Online Immersion Curriculum Map: Empowering Teachers through Collaborative Planning, Effective Resource Organization, and Curricular Alignment
Session Type
Paper/Best Practice Session (1 hour)
Immersion/Partner Language(s)
not language specific
Context/program model
Co-Official/Regional Language Immersion
Two-Way Bilingual Immersion
One-Way Developmental Bilingual Education
Indigenous Language Immersion
Level
Elementary (K-5)
Program Summary
The Online Immersion Curriculum Map is a powerful tool for individual schools or districts to collect and organize immersion relevant resources, but also to facilitate collaborative planning and to enable curricular and language specific alignments. It can be cloned for free through the North Carolina DPI.
Abstract/Description for Paper, Discussion, and Laptop Poster presentations
Originally, the only function of the Immersion Curriculum Map was to capture resources created by language immersion teachers in order to create continuity of instruction with a traditionally high overturn of staff.
The product, however, evolved into a dynamic, multi-functional tool far beyond its initial purpose. Its streamlined, standards-based format and highly interlinked surface allow for effective organization and navigation. Curricular and linguistic alignment issues are thus easily detected and can be approached systematically. The map provides structures and tools that facilitate collaborative planning. Its consequent “All-In-One”-concept avoids abundant research in multiple websites in the planning process. It also provides important immersion specific documents, such as trajectories and alignments between CCSS for Language Arts, ACTFL Standards for College and Career Readiness, and North Carolina World Language Standards for alphabetic and iconographic languages. The Immersion Curriculum Map has become a meta-tool that incorporates all aspects of immersion instruction.
A generic template version of the Immersion Curriculum Map is accessible through the North Carolina Department of Education website. Upon request, it can be cloned to any school with Wikispaces subscription with no charge. Training sessions for administrators, facilitators, and teachers have launched, which allows for schools or districts to adjust the curriculum map for their specific needs.
Lead Presenter/organizer
Bernd Nuss, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
Role/Title
Immersion Facilitator
State (in US) or Country
NC