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Aligning Reading & Writing Assessments to
the Common Core: FLACS to the rescue
Candace Black
2014 NYSAFLT Rochester Regional Conference
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Introductions – who are we?
 Level?
 Are
you a Checkpoint A teacher?
 Are you a Checkpoint B teacher?
 Language?
 Are you a Spanish teacher?
 French?
 German?
 Italian?
 Latin?
 Chinese? Arabic? Or other?
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Introductions – who are we?
How
many of you participate in an
exam consortium to write exams each
year?
How
many of your write your own
Checkpoint A or B exams each year?
How
many of you know what FLACS is
or use the FLACS exam?
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Workshop Agenda

Review of the Common Core State
Standards for Reading/Writing

Examples (Regents questions that
meet the standards and new
questions)

Small group work time to develop
sample text-based questions

Large group share
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Workshop Agenda
 How
do we prepare our students
for this new assessment?
 The
FLACS exam – benefits &
how to participate?
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Changes to the implementation of
the Common Core State Standards
 Recent
delay in CC
implementation = Class of 2022!
 Take
advantage of this gift from
NYSED to incorporate the CCSS
into your LOTE lessons and
assessments!
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Reading in the Common Core
There
are 11 CCSS Reading
standards.
R3,
R5, R6, and R10 are
relatively complex – let’s
relegate them to LOTE
checkpoint C and/or English.
Common Core State Standards for Literacy
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Reading in the Common Core
Standard
R1
Reading
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly
and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific
textual evidence when writing or speaking to support
conclusions drawn from the text.
This person expresses his ideas through
(1) dance
(2) technology
(3) sculpture
(4) words
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Reading in the Common Core
Standard
Reading
R2
Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze
their development; summarize key supporting details
and ideas.
What is being advertised?
(1) a resort hotel
(2) a music CD
(3) a tourist discount card
(4) a sightseeing cruise
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Reading in the Common Core
Standard
R4
Reading
Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text,
including determining technical, connotative, and
figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word
choices shape meaning or tone.
What does the article say about meals
delivered to the home in France?
(1) They are not available.
(2) They are not very popular.
(3) They are considered nutritious.
(4) They are imported from the United States.
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Reading in the Common Core
Standard
Reading
R8
Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific
claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning
as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
According to this article, why did the Convention
adopt the metric system in France?
(1) to accept a peace treaty
(2) to avoid confusion
(3) to help navigators
(4) to celebrate a national holiday
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Reading in the Common Core
Standard
Reading
R9
Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes
or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the
approaches the authors take.
We don’t really do this… yet.
Which statement about this product is supported by
both advertisements/passages?
(1) It is very inexpensive.
(2) It was invented by a teenager.
(3) It can only be purchased online.
(4) It has many different uses.
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Reading in the Common Core
Standard
R11
Reading
Interpret texts from a variety of genres and a wide
spectrum of American and world cultures.
We already do this, by definition!
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Small group work time

With a group of 2-4 people around
you, choose a reading from the
packet:

