Meeting 07 • 26 January 2010

Version:
1/28/10

Today • my deadline page

numbers in ( ) = minutes planned for activity/ topic
√ = topic / activity that was adequately dealt with during the class
+ = topic needs more attention & will be resumed at next / subsequent meeting(s)
- = a topic / activity that was proposed but not carried out (but will be taken up later)
Struckthrough text like this = a topic / activity that was proposed but not included / is not going to be taken up after all
Italic text like this = comments after the meeting

Main topic(s): Introduction to Assessment; the FL and AL Cultures

(5) (possibly a regular feature:) assessment in the news! PPS trying to improve high school programs, including languages (0767); and a sad anecdote about education and assessment in Tanzania (0770)

+

(45) The OPI (media clips) - structure, examiner stance, question types; OPI familiarization workshop manual (1994, 0036); a high-level German sample; maybe some ESL samples; how to write the rating: 1) state the rating; 2 [or 3]) describe (10 words) the text type; 3 [or 2]) summarize the functions and contexts/contents encountered; 4) (and only now) offer evidence about accuracy. See example (0269, but note that the grade is too high); technology to use

+

(15) Assignments - checking in and up: 1) reading, see the "schedule & assignments" page (under modification); 2) Assignment 2: Rate your own proficiency - discuss today, along with Assignment 1 (reflection about assessment experience and news article); 3) Assignment 3: do a pseudo-OPI - are we ready to activate it?

(5) maybe: brief intro to rubrics; obviously more to come

?+

(30) The (withdrawn) ACTFL language-specific guidelines for German (0033a & 0033b, with culture guidelines and grammar grids!) - try mapping some grammatical features (pronouns? past tenses? acc-dat prepositions? past perfect? Konjunktiv [I? II?] onto the proficiency levels)


Upcoming class meetings

28 January: intro to ACTFL Guidelines / Testing for writing (••reading:); intro to rubrics (••reading)

Upcoming assignment(s)

This section offers a PREVIEW, not activated assignments. Assignments are made, with announcement of their deadlines, both in class and on the "schedule" page. The next topic (week 4, 26 & 28 January): rubrics; testing (& teaching) writing

Announcements

The change of the course to German-only participation requires some more rethinking of the syllabus. So I'm dropping any specific ESL aspects, at least temporarily, and we'll resume the discussion in a week or so.

Misc.

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