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This chapter describes a program where graduate students serve as instructional technology consultants on educational projects that enhance the student-learning experience. In the process, they develop skills to prepare them for a variety of academic and professional settings.

While a growing body of research has addressed the outcomes of K-12 foreign language (FL) study, relatively little is known about the relationship between teachers' practices and students' proficiency development (Hlas & Hlas, [Hlas, A. C., 2012]; Tschirner & Malone, [Tschirner, E., 2012]). To fill this gap, the current study, set in a large urban school district, investigates how differences in teachers' (N = 26) self-reported use of the target language (TL) and explicit grammar instruction relate to secondary FL students' (N = 2,179) yearlong gains on a standardized language performance assessment. Findings reveal a largely positive effect for TL usage, which was most pronounced in the beginner levels. Meanwhile, explicit grammar instruction yielded mixed results, beginning with a negative effect in Level I and transitioning toward a positive effect by Level IV. Collectively, the findings suggest that best practices for FL teaching may in fact vary according to the level of instruction.

In recent years, the use of external proficiency‐based tests to measure learners' language ability has increased significantly, in part thanks to the Seal of Biliteracy movement. However, there exists very limited research investigating the influence of such tests and their subsequent outcomes data on teachers' practices. As such, this study examines the washback effects of the ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL) on teachers' instruction and planning in an urban Midwest K‐12 district. Survey and interview data revealed that teachers increased their use of ACTFL key documents, placed more emphasis on target language usage, and sought to balance their use of the three modes of communication to better meet learners' needs and facilitate their proficiency development. This evidence of positive washback was observed among teachers across languages and levels and was enhanced by the opt‐in approach to test implementation and the close link between testing and teaching. For some, the AAPPL served as a catalyst to further align their curricula and instruction. Recommendations are offered for those who may wish to implement a standards‐based external language assessment such as the AAPPL as a means by which to foster professional growth and promote teachers' adoption of proficiency‐oriented practices. The Challenge: By design, the AAPPL is intended to positively impact language teaching and learning. Is this indeed the case? If so, how does AAPPL implementation and student outcomes data influence K‐12 teachers' curricular planning and instruction? What factors mediate this influence? How does using the AAPPL benefit teachers' professional practice? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

World language teachers have historically relied on the notion of teaching methods to inform elements of design and procedure in their instructional practice. Teacher beliefs about teaching methods, however, have been shown to be significantly influenced by their context, including their institution and their learners. This phenomenon has led some scholars to identify a postmethod condition, where teachers prioritize making responsive, principled decisions about instruction based on their context. This qualitative study investigated the patterns and realities of the postmethod condition in practice through the lens of teacher beliefs about teaching methods, focusing on ten secondary-level world language teachers of French and Spanish in the USA. Data sources included a survey about teaching methods, in-depth interviews, and classroom observations. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, multiple phases of coding, and integrating analysis of the three sources. Findings indicated that teachers in this group largely identified as adhering to one main teaching approach, with eight of the ten self-identifying as using primarily comprehensible input and/or TPRS (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling) methods. However, through investigating their beliefs about grammar and accuracy; the four skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking; the importance of input and output; and instructional flow, we found that the teachers examined and reexamined their teaching methods regularly, largely due to the influences of their learners and their institution. The relationship between the teachers' beliefs and practices was mediated by context-driven instructional decision-making, indicating the presence of a postmethod condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching Emergent Bilingual Students: Flexible Approaches in an Era of New Standards Edited by Patrick Proctor, Alison Boardman, and Elfrieda Hiebert New York: Guildford, 2016, 246 pages ISBN: 978-1-4625-2718-2 (paperback) [...]

Teaching Languages Online, 2nd Edition by Carla Meskill and Natasha Anthony Toronto, Ontario: Multilingual Matters, 2015, 237 pages ISBN: 978-1-78309-376-2 (paperback) As the digital world continues to transform at an [...]