Table Of Content

DOCUMENT RESUME FL 024 849 ED 412 759 Crosswalks: Pacesetter Spanish and the National Standards. TITLE College Board, New York, NY. INSTITUTION 1997-00-00 PUB DATE NOTE 23p. Reports - Evaluative (142) PUB TYPE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. EDRS PRICE Comparative Analysis; *Course Content; *Curriculum Design; DESCRIPTORS *National Standards; Second Language Instruction; Second Language Learning; Secondary Education; *Spanish College Entrance Examination Board; *National Standards for IDENTIFIERS Foreign Language Learning; *Pacesetter Spanish ABSTRACT The content and objectives of the Pacesetter Spanish course, developed by the College Board, are compared with those of the "National Standards for Foreign Language Learning: Preparing for the Twenty-First Century," published in 1996 and are generally adopted by the foreign language teaching community. The comparison begins with the curricular focus, noting the correspondence between the course's three specific outcomes and the five goals stated in the "Standards." Next, ways in which the Pacesetter course meets the national standards' goals in grades eight and twelve are assessed by comparing sample progress indicators in the standards and Pacesetter course outcomes statements for the same grade levels. Finally, two modules of the Pacesetter Spanish unit 1 are described and compared with progress indicators from the national standards. It is concluded that there is a high degree of concordance between the course and the national standards. It is noted that the Pacesetter Spanish course is designed as a high school course, whereas the standards envision longer sequences of study and present twelfth-grade progress indicators that may be difficult for Pacesetter Spanish students to achieve. (MSE) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******************************************************************************** 4 Crosswalks: Pacesetter Spanish and the National Standards PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION HAS BEEN GRANTED BY CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as 4 received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES Points of view or opinions stated in this INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. BEST COPY AVAILABLE t), 1 I e )11Can National Standards ErcliulloaPE4IgorBA9413Ps Crosswalks: PACESETTER Spanish and the National Standards Crosswalks: PACESE ER Spanish and the National Standards College Entrance Examination Board, New York 5 Founded in 1900, the College Board is a national, nonprofit membership association of schools, colleges, and other educational organizations work- ing together to help students succeed in the transition from school to college. The Board meets the diverse needs of schools, colleges, educators, students and parents through the development of standards of excellence; by providing programs and services in guidance, assessment, admission, place- ment, financial aid, and teaching and learning; and by conducting forums, research, and public policy activities. In all of its work, the Board promotes universal access to high standards of learning, equity of opportunity, and sufficient financial support so that every student has the opportunity to succeed in college and work. Copyright ©1997 by College Entrance Examination Board. All rights reserved. College Board, Pacesetter, and the acorn logo are registered trade- marks of the College Entrance Examination Board. Printed in the United States of America. 6 Crosswalks: PACESETTER Spanish and the National Standards This booklet compares the content and objectives of the Pacesetter Spanish course with the goals of the National Standards for Foreign Language Learning: Preparing for the Twenty-First Century, published in 1996, and represents an ini- tial effort to evaluate the extent to which concordance exists between the National Standards and the Pacesetter reform effort. An Historical Overview The last 10 years have witnessed exceptional growth in foreign language enrollment and a vigorous, ongoing movement to refine and further codify the goals of foreign language instruction. The publication in 1982 of Profi- ciency Guidelines by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Lan- guages (ACTFL) served as a catalyst for the proficiency movement of the 1980s and 1990s. The Proficiency Guidelines focused on the four key language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. While recognizing the importance of other goals of language learning, such as developing a sensitivity to other cultures, the Guidelines did not expressly address these goals. Building on the Guidelines, work began in 1993 on the development of National Standards for foreign language instruction. Unlike the National Standards adopted by some disciplines, the Standards for Foreign Language Learning document was almost universally accepted by the foreign language teaching community. More than 40 professional organizations participated in this process. The 1996 National Standards, supported in part by federal funding, did address a broad range of goals for foreign language learning. The Standards document: Addresses language education in grades K through 12; Is "generic" in that it is not language-specific but is applicable to the teaching of all foreign languages; Targets three key grades: 4, 8, and 12; and Envisions extended sequences of study beginning in elementary school. The development of the Pacesetter Spanish course by the College Board was almost contemporaneous with the three-year effort leading to the publication of the National Standards. While the Standards encompass grades K through 12, the Pacesetter Spanish course was conceived of as a third-year course in a traditional language sequence beginning in grade 9 or 10. Crosswalks: PACESETTER Spanish and the National Standards 1 7 A Comparison of the Curricular Focus in PACESETTER Spanish and the National Standards The Standards document sets forth a vision of "what students should know and be able to do with another language." To attain these Standards, students must be provided with opportunities to "explore, develop, and use communication strategies, learning strategies, critical thinking skills, and skills in technology, as well as the appropriate elements of the language sys- tem and culture." An overarching goal of the Standards is that students will develop and refine higher-order critical thinking skills such as analysis and problem solving. Students should learn to identify, organize, and analyze cultural issues and problems and be able to arrive at informed conclusions, give informed opinions, and propoSe solutions. The Standards recognize that students learn most effectively when they are challenged by interesting topics and