Education

FOREIGN LANGUAGES STANDARDS

November 16, 1994 13 min read
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GRADES K-4

COMMUNICATE IN LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH

Standard 1.1. Students will use the target language to participate in social interactions and establish and maintain personal relationships in a variety of settings and contexts.

They will: discuss topics of interest through the expressions of thoughts, ideas, opinions, attitudes, feelings, and experiences; and participate in social interactions related to problem solving, decision making, and other social transactions.

Sample benchmark task: Students will give and follow simple instructions by participating in various games or other activities with partners or groups

Standard 1.2. Students will use the target language to obtain, process, and provide information in spoken or written form on a variety of topics of academic, personal, cultural, and historic interest.

They will: obtain information including general ideas and/or specific details from spoken or written texts, radio, television, film, and face-to-face communication; process (i.e., select, categorize analyze, organize, and synthesize) information; provide information in spoken and written form.

Sample benchmark task: Students will describe family members, friends, and people deemed important to the learners, objects present in their everyday environment, and common school and home actvities.

Standard 1.3. Students will use language for leisure and personal enrichment.

They will: listen to, read, or view stories, plays, poems, other literature, films, songs, or visual works of art for personal enjoyment, engagement in conversation, or interaction with other about it; respond in spoken or written form (describe, express opinion and appreciation, and analyze) to stories, plays, poems, other literature, songs, films, or visual works.

Sample benchmark task: Students will comprehend oral messages such as personal anecdotes, familiar fairy tales, and other narratives based on familiar themes and vocabulary.

GAIN KNOWLEDGE OF OTHER CULTURES

Standard 2.1. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the components of the target culture.

They will: explore both the expressive and utilitarian forms developed by the target culture; describe the patterns of behavior that are derived from the cultural beliefs and values; identify and analyze the themes, value systems, mind set, and beliefs that form the world view of the target culture; and discuss the significance of these contributions to the world community.

Sample benchmark task: Students will use appropriate gestures and oral expressions for greetings, leave takings, and common or familiar classroom interactions.

ACQUIRE INFORMATION AND CONNECT WITH OTHER DISCIPLINES

Standard 3.1. Students will use the target language to gain access to information and perspectives that are only available through the target language or within the target culture.

They will: use this information and perspective to expand their personal knowledge and experience; and use authentic documents, media, and contact with members of the target culture.

Sample benchmark task: Students will respond to a dramatization of a target language text (e.g., fairy tale).

Standard 3.2. Students will use the target language to reinforce and further knowledge of other disciplines.

They will: use the target language to discuss their current knowledge of topics from other curricular areas, orally and in writing.

Sample benchmark task: Students will use information from a story being studied in the target language and connect elements (e.g., color symbolism, geographical setting, genre characteristics) from the story to other school subjects.

DEVELOP INSIGHT INTO OWN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

Standard 4.1. Students will recognize that different languages use different patterns to communicate.

They will: recognize, compare, and contrast language patterns in the target language and their own.

Sample benchmark task: Students give examples of word borrowings from one language to another and develop an understanding of this process.

Standard 4.2. Students will recognize that cultures view situations from varying perspectives and evolve different patterns of interaction.

They will: compare and contrast the themes, value systems, mind set and beliefs which form the world view of both their own and the target culture; and compare and contrast the patterns of behavior which are derived from cultural beliefs and values.

Sample benchmark task: Students will demonstrate a knowledge of the patterns of behavior of the target culture(s) related to recreation, celebrations, etc., and identify similar and different patterns of behavior in their own culture.

PARTICIPATE IN MULTILINGUAL COMMUNITIES AND GLOBAL SOCIETY

Standard 5.1. Students will use the target language both within and beyond the school setting with representatives of the target cultures in a variety of ways.

They will: interact directly with speakers of the target language either through face-to-face conversations or written texts; and access information to discover applications of the target language within the community and internationally.

Sample benchmark task: Students exchange information about family, school events, and celebrations in written form via letters, E-mail, or in audio formats.

GRADES 5-8

COMMUNICATE IN LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH

Standard 1.1. Students will use the target language to participate in social interactions and to establish and maintain personal relationships in variety of settings and contexts.

