Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Majda Belhaj_Module 3.3 Task 1
– How can membership in a professional organization expand your teaching strategies and resources to benefit your students?
• Professional organizations often provide members access to many teaching resources, including lesson plans, educational materials, research papers, and best practices. These resources may enhance teaching methods and help teachers create more engaging and effective student learning experiences.
• Members are often granted access to workshops, seminars, conferences, and webinars. These events offer opportunities for educators to enhance their teaching skills, learn about innovative pedagogical approaches, and stay updated on the latest trends and advancements in education.
• Some professional organizations provide scholarships for members.
• Some professional organizations provide training opportunities for their members.
– In what ways do you believe professional organizations can shape the path of your career?- In considering your long-term career goals, how can active involvement in a professional organization propel you towards achieving them?
• Through conferences and workshops professional organizations can lead their members to consider specific careers.
• Professional organizations may offer exclusive job boards, career fairs, or networking events that provide access to a broader range of job opportunities, both within and beyond their current organization.
For long-term career goals, active involvement in professional organizations can be instrumental:
• Continuous engagement allows individuals to acquire new skills, stay updated on industry advancements, and adapt to changing demands, making them more competitive and adaptable in their career journey.
• Through contributions, leadership roles, and active participation, individuals can establish a strong professional reputation within their industry. A positive reputation can attract opportunities and increase the chances of achieving long-term career goals.
– How do professional organizations provide platforms for advocacy and influence in shaping educational policies?
• Professional organizations often conduct research and gather data on educational practices, trends, and challenges. They use this research to provide evidence-based recommendations to policymakers, supporting their advocacy efforts with credible information and expertise.
• Professional organizations often work with other education-related groups, parent associations, community organizations, and stakeholders to form coalitions. These coalitions strengthen their lobbying efforts by providing a unified voice to policymakers and increasing their influence.Why is assessment critical in world language education?
• Assessment provides a means to measure students’ language proficiency and progress over time. It helps educators understand what students know, what they are able to do with the language, and where they need improvement.
• Assessments, when used formatively (during the learning process), can provide students with valuable feedback on their language skills. This feedback allows students to understand their strengths and weaknesses and make targeted improvements.
• Assessment data can inform curriculum development. Educators can use assessment results to identify areas of the language that students struggle with most, helping them tailor their teaching methods and materials to better address these challenges.
• Language assessment can also include cultural components, helping students gain a deeper understanding of the culture associated with the language they are learning. This fosters intercultural competence, which is increasingly important in our globalized world.Why is assessment critical in world language education?
• Assessment provides a means to measure students’ language proficiency and progress over time. It helps educators understand what students know, what they are able to do with the language, and where they need improvement.
• Assessments, when used formatively (during the learning process), can provide students with valuable feedback on their language skills. This feedback allows students to understand their strengths and weaknesses and make targeted improvements.
• Assessment data can inform curriculum development. Educators can use assessment results to identify areas of the language that students struggle with most, helping them tailor their teaching methods and materials to better address these challenges.
• Language assessment can also include cultural components, helping students gain a deeper understanding of the culture associated with the language they are learning. This fosters intercultural competence, which is increasingly important in our globalized world.What are your top three goals for this academic year?
My top three goals for this academic year are:
1- Use Arabic culture in teaching my classes.
2- Use more technology to encourage students to be more connected to classes.
3- Use different assessment methods to improve students’ performance.Majda Belhaj
1. What are the most significant lessons you have learned during Phase 2 training? How do you plan to apply them in your future teaching practice?
I learned so many lessons in phase 2 of Startalk Classroad; here are some of them:
– communication with various cultures, backgrounds, and languages.
– How to plan and develop teaching and learning plans for different levels and grades depending on the three communication modes (interpretive/ interpersonal/ presentational).
– Using students’ performance assessments instead of traditional tests and examinations to assess students learning aspects.
– I gained an excellent knowledge of online services, teaching websites, and models such as Catalyst, canvas, image model, and padlet.
– Learning some basics of the Chinese language as my first experience with this language and some of its cultural aspects.
2. What are your plans for continued professional growth and development? How will you stay updated on best practices, educational research, and advancements in your subject area?
