Please find here the links to the recordings and shared files, in conjunction with the Middlebury Language Schools Curriculum Workshops held at the Middlebury DC Offices, May 31-Jun 2nd, 2024.

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Scroll down to find the information for the topic(s) you are interested in.

1. Pedagogy at Middlebury Language Schools
2. Task-based instruction and assessment design
3. Alternatives to deductive grammar teaching (for those moments when grammar teaching is appropriate)
4. Teaching third age (older) learners
5. Un-grading the language classroom
6. Teaching neurodiverse learners

Comparison of ACTFL and CEFR levels by skill, language, Middlebury entity

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• 1) Pedagogy at Middlebury Language Schools –  What we are (wanting to be) known for?

We know that Middlebury Language Schools is known for its target-language-only immersion pedagogy. What else do we want Middlebury Language Schools to be known for? What are we able to do with our unique setting, unique group of learners, and unique group of faculty that might not be possible at other schools? The session will start with a short overview of the language enrollment and language teacher shortages hitting the United States, and will quickly move to a facilitated open discussion about what we would like Middlebury to be known for in the field.

Here is the link to the video of the initial discussion, situating Middlebury Language Schools within the larger Middlebury language world, within the challenges facing language education in the US. We then discuss the Language Pledge and what makes the language work well for us: https://midd.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=948a9833-2373-41c7-bbe2-b187000582cb

Here is the presentation that you see used in that video:

Here is the short write up of what, besides the language pledge, participants felt that Middlebury Language Schools should be known for:

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• 2) Task-Based Instruction & Assessment

Task-based language teaching (TBLT) is well-established in the field as a teaching methodology which both incorporates a wide range of research-based processes in second language acquisition, and which can easily meet learners’ interests and needs. TBLT also lends itself well to the intensive teaching schedule we have in the summer language schools. Yet even experience teachers find it difficult to plan and deliver task-based lessons quickly in such a fast-paced setting. After introducing TBLT through some examples, we will share tips for developing task-based lessons quickly, and using task-based design in our language assessments.

Here is the link to the video of the discussion on task-based teaching

https://midd.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=902e6648-278f-48ec-a020-b1870005af1c

The video below systematically presents the social-function or structure-based task design process, and gives suggestions of how to stage the task in pre- during- and post-task activities.

Here is a powerpoint which can be used as a template for fleshing out a fully detailed task based lesson. Replace the red text with information for your own language context. The grey text is an example for the kind of thing you might fill in.

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• 3) Alternatives to Deductive Grammar Teaching

The default way of explaining grammar for language teachers – especially when we are coming up with an explanation on the spot – is to explain it deductively. We describe a grammar rule, illustrate the rule with a few examples, and then ask students to practice that rule with other examples. This deductive approach has several drawbacks however – there are kinds of rules and kinds of learners for which an inductive approach is more effective. This session will present some different ways of guiding learners through various inductive learning approaches when it comes to teaching aspects of our languages’ grammar.

The recording of this workshop in Zoom was lost, but here are some resources which cover this topic.

This website covers some of the same information as that video, but includes an interactive activity about when deductive vs. inductive teaching might be more appropriate. Here is an explanation of deductive teaching (read first): https://pressbooks.middcreate.net/structureofenglish/chapter/deductive/ Here is an explanation of inductive teaching: https://pressbooks.middcreate.net/structureofenglish/chapter/induction/

You can watch a video just about inductive teaching here: https://midd.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=f54c23ae-1fac-4e9d-8478-acd7016ccbf0

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• 4) Teaching the Whole Classroom: Older learners

As the population – and the population of interested language learners – ages, we will increasingly find learners much older than the traditional university populations in our classrooms. So-called “Third Age” learners, those near or over retirement age, have different interests, different assets, and different cognitive processes than younger learners. In this session, we will hear from School of Hebrew co-Director Elizabeth Gerner and faculty member Ayelet Amir about lessons from their lifelong learners program. Then Thor Sawin shared some research-based teaching principles which work well for older learners in our more mixed general classes.

Here is the video of the session on teaching older learners (https://midd.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=72dd74a3-5eae-4c85-ae9f-b186018af3dc)

Here is the link to Ayelet Amir’s Discussion Guide

Here is an article about Language Learning in the Third Age

Here is the link to Thor’s slide presentation on what research has shown about teaching older learners:

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• 5) Un-Grading the Language Classroom

In this session, Evgeny Dengub, who is the Associate Director of the School of Russian, and Director of the Center for Languages and Culture at the University of Southern California, led us in a discussion of ways to de-emphasize points-based grading in our language classrooms. This included alternate assessment strategies for homework assignments, weekly assessments, and calculating course-end grades. Research was presented on the ways that points-based classroom assessment can work at cross-purposes to language acquisition.

Here is the video of the session entitled Decentering Grades – Centering Learning: Ungrading in Language Classes (https://midd.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=45790e15-900a-41dc-8aa8-b18700056ac3)

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• 6) Teaching the Whole Classroom: Neurodiverse learners

A few decades ago, more learners had learning differences which went undiagnosed, or learners were often more hesitant disclose these differences. More learners today are aware of their learning differences, which creates the opportunity to apply universal design practices aimed at helping neurodiverse learners meet their language goals. The term “neurodiversity” of course encompasses a wide range of learner experience, but this session will focus on classroom practices which, within the framework of Middlebury’s immersive pedagogy, can benefit learners with dyslexia, dysgraphia, or who find themselves on the autism spectrum. Melanie Kincl, a Middlebury MA TESOL alumna shares insights from her own experiences as a language learner and teacher and as a consultant in the area of teaching neurodiverse learners.

Here is the video of Melanie Kincl‘s presentation and the ensuing discussion

https://midd.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=331aaf43-81c2-44ba-98a0-b187000118f0

Melanie Kincl’s presentation on neurodiverse learners in the classroom

Thor Sawin’s presentation on research supported teaching practices for neurodiverse learners