Developing a Four-Year Comprehensive Program for Spanish Heritage Learners

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Developing a Four-Year Comprehensive Program for
Spanish Heritage Learners

• Graciella Nápoles Kari Jaeckel
• Evanston Township High School
• Evanston, Illinois

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Presentation Agenda

1. Demographics Background Information
2. Rationale for SHL Program
3. Evolution of SHL Program at ETHS
4. Curriculum Development
5. Curricular Content
6. Current Projects

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Evanston Township High School

• Four-year, comprehensive high school
• Located in Evanston, Illinois, a Chicago suburb
  along the Lake Michigan Shore
• Serves the city of Evanston and a portion of the
  neighboring village of Skokie
• Total district population of approximately 78,000
• Community offers ethnic, economic, racial, and
  cultural diversity that is reflected in the
  student body

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Evanston Township High School District 202
Demographic Information
Demographic Information 2007-2008
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Student Achievement at ETHS
4 performance levels (Prairie State Achievement
Examination Grade 11) 1 Academic Warning 2
Below Standards 3 Meets Standards 4 Exceeds
Standards (Based on PSAE Results April 2007)
Reading Scores
1 2 3 4
White Students 1.0 10.6 40.7 47.7
Hispanic Students 12.5 60.4 22.9 4.2
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Demographic Information Students We Service

• 10.7 of population at ETHS or students are
  Latino (2007-2008)
• 5 years ago this was 7.5
• 124 students enrolled in SHL courses in 2007-2008
• Regular, Honors and AP levels in SHL classes
• Enrollment of Latino students in 5 AP Spanish
  Literature course is steadily increasing
• 54 Latino students have taken both the AP Spanish
  Language and Literature exams since 1997-1998
  all but one received passing scores (3,4, or 5)

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Demographic Information Students We Service,
continued

• Enrollment of Latino student in 5 AP Spanish
  Literature class
• School year Latino students Class
  enrollment 3 or higher on AP exam
• 07-08 5 38
• also 9 in 4 AP
• 06-07 10 45 100 Lang 93 Lit
• also 4 in 4 AP
• 05-06 14 39 100
  83 also 9 in 4 AP
• 04-05 3 29 100 93
• 03-04 5 29 100 86
• 02-03 10 24 100 91
• 01-02 7 28
  100 96
• 00-01 5 20
  100 100

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Identification and Placement of SHL Students

• Articulation with Middle Schools
• Collaboration with Counselors
• Placement Process speaking, oral reading
  fluency, writing sample, teacher checklist

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Creating a Spanish for Heritage Learners Program

• Identify Heritage Language Learners
• Students raised in homes where non-English
  languages are spoken
• Students who speak and/or understand the heritage
  language
• Students who are to some degree bilingual in
  English and the heritage language

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Creating a Spanish for Heritage Learners Program,
continued

• 2. Needs of Heritage Language Speakers
• Opportunities to develop greater bilingual
  communication range
• Opportunities to use heritage language to connect
  with other disciplines and acquire new info
• Opportunities to develop insight into the nature
  of their heritage language and culture

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Creating a Spanish for Heritage Learners Program,
continued

• 3. Instructional Options for Heritage Speakers
• Transfer of Literacy Skills
• Focus on reading writing
• Editing written language
• Teaching strategies designed to monitor the use
  of non-standard register

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Creating a Spanish for Heritage Learners Program,
continued

• 4. Language Maintenance
• Issues of identity and language
• Reading culturally-relevant texts

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Rationale for Spanish for Heritage Learners
Courses at ETHS

• Goal To provide academically challenging and
  relevant courses to educate Latino students in
  Spanish, increasing their language and literacy
  skills in their home language
• Academically equip students for future careers,
  higher education, and AP Language and Literature
  courses in Spanish

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Rationale for Spanish for Heritage Learners
Courses at ETHS, continued

• Courses contribute to ETHS goals as well as
  World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment
  (WIDA) goals
• Provide opportunities for all students to perform
  at their fullest potential
• Provide equitable educational opportunities for
  Latino students

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Developing a Four-Year Sequence of Spanish for
Heritage Learners Courses

• Characteristics of a Level 1 SHL Student
• Often more English-dominant
• Sometimes at a loss for vocabulary switches back
  and forth between Spanish and English in informal
  conversations
• Can read and understand intermediate-level
  readings, but writing in Spanish, like speaking
  experience, has been limited to informal use of
  language at home and with bilingual friends
• Often struggles academically
• Literacy skills in English may also be low

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Developing a Four-Year Sequence of Spanish for
Heritage Learners Courses, continued

