Needs Assessment

In May of 2014 the world language teachers of Seattle Public Schools met for training on the Common Core State Standards. Presented were the connections between the National World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages (supported by ACTFL, the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) and the Common Core State Standards. The information helped the world language educators of our district to better understand the standards that should not only drive the teaching practices in world language classrooms, but the standards of other content areas as well. With less than half of world language teachers present at the training, it became clearer that the district’s World Language programs, which serve the majority of middle and high school students in the district, need to be united and better supported by the district. In March of 2015, Erin Stoen, Director of Career and College Readiness, took charge of this issue and hired a world language teacher from within the district, Tricia Nielsen, to conduct a needs analysis of World Language programs and to draw up a report. With the guidance of Erin Stoen and Michele Anciaux Aoki, International Education Administrator, this report is being presented to the Seattle School District in order to convey the current state of our world language programs, and more importantly, to express the needs of the district’s world language educators and students.

Recommendations.

1. Curriculum recommendations:

a. Align Curriculum: Establish district-wide common standards that guide learning targets and curriculum choice.

b. Support Common Assessments: Develop or procure district-wide assessments to align what students should learn during the course of a year.

c. Adopt Up-to-Date Curriculum: Provide current curriculum and access to technology.

2. Professional development recommendations:

a. Offer In-district PD Opportunities.

b. Support and Promote Out-of-district PD Opportunities.

3. District-level support recommendation:

a. Hire a District World Languages Curriculum Manager.

PROGRESS TO DATE (August 2016)

• "Permanent" World Languages Program Manager: Michele Anciaux Aoki
• World Languages Leadership Team representing middle and high school, AP and IB, Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish
• Curriculum Adoption Updates
• Middle to High School Articulation
  • Pilot of Avant Assessment PLACE test at Hamilton and Washington 8th grade Spanish, French, and Japanese led to placement in Level 3 and 4 courses at Garfield HS
• In-District PD offered:
  • April 19, 2016 World Languages Curriculum Workshop
  • May 23, 2016 AP Spanish Workshop
  • June 1: Languages for All
• Out-of-District PD supported:
  • June 15-18, 2016 Heritage Language Research Institute @ UW\
  • July 13, 2016 TPEP (Teacher and Principal Evaluation Project) and World Languages by Lynn Johnston at UW
• July 21-24, 2016 NADSFL Summer Academy in Winston-Salem, NC
  • July 25-29, 2016 The 16th Annual National TPR Storytelling® Conference
• Future of Early Language and Dual Language Immersion
  • International Schools / Dual Language Immersion Task Force launching in March

PROGRESS TO DATE (March 2016)

• Interim World Languages Coordinator: Michele Anciaux Aoki
• World Languages Leadership Team representing middle and high school, AP and IB, Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish
• Middle to High School Articulation
  • Feb 10 : Friends of World Languages at Garfield (survey of students)
  • Pilot of Avant Assessment PLACE test at Hamilton 8th grade Spanish
• In-District PD offered:
  • Feb 28: Connecting with World Language Teachers through Schoology
  • Mar 23: Thinking About Syncing? Thoughtful Technology Tools for Listening, Speaking, and Writing
  • Spring: Planning for World Languages Curriculum Adoptions
• Out-of-District PD supported:
  • Apr 2: WAFLT Spring Regional Conference at CWU
• Future of Early Language and Dual Language Immersion
  • International Schools / Dual Language Immersion Task Force launched in March, prepared Recommendations Part 1 Aug 2016