2009 STARTALK Student Program

Student Program Curriculum Template and Guide2011STUDENT PROGRAM CURRICULUM TEMPLATEHost InstitutionProgram NameLanguage(s)Age of StudentsTarget Proficiency LevelSan Diego State University, Language Acquisition ResourceCenterPersian STARTalk LARCPersianHigh SchoolAdvancedProgram SettingNon-residentialDuration Weeks: 4 Weeks Contact Hours:114Designed byName: Shahnaz AhmadeianEmail:sahmadeian@projects.sdsu.eduA. Brief Description of Program (no more than 150 words)Provide an overview of your program. What will students experience during the program andwhat do you hope that your students will remember and be able to do after the program ends?You may find it easier to respond to this question after completing the sections on ProgramTheme, Unit Subthemes, Standards and Expected Outcomes and Specific Knowledge and Skills.The participants will take a virtual trip to Iran to improve their language skills and deepen theirunderstanding of the culture (traditional wedding-related events and ceremonies, greeting, shoppingfor wedding, etc.) through the theme of “My Cousin’s Wedding in Iran”. This memorable experienceSTARTALK 20101

Student Program Curriculum Template and Guidewill stay with them and will create interest about Iran and its culture and traditions. They will learnmore advanced communicative skills in the three modes of communication. The program willintegrate the five C’s of the national standards and will be based on best instructional practices andeffective assessment tools. At the end of the program, students will learn about culturally appropriateways of communicating with others in a variety of situations. They will also be able to explain anddiscuss, orally and in writing, Persian wedding customs and traditions. Furthermore, students will beable to comprehend, respond to, and give their opinion about a variety of content-related print andnon-print resources.B. Program ThemeThis is the umbrella theme that frames the curriculum and provides context for language andculture learning.My Cousin’s Wedding in IranC. Unit SubthemesWhat are the subthemes that will address different aspects of the umbrella theme? Thesesubthemes will facilitate student learning and enable students to demonstrate what they havelearned.Unit 1Unit 2Unit 3Unit 4SubthemesGetting to know People around youGetting around the townShopping for WeddingAroosi (Persian Wedding)D. Standards and Expected OutcomesWhat will students know and be able to do in the target language and culture? Identify whatstudents will do in terms of the standards. Ideally, all standards will be addressed, but there maybe exceptions depending on the type of program that is being offered.Goals Standards Students Can… Use formal and informal greetings based on thesetting and status Discuss about family history, city/region ofCommunicationorigin, number of family members, where they1.1 Interpersonallive, what they do… Discuss about past and present experiences Role play, getting a taxi, giving the driverdetailed directions to the destination, selling andSTARTALK 20102

Student Program Curriculum Template and Guide1.2 Interpretive1.3 Presentationalbuying items, and explaining in details selectedPersian traditions such as “Khastegari”,“Shirinikhoori”, and “Patakhti”Discuss with classmates pros and cons ofarranged marriage versus marriage of loveAsk questions regarding everyday life situationssuch as asking and giving multi-step directions toplaces around the townRead/listen to a variety of authentic print or nonprintresources about events and practices relatedto traditional Persian wedding and summarize tohighlight main ideas.Watch authentic video clips on traditionalPersian wedding to identify main ideas byanswering comprehension questions.Follow multiple steps directions on an Iran’s citymap and explain the location of a variety ofstores and places of interestMake power-point presentations about theirextended family members explaining where theylive and what they doMake oral presentation about one of Persianwedding’s ceremoniesDescribe in writing and speaking “Sofreh Aghd”and explain what each item symbolizesExplain the directions to the location of centralshopping areas such as bazaarExplain opinion about traditional steps andevents that lead to actual wedding ceremony andreceptionCultures2.1 PracticesIdentify, describe, and explain differentpractices related to tradition Persianwedding such as:o Traditional Iranian Aghd Ceremonyo Tradition of Proposing (Khastegari)o Jahizieh (Dowry)o Mehrieh (Dowry)o Patakhti (reception after the wedding towelcome the newly-wed)Share opinion and provide rationale aboutdifferent events that lead to actual weddingceremony and celebrationSTARTALK 20103

