West Virginia Department of Education
State Training
June 11, 2009
Charleston, West Virginia
Objectives for Training:
• Develop an understanding of the WVDE
LinguaPod Program
• Develop an understanding of how to
effectively implement the program in the
classroom (lessons learned from pilot)
• Develop an understanding of how to
effectively train teachers to implement the
LinguaPod program
West Virginia Department of Education
Agenda
• Introductions and Program History
• Overview of the LinguaPod Program: What is LinguaPod?
• Episode 1 Program Demo
• Effectively implementing in the Middle School Classroom
• Lunch
• Training Teachers
• Closure
West Virginia Department of Education
Program History
• 2005 -West Virginia Department of Education
is awarded a three year SEA Foreign Language
Assistance Program(FLAP) grant
• Focus: Foreign Language expansion at the
middle school level
• Media-based program in the languages of
Spanish, French, Japanese, Chinese.
West Virginia Department of Education
What is LinguaPod?
• A digital media-based program designed to
introduce language to an audience of middle
school students
• Produced in the languages of Chinese, French,
Japanese and Spanish
• Each language series consists of 10 contextualized
episodes/pods that follow a similar story
• Each episode is accompanied by a series of
support curricular activities.
West Virginia Department of Education
What are the principles embedded in the LinguaPod
episodes that support language learning?
• The dialogue in each episode uses the target
language exclusively. (Comprehensible Input)
• Builds receptive and interpretive listening skills
for native pronunciation of the target language.
• Integrates cultural products, practices and
perspectives.
• Episodes are based in meaningful,
communicative contexts that carry significance
for middle school students.
West Virginia Department of Education
What are the Assessment pieces embedded
within LinguaPod?
• National Standards and WV CSO’s
• Formative Assessment for Learning
• Performance-based tasks and 21st Century
Skills
West Virginia Department of Education
How can LinguaPod be accessed?
• Individual episodes for the LinguaPod series
will be downloadable via Mp3 & MP4
technology available through the program
website. http://wvde.state.wv.us/linguapod/
• Episodes and extension learning activities are
available to participating teachers via DVD
format.
West Virginia Department of Education
LINGUAPOD PROGRAM DEMO:
JAPANESE EPISODE 1
West Virginia Department of Education
West Virginia Department of Education
West Virginia Department of Education
West Virginia Department of Education
Day 1
Episode 1
“Welcome”

Teacher-conducted
pre-viewing activities
(5 minutes)

Play
LinguaPod
episode (7 minutes)

Post-viewing
discussion
of
the
episode “What did you
observe?” (5 minutes)

Play
LinguaPod
episode
again.
(7
minutes)

Additional classroom
discussion if needed

Follow-up activity #1:
True/False Activity (5
minutes)

Follow-up activity #2:
Multiple Selection Card
Activity (5 minutes)

Students make
flashcards for key vocabulary
(10 minutes)
Day 2






Teacher-conducted
review (5 minutes)
Play
LinguaPod
episode (7 minutes)
Follow-up activity #3:
Match
the
Oral
Statement
to
the
Picture (5 minutes)
Follow-up activity #4:
Dictated
Labeling/Coloring/Dra
wing (5 minutes)
Follow-up activity #5:
Vocabulary Sequencing
(5 minutes)
Contextualized
listening
flashcard
activity (5 minutes)
Day 3




Play
LinguaPod
episode * (7 minutes)
Follow-up activity #6:
TPRS Storytelling (5
minutes)
Introduction to miniproject (5 minutes)
Students work on
contextualized miniprojects (remainder of
class)
West Virginia Department of Education
Day 4





