1. Foreign Languages in
the 21st Century
Classroom
A Series of Workshops from the
Department of International and Second
Language Studies at the
University of Arkansas at Little Rock and
the Arkansas Department of Higher
Education
September 2011-April 2012 1

2. 2011-2012 Grant Schedule
• AM & PM - 9/12 - Sessions 1 & 2 – Introduction to the Partnership for the 21st
Century Skills and the FL Skills Map
• AM - 10/10 Session 3 – LIS – Think Creatively / Work Creatively
• PM - 10/10 Session 4 – LIS – Critical Thinking / Problem Solving
• AM - 10/31 Session 5 – LIS – Communication and Collaboration
• PM - 10/31 Session 6 -- IMT – Information Literacy
• AM – 12/5 Session 7 – IMT -- Media Literacy
• PM – 12/5 Session 8 – IMT -- Technology
• AM - 1/30 Session 9 – share/evaluation/report on fall Skills Map activities by
participants
• PM - 1/30 Session 10 – LCS – Flexibility and Adaptability
• AM - 2/27 Session 11 – LCS – initiative and Self–Direction
• PM - 2/27 Session 12 – LCS – Social and Cross-Cultural Skills
• AM – 4/2 Session 13 – LCS – Productivity and Accountability
• PM – 4/2 Session 14 – LCS – Leadership and Responsibility
• AM & PM - 4/26 - Sessions 15 & 16 – share/evaluation/report on spring Skills Map
activities by participants 2

3. Today’s Schedule
8:30-9:15 – breakfast, conversation, and
housekeeping
9:15-9:30 – Summary of P-21, the 5
Themes, the 3 Modes of Communication,
and 4 Proficiency Levels
9:30-11:45 – Think Creatively/Work
Creatively
11:45-12:45 – Working lunch
12:45-2:30 – Critical Thinking/Problem
Solving
3
2:30-3:00 – Summary: OH, AHA!, OMG!

4. Partnership for 21st
Century Skills:
Review of
What You
Should Know
4

5. What we “Know”
• Proficiency levels? N / I / A / S
Novice
– OUTCOME: Students in the novice range
are able to comprehend and use short
memorized phrases and sentences. This
proficiency level reflects the beginning
stages of language learning which could
be at the elementary, middle, or high
school levels.

6. What we “Know”
• Proficiency levels?
Intermediate:
OUTCOME: Students are able to express
their own thoughts, provide
descriptions, and communicate about
familiar topics using sentences and
strings of sentences. They comprehend
general concepts and messages about
familiar and occasionally unfamiliar
topics. They can ask questions on
familiar topics.

7. What we “Know”
• Proficiency levels?
Advanced
OUTCOME: Students in the advanced
range are able to narrate and describe
using connected sentences and
paragraphs in at least three time frames
when discussing topics of personal,
school, and community interest and can
comprehend main ideas and significant
details regarding a variety of topics.

8. 21st Century L2 Learners
• Students learn to use the language
• Learner-centered with teacher as
facilitator/collaborator
• Focus on the three modes: interpersonal,
interpretive, and presentational
• Backward design focusing on the end
goal

9. 21st Century L2 Learners
• Use of thematic units and authentic
resources
• Emphasis on learner as “doer” and
“creator”
• Emphasis on the perspectives,
practices, and products of the culture
• Integrating technology into instruction
to enhance learning

10. 21st Century L2 Learners
• Using language as the vehicle to
teach academic content
• Differentiating instruction to meet
individual needs
• Personalized real world tasks
• Seeking opportunities for learners to
use language beyond the classroom

11. 21st Century L2 Learners
• Assessing to find out what students
can do
• Students know and understand criteria
on how they will be assessed by
reviewing the task rubric
• Learners create to “share and publish”
to audiences more than just the
teacher.

