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Discover valuable lessons in language education from STARTALK and ACTFL presented by Betsy Hart and Meg Malone. Gain insights on teaching practices, program impact, and resources. Explore the mission, vision, and strategies for enhancing language learning opportunities for both students and teachers.
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Building a Gateway for Language and Culture: Lessons from STARTALK ACTFL November 20, 2010
Presenters • Betsy Hart, Director of National Outreach, National Foreign Language Center at the University of Maryland and Program Director for STARTALK • Meg Malone, Senior Research Associate, Center for Applied Linguistics
Presentation Overview STARTALK: • Mission, vision, processes and programs • Impact on language teaching and learning • Lessons learned about short-term language programs • Resources for the field
Mission To provide summer language learning opportunities for students and professional development opportunities for teachers in critical languages
Goals • To have programs in all 50 states by 2011, offering up to 10 languages • To increase the quality and supply of teachers of critical languages throughout the nation • To stimulate significant increases in the number of students enrolled in the study of critical languages • To improve the quality and effectiveness of critical language curricula
STARTALK Vision • Focus on learners • More students studying critical languages • Longer sequences of instruction • More meaningful language learning outcomes • Effective use of technology
STARTALK Vision • Focus on teachers • Increased number of highly effective and certified world language teachers • Better system for preparing and certifying world language teachers • Rigorous preparation • Demonstrated skills and knowledge • Continued opportunities for professional development • Increased leadership, coordination and incentives from federal and state agencies
STARTALK Vision • Focus on programs • Technical assistance to local and regional programs • Academic year programs adopting the STARTALK models
Current STARTALK Languages • Arabic • Chinese • Dari • Hindi • Portuguese • Persian • Russian • Swahili • Turkish • Urdu
Quality and Consistency STARTALK Endorsed Best Practices • Implementing a standards-based and thematically organized curriculum • Facilitating a student-centered classroom • Using the target language for instruction • Integrating culture into language instruction • Adopting and using authentic materials • Conducting performance-based assessment
The STARTALK Process • Application • Conferences • Curriculum Development & Approval • Site Visit • Reflection • Analysis and Reporting • Research
Application • National competition • Online application • Eligibility requirements • Priorities • Review Process • Triple-blind review
Conferences • Spring Conference: Setting Expectations • Orientation for new programs • Professional development • Networking opportunities • Fall Conference: Sharing • Sharing successes and challenges • Networking opportunities • Professional development • Planning for future years
Curriculum Development • Online Curriculum Template • Common template and user guide • Incorporates backward design principles • Integrates standards and STARTALK-endorsed instructional strategies/best practices • Available at http://startalk.umd.edu/curriculum-guide/#templates
Site Visit • Site Visit Team • Team Leader and relevant specialists • Language and curriculum specialist • Purpose and procedures • Standardized protocols • Class observations • Interviews with students and staff • Feedback to programs • Debriefing (face to face) • Report
Reflection • Conferences • Surveys • Reports • Focus groups • Ongoing conversations • Networking among participants
Analysis & Reporting • Surveys • Pre/post participant • Program directors • Program instructors • Site visitors • Team leaders • Reports • Discussion and dialogue
Sample Student Program (1/2) • STARTALK Student Program at University of Massachusetts, Boston • 3 week intensive Chinese program • High school/middle school • 102 applicants • 58 students enrolled • Combination residential/day program
Sample Student Program (2/2) • STARTALK Student Program at University of Massachusetts, Boston • Teacher involvement • Pre-program curriculum planning • Understanding of curriculum development process • Flexibility • Site: Moved to suburbs to accommodate more students • Logistics: Part residential/day program • Content: Combine language and art and music • Detailed planning • Content • Logistics
Sample Teacher Program (1/2) • STARTALK Arabic Teacher Training Program at Boston University • Four weeks offsite (online course) • Two weeks onsite (face-to-face) • Practicum (secondary or post-secondary) • Field trip to Outreach Center for Middle Eastern Studies
Sample Teacher Program (2/2) • STARTALK Arabic Teacher Training Program at Boston University • Novice and experienced teachers of Arabic • Enrollment: 21 • Establishes learning community • Mentor teacher program
STARTALK’s Impact on Teaching and Learning • Capacity • Infrastructure • Participants • Research
Impact: Capacity • New academic year programs • Additional opportunities for students • More effective programs for students
Impact: Infrastructure for Critical Languages • Increased number of highly effective teachers • Improved resources for language instruction and assessment • Innovative online resources for teacher development
Affective Impact: Students • 96% enjoy learning languages • 98% think it is important to learn about other people and places • 78% plan to continue studying the STARTALK language
Affective Impact: Teachers • Increased confidence in teaching • Increased willingness to implement effective strategies • Increased collaboration among STARTALK trainees
Impact: Research (1/3) • Professional journals • NCOLCTL • FLANNALS (accepted) • Presentations at Professional Conferences • LTE Symposium Proposed
Impact: Research (2/3) Collaboration between Center for Advanced Study of Language and CAL, 2009-present • Investigated ways to assess outcomes of short-term language programs • Pre-pilot (2009) N= 96 • Pilot (2010) N= 396 • Three instruments • Recommendations for STARTALK programs
Lessons Learned about Short-term Language Programs (1/2) • Students • Unexpected demand • Follow-up for heritage schools • Opportunities beyond Saturday schools • Inclusion of non-heritage peers • Opportunity to learn language in STARTALK setting • Category IV languages are learnable! • Transformational experience • Continue in school year, university • Socializing with other language lovers
Lessons Learned about Short-term Language Programs (2/2) • Teachers • Unexpected demand • Profile • Highly educated • Native speakers of target language • Most unaccustomed to US educational settings • Predominantly female • Shifting age group • 76% plan to pursue certification • Combination programs
STARTALK Challenges • Duration of summer programs • Opportunity to continue • Program variety (length, level, focus) • Teacher experience • Teacher and student programs • Professional development • Standardization and flexibility across programs • Assessment
Stakeholder Feedback • Importance of continually gathering feedback from stakeholders (program directors, instructors, students) • Surveys • Focus groups • Conversations
Resources for the Field • STARTALK Multimedia Workshop Collection • STARTALK Classroom Video Collection • Online Curriculum Template Development Guide • Sample planning and classroom materials • List of resources by language www.startalk.umd.edu
Reflections & Conclusions • Continual process of feedback and improvements • STARTALK’s impact and future directions • Support needed for short-term language programs • Professional development needs of LCTL teachers