Aurora Public Schools (APS) is transitioning from grammar-focused curriculum and teaching practices towards ones aligned with what second language acquisition research shows to be effective in helping students reach higher levels of proficiency. As a part of this effort, we have centered our professional earning on the Guiding Principles for Language Learning. We have made it a goal to increase the amount of time that students spend interacting with each other in target language via interpersonal tasks. APS was awarded a grant sponsored by World Languages 360 and Extempore. It provides students and teachers with access to the Extempore platform, which is designed to help teachers develop and assess students’ skills in all communicative domains and facilitates the design and implementation of interpersonal activities and that frequently are challenging to manage in the classroom. This presentation reviews the implementation to begin using one of the district’s largest high schools. The presenter will demonstrate the platform, its various features, as well as activities and assessments developed by teachers. He will share data regarding how Extempore is used, as well as student and teacher feedback on its effectiveness in increasing students’ abilities in interpersonal communication.
