World Languages

1.0 Child and Adolescent Development, Individuality and Diversity

Competent teachers of world languages know and understand child and adolescent development, individuality and diversity. Teachers of world languages know and understand:
1.1   Child and adolescent development.

1.2   The individuality of language learners.

1.3   Principles of equity, diversity, and fairness as they relate to world language instruction.

 

2.0 Language and Culture

Competent teachers of world languages have knowledge of the language and culture. Teachers of world languages know and understand:

2.1 The target language, its grammatical structure, and how they compare to English.

2.2 The cultures of the regions where the language is spoken and how they compare with other cultures in the United States.

2.3 How language and culture are linked.

2.4 In depth, at least one region where the language is spoken.

 

3.0 Language Acquisition/Teaching

Competent teachers of world languages understand second language acquisition theories and their applications to teaching methodologies. Teachers of world languages know and understand:

3.1 Second language acquisition theories which can be used to help students develop proficiency, increase knowledge and strengthen cognitive skills.

3.2 How to provide multiple paths to learning through a variety of teaching strategies.

3.3 How to articulate curriculum and instruction to ensure a sequence of age-appropriate learning experiences, progressing from a simple to a more advanced use of the language.

3.4 The current national standards for world language learning defined in the Standards for Foreign Language Learning:  Preparing for the 21st Century (the 5 C’s:  Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities), published by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).

 

4.0 Learning Environment

Competent teachers of world languages create a positive learning environment to meet instructional and linguistic needs of students while promoting critical and creative thinking skill. Teachers of world languages know and understand:

4.1 The importance of creating an inclusive, caring, challenging, and stimulating classroom environment in which meaningful communication in the target language occurs and in which students learn through active participation.

4.2 How to create a learning environment that promotes lifelong learning and goes beyond the classroom to include families and communities, and promotes lifelong learning.

4.3 The variety of language-appropriate resources, available technologies, and current national standards which meet the instructional and linguistic needs of all students and foster critical and creative thinking.

 

5.0 Assessment

Competent teachers of world languages employ a variety of assessment strategies. Teachers of world languages know and understand:

5.1 A variety of assessment strategies that address the three communication modes (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational), and that encompass the skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

5.2 How to use assessment results to monitor student learning, to encourage student reflection, to report student progress, and to shape instruction.

 

6.0 Language Competency/Proficiencies

Competent teachers of world languages have linguistic knowledge of and communicative competency in the languages they teach Teachers of world languages know and understand:

6.1 Various components of the linguistic system – grammatical, lexical, phonological, orthographic, semantic, pragmatic, and discourse features needed to communicate in a variety of settings.

6.2 The proficiency guidelines as defined by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages for speaking (1999), listening, reading and writing (1986).

 

7.0 Professional Development

Competent teachers of world languages participate in on-going professional development. Teachers of world languages know and understand:

7.1 The value of professional growth and reflection on instructional practice and professional growth.

7.2 The importance of advocating both within and beyond the school for opportunities for all students to study multiple languages.

7.3 The importance of professional growth opportunities such as membership in professional organizations, reading professional journals, attending conferences, and study and/or travel abroad, etc.

7.4 Their professional responsibility to keep current with events relevant to the cultures of the target language.

 

8.0 Instructional Methodology

Teachers of world languages are able to perform the following as indicated in each Core stated below:

 

Child and Adolescent Development, Individuality and Diversity

8.1 Actively acquire knowledge of their students to foster their students’ skills and interests as individual language learners.

8.2 Demonstrate the principles of equity, strength through diversity, and fairness toward all students.

8.3 Demonstrate the ability to work with students from diverse backgrounds, including students with special needs and native or heritage speakers of world languages.

 

Language and Culture

8.4 Draw on the knowledge of language and culture to set attainable and worthwhile goals for their students.

8.5 Demonstrate that an integral part of effective world language instruction is knowing the target cultures and language and how they are intimately linked with each other, and that no variety or dialect of a language is inherently superior to another.

8.6 Demonstrate in-depth knowledge and understanding of at least one region where the language is spoken.

 

Language Acquisition/Teaching

8.7 Apply different methodologies/approaches/strategies based on an understanding of current second language acquisition theories to the teaching of world languages to help students develop proficiency, increase knowledge and strengthen cognitive skills.

8.8 Plan lessons written in a wider curriculum that includes age-appropriate learning experiences that are sequential, long range, and continuous with the goal that over a period of years students will progress from a simple to a more advanced use of the language.

8.9 Connect the target language to other content areas such as math, science, economics history, geography, dance, music, theatre and visual arts in meaningful learning experiences.

8.10 Align lessons to the current national standards for language learning defined in the Standards for Foreign Language Learning:  Preparing for the 21st Century (the 5 C’s:  Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities), published by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).

8.11 Engage students in language learning and cultural studies using techniques which support mastery of the required state standards in other academic areas.

8.12 Draw attention to career options available for those who are proficient in world languages, emphasizing that knowledge of a language can provide career advancement within a given profession as well as expand employment opportunities for people around the globe.

 

Learning Environment

8.13 Create an inclusive, caring, challenging, and stimulating classroom environment in which meaningful communication in the target language occurs and in which students learn through active participation.

8.14 Create a learning environment that promotes lifelong learning and goes beyond the classroom to include families and communities.

8.15 Use language-appropriate resources and available technologies to meet the instructional and linguistic needs of all students and to foster critical and creative thinking.

 

Assessment

8.16 Employ a variety of assessment strategies that address the three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational) and encompass the skills of reading, writing listening and speaking.

8.17 Use the results of both formative and summative assessments to monitor student learning, to assist students in reflecting on their progress, to report student progress, and to shape instruction.

Language Competency/Proficiencies

8.18 Demonstrate competencies in various components of the linguistic system—grammatical, lexical, phonological, orthographic, semantic, pragmatic, and discourse features needed to communicate in a variety of settings.

8.19 Function at a proficiency level equivalent to the Advanced Low level as defined by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages proficiency guidelines in speaking (1999), listening, reading and writing (1986).

 

Professional Development

8.20 Continually analyze, evaluate, and strengthen the effectiveness and quality of their teaching in order to enhance student learning.

8.21 Advocate for opportunities for students to study multiple languages both within and beyond the school.

8.22 Participate in professional growth opportunities such as maintaining membership in professional organizations, reading professional journals, attending conferences, and study and/or travel abroad, etc.

8.23 Keep current with events relevant to the cultures of the target language in their larger global context