World Languages (Grades 7-12)

Student Learnings: What students should know and be able to do

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

• Give and follow instructions in order to participate in age-appropriate classroom and/or cultural activities.
• Ask and answer questions about topics such as family, school events and celebrations in person or in letters, e-mail, audio or videotapes.
• Share likes and dislikes with each other and the class.
• Exchange descriptions of people and tangible products of the culture with each other and members of the class.
• Exchange essential information such as greetings, leave takings and common classroom interactions using culturally appropriate gestures and oral expressions.
• Follow and give directions for participating in age-appropriate cultural activities and investigate the function of products of the foreign culture; ask and respond to questions for clarification.
• Exchange information about personal events, memorable experiences and other school subjects with peers and/or members of the target cultures.
• Compare, contrast and express opinions and preferences about the information gathered regarding events, experiences and other school subjects.
• Acquire goods, services or information orally and/or in writing.
• Develop and propose solutions to issues and problems related to the school or community.
• Discuss, orally or in writing, current or past events that are of significance in the target culture or that are being studied in another subject.
• Develop and propose solutions to issues and problems that are of concern to members of their own and the target cultures.
• Share their analyses and personal reactions to expository and literary texts with peers and/or speakers of the target language.
• Exchange, support and discuss their opinions and individual perspectives with peers and/or speakers of the target language on a variety of topics dealing with contemporary and historical issues.

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

• Comprehend main ideas in developmentally appropriate oral narratives such as personal anecdotes, familiar fairy tales and other narratives based on familiar themes.
• Identify people and objects based on oral and written description.
• Comprehend brief, written messages and short personal notes on familiar topics such as family, school events and celebrations.
• Comprehend the main themes and ideas, and identify the principal characters of stories or children's literature.
• Comprehend the principal message contained in various media such as illustrated texts, posters or advertisements.
• Interpret gestures, intonation and other visual or auditory cues.
• Understand announcements and messages connected to daily activities in the target culture.
• Understand the main themes and significant details on topics from other subjects and products of the cultures as presented on TV, radio, video or live presentations.
• Understand the main themes and significant details on topics from other subjects and products of the cultures as found in newspapers, magazines, e-mail or other printed sources used by speakers of the target language.
• Identify the principal characters and comprehend the main ideas and themes in selected literary texts.
• Understand the main themes and significant details on topics from other subjects and products of the cultures as found in newspapers, magazines, e-mail or other printed sources used by speakers of the target language.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the main ideas and significant details of live and recorded discussions, lectures and presentations on current or past events from the target culture.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the principal elements of non-fiction articles.
• Analyze the main plot, subplot, characters, their descriptions, roles and significance in authentic literary texts.
• Demonstrate an increasing understanding of the cultural nuances of meaning in written and spoken language as expressed by speakers of the target language in formal and informal settings.

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

• Demonstrate an increasing understanding of the cultural nuances of meaning in expressive products of the culture, including selections from various literary genres and the visual arts.
• Prepare illustrated stories about activities or events and share these stories and events.
• Dramatize songs, short anecdotes or poetry commonly known by peers in the target culture for their peers.
• Give short oral notes and messages, or write reports, about people and things in their school environment.
• Tell or retell stories orally or in writing.
• Write or tell about products and/or practices of their own culture to peers in the target culture.
• Present short plays and skits, recite selected poems and anecdotes, and perform songs in the language.
• Prepare tape or video recorded messages to share on topics of personal interest.
• Prepare stories or brief written reports about personal experiences, brief personal events or other school subjects to share with classmates.
• Prepare an oral or written summary of the plot and characters in selected pieces of literature.
• Perform scenes from plays and/or recite poems or excerpts from short stories commonly read by speakers of the target language.
• Create stories and poems, short plays or skits based on personal experiences and exposure to themes, ideas and perspectives from the target culture.
• Select and analyze expressive products of the culture from literary genres or the fine arts.
• Summarize the content of an article or documentary intended for native speakers.
• Write a letter or an article describing and analyzing an issue for a student publication.

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

• Observe, identify and/or discuss patterns of behavior or interaction in various settings such as school, family and the community.
• Use appropriate gestures and oral expressions for greetings, leave takings and common interactions.
• Participate in age-appropriate cultural activities such as games, songs, celebrations, story telling and dramatizations.
• Observe, analyze and discuss patterns of behavior typical of their peer group.
• Use appropriate verbal and nonverbal behavior for daily activities among peers and adults in a variety of cultural contexts.
• Identify, analyze and discuss various patterns of behavior or interaction typical of the culture studied.
• Identify, examine and discuss connections between cultural perspectives and socially approved behavioral patterns.

Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture studied.

