Language Classes and Training, Translation and Interpreting, language classes in New York

LANGUA WORLD'S INSTRUCTIONAL PHILOSOPHY

Proficiency-Based Instruction
Langua World has conducted thorough research on the theories of language learning and teaching and has adopted the newest and most innovative method of foreign language instruction in use: proficiency-based instruction. Proficiency-based instruction differs from older, more traditional teaching methods in that it emphasizes competence and the ability to perform task-based activities in the target language are stressed, rather than the instruction and discussion of grammar rules. The grammatical features of a language are introduced through an inductive approach, which encourages learners to draw conclusions about the underlying rules of the language from the many examples they see and practice. Where many older instructional methods teach students to talk about the language, a proficiency-based approach teaches students to talk in the language.
Langua World's foreign language course outlines have been developed based on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Proficiency Guidelines. For more information about ACTFL, please check out the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages site at: http://www.actfl.org
The ACTFL guidelines are adapted from the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) guidelines developed for numerous United States government agencies. Today the ACTFL guidelines are widely used in academia in the U.S. The guidelines are designed as a tool for measuring a speaker's ability to function in the target language while performing various tasks on different levels. The ACTFL guidelines include expanded descriptions of the lower levels of competency since these are the levels achieved by most adult learners. The higher level descriptions are conflated and they fit a broader range of proficiency than the lower levels do. The descriptions of the higher levels mark the baseline of competency that may be demonstrated by learners at these levels. For example, a speaker at the Superior level may have not yet attained the full range of ability that educated speakers with years of training and experience in the target language may possess.
The level I-IV foreign language classes at Langua World focus on the instruction of practical tasks, both personal and business-related, that students will be requires to perform upon relocation to a foreign country. The tasks for each level of language instruction have been carefully chosen in accordance with the ACTFL proficiency guidelines.

Hours of Instruction
Levels I-IV consist of 50 hours of instruction each, for a total of 200 hours. We have indicated the corresponding ACTFL proficiency rating for each of Langua World's levels, as well as a range of instructional proficiency rating will vary depending on individual aptitude, experience, and motivation.

Performance Evaluation
At the end of each level of foreign language instruction, students can be evaluated to determine their proficiency in speaking, understanding, reading and writing the target language. Proficiency ratings are determined by the number of tasks that the student can perform at a given level, and with what degree of ease and fluency the tasks are handled. More specific evaluation criteria are given in the course outlines for each level of language instruction.
P.A.C.E

A Model for Integrating Form in a Proficiency-Oriented Approach

P. - PRESENTATION of Meaningful Language
This step represents the 'whole" language you are presenting in a thematic-way. It can be an interesting story, a TPR (Total Physical Response) lesson, a recorded authentic listening segment, an authentic document, or a demonstration of a real-life, authentic task. Materials from the textbook chapter can be used if they are found to be interesting and relevant to lesson being taught. Care should be taken to ensure that the presentation adequately represents the structure in question and that the structure is appropriate to the learners' developmental level.
The presentation should be interactive; students should be guided by the teacher through the new elements of language to be learned. This guided participation may take the form of student repetitions of key phrases cued by the teacher during a storytelling session, student-teacher role-reversal in a TPR activity, listening comprehension exercises, or discussions that anticipate the content of a reading. The goal here is to enable the students to stretch their language abilities by using the new elements of the target language in meaningful ways through the help and mediation of the teacher.

A. - ATTENTION
This step focuses learner attention on some aspect of the language used during the Presentation activity. In this step, the teacher highlights some regularity of the language. This can be achieved in several ways. Teachers can ask questions about patterns found in a written text about words and phrases repeated in a story. Overhead transparencies of example sentences from the Presentation can be prepared, with important words and phrases circled or underlined. The point to this step is to get learners to focus attention on the target form without needless elaboration or wasted time.

C- C0-CONSTRUCT AN EXPLANATION
Learners and teacher should be co-constructors of grammatical explanation. After learners focus attention on the target form, the teacher assists them in raising awareness about the target structure. During this step, students are guided to hypothesize, guess, make predictions, or come to generalizations about the target form. These cognitive probes help learners discover regular grammatical patterns, sound systems, word order, or language functions. As students hypothesize and generalize about the target form, teachers build upon and extend students' knowledge without overwhelming them with superfluous grammatical knowledge.

E- EXTENSION ACTIVITY
Focus on form is only useful if this knowledge can be pressed into service by the learners in a new way at a later time. The Extension Activity provides learner with the opportunity to use their new way at a later time. The Extension Activity provides learners with the opportunity to use their new skill in creative and interesting ways while at the same time integrating it into existing knowledge. Examples are information-gap activities, role-play situations, dramatizations, games, authentic writing projects (business documents, diaries, etc.), paired interviews, or simulations of real-life situations. In each case, learners should have the opportunity to practice and use the target form in a useful and meaningful way, in a way that mimics situations encountered in real life.

Need more information? Email Us!

Language classes and translation/interpretation services:

Langua World 261 west 35th street suite 203 New York NY 10001

917 673 2396 - 212 643 2907

Check our My space profile!



