EDU 715: Module 6 Issue-based Strategic Plan: Part II, SWO !

nal"sis #une 16, $%1& 'aitlin Pi(er Uni)ersit" o* +e, England

Issue-based Strategic Plan: Part II SWOT Analysis Issue: Meeting t-e +eeds o* !ll .earners in t-e /renc- 'lassroo0 Strengths High Student Achievement !lt-oug- t-ere is concern regarding 0eeting t-e needs o* all learners, o)erall /rencstudents are reac-ing -ig- acade0ic ac-ie)e0ent as a ,-ole1 -is is a((arent in t-e data belo,: Course rench I# Period $# %&'( rench II# Period )# %&'( rench III# Period '# %&'( rench III# Period %# %&'( rench I*+*# Period ,# %&'( !nrollment in rench Courses One -undred (ercent o* /renc- I students eligible to continue to /renc- II ne6t "ear are enrolled t-e course1 O)erall class nu0bers in enroll0ent are u( in /renc- courses1 /or e6a0(le, in $%11, /renc- I787 consisted o* *our students1 /or t-e $%1&-$%15 sc-ool "ear, t-ere are 17 students enrolled to ta9e t-is course1 !lt-oug- t-ese results are encouraging, teac-ers 0ust ne)er settle in disco)ering ne, ,a"s to i0(ro)e instruction to 0eet t-e needs o* all learners1 Average of inal !"am Scores 234 254 3&4 254 234

Wea-nesses Class Com.osition ! c-allenging as(ect to 0eeting t-e needs o* all learners in t-e /renc- classroo0 in)ol)es e**ecti)el" reac-ing a )ariet" o* age grou(s ,it-in t-e sa0e classroo01 Class Com.ositions by /rade 0%&'(1 reshmen So.homores 2uniors Seniors /renc- I, Period 7 1$ % % 1 /renc- II, Period 6 6 5 & 1 /renc- III, Period 1 % 5 5 % /renc- III, Period $ % 1$ 1 % /renc- I787, Period 5 % % 5 5 W-at (ro)es age a((ro(riate *or a *res-0an does not necessaril" (ro)e age a((ro(riate *or a senior and )ice )ersa1 o gain *ocus and interest in learning, it is t-e teac-er:s res(onsibilit" to a((eal to all age grou(s ,it-in t-e sa0e class1 Student eedbac!*ter *inal e6a0s, students too9 a course sur)e" to e)aluate t-eir e6(erience in t-e /renc- classroo01 O)erall, results ,ere ;uite (ositi)e, -o,e)er, t-ere ,ere as(ects o* t-e sur)e" results t-at ,ere so0e,-at lac9ing in connection to 0eeting t-e needs o* all learners1 3ata from the Course Survey: /renc- I ----- /renc- III ----Sur)e" <uestion 111 -e instructor c-allenges 0e to t-in91 Strongl" !gree 2$4 564 6%4 !gree 34 564 &%4 Unsure 34 24 1%4 24 24 Disagree Strongl" Disagree

$%1 I belie)e t-at ,-at I a0 being as9ed to learn in t-is course is i0(ortant1 &&4 5%4 Honors versus 4on-Honors oreign 5anguage Courses

! ,ea9ness o* t-e *oreign language de(art0ent at t-e sc-ool is t-at t-e" do not o**er !P courses or =onors courses1 -e lac9 o* course o(tions results in class co0(ositions o* students *ro0 a )ariet" o* abilit" and s9ill1 -is sc-ool "ear, student go)ern0ent 0ade a case to -a)e *our

or *i)e-"ear *oreign language courses ,eig-ted as an -onors credit1 Student go)ern0ent also e6(lored t-e o(tion o* o**ering -onors )ersus non--onors course o(tions *or all *oreign language courses1 Due to budget li0itations, curriculu0 ad>ust0ents, and class si?es, t-is (otential c-ange in *oreign language le)els did not (ass1 -is "ear I sur)e"ed students ,-o too9 a S(anis- or /renc- I7 or 7 le)el course and as9ed t-e0 t-e *ollo,ing ;uestion, @Do "ou t-in9 *oreign language courses at t-e I7 or 7 le)el s-ould be ,eig-ed and or treated as =onors coursesA W-" or ,-" notA@1 =ere are t-eir res(onses: BCes, it s-ould be ,ort- an -onors credit because it is a di**icult class ,it- lots o* -o0e,or9, (ro>ects, and 0e0ori?ation1D B -is is easil" ,ort- an -onors credit1 -is ,as 0ore di**icult t-an 0ost ot-er -onor courses I -a)e ta9en in ter0s o* bot- content and ,or9loadD BI t-in9 t-at students ,-o (artici(ate in language classes *our and *i)e s-ould recei)e -onors credits *or t-ese classes1 -ese classes last all "ear, and t-e" are 0ore di**icult t-an ot-er classesD BCes because t-ere is a lot o* ,or9 (ut into learning a ne, language at t-e le)el ,e are in1 ! lot o* *oreign language teac-ers e6(ect a lot *ro0 "ou because "ouEre in a le)el 5 or 5 >ust as an =onors teac-er ,ouldD BCes1 I t-in9 t-ere s-ould be a regular and -onors language classes because t-e di**icult" o* our class ,as e;ui)alent to an -onors le)el classD W-en ot-er courses (ro)ide students ,it- 0ore credit -ours or (lace0ent o(tions, one can understand t-e students: desire to -a)e t-e sa0e o(tions in *oreign language, es(eciall" ,-en t-e" in)est t-eir ti0e and e**ort into t-ese courses *or *our or *i)e "ears o* stud"1