• Characteristics of a Level 2 SHL Student
• May be more dominant in English than in Spanish
  for academic purposes, and have little or no
  schooling in Spanish, or
• May be a native speaker of Spanish with limited
  formal schooling in Spanish
• Lacks academic and literary vocabulary in Spanish
• Can read and understand intermediate-level
  readings, but writing in Spanish, like speaking
  experience, is still limited
• Often struggles academically
• Literacy skills in English may also be low

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Developing a Four-Year Sequence of Spanish for
Heritage Learners Courses, continued

• Characteristics of a Level 3 SHL Student
• Maybe fully bilingual in spoken language
• May have some formal schooling in Spanish, but
  prefers to speak English, or
• May be a native speaker of Spanish and an ELL,
  and have extended formal schooling in Spanish
• Comprehends nearly all spoken Spanish, informal
  and formal, academic and personal
• Rich vocabulary development in Spanish if student
  is more Spanish-dominant and has more schooling
  in Spanish developing Spanish vocabulary if
  schooling was primarily in English
• Can read and understand most readings that use
  contemporary language and more concrete themes
  and topics is developing comprehension and
  confidence with abstract and symbolic language in
  Spanish
• Writing in Spanish lacks development, often
  mimics spoken language
• Often struggles academically
• Literacy skills in English may be low

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Developing a Four-Year Sequence of Spanish for
Heritage Learners Courses, continued

• Characteristics of a Level 4 SHL Student
• Has experience in academic Spanish
• Can communicate in speaking and writing
  completely in Spanish, though may still code
  switch or use English in public/school settings
• Comprehends nearly all spoken Spanish, informal
  and formal, academic and personal
• Rich vocabulary development in Spanish if student
  is more Spanish-dominant and has more schooling
  in Spanish, developing Spanish vocabulary if
  schooling was primarily in English
• Can read and understand most readings, and is
  developing confidence with abstract and symbolic
  language in Spanish
• Writing in Spanish shows development, though
  common spelling, grammar and punctuation errors
  are still evident
• Often struggles academically
• Literacy skills in English may be low

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General Strategies for Teaching Spanish Heritage
Learners

• Holistic language arts approach, taking into
  account students backgrounds and cultures
• Guide students in identifying what it means to be
  Latino
• Foster positive attitudes through enabling
  students to gain a better understanding of their
  heritage language
• Use of a variety of materials
  culturally-relevant readings (short stories and
  other selections), history and geography, current
  events articles and films

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Sample Unit Level 1 Spanish For Heritage
Learners

• Myths Legends of Latin America
• OVERARCHING UNDERSTANDINGS
• Students will understand what storytelling is and
  how its role has changed.
• Students will understand what legends and myths
  are.
• Students will understand the differences between
  legends and myths from various Hispanic cultures
  and other places around the world.
• ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
• What is storytelling and how has its role
  changed?
• What are legends and myths?
• What are similarities and differences between
  legends and myths around the world, including the
  various Hispanic cultures?

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Sample Unit Level 1 Spanish For Heritage
Learners, continued

• Myths Legends of Latin America
• DESCRIPTION OF FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS
• Participation in daily group and class
  discussions
• Quizzes on individual readings
• Dictations
• Journal writing
• Daily homework
• Quizzes on sound-symbol correspondence
• DESCRIPTION OF SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS
• Paragraph summary of myth or legend
• Guided expository writing using specific
  transition words
• Unit exam
• THINGS STUDENTS NEED TO KNOW AND BE ABLE TO DO
• Comprehend text at a beginning/intermediate level
• Understand correct sentence structure
• Begin expository writing

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Sample Unit Level 1 Spanish For Heritage
Learners, continued

• Myths Legends of Latin America
• OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN
• Reading Selections
• Myths and Legends of Latin America
• La llorona
• La Virgen de Guadalupe
• Los tres consejos
• La comadre Sebastiana
• Los novios
• Guanina
• La creación (hace mucho tiempo)
• Vocabulary Development
• Reading Related
• Language Mechanics
• Review of capitalization and punctuation
• Dictations
• Phonetics
• Sound-symbol correspondence (review)

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Sample Unit Level 1 Spanish For Heritage
Learners, continued

• Myths Legends of Latin America
• OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN, continued
• Language Structure
• Review of sentence structure
• Writing Development
• Continue journal writing
• Introduction to expository writing
• Short paragraphs and transition words
• Paragraph summary of legend or myth
• Comparison/Contrast of two legends or myths
• Film
• Macario

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Sample Unit Level 4/4AP Spanish For Heritage
Learners, continued

• Literatura Fantástica Chac Mool
• OVERARCHING UNDERSTANDINGS
• Students will understand the characteristics of
  literatura fantástica.
• Students will have an understanding of Fuentes
  short stories.
• Students will have a better understanding of
  contemporary Mexican society.
• Students will have a better understanding of
  Aztec mythology and symbols.
• ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
• What is literatura fantástica?
• What are the features of Fuentes short stories?
• What are the characteristics of contemporary
  Mexican society and how are they reflected in
  Mexican literature?
• What is the importance of Aztec myths and
  symbols?

