| NCLRC Arabic K-12 Bulletin - January 20, 2014 Ahlan ya colleagues, Welcome to the Arabic K-12 Bulletin, a biweekly resource for elementary, middle, 
| | Ahlan ya colleagues, Welcome to the Arabic K-12 Bulletin, a biweekly resource for elementary, middle, and high school Arabic teachers, administrators, and researchers. Note the Teachers of Critical Language Program has its deadline this week. In this issue you will also find some new workshops and grant opportunities, including an opportunity to receive funding if you are seeking certification to teach Arabic in a public school. As always, if you would like to reach us please send a message to arabick12@gmail.com. Lucy Thiboutot, Editor |
▪ The Arabic K-12 Teachers Network consists of more than 1,000 educators, administrators, and researchers interested in the Arabic K-12 field in the U.S. It is a free membership provided by the National Capital Language Resource Center's Arabic K-12 Project.
▪ Recent issues of the Bulletin are archived here: http://bit.ly/10KRZi3 .
▪ All members are welcome to submit posts in English or Arabic and may do so by e-mailing their content to arabick12@gmail.com specifying their content for the listserv.
▪ This listserv is focused on elementary, middle, and high school Arabic teaching. Job openings at the university level can be found on the AATA's website .
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1. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
2. NEW RESOURCES FOR YOUR STUDENTS AND CLASSROOM
3. GRANT OPPORTUNITIES AND JOB ANNOUNCEMENTS
4. NADA'S WEBSITES: "Storybird"
5. BELAL'S ACTIVITIES: "Kick Me"
6. MEOC BOOK RECOMMENDATION: "The Compassionate Warrior: Abd el-Kader of Algeria"
7. CURRENT RESEARCH: "What Teachers Can Do When Students Give an Incorrect Answer"
8. FOCUS ON LEARNING: "Building Arabic Programs in Ohio'"
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Workshops and Webinars CLASSRoad is offering "Teaching Languages Using Technology," a 4-week online professional development workshop for teachers of Arabic and other less commonly taught languages. The course features video lectures, quizzes, discussion with peers, and tutorials for assignments involving online tools. Learn how to integrate blogs, podcasts, digital storytelling, Google Drive, Twitter, and other tools to design lessons and engage students . The course will run from February 15-March 15, and the early registration cost is $99 by Feb. 7. To learn more about the course and enroll: http://bit.ly/KujB7p ACTFL is proud to announce a new series of interactive webinars designed especially for language educators at all levels. Taught by a faculty of leading experts, the webinars deliver new insights and proven techniques that you can use right away in your classroom. The webinars began in December and continue this January, and they can be viewed live at time of recording or anytime thereafter. To learn more about the webinars and register: http://bit.ly/1de22jp Aldeen Foundation will be offering another six-week online course March 3-April 14, 2014: The 5 Cs in Action and Best Practices in the Arabic language classroom. All sessions are held in the Arabic language and no homework is required. Registration starts February 18, 2014 and closes on March 1, 2014. Space is limited to 40 teachers, so make sure to sign up when registration opens. The online course costs $75 per teacher, and $300 per school (up to six teachers). Learn more at http://bit.ly/1dCmu1l](http://bit.ly/1dCmu1l) and email Mrs. Thouraya Boubetra with any questions at aldeenarabiconlineeducation@aldeenfoundation.org Professional Conferences The 61st annual NECTFL (Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) will take place March 27-29, 2014 in Boston, MA at the Marriott Copley Place Hotel. This year's theme is Sustaining Communities through World Languages. This conference offers outstanding professional development opportunities and the ability to network with other teachers of foreign languages, and is sure to include special panels for Arabic teachers. Read more here. The 2014 International Conference on the Development and Assessment of Intercultural Competence: "Preparing and Supporting K–16 Language Teachers to Teach for Intercultural Competence in and beyond the Classroom" will take place January 23-26, 2014, in Tucson, AZ. The conference aims to bring researchers and practitioners across languages, levels, and settings to discuss and share research, theory, and best practices; to foster meaningful professional dialogue; and to enhance teacher effectiveness in teaching for intercultural competence in and beyond the classroom in order to support all students' development of intercultural competence. The conference is attended by faculty, administrators and students at post-secondary institutions, as well as K-12 teachers and individuals from a wide range of other non-traditional educational contexts who are interested in language teaching/learning and cultural competence. For more information, view the conference website: http://bit.ly/IeH6B9 The Second International Conference on Heritage/Community Languages will take place March 7-8, 2014 at Covel Commons at UCLA. Early registration runs through February 7, 2014: $180 for registrants other than graduate students; $100 for graduate students. Contact: Gerda Lobo gerdalobo@gmail.com or Claire Chik
