National Board Certification Available for Teachers of World Languages Other than English

The National Board Certification¨ process is voluntary and is open to public and private school teachers from pre-kindergarten through grade 12. The World Languages Other than English (World Languages) certificate is designed for teachers of students ages 3-12 (Early and Middle Childhood), and ages 11-18+ (Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood).

Status of This Certificate
The National Board has developed standards for what World Languages Other than English teachers should know and be able to do and is currently offering the World Languages Other than English certificate. Applications for this year's assessments will be available beginning April 1, 2002. Application and portfolio deadlines and assessment center testing dates are posted on the website, and are also listed in materials sent to all candidates. For further information visit the NBPTS website www.nbpts.org, or call 1-800 22 TEACH. During the 2002-2003 school year, the assessments will be offered to teachers of French, German, Spanish, Latin and Japanese.

The Assessment Process
The assessment is performance-based and designed to evaluate the complex knowledge and skills of teaching described in the NBPTS standards. The assessment process consists of two components: the portfolio entries and the half-day assessment center exercises. The certification decision is based on teacher performance as judged against the NBPTS standards for accomplished practice.

The Portfolio
The portfolio of the World Languages assessment gives teachers the opportunity to present a sample of their actual classroom practice over a specified time period. The portfolio consists of four entries:

• Designing Instruction Over Time (Early and Middle Childhood, for teachers of students ages 3-12) --Teachers demonstrate their ability to select instructional goals, design sequenced instruction, select and adapt materials, and apply methodologies appropriate for their students. Teachers submit a ten-minute videotape of student work. Teachers also submit a written analysis of and reflection on the effectiveness of the instructional sequence and how they assessed student progress and provided appropriate feedback to students.

  OR

  Designing Instruction Over Time (Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood, for teachers of students ages 11-18+) -- Teachers demonstrate their ability to select instructional goals, design sequenced instruction, select and adapt materials, and apply methodologies appropriate for their students. Teachers submit two student work samples. Teachers also submit a written analysis of and reflection on the effectiveness of the instructional sequence and how they assessed student progress and provided appropriate feedback to students.

• Building Communicative and Cultural Competence--Teachers demonstrate a range of culturally and communicatively appropriate and personally relevant instruction for students. This entry is designed to capture evidence of the teacher's use of the target language, knowledge of language acquisition, and ability to create language and culture learning environments where meaningful communication in the target language occurs. Teachers submit a fifteen-minute videotape featuring students fulfilling real-world tasks in culturally appropriate ways. Teachers submit a written commentary in which they analyze their teaching practice and evaluate their instructional choices.
• Engaging All Learners--Teachers demonstrate how they use their knowledge of child and adolescent development to design instruction so that all students are actively engaged in learning. Teachers submit a fifteen-minute videotape where they show how they provide authentic materials and resources, input-rich environments and meaningful lessons where all students have opportunities to perform in culturally appropriate ways. Teachers submit a written commentary that describes how they maintain a task-oriented environment where lessons are sequenced in manageable steps so that all students have multiple opportunities to interact in the target language and culture.
• Documented Accomplishments: Contributions to Student Learning - Teachers demonstrate their commitment to student learning through their work with students' families and community, their development as learners and as leaders/collaborators. This entry is designed to capture evidence of the way in which the role of a teacher is broader than what the teacher does in his or her classroom. Teachers submit descriptions and analysis of activities and accomplishments that clearly and specifically describe why they are significant in their particular teaching context and what impact they had on student learning. In addition, teachers are asked to compose a brief interpretive summary related to these accomplishments.

The Assessment Center
The World Languages assessment center exercises examine content knowledge specified in the NBPTS standards. There are five written exercises and one oral proficiency exercise: *

• Oral Proficiency (French, German, Japanese, and Spanish)- Teachers will demonstrate functional knowledge of the target language. Teachers will demonstrate the ability to speak in the target language by providing accurate and full responses about contextualized social, practical, professional, and abstract topics. Teachers will respond on tape in the target language to 12 scenarios presented in English. After each scenario, teachers will receive a brief cue in the target language before beginning their responses.

  OR

  Oral Proficiency (Latin, only)- Teachers will demonstrate the ability to read prose and poetry aloud with appropriate pronunciation, voice inflection, phrase groupings, and attention to metrical structures.

• Interpreting Aural Texts (French, German, Japanese, and Spanish)- Teachers will demonstrate functional knowledge of the target language. Given two aural texts, they will respond to four comprehension questions and one inference question pertaining to each text.

