BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//events.la.psu.edu//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20201101T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=11;BYDAY=1SU END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20200308T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=3;BYDAY=2SU END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT UID:19446-35bd06992c219afbb4fac8be87bd2b83@events.la.psu.edu DTSTAMP:20261109T175622Z DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261204T143000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261204T160000 SUMMARY:Visiting Speaker: Self-Assessment in LCTL Programs - Paula Winke DESCRIPTION:\nThe Center for Language Acquisition presents Paula Winke ( Michigan State University)\, who will deliver her presentation\, “Why an d how to customize 'Can-do' based self-assessments for less-commonly-tau ght-language (LCTL) programs\, Spoiler alert: to align task-based format ive assessments with learning objectives\, LCTL textbook-content\, natio nal standards\, and student motivation.“\n\nTalk Description\n\nLess-com monly-taught-language (LCTL) programs are often small\, under-resourced\ , and have unique instructional contexts. Therefore\, research findings from studies conducted within larger\, more commonly taught language pro grams often do not generalize directly to LCTL contexts. There is a need for more research that responds to the specific pedagogical and technol ogical needs of LCTL programs (Koné &\; Winke\, 2025). This presentat ion first reviews the rationale for greater research in LCTL contexts\, highlighting how small programs\, course-sharing arrangements\, online i nstruction\, and distinctive linguistic and cultural learning goals requ ire direct support. It then focuses on how LCTL programs require assessm ents that are tailored to the languages’ unique materials\, goals\, and learning pathways. Though there is evidence supporting the use of can-do –based self-assessments as formative measures of language development (W inke et al.\, 2023)\, there is also a question of whether language-agnos tic\, ACTFL-based can-do statements are best for LCTL measurement. Compu ter-adaptive self-assessments can provide meaningful information about l earners’ proficiency development while simultaneously promoting learner agency\, goal-setting\, and motivation (Winke et al.\, 2023). Yet\, do s uch benefits extend to LCTL learners taking similar tests?\n\nThe talk c oncludes with the presentation of a practical framework for designing on line\, can-do-based self-assessments for LCTL classrooms. Using principl es of Backward Design\, practitioners can identify learning goals from L CTL textbooks and curricular materials\, align local goals with ACTFL pr oficiency standards\; and transform the goals into task-based can-do sta tements suitable for online testing. Examples from LCTL contexts will il lustrate how customized self-assessments can align objectives with teach ing materials and student motivation.\n\nSpeaker Background\n\nPaula Win ke is the inaugural "Arts and Letters" Professor at Michigan State Unive rsity\, where she teaches and researches language assessment. She was th e co-editor of the international journal Language Testing 2019–2024. She has received numerous awards\, including the 2026 Alan Davies lecture a ward from the British Council\, the 2025 Best Article Award from the Int ernational Language Testing Association\, the 2021 Paul Pimsleur Award f or Research in World Language Education from the National Federation of Modern Language Teacher Associations and the Modern Language Journal\, t he 2020 American Association of Applied Linguistics Research Award\, and the 2012 International TESOL Award for Distinguished Research. She is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (China\, 1998–2000)\, a two-time Fulbrig ht Scholar (Budapest\, Hungary\, 2008\; Leipzig\, Germany\, 2022)\, and served on a language testing consensus committee in Washington\, D.C. at the National Academies of Sciences\, Engineering\, and Medicine 2018–20 20. She is currently the treasurer of the American Association of Applie d Linguistics and is an academic advisor to Cambridge University Press a nd Assessment\, United Kingdom.\n\nReferences\n\n• Wiggins\, G.\, &\; McTighe\, J. (2005). Understanding by design (2nd ed.). Pearson.\n\n• W inke\, P.\, &\; Koné\, K. (2025). Why we need more research on techno logy applications in less-commonly-taught-language (LCTL) programs. Lang uage Learning &\; Technology\, 29(2)\, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.64152 /10125/73608\n\n• Winke\, P.\, Zhang\, X.\, &\; Pierce\, S. J. (2023) . A closer look at a marginalized test method: Self-assessment as a meas ure of speaking proficiency. Studies in Second Language Acquisition\, 45 (2)\, 416–441. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263122000079\n\nThis event i s co-sponsored by Penn State University Libraries. See a curated list of publications by all 2026–27 CLA visiting speakers.\n\nFor more details: https://events.la.psu.edu/event/self-assessment-in-lctl-programs-paula- winke/ X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

