FOL will assess all graduating majors in terms of the five skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing and culture, during the graduating semester.
Objective
Oral Proficiency
All graduating majors will demonstrate oral proficiency during the graduating semester.
Indicator
Capstone Experience
All graduating majors will give a 10-minute capstone presentation, followed by 5 minutes of questions, during the graduating semester, which will demonstrate speaking and listening competency.
Criterion
Capstone Assessment
All (100%) graduating majors, during the graduating semester, will demonstrate speaking and listening competency at the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) level of intermediate or better as evaluated by at least two faculty members.
Finding
Student Capstones With Faculty Attendance
All (100%) graduating majors, during the graduating semester, demonstrated speaking and listening competency at the ACTFL level of intermediate or better as evaluated by at least two faculty members. However, most who met all the criteria were native speakers. Non-native speakers met a majority of criteria rather than all. All nine of the graduating Spanish majors in the fall and all six of the graduating Spanish majors in the spring gave a 10-minute capstone, followed by a 5-minute q & a attended and evaluated by at least two faculty members during December 2009 and April 2010, respectively.
Fall 2009 nine students
Spring 2010 six students
Action
Follow-up On Capstones
FOL will compile faculty ACTFL ratings of each capstone and disseminate to faculty. Any weaknesses in the presentations will be discussed among the entire Spanish faculty to target possible course activities that may be strengthened to reinforce and improve for listening and speaking skills.
FOL will initiate additional opportunities for students to speak, including in classes apart from Conversation, and outside class, such as an informal "table" for student conversation.
Objective
Writing Proficiency
All graduating majors will demonstrate reading and writing competence by submitting a portfolio of class work in Spanish in the course of studying for the major during the graduating semester.
Indicator
Portfolio
The graduating semester, all graduating majors will submit a portfolio of at least three examples of written work, one from a grammar class, one from a literature class and one by choice, from at least two classes during their SHSU course work. This will demonstrate reading and writing competence.
Criterion
Portfolio Assessment
All (100%) graduating majors, during the graduating semester, will demonstrate reading and writing competency at the ACTFL level of intermediate or better in the submitted portfolio, which will be evaluated according to ACTFL standards for writing by at least two faculty members.
Finding
Portfolio Evaluation
All (100%) graduating majors, during the graduating semester, submitted portfolios and demonstrated reading & writing competency at the ACTFL level of intermediate or better as evaluated by the professors in the classes from which the works emanated (at least two different professors). However, those who met all the criteria were native speakers and those who met a majority were non-native speakers.
Fall 2009 nine students
Spring 2010 six students
Action
Portfolio Evaluation
FOL will compile faculty ACTFL ratings of each capstone and disseminate to faculty. Any weaknesses in the portfolios will be discussed among the entire Spanish faculty to target possible course activities that may strengthen the exit interview questionnaire AND results will be applied to program organization change as necessary.
FOL will initiate additional opportunities for students to practice writing in class, apart from the Grammar & Composition and Advanced Grammar classes, including all levels.
Goal
Spanish Major/SED Minor
All Spanish major/SED minors will be evaluated for certification.
Objective
Standardized Testing Of Spanish Major/SED Minors
All Spanish majors/SED minors will demonstrate knowledge and skills as well as readiness and competency for state-dictated standardized certification testing.
Indicator
Practice Testing
Once their Spanish coursework is completed, all Spanish majors/Secondary Education (SED) minors will take a practice test, as provided by Secondary Education Certification (SEC) and graded by FOL, in order to demonstrate readiness and competency for state-dictated standardized testing.
Criterion
Skills
All (100%) of Spanish/SEC majors will demonstrate linguistic competence in the target language at ACTFL level "intermediate low" or better on a practice test once all Spanish classes are completed as a prelude to state testing.
Finding
Practice Testing & Skills
All (100%) of Spanish/SEC majors took a practice test provided by SEC and graded by FOL. Only one of the seven spring 2010 majors demonstrated competence below ACTFL intermediate (at advanced low).
Action
Standardized Testing
FOL will meet monthly with SEC to determine how to best ready students who have completed Spanish coursework in order to be prepared and competent to take state-dictated tests.