Securing and Maintaining a Foreign Language Program in your

CommunityOctober, 2008

VFLA KMG

Do Your Research

Get Some Allies

Check the Front Door

Bang on the Front Door

Check the Roof

Vermont State Board of EducationFebruary 21, 2006

All Vermont children will begin the study of a foreign language in the primary grades(PK-4), and they will meet a minimum of novice middle proficiency by the end of eighth grade. All Vermont school districts will coordinate the foreign language curriculum within their own district from primary grades through high school.

Check the Back Door

Check the NeighborsThey Might Have a Key

Parents push for foreign language classes

By Molly Walsh Free Press Staff Writer

Every Friday, the students at Brewster-Pierce Memorial school in Huntington have a special treat: class with French teacher Evelyn Germain.

Although the sessions take place only once a week, that's more foreign language instruction than most public elementary school students receive in Chittenden County. Small, rural Brewster Pierce is one of few grade schools in the area to offer such instruction to children as young as kindergarten. Most public schools in the region don't give students a chance to try French or Spanish or other languages until middle school.

As research mounts to extol the benefits of foreign language study, especially starting at a young age, some parents are asking school administrators to consider giving children an earlier start. In Jericho, parents are lobbying the Jericho Elementary school to incorporate foreign language starting in fall 2006.

Karen Glitman, a consultant and Jericho mother of two, is leading the push. The diplomat's daughter attended grade school in Paris and grew up speaking French and English. Her experience convinced her that language study offers tremendous academic and social benefits. These beliefs grew stronger as she delved into research on the advantages of language study.

"It's more than just sort of a gut reaction. There's a lot of science behind it," she said.

Community Survey Results

ۓ 74% (134) would support the inclusion of foreign language in the elementary school curriculum.

ۓ Only 7% (13) of survey respondents think that foreign language instruction should begin in 7th grade as our school district does now.

ۓ Over 71% (118) people said they would support adding foreign language even if it meant an increase in cost.

ۓ The responses were nearly evenly split 50/50 (84/82) from people with and without kids at JES.

Teacher Survey ResultsDo you think that incorporating International Education, including Foreign

Language instruction, into the Jericho Elementary School curriculum would be beneficial to our community?

What would be the greatest challenge to adding Foreign Language to your day? What would be the greatest benefit to adding Foreign Language to your day?What questions do you have about introducing Foreign Language to your day?

Main Questions

• How much would it cost?

• How would we fit it in the school day?

JES Public Outreach effort1. Public informational meeting

2. Newspaper articles

3. Public survey1. Town Meeting Day table2. Business locations3. Town Hall4. Libraries

4. Publish survey results in newspaper

5. Presentation to all staff

6. Survey of all staff

7. Presentations to the School Board8. Developed and offered, “Gateways to Foreign Cultures” after school program

9. Vote at Town Meeting

Have the Issue Surround the Decision Makers