2010 TEACHER PROGRAM CURRICULUM TEMPLATE & GUIDE Host Institution University of Pennsylvania Program Name PERSIAN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Language(s) PERSIAN Target Experience Level NEW AND EXISTING TEACHERS OF PERSIAN Residential ** Program Setting (select all that apply) Non-Residential Distance/Virtual Component Other (please specify) Duration Weeks:2 Hours:60 Designed by Name:Pardis Minuchehr Email:pardis@sas.upenn.edu A. Brief Description of Program (150 words) Provide an overview of your program. What will participants experience during the program and what do you hope that your participants will remember and be able to do after the program ends? In this two-week residential professional development workshop, new and experienced teachers will receive training on teaching Persian as a second language. The main goal of this workshop is to familiarize teachers of Persian with learner-centered instruction based on the National Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21 st Century. Throughout the workshop, participants will focus on communicative learner-centered and differentiation strategies,
performance-based assessment, and effective use of technology. Following presentations by language experts, participants will engage in hands-on activities to apply their acquired knowledge to development of instructional materials. In addition to instructional activities created daily, participants will create and present a complete lesson plan that will incorporate learner-centered strategies, performance-based assessment, authentic print and non-print materials, including multi-media resources to demonstrate their learning. Following the two-week workshop, participants will continue their collaborative work online for a period of four weeks and meet again in the fall to discuss and share their materials. B. Major Focus of the Program What three to five key words, concepts and/or topics best identify your program? -STANDARDS-BASED TEACHING FOR PERSIAN -INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY INTO PERSIAN LANGUAGE TEACHING -AUTHENTIC MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT -BEST PRACTICES IN TEACHING OF PERSIAN C. Pre-requisites Are there pre-requisites to this course? If so, what are they? Participants must be currently teaching Persian as a foreign or heritage language or plan to do so in the near future. D. Information on Career Options and Pathways To Certification Is the program part of a pathway to certification? If yes, please explain. The University of Pennsylvania s Middle East Center and the Penn Language Center will offer a Persian language teaching certificate upon completion of this two week course. Does the program provide information on certification? Does it provide information on career options? Please explain. We have also arranged with the graduate school of education that the Persian professional development participants will be able to receive graduate credit for the two week program at the University of Pennsylvania. E. Content and Evidence of Learning Refer to the STARTALK-Endorsed Teacher Standards and Sample Curricular Topics in the references section. Use Can Do Statements to illustrate what evidence of learning is desired. Select only the standards and topics that are most relevant to your program.
Teacher Standards (ACTFL/NCATE) Key Concepts/ Information Can Do Statements for Participants to Demonstrate their Competency Participants can Standard 1: Language, Linguistics, Comparisons Declarative knowledge of the structure of the target language (TL) Identify syntactic and morphological characteristics of the Persian language. 1.a. Understanding linguistics 1.b. Identifying Language comparisons Awareness of the changing nature of the TL Awareness of differences between written and spoken language Distinguishing linguistic differences between Persian and English, Identify the dynamic changes of the Persian language and identify resources to stay abreast with the most recent changes. Use knowledge of differences between spoken and written language to teach them concurrently, and emphasize their appropriate use according to context and social setting. Use the differences between Persian language and English such as sentence structure, registers, and gender to help learners deepen their understanding of the nature of the language. Standard 2: Cultures, Literatures, Cross-Disciplinary Concepts 2.a. Demonstrating cultural understandings Knowledge of practices and products of the target culture Awareness of connections between the target culture s perspectives and its products and practices Ability to integrate culture in language instruction Identify cultural products and practices of the Persian-speaking cultures. Identify how patterns of behavior, customs and beliefs are shaped by geography, history, and contact with other cultures. Embed cultures goals in lessons and instructional materials through the use of authentic materials as well as activities that allow learners to compare their own language, daily life, customs, and beliefs with those in