chik@international.ucla.edu Call For Proposals and Papers The Foreign Language Association of Virginia provides an opportunity to share innovative teaching, technology, research and student success strategies. Send in your proposal by April 18, 2014. The Conference Committee invites proposals for active and engaging presentations on topics related, but not limited to: Supporting beginning teachers; Promoting active use of the target language; Making the most of classroom time; Supporting student learning; Active and engaging instructional strategies; Innovative instructional methodology; Innovative assessment strategies; Unique uses of technology; Technology strategies for all students including those with disabilities. To learn more and submit a proposal: http://bit.ly/1kk31CJ |
American Councils for International Education offers a program called the Teachers of Critical Languages Program (TCLP) to help U.S. K-12 schools start or grow their Arabic language programs. This program is funded by the U.S. Department of State and provides your school with a language teacher from Egypt or China to teach Arabic or Mandarin for one year. The application deadline is Wednesday, January 22, 2014. If you wish to apply, please visit www.tclprogram.org You may be interested in this simple Arabic typing tutor to help your students learn to type in Arabic: http://www.studyarabic.com/arabic-typing-tutor The Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) now offers the Computerized Oral Proficiency Instrument (COPI), a computer-based, semi-adaptive test of Modern Standard Arabic or Spanish oral proficiency intended for use with native-English-speaking students in later years of high school, college students, and professionals. It provides language educators with a computerized, time-efficient assessment of their students' oral language proficiency in Arabic or Spanish. Performance on the COPI is rated according to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines. For more information: http://bit.ly/Iw45aE The Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) has produced an Arabic Oral Proficiency Guide for Students. This free online tutorial helps high school and university-level students of Arabic understand and improve their oral proficiency. It teaches students how oral proficiency is rated according to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines so that they can self-assess and set language learning goals. The tutorial features authentic examples of students speaking Arabic at different levels, tips and resources to improve oral proficiency, and student descriptions of their experiences being assessed and then using their Arabic to communicate abroad. View the site at http://www.cal.org/aop/index.php The Qatar Foundation International (QFI) is launching a new website for Arabic K-12 teachers Al-Masdar (almasdar.oercommons.org). Al-Masdar provides a platform for you to discover free resources through search strategies, to author or upload your own resources, to review resources, join groups and conversations, and collaborate with others. The site is intended to be a hub - the source - for language teaching materials, opportunities, news and events relevant to Arabic instructors. You are invited to explore it and offer your feedback by completing this survey: http://bit.ly/1gvdkWS Your advanced students may enjoy this new simplified version of Lebanese author Hoda Barakat's novel, Sayyidi wa Habibi, which comes with a set of pedagogical activities and a companion website: http://bit.ly/16vBpEc Al-Jazeera news is currently developing a special news site for Arabic language learners. Although some of the features are still in progress, it may be worth keeping an eye on as a resource for your classes: http://learning.aljazeera.net/arabic The National Middle East Language Resource Center (NMELRC), in cooperation with Qatar Foundation International and Brigham Young University Independent Study, is offering a hybrid online course for high school students. The high school implementation of Arabic Without Walls, winner of the 2010 Distance Education Course Award, covers the basics of both spoken and written Arabic and enables students to acquire real-world communication skills. This process starts with students attending a one-day course in their region and continues as they work online with a tutor and a cohort of students who form a tight-knit learning community. Students who have done so have gone on to win NSLI-Youth Scholarships to study in the Arab world. For more information on registration, cost and credit please visit: http://bit.ly/1bfmfcG . The Institute for Middle East Studies (IMES) Title VI Outreach Program at The George Washington University (Washington, DC) maintains a film and book