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Sample Unit Level 4/4AP Spanish For Heritage
Learners, continued

• Literatura Fantástica Chac Mool
• DESCRIPTION OF FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS
• Written assessments
• Group assessments
• DESCRIPTION OF SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS
• Summary of the short story
• Descriptive piece modeled after the style of the
  work cuento arqueológico
• Unit exam
• THINGS STUDENTS NEED TO KNOW AND BE ABLE TO DO
• Read and comprehend unit selections
• Identify elements of Aztec myths and recognize
  their influence in contemporary Mexico
• Apply knowledge of writing concepts (description
  and summary)
• Identify characteristics of literatura fantástica

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Sample Unit Level 4/4AP Spanish For Heritage
Learners, continued

• Literatura Fantástica Chac Mool
• OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN
• Reading Selections
• Chac Mool
• Vocabulary Development
• Reading Related
• Definition of genre of literatura fantástica
• Cultural Enrichment
• Review of Aztec mythology
• Contemporary Mexico
• Writing Development
• Cuento Aqueológico

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Texts and Materials

• Levels 1 2
• Nuevas Vistas, Curso Uno
• (Holt, Rinehart and Winston)
• Nuevas Vistas, Curso Dos
• (Holt, Rinehart and Winston)
• Sendas Literarias (Pearson Prentice Hall)
• Other short stories from a variety of sources
• Levels 3 4
• Manual de ortografía y gramática para hispanos
  (Pearson Prentice Hall)
• Cinco maestros (Coleman, ed.)
• Literary works from a variety of sources

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Current Projects

• Developing reading and writing strategies for all
  SHL classes
• Through work in Professional Learning Community
• Technology integration
• Visual and audio prompts for designated topics
  and themes to enable students to employ registers
  of language in a variety of settings both aurally
  and orally (using the Language Laboratory).

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Current Projects, continued

• Reading Strategies (sample from Level 1)
• El trabajo en el campo
• by Rose del Castillo Guilbault
• Before reading (sample questions)
• 1. Conoces a alguien que trabaja en el campo?
• 2. Qué tipo de vida lleva la gente en el campo?
• 3. En dónde en los EE.UU. hay muchos
  trabajadores agrícolas de origen mexicano?

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Current Projects, continued

• Reading Strategies (sample from Level 1)
• El trabajo en el campo
• by Rose del Castillo Guilbault
• While reading (sample questions)
• 1. Cómo se sentía la narradora la primera vez
  que trabajó en el campo?
• 2. Por qué el jefe de los campesinos no quería
  contratar a la familia?
• 3. Qué comprendió la niña con respecto al
  trabajo agrícola de la familia mexicana?

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Current Projects, continued

• Reading Strategies (sample from Level 1)
• El trabajo en el campo
• by Rose del Castillo Guilbault
• After reading (sample questions)
• Multiple choice questions

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Current Projects, continued

• Reading Strategies (sample from Level 4)
• Cartas de amor traicionado
• by Isabel Allende
• Before reading (sample questions)
• 1. Si quisieras impresionar a una persona que no
  te conoce muy bien, qué tipo de cosas le
  escribirías en una carta o mensaje electrónico?
• 2. Es posible enamorarse a través de la
  escritura?
• 3. Qué te sugiere el título de este cuento?

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Current Projects, continued

• Reading Strategies (sample from Level 4)
• Cartas de amor traicionado
• by Isabel Allende
• While reading (sample questions)
• Qué había puesto Analía en una caja de sombreros
  durante un año?
• 2. Qué hacía Luis cuando ella le mencionaba
  las cartas?
• 3. Qué motivos tenía la persona que escribió
  las cartas?

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Current Projects, continued

• Reading Strategies (sample from Level 4)
• Cartas de amor traicionado
• by Isabel Allende
• After reading (sample questions)
• Multiple choice questions

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Current Projects, continued

• Writing Strategies
• Cloze text activities taken from in-class
  readings
• Guided essays representing a variety of genres

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Current Projects, continued

• Technology Integration
• Listening activities including speakers from a
  variety of Spanish-speaking countries in
  different contexts
• Video clips on a variety of topics with
  discussion prompts to follow
• Internet research and PowerPoint presentations

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Resources

• Azulejo.  Colbert, Colbert, Kanter, Maura
  Sugano eds, Wayside Publishing.  2002.
• La ensenanza del español a hispanohablantesPraxi
  s y teoría. M. Cecilia Colombi and Francisco X.
  Alarcon eds, Houghton Mifflin Co. 1997.
• Teacher Preparation and the Heritage Language
  Learner What Teachers Need to Know. Guadalupe
  Valdez, Stanford University. 2000.