Contextualized
listening flashcard
activity (5 minutes)
Play LinguaPod
episode * (7 minutes)
Small group sharing of
mini-project (20
minutes)
Self-assessment
checklist (5 minutes)
Teacher conducted
unit closure (5
minutes)
Pre-Viewing Discussion
Questions:
Post-Viewing Discussion
Questions:
•
•
•
•
•
•
What kind of supplies do you need on the
first day of school?
What kind of information do you need to
know on the first day of school?
Have you ever had to start over at a new
school where you did not know anyone?
How did you feel?
What helped you to feel comfortable in
your new school?
How many classes do you have? Do you
have a textbook for every class?
•
•
•
•
•
•
In Episode One, who was the new student
this year? What country was she from?
Do you think it would be difficult to go to
school in another country? Why?
What kind of school supplies did the
students need for school?
Where did they keep their books?
Was the exchange student familiar with
school lockers?
Do the students in the video take the
same classes as you?
What other things did you observe?
West Virginia Department of Education
West Virginia Department of Education
LINGUAPOD PROGRAM DEMO:
JAPANESE INTERPRETIVE ACTIVITIES
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West Virginia Department of Education
What are the language task components for each episode?
•
Multiple Choice Card Activity:
•
Oral True/False Questions:
•
Match the Oral Statement to the Picture:
•
Dictated Coloring, Labeling or Drawing:
•
Vocabulary Sequencing:
•
TPRS Storytelling:
The video teacher asks a question that has a choice response. As each
option is offered a color or symbol appears underneath the choice. Students indicate their answer by holding up
the color or symbol card that corresponds with the answer. (If a student feels comfortable, he/she might actually
say the choice in addition to holding up the card. Students should be encouraged to develop any sort of
production skills at their own individual pace, if at all.)
The video teacher asks a series of true or false statements related to
material presented in each episode. Students mark true or false on their paper according to the statement.
Students are given a series of pictures that relate to
the episode. The video teacher states a number and reads a sentence that describes one of the pictures. The
students place the number of the spoken statement in front of the corresponding picture
Students are given a partially completed sheet of paper
or a paper with black and white objects related to an episode. The video teacher orally directs the students to
color an object a specific color, to label an object or to draw a specific item.
The video teacher will tell a brief follow-up story or retelling of actions from
the episode. Students have pictures of vocabulary words on their papers. Students number the pictures in the
sequence that the vocabulary word is mentioned.
The video teacher narrates a very brief follow-up story or retelling of actions from the
episode. Students act out the short sequence using the gestures of the video student. The activity is repeated at
least 2 -3 times with the video student. The brief story is then narrated by the video teacher and the students act
out the story without the visuals
West Virginia Department of Education
Possible Review Questions
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
What happened in the episode yesterday?
Who were the main characters?
Which character did you like the most in the episode? Why?
What was the key issue/problem or topic of discussion in the episode?
How is the main issue connected to your own life?
Did you like the episode? Why or Why not?
What advice would you give to any of the characters based upon the events
featured in this episode?
Pick one of the characters from the episode. Imagine that you are that character.
Describe how you would have interacted with the situation and other characters
in this episode?
West Virginia Department of Education
Episode 1 Mini-project
Directions: In episode one, we are introduced to an exchange student from another country who has
come to West Virginia to study. Going to a new country can be both an exciting and scary experience. In
order to succeed you have to learn about all of the new customs and traditions associated with this new
culture. Imagine that an exchange student came to your school. What kind of things would that individual
need to know in order to succeed in school? For each episode of the LinguaPod series you are going to
complete a related mini-project that will highlight some piece of culture. At the end of the final LinguaPod
episode your collective mini-projects will be compiled together to make a guidebook that could be used by
a foreign exchange student.
Part 1
In episode one, the students experience the first day of a new school year. They get their books and
lockers and make important introductions. An exchange student would need to know about the number
of classes you take and the number of books you have for each subject. On the attached sheet you will
find a graph with a column for a class and a column for # of textbooks. List your current classes in the left
column. In the right column list the number of books that you need for each class.
Part 2
In the United States middle school students often use lockers. This is a custom that may not be the same
around the world. Do some research about schools in the country of the exchange student featured in
Episode one. See if you can find out about the use of lockers for that country. What other information can
you learn about the school? Try to find pictures of schools in that country. Be prepared to share your
findings with the class.
West Virginia Department of Education
West Virginia Department of Education
West Virginia Department of Education
Possible Unit Closure Questions
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
What important information was discussed in this episode that would be
essential for an exchange student to know?
