Written by When I mapped out my grade 11 course for this year, I left a little question mark over the month of May. Typically, I’ve chosen themes, literature, and cultural content for my French courses based on my interests and what I think students would be interested in learning about. Like music, math and physical education, French is a skills-based course and I am free as a second language teacher to choose the content that serves as a vehicle for learning how to speak, read, write and listen in French.
I was a teacher in the cooperative education program at my old school. One of my favourite aspects of the course was that students got to choose the area of work they were interested in pursuing, and through our amazing faculty and parent community, we were able to secure co-op placements in some very interesting places to work. Although the course expectations were the same for all students, I worked with each of them individually to establish a personalized placement learning plan (PPLP) that linked a special project or important task(s) they did at their workplace with what they were learning in the classroom. I loved being in that coaching role, and seeing the students achieve learning outcomes in their own way.
I really want my French students to have a similar opportunity, where I pass the responsibility for learning over to them, and see where that freedom leads. How can I personalize learning for my French students? Will students be up for the challenge of establishing their own learning goals, based on one or many of the essential questions of the course? How can technology help with this? How about outside connections to the francophone community in Toronto? What and how much do I need to prepare in advance?
Here is my action plan so far. I have met with my school’s instructional leader to go over this plan, and I am looking forward to discussing this and getting feedback from members of the Cohort before or during our next face to face meeting in a few weeks:
1. Learn more about personalized learning
2. Visit other teachers’ classrooms to observe skills-based courses, i.e. phys. ed, math, music
3. Review Personalized Learning Plans from co-op teaching days
4. Review Essential Questions I’ve adopted for teaching French as a second language.
5. Create (loose!) parameters for personalized mini-unit in French. For example:
-Evaluation based on course essential questions and/or Ministry expectations
-Authentic, real world task that student chooses based on interest/degree of challenge
-Use of community/virtual resources to enhance learning beyond the classroom, as well as where and when students learn (hallmarks of personalized learning)
-Personalized Learning Plan: breaking down steps for students
Hi Jen,
This sounds like an exciting action plan, and one that is very measurable, but one that also sends your teaching into a new area as well. In terms of research that might help you, you should take a look at what you can learn from Project Based Learning in terms of narrowing down your ‘authentic, real-world, task’. Also, go back to the connection you had with the French school too!
In terms of what personalized learning is and what it isn’t, I’ve just blogged a little bit about what I learned from a great edublogger: Joe Bower. You could check him out as well.
During our next F2F there are a few others that are pursuing this – Ruth and Derek – that you’ll definitely want to check-in with.
See you soon,
garth.
Thanks Jen, it sounds like the making of momentous shift in the way we learn and teach languages! You were hashing this out at our last face to face and ideas you gave were tops. I love the authentic real world activity – it is very cool and I can’t wait to see what you come up with.
I am still struggling around the metrics of my action research but looking forward to sharing with you and the rest of the crew of Saturday!
Sounds like a really thorough plan, Jen. I think putting together the course essential questions/expectations may be one of the toughest parts because you want it to be achievable and overarching at the same time. It reminds me of that portfolio idea I brought up previously, where students put together a portfolio of works that provide you evidence for each of the essential questions/expectations. As an example, a question can be regarding clear communication using particular tense (i don’t know if this is broad enough), but a student can put an essay/assignment they completed this year that they have reworked/corrected based on your comments as evidence. They can also choose to create something new based on knowledge from class to demonstrate their learning. I think this idea may be easier for students to execute than create 1 project to hit all targets. Perhaps all the evidence center around their theme of interest, but they don’t have to be. Over time, ideas may form and a new more encompassing project will develop.
Good luck! I think it will be GREAT!