Issues in Defining and Assessing Reading Proficiency: The ACTFL Guidelines

Arabic language learning textbooks have fulfilled the elements of the learning system. However, the textbooks for Arabic language learning are considered inadequate to meet students' needs and contemporary social changes. This article describes the analysis of al-mahārah al-kalām material in the Madrasah Aliyah (MA) class XII Arabic language textbook published by the Indonesian Ministry of Religion based on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) guidelines. This research uses research procedures and qualitative methods. Based on a content analysis approach, this research seeks to reveal al-mahārah al-kalām learning materials for class XII MA students. al-Mahārah al-kalām was chosen as the object of study because Arabic speaking skills are highly important in a person's motivation to learn Arabic. The data analysis technique used in this research follows the content analysis method, which emphasizes a set of procedures for making valid inferences from text. Methodically, the analysis used in this research is qualitative content analysis in discourse analysis, semiotic analysis, and hermeneutic analysis. This research found three things, namely (1) the use of ACTFL as a basis for standardizing Arabic textbooks necessitates harmonization of textbook material, which so far has not been fully oriented towards ACTFL; (2) confirmation of the standardization of Arabic language learning based-on ACTFL has an impact on restructuring the curriculum for Arabic language learning. ACTFL standardization is also seen as an effort to increase Arabic language mastery globally and (3) redefinition of Arabic language learning using teaching materials for class XII MA students. This redefinition is possible to prepare students to enter the higher education market at a global level. This research confirms the significance of using ACTFL in preparing Arabic language learning textbooks at all levels of Islamic education. Future research can utilize ACTFL to analyze various basic Arabic language skills, especially in each Islamic education unit and Islamic boarding school education. Keywords: Analysis, Speaking skill, Textbook, ACTFL Abstrak Kehadiran buku ajar pembelajaran bahasa Arab dalam beberapa hal dianggap telah memenuhi unsur-unsur sistem pembelajaran, namun demikian buku-buku ajar yang saat ini berlaku dianggap kurang memadai lagi untuk memenuhi kebutuhan siswa dan kontemporarisasi perubahan sosial. Artikel ini mendeskripsikan tentang analisis materi al-mahārah al-kalām dalam buku ajar bahasa Arab Madrasah Aliyah (MA) kelas XII yang diterbitkan oleh Kementerian Agama RI berdasarkan pedoman American Council on The Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). Penelitian ini menggunakan prosedur dan cara kerja penelitian kualitatif. Dengan mendasarkan pada pendekatan content analysis, penelitian ini berupaya mengungkap materi-materi pembalajaran al-mahārah al-kalām untuk siswa MA kelas XII. al-Mahārah al-kalām dipilih sebagai objek kajian dengan pertimbangan bahwa keterampilan berbicara bahasa Arab memiliki posisi yang tinggi dari sudut motivasi seseorang belajar bahasa Arab. Teknik anlisis data yang digunakan penelitian ini mengikuti prosedur metode content analysis yang menekankan seperangkat prosedur untuk membuat inferensi yang valid dari teks. Secara metodis, analisis yang digunakan penelitian ini yaitu analisis isi kualitatif, berupa analisis wacana, analisis semiotik dan analisis hermeneutika. Penelitian ini menghasilkan tiga temuan, yaitu (1) penggunaan ACTFL sebagai basis standarisasi buku ajar bahasa Arab meniscayakan penyelarasan-penyelarasan materi buku ajar yang selama ini belum sepenuhnya beroirientasi pada ACTFL; (2) konfirmasi standarisasi pembelajaran bahasa Arab berbasis ACTFL berdampak pada penyusunan ulang kurikulum untuk pembelajaran bahasa Arab. Standarisasi ACTFL juga dipandang sebagai upaya peningkatan penguasaan bahasa Arab dalam konteks global; dan (3) redefinisi terhadap pembelajaran bahasa Arab yang menggunakan bahan ajar untuk siswa kelas XII MA. Redefinisi ini dimungkinkan dilakukan untuk menyiapkan peserta didik memasuki pasar perguruan tinggi pada tataran global. Hasil penelitian ini mengonfirmasi tentang signifikansi penggunaan ACTFL dalam penyusunan buku ajar pembelajaran bahasa Arab pada semua jenjang pendidikan Islam. Penelitian berikutnya dapat memanfaatkan penggunaan ACTFL sebagai basis analisis pada berbagai kemampuan dasar bahasa Arab, terutama pada setiap satuan pendidikan Islam dan pendidikan pesantren. Kata Kunci: Analisis, al-Mahārah al-Kalām, Buku Ajar, ACTFL

