REVISED STANDARDS
for
WORLD LANGUAGES
Common Curriculum Goals, Content Standards, and Benchmarks
Office of Teaching and Learning
Board Adopted June 2008
INTRODUCTION
As the largest city in Oregon and a major west coast port, Portland hosts an economy that demands contact and interaction with the global marketplace. In order to participate fully in the economic, political, and social life of today’s multilingual/ multicultural population, students in Portland Public Schools need to become competent in more than one language and culture.
The goal of world languages instruction in Portland Public Schools is to provide all students the opportunity to develop academic competence, proficiency in two or more languages, a positive self-image, and a positive attitude toward diverse cultures. To meet this goal and to prepare students for authentic language use in the real world, communicative-based standards have been developed. The standards on the following pages are designed to assist classroom teachers in developing sequenced, articulated lessons leading students to a usable level of proficiency.
The Standards for World Languages include:
A. Philosophy and Basic Assumptions, which are the underlying tenets for teaching and learning a world language
B. Benchmark Standards organized by the 3 Modes of Communication (Interpersonal, Interpretive, and Presentational). The Standards define what students should know and be able to do at various stages of their language study.
They have been designed with the following purposes in mind:
§ to acknowledge the importance of both the content and the skills students learn as they study foreign languages;
§ to help teachers create meaningful curriculum and classroom assessments; and
§ to serve as the basis for assessment of student performance in world languages.
Philosophy
We believe that all persons in our culturally rich and linguistically diverse nation should be provided the opportunity and be encouraged to become proficient in more than one language to a degree of mastery commensurate with their needs and aspirations. The learning of other languages adds new linguistic competence and cultural sensitivity to our diverse linguistic backgrounds. We believe language and communication are at the heart of the human experience. It is our responsibility to educate students to be equipped linguistically and culturally in order to communicate successfully in a pluralistic American society and abroad.
We envision a future in which ALL students develop and further their proficiency in English and at least one other language. One language is never intended to supplant another. Those who are not proficient in English should be provided the opportunity and encouragement to reach full proficiency in their first language and English. These students should be given the opportunity to study an additional language of their choice. It is through the knowledge of languages and cultures that we best learn to tolerate and appreciate cultural and linguistic diversity at home, to understand our contemporaries abroad, and so achieve our potential as citizens of the world.
Basic Assumptions
v All students can learn a second language.
v Learning takes place in a variety of settings and styles.
v A proficiency-based approach and use of best practices leads to competence.
v A substantial body of research continues to support the many benefits of starting second language acquisition as early as possible.
v A long sequenced, articulated program of study results in higher levels of proficiency.
v Second language learning fosters a sense of humanity and friendship along with an increasing understanding and sensitivity to other languages and cultures.
v Second language learning provides insights into one’s first language.
v Learning one second language facilitates the learning of additional languages.
v Proficiency in a second language is an asset in many careers and for professional advancement.
v Skills and concepts acquired through a second language transfer to one’s first language.
How to Use this Document
This document is intended as a guide for the world language teachers of Portland Public Schools. It should allow the user to easily locate, understand, and reference the standards and desired outcomes for students in Portland Public Schools. It is a revision of the February 2001 Second/Foreign Language Standards. The revisions are aligned with the Oregon Department of Education Revised Second Language Standards (2005) and the national Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century, (ACTFL, 1999).
A revision to the Standards format is the reorganization of the individual strands. The Communication strand, which was previously divided into 4 sub-strands of Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing is now organized within the “Framework of Communicative Modes” - Interpersonal, Interpretive, and Presentational. A brief outline of these modes along with Oregon Department of Education assessment requirements for the Special Endorsement for a Certificate of Initial Mastery (CIM) is included in this document. More in-depth information may be found in the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Performance Guidelines for K-12 Learners (see Appendix for resources).
Each Communicative Mode includes an initial overview page containing the Content Standards for six Benchmarks. This range approximates an ACTFL Pre-Novice (Benchmark 1) to Intermediate-Mid (Benchmark 6) with CIM highlighted in purple at Novice-High (Benchmark 4). Subsequent pages elaborate each Benchmark in greater detail providing supportive language functions, content topics, text type, and a performance descriptor. The Benchmark Standards are not tied to any particular grade level. Rather, these levels may be achieved by any student of any age, depending on experience and cognitive development.