12. What We’re “Learning”
Interdisciplinary Themes
Global Awareness
Financial, Economic, Business and
Entrepreneurial Literacy
Civic Literacy
Health Literacy
Environmental Literacy

13. Creativity
Insert cartoon here
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14. Think Creatively/
Work Creatively
Prof. Sherrie Ray Treviño
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15. Pros and Cons
of the
P-21 FL Map
15

16. Critical Thinking/
Problem Solving
Dr. Dave McAlpine
16

17. Critical Thinking and
Problem Solving Criteria
• Students as inquirers frame,
analyze, and synthesize
information as well as negotiate
meaning across language and
culture in order to explore
problems and issues
17

18. Hallmarks of these
Criteria
• Exercising sound reasoning in understanding
• Making complex choices and decisions
• Understanding the interconnections among
systems
• Identifying and asking significant questions
that clarify various points of view and lead to
better solutions
• Framing, analyzing, and synthesizing
information in order to solve problems and
answer questions

19. Pros and Cons
of the
P-21 FL Map
19

20. Some Thoughts on
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
• “To be playful and serious at the same time is
possible, and it defines the ideal mental condition”,
John Dewey
• The best thing we can teach our students is how to
teach themselves
• Thinking skills is one of three foundational skill sets
critical to workplace success. Thinking skills are
the “raw materials” that enable mastery of all the
other other competency domains (US Dept. of
Labor).
• Critical Thinking is the capacity of active
investigative thinking.
20

21. Some Thoughts on
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
• Critical thinking is purposeful, reasoned, and
goal directed.
• When we engage in high-quality thinking, we
function both critically and creatively.
• Habits of mind, such as analysis,
interpretation, precision and accuracy,
problem solving, and reasoning, can be AS or
MORE IMPORTANT than content knowledge
in determining success.
• Problem Solving is understood to be the
process of applying scientific methods of
defining and describing a problem, generating
potential solutions, and implementing, 21

22. Some Thoughts on
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
monitoring, and evaluating the effectiveness of
one’s intervention. In P-21, it is the application
of learning and innovation skills to a specific
area of inquiry (L2 content).
• Basic skills still form the essential elements for
problem solving.
• Students need to have persistence and
tolerance for ambiguity to keep searching for a
solution.
• Problem solving involves teamwork and
cooperation.
22

23. Some Thoughts on
Critical Thinking
23

24. Definition Key Words
Remembering: can the define, duplicate, list, memorize, recall,
repeat, reproduce, state
student recall or remember the classify, describe, discuss
information?
Understanding: can the explain, identify, locate, recognize,
report, select, translate, paraphrase
student explain ideas or
concepts?
choose, demonstrate, dramatize,
Applying: can the student use employ, illustrate, interpret, operate,
the information in a new way? schedule, sketch, solve, use, write
Analyzing: can the student appraise, compare, contrast, criticize,
distinguish between the differentiate, discriminate, distinguish,
different parts? examine, experiment, question, test
Evaluating: can the student appraise, argue, defend, judge, select,
justify a stand or decision? support, value, evaluate
Creating: can the student assemble, construct, create, design,
create new product or point of develop, formulate, write
view? 24

25. Old Paradigm Current Paradigm
Objectives Stated in terms of grammatical Stated in terms of what
Paradigm Shift in Instructional Planning
knowledge as provided in learners should know and be
textbook able to do with the language
Content/Culture Content limited to bits and Interdisciplinary and cultural
pieces of cultural information connections; integration of
included in textbook; cultural and academic content;
connections to other culture explored by means of
disciplines absent the 3 Ps
Skills Practice of individual skills: Integrated practice of the 3
listening, speaking, reading, Modes of Communication
writing
The Learner Mostly passive and learn the Actively engaged in learning
material presented by the and constructing meaning; has
teacher opportunities to explore own
interests
The Teacher The center of instruction and Facilitates instruction and
the audience for learners; guides student learning;
students work to impress the provides feedback and
teacher assistance
Materials Textbook as primary material Textbook as one of many tools;
uses authentic materials
Assessment Purpose to evaluate student Purpose to assess progress in
achievement; focus on meeting standards, provide
discrete-point grammar items; feedback, and improve
paper-and-pencil instruction; completion of real-
world tasks

26. Creativity is the Future of
Education
http://youtu.be/S0UgTe2xml4
26

27. OH
AHA!
OMG!!!
27