What did you learn about the target culture form working with this episode?
What would you still like to learn more about?
What do you think is going to happen in the next episode?
How does this episode compare with the other episodes of this series?
What was the most important thing you learned from this episode?
Do you feel that you were able to understand most of the language in the
episode? Explain.
What are some ways you can follow-up with what you learned in this episode?
West Virginia Department of Education
What are the program components for each episode?
•
•
•
•
•
Pre-viewing/Post viewing discussion questions: The classroom teacher will provide
context and viewing guidance for students by using pre-viewing/post viewing discussion
questions.
Flashcards: Students make flashcards for key vocabulary. Cards consist of self-made
drawings on the front and the phonetic pronunciation of the word/phrase listed with
the target language word on the back. In addition to self-guided “practice”, the cards
will be used in contextualized listening activities throughout each episode.
Self-assessment checklist: At the end of each episode students will self-assess their
ability to complete specific language tasks related to each episode.
Contextualized formative mini-project: Students will complete a mini project at the
end of each episode that relates to the main topic for that particular episode. The
collective portfolio is an authentic assessment in itself, representing an orientation
book for a potential visiting exchange student or LEP student that could attend the
school.
Review questions: General questions designed to activate student knowledge of the
events that occur in each LinguaPod episode. A set of review discussion questions are
provided to the instructor to use throughout the sequence of each episode and at the
end of each unit.
West Virginia Department of Education
HOW DO YOU EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENT
THE LINGUAPOD PROGRAM?
West Virginia Department of Education
Scheduling Options
9 Week FLEX Facilitator Model
Enrichment Course Model
•Course Curriculum
•6-10 episodes of a series
•Facilitator/Language Proficient
Teacher
•Foreign Language Curriculum
•All 10 episodes of a series
•Facilitator
• 6th Grade Students
• 6th, 7th, or 8th Grade Students Outside Of Language Track
6 Week Instructional
Resource Model
6 Week FLEX Facilitator Model
•Foreign Language
Curriculum
•6-8 episodes of a series
•Facilitator
• 6th Grade Students
•Instructional Resource
•6-8 episodes of a series
•Language Proficient Teacher
•6th Grade Students
9 Week Instructional Resource
Model
•Instructional Resource
•All 10 episodes of a series
•Language Proficient Teacher
•6th Grade Students
West Virginia Department of Education
Who makes the best classroom facilitator?
• Instructors with Language Backgrounds – An
individual who has studied other languages and
cultures intensely in the past.
• Instructors with Technology Backgrounds- An
Individual who feels comfortable accessing content
from video sources and facilitating instruction.
• Instructors of Innovation- A talented and innovative
individual who knows how to facilitate learning and
actively engage students.
West Virginia Department of Education
Lessons Learned from the Pilot
• Establishing Contextualized Language Learning with
each LinguaPod Episode
• Facilitating Interpretive Listening Activities
• Accessing Cultural and Linguistic
Resources/Moderator
West Virginia Department of Education
Establish Contextualized Language Learning
• Adequately establish Context of the episode using
the available resources (questions, personalization,
real-world application, activity prompts).
• Utilize Multiple Passes with a specific listening task
in order to actively engage students in the story.
• Seek/Create Contextualized Extension
Opportunities to increase student learning
outcomes.
West Virginia Department of Education
Facilitating Interpretive Listening Activities
• Adequately Scaffold interpretive listening tasks by
providing listeners with appropriate strategies.
• Emphasize the Context of the activity.
• Utilize Multiple Passes as needed in order to provide
students with sufficient time to apply interpretive
listening skills.
• Review correct responses to interpretive listening
tasks to emphasize the development of listening
skills.
West Virginia Department of Education
Accessing Cultural and Linguistic Resources /Moderator
• Identify a Native Speaker of the language in the
regional area.
• Create ongoing opportunities for students to
Document their questions about the target language
and culture.
• Provide an opportunity for Language and Cultural
Exchange.
West Virginia Department of Education
LINGUAPOD TRAINING VIDEO
West Virginia Department of Education
LinguaPod Episode
Theme/Context
1: The Welcome
Start of school
2: The Foreign Language
Festival
Planning for a competition
3: The Play
Performing a
play/production
4: The Surprise Party
Planning for a party
5: The Photo Album
Preparing a photo/memory
album
6: Here’s My Schedule
Comparing schedules
7: It’s Noon
Discussing food
8: The Birthday Box
Discussing clothing
9: Here’s My family
Identifying family members
10: “Cousin” Phones
Discussing activities
West Virginia Department of Education
NOW IT IS YOUR TURN TO TRY!
West Virginia Department of Education
Next Steps
• Discuss the LinguaPod program with local
administrators and teachers.
• Make a request for program materials (copy of
instructor's manual and DVD resources) using the
online registration form. Please register by August
12, 2009
• WVDE will provide ongoing technical assistance
throughout the fall and will be gathering program
data.
West Virginia Department of Education
QUESTIONS?
West Virginia Department of Education
Contact for Additional Information:
Robert Crawford
Coordinator, World Languages
Building 6, Room 318
Kanawha Boulevard, East
Charleston, WV 25305-0330
(304) 558-2691
rcrawford@access.k12.wv.us
West Virginia Department of Education