CARLA Workshop: Seals of Biliteracy: Preparing Students for Proficiency Assessments

This workshop aims to provide community-based, heritage language instructors or ESL teachers who are new to ACTFL standards with a deeper understanding of the ACTFL proficiency levels. Participants will analyze the language skills and knowledge needed by students at each of these levels as well as how this proficiency is measured and assessed. The focus will be on growing deeper knowledge of what language proficiency is, how proficiency is assessed and measured, what is needed for students to earn a seal of biliteracy, and how educators can help them to meet this goal. 

After this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Describe the ACTFL proficiency levels;
• Identify and analyze student learner language at each of these levels;
• Critically evaluate and begin to develop pedagogical activities that promote proficiency at these levels; and
• Explain the levels of language proficiency needed to be eligible for the seal.

Instructors
Kendall King is an Associate Dean of Graduate Education and Faculty Development and Professor of Multilingual Education in the College of Education and Human Development. She is Co-Director of CARLA’s Equity and Access to Seals of Biliteracy initiative.
Ayumi Stockman is the World Languages Education Specialist at the Minnesota Department of Education. She is Co-Director of CARLA’s Equity and Access to Seals of Biliteracy initiative.
Andrew Fiegen is a Ph.D. student in the Multilingual Education program in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Minnesota. 

Target Audience
This workshop is designed for teachers who are relatively new to ACTFL standards and proficiency levels that are used to officially assess Seals of Biliteracy candidates. Heritage language teachers, community-based instructors  and ESL teachers may find this especially beneficial. This workshop is not intended for world language teachers who have a deep understanding of ACTFL standards/proficiency levels.