Not so overwhelming:
Incorporating Common Core
standards and designing W1/W2
performance tasks
Agenda
• Aligning Common Core Standards with National
Standards for Learning Languages (15 min)
• Grouping by level (10 min)
• Overview of performance tasks (15 min)
• Completing performance task outline (leaving
here with something you can use!) (20 min)
• Questions/Discussion/Sharing(10 min)
COMMON CORE
What it is and how we can use it
Purpose of CCSS (their mission)
• The Common Core State Standards provide a
consistent, clear understanding of what students
are expected to learn, so teachers and parents
know what they need to do to help them. The
standards are designed to be robust and relevant
to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and
skills that our young people need for success in
college and careers. With American students
fully prepared for the future, our communities
will be best positioned to compete successfully in
the global economy.
CCSS: Key Points in Language Arts
• Reading
▫
▫
▫
▫
“staircase” of increasing complexity
progressive development of reading comprehension
diverse array of classic and contemporary literature
challenging informational texts
• Writing
▫ write logical arguments based on substantive claims,
sound reasoning, and relevant evidence
▫ short, focused projects
▫ longer term, in-depth research
Key Points in Language Arts
• Speaking and listening
▫ gain, evaluate, and present increasingly complex information,
ideas, and evidence through listening and speaking as well as
through media
▫ one-on-one and whole-class settings
• Language
▫ grow their vocabularies through a mix of conversations,
direct instruction, and reading
▫ use formal English [or WL] in their writing
• Media and Technology
▫ integrated throughout the standards
What does this mean for WL?
• Nothing on CCSS’ website
• Few resources; only ACTFL says:
▫ simple to complex usage
▫ ultimate goal is academic, formal language usage
▫ Main idea:
Common Core vs. National Standards
Common Core State
Standards for English
Language Arts and Literacy
(Anchor Standards)
• Reading
• Writing
• Speaking and Listening
• Language
National Standards for
Learning Languages
• Three Modes of
Communication
▫ Interpersonal
▫ Interpretive
▫ Presentational
• ACTFL Proficiency
Guidelines
▫ Novice
▫ Intermediate
▫ Advanced
Basic Alignment: 3 modes + anchor
standards
(ACTFL’s diagram)
Translating proficiency/grade levels
ACTFL proficiency levels
• Novice-Low/Mid
• Novice-High
• Intermediate-Low
• Intermediate-Mid
• Intermediate-High +
• Advanced levels
CCSS grade level equivalents
• Kindergarten/some 1st grade
• 1st grade/some 2nd grade
• 2nd and 3rd grades
• 4th grade/some 5th grade
• 6th grade +
• 8th grade
Identifying target proficiency levels:
middle school (alphabetic & logographic)
Identifying target proficiency levels:
high school (alphabetic languages)
Identifying target proficiency levels:
high school (logographic languages)
Strategies
• Start small: add one CCSS
standard to each lesson plan.
• Don’t worry about the a,b,c
standards at first.
• Increase CCSS integration into
lessons over time.
• Don’t overload the lesson with
CCSS or National Standards;
maintain focus on the primary
communication objective for
your lesson.
• Don’t fret over whether a
standard matches your objective
exactly in its wording (this drove
me crazy at first!).
Don’t let this be you. You’re
already doing your job
wonderfully! No crazy changes
from the top will change that.
Keep doing what you do.
Translating standards: Example 1
Level 1: I CAN describe myself.
Possible task: Present a labeled self-portrait to the class; give 5 descriptive
phrases about yourself.
• Mode of Communication:
Presentational (speaking)
• ACTFL Proficiency Level:
Novice-Low
• North Carolina Essential
Standards:
▫ NL.CLL.3 = Use single words and
simple, memorized phrases in
presentations to identify [and
describe] people, places, and
things.
• Common Core State Standards
• Grade: Kindergarten
• Speaking and Listening
• SL.K.4 = Describe
familiar people,
places, things, and
events, and, with
prompting and
support, provide add’l
detail.
Translating standards: Example 2
Level 3: I CAN ask and understand others about trips they took
Possible task: Jigsaw activity: Identify where your partner went on a map
and which geographical characteristics they saw, using (past tense)
questions and answers.
