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Spotlight on You: Diane DeNoon

World Language Coordinator, Blue Valley School District, Kansas

Blue Valley School District’s path to a proficiency based world language program began twelve years ago with a commitment to move beyond after-school language programs to provide continuous progress for all students beginning in grade school, and with the development of an integrated Elementary curriculum to support that goal (there were no commercial options available in the mid-1990s). Those efforts, led by Diane DeNoon, Blue Valley School District World Language Coordinator, have resulted in a current district of over 20,000 students, where all K-6 students learn either French or Spanish and over 83% of all district students are active in French, Spanish, German, or Latin.

How did Blue Valley accomplish this shift?

The 1990s was an era of district-wide enrollment growth for Blue Valley School District so their philosophy of growth and the input from new community members who brought history and vision about the value of second language proficiency combined to create a natural environment for change. The grassroots-community push reinforced pre-existing ideas from squeaky-wheel, long-time district visionaries such as Diane DeNoon. She was subsequently selected to facilitate an investigation of a language program with a proficiency vision and has led the continuous growth of the Blue Valley Schools World Languages Program for the past twelve years.

Diane was raised in the Midwest in a traditional German farming community, studied Spanish in high school, ultimately pursued German language studies in college and was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship semester in Germany. After college, with Teacher’s Certificate in hand, Diane filled time waiting for the optimal German teaching job using her language in International Banking until Blue Valley School District called.

That was 30 years ago and Diane’s perspective, presented below, related to building a proficiency-based world language program is both enlightening and applicable to districts across the country.

What have been the key approaches and strategies utilized by Blue Valley?

It was well recognized that high school is the toughest place to sell a proficiency-based approach for beginners. After all, what percent of teenagers are willing to risk errors in public speaking in any language? That recognition, in conjunction with a drive to model first language development, resulted in the strategy of starting young where there are few inhibitions. By building speaking and listening skills first, then adding the layers of reading and writing, Blue Valley successfully positioned the students as the “wheels on the train” to push the language-proficiency model forward (rather than administrators pulling the program along). Fueling the move to proficiency was the development of a clearly articulated and consistent curriculum which maximized the opportunities for student learning, substantial FLAP Grant funding from 2002-2006, effective assessments, and analysis of the assessment data to ensure continued support of the program.

What does the program look like now and what does the data show?

Blue Valley has two parallel language tracks in the district. All K-6 students are engaged in Spanish or French twice every week in coordination with their other studies. Middle School finds increased competition for electives such that language class participation declines from 80% to 50%. In High School, schedule flexibility brings students back into the program where “returning” students can proceed in courses that parallel those on the “continuous K-12” track. All students are engaged in an articulated program that builds proficiency rather than repeating exploration at each level.

“Continuous K-12” students are STAMP tested at the end of 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th grade. Students in the traditional 9-12 high school program are tested at the end of 2nd and 3rd year (10th and 11th grade). For “continuous K-12” students, the average 8th grade level is Novice-Mid and their subsequent 9th grade speaking STAMP scores are compelling in that they are higher than those of 3rd year traditional high school students. The “continuous K-12” and traditional 9-12 tracks merge in upper levels and enrollment indicates retention of 75% of “continuous K-12” students and 25% of traditional 9-12 students into advanced level classes. To promote proficiency, teachers have developed performance assessments for each unit of study for all 33 foreign language courses in Blue Valley. Students are expected to use the language in speaking and writing and STAMP scores reveal this curricular emphasis.

Additionally, anecdotes reflect the great success. Grade school children interweave their target language with English in their play, and continuous K-8 students are fearless entering high school – saying anything (regardless of accuracy) in their classes. Their readiness to speak up and take on grammatical corrections was initially a big change and pleasant surprise for the high school teachers.

Although students have been assessed for many years, the first STAMP tests were delivered in 2007. The easily viewable charts of district-wide results, combined with the ability to drill down into class and individual student reports, have confirmed the advantages of the K-12 continuous program. Teachers now look at scores immediately, analyze results to inform their instruction practice, and use results to drive proficiency.

What advice does Diane have to share with you – her colleagues – to build a successful proficiency program?

First and foremost, Diane DeNoon operates from and looks for a general philosophy of intensity and continuity. As the Blue Valley School District World Language Coordinator, she firmly believes in supporting and challenging teachers to deliver high quality instruction in the target language so that student learning, namely proficiency, is maximized. The key parts of the engine that drive proficiency are beginning second language learning early, providing maximum time, and continuing the sequence of learning for as long as possible.

Above all though, says Diane, hire the best teachers possible. And what are the characteristics that she sees in the best teachers? Passion, the desire to impact student learning, the ability to conduct instruction in the target language, a philosophy of proficiency, considerable time spent abroad, and a practice of integrating technology (ePals, blogs, podcasts, etc) to provide language and culture experiences for all students.