FLTF Recommendation

The FLTF provided its recommendation to the BOE at the November 29, 2011 Board of Education Meeting.  It included a Mature Model State and a First Stage State for implementation in Fall 2012.  The FLTF recognizes that programs cannot be dropped in at the snap of one's fingers and that there are many items currently being considered at the district level.  As a result, the task force included a recommended First Stage Model to assist with the transition and the eventual movement to the End State recommendation.  Please click here and then select "Minutes & Agendas" and select 11/29/11 Regular Meeting, Agenda Packet, to locate and read a copy of the recommendation presentation.  Slide 8 and 29 specifically outline the End State and First Stage, Fall 2012 recommendation.

Benchmarking

The FLTF used benchmarking not to drive decision making, but to understand the flavor of the foreign language experiences offered at other schools.  Please see http://www.docstoc.com/docs/105215716/FLTF-Benchmarking for results.

FAQ 6: What did the Foreign Language Task Force (FLTF) decide?

The FLTF does not make a decision about the foreign language programming at Oak Grove School (OGS).  

At the November 29, 2011 Board of Education (BOE) Meeting, the FLTF will present its recommendation to the Board for a foreign language program at Oak Grove School that is best aligned with the mission, the strategic plan, and is supported by stakeholders. 

The work the task force has focused on to date is very involved.  In addition to establishing itself as a working team, the last four months have involved research and communication planning.  Task force members have benchmarked other schools, performed research on delivery formats, language selection criteria, critical learning periods, impacts to other academic areas, attended lectures by foreign language experts, and worked to establish a variety of communication avenues with stakeholders.  

The more recent focus of the task force is to share information learned to date with all stakeholders so they can thoughtfully consider and provide feedback about what foreign language outcomes they expect for Oak Grove students.  Information is available in the following ways:

• The FLTF Blog located at http://foreignlanguagetaskforce.blogspot.com/, you can also access the FLTF Blog via the Oak Grove School website homepage at www.ogschool.org by clicking on the icon.
• Ask a FLTF Ambassador - All FLTF members and people in the community passionate about foreign language have volunteered to be a FLTF Ambassador and wear buttons to identify themselves as such.  Please feel free to walk up and ask any of these people questions related to the upcoming recommendation regarding foreign language
• Wednesday, September 14th, 2011 at 7pm in the Patt Gym an Oak Grove School Town Hall will be held concerning curriculum.  A portion of this meeting will be dedicated to foreign language, what the task force has learned, and what stakeholders should consider in foreign language programs at Oak Grove School.
• Take the Survey! - At the end of September, after both the Curriculum Town Hall and the Finance Town Hall, a survey will be rolled out to D68 stakeholders to better understand priorities at OGS and to understand stakeholder expectations about foreign language outcomes for the students.  Provide your input as this impacts you and the current generation we educate.

• FLTF2011@gmail.com - Send an email to this address, dedicated to answering questions about foreign language.  All questions and answers will be posted on the FLTF Blog.

Again, the Foreign Language Task Force will present its recommendation to the Board of Education at the November 29, 2011 Board Meeting.  Become familiar with the information through the above avenues and participate in the 9/14/11 Town Hall and subsequent survey!

Town Hall, Wednesday, September 14th, 7pm

Join the Oak Grove Community this Wednesday in a Town Hall about Curriculum at Oak Grove School!

Topics will include:

1. 2011 - 2012 District Goals
2. Forthcoming State of Illinois changes to K - 8 Curriculum
3. Foreign Language - components to consider in a foreign language program
4. Introduction and Timing of the Board and Education (BOE) and Foreign Language Task Force (FLTF) Survey
5. Q&A

Participate in this Town Hall Discussion on Wednesday, September 14th at 7pm at Oak Grove School in the Patt Gym.  This impacts you and how current Oak Grove students are educated!

What Foreign Language(s) Should Be Taught at OGS?

“Vulcan!  It is the most common language spoken in the world!”  

“Jawaese!  It is a language much more likely to be needed in the future!”

“Rodian!  It is essential to our children’s academic growth!”  

“Adorii would be great to have based on our global economy!”  

“Tuskan!  It is important from a national security standpoint!”  

“Borg is not relevant in today’s world!”