Standard 6 focuses on Culture. Understanding culture is integral to learning and understanding a language. This Standard emphasizes not only the process of learning about the countries and their cultures, but also the fact that language and culture are inseparable. Through a range of materials in print and other media, students gain a richer understanding of both culture and language. The Culture Standard focuses on the Perspectives (meanings, attitudes, values, ideas), Practices (patterns of social interactions) and Products (books, tools, foods, laws, music, games, etc) related to various people in the world. Students need to develop an understanding of how customs and traditions are shaped by speakers of language and how that language reflects those customs and traditions.
By using this document, teachers should be able to plan curriculum and assessments to meet certain levels of proficiency, and also to make determinations on the current proficiency level of their students. This document also serves as a tool for articulation and to align curriculum and programs within schools and across the district. Lastly, it can aid its user in explaining second language standards to students, parents, administrators and other persons in the district.
EXPLANATION OF PAGE LAYOUTRelevant Terminology to a Proficiency-Oriented Classroom
Proficiency
/Refers to what a student can do with knowledge plus function according to a performance descriptor.
/On demand
/Refers to a performance task or assessment which is open ended, not tied to any particular recently learned content, and not dependent on a specific scope and sequence.
Function
/Describes the task that is to be accomplished. It is what a student knows and can do with a language. It may be something simple as ‘express as greeting” and a “leave-taking,” or it may be something complex as “persuade,” which requires a richer vocabulary and more complex structures.
/Curriculum-embedded
/Refers to a task or assessment that is tied to a specific learned content.
Text Type
/The structure of the discourse produced by the student. At low levels, the student produces memorized phrases and lists. When they advance, they can form sentences and eventually string several together. Advanced students may produce paragraph length discourse.
/Cultural Perspectives
/Refers to the meanings, attitudes, values, and ideas of a culture.
Cultural
Practices /Refers to patterns of social behavior.
Content
/The topics and vocabulary of the language. Students typically begin with topics related to self, everyday activities and their immediate environment.
/Cultural Products
/Refers to items present within a culture.
Context
/The location and situation of the language produced.
/- tangible products
/Refers to items particular to a culture that can be touched, seen, or purchased, such as books, tools, and foods.
Cognate
/Refers to a word with a similar origin, spelling and pronunciation in two languages. It does not include borrowed foreign words.
/- intangible products
/Refers to items particular to a culture that cannot be touched, seen, or purchased, such as laws, music, and games.
False cognate
/Refers to words that in spelling and/or pronunciation appear to be cognates, but actually have significant semantic differences.
/- expressive products
/Refers to both tangible and intangible products which are dedicated to, in whole or part, (or have elements of) expression, such as music, painting, drama, handmade artifacts or crafts, advertising, etc.
Performance Assessment
/Focus on language use – what students can do with the language in addition to what they know about the language.
/Cloze passage
/Substitution type exercises that require students to complete one or multiple banks in a sentence or paragraph. Cloze responses require patterned, fixed or random answers that focus on vocabulary, syntax, or structural elements.
Content Standard 1 – Interpersonal Mode – Speaking
ODE Common Curriculum Goals / ODE Content Standards / Benchmark 1Standard / Benchmark 2
Standard / Benchmark 3
Standard / Benchmark 4
Standard / Benchmark 5
Standard / Benchmark 6
Standard
Understand and respond to what others say/sign. / Express ideas, ask and answer questions, and initiate and engage in conversations on familiar topics for a variety of purposes. / 1.1.1. Minimally respond to very simple memorized greetings and basic courtesy expressions.
1.1.2 Express quantities using a few numbers.
1.1.3 Minimally ask simple memorized questions.
1.1.4 Use a very few memorized vocabulary words in context. / 1.2.1 Exchange very simple memorized greetings, introductions, leave takings, and information about self.
1.2.2 Express quantities in numbers, state time, address and telephone numbers.
1.2.3 Ask memorized, well rehearsed questions on familiar topics.
1.2.4 Name a number of common, familiar objects in context.
1.2.5 Repeat simple directions and commands. / 1.3.1 Exchange memorized greetings, introductions, leave takings, and basic personal information.
1.3.2 Express numbers in time, dates, currency, phone numbers and addresses.
1.3.3 Ask memorized questions in highly predictable, common daily settings.
1.3.4 Use memorized words and learned phrases in familiar contexts.
1.3.5 Give some memorized directions and commands. / 1.4.1 Exchange basic personal information, preferences, and personal needs.
