Assessment of Student Learning - Minnesota State University Moorhead



	Languages Assessment Plan Link to measures: Teaching Licensure Graduation Evaluation Form Student Portfolio Survey for Graduating Seniors I. Goals and Perspectives Goal 1: To produce competent and literate graduates who are proficient in their use of the four language skills to provide quality instruction and adequate facilities to encourage students to study one or more foreign languages as part of their liberal arts college education to assess students' ability to speak, to listen, to read and to write by applying the ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) Proficiency Guidelines to prepare students through acquisition of foreign languages for professions other than teaching Goal 2: To awaken an interest in languages and cultures that a student can continue to use independently throughout his/her lifetime to incorporate knowledge of culture into the target language learning to offer language club activities through which students can pursue their interest in languages and cultures in an informal setting to encourage students to participate in study abroad educational experiences to guide students in exploring their own ethnic/cultural background Goal 3: To develop conceptual acuity: the ability to investigate, to reason, to think critically and analytically, to evaluate, to grasp the interrelationships of ideas to use the target language to appreciate, discuss, interpret and respond to authentic works in literature, performing arts and the visual arts to promote the development of higher order thinking skills in regard to multicultural, global and international perspectives. Goal 4: To create an appreciation for the complexity of culture-specific verbal and non-verbal communication to acknowledge that culture-specific communication styles are an integral component of cultural awareness to understand that non-verbal behavior is culture bound to be aware of cultural differences and similarities Goal 5: To teach students to recognize and appreciate alterity by studying Western or non-Western languages to ensure educational experiences that embrace diversity to teach students that the values and ideas of marginal and mainstream groups deserve equal respect and recognition Goal 6: To prepare competent teachers for secondary schools to provide students with training, teaching methodologies and other pedagogical resources to develop students' proficiency in the four language skills as specified in the ACTFL guidelines (refer to skills and abilities and graduation outcomes for detailed guidelines for majors) Goal 7: To provide students with an academic foundation for graduate study to encourage students of high intellectual caliber or potential in F.L. to develop an honors program to recognize students' academic achievement to encourage qualified students to further pursue their interests by studying abroad and/or continuing graduate study Goal 8: To provide continuing educational opportunities to encourage continuing participation in professional development conferences and workshops for department faculty to support public services in the form of professional, academic and recreational activities to the community that enrich the individual II. Desired Outcomes The department's assessment plan in the areas of listening, speaking, reading, writing and culture is based on the "ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) Proficiency Guidelines." The ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines represent a hierarchy of characterizations and standardized procedures for the global assessment of functional language abilities. Their goal is to assess effective and appropriate language performance relative to practical, social, professional and abstract topics and situations. The rating scale spans a wide range of performance profiles measuring sustained performance on the "Novice," "Intermediate," "Advanced" and "Superior" levels with low, mid and high/plus sublevels (see attached sample) The department has adapted these performance levels for the areas of Literature, Research and Information Gathering and Language as a System. Summary of the different evaluation areas and desired outcomes A. Listening - Advanced/Advanced Plus B. Reading -Advanced Plus C. Speaking -Intermediate-Mid/High D. Writing -Intermediate-Mid/High E. Culture -Advanced F. Literature - Intermediate-High/Advanced G. Research and Information Gathering - Intermediate-High/Advanced H. Language as a System - Intermediate-High/Advanced A. Listening: At the Advanced/Advanced Plus proficiency level, students are able to understand main ideas and most details of connected discourse on a variety of topics in different time frames such as interviews, short lectures on familiar topics, news items and reports dealing with factual information demonstrate emerging awareness of culturally implied meanings (Adv. Plus) Distinguished Achievement: Superior level reading skills B. Reading: At the Advanced Plus proficiency level, students are able to follow essential points of written discourse at normal speed. They are able to Comprehend a variety of authentic, linguistically complex and conceptually abstract literary, cultural, and expository texts on familiar and unfamiliar subjects, such as descriptions, narration, short stories and a variety of other literary texts, news items, biographical information, personal correspondence, routine business letters and simple technical material Comprehend facts and make appropriate inferences Appreciate the basic aesthetic properties of language and literary style Distinguished Achievement: Demonstrated ability to read consistently on the Superior level C. Writing: At the Intermediate-Mid/High proficiency level, students are able to meet most practical writing needs. They are able to write simple social correspondences, take notes, compose summaries, narratives and descriptions of a factual nature use a range of vocabulary to express intended meaning with some circumlocution demonstrate good control of the basic syntax and morphology of the target language organize essays to clearly develop main thesis and argumentation showing some awareness of intended audience and appropriate linguistic register Distinguished Achievement: Superior level writing skills D. Speaking: At the Intermediate-Mid/High proficiency level, students can initiate and maintain communication for most uncomplicated social tasks successfully handle basic survival needs in the target culture be understood by most speakers of the native language Distinguished Achievement: Advanced or Superior level speaking skills E. Knowledge of Culture: Students are expected to demonstrate familiarity with major aspects of the history and civilization of countries where the target language is spoken major contemporary aspects of the countries where the target language is spoken--political, social, cultural, etc.) routine business and social situations in the target culture such as common rules of etiquette, taboos and sensitivities F. Knowledge of Literature: Students are expected to demonstrate familiarity with major authors, texts and literary movements in the target literature basic concepts literary analysis G. Research and Information Gathering: Students in upper-division literature and culture classes (especially those contemplating graduate studies) should be able to locate and use appropriate secondary sources, bibliographical materials use proper scholarly format for writing papers including accreditation of source materials prepare bibliographies (annotated) of primary and secondary sources as required organize and present results of information gathering in a coherent manner H. Knowledge about Language as a System: Students will be aware that every language has distinctive features of grammar, morphology and syntax to communicate meaning


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