Span 477 Final Exam Study Guide
Definitions
Define the following terms:
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Affective Filter
Backward Design
Cognitive Load
Communicative Approach
Comprehensible Input
Contextualization
Culturally Authentic Materials
Differentiated Instruction
Fair Use
Graphic Organizer
Heritage Speaker
Immersion
Information Gap Activity
Information Gap Activity (Info.
Gap)
Integrated Performance
Assessment (IPA)
Oral Proficiency
Scaffolding
Target Language (TL)
Thematic Planning
Total Physical Response (TPR)
Tools
What do each of the following tools do?
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Audacity
FLTEACH
Freeimages
Google Docs/Forms
Rubistar
Slideshare
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B)
C)
D)
E)
F)
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Splicd (TubeChop)
Survey Monkey
Tagxedo
ViewPure
Voki
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H)
I)
J)
K)
12 Wikispaces
L)
Audio editing
Collection of PowerPoint presentations
Copyright-safe photos
Generates a cloud of key words in different shapes
Listserv for world language teachers
Online collaboration software (documents,
presentations, quizzes, spreadsheets, surveys)
Removes ads and sidebars from YouTube videos
Rubric creation
Survey tool
Talking avatar creation
Tool for selecting and displaying specific segments of
videos
Wiki creation
Span 477 Final Exam Study Guide
Synthesis Questions
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Explain the most important thing you learned in this class that you think will help you as
a teacher.
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If you had to generate a concept map about teaching and learning world languages,
what would you include on it?
Assessment
Oral Proficiency
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I can define proficiency (as it pertains to world language education).
I can explain what an OPI is, how it is structured, and why it is useful to language
educators.
I can explain how student performance differs at the novice, intermediate, advanced,
and superior levels.
1) What is an "oral proficiency interview (OPI)?"
2) To which level of the ACTFL Rating Scale for OPIs would each of the following
descriptions of student performance correspond? (Distinguished, Superior, Advanced,
Intermediate, or Novice)
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Can ask and respond to simple questions about familiar topics
Can communicate primarily in paragraphs
Can communicate minimally with formulaic or memorized words, phrases, and lists
Can discuss abstract topics, hypothesize, and justify opinions
Can narrate and describe in the past, present, and future
Can participate in extended discourse
Can talk about a wide range of general interest topics and some special fields of
interest/expertise, and can explain complex matters in detail
Can talk about common aspects of daily life
Can talk about highly predictable, familiar topics that affect them directly
Can talk about topics of general interest
Communicates primarily at the sentence level
Relies primarily on individual words and phrases to communicate
Demonstrates no pattern of error in basic structures, but some in complex structure
3) What could you say that might convince your colleagues that the Oral Proficiency
Guidelines or the NCSSFL-ACTFL Global Statements are useful tools for planning
curriculum?
Span 477 Final Exam Study Guide
4) How do the tasks students can complete change as their language proficiency increases?
5) What major "change" or "improvement" must occur in order for a student to move from
Novice to Intermediate, Intermediate to Advanced, and Advanced to Superior? (p. 249)
Performance-based Assessment & Rubrics
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I can list the primary purposes of assessment.
I can explain key principles of:
o error correction
o giving feedback
o rubrics
I can explain the difference between formative, summative, and performance-based
assessment.
6) Give some examples of good evaluation options for a world language teacher.
7) List several key principles teachers should keep in mind about error correction and
giving feedback? (pp. 283-288; pp. 327-329)
8) What are the advantages of using a rubric for assessment as opposed to a letter grade
or percentage points?
9) What is the difference between a rubric and a checklist/scoring sheet?
10) How many columns should a rubric have and why?
Testing & Evaluation
11) What are some of the purposes of assessment?
12) What are some key principles of assessment that language teachers should keep in mind?
13) Give an example of several different types of test questions you might use in a FL class.
14) What is the difference between formative and summative assessment?
15) What is performance-based assessment?
Span 477 Final Exam Study Guide
World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages
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I can explain the unique contributions of the National Standards for Foreign Language
Learning, the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines, the ACTFL Performance Descriptors, and the
NCSSFL-ACTFL Global Can Do Statements.
I can list and describe the 5 Cs.
I can list and describe the 3 modes of communication.
I can list and describe the 3 Ps of culture.