The Center for Language Acquisition presents Paula Winke (Michigan State University), w ho will deliver her presentation, “Why and how to customize 'Can-do' bas ed self-assessments for less-commonly-taught-language (LCTL) programs, S poiler alert: to align task-based formative assessments with learning ob jectives, LCTL textbook-content, national standards, and student motivat ion.“

Talk Description

Less-commonly-taught -language (LCTL) programs are often small, under-resourced, and have uni que instructional contexts. Therefore, research findings from studies co nducted within larger, more commonly taught language programs often do n ot generalize directly to LCTL contexts. There is a need for more resear ch that responds to the specific pedagogical and technological needs of LCTL programs (Koné & Winke, 2025). This presentation first reviews the rationale for greater research in LCTL contexts, highlighting how sm all programs, course-sharing arrangements, online instruction, and disti nctive linguistic and cultural learning goals require direct support. It then focuses on how LCTL programs require assessments that are tailored to the languages’ unique materials, goals, and learning pathways. Thoug h there is evidence supporting the use of can-do–based self-assessments as formative measures of language development (Winke et al., 2023), ther e is also a question of whether language-agnostic, ACTFL-based can-do st atements are best for LCTL measurement. Computer-adaptive self-assessmen ts can provide meaningful information about learners’ proficiency develo pment while simultaneously promoting learner agency, goal-setting, and m otivation (Winke et al., 2023). Yet, do such benefits extend to LCTL lea rners taking similar tests?
The talk concludes with the presentatio n of a practical framework for designing online, can-do-based self-asses sments for LCTL classrooms. Using principles of Backward Design, practit ioners can identify learning goals from LCTL textbooks and curricular ma terials, align local goals with ACTFL proficiency standards; and transfo rm the goals into task-based can-do statements suitable for online testi ng. Examples from LCTL contexts will illustrate how customized self-asse ssments can align objectives with teaching materials and student motivat ion.

Speaker Background

Paula Winke is the inaugural "Arts and Letters" Professor at Michigan State University, whe re she teaches and researches language assessment. She was the co-editor of the international journal Language Testing 2019–2024. She h as received numerous awards, including the 2026 Alan Davies lecture awar d from the British Council, the 2025 Best Article Award from the Interna tional Language Testing Association, the 2021 Paul Pimsleur Award for Re search in World Language Education from the National Federation of Moder n Language Teacher Associations and the Modern Language Journal , the 2020 American Association of Applied Linguistics Research Award, a nd the 2012 International TESOL Award for Distinguished Research. She is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (China, 1998–2000), a two-time Fulbrig ht Scholar (Budapest, Hungary, 2008; Leipzig, Germany, 2022), and served on a language testing consensus committee in Washington, D.C. at the Na tional Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2018–2020. She i s currently the treasurer of the American Association of Applied Linguis tics and is an academic advisor to Cambridge University Press and Assess ment, United Kingdom.

References

• Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (2nd ed.). Pearso n.
• Winke, P., & Koné, K. (2025). Why we need more research on technology applications in less-commonly-taught-language (LCTL) program s. Language Learning & Technology, 29(2), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.6 4152/10125/73608
• Winke, P., Zhang, X., & Pierce, S. J. (2023) . A closer look at a marginalized test method: Self-assessment as a meas ure of speaking proficiency. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 45( 2), 416–441. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263122000079

This event is co-sponsored by Penn State University Libraries. See a curated list of publications by all 2026–27 CLA visiting speakers.

For mor e details: https://events.la.psu.edu/event/self-assessme nt-in-lctl-programs-paula-winke/

LOCATION:360 Willard Building END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR