website offers a comprehensive collection of resources from the global education field.

Guide to Global Collaboration

Pedagogy: Lots on our minds as we organize and plan our classes!

Making the most of a 90 minute BLOCK

Artist and Teacher Create Emojis to Promote Diversity (from Language Magazine)

Mapuche schoolteacher Victor Carilaf has teamed up with Chilean artist Fiestoforo to create Kimeltuwe, a collective that has released sets of emojis to represent indigenous peoples of Latin America. Part of the project promotes the Mapudungun language—an indigenous language spoken by the Mapuche people in Chile and Argentina. Part of the project is depicting local languages, with descriptions of emotions like kümelekan for “I am well,” küpa umawün for “I am tired,” and kutrankülen for “I am sick,” among many others. Right now, the emojis can be used as images or stickers that can be shared in texting, comments, or messaging, and Kimeltuwe is looking toward news ways to integrate the emojis into different messaging platforms.

As you set your goals, Nonie Cameron (K-6 English chair) shared this really neat list with us, from John Hattie:

Mind Frames for Teachers

1. I cooperate with teachers.
2. I use dialogue, not monologue.
3. I set the challenge.
4. I talk about learning, not teaching.
5. I inform all about the language of learning.
6. I see learning as hard work.
7. Assessment is feedback to me about me.
8. I am a change agent.
9. I am an evaluator.
10. I develop positive relationships.

The Pulsera Project- Integrating service learning

The Pulsera Project- Spanish, service learning

Congress Advised of Critical Need to Boost Language Study

The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS) delivered its final report on the future of language education to the U.S. Congress, recommending “a national strategy to improve access to as many languages as possible for people of every region, ethnicity, and socioeconomic background.”

Read the full article here

Gaining cross-cultural understanding

Learning a foreign language reduces social anxiety. COD Newsroom, CC BY

Language learning inevitably involves learning about different cultures. Students pick up clues about the culture both in language classes and through meaningful immersion experiences.

Researchers Hanh Thi Nguyen and Guy Kellogg have shown that when students learn another language, they develop new ways of understanding culture through analyzing cultural stereotypes. They explain that “learning a second language involves the acquisition not only of linguistic forms but also ways of thinking and behaving.”

With the help of an instructor, students can critically think about stereotypes of different cultures related to food, appearance and conversation styles.

Full article is   How learning a new language improves tolerance

Click on the title: Trever Noah interview on Fresh Air- Where do you fit in?  Language and Cultural Identity

Tech Corner:

Class Tools

Thanks to Elba Lugo for this fun website- check out the random name picker for various activities in various languages!

Kidblog 

Students' voices matter. Teachers in over 70 countries trust Kidblog to share student writing with a real audience

What Does Good Blended Learning Look Like? 
Perhaps the most ideal approach, according to Psarovarkas, is one in which students are given freedom to learn in ways that suit them best and teachers are given the flexibility to work more closely with students as they see best. In this model, learning is “no longer something that’s done to the student,” she says, “but rather the student and the teachers are true partners in the relationship.”

Upcoming conferences:

ACTFL

November 17-19, 2017
Music City Center, Nashville, TN

The ACTFL Annual Convention and World Languages Expo is an international event bringing together more than 7,000 language educators from all languages, levels, and assignments. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive professional development experience that will have an impact on language educators at all levels of teaching and in turn help their students to succeed in their language learning process. Come participate in the world’s most comprehensive language education meeting of the minds featuring more than 800 educational sessions in a variety of formats that focus on innovative programs, emerging trends that impact the language profession, and research-informed practices. While the exhibit hall will showcase more than 250 companies exhibiting their latest products and services, it is a learning experience within itself where you will find exhibitor sponsored workshops, the ACTFL Collab Zone, the Social Media Lounge, a Career Café, and an ACTFL Confer-sation Corner.

FETC

January 23-26 2018

Orange County Convention Center

Orlando, FL

For nearly 40 years, the Future of Education Technology Conference has gathered the most dynamic and creative education professionals from around the world for an intensive, highly collaborative exploration of new technologies, best practices and pressing issues. Its impact has been felt by thousands of districts, schools, educators — and ultimately students. Each year, FETC is tailored to the needs of an increasingly technology-driven education community — and 2018 will be no exception. The 38th National Future of Education Technology Conference features industry experts and unrivaled agenda content, an Expo Hall filled with the latest and greatest solutions, and a community of thousands eager to network with like-minded peers. Your colleagues at FETC may come with different experiences and expertise, but they share your challenges and goals. School and district administrators, classroom teachers, IT professionals, special education directors, curriculum and media specialists, and other educators with roles or interest in ed tech, attend FETC year after year to find the professional learning, technology solutions and connections they need to transform learning in and out of the classroom. Join them for four days of collaboration, innovation and learning, and discover new ways to spark change with technology.

