Creating Indicators for the Power of Language

Mary Lea Free and Dr. Jamie Holbein Swanson discuss proficiency levels.

The Standards Writing Team met December 6 at the University of Nebraska Kearney to create proficiency level indicators for each of the standards.

The organization of the revised standards will differ in format. Each standard will have indicators that specify expectations for student progress at particular levels of proficiency. The proficiency levels are Novice (low, mid, high), Intermediate (low, mid, high) and Advanced (low, mid, high). School districts will have autonomy to plan for the proficiency level that best fits the circumstances and needs of the district’s programming.

Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca teacher Jacqueline Mohr says, “I think that this work will be a great help to those teachers who are departments of one or two in rural Nebraska. This will prove to be an applicable document throughout districts across the state. I hope that this will also allow teachers to become more familiar with proficiency levels and create appropriate level standards for their program.”

NDE plans to present the revised World Language standards to the Nebraska State Board of Education in Fall 2019.

Writing Team Members

Maria Burgos, Axtell Public Schools
Alicia Cornemann, Hartington Newcastle Public Schools
Tiffany Dalton, Waverly Public Schools
Mary Lea Free, District 160 Public Schools (Norris)
Cara Heminger, Lincoln Public Schools
Angela Hinze, Scottsbluff Public Schools
Jami Holbein Swanson, Lincoln Public Schools
Jamie Honke, Ralston Public Schools
Mary Clare Liescheski, Douglas County West Public Schools
Jacqueline Mohr, Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca Public Schools
Mikayla Niederklein, Hastings Catholic Schools
Kristen Nugent, Concordia University Nebraska
Jorge Ortega, Kearney Public Schools
Rita Ricaurte, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Brenda Schiermeyer, Fremont Public Schools
Cathy Scurlock, Omaha Public Schools
Coral Su, Lincoln Public Schools
Liliana Velasco, Columbus Public Schools
Avie Veldkamp, York Public Schools
Angela Wagoner, Crete Public Schools
Michelle Warren, University of Nebraska Kearney
Rosa Zimmerman, Ogallala Public Schools