Restaurant ad

Want ad – job posting

Develop a common core-aligned
question for your reading.
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Large group share
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Writing in the Common Core
There
are 11 CCSS Writing
standards.
We do many of these already…
W3 - Write narratives to develop
real or imagined experiences or
events using effective technique,
well-chosen details, and wellstructured event sequences.
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Writing in the Common Core
Checkpoint
A task (current)
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Writing in the Common Core
Here’s
the difference…
some of the CCSS require writing
tasks that are text-based.
W1 - Write arguments to support
claims in an analysis of substantive
topics or texts using valid reasoning
and relevant and sufficient
evidence.
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Writing in the Common Core
W8 - Gather relevant information
from multiple print and digital
sources, assess the credibility and
accuracy of each source, and
integrate the information while
avoiding plagiarism.
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Writing in the Common Core
W9 - Draw evidence from literary
or informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
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Writing in the Common Core
So
how will we prepare students
for these new standards?
Let’s
look at how we could use
our standard LOTE readings
(short or long passages) to
incorporate CCSS standards into
our writing assessments.
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Checkpoint A Writing
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Checkpoint A Writing (CCSS)
You are planning a party for your brother’s
13th birthday. Read the advertisements and
write an e-mail to your friend discussing
the location you would like to choose for
the party. Include:
 The
reasons for your selection
 The
kinds of foods you will be serving
Note that the student must make
read the
an passage
argument
and
or
offer
include
an opinion
information
AND justify
(this isit.no longer
just suggested).
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Checkpoint A Writing (CCSS)
 What
would an ideal student text look like?
Student uses conventions appropriate
Student offers opinion.
to the text type chosen.
Domenica è il compleanno di mio fratello. Io
voglio avere la sua festa al ristorante “Italo’s”. Loro
servono la carne e a mio fratello piace molto la
bistecca. La domenica costa solo E 14.00 e
possiamo mangiare molto. Possiamo anche
ballare! Questo posto è perfetto. Io inviterò dieci
dei suoi amici e ci divertiremo molto. Vuoi venire?
Cara Maria,
Student justifies opinion.
Tanti baci,
Francesca
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New Checkpoint A Rubric
FLACS Checkpoint A Rubric
Implementation – September 2014
1st exams – June 2015
Dimension
Purpose/task
Vocabulary
Structure/ conventions
Word count
4
Satisfies the task, connects
all ideas to task/purpose,
refers to and incorporates
many supporting details
from source(s), and exhibits
a logical and coherent
sequence of ideas
throughout.
Utilizes a wide variety of
vocabulary that expands the
topic in the
statement/question to
include nouns, verbs,
and/or adjectives, as
appropriate to the task.
Exhibits a high degree of
control of
structure/conventions:
· Subject/verb
agreement
· Noun/adjective
agreement
· Correct word order
· Spelling
Errors do NOT hinder
overall comprehensibility of
the passage.
Uses 50 or more
comprehensible words in
target language that
contribute to the
development of the task.
Performance Level
3
Satisfies the task;
connections are implied
with few irrelevancies.
Refers to and incorporates
some supporting details
from source(s).
Utilizes a wide variety of
vocabulary relevant to the
topic in
statements/questions to
include nouns, verbs,
and/or adjectives, as
appropriate to the task.
Exhibits some control of
structure/conventions:
· Subject/verb
agreement
· Noun/adjective
agreement
· Correct word order
· Spelling
Errors do NOT hinder
overall comprehensibility of
the passage.
Uses 35-49 comprehensible
words in target language
that contribute to the
development of the task.
2
Satisfies the task;
connections may be unclear
with some irrelevancies.
Few supporting details or
references to source(s)
included.
1
Makes at least one
statement which satisfies
the task. Remaining
statements are irrelevant to
the task. Refers poorly to
source(s) with no
supporting details provided.
Utilizes vocabulary, some of
which is inaccurate or
irrelevant to the task.
Utilizes limited vocabulary,
most of which is inaccurate
or irrelevant to the task.
Exhibits some degree of
control of
structure/conventions:
· Subject/verb
agreement
· Noun/adjective
agreement
· Correct word order
· Spelling
Demonstrates little control
of structure or convention,
or errors impede overall
comprehensibility of
passage.
Errors DO hinder overall
comprehensibility of the
passage.
Uses 25-34 comprehensible
words in target language
that contribute to the
development of the task.
Uses 15-24 comprehensible
words in target language
that contribute to the
development of the task.
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FLACS Checkpoint A Rubric
Implementation – September 2014
1st exams – June 2015
New Checkpoint A Rubric
Dimension
Purpose/task
4
Satisfies the task, connects all
ideas to task/purpose, refers
to and incorporates many
supporting details from
source(s), and exhibits a
logical and coherent sequence
of ideas throughout.
Performance Level
3
2
Satisfies the task; connections Satisfies the task; connections
are implied with few
may be unclear with some
irrelevancies. Refers to and
irrelevancies. Few supporting
incorporates some supporting details or references to
details from source(s).
source(s) included.
1
Makes at least one statement
which satisfies the task.
Remaining statements are
irrelevant to the task. Refers
poorly to source(s) with no
supporting details provided.
Satisfies the task, connects all ideas to
task/purpose, refers to and
incorporates many supporting details
from source(s), and exhibits a logical
and coherent sequence of ideas
throughout.
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FLACS Checkpoint A Rubric
Implementation – September 2014
1st exams – June 2015
New Checkpoint A Rubric
Dimension
Purpose/task
4
Satisfies the task, connects all
ideas to task/purpose, refers
