Now that you have had an opportunity to peruse the CLBs, what is your beginning understanding of how this tool could be practically applied in a language learning classroom environment? As an instructor, how could you utilize it in a way that "makes sense?" Further, how could it be presented and made useful to students?
The Canadian language benchmarks (CLBs) provide a set of standards for language learning that is comprehensive and detailed. The benchmarks create a common foundation for educators upon which they can build their communication, their assessment, and their materials. Because they are learner-centered, task-based, applicable to community, academic and work contexts, as well as competency-based, they are highly useful for both practitioners and learners.
As an instructor, it seems important to remember that the benchmarks are not meant to be a test, a curriculum or a syllabus. They also do not represent public policy on education, however, they may be affected by such policy. What do they do? They form a framework. They help educators understand each other when they communicate about learners' language levels, expectations for language performance through language tasks, and provide detailed descriptions of strategies for development across the four levels of each of the three stages of language learning.
As a language learner, I imagine it would be motivating to know exactly what skills I have, what skills I am developing and what skills lie ahead of me to be developed, especially when those skills are described in a task-based way. I will be able to have a good understanding of where I am and what kinds of things I should be able to accomplish now and in the near future. I would be able to help myself reach those goals in a more intentional way. Of course, when presenting the benchmarks to students, it may be counterproductive to overwhelm them with long lists of tasks that are far beyond their level. The can-do lists are succinct, simple, straight-forward visions of a learner's skills at particular levels and seem to be an ideal way to use the benchmarks with students.
Hi Jennifer:
ReplyDeleteYour fellow student Josanne, I too found the Can do lists very helpful and an easier tool for learners to measure their progress in language learning. For myself I found it also easier to differentiate for instance a level 1 from a level 4 compared to just using the companion table.
Thanks for your thoughts, been very helpful. Josanne
Thanks Josanne! I can't agree enough that those can-do lists are such a great idea for both teachers and students! They help us have a quick look at where we are and where we need to be for each of the levels. I know I certainly would appreciate having such things in my learning of Arabic!
ReplyDeleteThanks!