Course Profile   International Languages, Level 2, Open, Public

 

Course Overview

 

Course Profiles are professional development materials designed to help teachers implement the new Grade 10 secondary school curriculum. These materials were created by writing partnerships of school boards and subject associations. The development of these resources was funded by the Ontario Ministry of Education. This document reflects the views of the developers and not necessarily those of the Ministry. Permission is given to reproduce these materials for any purpose except profit. Teachers are also encouraged to amend, revise, edit, cut, paste, and otherwise adapt this material for educational purposes.

Any references in this document to particular commercial resources, learning materials, equipment, or technology reflect only the opinions of the writers of this sample Course Profile, and do not reflect any official endorsement by the Ministry of Education or by the Partnership of School Boards that supported the production of the document.

 

© Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2000

 

Acknowledgments

Public District School Board Writing Teams – International Languages

 

Lead Board

Toronto District School Board

 

Superintendent

John Reynolds

 

Project Manager

Armando Cristinziano, Toronto District School Board

 

Lead Writer

Bruce Galbraith, Toronto District School Board

 

Course Profile Writing Team

Units 1, 3, 5

Joan Boms, Toronto District School Board

Mark Botnick, Peel District School Board

Lynda Di Prospero-Burlon, De la Salle College

Heidemarie Floerke, Toronto District School Board

Paola Gardini, Toronto District School Board (retired)

Sandra Hryhor, Toronto District School Board

Irene Kiaupa-Hook, Toronto District School Board

Julia Lamoca, Toronto District School Board

Roberto Machado, Toronto District School Board

Jon Ruhnke, Peel District School Board

Units 2, 4, 6

Joan Boms, Toronto District School Board

Jon Ruhnke, Peel District School Board

 

Course Profile Subject-specific Activity Contributers (Open)

Alice Freitas - Portuguese, Jing-Nam Heng - Mandarin, Louise Jiang - Mandarin, Josephine Leung - Cantonese, Samir Obeid - Arabic, Shiva Sotoudeh - Farsi, Milai Sousa - Portuguese, Joseph Waye - Cantonese

Course Overview

International Languages, Level 2, Open

Description/Rationale

International Language programs focus on developing the language knowledge and communication skills students will need to function effectively in the international community, both as professionals and as private citizens. Students learn to listen, speak, read, and write with precision and confidence, and develop thinking and analytical skills. In addition, the interdisciplinary nature of language encourages students to explore related areas of study such as history, geography, music, art, business, and world issues.

The Level 2 Open course is appropriate for students wishing to acquire proficiency in the language for personal or professional reasons, such as future travel or business. Students continue to acquire knowledge and practice of practical, everyday vocabulary and structures that will enable them to communicate effectively in the language.

Unit Titles (Time + Sequence)

Note: The number of hours totals more than 110. An effort has been made to provide more than the minimum requirements for a complete course. Teachers may choose not to use all of the activities suggested or may find that they are able to complete the tasks more quickly than anticipated.

Unit Organization

Note: Each unit has been developed with reference to a specific language: Spanish, Farsi, Italian, Portuguese, German, or Cantonese. The activities within the unit may be adapted and used by teachers of other international languages. See the section Course Notes below for further details.

Unit 1:  Friends

Time:  20 hours

Students develop and apply their oral communication skills, and increase their confidence in using the language in practical and real-life situations. The teacher presents and assesses new vocabulary and structures, and students practise their oral communication, reading, and writing skills in a variety of activities. They write a letter to a pen/key pal, learn to order food in a restaurant, and design birthday invitations. At the end of the unit, students demonstrate their language skills as they role play a student exchange situation with a partner. (Spanish)

Unit 2:  The Arts

Time:  18 hours

In this unit, students learn to discuss popular and traditional art forms and the geography of the arts in the Farsi-speaking world. Students use brochures, magazines, books, the Internet and community contacts to learn about art forms in the Farsi-speaking world. Through highly interactive student-centred projects, students practise vocabulary and grammar structures involving the arts and related jobs. With the help of the teacher, students plan a visit to an art gallery, a store or an exhibition. The teacher and the students use a variety of assessment tools to measure the communication and comprehension skills of the students. (Farsi)

