PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TEAM REPORT

2011-2012

PLT Title

Leaving the Comfort Zone: Increasing student speaking on Foreign Language Immersion Days

Blurb for PLT Conference Brochure

Our PLT is investigating ways to encourage students to speak exclusively in the target language on Immersion Days.

Contact Information (Write * next to facilitator’s name.)

Name / School / Grade Level or Subject
*Amy Sánchez / Chenery / Grades 5 & 7 Spanish
*Eric Ahern / Chenery & BHS / Grade 8 French, AP French
Carmen Anderson / Chenery / Grade 8 Spanish
Elizabeth Pruitt (on leave) / Chenery / Grades 5- 7 French; gr. 6 Spanish
Xin Yu / Chenery / Grades 5-8 Chinese
Ibti Hadri (long-term sub) / Chenery / Grades 5- 7 French
Helga Tomala / Chenery / Grades 6 & 7 French and Spanish

Guiding Theme

  • Differentiated Instruction/RTI
üIntegrated, Real-Life Experiences
  • Acquisition of 21st Century Skills
  • Deepening Teacher Content Knowledge
  • Improving School Climate/Culture
  • Teaching the “Whole Student”
  • Other (explain) ______

Inquiry Question

How do we increase active student oral participation in the target language on immersion days in order to improve student fluency and accuracy?

Process

·  Determine group norms
·  Establish area for improvement (speaking on immersion days)
·  Discuss ways of measuring and collecting data
·  Develop rubric for teacher observations
·  Discuss ways of explicitly teaching speaking skills and communication strategies (and develop PowerPoint)
·  Devise incentive system
·  Create student survey
·  Analyze findings

Findings

·  Based on survey information and teacher observations, student target language use on immersion days has increased over time.
·  Most students use the communication strategies they learned to understand or make themselves understood.

Recommendations / Next Steps

·  Begin the process earlier in the year.
·  Establish incentive program from the beginning (when immersion is introduced), including expectations for student oral participation.
·  Have students do more regular self-evaluation of their skills and where they stand in their foreign language learning.