Embedding LinguaFoliolike Activities into Your Teaching

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Embedding LinguaFolio-like Activities into Your
Teaching

• Jacque Van Houten
• KWLA 2006 Conference

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LinguaFolio formative is a assessment tool that

• is based on the European Language Portfolio
• helps young adult learners self-assess their
  own language competencies
• documents learners intercultural activities
• builds reflective and autonomous learners

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LinguaFolio has 3 parts

• Language Biography records language learning
  history
• Dossier provides evidence through work samples
• Passport formally summarizes competencies,
  activities achievements.

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Research

• EU studies use of ELP increases learner autonomy
  and improves pedagogy
• Early KY pilot self-assessment and reflective
  learning strategies need to be learned over time.
• Nebraska pilot (1) teachers need to experience
  LF (2) student achievement positively impacted
  through goal setting

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In a reflective teaching environment

• The teacher
• uses the target language.
• helps learners to communicate by scaffolding
  speech.
• engages learners in activities that produce
  language.
• involves learners regularly in evaluating their
  progress thinking about how they learn.
• models self-assessment shares intercultural
  experiences and opportunities.

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Step-by-step process

• Students learn to be reflective learners by
• connecting to what they already know
• checking frequently to see what they can and
  cannot yet do
• determining which activities help them learn most
  effectively
• setting small, achievable goals
• reflecting on interculturality.

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1. Connecting to Prior Knowledge

• Begin with an easy review, input to output
• Use pictures/objects/activities with which
  learners are familiar
• Activate content skills from other classes
• Relate to personal experiences

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Sample Connections

• Give students words/pix to create word review
  walls
• Ask simple questions about date/weather/likes/iden
  tifications
• Refer to the American Revolution before a lesson
  on a revolution in target culture
• Elicit their personal reading preferences before
  learning about literary genres

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2. Checking competencies

• Provide rubrics so students know what they should
  be able to do
• Provide opportunities for students to reflect on
  what they know and can do

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Sample Can-Do Checklist

• Easily___ With help___
• I can identify 5 rooms in a house.
• I can list 3 household chores.
• I describe 3 architectural features of a house.
• I can describe my house in 4 sentences for a
  realtor.
• I can make a chore list for my family members.

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3. Determine Learning Strategies

• Provide opportunities for students to think about
  how they learn.
• Model thinking about learning.
• Vary learning activities and provide student
  choice.

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Sample Learning Reflections

• What I enjoyed most about this project was
• It is still hard for me to
• Is easy for me to
• What helped me to learn the new vocabulary was
• The activity I most liked was
• What makes writing in unique is
• I discovered that I am good at
• Learning the past tense helps me to improve my
  speaking skills because

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4. Setting Goals

• Model goal setting
• Make it clear that functional use of language,
  not grammar knowledge, is not the principle goal
• Provide opportunities for learners to set their
  own goals

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Sample Learning Goals

• Today well learn how to
• phone home from ___
• visit the zoo
• make colors to draw a rainbow
• pack our lunch for a picnic
• make a fitness plan for the week
• compare two art works
• design a personal resumé.

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Sample Student Goals

• I still have trouble with so I will need to work
  on
• The next step for me in the writing process is
• I want to learn more about

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5. Reflecting on Interculturality

• Model your intercultural experiences
• Provide opportunities for learners to recognize
  intercultural opportunities
• Allow students to understand the why of
  cultural differences
• Provide opportunities for cultural interaction
  and reflection on reactions

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Examples

• Last week I spoke with a ___ friend and I
  misunderstood Now I know
• What I understood from the speaker wasWhat I
  still dont understand is
• ___ eating customs are different from mine in
  that because
• To explain how I celebrate my birthday to my
  epal, I would have to

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Only A Shift in Perspective

• Using LinguaFolio doesnt take enormous time or
  effort. It merely creates a map for where
  students are, where they are
• going and how to get there.