Francis Troyan, The Ohio State University

“How to Support Written and Spoken Language in the World Language Classroom”

Assessment frameworks such as the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines, the World-Readiness Standards for Language Learning, and the Can-Do Statements have helped teachers use the target language for instruction and assessment in a variety of ways. However, even though these frameworks provide a useful starting point for approaching language learning in the classroom, they do not describe the linguistic and organizational features of communication. This workshop addresses this need by introducing participants to a new approach to language teaching that views spoken and written texts—all instances of communication—as genres that can be made visible and systematically taught to students. Participants will learn how to integrate genre into a backward design approach for the assessment and instruction of world languages that are centered on helping learners develop their written and spoken communication skills.