Language is a means of communication among human beings. Such communication among non-native and/or native language users can be facilitated through language learning and teaching. Language education professionals have developed guidelines for teachers and learners to measure the linguistic performance of these two groups. One of the prestigious international frameworks established in the field of foreign language teaching and assessment is the ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) proficiency guidelines developed by a team of foreign language education professionals. The Arabic speaking skill, along with listening, is one of the main language skills used to orally communicate with Arabic speakers. Non-native students majoring in Arabic Language and Literature learn the required vocabulary and structures/styles to speak Arabic. But many of them face challenges in applying what they have learned when speaking Arabic. The present study, in particular, attempts to find an answer to the following two questions: What is the proficiency level of undergraduate students of Kharazmi University majoring in Arabic Language and Literature based on ACTFL guidelines for assessing speaking skill? What difficulties do Arabic language majors face in learning Arabic? The statistical sample of the study consisted of 30 undergraduate senior students majoring in Arabic Language and Literature at Kharazmi University, Tehran. To determine the students’ speaking level and discover the reasons for their possible deficiencies, a field (qualitative) research was conducted while adopting a descriptive and inductive approach. The research instruments included both the test and observation. The most prominent finding of the research was that while Arabic students take a total of 12 credits under the courses of Listening and Speaking 1 to 3 as well as Language Lab 1 to 3, they do not achieve a desirable level of speaking skill. There are many reasons for this weakness among which one can point out limited hours and credits allocated to the courses on language skills. The test results in particular revealed that the students did not perform well in the speaking skill. The contributing factors were the lack of confidence in speaking Arabic, fear of making lexical mistakes while speaking, and insufficient daily use of Arabic, among others.

Journal of the International Network for Korean Language and Culture 16-2, 171-197. This study aims to suggest a methodology for the development of an assessment framework and tool for intercultural communication. The following three studies, created by the National Council of State Supervisors for Languages (NCSSFL) and the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), were examined: (1) “ACTFL Performance Descriptors for Language Learners,” (2) “2017 NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements,” and (3) “NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements for Intercultural Communication.” According to the ACTFL, proficiency benchmarks and performance indicators for ACTFL proficiency level are composed of two facets: “investigate” and “interact.” Next, ”Narrative” as a methodological alternative for measuring the learner’s evaluation performance is presented by considering precedent studies. Thus, this study has developed a process-focused performance assessment that combines the narrative-based assessment for intercultural communication. (Semyung University)

Conversations about culture: How Korean and Japanese cultural products, practices and perspectives are discussed to co-construct cultural understanding in talk

This study aims to explore the use of ACTFL standards in Arabic language listening comprehension tests at the Novice level. The ACTFL standards for the Novice level are divided into three sub-levels: Novice High, Novice Mid, and Novice Low. This research employs a qualitative approach through literature review, analyzing the "Skills Guide" by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and other relevant literature such as articles and books. The analysis reveals that a well-structured Arabic listening comprehension test for Novice learners consists of 5 questions based on ACTFL standards: 20% of the questions are at the Novice High level (3 questions), 50% are at the Novice Mid level (4 questions), and 30% are at the Novice Low level (3 questions). The findings highlight the importance of aligning language proficiency assessments with ACTFL standards to ensure effective learning outcomes at the beginner level. The implications of this research suggest that such tests can better gauge the listening comprehension skills of novice learners, thus improving the quality of language instruction.