Unit 3:  Pastime Activities

Time:  20 hours

Students explore how they spend their free time. Using sub-themes such as hobbies, dining out, shopping, entertainment, and vacation time, the teacher provides activities for students to practise and to have their oral communication, reading, and writing skills evaluated. Technology affords access to a wide variety of information which is used to create practical projects: a survey, a pamphlet for a restaurant, a poster, a report on a visit to a city, and on a family holiday. (Italian)

Unit 4:  The World of Work

Time:  20 hours

Students learn that their job opportunities are expanded if they have a working knowledge of several languages. As students explore the world of work through a variety of activities, the teacher provides opportunities for language growth by modelling the new vocabulary and encouraging students to use the language to explore materials, to express their thoughts and gather information on a variety of jobs, to share their experiences, to identify the tasks and requirements of several jobs, to talk about how they experience the world around them, and to expand their vocabulary through different media. A variety of activities provide on-going opportunities for evaluation. By completing a personal inventory, students discover their areas of interest and strength. Students learn basic job search skills, fill in a sample job application, gain confidence in presenting themselves in a job interview. (Portuguese)

Unit 5:  Hot Off the Press

Time:  18 hours

Students increase their knowledge of the types and roles of media through the study of media works. Through a series of teacher-directed activities, students develop the necessary language knowledge and cultural information to be able to understand media and its influence, both here and in the countries of the language of study. The teacher uses a wide range of assessment and evaluation tools that allow students to demonstrate their knowledge in all skill areas as they examine various types of ads, discuss media, and create a want ad and a book/CD/video jacket. (German)

Unit 6:  A World of Culture

Time:  17 hours

In this unit, students further enhance their knowledge of the language of study through an exploration of cultural activities. With the teacher’s help, students find information and discuss topics such as historical sites and figures, traditions, festivals, geography, art and music. oral and written activities provide opportunities for students to demonstrate what they have learned, and for the teacher to assess and evaluate their progress. In addition, students expand their learning outside of the classroom by finding and then presenting information about a Chinese speaker who has made a contribution to society. (Cantonese)

Course Notes

This profile contains six fully developed units, written in two phases. For additional ideas and activities, please refer to the corresponding Academic Course Profile. The six international languages chosen give a real context to the activities and evaluation. The profile is written as generically as possible, but with specific references in individual units to one of these languages and cultures, and often with specific examples in these languages, especially in the appendices. Teachers of other international languages will be able to adapt the majority of these activities to their particular language and culture. Some sources for multi-language resources and some web sites that include a number of international languages have been included, and specific resources relevant to other languages can easily be found.

Teachers should be familiar with school and board policies regarding acceptable use of the Internet and the physical safety of students within their jurisdiction. Classroom activities should avoid bias, and reflect an awareness of violence prevention within the school environment. Input from special education and ESL teachers will help teachers to meet the needs of students enrolled in these programs. Teachers should also be aware of procedures and guidelines regarding community involvement in school activities (see Ministry of Education and Training Policy Memo No. 124). Wherever appropriate, activities in this profile encourage collaboration and integration with other school departments and the community to broaden students’ perceptions, to help them make important connections, and to link them to the world beyond the classroom walls.

Expectations from the strands of Oral Communication: Listening and Speaking, as well as Reading, and Writing form the basis of each unit and are the starting point of each activity. Although it is difficult in this Course Profile to be specific about reading passages, reading, both in class and at home, is essential for the improvement of vocabulary and language structures, and teachers are encouraged to provide as many reading opportunities as possible. The International Languages Policy document prescribes a minimum of 30 pages of simple text for Level 2, Open. Grammar and language knowledge, as well, are an integral part of international language courses and are always taught in context. Grammar and Language Knowledge expectations have been included in code form at the beginning of each unit, and are reintroduced in the assessment/evaluation charts of each activity. Appendix A – Level 2, Open Expectations (Codes) of this profile lists all codes and the full text for all of these expectations.