Although the above conversational quotes discussing language selection are meant to be humorous, they are also meant to illustrate how passionate and emotional the discussion around language selection can be.  When designing a foreign language program, determining which language(s) will be taught is potentially the most controversial issue.  Some experts go so far to recommend this decision be the last one made in order to keep the issue from becoming divisive.  We all have reasons as to why we believe a particular language should be taught.  Ultimately though, we are aware that finite time and resources mean we cannot teach every language and a choice needs to be made.

So what is the criteria that should be considered when selecting a foreign language(s) to be taught in a particular school?

Local Demographic Influence - The various languages spoken in and around the school’s community may want to be considered.  Opportunity for use outside the classroom provides some benefit and students already fluent in the target language can play important roles in the classroom, enhancing the classroom experience and providing an opportunity for those students to further build self-esteem.

Stakeholder Input - Understanding the thoughts and opinions of the school’s stakeholders is important.  

Availability to regularly recruit certified teaching staff in the target language(s) -  The best foreign language program in the nation can be designed for a school, but if the school does not have a pool of certified teachers who speak the target language to regularly recruit from, the program will not be sustainable over the long term.

National demographic trends - Understanding the future demographic make up of a nation and how that nation is positioned globally can play a role in language selection in order to help prepare students for the world they will navigate as adults.

Geographically influenced language choice - Different parts of the country have different exposure to cultures and languages that may want to be considered.  For example, many foreign language offerings in the Pacific Northwest of the Unites States are Japanese and Russian based the proximity of those countries to that area as compared to other parts of the United States.

All are important criteria to consider and discuss when choosing a foreign language(s) to teach at a school.  In addition to the above, it is also important to be aware of these primary factors:

“Language experts state that the specific language [taught] is not critical.  It is the early introduction [of the language] and selecting a language where there are available teachers skilled in the language.”

- Helena Curtain
Internationally recognized Expert on Second Language Teaching Methodology
Former Foreign Language Curriculum Specialist, Milwaukee Public Schools
Former Elementary, Middle/Junior High, and High School Foreign Language Teacher

NOTE: The illustrative conversation at the beginning of the article is based on parent comments from the March 2011 Foreign Language Survey.  In order to not bias the foreign language selection discussion, actual languages were replaced with languages from Star Trek and the Star Wars Trilogy.

FAQ 5: Why is CES French not offered in 6th grade any longer?

There was some concern regarding providing a foreign language
(French) that was only available to the students who were in the CES
program, but was not available to other students. Since we wanted to
enhance our entire foreign language program, it was recommended to the
Board that beginning with the 2011-2012 year, we suspend entry of 6th
graders into  the CES French program.  As the current CES French
opportunity is a three year program commitment, this change will allow
implementation flexibility for the future. Students already participating
in the CES French program will continue this program in 7th and 8th grade.

FAQ 4:How is Declining Student Enrollment going to Impact the Foreign Language Offering and Other Program Offerings at OGS?

The scope of this question goes beyond the purview of the FLTF.  It has
been forwarded to Dr. Matthews.  The administration will address this at the
Town Hall meeting on September 14th and in other communications.

FAQ 3: What does OGS offer today in Foreign Language?

Grades K - 3: No foreign language instruction is provided.

Grades 4 and 5: Spanish is offered in an Exposure (FLEX) format

Grade 6: French is offered in an Exposure (FLEX) format

Grade 7: High School Spanish 1 (part 1)*

Grade 8: High School Spanish 1 (part 2)*

*Current CES French students in 7th and 8th grade continue to be on track to complete High School French 2 by graduation.

For more information on the above referenced instructional formats, please see the article posted on the FLTF Blog http://foreignlanguagetaskforce.blogspot.com/ titled “Foreign Language Delivery Formats.”

FAQ 2: Is Chinese Going to be Offered at OGS?

At this time we don’t know if Chinese will be offered at OGS, or if there will be a change to the current languages taught (Spanish and French) at OGS.  The Foreign Language Task Force (FLTF) is scheduled to provide its recommendation to the Board of Education (BOE) at the November 29, 2011 meeting.  Language selection will be considered and will be a part of that recommendation.

When selecting a foreign language for a program, there are a number of criteria factors to consider including: local demographic influence, stakeholder input, availability of certified teaching staff in the target language, future and current demographic trends, and geographic influence.  More detailed information about these criteria factors will be posted to the FLTF blog in approximately one week.  

http://foreignlanguagetaskforce.blogspot.com/   Please check back for details!

