Uncovering Curriculum: Language performance through culture by design

• Main Author: Jennifer Eddy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages 2015-01-01
• Series: Journal of the National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages
• Subjects: Uncovering Curriculum; Language performance; culture by design; World Readiness; framework
• Online Access: http://www.ncolctl.org/files/Uncovering-Curriculum.pdf

This article discusses a model curriculum design framework designed to both uncover and integrate culture perspectives and performance assessment throughout the span of an articulated language program. For two years, the NALRC has hosted a leadership institute on curriculum design. This curricular framework aligns the three stages of Understanding by Design with the World Readiness (National) standards. Uncovering Content: Assessment Design Aligning Performance and Transfer, facilitates design of performance based assessments derived from cultural perspectives and big ideas essential to understanding the culture or cultures. The framework can be used to design one course or an entire articulated program of study, minor, or major for any language. The framework enables continuity of recurring ideas, perspectives, and issues from beginning to end of a program. Students leave the program with key understandings, a core cadre of tasks that uncover these, and questions they will continue to unpack over time as they become self-directed learners.