O..ortunities -roug- Senge:s F$%1$G disci(lines, t-ere is great o((ortunit" *or i0(ro)e0ent in 0eeting t-e needs o* all learners1 I6 7ental 7odels !n o((ortunit" to en-ance learning *or all students in)ol)es altering one:s attitude to,ards -is or -er students t-roug- Senge:s F$%1$G @Mental Models@1 Senge F$%1$G states, B!ll -u0an beings -a)e t-e ca(acit" to generate no)el, original, cle)er, or ingenious (roducts, solutions, and tec-ni;ues- i* t-at ca(acit" is de)elo(edD F(1 $55G1 Hecogni?ing e)er" c-ild:s (otential to learn and succeed (ro0otes a -ealt-" attitude and learning en)iron0ent1 Senge F$%1$G belie)es, B -e core tas9 o* t-e disci(line o* 0ental 0odels is to bring tacit assu0(tions and attitudes to t-e sur*ace so (eo(le can e6(lore and tal9 about t-eir di**erences and 0isunderstanding ,it- 0ini0al de*ensi)enessD F(1 33-1%%G1 Irea9ing do,n boundaries and allo,ing e)er" student to start on a clean slate guarantees a)oidance *ro0 dangerous assu0(tions teac-ers can 0a9e about students, ,-ic- can (otentiall" inter*ere ,it- t-eir ,ill to learn and abilit" to gras( ne, ideas1 II6 Shared *ision !*ter ad0inistering a s-ort course e)aluation a*ter *inal e6a0s t-is "ear, it is a((arent students do not s-are a clear co00on )ision to,ards t-e (ur(ose o* t-eir enroll0ent in /renc-1 rench I Course Survey 8es.onses: 9uestion: Are you ta-ing rench ne"t year: Why or ;hy not: BCes, because I li9ed it t-is "ear and ,ant to learn 0oreD BCes, I *ind t-is course *un, I ,ant to learn a di**erent language, and (art o* 0" *a0il" s(ea9s /renc-D

BCes, it is reall" *un and interesting1 IE0 glad I c-ose t-is instead o* S(anis-JD BCes because I a0 interested to learn 0ore and itEs a *un class to ta9eD BCes, I ,ould li9e to continue to learn 0ore o* t-e /renc- languageD BCes, I BneedD about & "ears *or collegeD BCes, t-at ,a" I donEt -a)e to ta9e S(anis- or .atin *or & "earsD BCes because I li9e t-e languageD BCes, so0et-ing to do8learnD -ere is great o((ortunit" in *ine-tuning students: )ision to,ards learning1 Senge F$%1$G states, Bt-e disci(line o* s-ared )ision is t-e set o* tools and tec-ni;ues *or bringing all o* t-ese dis(arate goals and state0ents into align0entD F(1 26G1 De)elo(ing a co00on class )ision to,ards *oreign language learning ,ill -el( 0oti)ate students to learn and to *ind signi*icance in t-eir (artici(ation in a *oreign language course1 It is i0(ortant *or t-is co00on )ision to e6tend be"ond 0eeting sc-ool re;uire0ents *or graduation, gaining a (articular a0ount o* credits, or (adding one:s transcri(t to a((eal to colleges1 -roug- s-i*ting t-e *ocus *ro0 acade0ic re;uire0ents to t-e 0an" ,a"s *oreign language stud" can enric- one:s li*e, an i0(ro)ed co00on )isual is de)elo(ed1 Senge F$%1$G states, @Peo(le ,it- a co00on (ur(ose can learn to nouris- a sense o* co00it0ent in a grou( or organi?ation b" de)elo(ing s-ared i0ages o* t-e *uture t-e" see9 to create and t-e strategies, (rinci(les, and guiding (ractices b" ,-ic- t-e" -o(e to get t-ereD F(1 7G1 !ssigning clear (ur(ose to learning ,ill cause students to beco0e 0ore in)ested and *ocused on t-eir *oreign language studies1 -e desire to learn ,ill increase students: e**ort, ,-ic- in turn increases t-e a0ount o* students co0ing in *or e6tra -el( and t-e a0ount o* ;uestions as9ed in class *or clari*ication1 -ese actions -el( e)en an" ga(s in co0(re-ension related to abilit"1 -e