Stakeholders of the school have the ability to provide their input by attending the Curriculum Town Hall at OGS on Wednesday, September 14th at 7pm and through participation in a OGS survey about programatic priorities which will launch in late September.  Please participate via these methods as this impacts both you and your child!

National Standards - Foreign Language

When the Foreign Language Task Force (FLTF) researched the national standards for when and how foreign language education should be taught, it was discovered there are no national standards for these two items.  However, there is great support from the science and academic communities, supported by research, regarding how important foreign language is during the elementary years.  Many of these topics are discussed in the various articles posted on this blog.

A task force created through a grant from the US Department of Education and the National Endowment for the Humanities has created the Standards for Foreign Language Learning: Preparing for the 21st Century, first published in 1996.  This continuing project is a collaboration of many groups.  Based on the Standards for Foreign Language Learning: Preparing for the 21st Century and supported by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), the following standards (or 5 C’s) have been used as a guide to develop many foreign language programs in the United States:

The 5 C’s - Standards for Foreign Language Learning

Communication - Communicate in Languages Other than English

• Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions and exchange opinions
• Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics
• Students present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics

Cultures - Gain Knowledge and Understanding of Other Cultures

• Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied

Connections - Connect with Other Disciplines and Acquire Information

• Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language
• Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the foreign language and its cultures

Comparisons - Develop Insight into the Nature of Language and Culture

• Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language and the concept of culture through comparisons of the language studied and their own

Communities - Participate in Multilingual Communities at Home and Around the World

• Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting
• Students show evidence of becoming life-long learners by using the language for personal enjoyment and enrichment

For more information on the “5 C’s” please visit http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3392

Who Do I Contact with Questions About the Foreign Language Task Force (FLTF)?

Please send your questions and comments to FLTF2011@gmail.com.

There will also be an opportunity to ask foreign language related questions at the Curriculum Town Hall meeting on Wednesday, September 14th at 7pm at Oak Grove School.

Bibliography References

Below please find the bibliographic references referred to in various printed materials produced by the FLTF.

Hakuta, Kenji. (1986) Cognitive Development of Bilingual Children. Los Angeles University of California Center for Language Education and Research, ERIC Digest, EDRS ED 278 260.

Saville-Troike, M. (1984). “What Really Matters in Second Language for Academic Achievement?” TESOL Quarterly.

Curtain, H.A. & Peolsa, C. A. (1988). “Languages and Children—making the Match.” Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing.

The College Board. (2004). 2004 College-Bound Seniors: A Profile of SAT Program Test-Takers. New York, NY: College Entrance Examination Board, 2004, Table 3-3, pg. 5

Stepping Toward Success

Understanding what has been done in the past allows others to recreate successful practices and avoid costly missteps. So what are the steps to consider in regard to a foreign language experience in a K - 8 environment, especially when one size does not fit all across the United States?

Many resources comment on this topic. Below are some of the most frequently discussed success elements and obstacles regarding foreign language programs in research materials available today:

Common Success Factors:

• The connection between language and culture is made explicit, and foreign language is implemented within a cultural context. Cultural awareness and understanding are explicit goals of the program.
• An ongoing program of professional development should allow teachers to advance in their levels of language, culture, and instruction.
• Program incorporates the five (5) C’s: Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, Communities.
• Sufficient resources to carry out program.
• Well-planned curricula, designed to meet program goals.
• Instruction is appropriate to the developmental level of the students and consistent with program outcomes and current professional practices.
• Program goals are consistent with the amount of time actually provided for instruction.
• Community and Administration support.

Common Obstacles:

• Inadequate design and/or lack of funding.
• Inappropriate or unrealistic goals.
• Lack of availability of competent foreign language teachers who have experience in teaching their target age group.
• Lack of progress in proficiency - observations of early language programs often reveal that children are faced with repetitions of the same content presented in the same way from one year to the next.
• Lack of coordination and articulation across levels of instruction.
• Inappropriate teaching methodologies for the target age group.
• Assuming the student’s foreign language exposure is only in the classroom, students will not be able to achieve a higher degree of fluency than their teacher.
• Inadequate or insufficient instructional materials.
• Lack of evaluation procedures for students, teachers, and the foreign language program.

Interested in further information on this topic? Please see the source material section below.