• Mode of Communication:
Interpersonal
(speaking/listening)
• ACTFL Proficiency Level:
Intermediate-low
• North Carolina Essential
Standards:
▫ IL.CLL.1.2 = Use questions to
exchange information in familiar
situations.
▫ IL.CMT.1.2 = Carry out
unrehearsed interactions […with
TL speakers or learners.]
• Common Core State Standards
• Grades: 2nd and 3rd
• Speaking and Listening
• SL.3.3 = Ask and
answer questions about
information from a
speaker […].
• SL.3.4 = […R]ecount an
experience with
appropriate fact and
relevant, descriptive
details, speaking clearly
at an understandable
pace.
Notes: 9-10 are together; 11-12 are together (VAGUE!). See
http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/introduction-for-6-12
Translating standards: Example 3
Level 5: I CAN express interest in and preferences for career possibilities
within or related to the target culture.
Possible task: Write a professional cover letter to accompany a résumé.
• Mode of Communication:
Presentational (writing)
• ACTFL Proficiency Level:
Advanced-mid
• North Carolina Essential
Standards:
▫ AM.CLL.3.2 = Produce clear, wellorganized texts for a variety of
audiences on concrete, social and
professional topics.
▫ AM.CMT.2.1 = Evaluate practices,
products, and perspectives related
to social and professional topics.
• Common Core State Standards
• Grades: 8
• Writing
• W.8.4 = Produce clear
and coherent writing in
which the devel., org.,
and style are
appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience.
• Language
• L.8.3 = Use knowledge
of lang. and its
conventions when
writing, speaking, [etc.]
PERFORMANCE TASKS
What they are and why they work
for us
Grouping by level (language?)
•
•
•
•
•
•
Novice
Intermediate
Advanced
Chinese
Japanese
Arabic
CMS non-negotiables (2013-14)
• “All teachers are required to have students complete performance
tasks in their discipline areas.”
Performance Tasks (W1 and W2)
• Definition
▫ goal-directed assessment
exercise
▫ often explores a wide range of
skills
▫ students are active
participants
▫ students demonstrate ability
to APPLY knowledge
▫ PRACTICAL
▫ rubrics are essential
Purpose of Performance Tasks
• Performance tasks result in the students being engaged in the
purposeful production or creation of something that is
communicated, shared, or used with others for some observable
purpose.
Student benefits
•
•
•
•
Develop critical habits of mind
Showcase learning in real-world contexts
Make students college and career ready
Prepare for Next Generation Assessments
Performance Tasks (W1 and W2)
• Key student functions and their “action words”
▫ Access  read, spot, listen, study, feel, identify, notice, observe
▫ Interpret  decide, summarize, prioritize, categorize, construct,
analyze, defend, describe, compare, contrast, explain, integrate
▫ Plan  arrange, create, design, sketch, generate, formulate, form,
draw, frame, develop, compose
▫ Produce  draw a cartoon, write an editorial/essay/story/blog, film a
video, create a website, design a brochure
▫ Disseminate  publish, present, interact, distribute, perform, debate,
report, show, teach, share, display, discuss, send
Writing Tasks (W1 and W2); grades 6-12
• W1 task – write arguments
focused on discipline-specific
content.
▫ Introduce precise claims,
distinguish from other claims,
organize ideas.
▫ Develop claims and
counterclaims fairly, supplying
data and evidence.
▫ Use words, phrases, and
clauses to link major sections
of text.
▫ Establish and maintain a
formal style.
▫ Provide concluding statement.
• W2 Task – write
informative/explanatory texts.
▫ Introduce topic, organize ideas,
include formatting, graphics,
and multimedia when
appropriate.
▫ Develop topic with relevant
facts, definitions, quotations,
and details.
▫ Use varied transitions and
cohesive devices.
▫ Use precise language and
domain-specific vocabulary.
▫ Establish and maintain a
formal style and objective tone.
▫ Provide a concluding
statement.
Performance Tasks (W1 and W2)
From tricycle to motorcycle – perfect for language teaching!