1.4.2 Exchange information using time, date, prices and location in common situations.
1.4.3 Ask and answer simple questions, using familiar, learned materials.
1.4.4 Formulate simple statements and descriptions using familiar and somc recombinations of learned material.
1.4.5 Give basic, simple directions and commands / 1.5.1 Exchange information, perform basic survival tasks, and express preferences.
1.5.2 Use numbers, prices and times in common tasks such as making purchases.
1.5.3 Initiate and respond to simple questions using known topics and vocabulary within the context of a familiar conversation.
1.5.4 Create, initiate and respond to simple statements within the scope of limited language.
1.5.5 Give instructions for a familiar simple task in steps. / 1.6.1 Exchange personal feelings, thoughts, ideas and basic opinions.
1.6.2 Use numbers in a widening variety of tasks, such as making appointments and reservations.
1.6.3 Initiate and briefly maintain a conversation using a series of simple, related questions and responses.
1.6.4 Initiate, sustain and close a basic communicative task by combining and recombining learned elements.
1.6.5 Give multi-step directions for a simple task.
Benchmark 1.1 – Interpersonal Mode - Speaking (approximates a Pre-Novice-Low)
Common Curriculum Goals / ODE Content Standards / Benchmark Standards / Functions to Support the Standards / Text Type / Content/Context / Minimum Performance Standard Level DescriptorUnderstand and respond to what others say/sign. / Express ideas, ask and answer questions, and initiate and engage in conversations on familiar topics for a variety of purposes. / 1.1.1. Minimally respond to very simple memorized greetings and basic courtesy expressions.
1.1.2 Express quantities using a few numbers.
1.1.3 Minimally ask simple memorized questions.
1.1.4 Use a very few memorized vocabulary words in context. / § Make and respond to simple greetings and leave takings.
§ Use some familiar vocabulary in context. / Simple familiar language within a few specified topics and contexts;
Short lists of a few vocabulary and/or memorized words or phrases / § Songs and Rhymes
§ Greetings/ Farewells
§ Parts of the body
§ Numbers
§ Colors / Using a few memorized words and phrases; students demonstrate a highly limited functional communicative ability. The student’s oral production consists of less than 35 isolated words (given in an on-demand assessment). Pronunciation inaccuracies and interference from the native language characterize speech. Listeners who are very familiar to interacting with language learners might be able to understand.
Benchmark 1.2 – Interpersonal Mode - Speaking (approximates ACTFL Level Novice-Low)
Common Curriculum Goals / ODE Content Standards / Benchmark Standards / Functions to Support the Standards / Text Type / Content/Context / Minimum Performance Standard Level DescriptorUnderstand and respond to what others say/sign. / Express ideas, ask and answer questions, and initiate and engage in conversations on familiar topics for a variety of purposes. / 1.2.1 Exchange very simple memorized greetings, introductions, leave takings, and information about self.
1.2.2 Express quantities in numbers, state time, address and telephone numbers.
1.2.3 Ask memorized, well rehearsed questions on familiar topics.
1.2.4 Name a number of common, familiar objects in context.
1.2.5 Repeat simple directions and commands. / · Make and respond to greetings, introductions and leave takings.
· Exchange simple information about self.
· State time, address and telephone numbers.
· Use familiar vocabulary in context / Predictable or simple familiar language within a few known or specified topics and contexts;
Short lists of vocabulary and/or memorized words or phrases, learned formulae and patterns, generally 2-3 word utterances. / Content from Benchmark 1, plus:
Basic objects (e.g., classroom, household, personal)
Self (autobiographical)
Introductions
Family members
Pets
Calendar
Clock time
Alphabet
Shapes / Using memorized words and phrases; students demonstrate highly limited functional communicative ability. Given adequate time and familiar cues, may be able to exchange greetings, give their identity, and name a number of familiar objects from their immediate environment.
The student’s oral production consists of isolated words and perhaps a few high frequency phrases. Pronunciation inaccuracies and interference from the native language usually characterize speech. Those who are very accustomed to interacting with language learners understand them only with great difficulty.
Benchmark 1.3 – Interpersonal Mode - Speaking (approximates ACTFL Level Novice-Mid)