SILL+2008

This page details the first week of the first Southern Initiative for Language Leadership. It was held at Simpsonwood in Atlanta Georgia during the third week of June 2008. Participants were from SCOLT and mentors hailed from PNCFL. It was a very successful week! 

=TABLE OF CONTENTS=

8:15-8:35 Greg
 * Welcome, introductions
 * well-being info (cell phones off, bathrooms, refreshments)

• Begin with the Herding Cats video clip?
 * 8:35-9:15 Brenda and Greg
 * Getting to know one another mixer - goal: everyone introduces him/herself
 * logistics - reimbursement for expenses (Meals and travel ) Tuesday AM - bring flight itineraries and we'll do paperwork
 * Go through rest of binder, esp. schedule
 * Explain themes: Using principles of UbD to consider what makes an excellent language program, learning about action research and designing individual action-research projects. Goal for week= create an outline for an action research project

9:15-10:30 Ann Share Wyoming Framework (will work with it on Thursday)
 * Overview of Understanding by Design/ Backward Design (Ann)

10:30 - 10:45 Break

10:45-10:50 Ann, Brandee Introduce mentor group/whole group activity: What do you think are the most important indicators of a high quality foreign language program?

10:50-11:40 Small group work (5 groups of four teachers plus TL. Goal: Discuss the bullets in the two documents (Pages 3-4 of the Draft UbD Document plus the new Descriptors) and choose the three you think are the most most important for a high quality program. Be ready to explain why your group picked those three when we debrief. Illustrate your concepts to illustrate the three concepts your group chooses.

11:40-12:00 Whole group. Each mentor group shares its illustration, explaining it to the whole group. (Brandee, Ann)

12:00-1:00 Lunch

1:00-1:02 (brain break- Que hora es? (lead -in to the idea that a good program is inevitably judged by the proficiency level attained by its students) 1:02-1:35 Rich introduces what is happening in his district and what he has learned. Ends by challenging everyone to continue to think about the characteristics of strong language programs that were discussed in the morning groups:
 * 1) to think about their own programs and classrooms,
 * 2) to consider where they might like to strengthen their program/classes, and
 * 3) to begin to think about what evidence they would need to gather in order to be able to show positive changes in the areas/characteristics they might choose.

1:35-1:45 Brenda Activity- 20 quotes- matching activity "Together we win” activity"

1:45-2:45 General introduction to Action Research - Rich
 * Rich - One Teacher's Story - what your action research project was.
 * What is it? Why do it? How can it improve your teaching?

2:45-3:30 Individual time to discuss with other teachers, TL's, Ann, Greg, or by yourself about your action-research project. Build in your own 15 minute break.

3:30-4:15 Greg - - Introduction to CASLS' MOSAIC units - content based instruction - in addition to SILL-NET.
 * SILL-NET as a means of communication, mentor groups, calendar and journal - homework -
 * Explain the role of journaling in the institute

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TUESDAY
7-8AM Breakfast

8:00-8:15 Greg - Troubleshooting connectivity problems - problems with SILL-NET Register for credit, go over syllabus, forms Reimbursement for travel - participants need to bring their flight itineraries and request reimbursement

8:15-8:45 Greg, TLs Debrief from the journal assignment - share with your mentor group.

8:45-9:45 Ann TL's Mentor Groups: discuss pages 5-6, the teacher's role in building a strong language program. Discuss the administrators' checklist (Observing Foreign Language Instruction for Secondary School Students or the Elementary School version).

1. What indicators "speak" to your group? 2. What would your group change about this check list of indicators? 3. What would you add? Change? Omit? 4. Could the checklist be integrated into your school's observation process? How would its use change what happens now in your school/district?

9:45-10:15 Greg and TL's Debrief in whole group: Task: Each group shares one question that really spoke to the group.

10:15-10:30 Break 10:30-11:00 Lynette The results of the SILL survey: implications for Action Research

11:00-12:00 TL Brandee Action Research: researching your question

12:00-1:00 Lunch

1:00-1:15 Greg Explain optional activity share on Wednesday Morning. (3 mins. each - handouts loaded to SILL-NET

1:15-1:45 TL Krista - Body Snatchers activity...when done...ask them @ any insights this could give you about your job, your life, SILL, etc. (not letting anyone through the cracks...etc.) Talk @ Vampire / Zombie modification.

TL Action Research story - using an external reward system. I would like to draw this out as I speak...I will do this on the overhead projector.

Another stretching activity to get them ready for their brain work below.