  OR

  Interpreting Stylistic Devices in Poetry (Latin, only)- Teachers will demonstrate the ability to give a detailed analysis of how stylistic devices communicate the intent of a poetry passage. Given a poetry passage, they will respond to two prompts.

• Interpreting Written Texts- Teachers will demonstrate functional knowledge of the target language. Given an excerpt from literature, they will respond to six questions about the text. The teacher will describe the setting, characters, relationships between characters, and actions and behaviors of the characters. They will also draw a reasonable inference from the text and support their inference with evidence from the text.
• Written Communication (French, German and Spanish)- Teachers will demonstrate functional knowledge of the target language. Given a writing prompt, they will write a draft essay in the target language. In the draft essay, the teacher will demonstrate the ability to express an opinion on a professional or social topic.

  OR

  Written Communication (Japanese, only)- Teachers will demonstrate functional knowledge of the target language. Given a writing prompt, they will write a letter making a request of someone in Japan, giving reasons for making the request.

  OR

  Written Communication (Latin, only)- Teachers will demonstrate functional knowledge of the target language. Given six writing prompts, they will demonstrate the ability to use forms, phrases, and clauses.

• Knowledge of Language Acquisition- Teachers will demonstrate knowledge of language acquisition. Given three terms from the professional literature on: language acquisition; instructional techniques; and methods and approaches, the teacher will explain each of the three terms and give examples connected to the explanation from their target language and instructional level. The terms may come from professional journals and /or second language acquisition texts.
• Knowledge of How Language Works -Teachers will demonstrate knowledge of how the target language works. Given 20 errors embedded in excerpts from a variety of texts in the target language, they will correct each error and explain why it is an error.
  • Teachers are given 30 minutes to complete each of the six assessment center exercises.
  • Six scores are reported, one for each exercise.

  *subject to change

Sidebar: Descriptive "Teaser"-Latin

The team is huddled around the computer, searching Internet resources for possible passages from the classics. Ovid, Cicero, Plutarch and Vergil are selected, discussed, dissected and excerpted, only to be discarded as other passages are discovered. Here are teachers of a so-called "dead language" using their proficiency with the latest technology to create an assessment to recognize accomplished teachers of Latin. One teacher shows her latest artworkÑshe is using pictures and storytelling to teach kindergarteners beginning Latin vocabulary. She demonstrates that each picture illustrates a key phrase in the story. Another teacher talks about her work with students in a virtual high school. She works from a home office, fielding more than a hundred e-mails a day. She periodically telephones her students to work on their oral skills. Two other teachers trade ideas about the National Latin Exam, and the Junior Classical League. They return to the table to work on details of one of the exercises, constructing questions tailored to a passage they have chosen from their on-line search. The room falls silent as they time themselves writing responses to the prompts they have just developed.

Sidebar: Descriptive "Teaser"-Japanese

A lively discussion of passages from contemporary popular novels is taking place among the members of the Japanese assessment development team. The group shifts from English to Japanese, leaving observers to speculate about the conversation. The conversation becomes increasingly animated until it is evident that they have worked out a plan. One of the team turns to the rest of us and summarizes the discussion and the decision that the team has reached. They select a passage and begin to work on details of the exercise, writing comprehension questions specific to the passage. Again, they lapse into Japanese. "So-so-so" indicates their mutual agreement. They select another passage for an exercise involving errors in written Japanese. One teacher has brought his laptop so that he can type the resulting selection in Japanese characters, complete with embedded errors. Another is producing kanji and hiragana on a sheet of chart paper as she explains some of the complexities of written Japanese to assessment development staff. Each team member leaves the meeting with an assignment to have ready for the next meeting. Though they come from across the country, the team members have quickly become teaching colleagues. As they depart, one promises to send another a book of short stories, and another promises to e-mail some resource information to the rest of the team.