to and incorporates many
supporting details from
source(s), and exhibits a
logical and coherent sequence
of ideas throughout.
Performance Level
3
2
Satisfies the task; connections Satisfies the task; connections
are implied with few
may be unclear with some
irrelevancies. Refers to and
irrelevancies. Few supporting
incorporates some supporting details or references to
details from source(s).
source(s) included.
1
Makes at least one statement
which satisfies the task.
Remaining statements are
irrelevant to the task. Refers
poorly to source(s) with no
supporting details provided.
Satisfies the task; connections are
implied with few irrelevancies. Refers
to and incorporates some supporting
details from source(s).
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FLACS Checkpoint A Rubric
Implementation – September 2014
1st exams – June 2015
New Checkpoint A Rubric
Dimension
Purpose/task
4
Satisfies the task, connects all
ideas to task/purpose, refers
to and incorporates many
supporting details from
source(s), and exhibits a
logical and coherent sequence
of ideas throughout.
Performance Level
3
2
Satisfies the task; connections Satisfies the task; connections
are implied with few
may be unclear with some
irrelevancies. Refers to and
irrelevancies. Few supporting
incorporates some supporting details or references to
details from source(s).
source(s) included.
1
Makes at least one statement
which satisfies the task.
Remaining statements are
irrelevant to the task. Refers
poorly to source(s) with no
supporting details provided.
Satisfies the task; connections may be
unclear with some irrelevancies. Few
supporting details or references to
source(s) included.
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FLACS Checkpoint A Rubric
Implementation – September 2014
1st exams – June 2015
New Checkpoint A Rubric
Dimension
Purpose/task
4
Satisfies the task, connects all
ideas to task/purpose, refers
to and incorporates many
supporting details from
source(s), and exhibits a
logical and coherent sequence
of ideas throughout.
Performance Level
3
2
Satisfies the task; connections Satisfies the task; connections
are implied with few
may be unclear with some
irrelevancies. Refers to and
irrelevancies. Few supporting
incorporates some supporting details or references to
details from source(s).
source(s) included.
1
Makes at least one statement
which satisfies the task.
Remaining statements are
irrelevant to the task. Refers
poorly to source(s) with no
supporting details provided.
Makes at least one statement which
satisfies the task. Remaining statements
are irrelevant to the task. Refers poorly to
source(s) with no supporting details
provided.
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Writing in the Common Core
Checkpoint
B task (current)
+ Checkpoint B Writing (CCSS)
Single text
+ Checkpoint B Writing (CCSS)
Single text
Your family took a trip to Martinique this past
winter. Write a blog about your trip to Martinique
including details from the travel suggestions you
read prior to your trip.
OR
Your family is planning a trip to Martinique. Write
an email to your friend describing what you would
like to do based on the travel suggestions.
Note the revised text types (blog, email) which require
the student to adjust language for audience (register).
+ Checkpoint B Writing (CCSS)
Multiple texts
+ Checkpoint B Writing (CCSS)
Multiple texts
Your school is sponsoring a trip to France
this summer. In addition to visiting Paris,
your teacher is giving you the option of
selecting another city in France to visit.
Read the descriptions of the four cities, and
write an email to your teacher using
information from your articles to explain
which city you would like to visit.
Note that the student must
read the passage and
include information (no
longer just suggested).
Note that the student
must make an
argument/offer an
opinion AND justify it.
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New Checkpoint B Rubric
FLACS Checkpoint B Rubric
Implementation – September 2014
1st exams – June 2015
Dimension
Purpose/task
Organization
(The extent to which response
exhibits direction, shape, and
coherence.)
Vocabulary
Structure/ conventions
4
Accomplishes the task; refers
to and incorporates many
details from source(s) – text,
video, and/or audio - that
support the development of the
task, but there may be minor
irrelevancies.
Exhibits a logical and coherent
sequence throughout, provides
a clear sense of a beginning,
middle and end. Makes smooth
transitions between ideas.
Includes a wide variety of
vocabulary that expands the
topic, but there may be minor
inaccuracies.
Demonstrates a high degree of
control of Checkpoint B
structure/conventions:
· Subject/verb
agreement
· Present, past, future
ideas expressed as
appropriate
· Noun/adjective
agreement
· Correct word order
· Spelling/diacritical
marks
Errors do NOT hinder overall
comprehensibility of the
passage.
Word count
Performance Level
3
Accomplishes the task; refers
to and includes some details
from source(s) – text, video,
and/or audio - that support the
development of the task, but
there may be some
irrelevancies.
Exhibits a logical sequence,
provides a beginning, middle
and end.
Includes a variety of
vocabulary related to the topic.
Demonstrates some control of
Checkpoint B
structure/conventions:
· Subject/verb
agreement
· Present, past, future
ideas expressed as
appropriate
· Noun/adjective
agreement
· Correct word order
· Spelling/diacritical
marks
Errors do NOT hinder overall
comprehensibility of the
passage.
2
Accomplishes the task; refers
to and includes few details
from source(s) – text, video,
and/or audio - that support the
development of the task.
There are many irrelevancies.
1
Attempts to accomplish the
task; makes some reference to
source (text, video and/or
audio), but provides few or no
supporting details.
Attempts to provide a logical
sequence and/or the beginning
or ending is abrupt or unclear.
Utilizes little order; provides a
series of separate and/or
disconnected ideas.
Includes basic vocabulary;
some vocabulary may be
inaccurate or unrelated to the
topic.
Demonstrates some control of
Checkpoint B
structure/conventions.
Includes limited vocabulary
and/or most vocabulary is
inaccurate or unrelated to the
topic.
Demonstrates little control of
Checkpoint A or B
structure/conventions.
Errors DO hinder overall
comprehensibility of the
passage and/or there are
numerous Checkpoint A
errors.
Errors impede overall
