Look First to the Standards: The Natural Starting Point

for a Great Curriculum and Program!Lucy Lee

Marcia Rosenbusch

Priscilla Russel

Rosanne Zeppieri

Best Practices

Building Blocks for a Strong Curriculum

A Solid Grounding in the Standards

Set Realistic Proficiency Targets 

Start with the End In Mind– Essential Questions– Understandings

Think Thematic

Include Authentic Tasks– Real-life Situations– Meaningful, purposeful communication– Learner-active tasks

Speak Chinese– Visuals, TPR, Graphic Organizers

Provide an Abundance of Comprehensible Input– Rich opportunities to hear and read language in

context Focus on Functional Chunks of Language

Why have standards?

Everyone in the educational system knows what to aim for.

Standards will create coherence in educational practices.

Standards for Foreign Language

Learning in the 21st Century

The document:

Who developed the FL standards?

Board of Directors Advisory Council Standards Task Force Educators at Pilot Sites Board of Reviewers Classroom Teachers from across the nation

What new ways of viewing foreign language education do the standards offer?

“The United States must educate students who are equipped linguistically and culturally to communicate successfully in a pluralistic American society and abroad.” (p. 7)

The vision

“All students can be successful language and culture learners”

“Language and culture education is part of the core curriculum.” (p. 7)

The vision…

How are the standards organized?

Five Goals: Communication Cultures Connections Comparisons Communities

CommunicationCommunication

Communicate in languages Communicate in languages

other than English.other than English.

CommunicationCommunication

1.1 Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.

1.2 Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics.

1.3 Students present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.

Communicative Modes

Interpersonal Interpretive Presentational

Framework of Communicative Modes

Interpersonal Interpretive Presentational

Productive Abilities:

Receptive Abilities: _________________________

speaking, writing

listening, reading listening, reading,viewing

speaking, writing,showing

LinguisticSystemCulturalKnowledgeLinguisticSystemCulturalKnowledge

LinguisticSystemCulturalKnowledgeLinguisticSystemCulturalKnowledge

CulturesCultures

Gain knowledge and Gain knowledge and understanding of other cultures.understanding of other cultures.

What is culture?

PERSPECTIVES

PRACTICES PRODUCTS

(Meanings, attitudes, values, ideas)

(Patterns of social interactions)

(Books, tools, foods, laws, music, games)

CulturesCultures

2.1 Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices practices and perspectivesperspectives of the culture studied.

2.2 Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the productsproducts and perspectivesperspectives of the culture studied.

ConnectionsConnections

Connect with other disciplines Connect with other disciplines and acquire information.and acquire information.

ConnectionsConnections

3.1 Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language.

3.2 Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the foreign language and its cultures.

ComparisonsComparisons

Develop insight into the nature of Develop insight into the nature of language and culture.language and culture.

ComparisonsComparisons

4.1 Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the languagelanguage studied and their own.

4.2 Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the culturescultures studied and their own.

CommunitiesCommunities

Participate in multilingual Participate in multilingual

communities at home andcommunities at home and

around the world. around the world.

CommunitiesCommunities

5.1 Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting.

5.2 Students show evidence of becoming life-long learners by using the language for personal enjoyment and enrichment.

How do the standards relate to classroom

teaching?

National Standards State Curriculum Framework District Curriculum Thematic Unit Lesson Classroom Activity

Role of the Standards…

Standards for Foreign Language

Learning in the 21st Century