16) List the 5 Cs of world language learning and for each one, give an example of what
students would be doing in a Spanish classroom that incorporates that C.
17) List the 3 modes of communication and give an example of each one.
Mode of Communication
What are the key characteristics of
this mode of communication?
18) What are the 3 Ps of culture?
19) Explain the importance of the cultural triangle to a colleague who is unfamiliar with the
National Standards.
20) “Learners build, reinforce, and expand their knowledge of other disciplines while using
the language to develop critical thinking and to solve problems creatively” is part of
what World-Readiness Standard for Learning Languages?
21) What about language teaching and learning do the World-Readiness Standards for
Learning Languages hope to change?
Second Language Acquisition
22) Krashen’s (1982) theories are both widely cited and strongly criticized. What
contributions do his theories make to language teaching, and what are some of the
counterarguments that have been made against them? (See pp. 15-17.) What do YOU
think?
Span 477 Final Exam Study Guide
Contributions of Krashen’s Theories
Arguments Against Krashen’s Theories
23) According to Swain (1995) and others, in what ways does pushed output support
language acquisition? (See p. 22.)
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
Contextualization, Culture, & Realia
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I can list key principles of teaching culture.
I can explain the cultural triangle.
I can give examples of cultural products, practices, and perspectives.
I can define contextualization.
I can define culturally authentic materials.
24) What is “contextualization” and how does it support language learning?
25) Why is it important to integrate culture into your lessons?
26) List at least 3 key principles for teaching culture.
27) What are "culturally authentic materials?"
28) Is a painting from Spain an example of a cultural product, practice, or perspective?
29) Give an example of a cultural practice from a Spanish-speaking country.
30) Define “cultural perspective.”
Span 477 Final Exam Study Guide
Heritage Speakers (We did not discuss this, so it will not be on the final.)
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I can define heritage speaker.
I can identify common problems heritage speakers experience in language classes.
31) Define "heritage speaker."
32) List at least 3 struggles that students who are heritage speakers of Spanish may
encounter in language classes.
33) What adjustments might the teacher need to make for students who are heritage
speakers of Spanish?
Differentiation & Personality
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I can define differentiation of instruction.
I can explain how students’ personalities may influence their learning (True Colors).
I can give examples of how to modify a lesson to better meet individual student needs.
34) What does it mean to "differentiate instruction" and how does it affect lesson planning?
35) Choose an activity and explain how you would adapt it to meet the needs of a timid
student who is reluctant to participate. Then tell how you would adjust it to meet the
needs of a class containing 10 students who are hyperactive.
36) Explain why a “gold” teacher might be likely to experience conflict with an "orange"
student.
37) List at least 2 characteristics that are most strongly associated with each of the following
True Colors: blue, gold, green, orange
38) You have an ORANGE student in your classroom, what kinds of things would you need to
do in order to keep their attention and help them learn?
21st Century Skills
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I can explain why creativity, critical thinking, visual cognition, and graphic design are important
to language learning.
39) What are some key things to keep in mind about creativity as it pertains to language
development?
Span 477 Final Exam Study Guide
40) How do principles of visual cognition and graphic design help teachers guide students’
thinking?
41) Why is critical thinking such an important part of proficiency development?
42) What is Bloom’s Taxonomy and how can it help language teachers?
43) How can you take advantage of collaboration as a tool for developing proficiency?
Lesson Planning & Pacing
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I can explain key principles of writing objectives.
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I can define thematic planning.
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I can explain how thematic planning differs from more traditional approaches to lesson planning.
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I can use the 5 Ts to plan a standards-based, thematic, meaningful language learning experience
for students.
Writing Objectives
44) Why should the words know, learn, practice, or understand never be used when writing
an objective that states, "Students will . . . .?"
45) Objectives should be ____________ and ______________. They should also align with
your ___________________.
46) What are the key elements of an objective?
47) Why would the following objective be considered ill-formed? Students will understand
the difference between the preterit and the imperfect tenses.
Lesson & Unit Planning
48) What is a “scope and sequence?”
49) How would you define “thematic planning?”
50) How does thematic planning differ from more traditional approaches to lesson planning
in world language classrooms?
Span 477 Final Exam Study Guide
51) What is “backward design” and how does it help guide teachers in their lesson planning?
52) How do the 5 Ts help teachers plan more thematic, meaningful lessons?
53) List at least 3 strategies for making your lessons more meaningful for students.