library and Skype-a-Scholar program that is free and available to area educators. You can view a list of all of the library resources and find out more about the films using our new Film Guide which contains synopses of the films and classroom usage ideas for educators. The Skype-A-Scholar program brings university experts to your classroom through Skype, to converse with students for an in-depth, innovative learning experience. Contact imesnrc@gwu.edu for more information on these programs. American Councils for International Education coordinates the U.S. Department of State's FLEX, YES, and A-SMYLE programs, where students from the Middle East and other areas of the world have competed against their peers and earned a scholarship to come to the U.S. for a full academic year. The students live with an American host family, attend school and become a part of the family. Anyone interested in hosting an exchange student for a period of two months to a full academic year, and the ability to provide a safe, supportive, English-speaking environment is welcome to contact the programs for more information. For more information: http://inbound.americancouncils.org . The Peace Corps offers the World Wise Schools website, with cross-cultural learning resources including lesson plans, videos, publications, an online game, and more. Take advantage of these free resources to develop your students' global competencies and prepare them to be engaged, 21st century global citizens. Connecting With Teachers Connect with hundreds of Arabic teachers in America and from around the world on the Teachers of Arabic Language K-12 (TALK12) page on Facebook. Teachers can chat, swap ideas, and give each other advice: http://www.talk12.org . |
Grant Opportunities The Arab Academy Scholarship will be offered for three ACTFL members in 2014. The scholarship includes three months of access to the online Arabic program in addition to one weekly one-on-one speaking class. In addition, Arab Academy offers onsite scholarships for two ACTFL members for 8-week sessions at its Arabic language center in Cairo, Egypt. Deadline March 31, 2014. Additional details can be obtained by contacting the educational programs coordinator, Hanan Dawah, at info@arabacademy.org and http://www.arabacademy.com. ACTFL Members: If you have any questions about this scholarship, please contact Jaime Bernstein at 703-894-2900. QFI is pleased to offer fellowships for current or prospective Arabic K-12 teachers. The program is intended to support: Teacher candidates who are pursuing certification in Foreign Language Education in World or Foreign Languages to teach Arabic; Teachers who already are certified in another discipline and are seeking an endorsement to teach Arabic; and Teachers seeking U.S. certification to teach Arabic through any other recognized means. The deadline is January 31, 2014. If you fit this description, download the form at this link (http://bit.ly/1i8hchI) to learn more about the Teacher Fellowship Grants and how to apply. In order to apply, you will need to register through QFI's Grants Management Portal, available here: http://bit.ly/18XUpgj. With questions, contact arabic@qfi.org. Qatar Foundation International has announced Teacher Initiative Grants (maximum award: $1,000) to enhance Arabic programs and promote excellence in the classroom. Arabic teachers working in U.S. public or public charter schools may apply for funding to purchase books and materials; host cultural events or workshops; take students on field trips; or attend professional development conferences. Applications are due on the first of each month for awards to be announced by the end of that month, from Nov. 1 until April 1. To download the complete Request for Proposal, follow the link: http://bit.ly/17lD6I0 To apply, go through QFI's grants management portal: http://bit.ly/18XUpgj Job Openings The Dearborn Academy, a K-8 Charter School in Dearborn, MI, is seeking a certified Arabic Teacher. If no teaching certificate, an emergency certification may be possible. To learn more: http://bit.ly/1eXIUug FAME Public Charter School in Newark, California, is seeking an Arabic Teacher for the 2013-2014 school year. The application deadline is January 31, 2014. To learn more: http://bit.ly/1hoz3R9 Second Language Testing, Inc. (SLTI) of Rockville MD makes tests for a variety of clients, including the US Government. SLTI is currently in need of consultants to assist in the development of tests in Algerian and Sudanese. The ideal consultant will be familiar with the ILR Skill Level Descriptions and their application to the leveling of texts in their language. He or she may have experience as a teacher, test developer, or translator. The applicant should be highly literate in the non-English language and have a solid command of written English. The applicant should also have good computer skills, and access to high speed internet. Ability to conduct Internet research and submit Word documents and/or audio files. Familiarity with audio editing software is a plus. US citizens preferred.
