Download Iowa City Community School District World Language Department

Iowa City Community School District
World Language Department
Dear parents and guardians of Iowa City School District World Language students,
The World Languages Department of ICCSD is thrilled to have your child study a language in our department. We
welcome the opportunity to share our passion for languages, and we are committed to helping you and your child choose
the best class to fit his or her language learning goals. Please use this letter and the attached documents to assist you in
your course selection.
Learning a different language is a beneficial and unique experience. It combines skills that students learn in language
arts, social studies, and math. The World Language classroom is the main vehicle for learning a language. Students do
not learn languages simply by sitting in the classroom over a period of time but rather by taking risks and getting involved
in all class activities on a daily basis.
A student’s class selection should be guided first by the current teacher’s recommendation. World Language teachers
work hard to make thoughtful and professional recommendations that set the student up for future success. When a
student is considering taking an honors or AP Level class, or advance a language level, we look closely at each student’s
individual situation, including current achievement, learning style, and motivation level. As a parent, you will also want to
consider your child’s workload in other classes, extracurricular activities, part-time jobs, and family demands. Should you
have any questions about a recommendation, please contact the language teacher at your child’s school.
ICCSD World Language teachers look forward to partnering with our parents and students for an amazing experience in
language learning during the 2017-18 school year. We thank you in advance for your support of World Languages in the
Iowa City School District.
ICCSD World Language Teachers
North West Junior High School
North Central Junior High School
South East Junior High School
City High School
West High School
Liberty High School
Benefits of learning a World Language: a
document from the American Council of
Teachers of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)
How does language learning support academic
achievement?
 Language learning correlates with higher academic
achievement on standardized test measures.
 Language learning is beneficial to both monolingual
English and English language learners in bilingual and two way immersion programs.
 Language learning is beneficial in the development of
students’ reading abilities.
 There is evidence that language learners transfer skills
from one language to another.
 There is a correlation between second language
learning and increased linguistic awareness.
 There is a correlation between language learning and
students’ ability to hypothesize in science.
 Language learning can benefit all students.
 There is a correlation between young children’s second
language development and the development of print
awareness.
 Heritage learners who use their language skills to
interpret and translate for family members experience higher
academic performance and greater self-efficacy.
 There is a correlation between language study and
higher scores on the SAT and ACT Tests.
 There is a correlation between high school foreign
language study and higher academic performance at the
college level.
How does language learning provide cognitive benefits
to students?
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 There is evidence that early language learning improves
cognitive abilities.
 There is evidence bilingualism correlates with increased
cognitive development and abilities.
There is a correlation between bilingualism and the offset of age-related cognitive losses.
There is a correlation between bilingualism and attentional control on cognitive tasks.
There is a correlation between bilingualism and intelligence.
There is a correlation between bilingualism and metalinguistic skills.
There is a correlation between bilingualism and memory skills.
There is a correlation between bilingualism and problem solving ability.
There is a correlation between bilingualism and improved verbal and spatial abilities.
How does language learning affect attitudes and beliefs about language learning and about other cultures?
 Research suggests that language learners develop a more positive attitude toward the target language and/or the
speakers of that language.
- See more at: https://www.actfl.org/advocacy/what-the-research-shows
Enduring Understandings for Language Learning
Communication:
 You can learn a 2nd (or 3rd) language.
 You already have language and communication skills that you can utilize while
learning a new language.
 The goal is effective communication, not word-for-word translation.
 There are multiple ways to say the same thing.
 Accuracy is the result of experience (deliberate speaking and listening) and
self-reflection.
Culture:
 Learning another language will open the door to a new culture.
 Language and culture are inextricably linked.
 Communicating is more than using a new language, its understanding the
culture. .
 Some gestures are culture-specific.
Connections:
 Language connects people.
 People appreciate your effort to learn and use their language.
 Learning a second language will open doors for you professionally and
personally.
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his
head. If you talk to him in his own language, it goes to his heart.” —
Nelson Mandela
Comparisons:
 People have different styles of learning a language.
 The recognition and use of patterns of verb forms gives the speaker a wider
range of communication skills.
 Body language (can) change statements to questions, affirmations and
negations, and (can) impact the intensity of a statement.
 Different linguistic structures communicate different meanings.
Communities:
 Learning a language is an on-going process.
 Refinement comes from practice.
 You can’t identify and correct your mistakes unless you have the courage to
make them.
 A dictionary doesn’t give you syntax.
 Speaking is not the only form of communication.
 Conversations are more than questions and answers.
 Language requires you to solve problems.
 Learning a language takes motivation, perseverance, and practice.
 The language we use changes with the situation.
Decision Guide for the Best Fit
The decision of which foreign language to study is an important one and is
often one of the first big academic decisions in which the student has some
input. There are several factors you should consider when choosing a
foreign language as an 8th grade student: learning options, difficulty level,
personal preference, and future goals in life. The following questions might
be helpful in guiding your decision on which language to study.
 What are my motivations to learn another language?
 What are my goals and expectations about learning another language?
 Where does this language exist in my community?
 How will learning this language enhance my personal, academic, and
professional life?
 How might learning this language open “doors of opportunity”?
 How can I use my existing communication skills to learn this new
language?
It’s important to consider that as our interests in life are dynamic and
constantly changing, the best part about deciding what language to learn is
that it isn’t really a final, set in stone answer. Once you’ve picked one
language up, you can learn another more easily, according to studies. You
can even learn two languages simultaneously, if you’re up for a challenge.
