CSMP

MBFLP regularly offers three core programs that are reviewed and updated annually in concurrence with state and national educational priorities.

Program 1: Increasing Communication Skills through Differentiated Instruction that Engages All Learners.

Participants in this 40-hour program series meet five times during the 2008-2009 academic year. The program is designed for participants to become familiar with the California State Foreign Language Framework and to be able to design and deliver framework-aligned lesson plans that use strategies appropriate for the diverse needs of students in this region.  The program covers ways to measure student progress along the Language Learning Continuum (as described in the CA framework), learning strategies, and activities to help students move toward framework-aligned outcomes, and a series of steps to facilitate delivery of content to achieve the desired outcomes. Participants learn how to implement appropriate pedagogies as they select, effectively utilize, adapt and create instructional materials in order to meet the needs of all students in California’s diverse population. Participants complete a portfolio including framework-aligned instructional units that incorporate effective instructional practices discussed during the program.  Participants present their unit along with students’ work samples to share with other participating teachers.  Team members provide support and helpful input based on feedback from the participants. Classroom management tips and specific successful strategies are emphasized.

Program 2:  Educational Technology for World Language Teachers 

This program is 24 hours and meets 3 times during the academic year. In order to use the state adopted textbooks and instructional resources effectively, teachers need to be capable of making appropriate decisions to select and employ typically available technologies and resources such as video. Knowing when and how to use technology strengthens teachers’ instructional effectiveness. This 24-hour program focuses on ways to use various instructional strategies effectively with technology.  While this program series could stand-alone for new participants who wish to focus on this area of professional growth, it is also designed to enhance the 40-hour program. By the end of the program, having focused on materials development with appropriate technology, participating teachers will have a portfolio of technology-enhanced activities to use with their students. Examples might be: input and guided practice activities using photos, movies, and presentation materials drawn from student interviews or web-based resources.

Program 3:  Summer Seminar for Teachers of English Language Learners

This program is 24 hours and meets during summer. This program has developed in response to fact that there are large numbers of English Learners who have not passed the California High School Exit Exam (CSHSEE) in the site’s service region. This program is specifically targeted to ELL teachers. Instructional strategies emphasizing reading and writing skills will be presented and practiced to meet the needs of those teachers of students whose skills in reading and writing are low. The sessions are organized around research findings to build successful strategies for second language literacy as reflected in the English-Language Development Standards for California Public Schools. Teachers will be able to use their state adopted textbooks and teaching resources more effectively to meet students’ needs. Participants will complete lesson plans incorporating various instructional strategies derived from research findings particularly focusing on development of reading and writing skills for ELL learners. 

This program is designed and delivered with support from the Reading Center housed at CSUMB.

Partnership Showcase:

During the last school year, one or more Team Leaders from MBFLP met once a month from October through May with the language teachers of Harbor, Santa Cruz and Soquel High Schools for an afternoon of in-service especially suited to the needs expressed by them and their school district (Santa Cruz City Schools). In the eight sessions, the teachers examined the characteristics of framework-aligned instruction and the modes of communication using various sample activities. They analyzed data prepared by the District regarding advanced level classes; identified modes of communication; reviewed the new format for AP test in French & Spanish and identified a targeted level of proficiency outlined in the Framework. They created performance-oriented tasks with multiple modes of communication. They shared and refined their work and created evaluation rubrics for those tasks. In addition, the teachers received instruction on strategies using PPT, learned how to make performance-oriented tasks using Internet resources, tips for using "google" and how to create different evaluation rubrics. They developed a list of classroom management tips for staying in the target language as well as lesson plans using low-teach instructional strategies for communication.  They learned how YouTube, blogs, and pod casting can be used as instructional technology to promote communication. Finally they reflected on the elements of successful instruction looking at sample work and outcomes of their students.