Statement+of+Knowledge

In a World Language classroom, we do not have the same luxuries of being able to know the students feelings on current issues, their in-depth views of reading comprehension etc... due to exclusiveness of the second language that is being acquired in the classroom. As my essential questions demonstrate, the essential questions in the World Language classroom want the students to see how this will be to relate themes to their world. In the World Language classroom, we want to focus on communication which places more emphasis on the process when running the classroom. According to Curtain and Posola, meaningful communication in the context of a holistic approach to learning (Curtain and Posola, 1994). In a sense, we are looking to use language as a tool rather than teach it segregated. Since we are using language as a tool, our tasks must include items that will help us to reach our goal. This includes the use of playing games, using music, creating dialogues, making multimedia presentations etc... With this in mind, we have to be able to use what Len Vygotsky termed “scaffolding”. Scaffolding would be the interaction between the expert and novice in a problem solving task (Shrum and Glisan, 2000). By scaffolding, I will be able to have the students work on tasks that I am helping them to complete along the way by modeling and highlighting before and during the task. In addition to communication (being one of the 5’s), we also have culture, connections, comparisons and communities. According to the ACTFL (American Council of the Teaching of Foreign Languages), we should include as much as possible these content standards into our curriculum. Therefor, when we are reading our various collections in our textbook Nuevas Vistas, we want to not just read the selections, but make these readings come alive by discussions, comparing them to their own lives, connect the readings to other disciplines, understand the culture in which the readings are in and show students the idea behind beyond life long learners in the community, school setting and around the world. As mentioned above, we want to make our class look a language acquisition as been a holistic experience. The same case can be stated for when we decide to give assessments in the classroom. We do not want to give only/primarily grammar based tests because this is not the way language is used. These types of tests can be used to give formative assessments Because many of the tasks that the students will do in Spanish 4 are authentic, my assessments have to structured in the same format. Grant Wiggens proposed that the task should require learners to address a meaningful audience and mirror challenges faced by real individuals in real-world settings (Shurm and Glisan, 2000) or making the assessment meaningful to an audience. Many of the assessments that students will create in level four are structured around this philosophy. Some of these projects will include, creating a web-page, self-portrait, creating a driver’s exam, and creating a youth oriented magazine. These are structured to design performance, contextualize the task and force us at the teacher to use
 * Creating an Environment for Communication **
 * Assessment in the classroom **

In the classroom, each student that is seated in front of the teacher learns differently. Howard Gardner named 8 different multiple intelligences in the classroom. One of the risks that the classroom teacher will have will be to gear towards his/her own comfort level. If the teacher is to do this, we will not be reaching all of the students in the classroom. Using the multiple intelligences can be used widely in any given week. The students can write in journals, have cooperative tasks, use graphic organizers, puzzles, manipulative's, role-play, Total Physical Response (TPR), drawings, chart, songs, jingles and data collection. (Shurm and Glisan, 2000) All of these fit into one (or multiple) of the multiple intelligences and by organizing our lessons like this, the teacher will be able be able to reach more of the students in the classroom.
 * Diversity in the classroom **


 * Modifications **

The IDEA Public Law 101-476 ensures that no students should be denied participation in or benefits from educations programs or activities (Shrum and Glisan, 2000). Students that are protected under this law may not be able to learn the same way that their other classmates learn. To be fair and consistent, based on the IEP of the student, the teacher may have to make adjustments to assessments, activities and homework. This being stated, it is not necessary to make the adjustments for everyone in the classroom as by making the necessary adjustments for the student(s) in the classroom who have IEP’s, the teacher is leveling out the playing field.

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