2.b. Integrating other disciplines in instruction Integrating language, culture and content Persian-speaking countries and thus deepen their understanding of the nature of the language and culture. Create lessons and instructional activities that make connections to other content areas such as geography, history, arts, and literature to facilitate comprehension and help learners expand their language skills as well as their knowledge of the similarities and differences between American and Persian-speaking cultures. Standard 3: Language Acquisition Theories and Instructional Practices 3.a. Understanding language acquisition and creating a supportive classroom 3.b. Developing instructional practices that reflect Overview of Second Language Teaching Methodologies, and an analysis of existing Persian language textbooks. Standards-based learnercentered instruction Target language: comprehensible input Differentiation of instruction for Diverse learners Demonstrate understanding of the historical context of standards-based language instruction as the basis of second language teaching. Demonstrate understanding of standards-based communicative language instruction as the basis of second language teaching methodology to assess objectively the existing Persian language textbooks. Identify the key components of standards-based approach to design lessons that support communicative, learner-centered instruction. Produce material that will support instruction in the target language, through the use of visuals, TPR, concrete objects and students background knowledge to negotiate meaning and make instruction in the target language comprehensible. Identify learners different needs in terms of age, proficiency level,
language outcomes and learner diversity learning styles, and linguistic background, heritage vs. non-heritage, when selecting and creating instructional materials. Standard 4: Integration of Standards Into Curriculum and Instruction 4.a. Understanding and integrating standards in planning 4.b. Integrating standards in instruction 4.c. Selecting and designing instructional materials National standards for foreign language learning &thematic unit and lesson design Backward design Use of authentic materials Communication modes Incorporating and adapting authentic materials Apply the knowledge of the communication modes to develop communicative thematic lessons and instructional materials. Develop lessons and activities based on clear, precise and attainable outcomes. Design lessons and activities that incorporate level and age-appropriate authentic print and non-print materials. Identify the three modes of communication as the most fundamental elements of language learning and create instructional materials that provide learners with multiple ways of using their language skills in real world situations. Implement STARTALK-endorsed principles in instruction. Design lessons and activities that incorporate level and age-appropriate authentic materials. Standard 5: Assessment of Languages and Cultures 5.a. Knowing assessment models and using them appropriately Formative and summative assessment Identify performance-based formative and summative assessments and incorporate them into instruction. Develop assessments that reflect the way in which the concepts have been
taught. 5.b. Reflecting on assessment 5.c. Reporting assessment results Achievement and proficiency tests Analysis of assessment results and reflection on teaching Feedback Incorporate various types of assessments into instruction to allow learners to demonstrate their learning in more than one way. Analyze assessment results to identify their effectiveness and to revise the instructional strategies in order to ensure learner success. Identify that assessment is used to provide learners with meaningful feedback in order to help them improve their performance. Standard 6: Professionalism 6.a. Engaging in professional development Improvement of pedagogical skills Stay current with developments in second/world language instruction by participating in the post-program fourweek online collaboration and attend the meeting in the fall. Use STARTALK online materials for continued professional development. Use technology in language teaching. Reflective Journal Reflect on and assess own learning and progress F. Assessment of Participant Progress and Performance What evidence and products are required of participants to demonstrate learning and reflection? Evidence / Product Pre and post program survey Brief description A pre and post-survey will provide the participants as well as the program director with valuable information on learning and progress during the two-week training.
