STARTALK Workshops 2016 (September)

9:00-12:00 Part One: Criteria 1-4 Planning for Instruction

In this session we will explore criteria 1-4, which deal with preparing for student learning. We will discuss ideas for setting high expectations, demonstrate ways to encourage students to be resources for one another, and learn techniques for incorporating higher level thinking and questioning skills. We will practice activities for getting to know the students, explore methods for differentiation, and learn how to connect to other disciplines and improve literacy skills.

12:00-1:00 Lunch sponsored by the Confucius Institute of the State of Washington and time to network and collaborate

1:00-4:00 Part Two: Criteria 5-8 Delivering and Assessing Instruction

In this session we will explore Criteria 5-8, which deal with delivering and assessing instruction. We will discuss routines and practice activities to stay in the target language 90% of the time. We will explore formative and summative assessment techniques including self-assessment, reflection, self-check activities, and integrated performance assessments. Activities for involving parents, the community, collaborating with colleagues, and entering evidence into our Eval digital lockers will be presented.

Outcomes: Teachers are familiarized with the eight criteria in the new Washington Teacher Evaluation process. Ideas, activities, and projects will be presented for each of the eight criteria. Critical attributes for each of the criteria will be discussed, collection of evidence and artifacts will be demonstrated, and examples of how to move from a 3 (proficient) to a 4 (distinguished) will be provided.

Presenter: The workshop is presented by Lynn Johnston, Foreign Language Department Chair in Edmonds School District where she currently teaches French and Spanish at Alderwood Middle School. She was a participant in the Western Initiative for Language Leadership (2008 cohort). Her action research project included the impact of independent reading and websurfing on second language acquisition. She is currently a board member of the Washington Association for Language Teaching (WAFLT) and has presented workshops at a number of WAFLT conferences (Wenatchee 2007, Vancouver 2008, Idaho 2009, Ellensburg 2012, Vancouver 2012, Yakima 2013). Her presentation was chosen as "Best of the Pacific Northwest" by the PNCFL (Pacific NW Council for Languages) to represent the Pacific Northwest at ACTFL 2012. She also presented at ACTFL in 1996 and again in 2014. She received the Inspirational Leadership award from the Washington Association for Language Teachers for 2013 and Creative Innovator award from WAFLT in 2014, and Montana Keynote 2015.

• STARTALK Workshops 2020
• STARTALK Workshop August 2019 – The State Eight | Video
• STARTALK Workshop July 2018 – The State Eight | Video (A portion of the lecture was not filmed due to a scheduling conflict.)
• STARTALK Workshop July 2017 – The State Eight | Video
• STARTALK Workshops September 2016
• STARTALK Workshop July 2016 – TPEP and World Languages | Video
• STARTALK Workshops 2016 - Interviews
• STARTALK Workshops 2015
• STARTALK Workshops 2014
• STARTALK Workshops 2013