February 25, 2015

Expanding World Language to Elementary Students

Meeting Agenda Welcome and IntroductionsPurpose for the World Language

Task ForceFuture Meeting Topics/OutlineWorld Language ProposalHomeworkAdjourn

Task Force Membership June Banfe Community Member Ron Gagliardi Community Member Scott Detrick Assistant Superintendent Artur Branco World Language Dept. Head Jeff Solan Principal, CHS Marlene Silano Principal, Chapman School Cathy Spignesi Grade 4  Chapman School Betsy Stewart Grade 5 Norton School Heather McElroy Special Education, Norton School Debrah Manke Grade 6 Norton School Carmen Diaz Grade 2 Doolittle School Kaitlyn Plant Grade 4 Doolittle School

Purpose for Task ForceTo study our World Language Proposal and

develop an implementation plan to recommend to the BOE to expand world language instruction successfully at the elementary level.

Work to Be Done1. Develop, administer, and analyze survey data from parents and teachers in

order to: Survey interest in world language program options Identify grade level preferences for introduction of world language

instruction Prioritize preference of language or offering options Clarify issues and concerns

 2. Explore alternatives to elementary scheduling, certification issues, funding

resources, and cost saving measures

3. Explore technology applications that could support and enhance elementary world language instruction at all levels

4. Develop a plan for implementation with a recommendation for the Curriculum Committee of the BOE due on or before November 2015 to allow the BOE to include a WL proposal in budget recommendations for 2016 – 2017 if desired.

Future Meeting Agenda Topics 3/24/15

Research Findings Other District Information Parent/Teacher Survey Options Discuss Scheduling Alternatives

4/29/15 Finalize Survey for Parents/Teachers Discuss Scheduling Options/Use of Available Technology

5/28/15 Review Survey Results Discuss Strategies for Gaining Support Plan Meetings for September/October 2015

World Language Study Identified our philosophy, current practice and

sequence of studiesResearched the scope of current world language

practice in the State Reviewed research on second language acquisitionIdentified various models for elementary world

language programs: FLEX and FLESDeveloped options for consideration for

implementation of world languages in our elementary schools with estimated costs

Identified recommendations and next steps

PhilosophyWe live in a multilingual, multicultural world, therefore, the study of other languages and cultures should be an integral part of a child’s education. From the moment of birth, the child begins to interact with the immediate world through sounds and languages. As the child matures and communication develops through reading and writing, language takes on more complex functions. 

The study of modern and/or classic languages broadens intellectual perspectives, encourages participation in a wider community and fosters understandings of acceptance of and respect for other cultures. Cheshire Public Schools believe that all students can be successful learners of language and cultures, if they are given the following opportunities: programs that are integrated into the entire school experience; instructional approaches and strategies that address a variety of learning styles and needs; and expectations that are flexible and appropriate. Language and culture must be an integral part of the core curriculum. Learning a language is a sequential process leading to the acquisition of specialized skills.

Current Practices/SequenceDodd Middle School

-Students begin the study of one of four languages, Spanish, French, German or Latin.-Students in 7th grade meet every other day throughout the entire year for a total of 90 days, while in 8th grade the students meet everyday for a total of 180 days.- At the middle school all five skills of language acquisition, reading, writing, speaking, listening, and cultural understanding, are developed and assessed.

Current Practices/SequenceCheshire High School

-Five World Languages, Spanish, French, German, Latin, as well as Italian. -All five skills of language acquisition, reading, writing, speaking, listening, and cultural understanding, continue to be developed and assessed.-Students successfully continuing Spanish, French, German and Latin from the middle school will enter at level 2 (year 2)-Students progress in their chosen language through

Level 5 (year five)

Scope of Current Practice in Connecticut Schools

Source:-Connecticut State Department of

Education Strategic School Profiles-Connecticut Education State Department

Data and Research in World Language Instruction

Trends:-Increase of elementary language Programs

starting at 5th grade or below.-53% of DRG B Schools have an elementary

language program starting at 5th grade or below.

Second Language Acquisition ResearchWhy should second language learning begin at

the elementary Level?

-21st Century- There is a need for citizens to communicate in a culturally diverse world. Knowledge/proficiency of a world language is the key to that communication.-Brain research shows that young children have a natural aptitude for language development.-Young children are developmentally at the critical period of language acquisition.

Second Language Acquisition ResearchBenefits of Early Language Learning:

-Native like pronunciation-Significant gains in standardized testing in language arts and math as well as SAT scores.-Greater cognitive development in areas such as creativity, higher order skills etc..-Enhances listening and memory skills.-Greater sense of cultural pluralism and appreciation of other cultures.-Higher level of linguistic proficiency.

