Learning from ACTFL: 90%+ in the Target Language

Keeping my students in the target language has been the challenge I have undertaken this year. The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)  has guidelines and standards for foreign language teachers. When I first read about the 90% in the target language standard, I thought to myself that I am approaching that standard, but when I read further that the 90% standard refers to all conversation even the students communication with each other I learned that I have a long way to go 

To reach that 90℅ Mark, I set out to find ways to help my students become  committed to speaking to each other in Hebrew. It was not easy, our impulse is to revert to what is easiest and switch to English. At this point in the year we are reaching the 90% mark and at times we are exceeding it. Having regular conversations with my students about the process in which our brain acquires a new language, and how the teacher can only help them understand the language but to become bi-lingual and to become a Hebrew speaker,they need to be the one doing the talking,  has helped change the students perceptions. In the immersive environment, students  are given time in and out of class to play and converse in Hebrew. Conversation is a requirement for language acquisition.

This ACTFL  article has been instrumental in the changes I made.




https://www.actfl.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/TLE_pdf/TLE_Oct12_Article.pdf