The consultancy will involve 20 to 40 hours work, although follow-up work may occur. Interested individuals should send a resume and cover message, with citizenship/immigration status and contact information to Mmensoor@2LTI.com. |
Nada Shaath (Bell High School, CA) suggests: Storybird (http://www.storybird.com/) Storybirds are short, art-inspired stories you make to share, read, and print. Read them like books, play them like games, and send them like greeting cards. They're curiously fun. Sign up for a teacher account to manage students without emails, create assignments, and build beautiful libraries. Do you have a favorite website to share? Send us a link and a short description, and don't forget to include the name and location of your school! |
Belal Joundeya (Renaissance Academy, UT) suggests: Kick Me Give the students a worksheet with questions. Put the answers on separate papers which you put on the student's back. Students goes around reading everyone's' backs finding appropriate matching answers and they write them down on their worksheet. |
The Middle East Outreach Council (http://www.meoc.us) recommends the youth non-fiction book The Compassionate Warrior: Abd el-Kader of Algeria by Elsa Marston (Wisdom Tales). The Compassionate Warrior: Abd el-Kader of Algeria is a well-written account of a 19th century Algerian freedom fighter, Abd el-Kader, who won respect in the West for his humanitarian values and compassionate policies during the struggle against French colonialism. In fact, Abd el-Kader is commended by Abraham Lincoln, has a town in Iowa named after him, and is the subject of a yearly essay competition for U.S. high school students. Evaluators felt that this book will be an excellent addition to any high school classroom or library because of its clear, interesting writing style and relevance to World History, U.S. History, and Constitution classes. |
What Teachers Can Do When Students Give an Incorrect Answer
By Kim Marshall | Marshall Memo #519, January 13, 2014, http://www.marshallmemo.com In this Education Week article, New York City reading specialist Brooke McCaffrey describes a common classroom sequence: the teacher poses a question ("Who can tell me the part of the spider's anatomy that it uses to spin a web?"), calls on a girl, gets an incorrect answer ("The spider's abdomen?"), moves on to another student who answers correctly ("The spinnerette"), and notices that the first student slumps in her seat, visibly discouraged. Better to stick with the first student, says McCaffrey, but it has to be done strategically. Here's one approach: "Wow, Sarah, that's excellent thinking. The body part that the spider uses to spin webs is located in the spider's abdomen, so you were very close. However, the answer was not quite right. It's a long word and it starts with /sp/. Would you like to try again?" The teacher could also restate the question and/or give the student some additional think time. All of these strategies convey to the student, I believe in you. I will not give up on you. I have high expectations for you. As McCaffrey tried this approach in her classroom, "it caused a slight feeling of anxiety in me. It can be an uncomfortable moment for a teacher when a student demonstrates confusion, and the natural inclination is to diminish that discomfort for both the teacher and the student. Moving on to another student makes an awkward moment pass quickly and allows the lesson to move on." McCaffrey realized that her body language and tone of voice were important when she didn't call on another student. "If I conveyed any sort of urgency or frustration, sticking with a student began to feel more like putting a student in the hot seat. It became a high-pressure interaction, particularly when a student legitimately did not know the answer, regardless of the amount of cueing I provided." The ideal sequence, she decided, was:
- Ask the question and give about seven seconds of wait time before calling on a student.
