Ryan Wertz and Kathy Shelton, Education Program Specialists for World Languages and Cultures, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce

Ohio’s High Quality Instructional Materials Rubric for World Languages and Cultures is now available

At the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, we believe that all students deserve to be engaged with high-quality, standards-aligned instruction which includes access to high-quality instructional materials (HQIM).  There is mounting evidence that shows when teachers have high-quality instructional materials, student engagement increases and academic achievement is positively impacted.  This is important in world languages, as the ultimate goal is to support a student’s growth in language proficiency and intercultural competence.

In the Winter 2024 edition of The Cardinal, we shared information about the Ohio Materials Matter website, which provides information and resources to support the selection and implementation of high-quality instructional materials. At the time, we were waiting to finalize a set of key tools to facilitate this process for educators – HQIM rubrics for each of eight content areas: computer science/technology, fine arts, mathematics, physical education, science, social studies, and world languages & cultures. We are pleased to announce that those rubrics are now available for public access.

Developed in partnership with EdReports, Ohio’s HQIM rubrics were designed with Ohio educators in mind and vetted by a range of stakeholders to reflect our state’s diverse needs. The rubrics are meant to be used by local teachers, districts, school leaders, and regional teams in conjunction with the Ohio Curriculum Support Guide as part of a complete review, selection, and implementation process. Rubrics may be used by review and selection teams in any of the following ways:

• To inform selection: HQIM rubrics serve as a guide for selecting instructional materials by providing criteria for evaluation. 
• As professional learning: HQIM rubrics identify professional learning needs to enhance educators’ ability to support student learning effectively. 
• For stakeholder involvement: Rubrics facilitate stakeholder involvement in the review process, ensuring diverse perspectives are considered in defining high-quality instructional materials. 

The HQIM rubrics can also be used to make the most of existing materials. They can:

• Pinpoint the strengths and gaps in current materials. 
• Assist with the development of guidance tools and curricular supports. 
• Highlight areas of need for professional learning opportunities. 
• Guide planning for professional learning communities.
• Provide insights on where or when supplements or scaffolding may be needed.
• Guide the design of instructional materials when necessary.

The HQIM Rubric for World Languages and Cultures includes key considerations for high-quality instructional materials and outlines two Gateways for educators to consider when evaluating materials: Alignment and Instructional Support. Within each Gateway, Criterion and related Indicators are provided along with Guiding Questions and Look-Fors. Each indicator is evaluated as “Does Not Meet Expectations,” “Partially Meets Expectations,” or “Meets Expectations” using a 0-1-2 scale score.

The first Gateway, Alignment, is composed of three criteria that will be very familiar to world language educators: Alignment to the Learning Standards, Second Language Acquisition, and Authentic Resources.  The second Gateway, Instructional Support, is made up of three additional criteria: Assessment, Student Supports, and Teacher Supports. The rubric is designed to allow reviewers to determine a threshold for quality for each Gateway. If instructional materials do not meet the thresholds for “Meets Expectations” or “Partially Meets Expectations” for the Alignment Gateway, reviewers are prompted not to move forward with their review using the Instructional Support Gateway.

We invite world language educators and other stakeholders to take a closer look at Ohio’s HQIM Rubric for World Languages and Cultures and consider attending a future professional learning session hosted by the Department in order to gain a deeper understanding of the rubric and how it forms an important part of a complete review, selection, and implementation process.

If you have questions or comments, don’t hesitate to contact one of your state world language specialists, Ryan Wertz or Kathy Shelton, in the Office of Academic Success at the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. 

References:

Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. (2024). https://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Learning-in-Ohio/OLS-Graphic-Sections/Resources/High-Quality-Instructional-Material 

Ohio Department of Education and workforce. (2024).
https://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Learning-in-Ohio/OLS-Graphic-Sections/Resources/High-Quality-Instructional-Material/HQIM-Rubrics

Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. (2024).https://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Learning-in-Ohio/OLS-Graphic-Sections/Resources/High-Quality-Instructional-Material/HQIM-Rubrics/World-Languages_HQIM-Rubric.pdf.aspx?lang=en-US