Checkpoint A Benchmark Proficiency Assessment Item Writing Workshop for Classical Languages
**Registration for this webinar has now closed.**
Presenters: David Pellegrino and Bill Heller
Webinar date & time: Tuesday, November 5th, 2024, 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. via Zoom
5 hours of CTLE credit offered.
The Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages (OBEWL) of the New York State Education Department (NYSED) presents this next webinar in its 2024 Professional Learning Series: Checkpoint A Benchmark Proficiency Assessment Item Writing Workshop for Classical Languages. This webinar is offered free of charge for classical language educators and administrators working or studying in New York State educational institutions. Participants must commit to attending the full webinar from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (with a one-hour break, the time for which will be designated by the presenter) in order to receive a certificate.
Webinar description: This 6-hour live virtual workshop will engage NYS Classical Language educators in understanding and applying the Principles and Guidelines for Adopting or Creating Locally Developed Benchmark Assessments for Checkpoint A for Classical Languages.* The presenters will explain and model assessment items for Communication and Culture Standards aligned to the aforementioned guidance. Participants will have the opportunity to construct assessment items for Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal Communication and Culture at Checkpoint A that adhere to these guidelines. The workshop will run from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm with a one-hour lunch on your own at a time designated by the presenters.
This webinar is designed to provide you input and subsequent opportunities to apply that input. During the application portion of the workshop, you may choose to work alone or with others in-person in your same location. During this event, participants will be asked to write assessment items from authentic resources aligned to Checkpoint A. These authentic resource options will be provided to participants; however, participants may also choose to bring and use their own authentic resources.
In preparation for this online workshop, participants are asked to:
- download and read the document Principles and Guidelines for Adopting or Creating Locally Developed Benchmark Assessments for Checkpoint A for Classical Languages
- view the webinar by the same name and test their knowledge of the guidance following the viewing of the webinar by taking the online post assessment (Additional versions of the post assessment can be found on the webinar’s page, if needed.)
In addition, participants should bring their laptop or other device to use during the workshop.
Click here to download the webinar flyer.
Registration process: All participants must pre-register for this event. Pre-registration will close on Friday, November 1st, 2024; there will be no same-day registrations. Once the registrant's email address has been verified as being from a New York State school, college, or university, an email confirming their registration will be sent. Twenty-four hours prior to the event, all registered individuals will receive login instructions with the link to join the webinar. Only pre-registered attendees will be eligible for a certificate documenting attendance and/or CTLE hours.
For more information on professional learning webinars for world language educators, please visit our website.
*Principles and Guidelines for Adopting or Creating Locally Developed Benchmark Assessments for Checkpoint A for Classical Languages is a document that provides guidance for the creation of Checkpoint A Benchmark Assessments aligned to the revised NYS Learning Standards for World Languages – Classical Languages. Benchmark assessments are those assessments used to award one high school credit for middle school students prior to entering Grade 9 and to meet the one-credit graduation requirement. Checkpoint A Benchmark Assessments must be aligned to the revised standards for the June 2025 administration.
Webinar presenters
David Pellegrino has taught middle and high school level Latin and Spanish for 33 years and recently retired from Pittsford Mendon High School. While teaching full-time, he was the department leader of the World Language Department at Pittsford Mendon High School for over 20 years. Over the course of his career, he has presented many pedagogical workshops and continues to do so both at the local and national levels. He is currently the treasurer of the Classical Association of the Empire State.
Bill Heller has taught in public elementary, secondary, community college and undergraduate classrooms for 40 years, including 24 years teaching Spanish at Perry High School. He has been a methods and Spanish instructor at SUNY Geneseo since 2001. He is a frequent presenter of workshops, webinars, and keynotes. Bill served as Conference Chair for the 2018 Northeast Conference (NECTFL) and is currently a member of the Executive Board and Content Advisory Panel for World Languages at the New York State Education Department (NYSED).