- Alternatively, have students turn and talk with a partner and listen in on the conversations to see what misconceptions they might have.
- Another strategy is having students write their answers on small whiteboards, which takes the pressure off verbal responses.
- When a student answers incorrectly, praise what was right about the answer.
- Cue in a way that addresses all students ("Let's all think a little more about that").
- Keep your expression and body language relaxed so students don't feel any tension.
- Especially with math problems, do a quick review of the steps a student could take to get to the correct answer, which will help other students who are having difficulty.
- If the correct answer is not forthcoming, give the correct answer – without any sign of frustration or displeasure.
"In sticking with students," McCaffrey concludes, "I found I changed the energy in my classroom. The quiet, shy students began taking more risks because it was no longer scary to supply a wrong answer. Wrong answers became opportunities for growth for all of us." "Sticking with Students: Responding Effectively to Incorrect Answers" by Brooke McCaffrey in Education Week, Jan 6, 2014 (published online)
http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2014/01/06/fp_mccaffrey_sticking.html?qs=Brooke+McCaffrey |
Building Arabic Programs in Ohio
By Jennifer Nichols | the-ofla-cardinal.org
Source: http://bit.ly/1ayhI3O In the mid-1980s, I began studying Arabic with Dr. Mahdi Alosh in my high school at Worthington (now Worthington-Kilborne). The program only lasted a couple of years. As students we bonded and went on with our lives. However, it is a testament to the exposure we had that out of the 10 of us, 7 of us have chosen career paths which have kept us in the Middle East and Arabic speaking world. At the present time, most of the state schools in Ohio and many of the smaller colleges have developed Arabic language programs. It has become a "popular" language. Though it has been a struggle to define exactly what "popular" means. It is considered a high demand language, meaning there is a demand for Arabic language courses and enrollment increases in basic and intermediate level courses. This demand does not seem extend to the advanced level courses. While interest in learning Arabic grows exponentially, funding for programs does not. As an Arabic teacher, I've had to become creative in curriculum and program development. Though there is, on the whole, academic and scholarly support for the study of Arabic, the support rarely extends to financial. I know I'm not alone in this endeavor. Most of my colleagues have the same issues at their various institutions. Thus I organized the Ohio Arabic Teachers Association (OATA) a few years ago. We are small, but we have a presence at conferences and meetings. We seek each other out and bond – just as my high school class bonded years ago. The purpose of the organization is to act as a venue to help us share resources and collaborate to build our programs and our community. There have been varying levels of success. On the one hand, I've met some stellar language teachers that get little recognition for their skill in teaching what the State Department rates as one of the most difficult languages to learn. On the other, we are a small group, so we are all very, very busy. So finding the time to develop fully this organization takes away from immediate priorities such as lesson planning, course development, and the myriad of other activities left to a single faculty person in which other disciplines have 2 or 3 people to divide these duties. Building a Program: What it Takes In larger departments, language educators take for granted the resources they have at their disposal. I currently work in a one-faculty discipline, but I am not complaining. Fortunately, we have had temporary funding for a second faculty member to teach additional courses. To build a strong language program, there are many duties outside of just classes that need to be carried out. Pedagogy and Curriculum Of course, the development of a strong, pedagogically sound curriculum is essential for any sustainable language program, but especially important in a new program. People want to see tangible results rather quickly. Therefore, one must choose resources carefully. Fortunately, the last 10 years has produced a variety of quality Arabic textbooks – some more popular than others. However, along with this massive output of materials, there is the necessity to evaluate them. No textbook is perfect. In order to keep up with new materials and how to utilize them as a resource, I developed a "rating system." Out of the rating system, I began blogging about how to utilize these resources in the Arabic classroom. I am not unique. I know many of my fellow Arabic language teachers have all had to develop their talents in ways that are new and unique to our field. For programs on a budget, materials are expensive. Happily, there are alternatives. Dr. Steve Berbeco, now the Franklin Fellow for the U.S. Department of State, started teaching Arabic in his high school with no materials. Students developed their own textbooks. His techniques and methodologies are now a