TABS/NAIS Global Symposium

2018 TABS/NAIS Global Symposium
April 15 - 17, 2018
Sheraton New Orleans Hotel • New Orleans, Louisiana

As boarding and day schools have internationalized, teachers and administrators have encountered new complexities in nearly every aspect of schooling— from admission, parent communications, and classroom pedagogy, to college advising, constituency relations, and development. At the same time, a pioneering spirit has taken hold in a number of schools, with many educators seeking to enlarge the vision of "preparatory" schools to include preparation for global citizenship in a world increasingly interconnected economically, environmentally, culturally, and politically.

The Global Symposium will bring together school leaders, educators, and experts to learn from each other and to explore current practice and promising ways forward.

TEACHING WITH COMPREHENSIBLE INPUT SCHOOL YEAR 2017-2018 OFFERINGS with Rachelle Adams and Anna Gilcher, PhD

Teaching with Comprehensible Input: The Why, What, and How

Six-session job-embedded professional development series + 1 school visit for classroom observation and personalized coaching session

Six Saturdays from 9:00am-12:00pm 11/18/17, 12/9/17, 1/20/18, 2/10/18, 3/10/18 + 5/12/18 for final reflection

Total cost: $425

Location: Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Charter School; 3700 Oakview Terrace, NE; Washington, DC 20017

NEW for 2017-2018!

Teaching with Comprehensible Input: Taking Your Skills to the Next Level

Six-session job-embedded professional development series + 1 school visit for classroom observation and personalized coaching session

Six Saturdays from 1:00pm-4:00pm 11/18/17, 12/9/17, 1/20/18, 2/10/18, 3/10/18, 5/12/18

Total cost: $425

Location: Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Charter School; 3700 Oakview Terrace, NE; Washington, DC 20017

To register, go to http://www.elevateeducationconsulting.com/registration.html

→ for more info about Anna Gilcher, PhD go to www.annagilcher.com

→ for more info about Rachelle Adams, go to www.elevateeducationconsulting.com

World Language Workshop Series Level 1

World Language Workshop Series level 2

Elevate Education Consulting
www.elevateeducationconsulting.com
Spanish Language Acquisition
Curriculum Development
Teacher Coaching & Training

No time to get away? How about a webinar?

Below please find the 2017-2018 schedule of FLAVA webinar-workshops to help instructors evaluate teaching strategies and learning outcomes. The workshops are all scheduled from 4:00-6:00pm on the following dates:

Thursday, October 26

“¿Hablas Minecraft? Gamification in the World Language Classroom” by Glen Irvin

Thursday, December 7

“Can-Do Statements for Intercultural Communicative Competence: Investigate, Interact, Reflect” by Kathy Shelton

Thursday, February 15

“Integrating STEM Topics in the World Language Classroom” by Nathan Lutz

Thursday, March 22

“Arts in the World Language Classroom” by Allison Carneiro de Silva

Thursday, May 3

“Using Technology to Enhance Your Comprehensible Input” by Maris Hawkins.

The Global Studio will be hosting group viewing sessions in INTC 226. If you are interested in attending, please register for these free events at the following FLAVA link: http://flavaweb.org/workshops/workshop-registration/

WL News:

Building Bridges Partners-
Ross McEwen and Jenni Hoffman have expressed interest in a match with a language class. Ross is open to various times of day and Jenni would prefer mornings.  Michele O'Hara in the LS library has also volunteered her time slots to make a match.  Please email them directly or let me know if you want me to facilitate to schedule a time and copy me once you have a slot scheduled. 

CHINA TOWN HALL 

ENGAGING IN A NATIONAL CONVERSATION ON CHINA 

On Tuesday, Potomac was one of more than 80 communities throughout the United States participating in a national conversation about China. Dr. Bruce Dickson, professor of political science and international affairs at The George Washington University, spoke to Potomac students, faculty, and parents about the significance of the 19th Party Congress, an event that occurs every five years to set the Chinese Communist Party's policy goals and elect its top leadership. Mr. Dickson's talk covered such issues as China's political system, anti-corruption campaigns, economic structure, and relationship with North Korea. In the second half of the program, attendees participated in a live webcast with Susan Rice, former national security advisor and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

NEW TECH ADDITIONS TO THE US 

The US Library Classroom and Innovation Hub is open! Mr. McLane, Mr. Thomas, and Ms. Salamone recently brought their Spanish classes to this space to videotape dialogues. While teachers can schedule their classes to meet in this collaborative space, students can also use the room for work on special projects, club activities, or publications. The space includes video- and audio-recording equipment, a green screen, a 3D printer, and Mac desktop computers with design and publishing software.

Blog question: What is the best warm up you use in class?