They will: discuss topics of interest through the expressions of thoughts, ideas, opinions, attitudes, feelings, and experiences; and participate in social interactions related to problem solving, decision making, and other social transactions.

Sample benchmark task: Students will exchange information with peers and familiar adults about topics of interest to them and to same-age members of target cultures.

Standard 1.2. Students will use the target language to obtain, process, and provide information in spoken or written form on a variety of topics of academic, personal, cultural, and historic interest.

They will: obtain information including general ideas and/or specific details from spoken or written texts, radio, television, film, and face-to-face communication; process (i.e., select, categorize analyze, organize, and synthesize) information; provide information in spoken and written form.

Sample benchmark task: Students will obtain personal data from peers or adults either in person or by telephone.

Standard 1.3. Students will use language for leisure and personal enrichment.

They will: listen to, read, or view stories, plays, poems, other literature, films, songs, or visual works of art for personal enjoyment, engagement in conversation, or interaction with other about it; respond in spoken or written form (describe, express opinion and appreciation, and analyze) to stories, plays, poems, other literature, songs, films, or visual works.

Sample benchmark task: Students will read authentic literary texts selected by the teacher for appropriateness, and describe characters and major events.

GAIN KNOWLEDGE OF OTHER CULTURES

Standard 2.1. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the components of the target culture.

They will: explore both the expressive and utilitarian forms developed by the target culture; describe the patterns of behavior that are derived from the cultural beliefs and values; identify and analyze the themes, value systems, mind set, and beliefs that form the world view of the target culture; and discuss the significance of these contributions to the world community.

Sample benchmark task: Students will use appropriate verbal and nonverbal behavior for daily activities among peers and for activities or contexts that include interaction with adults.

ACQUIRE INFORMATION AND CONNECT WITH OTHER DISCIPLINES

Standard 3.1. Students will use the target language to gain access to information and perspectives that are only available through the target language or within the target culture.

They will: use this information and perspective to expand their personal knowledge and experience; and use authentic documents, media, and contact with members of the target culture.

Sample benchmark task: Using the second language, students establish contact with members of the target culture to obtain information about a hobby, sport, or topic of personal interest.

Standard 3.2. Students will use the target language to reinforce and further knowledge of other disciplines.

They will: use the target language to discuss their current knowledge of topics from other curricular areas, orally and in writing.

Sample benchmark task: Students will view a film or listen to a discussion in the language class on a topic they are currently studying in another class. They will use the information from the language class in the other class.

DEVELOP INSIGHT INTO OWN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

Standard 4.1. Students will recognize that different languages use different patterns to communicate.

They will: recognize, compare, and contrast language patterns in the target language and their own.

Sample benchmark task: Students understand how idiomatic expressions have an impact on communication and reflect culture by anticipating larger units of meaning rather than individual word equivalencies.

Standard 4.2. Students will recognize that cultures view situations from varying perspectives and evolve different patterns of interaction.

They will: compare and contrast the themes, value systems, mind set and beliefs which form the world view of both their own and the target culture; and compare and contrast the patterns of behavior which are derived from cultural beliefs and values.

Sample benchmark task: Students will investigate and report on cultural traditions and celebrations that exist in the target culture and in the native culture (e.g., holidays, birthdays, “coming of age” celebrations, seasonal festivals, religious ceremonies, and recreational gatherings.)

PARTICIPATE IN MULTILINGUAL COMMUNITIES AND GLOBAL SOCIETY

Standard 5.1. Students will use the target language both within and beyond the school setting with representatives of the target cultures in a variety of ways. They will: interact directly with speakers of the target language either through face-to-face conversations or written texts; and access information to discover applications of the target language within the community and internationally.

Sample benchmark task: Students will exchange information in written form or orally with peers from target language groups by discussing their preferences concerning leisure activities, including athletics and music.

GRADES 9-12

COMMUNICATE IN LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH

Standard 1.1. Students will use the target language to participate in social interactions and to establish and maintain personal relationships in variety of settings and contexts.

They will: discuss topics of interest through the expressions of thoughts, ideas, opinions, attitudes, feelings, and experiences; and participate in social interactions related to problem solving, decision making, and other social transactions.