Student Program Curriculum Template and Guide2.2 ProductsIdentify and describe the items that are part of“Sofreh Aghd” such as honey, bread (nansangak), crystalized sugar, wild Rue (Esfand),etc. and explain what they symbolize.Identify and describe dishes that are usuallyserved at the wedding reception.Comparisons3.2 DistinctiveViewpoints4.1 Nature of LanguageUse authentic print and non-print resourcessuch as Persian books, Persian magazines, andauthentic video clips on Iranian wedding todeepen their understanding of weddingtradition in IranCompare sentence structures in Persian andEnglish to identify their similarities anddifferences.Compare structure of tenses in Persian and inEnglish to identify their similarities anddifferences.Compare vocabulary related to familymembers such as paternal and maternal familymembers in Persian and in English.Communities4.2 Nature of Culture5.1 Beyond the SchoolSetting5.2 Life-long LearnersCompare wedding-related ceremonies in Iranand the U.S. to highlight their similarities anddifferences.Compare wedding ceremony in different partsof Iran to highlight their similarities anddifferencesInterview parents and their families in targetlanguage about their wedding ceremonyexperiencesUse Persian language with their friendsResearch on their own to learn more aboutwedding tradition and ceremony in differentparts of IranE. Specific Knowledge and SkillsWhat specific linguistic, cultural, and other subject matter knowledge and skills will students belearning as they work with this theme? (e.g., language functions, cultural knowledge/practices/perspectives, knowledge related to subject matter or concepts.) Identify what students will do interms of, but not limited to, LinguaFolio-like Can Do statements that are aligned with theStandards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21 st Century.STARTALK 20104

Student Program Curriculum Template and GuideStudents CanGetting to know people around you:Discuss about family history,city/region of origin, number of familymembers, where they live, what theydo…‣‣ Getting Around Town: Ask questionsregarding everyday life situations such asasking and giving multi-step directionsThematic Knowledge and SkillsStudents UseIt is a pleasure meeting you. The last time that Isaw you was at my cousin’s wedding two yearsago. I’m the oldest/youngest son/daughter. I’m mygrandparents’ oldest/youngest grandchild.Describing people: This is my cousin’s mother-inlaw.He lives in Shiraz, in the south of Iran, nearPersepolis.Express opinions regarding people: He is a verysuccessful businessman. He has his own importexportcompany. As for her, she is a skillfulinterior designer. You have to see her work. It isamazingly beautiful. She studied in… and washired before she graduated.Getting and giving directions using prepositions.Turn left/right. Close to… Next to … in front of. Itis in the north-eastern part of the Tehran close to… Street. It is in the south-west of… It is rightbehind the bazaar. It is too far away from whereyou live. You have to take a cab. The bazaar areais one of the busiest parts of town, because of thenumber of businesses and visitors.‣ Shopping: Role play buying andselling clothing items.‣ Persian Wedding: Explain in detailsevents, practices and products related totraditional Persian wedding.I like the color, but it is too expensive. I saw thesame dress in a different store that was lessexpensive; however they didn’t have the color Iwas looking for. My friend’s engagement ring ishuge compared to yours, but I like yours more.How many carats is your engagement ring? Let’sgo to bazaar! They have the best If you visit bazaaryou have to be quite familiar with the art ofbargaining. I enjoy bargaining, but I know that nomatter I do I still don’t get the right price. Thevendors are indeed very skillful.Do you know how they met? They met severalyears ago when they were studying at theuniversity, but they had to wait until they couldboth get a job. The bride and groom decided not tohave dowry. (mehrieh & jahizieh) The groom is…. (job) and the bride is …(job) They arebeautiful together Their “Sofreh Aghd” isbeautiful. What I like the most are the candleSTARTALK 20105