Abstract: This qualitative case study explores how collaborative teacher research serves as a professional development model for practicing teachers. The purpose of the study is to examine how participation in a collaborative teacher research group affected three French teachers' understandings of one state's foreign language standards, and to look at how those understandings were realized in a collaborative teacher research (CTR) project. This article specifically focuses on the results emanating from how the three French teachers individually and collaboratively interpreted and implemented foreign language standards while participating in CTR. Data were collected from workshops, journal entries, classroom observations, lesson plans and materials, workshop evaluations, the teachers' research, and e-mail conversations. Results show that the teachers learned about the standards primarily from collaborating with their students. Introduction New Visions in Action (NVA), sponsored by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and the National Foreign Language Resource Center (NFLRC) in Iowa, is moving forward a national agenda for foreign language education in an effort to meet goals set forth in the national K-12 foreign language standards (Met, 2000). These standards provide a vision of instruction for which teachers need a high level of language proficiency, extensive cultural competence, a repertoire of approaches that are learner centered and focused on communication, and knowledge about implementing strategies for working with diverse learners who have not traditionally enrolled in foreign language classes (Phillips, 1998). Foreign language pedagogy, described in the manner of the National Standards (1999), will not be realized without sustained professional development for practicing teachers. Past professional development programs have been criticized for their one-shot structure, top-down approach, and failure to address the specific needs of foreign language teachers, resulting in little or no effect on classroom instruction. This professional development paradigm is changing. Current literature discussing professional development concurs that it must be long term, collaborative, content specific, job embedded, inquiry based, and focused on the needs of teachers and the goals we are setting for our students (Alien, 2004; Clair, 2000; Diaz-Maggioli, 2003; Klonsky 2002; Kreeft Peyton, 1997; Lewis, 2000; lieberman & Miller, 2000; McCarthy & Riley, 2000). Further, teachers must be actively involved in both its design and implementation (Bartz & Keefe Singer, 1996; Darling Hammond, 1997; Glisan, 1996; Kreeft Peyton, 1997). The Teacher Development Task Force-one working group of the NVA project-is in the process of establishing a national framework that defines effective professional development for foreign language teachers. Part of the work of the task force involves identifying criteria for the creation and evaluation of professional development programs and subsequently identifying and showcasing exemplary program models. Empirical data from studies investigating the effectiveness of professional development programs are needed to inform the group's ongoing work. NVA has, in particular, called for research on the effectiveness of alternative professional development models (Curtain, 2000). Action research offers a viable solution. Although this type of research, from here on referred to as collaborative teacher research (CTR), is recognized for promoting teacher development and change in teaching practice (Anderson, Herr, & Nihlen, 1994; Burns & Hood, 1995; Freeman, 1998; McNiff, 1993), and as an insightful means for contributing to the knowledge base of teaching (Allwright; 1993; Somekh, 1993; Stenhouse, 1981) we are only beginning to know how foreign language teachers carry out this type of research (Burns, 1999). In addition, while collaboration is the critical component of successful teacher research, it has tended to be promoted and conducted in an individualistic way (Burns, 1999). …

This study aims to provide foreign language professionals with a sound methodology for selecting a suitable lexicon apropos of their students’ level in the language. The justification of said selection is, herein, rooted in a cognitive argument: If we are able to observe the manner in which words are organized within the mind, we will be better able to select the words needed for the natural process of communication. After analyzing over lists of lexical availability compiled by previous analyses, this study puts forth a glossary filtered by way of an objective procedure based on the mathematical concept known as Fuzzy Expected Value. I begin first by rigorously defining the concept of lexical availability and then thoroughly examining and explaining the manner in which I have obtained the results. Next, I employ the cognitive theory of prototypes to expound upon the organizational apparatus which arranges words within speakers’ minds. Subsequently, and in accordance with objective criteria, a lexical selection is proposed. To end, I contemplate and muse upon the significance of a program that would enable us to identify the most appropriate vocabulary according to the students’ level of linguistic competence. In order to further substantiate this study, it will be juxtaposed with the specific notions outlined by the curriculum of The Cervantes Institute. Moreover, it will relate to the teaching levels proposed by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

This research reports on the analysis of Arabic textbooks for elementary schools that have been published by the Ministry of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia based on American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) guidelines. This research examined the competencies to be achieved from the practice of using textbooks in teaching Arabic based on the instructional objectives and concept maps included in the textbooks. The results of the study showed that the teaching materials had contained in the Arabic language textbooks for elementary school 1st, 2nd and 3th grade and had reflected ACTFL standards at a low novice level. These textbooks apart from being an authentic learning resource and promoting innovative learning can also be put into practice by teachers with formulated instructional ideas and strategies. The study findings reflect pedagogical discussions about teaching Arabic as a foreign language and allow teachers to build their creativity to practice contextual and transformative learning based on the standards formulated in textbooks.