I will continue learning and developing my professionalism in teaching the language, reading books and articles, and attending phase three of the Startalk Classroad program.
3. How did you navigate challenges and setbacks during Phase 2 training? What strategies did you find effective in overcoming difficulties?
Phase 2 was intensive tasks that needed daily work. Also, I had English language classes during the summer semester that added more challenges and extra work. Therefore, I found that daily work on assignments and not letting today’s work for tomorrow will be the best way to be on time and the effective strategy to finish every task due its date.
4. Finally, take a moment to acknowledge your growth and achievements during your training. What are you most proud of? How will you celebrate your accomplishments?
Really, I am most proud of being in this program for what I got and the great chance to learn how to teach a target language such as Arabic to whom do not know anything about this language. Also, I am proud to know and work with the program staff and their support to go through and finish the two phases, especially Dr. Thana and her efforts to help and support me and many other participants. In addition, I am proud to meet and work with the participants in the program, especially those who worked with me in the two microteaching groups and experienced great chances with them in teaching and learning.
Finally, I will have a picnic tomorrow, take some rest, and prepare myself for the next phase of the Startalk Classroad program and the new school year.Hi Xinjia-Xia,
Thank you for discussing and sharing the information about this topic.Creating Meaningful Performance Assessment Tasks – Laura Terrill (27’30”)
How can the assessment process be improved to enhance student learning and achievement?
The meaningful performance assessment tasks are essential and important by using backwards design course planning because it is the first step the teacher needs to think about after setting up the learning outcomes/goals. Meaningful performance assessment tasks have a purpose to solve real-world problems, and they are structured by guiding students step by step. Moreover, meaningful performance assessment tasks involve 3 modes of communication, check students’ understanding, and encourage students to explore further.
You stated correctly that the assessment puts students in an accurate standing to contribute to solving the world’s problems.
Additionally, using formative and summative assessments will be a fantastic chance to expose students to various assessment methods that will highlight similarities and differences as well as the strengths and shortcomings of each student and facilitate the tasks of improvement.What impact does assessment have on student learning and achievement?
The meaningful performance assessment tasks explore real-world issues and problems, and it is open-ended tasks. The great tasks inspire new interpretations and spark discussions. For all students, the tasks can support differentiation, encourage target language, and engage students. Furthermore, the tasks expand students’ understanding of themselves in relation to their community and world. They will feel engaged and relevant.Yes, what you explained is correct that the assessment encourages students and makes them engage in real-world issues.
Also, the assessment shows students where their weaknesses are and gives them the opportunity to improve and solve their concerns.
However, the assessment makes students participate in tasks, and topics need to be discussed or explained before involving in them, or it is too late to understand.Majda
Hi Sulan-Liao
Thank you for discussing and sharing this topic
(Assignment 2.2.2-1) (PR 4, 5, 6)– Creating Meaningful Performance Assessment Tasks – Laura Terrill (27’30”)
What was the purpose of the assessment?
The purpose of the assessment is to check what students can do with the target language.I agree with you that the assessment allows teachers to see what students can do with the target language.
Also, how the students perform in class and show what they get from the curriculum and the signed plan.
Furthermore, what future work needs to be done to continue learning and improving students’ level in the targeted language?How can the assessment process be improved to enhance student learning and achievement?
If the assessment is integrated with three modes (interpretive/ interpersonal/ presentational communication), students will be prepared for language (the vocabulary, sentences) and knowledge. Then after enough reading, discussion with groups, students can produce a qualified product with enough time.What you mentioned is right in that the assessment puts students in precise status to produce good outcomes.
Also, adapting formative and summative assessments will be a great opportunity to put students on different ways of assessment that will show the differences between others and show the strengths and weaknesses of each one.Majda Belhaj
I have chosen the presentation titled: Creating Meaningful Performance Assessment Tasks, presented by Laura Terrill in the 2022 Virtual Summit for (27’30”)
After watching the video of the presentation, I have chosen these questions to discuss:
• What was the purpose of the assessment?
In this video, the purpose of the assessment is to assess students’ performance that ranges from novice low to superior classes. The assessment created depends on the curriculum that was put by the people in charge of learning and teaching related to this performance, such as the national or state curriculum.
