Michigan’s Merit Curriculum
World Language Requirement
Emily Spinelli
American Associated of Teachers of Spanish and
Portuguese
Anne Nerenz
Eastern Michigan University
Jackie Moase-Burke
Oakland (MI) Schools
Merit Curriculum Initiative
To prepare Michigan’s students with
the skills and knowledge needed for
the jobs of the 21st century global
economy, the state of Michigan has
enacted a rigorous new set of
statewide graduation requirements.
Michigan Graduation
Requirements…
Beginning with the graduating class of
2011, students will be required to meet the
new Michigan High School Graduation
Requirements
 4 credits of Mathematics
 4 credits of English Language Arts
 3 credits of Science
 3 credits of Social Studies
 1 credit physical education/health
 1 credit visual, performing, applied arts
 An online experience
Michigan Merit Curriculum
Graduation Requirements
include a World Language requirement
Beginning with the class of 2016 (5th
graders in 2008-09), students will need to
complete two credits of a World Language
in grades 9 - 12 OR have an equivalent
learning experience
in grades K-12
Working Group
 No State Supervisor of World Languages
since 1991
 Forming a World Languages Working Group
 American sign language, Anishinaabe, French,
German, Japanese, Spanish
 Levels
 Elementary, middle school, high school, community
college, university, regional educational agencies,
administrators
 Geographic representation
Key Point #1: New Documents
Michigan Merit Curriculum
Credit/Experience Guidelines
World Language Standards
and Benchmarks
The
Michigan
Guidelines
for World
Languages
The
Michigan
World
Language
Standards
and
Benchmarks
Key Point #2:
Changing What and How Students Learn
 Conducted primarily in the target language
 Incorporate appropriate technology to facilitate
learning
 Focus on concepts of language and culture that have
value beyond the classroom
 Emphasize the development of all four language skills listening, speaking, reading, writing, within the
interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational modes of
communication
National and State Standards
 Organized around the 5 Cs





Communication
Culture
Connections
Comparisons
Communities
 Benchmark expectations in all 5 areas
Standard 1.1
Interpersonal Communication
Students engage in conversations, provide and
obtain information, express feelings and
emotions, and exchange opinions.
13
Standard 1.1
Interpersonal Communication
 Speaking/Listening or Signed





Exempt = no longer spoken
1.1 S. a - d Socializing
1.1.S. d - g Identifying and describing
1.1.S. g - i Exchanging information
1.1.S. i - k Exchanging opinions
 Reading/Writing





Exempt =not written
1.1.RW . a - d Socializing
1.1.RW . d - g Identifying and describing
1.1.RW . g - i Exchanging information
1.1.RW . i - k Exchanging opinions
Standard II Culture
 2.1 Cultural Practices and Perspectives




Exempt = none
2.1. H. a - h
2.1. F. a - e
2.1. E. a - c
Impact of historic events and governmental systems
Role of family and community
Education, employment and economy
 2.2 Cultural Products and Perspectives




Exempt = none
2.2. G. a - d
2.2. C. a - b
2.2. F. a - D
Impact of geography and natural resources
Importance of cultural and creative heritage
Artifacts associated with family and community
(daily routines, basic needs, native products, leisure, holidays and
celebrations)
 2.2. E. a - D
Artifacts associated with education, employment,
and the economy (facilities, materials, resources, products,
services,currency)
Standard V Communities
 5.1 Use of Language
 Exempt = none
 5.1. a Exchange information in the language locally and
around the world
 5.1. b Use the language to provide service to others
 5.2 Personal enrichment
 Exempt = none
 5.2. a Willing use and seek out opportunities to use the
language
 5.2. b Use authentic materials to explore topics of
personal interest and enjoyment
 5.2. c Identify and investigate careers, and volunteer in
a setting, that requires use of another language
or cross-cultural understanding
Key Point #3:
To whom should the requirement apply?
 ALL students
 Some individual educational plans
(IEP) may allow for exemptions.
Key Point #4:
Which Languages
 Languages currently taught within the school
curriculum
 Languages that are not currently not offered with the
context of the school curriculum
 Languages that are not written
 Languages that are no longer spoken
 Languages that are signed
 Home and/or heritage languages
Key Point #5:
SAME World Language
Two credits must be earned in the same
language
Extended sequences of study
lead to functional language proficiency and
cultural competence.
Key Point #6:
Required Level of Proficiency
Minimum level to meet the graduation
requirement = Novice High
What exactly can Novice High
students do?
 Communicate with learned or memorized
materials and begins to create with
language in short conversations
 Use words, phrases and simple sentences
to ask and answer questions
 Function in basic, daily situations
involving home, family, school and
community
Proficiency Levels
Beyond the Requirement
Benchmarks were prepared for two additional
levels
— Intermediate Low - Intermediate Mid reflecting
continued study beyond the two required credits
— Pre-advanced (Intermediate High and beyond)
reflecting extended sequences of study (AP)
Key point #7:
Meeting the Requirement
•Two credits of a world language in grades 9
-1 2
• Demonstrated equivalent proficiency
acquired K-8 or in other settings
— Equivalent experiences in a K-8 program
— Other equivalent experiences
A. Study in a High School Setting
 Curriculum must address all 5 Cs
 Curriculum must be aligned with the
Michigan World Languages Benchmarks
 Assessments must be aligned with the
Michigan World Languages Benchmarks
at the minimum level
 Credit will be measured in seat time with
an expectation of exit proficiency
equivalent to Novice High
B. Possible
Equivalent
Experiences
in a K-8
Setting
Page 14-15
C. Other Equivalent Experiences
 Home and heritage languages
 Schooling abroad
 Other life experiences
Key Point #8:
Verification of Proficiency
Integrative proficiency-based
assessments using authentic
print, video, and audio materials
 Grades 9-12
 Successful completion of two
credits in the same language at
the high school level
 Equivalent Experience
 first year summative exam demonstrating
proficiency at the Novice Mid level or second
year summative exam demonstrating
proficiency at the Novice High level
 Novice Mid (rating of 2) or Novice High (rating
of 3) on the STAMP in reading, writing and
speaking
 Score equivalent to Level I or Level II on a
nationally-approved language exam, i.e.
proficiency-based sections of the AATSP
national Spanish exam
 Score equivalent to European level A1 or A2
 Official school transcripts documenting continuous school
experience (one semester = 1 credit; second semester = second
credit)
 Successful completion of a combination of district assessments
and commercially-prepared assessments at the Novice-Mid
level
— ELLOPA
— SOPA
— SOPI
— OPI
— SCPI
New Ways to Assess
 Incorporate performance-based assessments
that are varied and have application beyond the
classroom
 Assessments must allow students to
demonstrate the 5Cs
For Discussion…
CURRICULUM
How can we go about designing a standards-based
program?
INSTRUCTION
What do we need to do to meet the needs of all learners
so that all children will be able to satisfy this
graduation requirement?
ASSESSMENT
What standards-based assessments are already
available? What assessments need to be developed?
INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES
What materials and resources do we already have?
What will we need?
For additional information…
 Emily Spinelli, AATSP
espinelli@aatsp.org
 Anne Nerenz, Eastern Michigan University
anerenz@emich.edu
 Jackie Moase-Burke, Oakland (MI) Schools
jackie.moaseburke@oakland.k12.mi.us