Sample benchmark task: Students will write a letter to a native speaker of the target language explaining a past even and their feeling about that event. The particular time of the event will be chosen from a large variety of possibilities.

Standard 1.2. Students will use the target language to obtain, process, and provide information in spoken or written form on a variety of topics of academic, personal, cultural, and historic interest.

They will: obtain information including general ideas and/or specific details from spoken or written texts, radio, television, film, and face-to-face communication; process (i.e., select, categorize analyze, organize, and synthesize) information; provide information in spoken and written form.

Sample benchmark task: Students will apply for participation in a summer program at a school, making arrangements for room and board, using a class schedule, and using information about transportation and local tourist attractions and activities.

Standard 1.3. Students will use language for leisure and personal enrichment.

They will: listen to, read, or view stories, plays, poems, other literature, films, songs, or visual works of art for personal enjoyment, engagement in conversation, or interaction with other about it; respond in spoken or written form (describe, express opinion and appreciation, and analyze) to stories, plays, poems, other literature, songs, films, or visual works.

Sample benchmark task: Students will read an authentic literary text in the target language, explain in general terms the characters and the plot, and express personal reactions and feelings about the work orally and/or in writing.

GAIN KNOWLEDGE OF OTHER CULTURES

Standard 2.1. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the components of the target culture.

They will: explore both the expressive and utilitarian forms developed by the target culture; describe the patterns of behavior that are derived from the cultural beliefs and values; identify and analyze the themes, value systems, mind set, and beliefs that form the world view of the target culture; and discuss the significance of these contributions to the world community.

Sample benchmark task: Students will interact successfully in a variety of cultural contexts that reflect peer-group activities within the culture(s) studied, using the appropriate verbal and nonverbal cues.

ACQUIRE INFORMATION AND CONNECT WITH OTHER DISCIPLINES

Standard 3.1. Students will use the target language to gain access to information and perspectives that are only available through the target language or within the target culture.

They will: use this information and perspective to expand their personal knowledge and experience; and use authentic documents, media, and contact with speakers of the target language.

Sample benchmark task: Using the second language, students will establish contact with members of the target culture to obtain information about a hobby, sport, or topic of personal interest.

Standard 3.2. Students will use the target language to reinforce and further knowledge of other disciplines. They will: use the target language to discuss their current knowledge of topics from other curricular areas, orally and in writing.

Sample benchmark task: Students will research a topic on interest from another discipline accessing a variety of target language sources (e.g., print, audio, video, CD-ROM) and use that information as the basis for work in that discipline.

DEVELOP INSIGHT INTO OWN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

Standard 4.1. Students will recognize that different languages use different patterns to communicate.

They will: recognize, compare, and contrast language patterns in the target language and their own.

Sample benchmark task: Students will identify various elements of the target language, such as time or tense, and comparable linguistic elements in English by comparing and contrasting the two languages.

Standard 4.2. Students will recognize that cultures view situations from varying perspectives and evolve different patterns of interaction.

They will: compare and contrast the themes, value systems, mind set and beliefs which form the world view of both their own and the target culture; and compare and contrast the patterns of behavior which are derived from cultural beliefs and values.

Sample benchmark tasks: Students will read authentic texts and view films related to the issues of migration and immigration in the target cultures and in the native culture. Issues related to family, income, environment, natural disasters, and wars will be compared and contrasted through oral, written and artistic expression.

PARTICIPATE IN MULTILINGUAL COMMUNITIES AND GLOBAL SOCIETY

Standard 5.1. Students will use the target language both within and beyond the school setting with representatives of the target cultures in a variety of ways.

They will: interact directly with speakers of the target language either through face-to-face conversations or written texts; and access information to discover applications of the target language within the community and internationally.

Sample benchmark task: Students will communicate in writing with their peers in the target culture regarding the official government position on an international topic (i.e., the NAFTA trade agreement). The students will acquire information that will enable them to discuss the target culture’s government position on the topic and compare it to positions taken by the U.S. government.

Reprinted with the permission of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages from the draft standards document, National Standards in Foreign Language Education, released August 1, 1994, and revised in November 1994.

A version of this article appeared in the November 16, 1994 edition of Education Week as FOREIGN LANGUAGES STANDARDS

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