Self-evaluation Standards-based thematic lessons Micro-teaching Reflective journal At the beginning of the program, participants will prepare a lesson on a given topic. This lesson will be then compared with a lesson designed at the end of the program. Throughout the two weeks, participants will develop standards-based lessons, thematic units, and authentic multi-media materials, using templates and rubrics. These lessons will be presented for peer review and critique. For their final project, teachers, working in small groups, will design and develop standards-based, thematic lessons that incorporate authentic video and audio-clips, various communicative tasks, and assessments. The groups will teach their lessons to their cohort and will be assessed by their peers and the instructor based on a rubric. The use of templates and rubrics will help structure the lessons and assess them more objectively. Participants will submit their daily reflection on own learning and progress to their instructor. G. Program Outline and Schedule July 12, 2010 Timeline 9-10:30 National Standards for Foreign Language Learning Surendra Gambhir (UPENN) 10:30-12: Application of Standards-based Teaching in Persian Pardis Minuchehr (UPENN) 1-3 Technology with Ed Dixon (UPENN) Content National Standards for Foreign Language Learning 5 Cs of the National Standards, with special emphasis on the three modes of communication. Language teaching methodologies: an overview of audio-lingual, cognitive and grammar translation methods. Communication in Persian (spoken vs. written) Using an interactive approach to develop interpersonal communication Formal and Informal Modes Different linguistic registers Cultural Literacy Hands-on activity with technology, embedding YouTube clips, and html
annotations in lesson design. 3-5 Micro-sessions (Optional Extra Session: Aghigh Ebrahimi- Bazzaz (Temple University) Visual and Media Literacy for teaching languages ) Application - overview of persianvideoclips channel on YouTube html annotations for Persian Incorporating technology in lessons. Hands-on activities: During this onehour micro-session, participants will work together, in groups of four, to produce standards-based lessons for novice learners, using a specifically designed template. s July 13, 2010 Paul Sandrock ( Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction's (DPI's) World Languages Education Consultant) 3-4 Micro-sessions Standards-based Curriculum Design Backward Design Principle: - Identifying goals and objectives - Determining evidences of learning - Planning learning experiences and instruction Alignment between curriculum, instruction and assessment Setting realistic goals Create a sample curriculum Hands-on Activity Micro-session for generating a backward design module for a Persian language course
July 14: 9-3 Dr. Kathryn Howard (UPENN) Instructional Planning & Learner-centered activities (One hour lunch break) 3-4 Micro-sessions Instructional Planning & Learner-centered Strategies Key concepts of Communicative Language Teaching Designing task-based integrated-mode activities Modeling communicative leanercentered strategies Comprehensible input & comprehensible output Hands-on Activities: Participants will create learner-centered lessons in Persian and present it to their peers in the course of this hour. July 15 9-3 Martin Smith Thematic Units and Designing Lesson Plans (One hour lunch break) 3-4 Micro-Sessions Thematic Unit Design & Lesson Plan Components of a thematic unit Advantages of thematic organization Theme versus topic Designing a thematic unit Creating a detailed lesson plan Grammar in practice Hands-on Activities: Participants will work together, in groups of 4, to create a thematic unit, and present it to their peers. July 16 9-12 Saeed Atoofi (UCLA) Heritage Language Learners Persian Heritage Speakers Persian Heritage Language Learners and their particular needs. Differentiated learning for Persian heritage speakers. Standards-based teaching for heritage speakers.
Hands-on 1-3 Karine Megerdoomian( MITRE) Computational Tools for Persian language learners 3-4 Micro-Sessions How to use online resources for learning Persian. Hands-on Activities designing lessons particularly for heritage speakers. July 19 9-3 Dr. June Phillips Alternative Modes of Assessment (One hour lunch break) 3-4 Micro-Sessions (Evening session on Lingua Folio by Krystal Sundstrom (University of Oregon)) July 20 9-12 Edward Dixon(UPENN) Audacity, Eyejot and Ning 1-3 Fereshteh Amanat Kowsar (Yale University): "You say"etiquette", I say "ta'arof": Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" Alternative Modes of Assessment Portfolios Journals Projects Integrated performance Assessment Formative and summative assessments OPI Hands-on Activities: participants will discuss the use of different assessment measures. Lingua Folios Technology and Transition Integrating cutting edge technology in teaching of Persian Using audio recording software: audacity. Using video email: eyejot Using social networking site: Ning Comparisons and Contrasts between Persian and English Modeling Comparative lessons 3-4 Micro-Sessions Hands-on Activities: Participants will design lessons on cultural specific issues for the Persian culture.