comprehensibility of the
passage.
OR
Demonstrates a high degree of
control, but uses only
Checkpoint A structures/
conventions.
Uses 100 or more
comprehensible words in
target language that contribute
to the development of the task.
Uses 50-99 comprehensible
words in target language that
contribute to the development
of the task.
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FLACS Checkpoint B Rubric
Implementation – September 2014
1st exams – June 2015
New Checkpoint B Rubric
Dimension
Purpose/task
Performance Level
4
3
Accomplishes the task; refers to
Accomplishes the task; refers to
and incorporates many details
and includes some details from
from source(s) – text, video, and/or source(s) – text, video, and/or
audio - that support the
audio - that support the
development of the task, but there development of the task, but there
may be minor irrelevancies.
may be some irrelevancies.
2
Accomplishes the task; refers to
and includes few details from
source(s) – text, video, and/or
audio - that support the
development of the task. There
are many irrelevancies.
1
Attempts to accomplish the task;
makes some reference to source
(text, video and/or audio), but
provides few or no supporting
details.
Accomplishes the task; refers to and
incorporates many details from
source(s) – text, video, and/or audio that support the development of the
task, but there may be minor
irrelevancies.
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FLACS Checkpoint B Rubric
Implementation – September 2014
1st exams – June 2015
New Checkpoint B Rubric
Dimension
Purpose/task
Performance Level
4
3
Accomplishes the task; refers to
Accomplishes the task; refers to
and incorporates many details
and includes some details from
from source(s) – text, video, and/or source(s) – text, video, and/or
audio - that support the
audio - that support the
development of the task, but there development of the task, but there
may be minor irrelevancies.
may be some irrelevancies.
2
Accomplishes the task; refers to
and includes few details from
source(s) – text, video, and/or
audio - that support the
development of the task. There
are many irrelevancies.
1
Attempts to accomplish the task;
makes some reference to source
(text, video and/or audio), but
provides few or no supporting
details.
Accomplishes the task; refers to and
includes some details from source(s) –
text, video, and/or audio - that support
the development of the task, but there
may be some irrelevancies.
+
FLACS Checkpoint B Rubric
Implementation – September 2014
1st exams – June 2015
New Checkpoint B Rubric
Dimension
Purpose/task
Performance Level
4
3
Accomplishes the task; refers to
Accomplishes the task; refers to
and incorporates many details
and includes some details from
from source(s) – text, video, and/or source(s) – text, video, and/or
audio - that support the
audio - that support the
development of the task, but there development of the task, but there
may be minor irrelevancies.
may be some irrelevancies.
2
Accomplishes the task; refers to
and includes few details from
source(s) – text, video, and/or
audio - that support the
development of the task. There
are many irrelevancies.
1
Attempts to accomplish the task;
makes some reference to source
(text, video and/or audio), but
provides few or no supporting
details.
Accomplishes the task; refers to and
includes few details from source(s) –
text, video, and/or audio - that support
the development of the task. There
are many irrelevancies.
+
FLACS Checkpoint B Rubric
Implementation – September 2014
1st exams – June 2015
New Checkpoint B Rubric
Dimension
Purpose/task
Performance Level
4
3
Accomplishes the task; refers to
Accomplishes the task; refers to
and incorporates many details
and includes some details from
from source(s) – text, video, and/or source(s) – text, video, and/or
audio - that support the
audio - that support the
development of the task, but there development of the task, but there
may be minor irrelevancies.
may be some irrelevancies.
2
Accomplishes the task; refers to
and includes few details from
source(s) – text, video, and/or
audio - that support the
development of the task. There
are many irrelevancies.
1
Attempts to accomplish the task;
makes some reference to source
(text, video and/or audio), but
provides few or no supporting
details.
Attempts to accomplish the task;
makes some reference to source (text,
video and/or audio), but provides few
or no supporting details.
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Authentic texts to use with students
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
7 day weather forecasts
Hotel descriptions
Movie reviews
Itineraries
Schedules
Exhibition blurbs
Store ads
Contest ads
City street maps
Age-appropriate articles
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How do we prepare our students for
this new assessment?
 Incorporate
age-appropriate, but gradually
more difficult reading materials at all
levels.
 Ask
preliminary information-gathering
questions to check students understanding.
 Ask
evaluative questions (orally and in
writing) that require the student to make an
argument or offer an opinion and justify it
with evidence from the reading.
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How do we prepare our students for
this new assessment?
Overtly
teach writing strategies
including link words such as because,
I think, I agree, etc…
Incorporate
CCSS-type assessments
on our unit assessments.
Use
the rubrics to score student
assessments. Give students feedback
on their writing using the rubrics.
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The FLACS Organization
Foreign
Language Association of
Chairpersons & Supervisors
Formed
in response to the
cancellation of the LOTE
Proficiency and Regents exams.
www.flacs.org
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The FLACS Organization
A
consortium of schools across NYS who
wish to use a common benchmark for these
exams.
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FAQs about FLACS
 Membership
is on a year-to-year basis.
 Cost
is $50 – only one membership per district is
required.
 For
that one membership, your school receives
access to field-tested exams at both Checkpoints
A & B in 5 languages: Spanish, French, Italian,
German & Chinese.
 All
this for $50 and you don’t have to attend a local
consortium to write your own exam EVERY year and
miss instructional days as a result.
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FLACS – the process