1:45-2:45 TL Choosing an action research topic: how do you know your AR idea is worth studying? Krista - I will be walking them through an individual and then group activity.

2:00 - 2:15 or 2:00 - 2:15 Break 2:15 - 2:18 - Video Cry Me a Verb

3:02-3:20 TL Brenda Story Boxes: getting-to-know-you mixer

3:20-4:00 Greg Individual reflection and processing time: Journal assignment - Thinking back to the beginning of the day, which of the survey topics (choose 2 or 3) could you see turning into important areas of research for you? What could you and your students gain from engaging in a study of these topics? Time to explore ERIC resources as you begin to formulate your possible AR question

4:00-4:15 Greg Midweek survey and wrap-up for the day

Journal assignment - Greg Personal reactions to the UbD discussions of this first day. Choose 1-2 understandings or essential questions that you personally might like to explore in your action research. Are there others not on the list? If so, what are they?

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WEDNESDAY
7-8AM Breakfast

8:00-9:15 Krista and Brenda Teachers Share Lesson Plans and Great Activities

9:15-10:00 TL Mentor Huddle Debrief of choices of action-research topics from journaling the day before

10:00-10:15 Break 10:15-11:00 Brandee AR story: choosing an AR topic then deciding how to collect data for that topic

11:00-12:00 Brenda (Brandee supporting) How to effectively collect data - surveys, questionnaires, interviews

12:00-12:30 Lunch

12:45 Leave for downtown Atlanta - individual choice of activities

6:45 - meet at Pittypat's restaurant

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THURSDAY
7-8AM Breakfast

8:00-8:15 Greg 8:15-9:45 SILL Presenters Assessment PowerPoint with Activities
 * 1) Handout - Powerpoint slides
 * 2) Handout - Glossary of Selected World Language Assessments
 * 3) Handout - My Personal Assessment Plan

9:30-10:00 Q&A Round Table Panel Discussion 10:00-10:15 Break 10:15- 10:30 Complete Assessment Power Point and Develop Assessment plan for individual schools and districts (slide 32)

10:30-10:45 Debrief their assessment plan in mentor groups

10:45-11:15 Rich Formative Assessment: whole group discussion 1) Define formative assessment 2) What does it look like in your classroom? 3) How do you use the data you gather from formative assessments?

11:15 - 12:00 TL'S in Cohort Groups- Task: go over and discuss Handout "Great Ideas for Formative Assessment" How do we assess these activities? Rubrics

12:00-1:00 Lunch

1:00-1:30 Lynette Action-Research Story

1:30-2:00 Brandee- set up discussion about UbD in program and curriculum design (Sample Spanish Unit) Question: How can UbD Inform and Improve Program and Curriculum Design?

2:00-2:30 Cohort Groups- go over Curriculum Framework from Wyoming Middle-school Spanish project 1) Let people read it. 2) Discussion questions: - What is different from your own curriculum documents? - How might you use such a framework? Would you modify it? If so, how? - What might be the obstacles to using such a method in your school or district? 3) Hand out templates/discuss

2:30-2:45 Brandee Whole group debriefing of discussion questions. Introduce "Thematic Unit Template" and "Lesson Plan Template"

2:45-3:00 Break

3:00-3:30 Brandee and Greg Bringing it all together - curriculum planning and assessment design
 * 1) Handout - Thematic Unit Template
 * 2) Handout - Lesson Plan Template

3:30-4:15 Time for individual reflection on personal curriculum and assessment

Assignment - 2008 assignment: (Post to SILL-NET) Write a two-page paper which 1) describes the classroom practice or concern to be addressed via an action research plan and 2) addresses potential obstacles and perceived benefits of the plan.

Dinner - Appreciation night - **TL Drama/Comedy Routine? : -))IHave a script from Wavelengths that is pretty hillarious. I'll try and remember to bring. It may have a skit we can use. ~Rich **

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FRIDAY
7-8AM Breakfast

Survey - next year's dates June 15-19, 2009 June 22-26, 2009? 8:00- 8:30 Brenda- AR Story

8:30-10:00 Greg - Whole-group sharing of action-research and plans Listen for themes among AR projects- they can meet together in theme groups

10:00-10:30 Break and checkout

10:30-10:40 YouTube Download tips

10:40 - 11:00 Small group theme areas meet

11:00 - 11:15 Final evaluation

11:15 - 11:40 TLs Mentor Groups Set up the academic year, expectations, communication styles

11:40 -11:45 Whole group: Talking about next year's institute Next year's SILL dates

12:00-1:00 Lunch

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