Personalized Language Learning meets Proficiency-Based Credits in a Delaware Classroom

In a classroom at Delmar High School in Delmar, Delaware, Spanish teacher Ryan Allen helped something remarkable happen: 23 students, each learning one of 10 different languages, thrived without a set curriculum, direct instruction, or traditional assessments. Instead, with his mentoring they followed their interests, engaged in self-directed learning, and demonstrated validated proficiency gains that challenge long-held assumptions about language acquisition and classroom learning in general.

This was Facilitated Interdependent Language Learning (FILL) in action.

A Classroom Without a Curriculum

The FILL approach removes the constraints of a fixed curriculum and instead empowers students to choose their own language learning paths. In this Delaware classroom, students pursued languages they were passionate about, including ASL, Spanish, French, Korean, Japanese, German, Greek, Italian, Mandarin, and Turkish.

Rather than relying on lectures or textbooks, working with Mr. Allen, students set personal goals based on the NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements, which outline practical language skills at each proficiency level. Together they built learning plans, collaborated with peers when possible, learned to effectively use the latest generative AI tools and received support and encouragement – not traditional instruction – from their teacher. 

How Did It Work?

Student Choice as the Driving Force 

With just over 700 students, Delmar students were previously limited to Spanish as their only choice for obtaining the mandated world language credit. Using the FILL approach allowed each learner to select a language based on personal interest or heritage connections, creating an opportunity for intrinsic motivation. 

Allen has been a Spanish teacher at Delmar for well over a decade, teaching in a block schedule with a single credit awarded at the end of each term. Hearing about the innovative approach from Delaware State Supervisor, Dr. Gregory Fulkerson and participating in state-wide Zoom sessions to learn more about FILL, Mr. Allen and his administrators decided that the approach could be a good fit for Delmar HS.

When screening students for enrollment in the course, Allen chose not to rely on traditional indicators such as past grades. Instead, the FILL application was geared toward students who could offer evidence of previous independent learning experiences, from learning to play an instrument, to coding or crocheting! Students also knew ahead of time that credit for the course would be based on validated proficiency alone. Simply attending class, doing homework, and taking tests would not be an option for fulfilling the requirements to get a credit. Allen knew this would be a key factor for sustaining motivation.

Can-Do Statements as the Foundation

Initially, offering a course without a set curriculum or text seemed like a stretch. However, Allen realized that there were some lessons for his learners that he could “borrow” from his beginning Spanish classes, such as learning how to introduce themselves, while students learned to take on increasing responsibility for their individualized language learning journey. Additionally, the students as a group spent time those first days delving into the ACTFL proficiency scale and the NCSSFL/ACTFL Can Do statements. This allowed them to identify and select very specific “next step” learning targets structured around functional communication goals, with students tracking their progress in speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

Diverse Learning Resources

Hyper-personalization became a key component as students used a wide variety of resources aligned with individual interests. Students developed their proficiency in Korean, for example, by using their K-Pop interest as they worked on their Can-Do statements. ASL students found a local ASL community which met at the mall and students were able to join and practice their signing. Additionally digital tools, YouTube videos, various AI tools and online native speakers all played roles that are often usurped by a standardized textbook.

No Lectures, No Direct Instruction

Because Allen’s proficiency was limited to Spanish, he couldn’t “teach” them the specifics of their languages. His role was to facilitate, support, and guide rather than dictate the learning process.

Results That Speak for Themselves

After a single semester, 73 days of class, many students demonstrated enough language proficiency to earn two high school language credits. Their skills were validated through the STAMP (Standards-Based Measurement of Proficiency) test, a widely recognized proficiency assessment.

This outcome challenges traditional models that assume language acquisition must follow a slow, linear progression dictated by a teacher and seat time. Instead, it shows that when students are given autonomy, meaningful goals, and the right support, they can accelerate their learning in ways that conventional classrooms rarely allow. Daniel Pink, in his 2009 book Drive, The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, mentioned the elements necessary for autonomy. They include control over Time, Team, Task, and Technique. Allen provided those and validated learning occurred.

Implications for the Future of Language Education

The success of this Delaware classroom underscores a critical shift needed in world language education and beyond.:

• Proficiency over Curriculum: If the goal is real-world language use, then rigid, content-based curricula may be more of a hindrance than a help.
• Flexible Learning Structures Work: Students thrive when given control over their learning – why not allow them to choose languages and resources that resonate with them?
• Assessment Should Validate Learning, Not Dictate It: A proficiency-based credit system, such as one validated by STAMP, the AAPPL or other assessments, ensures that students are recognized for what they can actually do with the language rather than for completing seat time. 

Education theory has long recognized that making mistakes is actually an important and vital part of the learning process. However, the traditional teach and test model lacks the capacity to accommodate this truth. For Allen and his students this shift away from a Deficit-Based Assessment System to an Asset-Based Assessment system – along with the focus on proficiency and flexibility –  served to keep students encouraged and motivated.

A Call to Action

If 23 students in one classroom can successfully navigate learning 10 different languages without direct instruction, why do we continue to constrain language learning to fixed pathways? What if more schools embraced FILL as a model, ensuring all students have the opportunity to pursue language learning at their own pace, in ways that matter to them?

The Delaware experiment is not an anomaly – it’s a glimpse into what’s possible when we shift from teaching-centered to learning-centered models. And if the results are any indication, the future of language education might look less like rows of students conjugating verbs and more like motivated learners charting their own paths to proficiency.

Are we ready to embrace this change?

For more information on the FILL model, contact the National Council of State Supervisors For Languages (NCSSFL) at [email protected].

Learn More

• Calibration Supports Quality for Flexible, Competency-Based Systems
• BFA Fairfax’s Proficiency-Based System Is a Learning System
• Student Agency in Action

Tom Welch is a lifelong educator and learning visionary dedicated to helping teachers, students, and administrators move from the Age of Schooling to the Age of Learning. A former teacher, principal, and consultant, he is known for his deep belief that learning should be unbounded by time, place, or traditional structures. Tom continues to champion innovative approaches like Facilitated Interdependent Language Learning (FILL) that expand access and agency for all learners. He now lives in Chicago, where he serves as a connector across multiple educational networks and initiatives.