Kindergarten World Language Experience Planning Templates
World Language Experience Journal
As you begin developing a “World Language Experience” for your kindergarteners, a good place to start is by journaling the practices you are already incorporating into your classroom. Take a few minutes each week to reflect on how you brought the world into your classroom, what you liked best about the experience, and what you’d think about doing next time. At the end of the year, use this journal to plan for the following year. Map out what types of experiences you want to provide based on your experiences from this year.
Examples:
Date / World Language Experience / What I Liked Best / Ideas for Next Time1/26/2009
15 minutes / Parents of our Chinese students brought in Mandarin oranges as a treat to celebrate Chinese New Year. They explained that the fruit’s name "jīn jí" is a homophone of "golden luck" or "gold and fortune."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Chinese_New_Year / The children liked the fruit and were surprised that something that we eat in America is actually very traditional in China. They had fun learning to say jīn jí. / · Try some other foods used for Chinese New Year’s.
· Teach them some more traditions associated with this important holiday.
2/5/2009
20 minutes / Mrs. Gomez, our IA who speaks fluent Spanish, came into our class and taught the children how to count to 10 in Spanish. Then she gave them each a card with a number on it and had them recite the numbers in order (each child standing up when it was time to say “their” number). / The children liked learning how to say the Spanish words (especially rolling the r in cuatro). They were very attentive and laughing. / · Make this activity a regular routine in the classroom (2-3 times a week).
· Teach them numbers up to 20 a little later in the year.
Your Journal…
Date / World Language Experience / What I Liked Best / Ideas for Next TimeLanguage Profile for Choosing the Language
Create a Language Profile for your school by putting an “X” in the column(s) where you have language assets in your community, among your students, and/or among your school staff.
Use the Language Profile to help you choose a language for your program.
Spanish
French
German
Japanese
Chinese – Mandarin
Chinese – Cantonese
Russian
Ukrainian
Vietnamese
Somali
Other…
Other…
What language(s) have you decided to teach and why?
Program Matrix for Choosing the Program Type
Review the Program Matrix and select the model that will work best for your school at this time.
Program Model / Goals / TimeEarly Language Experience / · Develop interest in learning languages
· Learn some basic words and phrases in the new language
· Develop careful listening skills
· Develop cultural and linguistic awareness / Occasional, short duration
Early Language Classes / · Acquire some proficiency in listening and speaking
· Acquire some proficiency in reading and writing
· Acquire understanding and appreciation of other cultures
· Possibly: use subject content as a way to learn the new language / At least 75 minutes total per week, meeting 2-3 times per week or more
Language Immersion / · Master subject content taught in the new language
· Become functionally proficient in listening, speaking, reading, and writing
· Acquire understanding and appreciation of other cultures / 50% - 100% of day spent in the new language
Adapted from “Early Foreign Language Program Goals” from LANGUAGES AND CHILDREN: MAKING THE MATCH by Curtain and Pesola, Copyright © 1994, 1998 by Longman Publishing Group, reprinted by the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) at: http://www.cal.org/earlylang/progdev/chart.html (accessed 8/19/2008)
Note: In the field of foreign/world languages,
Early Language Experience is usually called FLEX “Foreign Language Experience.”
Early Language Classes are usually called FLES “Foreign Language in Elementary School.”
Language Immersion may be Partial Immersion, Two-Way Immersion (or two-way bilingual, dual language), or Total Immersion. For more information, see: http://www.k12.wa.us/WorldLanguages/DualImmersion.aspx.
Which model have you decided to follow and why?
Selection Matrix for Selecting the Teacher
Based on the program model you’ve selected, review the teacher qualifications that are essential for that model.
Program Model / Teacher QualificationsEarly Language Experience / Can Introduce the Language
Engages Young Learners
Early Language Classes / Knows Language Acquisition
Speaks the Language Well
(Can Teach Content)
Engages Young Learners
Language Immersion / K-8 or Elementary Certification
Knows Language Acquisition
Fluent in the Language
Can Teach Content in the Language
Engages Young Learners
Which teacher qualifications have you selected and why?
http://www.k12.wa.us/WorldLanguages/WorldLanguageExperiences.aspx Version 2013.07 2