ideas. The sources for these learning experiences can come from the wider schbol curriculum in the sciences, mathematics, the arts, and social studies. The Standards recommend'that students be provided access to a variety of technologies and media and be encouraged through use of them to improve their linguistic skills, interact with peers around the world, and learn first-hand about target cultures. The Standards are organized around five goals: communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities. Within each of these goals, two or three content standards describe the knowledge and abilities that all students should acquire by the end of high school. For each content standard in the National Standards document, sample progress indicators are provided for grades 4, 8, and 12. These progress indicators specify student activities and behaviors and are designed to serve as benchmarks to aid teachers in assessing their students' progress toward achievement of the Standards. The key characteristics of the Pacesetter Spanish curriculum are the integration of culture, language, and literature based on a central theme; focus on the use of language to explore, investigate, describe, discuss, and analyze cultural information; use of a variety of authentic print, audio, and other sources; a holistic approach to reading and writing; an emphasis on the use of language as a vehicle for lifelong learning; and an interdiscipli- nary approach to the acquisition of knowledge. It should be emphasized that the Pacesetter Spanish course is not grammar driven. Language learning takes place within the context of oral and written activities and readings. Teachers may, of course, supplement Pacesetter course materials with grammar drills or exercises from basic texts, review grammars, or teacher-designed materials. Each module is accompanied by notes to the teacher indicating the important grammatical and lexi- cal elements emphasized in the module. ° 2 Crosswalks: PACESETTER Spanish and the National Standards Course Outcomes for PACESETTER Spanish The Pacesetter Spanish course specifies three outcomes that all students should realize: Use language to acquire additional knowledge in any area Outcome 1: appropriate. Gain a better understanding of one's own and other cultures Outcome 2: by (a) developing knowledge of facts about target cultures, (h) observing the acts of target cultures, and (c) discovering the meanings important to cultures so that greater sensitivity and awareness may develop. Use and understand oral and written Spanish in a culturally Outcome 3: acceptable manner in order to participate effectively in every- day situations at home and abroad. Goals of the Standards for Foreign Language Learning Communication: Communicate in languages other than English. Gain knowledge and understanding of other cultures. Cultures: Connect with other disciplines and acquire information. Connections: Comparisons: Develop insight into the nature of language and culture. Participate in multilingual communities at home and Communities: around the world. The first three goals set forth in the National Standards document are in almost perfect concordance with the three course outcomes specified for Pacesetter Spanish: Connections and Pacesetter Outcome 1 share the objective that students use their newly learned language to acquire information in a variety of disciplines from diverse sources. Cultures and Pacesetter Outcome 2 have as their objective the development of students' understanding of, and sensitivity toward, other cultures. Communication and Pacesetter Outcome 3 both emphasize the development of students' productive and receptive language skills. Communities is reflected in Pacesetter Outcomes 2 and 3. Comparisons is partially reflected in Pacesetter Outcome 2. Although there are no specific Pacesetter outcomes that correspond to the communities and comparisons goals of the National Standards, both goals are implicit in the content and activities of the various units of Pacesetter Spanish and are reflected in the subheadings within other outcomes. For example, activities in the very first Pacesetter unit focus on Crosswalks: PACESETTER Spanish and the National Standards 3 9 immigration and the condition of Hispanics in the United States (communities), and Pacesetter students are routinely asked to contrast the behaviors of North Americans and Hispanic peoples in a variety of circumstances (comparisons). Further, the seventh item under Pacesetter Outcome 2 states: "Student is called upon to interact, with limited social competence, within the His- panic culture at home and abroad, exhibiting sensitivity to common rules of etiquette and customs." This outcome clearly reflects the communities goal in the Standards document. In the following pages, each of the content standards specified within the five goals outlined in the Standards document is briefly stated, accompanied by a short explanation of how the Pacesetter Spanish course meets each content standard. Then, in chart format, adapted National Standards sample progress indicators are compared with the Pacesetter outcome statements to illustrate areas of convergence between the Standards and Pacesetter. The progress indicators are compared with the Pacesetter outcomes because, although the progress indicators are intended to be sample benchmarks of student progress, they are representative of the outcomes envi- sioned by the developers of the National Standards at key grade levels. In the comparative charts, where a National Standards progress indicator is directly parallel to a Pacesetter outcome statement, the outcome statement is preceded by a "0." Where a progress indicator is not directly comparable to an outcome statement but is reflected in the content and activities of the Pacesetter unit, the descriptive statement is preceded by a "*." Following the comparison of the progress indicators and the outcome statements, one Pacesetter Spanish unit is then described and compared with the relevant National Standards progress indicators. The discussion then turns to a brief consideration of assessment in the National Standards and in Pacesetter Spanish. How PACESETTER Spanish Meets the National Standards Goal: Communication Standard 1.1 Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions. Throughout the Pacesetter course, students ask and answer questions about themselves and others, about the school setting, and about their families, homes, and pastimes. They are encouraged to express their feelings about local and world events, to react to the opinions of others, and to engage in exchanges of opinion in pairs, in small groups, and in more formal settings. Students interview peers and others on a variety of topics. 4 Crosswalks: PACESETTER Spanish and the National Standards