The meaningful assessment is created to know how well students write. Also, how well they speak. Moreover, what types of sentences are these students producing?
These will give us indicators of where the learners are and what are the next steps.
• How can the assessment process be improved to enhance student learning and achievement?
The meaningful assessment which should be created allows teachers to know how the students’ performance is from the targeted curriculum and where they are so far. This also allows teachers to know what they have to do next and put the right plan for future learning. In addition, the assessment must focus on the performance range of all students in the targeted class. Therefore, it has not to be made difficult to frustrate the students and make them stuck in answering and ending failure. Furthermore, the assessment has not to be easy to answer and fails the goal of assessing the real student performance.Hello, Ms. Yachi-yu,
60 seconds = 1 minute, or does it?
Three things fascinating about the post:
1. You summarized the activity clearly, and I found reading your post easy and getting the information.
2. You made reasonable modifications and changes for different student novice levels and various cultural aspects.
3. Your activity steps are not long, easy to read, and understandable.
Two ideas you can adapt from the post:
1. This activity could be used at the end of the school.
2. I think asking students to share their letters is a good task in class.
One wonder or question I can ask depending on the post:
1. Can this cultural activity clearly reflect a student’s Chinese culture even away from the country?
MajdaHello Ms. sulan-liao,
A letter to myself
Three things fascinating about the post:
1. You summarized the activity clearly, and I found it easy to read your post.
2. You made suitable modifications and changes for different students.
3. Your activity steps are easy to read and understand.
Two ideas you can adapt
1. This activity could be used at the end of the school.
2. I think asking students to share their letters is a good task in class.
One wonder or question).
1. Can this cultural activity clearly reflect a student’s Chinese culture even away from the country?
MajdaMajda Belhaj
Class Activity
Activity name: Let’s go together
Steps of the Activity
1. Give every student a travel plan sheet and ask every one of the students to fill it out in order to create “the ideal trip for the class” (20 minutes). every student will need to select a country with a substantially different culture.
Every student needs to plan:
– accommodation (what kind? where?)
– transportation (which vehicle? How many km per day?)
– different stops, visits, etc.
– describe the culture in the country of choice.
2. In small groups (4 or 5 students maximum), ask each student to share their travel plan. (10 minutes)
3. Gather the whole class together to create the “Great Travel Plan,” 1 travel plan
in which everybody can identify and find part of his/her wishes and motivations. (20 minutes)
Facilitate the debate among the students by explaining some things or giving them some suggestions: for example,
– Accommodation: some choose hotels, other family hosting, etc. What is behind the preferences? How to find a solution that works for everybody?
– Cultures: how do cultures differ, and is it an important aspect when choosing a country?
4. When the group has finished creating the “Great Travel Plan” through consensus, initiate a talk with the group (10 minutes).
Include these discussion questions:
Are you happy with the result of this plan? Why?
Was it hard to find a common travel plan that everybody could identify with? Why?
Can you describe the differences in culture between the different countries? and how this affects the final common travel plan.
modifications:
– Add a step after step 2: give a chance to groups to discuss with other groups by gathering every 2 to 3 groups to explain their plan.
This step will give students an idea about whether what they did is complete or not, how others think, and prepare them for a possible different final decision.After watching the videos and going over the materials of all the assessment platforms (OPI, WPT, AAPPL, ILR, NEWL), I think ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL) is suitable to my school for these reasons:
I am currently teaching different grades of elementary school with various levels of language use and proficiency.
The AAPPL assesses Listening, Speaking, Writing, and Reading of the language. Through these assessment modes; interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational, which I think are great and powerful assessment ways.
Also, students start and continue their Arabic Language education to reach proficiency and speak standard language therefore I think this assessment is a great way for them to test and know their levels and needs in different language skills. By this assessment teachers and system managers can find the difficulties and the weaknesses of students that obstruct their proficiency. In addition, understand their strengths in language proficiency to help and find suitable next assessments.
On the other hand, I think teachers and those who will manage this assessment platform need special training. They need to understand the system of this assessment and the standard language. This will not be disadvantage but an opportunity for teachers and administrators of the AAPPL to improve their skills and ways in assessment.