Student Program Curriculum Template and Guideholders. They are simple and yet very original. Iwonder who arranged their “Sofreh Aghd”. It isone of the most creative ones that I have seen.F. End of Program Performance Tasks –Summative AssessmentsWhat summative performance assessments will provide evidence that students have achieved theprogram learning objectives? How will the assessments demonstrate that students have met allof the program goals? Indicate how students will be assessed for each mode of communicationthrough interpretive, interpersonal and presentational performance tasks. This should be designedto be an integrated performance task. The interpretive task should provide input needed for theinterpersonal and presentational tasks. As the tasks are developed, be sure to take the proficiencylevel of the student into consideration.Interpretive tasks involve students in receptive communication of oral or written messages,in mediated communication via print and non-print material, or with listener, viewer, readerworks with visual or recorded materials whose creator is absent.Interpersonal tasks require direct oral communication between individuals who are inpersonal contact or direct written communication between individuals who come intopersonal contact.Presentational tasks require students to engage in productive communication using oral orwritten language, produce spoken or written communication for people with whom there isno immediate personal contact or which takes place in a one-to-many mode, or author orcreate visual or recorded material for listeners or readers not personally known.Interpretive, Interpersonal and Presentational tasksStudents will Interview a native speaker about his/her traditional wedding. They will alsoresearch using two authentic resources, one print and one non-print, about traditional Iranianwedding. They will then use the results of their research from these three different resources toprepare a power point presentation, a poster, an illustrated and narrated book, or a brochure aboutIranian traditional wedding. They will present their work to the rest of the class and answerquestions. The final product must include:Detailed information about the bride and the groom, their place of origin, theireducational background, professions and how they metDetailed information about wedding ceremony and reception, including time, place,number of guests, music, and food as well as what the bride is wearingDetailed information about “Sofreh Aghd”, its items and what they representDescription of the food and sweets that are usually served at wedding receptionsOpinion and rationale about the events, such as “Khastergari”, that lead to actualwedding ceremony and receptionSTARTALK 20106

Student Program Curriculum Template and GuideEnsure meaningful interaction inthe target languageIntegrate language, culture andcontentDifferentiate instruction based onstudent needStudent will work with a partner or in small groups tomake an invitation card, discuss and make a list of thedishes, baked food and fruit to order for dinner, orresearch to find and select authentic pieces of music toplay during the wedding reception.Students will engage in mock wedding celebrationsAuthentic video clips and pictures will be used tointroduce Persian wedding to students.Authentic print materials such as invitation cards,congratulations cards, musical instruments, items ofclothing will be used when introducing the weddingrelatedtraditions in Iran.Students will experience shopping in an Iranian storeand use target language to communicate with othersStudents will be grouped according to their languageskills and background knowledge of Persian cultureStudents will be provided with choices to demonstratetheir comprehension both for classwork andhomework.In every class some time will be set aside for TA’sinteraction with individual students to address anyindividual needs.I. Materials & Other ResourcesDescribe the primary resources that you plan to use for the program.ResourcesDescriptionTitle of textbook, if applicable Farsi Book for Advance Books from Iran Digital images from Iran Traditional Clothing Persian Films Money Maps Posters, flyersRealia / Authentic materials Invitation Cards Magazines and Newspapers Advertisements Persian Games Persian Culture Box including items used everyday inIran Persian FoodSTARTALK 20109