Above all, don’t limit yourself!
Honors or On-level World Language Courses
The decision to enroll in an on-level or honors language course is very
personal and important. Students and their parents/guardians should
carefully consider the teacher’s recommendation as well as student’s interest
level in the language, motivation, learning style, and demands outside of
school. Decisions should not be based on staff as teaching assignments
may change from year to year. It is important to make this choice during
scheduling the year before as it is difficult to change classes after the school
year starts. This is especially true for changes from an honors-level to an onlevel class.
All World Language courses:
 Concentrate on 4 skills: listening, reading, speaking, and writing
 Address vocabulary and grammar necessary to master the
standards of each skill level
 Prepare students for the next level of language study
 Provide opportunities to experience the cultures that speak the
languages you have chosen.
On-Level courses:
 More emphasis is put on basics—more practice with vocabulary,
grammar
 Pacing of instruction is less rigorous than in honors classes
 Instruction involves more scaffolding and guided learning.
Honors courses:
 Move at a quicker pace
 Do more in-depth assignments after quickly introducing the basics
 Feature more rigorous and performance based assessments
 Teachers and students use the target language more
 Pre-AP strategies are introduced
 More complex language production expected
 Designed to culminate in taking AP Level courses
Which schools in the ICCSD offer French and Spanish?
 All Middle and High Schools offer French and Spanish.
 Middle schools offer French and Spanish in the 8th grade.
 High Schools offer on-level courses in French and Spanish up to Advanced Placement.
World Languages: Why Learn French?
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Nearly 30% of modern English words find their origins in French.
French is spoken in 57 countries and territories on 5 major continents.
French has approximately 75 million native speakers and 190 million secondary speakers.
French is the second most commonly taught world language in the United States.
French is among the languages that require the least amount of instructional hours in order for an English speaker to reach a
high level of speaking proficiency, according to the Defense Language Institute.
French in the United States
 Six million people in America speak French fluently as a second or foreign language. (Some estimate this number to be as
high as 11 million people.)
 French speakers are in demand in banking and finance, international market analysis, diplomacy, hotel management,
international trade, journalism and media, aviation, national security, education, translation and interpretation, health care,
customer service, tourism, and law enforcement.
 The US is the leading investor in France. Over 3,700 American companies operate in France. France is the second largest
investor in the US. Among foreign countries doing business in the US, France employs the 3rd largest number of Americans.
 Most major American cities, including New York, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Houston, have an active French
community.
 In colonial times, Iowa was a part of French Louisiana and Spanish Louisiana; its state flag is patterned after the flag of
France
French in the World
 France has the fifth largest economy in the world.
 French is an official language of the United States’ largest trading partner, Canada.
 French is the official working language of major international organizations, including the United Nations, International
Olympic Committee, and International Red Cross.
 French is the second most spoken diplomatic language in the world.
 More tourists visit France than any other country in the world.
World Languages: Why Learn Spanish?
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Knowing Spanish enhances one’s marketability as a business and industry employee
Spanish will enhance your travel experiences.
Spanish will help to improve your employment potential for the public sector.
Spanish is the fourth most common language among the internet community and the second most common language
spoken in the world.
Spanish in the United States
 There are over 50 million Spanish speakers in the United States.
 40% of the U.S. population growth comes from people of Hispanic origin.
 In the U.S., Hispanic consumers are the fastest-growing market segment.
 The Spanish-speaking population of the United States has grown exponentially; learning Spanish will provide a better
understanding of their culture, practices and perspectives.
 Spanish is the most popular world language to learn in the United States.
Spanish in the World
 There are over 400 million speakers of Spanish.
 Spanish is the 2nd most commonly spoken language in the world.
 There are more native speakers of Spanish than native speakers of English.
 Spanish is an official language on three continents.
 Spanish is the mother tongue of 21 countries.
Learning a World Language
It is important to note that, unlike some subjects, World Languages are cumulative from unit to unit, trimester to trimester,
and year to year. Here is one model of what learning a language could look like:
Year 5- 12th grade
Year 4 - 11th grade
Year 3- 10th grade
Year 2- 9th grade
Year 1 - 8th grade
World Language Course Progression:
Current Class
Next Options
Spanish 1
Spanish 2
Spanish 2H
Spanish 3
Spanish 3H
Spanish 4
AP Spanish 4
AP Spanish 5
Spanish 2 or Spanish 2H
Spanish 3 or Spanish 3H
Spanish 3 or Spanish 3H
Spanish 4 or AP Spanish 4
Spanish 4 or AP Spanish 4
AP Spanish 4 or AP Spanish 5
AP Spanish 5
PSEO (University Spanish class)
French 1
French 2
French 3
French 4
AP French 4
AP French 5
French 2
French 3
French 4 or AP French 4
AP French 4 or AP French 5
AP French 5
PSEO (University French class)
Placement Exam Policy:
 Incoming 8th grade Junior High students are eligible to take a placement exam in order to take a Spanish or
French Level 2 class at the High School. Students have to take the exam on the reserved date for Placement
Exams. Dates may vary based on the high school so it’s very important to communicate with the counselors at the
intended high school if they want to begin classes in the fall the incoming school year.
 8th grade students must provide their own personal transportation to and from the High School.
 All High School students are eligible to take a placement test in order to advance a language level.
 Advancement is based on the student’s ability to perform above average in the skills of listening, reading, writing
and speaking.