Models for Elementary World Language Instruction Identified Elementary World Language

Programs:

-FLEX & FLESFLEX Program: (Kindergarten and Grade One)

-The nature of this program is exploratory rather than proficiency based.

-Words, phrases and culture are taught on an informal basis.

Models for Elementary World Language InstructionFLES Program: (Second through Sixth Grade)

-This program is proficiency based.-Language is taught sequentially and it is connected to interdisciplinary content.

Our Elementary language program will be based upon the Five C’s of language learning: “Communication, Cultures, Comparisons, Connections and Communities” and will be aligned with both state and national world language standards as well as the American Council of the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) guidelines. 

WHY?To prepare our students to meet the

challenges of a changing, global society by providing high quality educational opportunities

To ensure that our students acquire a level of proficiency in a world language that enables them to read, write, understand and speak fluently in a target language when they graduate.

OPTIONS – A, B, C, and D A – World language instruction provided to all

students beginning in kindergarten and grade one with an exploration of Chinese, French, German, Italian, Latin, and Spanish followed by “choice” language instruction beginning in grade 2 and continuing to grade 6.

B – World language instruction provided to all students beginning in kindergarten and grade one with an exploration of Spanish followed by instruction of Spanish beginning in grade 2 and continuing to grade 6.

OPTIONS – A, B, C, and D C – World language instruction provided to all

students beginning in grade three with an exploration of Chinese, French, German, Italian, Latin, and Spanish followed by “choice” language instruction beginning in grade 4 and continuing to grade 6.

D – World language instruction provided to all students beginning in grade three with an exploration of Spanish followed by instruction of Spanish beginning in grade 4 and continuing to grade 6.

CHESHIRE PUBLIC SCHOOLSWORLD LANGUAGE PROPOSAL

PLAN A – Choice Language - K

GRADE K GRADE 1

GRADE 2

GRADE 3

GRADE 4

GRADE 5

GRADE 6

GRADE 7

GRADE 8

COST

FLEX1x wk20 min

  

Exploration of

Languages

ChineseFrenchGermanItalianLatin

Spanish 

FLEX2x wk20 min

     →

FLES3x wk20 min

  

Choiceof

Language:

ChineseFrenchGermanItalianLatin

Spanish

----------1A

 

FLES3x wk20 min

  

Continue Study

of Languag

e of Choice

      

----------1B

FLES3x wk30 min

    →        

----------1C

FLES4x wk30 min

    →        

----------1D & 2A

FLES4x wk30 min

    →       

----------2B & 2C

ChineseFrenchGermanItalianLatin

Spanish 

Year 2D & 3A

    

------------OR

Year 1A/B

ChineseFrench GermanItalianLatin

Spanish 

Year 3B, C, D

     

------------OR Year 1C/D

Staffing 9.5 teachers = $712,500 Supplies =$12,000 Texts/Resources =$50,000 Equipment = $28,170 Curriculum Writing =$28,800 TOTAL = $831,470

Phase In Process- Options A/B Year One Explore in Kindergarten and

Grade 1Year Two Choice of Language –Grade 2Year Three Study Language of Choice –

Grade 3 Year Four Study Language of Choice –

Grade 4 Year Five Study Language of Choice –

Grade 5 Year Six Study Language of Choice –

Grade 6

Option A – Choice Language (K)PROS CONS -Variety of languages -Some

difficulty offered acquiring certified-Increase in fluency teachers-Early start to learning a -Scheduling classes language may be difficult-Enter H.S. with 3 years of a language

CHESHIRE PUBLIC SCHOOLSWORLD LANGUAGE PROPOSAL

PLAN B - Spanish Focus Beginning in K

GRADE K GRADE 1 GRADE 2

GRADE 3

GRADE 4

GRADE 5

GRADE 6 GRADE 7

GRADE 8

COST

FLEX1x wk20 min

 

Exploration of

Spanish 

FLEX2x wk20 min

 

Exploration of

Spanish 

FLES3x wk20 min

 

Spanish 

1A

FLES3x wk20 min

 

Spanish 

1B 

FLES3x wk30 min

 

Spanish 

1C 

FLES4x wk30 min

 

Spanish 

1D & 2A

FLES4x wk30 min

 

Spanish 

2B & 2C 

----------OR

Exploratory

ChineseFrenchGerman

LatinItalian

  

 

SpanishYear 2D

& 3A     

-----------OR

Year 1A/B

 

