What is Language Proficiency?
In the SCS World Language Department, we start with the end in mind: student proficiency in the target language. Proficiency is all about what students are able to do with foreign language. We measure our student's proficiency according to the American Council of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)'s proficiency scale that rates speakers on a Novice to Superior scale. To view the ACTFL proficiency scale, click here.
We set proficiency targets for each level of our program and then we work backwards to design our instruction to meet those targets. We then assess our students on a quarterly basis and conduct external testing once a year to measure learning outcomes. This information on students' proficiency empowers us as teachers and our students!
At the beginning of each school year, we talk with our students about proficiency and what our shared goals are for the year in Russian. By sharing program goals and educating students on language proficiency, we can empower them to be in charge of their language learning. The district goal for our students is as follows:
KK: Novice Low
1st: Novice Mid
2nd: Novice Mid
3rd: Novice High
4th: Novice High
5th: Novice High - Intermediate Mid
Please note that it is natural for students - especially at the elementary level - to remain at the proficiency level for a longer period of time as they assimilate what they are learning. This is also called the "silent period", in which the student's brain is hard at work processing the language, and it is harder for them to speak without direct, explicit input and prompting on very controlled topics. Therefore, please do not be concerned if your child isn't speaking in full, flowing sentences just yet!
The Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) assessment initiative is part of a larger assessment initiative that is linked both to the Gates project on teacher effectiveness and the Tennessee Race to the Top Assessment Pilot. During the 2011-12 school year Peabody Elementary was fortunate enough to be included in the Assessment pilot for the OPI. We had trained language assessors from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL - our governing body on world language teaching standards) in connection with Language Testing International (LTI) come to Peabody and proficiency test a select group of our students in fourth and fifth grades. The data collected from this experience was sent to the Tennessee State Department of Education and to ACTFL for further research on language learning in elementary schools. The results were impressive and our students performed well above average, achieving on average a score of Novice Mid on the proficiency scale!!
We set proficiency targets for each level of our program and then we work backwards to design our instruction to meet those targets. We then assess our students on a quarterly basis and conduct external testing once a year to measure learning outcomes. This information on students' proficiency empowers us as teachers and our students!
At the beginning of each school year, we talk with our students about proficiency and what our shared goals are for the year in Russian. By sharing program goals and educating students on language proficiency, we can empower them to be in charge of their language learning. The district goal for our students is as follows:
KK: Novice Low
1st: Novice Mid
2nd: Novice Mid
3rd: Novice High
4th: Novice High
5th: Novice High - Intermediate Mid
Please note that it is natural for students - especially at the elementary level - to remain at the proficiency level for a longer period of time as they assimilate what they are learning. This is also called the "silent period", in which the student's brain is hard at work processing the language, and it is harder for them to speak without direct, explicit input and prompting on very controlled topics. Therefore, please do not be concerned if your child isn't speaking in full, flowing sentences just yet!
The Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) assessment initiative is part of a larger assessment initiative that is linked both to the Gates project on teacher effectiveness and the Tennessee Race to the Top Assessment Pilot. During the 2011-12 school year Peabody Elementary was fortunate enough to be included in the Assessment pilot for the OPI. We had trained language assessors from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL - our governing body on world language teaching standards) in connection with Language Testing International (LTI) come to Peabody and proficiency test a select group of our students in fourth and fifth grades. The data collected from this experience was sent to the Tennessee State Department of Education and to ACTFL for further research on language learning in elementary schools. The results were impressive and our students performed well above average, achieving on average a score of Novice Mid on the proficiency scale!!