ACTFL Plenary SessionResearch Priorities—Phase I: Moving

Language Education Forward

Eileen Glisan, ACTFL Past President, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Francis J. Troyan, University of Pittsburgh

Kate Paesani, Wayne State Univ. (Detroit, MI)

Richard Donato, University of Pittsburgh

ACTFL Research Priorities Project

Identify key areas in which research is currently needed in foreign language instruction to inform and improve classroom practice;

Attract researchers to conduct research in these key areas;

Sponsor this research through funding, publication, and dissemination of research results to the field and other stakeholders.

Phase I: 9 Reviews of LiteratureHigh-Leverage Teaching Practices◦Anne & Christopher Hlas, Univ. of WI Eau-

ClaireContent & Language Integration: K-12◦Diane Tedick, Univ. of MN; Laurent

Cammarata, Univ. of Alberta, EdmontonAdvanced FL Instruction at Post-Secondary Level◦Kate Paesani (Wayne State Univ., Detroit, MI);

Heather Allen, Univ. of WI

Reviews Cont’d.Learner Attitudes, Perceptions, & Beliefs◦Pamela Wesely, Univ. of Iowa

National Standards: Learner Outcomes◦Francis (Frank) J. Troyan, Univ. of Pittsburgh

Classroom Discourse in FL Classrooms◦Joshua J. Thoms, Utah State Univ., Logan, UT

Effective Models of Teacher Preparation◦Christina Huhn, Indiana Univ. of PA

Reviews Cont’d.Mentoring Language Teachers◦Yuly Asención Delaney, Northern Arizona

Univ.Role of Teachers’ Oral Proficiency on

Teaching & Learning◦Krista Chambless, Univ. of Alabama at

Birmingham

Panelists’ Lit. Review Titles“Research on the National Standards: Defining

the Construct and Researching Learner Outcomes”◦Francis (Frank) J. Troyan, University of

Pittsburgh“Beyond the Language-Content Divide: Research

on Advanced Foreign Language Instruction at the Post-Secondary Level”◦Kate Paesani, Wayne State University (Detroit,

MI)◦Heather Willis Allen, University of Wisconsin

National Standards:Learner Outcomes

Findings Lack of research on learner outcomes

Most researched goal area: Communication via Integrated Research Assessment (IPA) research

Clearly operationalize the National Standards in research

National Standards:Learner Outcomes

Key Research Questions

How can the IPA be designed to assess Cultures, Comparisons and Communication outcomes in K-16 programs?

Which instructional approaches result in higher levels of Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC)?

How do instructors design service learning experiences to foster student social action beyond their coursework?

Advanced FL Instruction: Findings

1. Differing conceptions of literature and culture can impede their integration across a holistic FL curriculum

2. Proposals for merging language and literary-cultural content at the course level are typically focused on advanced language courses.

3. Curricular solutions for merging language and literary-cultural content are often grounded in the Standards or the concept of literacy

Advanced FL Instruction: Research Questions

1. How are literature and culture conceived by different program members and what is the effect on advanced FL instruction?

2. What are the effects of explicit attention to linguistic development on learning advanced literary-cultural content?

3. What is the relationship between learning outcomes and curricular solutions including, but not limited to, the Standards and literacy?

Three Themes1) Classroom discourse

“Classroom talk is consequential to language development”

2) Integrating language and content

“Integrating language and content represents a paradigm shift in the way language education is conceived.”

3) Connection between classroom practice and student outcomes

“Teaching is complex work requiring the identification and analysis of core practices that offer the highest student impact based on how the practice is leveraged by the teacher.”

An Activity Theory Framework for

FL Research Who: Students and their attitudes, perceptions, and

beliefs about language learning.

Teachers and what they know and can do and how they are prepared for the work of language teaching.

Mediation: Curricular content, ways of talking and interacting, instructional practices, certification programs for developing accomplished novice teachers and for mentoring them in the early stages of their careers.

Outcomes: Achievement defined in terms of National Standards with specific focus on supporting and developing advanced language proficiency.

Follow up Sessions on Saturday in Convention Center, Rooms 710/712

Session 381: Beyond the Language – Content Divide: Advanced Collegiate FL Teaching and Learning◦ Presenters: Kate Paesani & Heather Willis Allen

10:00am – 11:00am

Session 423: Learner Outcomes and Processes – From National Standards to Learner Attitudes, Perceptions, and Beliefs in Language Learning◦ Presenters: Frank Troyan & Pamela Mary Wesely

11:15am – 12:15am

Follow up Sessions on Saturday in Convention Center, Rooms 710/712

Session 478: The Role of the Teacher: Classroom Discourse and Building of Classroom Communities◦ Presenters: Joshua Thoms

2:00pm – 3:00pm

Session 533: In Search of Innovation in Teacher Preparation: On Oral Proficiency Levels and Innovative Prepration Models◦ Presenters: Krista Chambless & Christina Huhn

4:15pm – 5:15pm