Teaching/Learning Strategies

A wide variety of teaching and learning strategies is suggested to maintain the interest of students, and maximize the success of all types of learners. Among strategies used are:

·       whole class: brainstorming, problem solving, presenting/introducing, general discussion

·       small group: collaborative/co-operative learning activities, interviewing, creating and performing dialogues and skits, simulating, projects;

·       individual: note making, gathering and organizing information, reading age- and language-appropriate materials, writing, questioning, conferencing.

Suggestions for the use of information technology have been included in all units. Technological and community resources have been included throughout the profile and teachers are encouraged to use them wherever possible.

Assessment and Evaluation

Diagnostic and Formative Evaluation

·       observation: formal and informal by the teacher

·       reflection: teacher, peer and self-assessment

·       aural comprehension tests

·       paper and pencil quizzes: teacher or course-designed test

·       conferencing: student/teacher

·       performance: projects, creative writing assignments, role performances, simulations

·       tools: checklists, rating scales, video/audio tapes, quizzes (aural/oral, written/reading), anecdotal comments, probe questions, rubrics for oral and written assignments.

Summative Evaluation

·       paper and pencil assessment: teacher and course-designed tests

·       performance: application assignments, guided and free compositions, oral presentations, unit tests

·       projects reflecting knowledge acquired in unit(s) of work

Final Evaluation

A combination of items requiring synthesis of knowledge acquired during course:

·       listening and reading comprehension tests

·       written examination

·       composition

·       comprehensive oral presentation

·       teacher/student interview

·       project (written and/or oral)

Accommodation

For students, the learning of a language at any level is a complex task, and requires skills in a number of areas; specifically, the ability to listen and comprehend, to read and understand, and to respond to what is heard or read. All aspects of these tasks are recognized, practised, assessed, and evaluated by the teacher. Every attempt is made by the teacher to accommodate students’ individual needs, in order to increase their success in the course.

·       consideration of students’ Annual and/or Individual Education Plans

·       enrichment materials/activities available

·       alternative or independent assignments or projects

·       flexible grouping/roles of students according to needs and assignment

·       flexible time for preparation of assignments or presentations

·       resource packages or reinforcement sheets for extra practice

·       simplification of terminology or instructions

·       extra models and examples provided for oral or written assignments

·       class time planned for teacher and/or peer assistance

·       flexibility in presentation of assignment (e.g., cassette recorder or computer as alternative to hand-written assignment/response)

Resources

Teachers will find specific resources in the units and activities that follow. The listing of resources in the unit overview at the beginning of each of the six units has complete bibliographical information on both print and technological resources. For additional resources and for other international languages, teachers should contact individual publishers and distributors. In addition, community resources will be very helpful: community organizations, clubs, embassies, consulates, travel agents, newspapers, radio and television stations, theatres, and native speakers from the community.

As a starting point, the following web sites may prove useful for specific information, for obtaining materials related to assessment and evaluation, or for information related specifically to language and culture. Many sites provide links to other useful sites. All of these sites were active at the time of publication:

www.google.com
An elegant multi-lingual search engine.
http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/assess.html

Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators – Assessment Rubrics

http://webhome.idirect.com/~omlta/
Ontario Modern Language Teachers’ Association

http://www.actfl.org/
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages

http://www.mla.org/
Modern Language Association of America

OSS Policy Applications

Ontario Ministry of Education and Training. The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10, Classical and International Languages, 1999.

Ontario Ministry of Education and Training. The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10, Program Planning and Assessment, 1999.

Ontario Ministry of Education and Training. Ontario Secondary Schools, Grades 9 to 12, Program and Diploma Requirements, 1999.

Course Evaluation

·       structured feedback from students regarding effectiveness of course (surveys, checklists, interviews)

·       structured feedback from teachers regarding effectiveness of individual assignments and/or activities

·       informal discussion among teachers regarding effectiveness of strategies or activities

·       regularly scheduled department meetings to discuss, evaluate and make changes to delivery of assignments and activities

·       summative meeting at the end of the year to incorporate changes for the future

 

 

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