SpanishYear

3B,C,D     

-----------OR Year 1C/D

Staffing 9.5 teachers = $712,500 

Supplies = $12,000 

Texts/ Resources = $50,000 

Equipment = $28,170 

Curriculum Writing = $28,800 

TOTAL = $831,470

Option B – Spanish (K)PROS CONS -Early start to learning -Some

difficulty Spanish acquiring certified

teachers-Increase in fluency in -Lack of

choice of a Spanish language to study -Enter H.S. with 3 years of Spanish

CHESHIRE PUBLIC SCHOOLSWORLD LANGUAGE PROPOSAL

PLAN C – All Languages - Start in Grade 3

GRADE 3 GRADE 4 GRADE 5 GRADE 6 GRADE 7 GRADE 8 COSTFLEX2x wk30 min

 

Exploratoryof

Languages:

ChineseFrenchGermanItalianLatin

Spanish 

FLES3x wk30 min

 

Choiceof

Language:ChineseFrenchGermanItalianLatin

Spanish

1A 

FLES4x wk30 min

    

→     

 1B & 1C

FLES4x wk30 min

    

→     

 1C/1D

ChineseFrenchGermanItalianLatin

Spanish 

Year 2A/B 

   

 -------------

OR 

Year 1A/B 

ChineseFrench GermanItalianLatin

Spanish 

Year 2C/D 

   

 ------------

OR 

Year 1C/D 

Staffing 6.5 teachers = $487,500 

Supplies = $8,000 

Texts = $30,000 

Equipment = $18,780 

Curriculum Writing = $19,200 

TOTAL = $563,480

Phase In Process- Options C/D Year One Explore in Grade 3Year Two Choice of Language –Grade 4Year Three Study Language of Choice –

Grade 5 Year Four Study Language of Choice –

Grade 6

Option C – Choice Language (3)PROS CONS -Variety of languages -Some difficulty offered acquiring certified

teachers-Earlier start to learning a -Scheduling

classes Language may be difficult-Increase in fluency-Enter H.S. with 2 years of alanguage

CHESHIRE PUBLIC SCHOOLSWORLD LANGUAGE PROPOSALPHASE-IN COMPLETED PLAN D – Spanish Focus - Start in Grade 3

GRADE 3 GRADE 4 GRADE 5 GRADE 6 GRADE 7 GRADE 8 COST 

FLEX2x wk30 min

 

Exploratory

of Spanish 

 

FLES3x wk30 min

 

Spanish1A

 

FLES4x wk30 min

 

Spanish1B & 1C

 

 

FLES4x wk30 min

 

Spanish1C/1D

 

-------------OR

Exploratory

ChineseFrenchGermanItalianLatin

    

 

SpanishYear 2A/B

 

    

----------- 

ChineseFrenchGermanItalianLatin

 

Year 1A/B

 

SpanishYear 2C/D

 

    

------------ 

ChineseFrench GermanItalianLatin

 

Year 1C/D

Staffing 6.5 teachers = $487,500 

Supplies = $8,000 

Texts = $30,000 

Equipment = $18,780 

Curriculum Writing = $19,200 

TOTAL = $563,480

Option D – Spanish (3)PROS CONS -Earlier start to learning -Some difficulty Spanish acquiring

certified teachers

-Increase in fluency in -Lack of choice of a

Spanish language to study -Enter H.S. with 2 years ofSpanish

Estimated CostsOptions A & B

  Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 TOTALTeachers $112,5

00(1.5)

$112,500

(1.5)

$112,500

(1.5)

$112,500

(1.5)

$112,500

(1.5)

$150,000

(2.0)

$712,500

(9.5)

Supplies 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 12,000Texts/

Resources0 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 50,000

Equipment 0 9,390 9,390 9,390 0 0 28,170Curriculum

Writing4,800 4,800 4,800 4,800 4,800 4,800 28,800

 TOTAL

 $119,3

00

 $138,6

90

 $138,6

90

 $138,6

90

 $129,3

00

 $166,8

00

 $831,4

70

Estimated CostsOptions C & D

  Year 1

Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5

Year 6 TOTAL

Teachers $75,000

(1.0

$112,500

(1.5)

$150,000

(2.0)

$150,000

(2.0)

X  X  $487,500(6.5)

Supplies 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 X  X  8,000Texts/

Resources0 10,000 10,000 10,000 X  X  30,000

Equipment 0 9,390 9,390 0 X  X  18,780Curriculum

Writing4,800 4,800 4,800 4,800 X  X  19,200

 TOTAL

 $81,80

0

 $138,6

90

 $176,1

90

 $166,80

0X 

 X

 $563,480

HomeworkReview our WL Proposal and create

a list of PROS and CONS for each option.

Read World Language Articles. Bring ideas to the next meeting to improve our proposal.

Next Meeting Agenda Topics

March 24, 2015 Research FindingsPROs/CONs for Each OptionOther District Information Parent/Teacher Survey OptionsDiscuss Scheduling Alternatives

Thank YOU!