Understanding
Proficiency
and IPAs
Ohio Foreign Language
Association
Presenter Information
Martha Pero
Hudson City Schools
perom@hudson.edu
Objectives: You will be able to...
1) Explain the characteristics of the proficiency
levels.
2) Explain the 3 modes of communication.
3) Explain the use of IPAs for SLOs.
4) Explain the parts of an IPA.
5) Develop an example IPA.
One Stop Shopping for Information
http://oflaslo.weebly.co
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I. Proficiency Vs. Performance
•
•
•
•
Performance
Proficiency
to communicate
meaningful
information
in spontaneous
interaction
understandable to
native speakers
does not mean
perfection
•
•
•
performance in
familiar contexts
practiced and
rehearsed
connected to
specific curriculum
Proficiency OR Performance?
A. Mrs L. is a French teacher who just completed a chapter on
food with her French 1 class. She decides to take her students
to a local African restaurant as a capstone activity. At the
restaurant, students are expected to order their food and provide
opinions in the target language (all functions they have
rehearsed in class). The students do very well in performing
these tasks.
B. Suddenly, two African men come to the table and start
interacting with her students. Their questions are not necessarily
related to food. After the initial shock, Mrs L.'s students start
uttering a few words ("Yes", "No", "sometimes") and using simple
sentences ("I am 13 years old", "Yes, I like French"), they have a
hard time understanding the native speakers.
II. Proficiency Levels
What are the proficiency
levels?
Novice
Intermediate
Advanced
Superior
Proficiency Levels
Proficiency Levels for SLOs
Level 1: Novice-mid
Level 2: Novice-high
Level 3: Intermediate-low
Level 4: Intermediate-Mid
Level 5: Intermediate-High
AP: Advanced-Low
Proficiency Levels Defined
Proficiency Sublevels
LOW
a baseline performance for the level; sustained but
skeletal for the level; “Just hanging on”
MID
solid performance for level; quantity/quality for the
level; may have some features of the next level
HIGH
sustained performance close to the next major level
Examples
Determine why the speakers are
Novice and Intermediate
Novice
Intermediate
Further Proficiency Descriptions
http://actflproficiencyguidelines2012.org/
http://www.actfl.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/P
erformanceDescriptorsLanguageLearners.
pdf
Proficiency Sublevel Differences
•
Differences between low and mid
is the quantity and quality with the
same function
• Differences between mid and high
is not being able to sustain criteria for
the next level
Peaks and Lows of Proficiency
•
•
Students might spike into the next proficiency level
They are unable to sustain it and return to the lower
proficiency level
III. The Modes of Communication
Interpersonal
Interpretive
Presentational
Interpersonal Communication
1) Interpersonal communication is...
2) Interpersonal communication is
NOT...
Interpretive Communication
1) Interpretive communication is...
2) Interpretive communication is
NOT...
Presentational Communication
1) Presentational communication
is...
2) Presentational communication is
NOT...
IV. IPAs Explained
Integrated Performance Assessment
Why IPA?
• Proficiency based (new Ohio
Standards are proficiency based,
too!)
• SLO guidelines do not allow the use
of multiple choice tests
• Approved by the Ohio Department of
Education
Characteristics of IPA
Authentic
Performance-based
Based on three modes of communication
Integrated
Show developmental progress of proficiency
Blend with classroom instruction/experiences
V. Where IPAs Fit In
Steps to write an IPA
1) Language function to be targeted
2) Decide interpretive task*
3) Decide presentational task*
4) Decide interpersonal task*
*Do NOT have to be in this order
PROFICIENCY Rubrics for IPAs
http://oflaslo.weebly.com/proficiencyrubrics.html#.UecsA2Q9Cng
VI. Examples of IPAs
http://oflaslo.weebly.com/integratedperformance-assessment-ipacenter.html#.Uecsj2Q9Cng
Spanish 2:
http://www.weebly.com/uploads/1/9/5/2/195273
49/spanish_ii__ipa_food-gazpacho.docx
French 1:
http://www.weebly.com/uploads/1/9/5/2/195273
Selected Thematic Focus: Family
Language Level of Students: Novice-Mid
Essential Question: Can you describe your
family?
Elements to explore within the thematic focus:
Function: Describe your family.
Text type: Lists isolated sentences.
Selected Thematic Focus: Family
Task: You are participating in an
exchange program with a student
from country X. To get to know them
before you visit them and they visit
you, you exchange letters. You and
your classmates have received your
letters (with their pictures!) today in
your language class.
Selected Thematic Focus: Family
1) Interpretive: Students receive a letter, with a
picture, from a host family. They need to
answer questions about the host family.
2) Interpersonal: Students, in groups, compare
and contrast their host family pictures.
3) Presentational: Respond to your host
family's letter to describe your family.
VII. Let's Create an IPA!
Using the template, create an IPA
with your partner/group.
Be prepared to share your ideas at
the end of the work time!
IPA format
Final thought...
How do IPAs, proficiency,
etc., transform how we
think about language
instruction?
Works Cited
ACTFL PERFORMANCE DESCRIPTORS FOR LANGUAGE LEARNERS. Alexandria, VA: American Council
on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, 2012. Print.
"ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines." ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 July 2013.
Bleicher, Arnold. "Assessing Performance to Demonstrate Growth." ACTFL Workshop. Dublin Scioto High
School, Dublin. 15 July 2013. Lecture.
Pero, Martha, and Cecile Laine. "WELCOME TO THE OFLA ONE-STOP SHOP FOR ALL YOUR STUDENT
LEARNING OBJECTIVES NEEDS! - Home."WELCOME TO THE OFLA ONE-STOP SHOP FOR ALL YOUR
STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES NEEDS! N.p., n.d. Web. 18 July 2013.
Sandrock, Paul. Through World Languages: Developing Literacy through Language Learning. N.p.: American
Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, n.d. PDF.
Sandrock, Paul. The Keys to Assessing Language Performance: A Teacher's Manual for Measuring Student
Progress. Alexandria, VA: American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, 2010. Print.
Swender, Dr. Elvira. "ACTFL Proficiency Levels in the Work World." Proc. of CIBER 2012 Conference,
Chapel Hill, North
Carolina. N.p.: n.p., n.d. 5-16. Print.