I recently received an email from a teacher asking how I would be using IPA's (Integrated Performance Assessments) while practicing social distancing/teaching virtually this year, and decided that many people might be wondering the same thing. So, I've decided to write a post about how I plan on incorporating IPA's with my language classes during this unprecedented school year.
What is an IPA? First of all, if you are unfamiliar with IPA's, they are defined as thus: "Integrated Performance Assessment is a classroom-based performance assessment model developed by ACTFL that can be used for evaluating student's communication skills in the three modes of communication (Interpretive, Presentational, Interpersonal) identified in the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages (2015)." (source: CARLA) They are a great way to ensure students are meeting proficiency levels and gives you the ability to get a full picture of their abilities. So, how am I modifying my IPA's to fit the current school situation? To start, my class is based mostly on participation and completion work with 40% of the overall grade for participation. I track their participation by awarding 1 point for each time a student volunteers a response in our group discussions. These are generally students answering a question that I have posed in the TL. Ideally, almost every student chooses to offer an answer and I will allow every individual who wants to offer a response to a question the opportunity to do so. This gives the ones who are less confident the motivation to actually do it because they are basically repeating the content they have heard their classmates produce with slight modifications. They are required to earn 30 participation points per unit (I will probably raise that but I didn't want to set the bar too high to start.) Now, let's break down the three focus areas of IPA's and how I plan on conducting them this year. Interpersonal: "This is two-way communication in which both sides actively negotiate meaning through a process of observing, monitoring and clarification." An example would be a conversation in the TL. (source: Fluent U) These activities will often be graded as a test grade and in the past would be conducted in the hall with randomized partners. My plan is to conduct them via zoom still using randomized partners and having those individual students join me in a zoom while other students work independently. I will provide the guidelines for the activity ahead of time via google classroom and an explanation in a pre-recorded video/zoom. I will grade using a rubric in Kami so students will be able to see my notes and their proficiency level. I discovered several years ago, through a process of trial and error, that the best way to create a truly interpersonal activity without students memorizing full conversations was to randomize the partners or conduct an interview. So, I give students a basic scenario like, the following: You will either be the teenager buying supplies or the shopkeeper selling supplies in the following scenario. You will not know which one you are until your name is drawn in class. You will also be informed of your partner at that time. Upon the drawing of names, you will immediately begin the exam. Teenager: Your best friend is turning 15 and you are helping prepare for her quinceanera. You've been asked to pick up several items from your local hispanic shop for the party. They only speak spanish so you will need to be able to communicate your needs. You need to purchase the following: a pinata shaped like a star, 100 pink and yellow balloons, party streamers and candy to fill the pinata. You also need to inquire about when the cake and food that has already been ordered will be ready. Shopkeeper: You are working when a teenanger comes in to pick up some items for a party. Help them find the things they are looking for. As a good salesperson, you should also suggest a few more items they might need and have not already purchased. Additionally, you DJ on the side and are always looking for a new gig. Ask if they have already chosen a DJ and if not, offer your services. Because they do not know their partner ahead of time they cannot memorize the order in which the conversation will be conducted and will be forced to truly participate in an unscripted conversation but, will be prepared with appropriate general phrasing and vocabulary. Interpretive: "This is a type of one-way communication where students use their listening and/or reading skills to comprehend spoken and written language." Some examples would be listening to a conversation in the TL, or reading an article and answering questions. (source: Fluent U) We do many activities in class as a group where I may say something and have them do what I am asking. In the past I used paper manipulatives and handouts but I am going paperless this year so I am using digital resources like google slides for them to manipulate items. I will do this by creating a master slide so they are unable to disrupt anything but the items I want them to move. I created several bitmoji activities where they will do things like decorate a room using the items I describe or put the correct food items on a plate to represent a meal I describe. Today I conducted a pronunciation activity where students listened to the word and wrote down how they thought it was spelled to demonstrate their understanding of pronunciation. These activities would all be for completion grades only. Another activity I plan on doing regularly is using Kami to allow students to highlight articles when looking for specific types of words like cognates or identifying different types of speech like nouns, verbs and adjectives. Presentational: "Presentational communication occurs when your students use their writing and speaking skills to present information or knowledge on a topic. Examples include performing a prepared skit or dialogue, or presenting a slideshow." (source: Fluent U) Within each unit there are often activities where they will be given some sort of assignment that falls within this category. It varies but I will most likely be using google slides for them to create a presentation. Then, when it is time for them to present I would share my screen via zoom and show their presentation that they turned in on google classroom. Once the presentation is visible to all, I will have the student unmute themself and talk while all students can see the presentation via my shared screen and hear them through zoom. Putting it all together using backwards design. “To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you're going so that you better understand where you are now and so that the steps you take are always in the right direction.” - Stephen R. Covey I'm a believer in the backwards design method of creating lessons. If you start your planning by deciding the end goal or the three IPA categories, you can then build activities and lessons that focus on achieving them. For example, if I want my students to be able to carry-on a conversation with a shopkeeper to purchase items (interpersonal), identify items that one needs to celebrate a quinceanera from an article describing the celebration (interpretive) and then plan a quinceanera and share the plan with they have created with the class (presentational). I can then create lessons revolving around accomplishing those goals. This results in a very cohesive and easy to follow lesson process where students understand the end goal from the beginning of the unit. I hope that my process and plans for this year help you develop lessons and activities that work for your classes despite the fact that they are a mix of virtual and on-site with the added stress of social distancing. I have made many accommodations for this year but am actually really happy with how many of them are going already and may even keep the changes after we eventually return to normal. Don't hesitate to ask questions and comment with your own amazing ideas! We can always learn from each other!
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