Source Material for Above Summary

American Council for Teaching Foreign Languages, “Characteristics of Effective Programs,” http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3655

Gilzow, Douglas F., Foreign Service Institute, (December 2002) Center for Applied Linguistics, Early Foreign Language Programs: Key Elements

Tucker, Richard G., Carnegie Mellon University and Donato, Richard, University of Pittsburgh, Center for Applied Linguistics (August 2001) “Implementing a District-Wide Foreign Language Program: A Case Study of Acquisition Planning and Curricular Innovation”

Rosenbusch, Marcia H., National K-12 Foreign Language Resource Center, Iowa State University, American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, “Guidelines for Starting an Elementary Foreign Language Program” http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3654

Frequently Asked Questions 1

Q. Is the new After School French Program offered to 2nd and 3rd graders a part of the FLTF and was that the recommendation put forth?

A. No, the FLTF continues to focus on a long term recommendation to the Board of Education to be delivered at the November 2011 BOE meeting. In the meantime, the BOE asked the administration to explore other avenues for foreign language exposure for 2nd and 3rd grades in the 2011 - 2012 school year. As a result, the school contacted Ashleigh Grambo to run an after school program. Mrs. Grambo has taught French in the Chicago Public Schools for 10 years and most recently was a substitute teacher at Oak Grove School during Madame Coyne's maternity leave last school year. We are excited she was able to develop and provide this opportunity. If you are the parent of a 2nd or 3rd grader and interested in this after school program, please see the Oak Grove News virtual backpack or send an email to frenchafterschool@yahoo.com for more information.

21st Century Children and the Role of Foreign Language

According to the Partnership for 21st Century skills, “Every child in the U.S. needs 21st Century knowledge and skills to succeed as effective citizens, workers and leaders. This can be accomplished by fusing the three Rs and four Cs. To successfully face rigorous higher education coursework, career challenges and a globally competitive workforce, U.S. schools must align classroom environments with real world environments by fusing the three Rs and four Cs:

• The three Rs include: English, reading or language arts; mathematics; science; foreign languages; civics; government; economics; arts; history; and geography.
• The four Cs include: critical thinking and problem solving; communication, collaboration; and creativity and innovation.”

Recognizing the need to close the gap between the knowledge and skills most students learn in school and the knowledge and skills they need in typical 21st Century communities and workplaces, Oak Grove School identified “Studying, Selecting, and Integrating 21st Century Skills” as a major component of its Strategic Plan. Research supports foreign language and global awareness are important pieces of 21st Century skills.

Increasingly we hear key leaders outline the imperative for the United States to “strengthen its language policy”, that other nations recognize they operate in a global economy and that “understanding other societies and cultures is both valuable in its own right and necessary to be competitive”, and that the “line between domestic and international issues is increasingly blurred.” If this is the world of our 21st Century children, how does foreign language support their success in that world?

According to Advocacy Chair of the California Language Teacher’s Association, Nicole Naditz, “World language programs also provide one of the only avenues for students to explore the diverse perspectives that shape how others in the world respond to situations within and beyond their communities....If we aren’t providing language and cultural education to our students, are we really preparing them to assume roles in the global society they are inheriting? Can we claim to have graduated students with a full complement of 21^st century skills if they can’t communicate in the languages their future employers need? What about the languages needed by our community organizations? Or those needed during these times of increased concern for national security? How are we preparing our students to interact in positive and productive ways with those from cultures different from their own?”

Interested in reading more about the Partnership for 21st Century Skills or the California Language Teacher’s Association? Click on the following links: http://www.p21.org http:/www.clta.net

Note: The American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) has “5 C’s” they refer to when teaching foreign language. Although similarities exist in the category definition, they are different and define the manner in which each group organizes their materials, standards, and goals.

Foreign Language - Acquisition, Academics and Attitudes

Did you know as humans we have a “critical period” for learning new languages? Take a look at the attached graph. (Picture is a representation of the graph referenced and discussed in this video link) It illustrates there is a ‘critical period’ to begin language acquisition. Beginning after the age of 7, our ability to learn a new language begins to drop off. After puberty, our abilities are far more limited.

The FLTF spent considerable time researching foreign language. One theme which presented itself was the outcome foreign language study has on other areas of academic learning and achievement, as well as the impact it has on the development of attitudes towards other cultures. The information available on this subject is enormous. Highlighted below are some research summaries that may be of interest to readers.