Check out our Midtown location on 35th St between 7th and 8th Avenues near Penn Station! LANGUA WORLD'S INSTRUCTIONAL PHILOSOPHY Proficiency-Based Instruction Langua World has conducted thorough research on the theories of language learning and teaching and has adopted the newest and most innovative method of foreign language instruction in use: proficiency-based instruction. Proficiency-based instruction differs from older, more traditional teaching methods in that it emphasizes competence and the ability to perform task-based activities in the target language are stressed, rather than the instruction and discussion of grammar rules. The grammatical features of a language are introduced through an inductive approach, which encourages learners to draw conclusions about the underlying rules of the language from the many examples they see and practice. Where many older instructional methods teach students to talk about the language, a proficiency-based approach teaches students to talk in the language. Langua World's foreign language course outlines have been developed based on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Proficiency Guidelines. For more information about ACTFL, please check out the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages site at: http://www.actfl.org The ACTFL guidelines are adapted from the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) guidelines developed for numerous United States government agencies. Today the ACTFL guidelines are widely used in academia in the U.S. The guidelines are designed as a tool for measuring a speaker's ability to function in the target language while performing various tasks on different levels. The ACTFL guidelines include expanded descriptions of the lower levels of competency since these are the levels achieved by most adult learners. The higher level descriptions are conflated and they fit a broader range of proficiency than the lower levels do. The descriptions of the higher levels mark the baseline of competency that may be demonstrated by learners at these levels. For example, a speaker at the Superior level may have not yet attained the full range of ability that educated speakers with years of training and experience in the target language may possess. The level I-IV foreign language classes at Langua World focus on the instruction of practical tasks, both personal and business-related, that students will be requires to perform upon relocation to a foreign country. The tasks for each level of language instruction have been carefully chosen in accordance with the ACTFL proficiency guidelines. Hours of Instruction Levels I-IV consist of 50 hours of instruction each, for a total of 200 hours. We have indicated the corresponding ACTFL proficiency rating for each of Langua World's levels, as well as a range of instructional proficiency rating will vary depending on individual aptitude, experience, and motivation. Performance Evaluation At the end of each level of foreign language instruction, students can be evaluated to determine their proficiency in speaking, understanding, reading and writing the target language. Proficiency ratings are determined by the number of tasks that the student can perform at a given level, and with what degree of ease and fluency the tasks are handled. More specific evaluation criteria are given in the course outlines for each level of language instruction. P.A.C.E A Model for Integrating Form in a Proficiency-Oriented Approach P. - PRESENTATION of Meaningful Language This step represents the 'whole" language you are presenting in a thematic-way. It can be an interesting story, a TPR (Total Physical Response) lesson, a recorded authentic listening segment, an authentic document, or a demonstration of a real-life, authentic task. Materials from the textbook chapter can be used if they are found to be interesting and relevant to lesson being taught. Care should be taken to ensure that the presentation adequately represents the structure in question and that the structure is appropriate to the learners' developmental level. The presentation should be interactive; students should be guided by the teacher through the new elements of language to be learned. This guided participation may take the form of student repetitions of key phrases cued by the teacher during a storytelling session, student-teacher role-reversal in a TPR activity, listening comprehension exercises, or discussions that anticipate the content of a reading. The goal here is to enable the students to stretch their language abilities by using the new elements of the target language in meaningful ways through the help and mediation of the teacher. A. - ATTENTION This step focuses learner attention on some aspect of the language used during the Presentation activity. In this step, the teacher highlights some regularity of the language. This can be achieved in several ways. Teachers can ask questions about patterns found in a written text about words and phrases repeated in a story. Overhead transparencies of example sentences from the Presentation can be prepared, with important words and phrases circled or underlined. The point to this step is to get learners to focus attention on the target form without needless elaboration or wasted time. C- C0-CONSTRUCT AN EXPLANATION Learners and teacher should be co-constructors of grammatical explanation. After learners focus attention on the target form, the teacher assists them in raising awareness about the target structure. During this step, students are guided to hypothesize, guess, make predictions, or come to generalizations about the target form. These cognitive probes help learners discover regular grammatical patterns, sound systems, word order, or language functions. As students hypothesize and generalize about the target form, teachers build upon and extend students' knowledge without overwhelming them with superfluous grammatical knowledge. E- EXTENSION ACTIVITY Focus on form is only useful if this knowledge can be pressed into service by the learners in a new way at a later time. The Extension Activity provides learner with the opportunity to use their new way at a later time. The Extension Activity provides learners with the opportunity to use their new skill in creative and interesting ways while at the same time integrating it into existing knowledge. Examples are information-gap activities, role-play situations, dramatizations, games, authentic writing projects (business documents, diaries, etc.), paired interviews, or simulations of real-life situations. In each case, learners should have the opportunity to practice and use the target form in a useful and meaningful way, in a way that mimics situations encountered in real life. Need more information? Email Us! Language classes and translation/interpretation services: Langua World 261 west 35th street suite 203 New York NY 10001 917 673 2396 - 212 643 2907 Check our My space profile! LANGUA WORLD NYC MAIN MENU
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