nationally recognized curriculum. You can read more about his program on the Marhaba Project at http://www.marhabaproject.org/. Dr. Berbeco's work is just one example of how the Arabic classroom is a natural fit for innovative pedagogies. Building a curriculum is one thing, building a program is an even bigger job. In my experience, I've found that many times we need to justify our financial existence to our upper-level administrators. Over the years, due to the political situation in the Arab world, the task of convincing the need to teach Arabic is much less cumbersome. But we are still concerned with enrollments – especially in upper level coursework. On the whole, most language programs do not offer upper level Arabic coursework. And those classes that are classified as "advanced," generally do not teach advanced level Arabic. It is difficult to find, an advanced level Arabic course teaching Classical literature such as the works of Al-Mutanabbi, or even the modern poetry of Nizar Qabbani. Students need more time in class than is generally provided in a 48-50 minute class period to reach the necessary level of proficiency to handle these texts. By contrast, classical and modern literature can be introduced within the first year of a Spanish or French class. Again, innovation has been a natural fit. Although students in a basic Arabic class cannot decipher Classical Arabic texts, I've been able to at least introduce these texts to students, even to begin recognizing letter or basic grammatical structures. The texts can be used as an authentic tool in the teaching of the language. Ways to compensate for this time difference is through study abroad programs and intensive language study. At Kenyon, I have had success with developing advanced levels of proficiency by working closely with our study abroad office and programs overseas to build upon their curricula within my own classroom. In that way, students do not have a gap in their language learning from what they learned abroad and their return. In fact, preliminary evidence shows that building on their curriculum abroad helps to "debrief" the students upon their return in addition to building their language skills. Institutional Support Other aspects to program development are extracurricular activities and linkages with other programs and departments. These events function as PR, outreach for the program. They have helped to identify potential students, create links with other programs and departments, and help the program become an integral part of the academic integrity of the institution. One specific example comes directly from my own experience. Upon inviting an Arabic calligrapher to give a workshop, we gained 2 students from the Art department in beginning level Arabic the next academic term. These students were interested in calligraphic arts, but, before that workshop, did not know that a calligraphic tradition existed within the Arab and Islamicate worlds. Other successful collaborations include the departments of History, Religious Studies, Mathematics, Economics, International Studies, Women and Gender studies and Sociology. Interdepartmental and interdisciplinary collaborations can be very simple. For example, I've worked with Religious Studies faculty by using their syllabi to help inform my own materials development and curriculum. For example, when students are learning about the Prophet Muhammad in their Religious Studies course, in the concurrent Arabic class we have a discussion on the Bayt an-Nabi – the House of the Prophet. This discussion uses simple language to describe the family of the Prophet Muhammad. Students are very familiar with the vocabulary, they have the linguistic capital to expand their knowledge in the target language, and, the context is set in their Religious Studies course so a majority of class time can be devoted to using the target language. Students not taking Religious Studies will benefit not only by the use of the target language, but also by learning about important cultural and historical elements. One type of collaboration that is often overlooked is that between languages. At Kenyon, we have many students learning more than one language. Students in French courses learn much about Francophone literature, where learning Arabic becomes a natural fit. Spanish is another language with which students can expand their knowledge of languages. Given the historical linguistic ties between Spain and the North African Islamic Caliphates, many words in Spanish are of Arabic origin, not to mention the plethora of materials written in Arabic in Al-Andalus. Other connections exist in German through the works of early German Orientalist authors who wrote extensively about the Arabic-speaking world, Italian via the Arabic materials translated and used to fuel the Renaissance and Russian as well – Arabic was the literary language of Central Asia until the times of the Soviets in that region. When a language class can support a student's learning in another discipline, not only does this strengthen the students knowledge in other classes and coursework, it helps to build their vocabulary, increase their language proficiency, but also provides evidence that learning a second