FAQ and Resources for the Pathways Project | OER Language Teaching Repository

Created Feb. 7, 2024 by Amber Hoye, Camille Daw, Mimi Fahnstrom

Frequently Asked Questions and Resources for the Pathways Project | OER Language Teaching Repository

Who Runs the Pathways Project | OER Language Teaching Repository?

The Pathways Project | OER Language Teaching Repository (or Pathways Project for short), is an initiative from the Boise State University Department of World Languages. The repository is an open and collaborative network of instructional materials and professional development created by and uniquely for Idaho’s K-16 language teachers and students.

Teachers and students participating in the Pathways Project come from different fields of study and schools across Idaho to create open (i.e., free), digital activities that support the teaching and learning of foreign languages and promote intercultural competence. We hope to impact the opportunities learners have to connect to the global world!

What's Available on the OER Commons Site?

The Pathways Project | OER Language Teaching Repository hosts a collection of over 800 activities, across nine languages, and a proficiency range from novice — advanced. All activities are "classroom-ready," meaning they include national and state standards, ACTFL-NCSSFL can-do statements, editable materials, and detailed instructions. In addition to interpersonal speaking activities, the site hosts resources for promoting language instruction, interpretive listening and reading activities, professional development for language instructors, and more!

In What Languages Do You Offer Activities?

At the present time, we have activities available in American Sign Language, Basque, Mandarin Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish. The Pathways Repository also features a large collection of English activities that can be used in TESOL classrooms and/or adapted for any language.

How Can I Make Use or Changes to a Pathways Activity?

1. Use the Activity as-is:

Before you begin:

Most activities are 30 minutes in duration unless otherwise specified.
Be sure to read through the activity description, and review the list of required materials. You will notice that the activity materials are also highlighted in yellow throughout the activity instructions.

If you have any suggestions about grammar, syntax, and content, please kindly contact pathwaysproject@boisestate.edu.

2. Remix for Your Language Classroom:

When you are ready to begin remixing the activity, in order to adapt it for the needs of your language classroom, simply click the blue “Remix This Resource” button at the top of your screen. This will then take you to a screen with a NEW, editable version of this activity. The text provided in purple is a suggestion of what you might say to your students in the target language, and may be altered for different levels and age groups. All activities have “NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do” statements, a warm-up, a main activity, and a wrap-up.

Many of the activities include printable cards and other instructional materials such as Google Slideshows. If you would like to make changes to these materials, follow the instructions below:

Google Slideshows:

To begin, go to File -> Copy to create an editable version of the slideshow.

Once finished with your changes, please complete the following steps to share:

Click on Share

Who Has Access

Ensure link sharing is on and allow external access.

Materials Saved as PDF: Please email pathwaysproject@boisestate.edu and we will provide you with an editable copy. Please allow up to two business days for a response. For YouTube videos and other websites, hyperlinks are provided.

3. Adapt for Another Language:

See the linked English Version at the top of the activity document (An English Version may not be available for all activities)

What if I Catch an Error on an Activity?

Many of the activities on the Pathways Project OER Repository were created by upper-division students at Boise State University and serve as a foundation that our online community can build upon and refine. While they are polished, we welcome and encourage collaboration from language instructors to help modify grammar, syntax, and content where needed. Kindly contact pathwaysproject@boisestate.edu with any corrections/suggestions and we will update the content in a timely manner.

What are the Licensing/Copyright Restrictions on Pathways Project Activities?

Unless otherwise noted, all activities on the Pathways Project OER Repository s have a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 license.

You are free to:

Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material
The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.

Under the following terms:

Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.

NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes.

ShareAlike — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original.

No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.

Do You Have a Mailing List or Newsletter?

Yes! Please visit our website to sign-up.

How Can I Submit an Activity to the Pathways Project?

If you are interested in submitting an activity to the Pathways Project, please kindly send an email to pathwaysproject@boisestate.edu with a short description of the activity. We welcome activities from all languages and especially encourage submissions from less commonly taught languages such as Arabic, Russian, Polish, Portuguese, Italian, etc.

For more information, be sure to check out our website: https://www.boisestate.edu/pathwaysproject