• Comparison of FLES children starting language in Grade 1 - Grade 6 as compared to monolingual peers in Grade 6 revealed higher scores in divergent thinking. (Landry 1974)

Landry, R.G. (1974). A comparison of second language learners and monolinguals on divergent thinking tasks at the elementary school level. "Modern Language Journal

• Comparison of 6th Grade FLES students to English-only controls showed an increased level of metacognitive processing, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. (Foster and Reeves 1989)

Foster, K. M., & Reeves, C. K. (1989). Foreign Language in the Elementary School (FLES) improves cognitive skills. FLES News

• A study of 13,200 3rd graders and 5th graders in Louisiana Public Schools revealed that, regardless of race, gender, or academic level, children taking foreign language classes did better on the English section of the Louisiana Basic Skills Test than those who did not. (Dumas 1999)

Dumas, L.S., Learning a Second Language: Exposing Your Child to a New World of Words Boosts Her Brainpower, Vocabulary, and Self-Esteem, Child, February 1999, 72, 74, 76-77, summarizing Rafferty, E.A., Second Language Study and Basic Skills in Louisiana (Louisiana Dep’t of Educ. 1986) (in study of 13,200 3rd-5th graders studying French 30 minutes per day achieved significantly higher scores on the Basic Skills Language Arts Test than non-participants, regardless of gender, academic level or race).

• Grade 3, one semester of FLES Spanish - math and language arts scores improved compared to the control group (Armstrong and Rogers 1997)

Armstrong, P.W. and J.D. Rogers. (1997). Basic Skills Revisited: The Effects of Foreign Language Instruction on Reading, Math and Language Arts.” Learning Languages, Spring. (*"Presents a study that provides quantitative and qualitative evidence of the effect of foreign language education upon the basic skills of elementary students, with the hope that such evidence will provide information and assistance to parents and educators who are investigating the benefits of elementary school foreign language programs.")

• Mastering the vocabulary of a second language enhances student comprehension and abilities in reading, writing, mathematics and other subjects. (Saville-Troike 1984)

Saville-Troike, M. (1984). "What Really Matters in Second Language Learning for Academic Achievement?" TESOL Quarterly

• Research suggests that attitudes about other groups and peoples are formed by the age of 10 and are often shaped between the ages of four and eight. Learning a language at a young age helps connect a child with another culture while they are still open-minded and have not yet begun to restrict their views of others whom they perceive to be different. (Curtain & Pesola 1988)

Curtain, H. A. & Pesola, C. A. (1988). "Languages and children—Making the match." Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company.

Research continues not only for school-aged children, but a lot of research is directed towards infants as well. The attached video link highlights some of the things being learned about language and babies and where the answers to those research questions could lead us in the future. Enjoy!

The History of Foreign Language in the United States

Adapted from History of Foreign Language by Leon Panetta, view full article

Leon Panetta is the current United States Secretary of Defense and was the Director of the CIA from 2009 - 2011. He was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1977 - 1993. He is the founder of California State University’s Panetta Institute and served as President Bill Clinton’s Chief of Staff from 1994 - 1997. The attached article was given as an address at the 1999 Stanford University Foreign Language Summit.

Late 1700’s/Early 1800’s:

• US was a multi-lingual society, able to exist peacefully around issues of language learning & use
• Little local or federal policy existed
• Immigrants maintained native language skills & learned English
• Native English speakers hired private tutors to study other languages
• Modern language learning was viewed as a skill

Mid 1800’s

• Native American languages did not fare well
• Children were forbidden to speak native languages
• Despite these issues, the wave of immigration from Europe forced local schools to teach in native languages & English

Circa 1900

• Efforts began to extend language programs into elementary schools
• Standards were established and models created

WWI

• Unprecedented levels of xenophobia rose in the US
• Native language speakers (other than English) were forbidden to be spoken
• Foreign language newspapers were eliminated
• Foreign language programs were eliminated
• The “new ethic” in the US became “Americanization” for national unity
• English was mandated in New Mexico schools
• Citizenship started being denied to immigrants unable to speak English

WWII

• The US found itself at a disadvantage in the war because Americans were unable to communicate in languages other than English
• The Army Language Method was developed

1950’s

• The National Defense Education Act passed providing federal funds to adopt the Army Language Method in schools and colleges

Late 1960’s/Early 1970’s

• Federal funding began to decline
• Local schools districts needed to make tough decisions about curriculum
• Foreign language programs were unable to be assessed, creating a perception students were not gaining anything from the programs
• Foreign language programs quickly declined
• College entrance requirements for foreign language were eliminated in some major universities, foreign language enrollments plummeted
• Elementary school language programs virtually disappeared