Student Program Curriculum Template and GuideMultimediaStudents will use computer lab every day for differentactivities, also to create power point presentations forclassOnline Resources: Authentic videos of Iranianwedding,J. TechnologyIf technology is part of your budget, how will that technology support instruction and enhancelearning?Technological ToolsVideo CameraLanguage LabEuro talkExplanationWe are hiring a videographer who will be making videoclips to collect evidence of students’ learningBoth our language labs are equipped with new softwarethat supports Persian writing, students will use thesecomputers to do their projects such as power pointpresentations, writing their paragraph or reports on moviesetc.Our computers also have programs like Euro talk, which isan interactive learning tool and includes different subjectssuch as Useful phrases. Students can listen to an audio,play some games, and respond to it by recording theirvoice. This helps them listen to themselves and selfcorrect.BykiByki is another tool that can help Intermediate andAdvance students to create flash cards from the lesson ofthe day and send it to themselves to practice later. Theseflash cards are also with audio and come with differentinteractive games.STARTALK 201010

Student Program Curriculum Template and GuideFor Your ReferenceStandards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21 st CenturyGoal 1: CommunicationStandard 1.1- Interpersonal Communication: Students engage in conversation, provideand obtain information, express feeling and emotion, and exchange opinions.Standard 1.2 – Interpretive Communication: Students understand and interpret writtenand spoken language on a variety of topics.Standard 1.3 – Presentational Communication: Students present information, conceptsand ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety or topics.Goal 2: CulturesStandard 2.1 – Practices and Perspective: Students demonstrate an understanding of therelationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied.Standard 2.2 – Products and Perspectives: Students demonstrate an understanding ofthe relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture studied.Goal 3: ConnectionsStandard 3.1 – Knowledge of Other Disciplines: Students reinforce and further theirknowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language.Standard 3.2 – Distinctive Viewpoints: Students acquire information and recognize thedistinctive viewpoints that are only available through the foreign language and itscultures.Goal 4: ComparisonsStandard 4.1 – Nature of Language: Students demonstrate understanding of the natureof language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.Standard 4.2 – Culture: Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culturethrough comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.Goal 5: CommunityStandard 5.1 – Beyond the School Setting: Students use the language both within andbeyond the school setting.Standard 5.2 – Life-long Learners: Students show evidence of becoming life-longlearners by using the language for personal enjoyment and enrichment.STARTALK 201011

Student Program Curriculum Template and GuideInterpersonal ModeCommunicative ModesThe Interpersonal Mode is characterized by active negotiation of meaning among individuals.Participants observe and monitor one another to see how their meaning and intentions are beingcommunicated. Adjustments and clarifications can be made accordingly. As a result, there is ahigher probability of ultimately achieving the goal of successful communication in this modethan in the other two modes. The Interpersonal Mode is most obvious in conversation, but boththe interpersonal and negotiated dimensions can be realized through reading and writing, such asthe exchange of personal letters or electronic mail messages.Interpretive ModeThe Interpretive Mode is focused on the appropriate cultural interpretation of meanings thatoccur in written and spoken form where there is no recourse to the active negotiation of meaningwith the writer or the speaker. Such instances of “one-way” reading or listening include thecultural interpretation of texts, oral or written, must be distinguished from the notion of readingand listening “comprehension,” where the term could refer to understanding a text with anAmerican mindset. Put another way, interpretation differs from comprehension in that theformer implies the ability to “read (or listen) between the lines.”Since the Interpretive Mode does not allow for active negotiation between the reader and thewriter or the listener and the speaker, it requires a much more profound knowledge of culturefrom the outset. The more one knows about the other language and culture, the greater thechances of creating the appropriate cultural interpretations of a written or spoken text. It must benoted, however, that cultural literacy and the ability to read or listen between the lines aredeveloped over time and through exposure to the language and culture.Presentational ModeThe Presentational Mode refers to the creation of messages in a manner that facilitiesinterpretation by members of the other culture where no direct opportunity for active negotiationof meaning between members of the two cultures exists. Examples of the “one-way” writing andspeaking require a substantial knowledge of language and culture from the outset, since the goalis to make sure that members of the other culture, the audience, will be successful in reading andlistening between the lines.______________________National Standards in Foreign Language Education Project (2006). Standards for foreignlanguage learning in the 21 st century. Lawrence, KS: Allen Press, Inc. pp. 36-38.STARTALK 201012