co00on )ision also di0inis-es issues in grade le)els because regardless o* one:s age, e)er"one is ,or9ing to,ards t-e sa0e goal1 o strengt-en current interest and to (ro0ote t-e )alue in learning /renc-, students -a)e t-e o((ortunit" to >oin /renc- 'lub1 -is grou( allo,s students to dee(en t-eir understanding o* /renc- culture and assists in bringing 0ore a,areness to t-e i0(ortance o* /renc- language and culture1 III6 Team 5earning ! co00on )ision strengt-ens Senge:s F$%1$G conce(t o* @ ea0 .earning@ F(1 115G1 Hat-er t-an *ocusing on ,-at 0a9es students di**erent, t-e teac-er and class can center on t-e co00on goal t-at brings all students toget-er1 Senge F$%1$G states, B ea0 learning is a disci(line o* (ractices designed, o)er ti0e, to get (eo(le on a tea0 t-in9ing and acting toget-erD F(1 115G1 !da(ting t-is 0entalit" in t-e classroo0 ,ill -el( students understand t-e set (ace *or t-e course1 Setting goals *or t-e class as a ,-ole ensures no one is le*t be-ind in t-eir co0(re-ension o* course to(ics1 Sta** can also ,or9 toget-er to de)elo( t-eir a((roac-es to classroo0 instruction to 0eet t-e needs o* all learners1 eac-ers 0ust regularl" collaborate t-roug- discussions and re*lection to (er*or0 in a co-esi)e 0anner to i0(ro)e t-e ;ualit" o* education FSenge, $%1$G1 -is is e6tre0el" i0(ortant in *oreign language studies ,-en students 0a" c-ange teac-ers *ro0 le)el to le)el1 Iuilding a co-esi)e learning en)iron0ent ,-ere e6(ectations are t-oroug-l" en*orced and 9no,n, allo,s *or s0oot- transitions bet,een course to course and *ro0 teac-er to teac-er1 Threats .i0ited course o(tions could t-reaten t-ese e**orts as a ,-ole1 !lt-oug- t-e sc-ool stri)es to (ro)ide -eterogeneousl" 0i6ed *oreign language classroo0s, o*ten students in -onors

classes are in t-e sa0e class due to sc-eduling1 W-en t-ere are 0ulti(le sections o* t-e sa0e course, t-is can result in uno**icial -onors )ersus non--onors classes, ,-ic- could be e)en 0ore c-allenging to reac- t-e sa0e learning ob>ecti)es ,it-in t-e sa0e ti0e*ra0e1 Sc-eduling con*licts can also be detri0ental to t-e (rogra0 as a ,-ole1 /renc- is ,eig-ted as an electi)e1 -ere are li0ited (eriods *or courses and 0an" students are stuc9 in a situation ,-ere t-e" 0ust dro( *oreign language to 0eet t-eir ot-er sc-olastic obligations1 On t-e recent course sur)e", students e6(ressed concern regarding t-is issue: rench II %&'( Class Survey 8es.onse: <Are you ta-ing rench ne"t year: Why or ;hy not:< B+o, canEt *it in 0" sc-eduleD B+o, it doesnEt *it into 0" sc-edule @ I also recentl" recei)ed an e-0ail *ro0 a student e6(ressing t-e sa0e con*lict: @=i Mlle1 Pi(er, I un*ortunatel" -ad to dro( /renc- out o* 0" sc-edule because I >ust don:t -a)e ti0e *or it t-is "ear ,it- all -onors and t,o !P classes1 It ,as a toug- decision because I en>o"ed learning /renc-1 I:0 -o(ing to continue 0" studies 0a"be during senior "ear or collegeJ -an9 "ou *or teac-ing 0e, "ou ,ere de*initel" one o* t-e 0ost 9no,ledgeable teac-ers I:)e -ad1 -an9s again, Student K@ !dditional (otential t-reats to t-e e**ort to reac-ing all students in t-e *oreign language classroo0 in)ol)e t-e attitude t-e guidance de(art0ent, (arents, t-e co00unit", and ot-er teac-ers set to,ards learning /renc-1 I -a)e o*ten o)er-eard colleagues Finternal in*luenceG tell

students, @Well, "ou don:t need to ta9e a *oreign language to graduate@1 Students also s-are ,it0e co00ents *ro0 t-eir (arents Fe6ternal in*luenceG, ,-ere t-eir (arents e6(ress t-e" *ind little )alue in *oreign language stud" and belie)e t-eir c-ild s-ould ta9e easier electi)es to boost t-eir grade (oint a)erage1 -ese state0ents can destro" t-e *oreign language de(art0ent:s and students: s-ared )ision in learning /renc-, .atin, or S(anis-1

He*erence Senge, P1, Mc'able, +1'1, .ucas, 1, Lleiner, !1, Dutton, #1, M S0it-, I1 F$%1$G1 Schools that Learn: A Fifth Discipline Fieldbook for Educators, Parents, and Everyone Who Cares About Education FHe)1 Ed1G1 +e, Cor9: 'ro,n Publis-ing Nrou(1