Entry Points
Level
W1 Tasks - arg
W2 Tasks - inf
Motorcycle
Scooter
Independent Bicycle
Training Bicycle
(With scaffolding)
Tricycle
(Without writing/with scaffolding)
(With scaffolding)
Performance Tasks: Example
By: Kim Young, Tabitha Miller, Jinko Dailey
• Strand: Intermediate: Low/Mid
• Grade level: 2-4
• Communication modes: Interpretive, Interpersonal,
Presentational
• I-CAN Statements:
▫ I can state my opinion and give supporting reasons using connected
sentences.
▫ I can write about using cell phones at school.
Performance Tasks: Example
Common Core Standards
• ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W1 – Write arguments to support claims in an
analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and
relevant and sufficient evidence.
• 3.RIT.2 – Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details
and explain how they support the main idea.
• 3.RFS.4 – Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support
comprehension.
• 3.W.1 – Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point
of view with reasons.
• 3.SL.3 – Ask and answer questions about information from a
speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and detail.
Performance Tasks: Example
Essential Standards
• IL.CLL.1.1 - Carry out unrehearsed conversations on familiar topics
with some details.
• IL.CLL.1.2 - Use questions to exchange information in familiar
situations.
• IL.CLL.3.3 - Use a series of phrases and sentences to give spoken
and written presentations about familiar topics, situations, and
experiences with some details.
• IL.CLL.4.1 - Classify cultural practices of people in the target culture
and the students’ culture using familiar topics, situations, and
experiences.
• IL.COD.2.4 - Understand main ideas and a few details in academic
texts that contain familiar vocabulary.
• IL.COD.4.1 - Analyze cultural practices and perspectives from the
target culture with the students’ culture.
Performance Tasks: Example
Entry Points
Level
W1 Tasks - arg
-Write letter to principal, using
supporting ideas and incorporating
research (survey).
W2 Tasks - inf
-Write an article on how cell phones
and other technological devices may
be used in classrooms of the future.
Scooter
-Solicit and record peer responses to
survey.
Independent Bicycle
-Create survey in target language.
-Describe how technology has
impacted student learning, some
open-ended comp. check questions.
-Describe your article to your peers.
-Take notes on peers’ articles.
Training Bicycle
(With scaffolding)
-Read articles.
-Answer comprehension questions.
Tricycle
(Without writing/with scaffolding)
-Teacher writes Word Web about cell phone use.
-Students yell out words and phrases.
Motorcycle
(With scaffolding)
-Groups of 4; each student with
different article.
-Read & annotate.
PALS vs. CCSS rubrics for W1/W2
• PALS
▫ utilize for language
function aspect
• CCSS
▫ utilize for task
completion aspect
YOUR TURN
Let the ideas flow!
Group work or alone: performance task(s)
• Steps for completing each performance task:
1. Identify I-CAN statement and/or objective.
-What can the student do at the end of this task?
2. Identify target proficiency level.
3. Incorporate 1 or 2 North Carolina state standards.
4. Incorporate 1 or 2 Common Core state standards (no
a,b,c details unless you’re feeling ambitious).
Consider CCRs (Career Readiness Standards) for
upper levels.
5. Write basic outline, from tricycle to motorcycle.
6. At home, continue to develop each level of the task,
adding standards as you go.
7. Post your completed task on the Wiki (please!!).
Example Performance Tasks
• http://worldlanguages.cmswiki.wikispaces.net/
w1w2performancetasks
QUESTIONS/COMMENTS
Sources
• ACTFL Crosswalk on Aligning CCSS Standards:
http://www.actfl.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/CrosswalkFinalAligni
ngCCSSLanguageStandards.pdf
• CMS Curriculum Project Conference (Sept. 2012/Feb. 2013)
• 2012-13 NC Online Writing Instruction: Content-specific SAMPLE
assignments
• http://www.commoncorestandards.org
• CCSS Droid app
• The High Performance Toolbox: Succeeding with Performance
tasks, Projects, and Assessments (Spence Rogers and Shari
Graham)
• The Keys to Assessing Language Performance (Paul Sandrock)
• ACTFL’s take on Common Core: http://www.actfl.org/commoncore
DOCUMENTS
-Notes (translating by grade/proficiency
level; strategies; diagrams; steps for
completing a performance task)
-Tricycle W1/W2 planning sheet