Late 1970’s/Early1980’s

• Interest in early education foreign language climbed
• New information about the way Americans in the Foreign Service and Peace Corps developed speaking proficiency came to light
• Proficiency guidelines were created
• Interest began in how to cope with the language needs of linguistic minorities

Beyond the 1980’s

• Progress in FL programs remains slow
• The most long standing elementary programs are a result of local initiatives
• Regardless of the program model adopted, districts face challenges in finding teachers adequately prepared in foreign languages and an understanding of student learners
• In the absence of a national curriculum and policy, school districts have implemented or eliminated programs without research and program assessment based on finances
• Joint National Committee for Languages and the National Council for Languages and International Studies (JNCL-NCLIS) outline and propose policy strategies in order to advance foreign language proficiency outcomes among all U.S. students (2009)

Foreign Language Delivery Formats

Did you know there are different ways to teach foreign language to students? Each delivery format meets different outcomes based on the goals of a defined foreign language program.

Essentially, there are three different ways to deliver foreign language instruction. No format is considered “good” or “bad” as it depends on the program goals of each particular language program and the resources available to meet those goals. Is fluency the goal? Or, is a broad understanding of the culture a goal? Or, is the goal something else entirely? Immersion, Integration, and Exposure are the three main foreign language delivery formats and each of these formats can be further split into sub-categories.

Immersion Programs deliver language instruction in the new language at least 50% of the day. Therefore, subject area instruction (such as math, history, etc.) is taught in the new language. A version of this format is typically used when high fluency levels are a program goal, but for this program format to be successful, this option requires classroom teachers to be fluent in the new language. Typically a school that chooses an immersion program focuses on that particular language during the student’s entire enrollment at the school.

Foreign Language Experience (FLEX) Programs (also referred to as Exposure Programs) fulfill the goal of exposing students to one or more languages and cultures. Ideally they create enthusiasm and motivate students to pursue further study of foreign language. Exposure programs are not meant to develop foreign language proficiency. With exposure as the goal, this model can help alleviate human resource, financial, and time constraints.

Integration or FLES (Foreign Language in the Elementary School) Programs aim for some level of language proficiency. This format typically follows a sequenced learning structure from understanding to speaking to reading to writing. The focus of these programs is on the development of listening, speaking, and cultural awareness. As a result, classes are typically taught as a distinct subject matter. The format may be content based (the teacher must teach the foreign language and the subject content, e.g. math, social studies, etc.) or content aligned (the teacher reinforces what is taught in class and the foreign language instructor is not responsible for teaching content.)

Oak Grove School has been offering foreign language to students in some format for twenty or more years. As of Fall 2011, Oak Grove School offers the following in foreign language instruction:

Grade 4: Spanish in an Exposure (FLEX) Format

Grade 5: Spanish in an Exposure (FLEX) Format

Grade 6: French in an Exposure (FLEX) Format

Grade 7: High School Spanish Level 1 (part 1)*

Grade 8: High School Spanish Level 1 (part 2)*

No foreign language instruction is offered in K - 3.

*Current CES French students in 7th and 8th grade continue to be on track to complete High School French 2 by graduation.

This brief summary is solely meant to provide a general overview of the main types of foreign language delivery formats. If you are interested in a more detailed summary description and/or the related source documents, please click here for more information. Once at the linked document, click on the FLTF Delivery Matrix icon.

Welcome to the Foreign Language Task Force Blog

Welcome to the Oak Grove School Foreign Language Task Force blog.  The purpose of this blog is to regularly communicate the progress of the Task Force to the parents and residents of the Oak Grove School District 68.   The Task Force was formed in April 2011.  The group includes parents, teachers, administrators, and a member of the Board. The purpose of the committee is to research Foreign Language best practices and make a recommendation to the Board of Education by the middle of the school year.  The Task Force adopted the following mission at its May meeting:

Mission of the Foreign Language Task Force

In support of the goals of 21st Century Skills, we believe Oak Grove should provide students a foreign language program that incorporates best practices to prepare them to communicate successfully as citizens in the global community.

Research and report to the Board of Education best practices to teach languages in our K-8 environment. Prepare recommendation regarding Foreign Language Curriculum and present to the Board of Education.

Do you have thoughts that you would like to share with the Foreign Language Task Force?  You can leave questions or comments on this blog or contact us at FLTF2011@gmail.com.