testing proficiency

[Arden Ogg]

Forwarded rom Ken Paupanekis (who is not yet on the listserv): 

On Nov 14, 2013, at 9:17 PM, <lenorepa at mymts.net>  wrote:

> Hi Everyone
> I don't know where to start but I feel the frustration often associated with the much needed professional development and support sevices for native language teachers. There is vertually no asssessment that I know of  for teacher competency to teach native language. I am attaching a paper that I hastily assembled and presented for the University College of the North in 2007. It is very general and covers  factors which often determine the failure and success of native language programs. I have done workshops which superficially describes the structure of the Cree Language which is an Algonkian language. I created a VERBAL COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT for students, not teachers, for Frontier School Division in 2006. The instrument (with instuctions) has 100 items of the most comonly used words and phrases, tests to see how much of the Cree language is understood by students and it can be administered by the teacher.I do not have it right now but if you want a copy I can obtain one and send it. The idea of a profeciency assessment for native language teachers is an excellent idea. Hope to hear from you. You may e-mail me at lenorepa at mts.net , or you may call me at 204-269-0719. Ken Paupanekis



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> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Arden Ogg" <arden.ogg at gmail.com>
> To: "Margaret Ann Noodin" <noodin at uwm.edu>
> Sent: Wednesday, November 13, 2013 9:50 AM
> Subject: Re: testing proficiency
> 
> Boozhoo, Meg!
> 

> You can write to Lori at:
>  morris.lori at uqam.ca
> 
> Ken's email is:
> lenorepa at mts.net 
> 
> ...Arden
> 
> On Nov 13, 2013, at 9:35 AM, Margaret Ann Noodin <noodin at uwm.edu> wrote:
> 
>> Aanii Arden,
>> 
>> I would love to get Lori and Ken's email addresses if possible.  I've copied Monica here because she might be interested too.
>> 
>> Meg
>> 
>> ----- Forwarded Message -----
>> From: "Arden Ogg" <arden.ogg at GMAIL.COM>
>> To: ALGONQUIANA at LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG
>> Sent: Wednesday, November 13, 2013 9:30:32 AM
>> Subject: Re: testing proficiency
>> 
>> 
>> Hi Monica,
>> 
>> 
>> I can suggest two connections, though they're both somewhat indirect:
>> 
>> 
>> Lori Morris is working with culturally-appropriate language-and-reading assessment instruments for children. Her main project at the moment is working with Innu-speaking kids at Pessamit in Québec. She certainly has a lot of experience observing teacher proficiency: I would love to see her consider this problem. Since she follows this list, I'm sure she can tell you more herself.
>> 
>> 
>> Ken Paupanekis of Winnipeg (a first-language speaker of Swampy Cree from Norway House who teaches Cree at the University of Manitoba) hasn't been involved directly with the Algonquian Conference, but, as a former teacher, principal and (I think even) school board superintendent, he is regularly involved with school assessments, which I believe are required at intervals by the Manitoba Department of Education. Ken is a member of the Cree Literacy Network. He does not follow this list, but I'd be happy to make an introduction if you like.
>> 
>> 
>> ...Arden
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On Nov 13, 2013, at 8:13 AM, Monica Macaulay < mmacaula at wisc.edu > wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Good morning,
>> 
>> 
>> I was talking to some of the people who work on Menominee language revitalization last week, and they were talking about how they need some sort of tool for testing the proficiency of their teachers. Since this is way out of my area of expertise, I said I'd ask around. Do any of you know anything about this?
>> 
>> 
>> It would seem to me that any such tool would have to be specialized to work for Algonquian languages (and more specifically in this case tailored for Menominee). I mean, you would have to know whether or not to test things like conjunct order, right?
>> 
>> 
>> And one further point: such an evaluation would ideally (I would think) be tied to a curriculum - another thing they're working on. But is it possible to do any kind of testing without that?
>> 
>> 
>> Thanks for any leads or hints you can give me.
>> 
>> 
>> - Monica
>> 
>> Monica Macaulay
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Department of Linguistics
>> University of Wisconsin
>> 1168 Van Hise Hall
>> 1220 Linden Drive
>> Madison, WI 53706
>> phone (608) 262-2292
>> fax (608) 265-3193
>> http://monicamacaulay.com/
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
> 
> <N L Needs Programs.doc>