One member joins (done every year).

Superintendent fills out an online application to participate in
the exam consortium (done every year).

On June 2, (approximately 2 weeks prior to the exam date), the
Superintendent will receive a link to the password-protected site
that contains all of the Checkpoint A & B exams (Spanish, French,
Italian, German & Chinese) and the Teacher Dictation scripts.

School must make enough copies for students and keep exams
in secure location until exam is administered.

Exam must be administered on the date selected (June 23, 2014
– Checkpoint A = AM; Checkpoint B = PM)

Scoring keys are released the day of the exam.
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FLACS – the exam itself
 The
Checkpoint A exam has a few slight
differences from the format/point value of the
former Proficiency exam.

The required word count for the writing section was
increased from 30 to 50 words.

The speaking portion remains 30 points, however, since
teachers are no longer permitted to score assessments in
which they have a vested interest, FLACS recommends the
following for this section:

Student performs a total of 3 tasks, with 5 utterances or
interactions with the teacher for each task.

The speaking tasks remaining the same as the SLP.
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FLACS – the exam itself
The
Checkpoint B exam is identical to
the format/point value of the former
Regents exam.
In
2015, the writing section of this
exam will be document-based to
align it with the CCSS and students
will be asked to begin writing in
different text types (notes, letters,
emails, etc...).
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Questions?