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Sean Carr

World Language Methods


Spring 2016
MLAPV Conference Evaluation
The Modern Language Association of Philadelphia and Vicinitys (MLAPV) Spring 2016
Conference featured Dr. Bonnie Adair-Haucks presentation titled Implementing Integrated
Performance Assessments. The objective of the conference was for all participants to be able to
articulate the major tenets of the integrated performance assessment (IPA), demonstrate an
understanding of IPAs, identify interpretive tasks that can be used for them, demonstrate an
understanding of IPA rubrics, and understand how to design interpretive, interpersonal, and
presentational tasks for IPAs. Dr. Adair-Hauck championed the fact that by blending instruction
and assessment, IPAs enable students to become better language performers.
The majority of the conference was spent examining how the interpretive and
interpersonal modes should be assessed through IPAs, while less time was dedicated to the
presentational mode and rubrics. While the discussion regarding the interpretive and
interpersonal modes was very insightful, I found that the presentation did not adequately address
all of its stated objectives. This said, I did find the discussion of the interpretive mode to be quite
useful, and I hope to bring much of what I learned about it into my classroom.
Attendance at this conference helped me to better understand a type of assessment that I
have been trying to implement in my classroom throughout the year. While my performance
assessments have been successful in their attempts to encourage communication in all three
modes, this conference has given me a baseline for what a successful IPA should truly look like.
While the IPAs I have brought into the classroom have done a sufficient job encouraging
interpersonal and presentational communication, I now have more insight to effectively
incorporate the interpretive mode of communication into my integrated performance
assessments.
In addition to the specifics of IPAs, attendance at a professional conference benefitted me
as a teacher by being able to meet and share ideas with a number of other world language
educators from the Philadelphia area. It is critical that educators share ideas as much as possible,
so that the best possible education can be provided to all of our students. I look forward to
attending another professional conference in the future.

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