This chapter reviews research on Integrated Performance Assessment (IPA), which was designed and initiated at the end of the twentieth century for the purposes of measuring students’ in-class language-performance progress, as well as guiding students to move toward proficiency outcomes. IPA lets learners perform interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational tasks under one theme and receive immediate feedback on each task performance using rubrics that are created based on ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) proficiency and performance descriptions. Previous research on the IPA reports that learners’ performances in different communication modes do not necessarily progress evenly alongside their increasing metacognitive awareness of their own processes of language learning. Crucially, IPA bridges this gap by providing a performance-based assessment that measures learners’ progress in meeting both proficiency and World-Readiness Standards; teachers indicate that IPA has a washback effect on instruction and curricular design. Yet there is little research to report the effectiveness of feedback based on the rubrics, an essential feature of the IPA which guides learners toward the next level of the proficiency scale. Although new research on IPA has recently emerged in the field of Korean as a second language (KSL), this chapter suggests the need for further KSL-specific empirical research. It then discusses the pedagogical implications of research findings, as well as the purposeful design of curricula and assessment in KSL, that foster the attainment of measurable student learning outcomes.

This chapter describes a brief history of the use of service-learning in the second language classroom and defines the terms used in the field of service-learning, as well as addresses some the general benefits found through service-learning in the different areas of language development. This chapter additionally addresses the role that service-learning plays in the proficiency standards established by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and other professional organizations (communities, connections, comparisons, cultures, and communication) as the competencies that language students should have at different levels of acquisition. Abbott and Lear (2008) address these areas in a case study, which this chapter comments on along with other research that pertains to meeting language standards. Since service-learning includes the elements of reciprocity, reflection, meaningful service, diversity, and development, its use in the second language classroom can contribute to meeting the goals of language acquisition for teachers and students. Finally, this chapter outlines the subsequent chapters in the text.

Online learning environments are changing the landscape of education, with evidence supporting their efficacy (Means, Toyama, Murphy, Bakia, & Jones, 2009). However, research that focuses entirely on online distance English-language programs is sparse, especially in regards to oral proficiency. The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of an online distance-learning program in helping students develop oral English-language proficiency as they prepare to attend a university in the United States. The curriculum for the distance-learning program was built upon Moore’s (1993) transactional distance theory, with an emphasis on interpersonal dialogue as a key tool in promoting oral proficiency. Students participated in synchronous and asynchronous interaction with fellow students, tutors, and their instructors. The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) computer-assisted Oral Proficiency Interview (OPIc) provided the pretest and posttest measures for this study. To supplement this data, course surveys provided information concerning student opinions of course activities. OPIc results showed that students made significant gains in their oral proficiency from pretest to posttest. In surveys, students rated interaction with other tutors and teachers as instrumental in assisting them with their language learning, but rated interaction with their peers as less helpful.

Language educators encounter challenges of integrating meaningful cultural content and assessment into ELL curricula, mainly due to inadequate professional support and training. Regardless of the growing number of young language learners and institutes around the globe, very limited studies have been conducted and published regarding young ELLs' intercultural competence (IC) development. The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Global Competence Position Statement (2014) reinforces the importance of teachers helping learners deal with these challenges. This chapter conducted qualitative meta-analysis reviewing the existing literature on the various models of IC teacher preparation programs for young ELLs aiming to improve the IC components in teacher preparation curricula. The main components of IC to be infused into curricula include: (1) the educational needs and state standards of IC in teacher education programs; (2) IC theoretical frameworks and assessment models; and (3) IC practices in teacher education for young ELLs.