Pedagogy
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I can explain key principles of giving effective instructions.
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I can explain why it is important to activate students’ prior knowledge.
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I can define cognitive load, comprehensible input, and scaffolding.
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I can list effective strategies for making input comprehensible.
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I can list effective strategies for scaffolding interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational
activities for students.
Giving Instructions
54) List several key principles for giving effective instructions and explain why each one is
important.
55) When giving instructions, you should use a maximum of ______ steps, with no more
than ___ words per step.
56) Why is modeling an important part of giving instructions?
57) Show your understanding of giving instructions by explaining your favorite classroom
game or activity.
Prior Knowledge
58) Why is it so important to activate students’ prior knowledge?
59) List at least 3 strategies for activating students’ prior knowledge.
60) Explain "cognitive load" and list at least 3 ways to avoid it in your classroom.
Scaffolding
61) What are some strategies for making input comprehensible to students?
Span 477 Final Exam Study Guide
62) According to the text, what are some of the ways that experts can scaffold the
performance of novices? (See p. 26.)
63) How can a teacher determine which parts of a lesson require scaffolding?
64) What kinds of scaffolding would be required to ensure students’ success with learning
centers?
65) What does the Zone of Proximal Development have to do with scaffolding?
Teaching Philosophies, Approaches, & Strategies (We did not cover this)
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I can explain the role of the Spirit in language teaching and learning.
I can explain why agency, physical activity, and forgiveness are critical aspects of
language learning.
66) What are some strategies you could use to invite the spirit of learning into the
classroom?
67) What roles do you think agency, the body, and mistakes should play in students’
classroom experiences?
68) Why is it important for students to move and talk in a language classroom?
Professionalism
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I can define professional engagement.
I can list strategies for developing a professional learning network (PLN).
69) List at least 3 personal qualities, 3 professional practices, and 3 perspectives that might
serve as evidence of professionalism in world language education.
70) Define “professional engagement.”
71) Explain why and how active participation in professional communities will enhance your
capabilities as an educator.
Span 477 Final Exam Study Guide
Reading & Writing (Literacy Development)
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I can identify key principles of selecting effective texts for language classes.
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I can explain the purposes of pre-, during, and post-reading/listening/viewing activities.
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I can explain how and why it is important to integrate culturally authentic materials into
language learning.
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I can explain the difference between bottom-up and top-down processing.
Reading
72) What are some of the characteristics you would look for when selecting a children’s
book for use with your Spanish classes?
73) What are the purposes of pre-reading, during reading, and post-reading activities?
74) Give an example of a “during reading” activity you might use with students.
75) What does the phrase, “edit the task and not the text” mean?
76) What is the difference between bottom-up and top-down processing? (pp. 182-184)
77) What does the current research say about the integration of authentic texts? (pp. 195200
Writing
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I can list key principles of effective writing instruction.
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I can explain how the writing process differs in L1 and in L2.
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I can list strategies for scaffolding writing tasks for students.
78) How does the writing process in L1 differ from the writing process in L2? (See
Translating from p. 302).
79) List at least 3 practical suggestions for improving students’ writing in Spanish.
80) What are some of the key things a teacher should consider when grading students’
writing in Spanish?
Span 477 Final Exam Study Guide
81) What advice would you give to a colleague thinking about using journals with a Spanish
102 class for the first time?
82) What implications does the paragraph about unsuccessful writers have for how teachers
might scaffold L2 writing for students? (Bottom of p. 304, top of p. 305).
Technology & Visual Cognition
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I can list key principles of effective searching.
I can explain key principles of copyright for educators.
I can explain how applying principles of graphic design and visual cognition can improve
student learning.
I can explain affordances and constraints of integrating technology into the language
classroom.
I can give examples of technological tools that are useful to language teachers and
learners.
83) Explain some of the tips or tools you have learned for searching the web more
effectively.
84) When you want to use a picture in class, how might copyright restrictions affect your
choices?
85) How might principles of graphic design be used to improve students' learning?
86) What does the “rule of thirds” mean?
87) Explain at least one possible way each of the following tools could be used in a Spanish
classroom: Freeimages, Rubistar, ViewPure
88) What is a wiki?
89) Based on our class discussions and readings, what cautions would you offer to language
teachers who are thinking about teaching with technology?
90) What questions should I have asked you that I did not?