Sidebar: Quote-Latin teacher

"The assessment development process provided an eye opening experience for meÉwhich led to a tool (for recognizing) accomplished teachers. Working with three other Latin teachers from (varied) teaching settings wasÉa way to see that we are like the ancient Roman roads, which all lead to the center of the Latin world. ".-Caroline Miklosovic, Latin Teacher

Sidebar: Quote-Latin teacher

"National Board Certification provides Latin teachers with a laurel, which indicates that they are accomplished teachers and can provide enrichment to any and all students in any and all districts across the nation. The additional laurels may come in the form of pecunia, a word we all know".-Caroline Miklosovic, Latin Teacher

Sidebar: Quote-World Languages Teacher

"It is critical that each and every WLOE teacher plans for National Board Certification as a key milestone in his/her career path."--Martha "Martie" Semmer, Previously a P-12 Spanish Teacher on NBPTS' World Languages Other than English Standards Committee, now a Foreign Language Education Consultant

Sidebar: Quote-Teacher Educators

"As I read and re-read the World Languages Other than English NBPTS Standards for accomplished teachers, I find these standards to be inspiring and future-oriented. These standards serve as guidelines for all teachers ranging from the first-year teacher to the most-experienced veteran in our foreign language profession. In addition, it is essential that the WLOE Standards are woven into university P-12 foreign language teacher education and that the WLOE Standards become the guidelines for teacher in-service and ongoing professional development."--Martha "Martie" Semmer, NBPTS World Languages Other than English Standards Committee, WLOE National Board Certification Project Facilitator

Sidebar: Quote-Professional Organization

"Foreign language professional organizations, university teacher educators, supervisors and colleagues must encourage and facilitate all P-12 WLOE teachers to strive for and to reach the goal of National Board Certification."--Martha "Martie" Semmer, National Network for Early Language Learning (NNELL) First-Vice President; National K-12 Foreign Language Resource Center, Iowa State University, Ames Iowa

Sidebar: Quote-Professional Organization

"In the world of today and tomorrow, it is criti all students are prepared to be successful in and to contribute to our multilingual/multiliterate communities. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards recognizes that it takes accomplished World Languages Other than English/Early and Middle Childhood teachers and accomplished World Languages Other than English/Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood teachers to progress towards meeting the goal of preparing all students for their future in a multilingual/multiliterate world." -- Martha "Martie" Semmer, National Network for Early Language Learning (NNELL) First-Vice President; WLOE National Board Certification Project Facilitator, National K-12 Foreign Language Resource Center, Iowa State University, Ames Iowa

Sidebar: Quote-World Languages Teacher

"NBPTS through the National Board Certification assessment process is offering accomplished teachers of World Languages the opportunity to obtain the same professional recognition and benefits that NBCTs in other certificate areas currently enjoy. This recognition ranges from financial incentives to appointments in professional leadership roles."--Martha "Martie" Semmer, Previously a P-12 Spanish Teacher on NBPTS' World Languages Other than English Standards Committee, now a Foreign Language Education Consultant

Sidebar: Quote-World Languages Teacher

"Through the development of the WLOE Standards for accomplished teachers of students ages 3-18+ as well as through the inclusion of P-12 teachers of world languages in the National Board Certification process, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is helping to lay the foundation for quality, long-sequence foreign language education across the country. It is the responsibility of our foreign language profession to rise to the occasion to ensure that all students in P-12 benefit from National Board Certified World Languages Other than English Teachers."-- Martha "Martie" Semmer, Previously a P-12 Spanish Teacher on NBPTS' World Languages Other than English Standards Committee, now a Foreign Language Education Consultant

Sidebar: Quote-Japanese Teacher/Teacher Educator

On World Languages Other than English Standards-"Ever since the term "standards" appeared in K-12 education, there has been the underlying suggestion that prior to 1989, we had none. Of course, it is absurd to think we were teaching in a standard-less environment. However, it is true that, as Japanese teachers, we have been teaching in an isolated environment. Most of us don't have colleagues in adjacent classrooms or even in neighboring schools, and there is simply no time and little opportunity to connect with Japanese teaching colleagues in other cities and states. The Standards for Japanese Language Learning helps with that. No matter how geographically far away we are from another Japanese teacher, we now have the benefit of a document that provides us with a commonality for curricular design and assessment. For the classroom teacher, this is a step out of isolation."-- Patricia M. Thornton, Japanese Teacher, Coordinator for College/School Collaborations, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota

Sidebar: Quote-World Languages (Japanese) Teacher/Teacher Educator

On NBPTS-"In the classic definition of 'profession', there are only four areas in which the practitioner 'professes' his or her knowledge--medicine, law, divinity, and teaching. The other three seem to have taken care of their own through the establishment of rigorous preparation programs, difficult certification exams, and the establishment of professional communities. It is teaching alone that seems to remain ever in the twilight zone of political and societal whim. National Board Certification is one step toward raising K-12 teaching to the level of the legitimate profession (that we as teachers already know it to be) in the eyes of the public."-- Patricia M. Thornton, Japanese Teacher, Coordinator for College/School Collaborations, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota

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