Language+Strand

Language and communication are at the heart of the human experience. Students must be educated to become linguistically and culturally equipped to communicate successfully in a multicultural society. It is the intent of this course of study that students develop and maintain proficiency n English and at least one other language. In a world where the advances in technology have facilitated and accelerated the means to communication the need for effective communication through a variety of media is essential to a complete education.
 * Foreign Language Overview **

The following is a brief description of ACTFL's Five C's of Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities. In order to illustrate the role of the national foreign language standards ,
 * ACTFL Standards for Foreign Language **

Communication also comes in different forms--speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Some examples of communicative classroom activities include conducting oral interviews, role-playing telephone conversations, or writing and reading e-mail messages. The creative ways to practice communication are endless. ** Cultures ** Understanding cultural differences is crucial for the 21st century. This standard focuses on demonstrating the target culture relationships between practices and perspectives, and between products and perspectives. Enjoy all of those fun, cultural explorations of holidays, ** foods  **, music, society, daily life, etc. and then help your students to really understand the "why" behind them. This standard addresses the need for foreign languages to connect to other disciplines. Foreign language learning is more powerful when the target language is used to delve into social studies, politics, literature, art, math, history, or science.
 * Communication **
 * Connections **

One of the benefits of studying a foreign language is a better understanding of one's own language and culture. Step outside of the four classroom walls and into multicultural communities as diverse as elegant four-star restaurants, family diners, and fast food joints. Locally, invite guest speakers to your class, visit museums or local ethnic restaurants, and attend relevant musical, theatrical, or sporting events. The internet makes connecting with communities around the world easier than ever. Correspond with a class in Spain or enjoy a virtual visit to the Louvre. Consider packing your bags to travel abroad with your students for an educational tour, service trip, or exchange program. Encourage your students to become lifelong learners 1. Interpersonal o Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information. o Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available though the foreign language and its cultures. o Students use language both within and beyond the school setting. 2. Interpretive · Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics. · Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture studies. 3. Presentational · Students present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics. · Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own. ** Three Benchmark Levels ** 1.  Novice Learner 2. Intermediate Learner 3. Pre-Advanced Learner 1. Comprehensibility (How well is the student understood?) 2. Comprehension (How well does the student understand?) 3. Language Control (How accurate is the student's language?) 4. Vocabulary Usage (How extensive and applicable is the student's language?) 5. Communication Strategies (How do they maintain communication?) 6. Cultural Awareness (How is their cultural understanding reflected in their communication?)
 * Comparisons **
 * Communities **
 * Three Modes of Communication **
 * Six Domains of Performance **


 * Languages **

// Traditional Strand // French, Spanish, German, Italian // Non-traditional Strand // Russian, Arabic, Japanese, Chinese, Korean Farsi, Pashto, English as Second Language

Planned courses [|Open courseware] [|Rosetta Stone]
 * Method **

Media [|Wiki/Blog] [|Images & Photo] [|Video Media] [|Podcast] [|Social Bookmarking] [|Micro blogging] [|Videoconferencing]

Internet [|Livemocha] [|Babbel.com] [|Learn German] [|Learn Japanese] [|Learn Korean] [|BBC Language Lessons] [|Language Social Networking] [|FriendsAbroad] [|, Language Lab] 