Food for Thought: Building Socially Conscious Readers and Writers through Exploring Eating Practices and Sustainability Perspectives Silvia Rodríguez Sabater Globalization in the twenty-first century has created new and interconnected challenges for everyone, especially for the current generation of students in our classrooms. Language learning can be part of the solution, by opening students’ eyes to the social, cultural, economic, and environmental issues around the world. The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) has been advocating for the inclusion of the 5 Cs—Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities—since 1996. More recently, the publication of Words and Actions: Teaching Languages through the Lens of Social Justice (Glynn et al. 2014), and second edition in 2018, shed more light on how to teach these challenging topics. Recently, the Modern Language Association (MLA) has called for proposals on the “greening” of the Spanish curriculum for their 2020 convention. University students are and will be faced with complex twenty-first-century economic problems, such as food deserts, costs of industrial agriculture, organic regulations and market demand, sustainable food systems, value of traditional ecological knowledge, and regulations and business ethics related to food. These economic problems cannot be separated from social problems, such as political implications from food insecurity, loss of traditional ecological knowledge around food issues, food ethics, GMO vs. non-GMO debates, nutrition issues, speciesism in agriculture, policy, and regulations around food. In addition to the varied economic dimensions, environmental problems require creative answers to tackle the impact of industrial agriculture, agricultural pollution and runoff, climate crisis and agriculture, and deforestation and agriculture. Immediate solutions are required, and we need to equip our students with the tools to address and solve such real-world problems. In other words, the Spanish language classroom can be a crucial part of the education of globally prepared solutionaries, individuals able to address and solve issues (Weil 2016) and who are sustainability literate because they have the knowledge and skills to advocate for resilient social, economic, and environmental systems. The College of Charleston has made these concerns part of the Quality Enhancement Plan and has encouraged faculty to create courses in all fields of study. 1. The Case of SPAN 313: A Composition Course An intermediate composition section at the College of Charleston was taught in Spring 2019 aimed to build socially conscious readers and writers through exploring eating practices and sustainability perspectives. The course learning outcomes are: 1. sustainability literacy (identify various elements of sustainability in the Spanish-speaking world, key ways to be more sustainable in personal life, and the relationship between social/cultural, economic, and environmental factors); [End Page 155] 2. the development of interpretive reading and listening (understand, interpret, and analyze what is heard, read, or viewed on a variety of topics related to food practices and sustainability perspectives); 3. the development of presentational writing (present information, concepts, and ideas to inform, explain, persuade, and narrate on a variety of topics related to food practices and sustainability perspectives using appropriate media and adapting to various audiences of readers). The course themes are: 1) food deserts and social justice; 2) diets (Mediterranean diet, plant-based eating, and Mexican gastronomy); 3) habits (milk alternatives, organic produce, local products, drinking straws, and disposable products); 4) traditional agriculture and foods of Latin America (Mesoamerican chinampas and Andean terrazas); and 5) fair trade chocolate and coffee; and 6) cattle raising and deforestation. Students read authentic texts written by Spanish native speakers for members of that culture, and they interpret the texts by identifying key words, the main idea(s), supporting details, and the organizational features and author’s perspective, inferring meaning of unfamiliar words, and identifying cultural and sustainability perspectives. A list of these texts is included in the Appendix. 2. Presentational Writing Activities Students carry out a variety of presentational writing activities such as essays, discussion board posts, summaries of food and sustainability events on campus, and on invited speaker talks to class. The writing activities were structured according to the guidelines for ACTFL proficiency, beginning with writing assignments that asked students to narrate and describe, and then propose and persuade. The assignments increased in length and expectations for vocabulary and...

This book (part 2) is for use in the second semester of a University Hindi course after completion of the introductory books, ~ Wi/fitJcn/ (Beginners Hindi) and~ 4/6'i/~Rlcn (First-year Hindi Course) part 1. Four audio cassettes accompany this text; they include most of the text, answers to the exercises, and materials from 31 ICfil ~1c:uoft (All-India Radio), mostly short excerpts of news broadcasts and commercials. Like part 1, this book is also divided into six parts; each part is introduced by a film song and a conversation taken from Conversational Hindi-Urdu by Gumperz and Rumery(~ SP:fll~l'1, f~~l, ~ .... .... 'E.~~). At the end there is the script of a cooking videotape (31TS:lf' 1SfFfT a/rtl~l/) and a summary of the verb forms. At the University of Texas this text is supplemented by the following materials: 1. 'iff ~!tJJt.t rrr[ ef77r' (New Directions, New People), by F.C. Southworth, S.K. Gambhir, and Vijay Gambhir, a set of twenty Hindi videotapes accompanied by scripts. South Asia Center, 811 Williams Hall, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305. [Volume I (Episodes 1-10) is used with this book.] 2. Authentic Materials for Developing Reading Comprehension in Hindi and Listening Comprehension in Hindi--Novice Level, Intermediate Level (with accompanying videotape) available from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), 6 Executive Plaza, Yonkers, N.Y. 10701-6801. [These materials are distributed in loose-leaf form so that teachers can choose those portions that they wish to use. ]

Invalidating validity claims for the ACTFL oral rating scale