Reflection on their learning can be daily, weekly or monthly depending on the time that you wish to dedicate to their formative development.  Language portfolios give the opportunities for students to: « develop strategies to plan, monitor and evaluate his/her own learning. Thus learning is becoming more efficient and effective – and very motivating » (European Centre for Modern Languages, 2011).  Since I feel like we don’t have a lot of time in class, I work on portfolios over a period of 2 weeks over the semester.

Suggestions for their implementation: use the Evernote app or website (or Book Creator on the iPad) to create a portfolio that they can add to every year to see an actual progression of their understanding of French (and also they can review what they had learned the year before).  The reason why I am switching to Evernote this year is because students can access their portfolios from home so that they are not tethered to the iPad.

Twice a semester (once before the student-led conferences and once at the end of the semester), students are expected to answer these questions and take a picture of each assignment or find a picture online that represents the activity.  Due to their language capabilities, they should answer these questions in English in order to better explain their understanding.

Students need to know that you don’t want to hear about their grade; since you and he/she already know the grade.  WHY DID HE/SHE GET THAT GRADE?

Have the students separate their portfolios into sections that answer these questions:

 BEFORE STUDENT-LED CONFERENCES (a great tool for students to talk about their learning in your classroom to their parents) or BEFORE the FIRST REPORTING PERIOD

1.    Qui suis-je? Take a picture of yourself and present yourself in French in an audio clip (nom, âge, année scolaire, ta famille (j’ai une mère/maman, un père/papa 2 soeur/frères etc.) description physique, j’aime/je n’aime pas)

2.    Describe what you had learned in French before Grade 8. Were their ways that you learned better or not?  What were your strengths or weaknesses?  What is the activity that you remember enjoying and why

3.    What is the assignment or activity that you are the most proud of (so far this semester) and why?

4.    a.  What is the assignment or activity that you could have improved upon and why?

        b.     How will you improve your understanding of this language concept?

5.    What is the assignment or activity that you learned the most from and why?

6.    Make a goal for the rest of the semester (what do you want to improve/learn)?

BEFORE THE FINAL REPORTING PERIOD (if you are on a linear program, we suggest that you do this activity before each reporting period; it will help students understand where they are at)

7.    Audio clip « Mon entretien »: Have students do interviews of each other and insert the clip into portfolio (for better understanding, make sure that they don’t have a sheet with the answers in front of them, maybe the questions…)  (or any other type of activity that you wish)

8.    What is the assignment or activity that you are the most proud of and why?

9.    a.  What is another assignment or activity that you could have improved upon and why?

        b.     How will you improve your understanding of this language concept for next year?

10. What is the assignment or activity that you learned the most from and why?

11. What is a skill that you have learned this year in French that can applied to your life or your other classes (a learning strategy)?  Explain why and how it can be applied.

12. What did you learn about Francophone culture this year?  Explain at least 2 examples (feel free to provide a link to something that you have learned about) and find pictures that represent them.

13. Did you achieve your goal from the first part of the semester?  Why or why not?  Provide evidence that you did or did not achieve your goal.

14. Make a goal for next year’s language class (what do you want to improve/learn)?

15. What are your plans for learning a language next year?  Explain your choices for continuing French, taking Spanish (or both) or leaving the program.

OPTIONAL:

• have students create a Wordle with 10-20 expressions that they have learned in class up until now; take a screen shot and insert it into the portfolio)
• have students create a section of 10-20 expressions that they explain through images
• have students take a picture of their learning objectives of each unit so that they have a record of their progress)
• If you use journals, have them type their entries directly into their portfolios (this can be referred to for their analysis of their understanding).

A fun idea: have students present their portfolios in small groups at the end of the semester.  This provides them with the opportunity to share what they have learned and learn from their peers.