1. Student Learning Outcomes: How to Benchmark Student Progress National Chinese Language Conference Chicago, Illinois April 30-May 2, 2009 Marty Abbott American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)

3. ACTFL PERFORMANCE GUIDELINES FOR K-12 LEARNERS www.actfl.org

4. What are the Major Levels? How are They Defined?

12. ACTFL PK -16 Performance Rating Scale Differentiating the performance of language learners in an academic setting Novice Low NOV 1 Novice Mid NOV 2 Novice Mid NOV 3 Novice High NOV 4 Intermediate Low INT1 Intermediate Mid INT 2 Intermediate Mid INT 3 Intermediate Mid INT 4 Intermediate High INT 5 Advanced Low ADV 1 Advanced Mid ADV 2 ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines PK – 16 Performance Rating Scale

16. Isolated words only Personally relevant information limited to a very small number of content areas such as: Family members Basic objects Colors Clothing Weather Dates and Time Food, etc. Can respond to highly predictable questions by listing, naming, and identifying. Ask and answer formulaic questions. NOV 1 = NL Cultural Awareness Communication Strategies Vocabulary Language Control Text type Content/contexts Functions Tasks Rating

19. ACTFL Assessment for the Performance and Proficiency of Language (AAPPL)

25. Report Example Understanding Sean’s performance Sean’s performance falls in the Novice Mid range. He can understand conversations and recorded materials in familiar contexts. He relies heavily on memorized words, phrases, and structures and expends enormous effort to accomplish these listening tasks. Next Steps Language learners at this level would benefit from increasing their exposure to spoken language in live and recorded oral texts. Listening should focus on understanding key words and main ideas. Sources for listening practice include level appropriate texts that are related to academic content as well as individual student interests. Sean’s performance … provides evidence of the ability understand simple speech with memorized phrases on familiar subjects. Can understand speech on content that has been previously seen or heard. … provides evidence of the ability to understand short, simple speech with memorized words and phrases on highly predictable and familiar topics most often related to self. … provides evidence of the ability to understand short, disconnected utterances within highly predictable and familiar contexts. Comprehension often depends on recognizing memorized words and phrases, Novice High Novice Mid Novice Low

26. ACTFL PERFORMANCE GUIDELINES FOR K-12 LEARNERS Integrated Performance Assessment (IPA) INTASC