language is not just as a service to another department, it is a necessity for deep cultural understanding. But this is NOT to argue that the purpose of learning a language should solely be to support student learning in other disciplines. Learning Arabic is not just a service to other disciplines and departments. The study of Arabic as a language itself opens students to an entirely different world and has had, in my experience, a profound impact on their academic choices (research forthcoming). By applying their knowledge of Arabic outside the Arabic language classroom, students experience the inherent worth of learning this difficult language and gaining higher levels of proficiency. It can take a number of years to develop and foster this attitude within an institution. But there has to be a starting point and the starting point is through this type of interdisciplinary collaboration. Administration Another challenge is how to administer a small program within a larger institution. I have worked hard to make Arabic a non-Othered language. There is sometimes a preconceived notion that there is just something SO different about learning Arabic than learning French or Spanish or German. Regardless of the intentions, what lies beneath this view is the cultural perception of "The Other." Admittedly, it does take longer to become as proficient in Arabic as one can in French or Spanish with one year of instruction. However, this fact should not preclude Arabic from being taught to higher levels of instruction, nor should it lower the proficiency expectations that we have of our students, nor should it set Arabic apart from other languages in terms of instructional methodologies. This attitude seems somewhat fatalistic. In order to bring about a change in attitude, it has been a priority of mine to establish Arabic as a non-Othered language by modeling the Arabic program after other language programs. Though there may be some resistance and attrition, with a pedagogically sound curriculum and strong interdisciplinary collaboration, a robust Arabic program will begin to emerge. In many cases, institutions have put Arabic language instructors into teaching positions though they have little to no experience in teaching the language, no language training, their only qualification being that they are from the Arab world. This practice, in some cases, has led to grade inflation, poor study skills, disorganized curricula, and confused students. However, increasing professionalism in the field has raised the hiring standards for Arabic instructors. Also on the rise is research in the field of Arabic pedagogy, which helps to inform better teaching practices, improve materials development and increase the number and access to resources for teachers and students. But there's a long way to go before the field of Arabic is on par with the more commonly taught languages. Commitment to Arabic What has been the most rewarding of my experiences over the years is to see the sustained increase in interest and support for Arabic overall. Ten years ago, it was rare to find a certified proficiency examiner, or even a proficiency exam, but now ACTFL regularly holds workshops for certifying Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) examiners. Proficiency exams are available through companies such as Standards-based Measurement of Proficiency (STAMP – http://www.avantassessment.com). These tools can be expensive and for building a program on a budget, many instructors have developed their own proficiency and placement exams. One of the challenges is to move away from this type of self-sustaining sufficiency to bring the teaching and learning of Arabic into the fold of more commonly taught languages, thus making it less "othered." Offering proficiency exams for students reaching the necessary proficiency levels to take them is not yet a large expense, because there are just not many students at those levels yet. When working on a budget, it is important to prioritize what to spend money on. I have found that proficiency examination is worth the expense. This statement comes with a very important qualification, however: it is worth the expense as long as the test is pedagogically sound. Requiring students to take a test with which the teacher is unfamiliar is somewhat irresponsible in practice. Though I do not advocate for "teaching to the test," I must know how my students will be evaluated and what criterion are referenced in a proficiency exam in order to assess if the particular proficiency exam accurately measures students' performance in the developed curriculum. All of this takes time and effort outside of the classroom. I have found tremendous collegial support in building Arabic programs. As Arabic becomes a more mainstream language to learn, I hope to see an increase in offering at the K-12 levels throughout Ohio. Taking Arabic in high school ultimately directed me towards a very rewarding and fulfilling career. As research by Norton (2000) concluded, learning a new language affects a person's identity. We have the fortune of watching this happen amongst our students while contributing to the growth of our field. |
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