Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde cultural education and outreach program manager and leader of the Chinuk Wawa Language Program, Kathy Cole, flew to Orlando, Florida for Oral Proficiency Interview (ACTFL OPI) training this November. The OPI is a standardized method for the global assessment of functional speaking ability.
The training and testing is available in many widely spoken world languages but not in the Native languages of the Pacific Northwest. Kathy opted to take the training in assessing English with the hope that she could transfer the skills acquired to her own language situation. The OPI is a carefully structured face-to-face or telephone conversation between a trained and certified interviewer and the person whose language skills are being tested.
The training process is rigorous and certification is only granted when the trainee has conducted and rated numerous interviews and the certified trainer is in agreement with the trainee’s ratings. Kathy is contemplating completing the tester certification process. If so, she will be an asset to other tribes wishing to adapt this assessment process to their own languages. She is looking forward to using her new skills and training to assess fellow tribal members in the Chinuk Wawa language. This will help determine if the testing process needs to be culturally and linguistically adapted for certain Native communities.
For more information on the Oral Proficiency Interview training, please visit: http://www.actfl.org/professional-development/certified-proficiency-testing-program/testing-proficiency
Technology such as the computer is only a tool. Like any tool, it has possibilities and limitations. What most of us don’t think about is that the typical classroom is filled with technology tools that aid in learning and teaching. Pencils, erasers, OHPs, post-it notes, rulers, ball point pens, and even the chalkboard are all technologies. Each of these technologies have in turn revolutionized what could be done in the classroom when they were first invented and used. Think of how useful it was for a teacher for the first time to be able to write on a large chalkboard at the front of the class so all students could see the same thing, add their ideas and be able to save the board for future reference. Wow! Still, you wouldn’t use the chalkboard to write or copy a book that students were expected to read on their own. The right tool for the right job.