• Identify and observe tangible products of the culture.
• Identify, experience or read about expressive products of the culture.
• Identify, discuss and/or produce types of artwork, crafts or graphics representative of the culture.
• Recognize themes, ideas or perspectives of the culture.
• Experience (read, listen to, observe, perform) expressive products of the culture (e.g., stories, poetry, music, paintings, dance and drama) and then explore the effects of these products on the larger communities.
• Search for, identify and investigate the function of utilitarian products (e.g., sports equipment, household items, tools, foods and clothing) of the culture.
• Identify, discuss and analyze themes, ideas and perspectives related to the products being studied.
• Identify, discuss and analyze such intangible products of the target culture as social, economic and political institutions, and explore relationships among these institutions and the perspectives of the culture.
• Experience, discuss and analyze expressive products of the culture, including selections from various literary genres and the fine arts.
• Explore the relationships among the products, practices and perspectives of the culture.

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

• Demonstrate an understanding about concepts learned in other subject areas in the target language, including weather, math facts, measurements, animals, insects or geographical concepts.
• Discuss topics from other school subjects in the target language, including geographical terms and concepts, historical facts and concepts, mathematical terms and problems, and scientific information.
• Comprehend articles or short videos in the target language on topics being studied in other classes.
• Present reports in the target language, orally and/or in writing, on topics being studied in other classes.
• Discuss topics from other school subjects in the target language, including political and historical concepts, worldwide health issues and environmental concerns.
• Acquire information from a variety of sources written in the target language about a topic being studied in other school subjects.

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

• Read, listen to and talk about age-appropriate school content, folk tales, short stories, poems and songs written for native speakers of the target language.
• Use sources intended for speakers of the target language to prepare reports on topics of personal interest.
• Use a variety of sources intended for speakers of the target language to prepare reports on topics of personal interest and compare these to information obtained on the same topics written in English.

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

• Cite and use examples of words that are borrowed in the language they are learning and their own, and they pose guesses about why languages in general might need to borrow words.
• Realize that cognates enhance comprehension of spoken and written language and demonstrate that awareness by identifying commonly occurring cognates in the language they are learning.
• Are aware of the existence of idiomatic expressions in both their native language and the language being learned and talk about how idiomatic expressions work in general and that some do not directly translate from one language to another.
• Demonstrate an awareness of formal and informal forms of language in greetings and leave-takings and try out expressions of politeness in other languages and their own.
• Report differences and similarities between the sound and writing systems of their own language and the language being learned.
• Demonstrate an awareness of the various ways of expressing ideas both in their own language and the language being learned.
• Recognize the category of grammatical gender in languages, and their spoken and written language reflects that awareness.
• Demonstrate an awareness of ways of expressing respect and communicating status differences in their own language and the language they are learning.
• Demonstrate awareness that languages have critical sound distinctions that must be mastered in order to communicate meaning.
• Compare the writing system of the target language and their own.

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

• Compare patterns of behavior or interaction in various cultural settings.
• Demonstrate an awareness that gestures are an important part of communication and that gestures may differ among languages.
• Compare and contrast tangible and intangible products of the target cultures and their own.
• Contrast verbal and nonverbal behavior in the target cultures and their own.
• Demonstrate an awareness that they, too, have a culture, based on comparisons of sample daily activities in the target culture and their own.
• Speculate on why certain products originate in and/or are important to particular cultures by analyzing selected products from the target cultures and their own.
• Hypothesize about the relationship between cultural perspectives and practices (e.g., holidays, celebrations, work habits, play) by analyzing selected practices from the target cultures and their own.
• Hypothesize about the relationship between cultural perspectives and expressive products (e.g., music, visual arts, appropriate forms of literature) by analyzing selected products from the target cultures and their own.
• Hypothesize about the origins of idioms as reflections of culture, citing examples from the language and cultures being studied and their own.
• Compare nuances of meanings of words, idioms and vocal inflections in the target language and their own.
• Analyze the relationship of perspectives and practices in the target culture and compare and contrast these with their own.
• Analyze the relationship between the products and perspectives in the cultures studied and compare and contrast these with their own.
• Identify and analyze cultural perspectives as reflected in a variety of literary genres.

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

• Communicate on a personal level with speakers of the language via letters, e-mail, audio and/or video tapes.
• Identify professions which require proficiency in another language.
• Use the language to create imaginary situations in the classroom and beyond.
• Present information about the language and culture to others.
• Write and illustrate stories to present to others.
• Discuss their preferences concerning leisure activities and current events, in written form or orally, with peers who speak the language.
• Participate in club activities which benefit the school or community.
• Communicate orally or in writing with members of the other culture regarding topics of personal interest, community or world concern.
• Use community resources to research a topic related to culture and/or language study.

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

• Read materials and/or use media from the language and culture for enjoyment, entertainment and personal growth.
• Play sports or games from the culture.
• Exchange information about topics of personal interest.
• Plan real or imaginary travel.
• Attend or view via media cultural events and social activities.
• Listen to music, sing songs or play musical instruments from the target culture.
• Consult sources in the language to obtain information on topics of personal interest.
• Are encouraged to establish and/or maintain interpersonal relations with speakers of the language.