STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION – TOPIC SUMMARY
Topic: Second Language Standards Review and Revision Progress Report
Date: June 24, 2010
Staff/Office: C. Michelle Hooper and Rendy Jantz/Educational Improvement and Innovation (EII)
Action Requested: Informational Only Adoption Later Adoption Adoption/Consent Agenda
ISSUE BEFORE THE BOARD:
Provide the Board with information about the Second Language Academic Content Standards review and revision process.
Submission of revised Second Language Academic Content Standards for State Board of Education review.
BACKGROUND:
The Oregon Department of Education has the responsibility for revising the state’s academic content standards (ORS 329.045). The last full review and revision of the Second Language Academic Content Standards was completed in 2001. Minor adjustments to more clearly connect the Oregon standards with the national standards were made in 2004 and adopted by the board in 2005. In keeping with the established standards review schedule, the Second Language Content and Assessment Panel completed a more extensive review and revision of the Second Language Academic Content Standards in May 2010.
Content and Assessment Panel Work
During the review of the Second Language Academic Content Standards, the content panel addressed concerns about the focus and clarity of the standards and the weak cultural connection. These concerns were also identified by WestEd and by the Fordham Foundation. The focus of the panel review included:
· the examination of national and state standards documents, drawing most of the information on second language standards from the New Jersey state standards and the ACTFL (American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages) national standards
· a review of the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) Frameworks
· the review of Oregon’s current standards by WestEd and by the Fordham Foundation.
Follow-up reviews of the draft standards were conducted via e-mail and through several meetings of content panel subcommittee members. The necessary revisions of the standards were made and the Standards-at-a-Glance document was developed. The attached Second Language Academic Content Standards document is the product of the hard work of the Second Language Content and Assessment Panel, only slightly modified by feedback given by second language teachers and Confederation in Oregon for Language Teaching (COFLT) board members.
Process considerations and points of discussion
During the review and revision process the content panel focus included the following:
1. Proficiency model - Panel members discussed the new standards and the Standards-at-a-Glance in the context of proficiency-based teaching and learning.
2. Early Input from Stakeholders - The content panel focus on the strong connection between Oregon’s Second Language Standards and the National Standards.
3. Increased connections – Connections were made, at the appropriate performance level, between Oregon’s Second Language Standards and the 5 C’s of world language instruction: Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities.
4. Careful articulation within the standards – Articulation ensured clear progression of knowledge and skills from one proficiency level to the next.
5. Standards-at-a-Glance – This document created a one page standards document for easy reference in the classroom.
Next Steps
Upon adoption of the Second Language Academic Content Standards, ODE staff recommends the following enhancements:
· Links to sample student work, including written and audio samples of student work for each standard
· Assessment support to include assessment tools, planning guides and appropriate professional development
· Links to websites that are directly connected to Oregon’s standards requirements and may be helpful in second language instruction
· Links to sample planned course statements
· Revised sample scoring guides
Attachments:
Second Language Content and Assessment Panel roster
Second Language Revised Standards Document
Second Language Content and Assessment Panel Roster
Brad Doyle / Clackamas ESD / High School
Carl Falsgraf / CASLS, University of Oregon / University
Carl Garner / Salem-Keizer School District / High School
Catie Thurber / Tigard-Tualatin School District / High School
Christy Drogos / Riverdale School District / High School
Deborah Lindsay / Albany School District / High School
Elena Kavanaugh / Estacada School District / High School
Erin Fassio / Amity School District / High School
Fred Trujillo / Hood River School District / High School
George Shimer / Nyssa School District / High School
Irma Cristina Bjerre / Clackamas Community College / Community College
Karenlynn Helsley / Centennial School District / High School
Karrie Woodruff / Central Linn School District / High School
Kathryn Michaels / Dallas School District / High School
Larry Robbins / Bethel School District / High School
Leonard Terrible / Forest Grove School District / High School
Joe Little / David Douglas School District / High School
Mary Bastiani / Portland Public School District / District Office
Nancy Ponder / Eugene 4j School District / Middle School
Noah Megowann / Canby School District / High School
Pedro Marquez / Woodburn School District / High School
Patricia Cooper / Hood River School District / Middle School
Tami Miller / Hillsboro School District / High School
Teresa Willard / Vernonia School District / High School
1