July 21 9-3 Anna Uhl Chamot (Georgetown University) (One hour lunch break) 3-4 Differentiated learning discussion for Persian Teachers July 22 9-12 Manouchehr Kashef (New York University) How to Integrate Persian Music, Literature especially poetry, in Persian Language Teaching Differentiated Instruction & Learning Strategies Differentiated instruction: Project and problem-based learning; Use of Multiple intelligences; Tiered tasks; Flexible grouping Strategies used by successful L2 learners Learner strategy instruction Integrating Culture: Literature and Film Hands-on Activities Integrating Culture in Persian Language Teaching Poetry and Persian language How to teach language through Persian music 1-4 Edward Dixon, Integrating Technology The Virtual Language Class and Second Life The Persian Courtyard Second Life site on Penn s Virtual Campus Hands-on Activities July 23 9-12 Micro-teaching final projects. 1-4 Presentations of Persian Lessons. Final Presentations Designing and producing final projects Presentation of final projects and peer review and critique Preparation and planning for subsequent online collaboration H. Instructional Strategies How will your program ensure that the following best practices are incorporated into your program? Strategies Examples
Participants will work together in small groups in order to apply the newly acquired teaching strategies and concepts. Implement a learner-centered approach to teacher development Through hands-on activities, participants will learn about effective use of technology to enhance instruction. At the end of each day, newly created instructional materials will be shared for peer review and critique. Micro-sessions ensure that instruction has been meaningful for all learners and has addressed the needs of diverse learners. Differentiate instruction based on participants needs Although participants are expected to master the same concepts and strategies, they will be able to demonstrate their understanding through different means. Participants will be given the opportunity to choose topics, when creating lessons, based on their particular instructional needs. Participants will work with peers who have the same needs or interest when practicing new strategies or applying them to development of instructional materials. Provide mentoring and coaching Incorporate hands-on learning Provide opportunities for micro-/ lab/student teaching Compare and contrast cultural ways of learning and teaching Allow for peer sharing and collaborative learning The lead instructor and experienced teachers will provide less experienced teachers mentoring and coaching. Each presentation will be followed by small group handson tasks throughout the two-week training. After most sessions, there will be a micro- session, where participants will work collaboratively in groups of four to design and develop material based on newly acquired strategies and concepts. The lessons designed and created by participants will be reviewed and critiques by their peers and instructors. Standars-based learner-centered strategies and lesson designs will provide the participants with concrete examples to help them identify the underlying principals of American way of teaching and learning. Throughout the two-week workshop, participants will have many opportunities to participate in group discussions, perform small collaborative tasks, and do peer review and critique.
Engage in meaningful reflection After each session, there will be a post-session reflection time. Participants will keep a daily journal, where they will assess their own learning. The journals will be used to share with the instructor issues and themes that may have remained unanswered in the course of the sessions. I. Materials & Other Resources Describe the primary resources that you plan to use for the program. Materials/Resources Required reading, including textbook(s) Realia /Authentic materials Multimedia Links to relevant web sites and annotations about the site Other (please specify) List Judith L.Shrum and Eileen W. Glisan. (2010) Teacher s Handbook: Contextualized Language Instruction. Heinle Cengage Learning 2010. Weimer, Maryellen Weimer (2002). Learner-Centered Teaching. Liz Fayer & Sally Walker (2009). Constructing Curriculum Units Backward Design: A step-by-step model & 20 readyto-use units. Piece of Learning INC. Germaine Taggart & Alfred Wilson (2005). Promoting Reflective Thinking in Teachers: 50 Action Strategies. (A Bulkpack of reading material) You-tube channel: persianvideoclips http://startalk.umd.edu/teacherdevelopment/workshops www.aatpersian.com J. Technology Integration If technology is part of your budget, how will that technology support teacher training? Technological Tools Needed Video-cameras, Laptops and computers Explanation Technology will be used throughout the workshop. Teachers should be able to integrate technology in their teaching of Persian by the end of their residence at Penn.