Beginning Stage - Year 1                

Beginning Stage - Year 2                                    

Intermediate Stage - Year 3                                                        

Intermediate Stage - Year 4                                                        

Advanced Stage - Year 5                                                           

Advanced Stage - Year 6                                                          

Advanced Placement                                       

The beginning stage of a second (foreign) language consists of 2 years of study with the target language. Students develop communication skills to function in everyday situations. In addition, the beginning stage also includes development of reading and writing skills and an appreciation of multicultural diversities. 

STANDARD I: The student should be able to speak and understand the second (foreign) language, learning the target language as a result of various instructional strategies which focus on oral proficiency activities and facilitate use of the language in familiar and unfamiliar situations to enhance vocabulary development, fluency, and communication skills.

PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES

Upon completion of beginning stage Year 1 course, the student should be able to:

• Use the target language in familiar situations
• Express greetings and make introductions
• Build a speaking vocabulary
• Use basic sentence patterns
• Use correct pronunciation in speech and in reading aloud
• Use the target language in common situations of everyday life
• Participate in guided conversations
• Create dialogues using everyday situations
• Use idiomatic expressions
• Respond appropriately to commands or questions
• Engage in simple conversations relevant to suggested content areas
• Describe various topics
• Express likes, dislikes, preferences
• Provide and request information
• Participate within a cooperative framework to practice content vocabulary and language structures
• Engage in communicative partner activities to practice proficiency structures
• Identify basic sounds in listening to discrimination exercises

STANDARD II: The student should be able to interact with printed material appropriate to the level of study and provide written communications consistent with the oral proficiency skills acquired in the target language.

PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES

Upon completion of the beginning stage Year 1 course, the student should be able to:

• Read level-appropriate material over familiar topics
• Read and write basic forms of communication such as shopping lists, postcards, and messages
• Practice reference skills using several resources

STANDARD III: The student should be able to demonstrate an appreciation and understanding of the culture and people of the target language based on an increased knowledge of historical, social, economical, and political events and issues that impact one's cultural heritage.

PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES

Upon completion of the beginning stage Year 1 course, the student should be able to:

• Use of target language to demonstrate knowledge of geography, history, belief systems, traditions, and customs
• Distinguish similarities and differences of the target language
• Compare the heritage of the target language countries with one’s own heritage
• Evaluate how learning another language will increase career opportunities and intercultural understanding
• Identify outstanding individuals from the target culture
• Participate in activities which promote involvement in the target language cultures

STANDARD I: The student should be able to speak and understand the second (foreign) language, learning the target language as a result of various instructional strategies which focus on oral proficiency activities and facilitate use of the language in familiar and unfamiliar situations to enhance vocabulary development, fluency, and communication skills.

PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES

Upon completion of the beginning stage Year 2 course, the student should be able to:

• Use mastery of functions described in Year 1
• Read a variety of selections aloud
• Expand speaking vocabulary
• Speak and understand the target language in familiar situations
• Respond to specific directions
• Initiate and respond to simple questions
• Identify main ideas after listening to a basic presentation
• Use basic sentence patterns
• Use idiomatic expressions
• Participate in guided conversations
• Retell a familiar event using suggested content expressions
• Describe various topics
• Create simple dialogues using everyday situations
• Provide language with increased accuracy
• Participate within a cooperative framework to reinforce content vocabulary and language structures
• Engage in communicative partner activities to practice proficiency structures
• Identify basic sounds in listening discrimination exercises
• Produce authentic pronunciation to include improvement of intonation, stress, rhythm, linking, and pitch

STANDARD II: The student should be able to interact with printed material appropriate to the level of study and provide written communications consistent with the oral proficiency skills acquired in the target language.

PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES

Upon completion of the beginning stage Year 2 course, the student should be able to:

• Improve mastery of functions described in Year 1
• Practice reference skills using a variety of research resources
• Expand reading vocabulary
• Write target language equivalents for basic expressions
• Write various forms of communication to include notes, invitations, and basic instructions
• Demonstrate reading comprehension skills in the written target language using authentic menus, maps, short articles, and graphs

STANDARD III: The student should be able to demonstrate an appreciation and understanding of the culture and people of the target language based on an increased knowledge of historical, social, economical, and political events and issues that impact one's cultural heritage.

PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES

Upon completion of the beginning stage Year 2 course, the student should be able to:

• Respond to questions about target language culture (s)
• Distinguish similarities and differences among cultures
• Discuss stereotypes about the target language countries
• Compare the heritage of the target language countries with one's own heritage
• Evaluate how learning another language will increase career opportunities and intercultural understanding
• Identify outstanding contributions from the target cultures
• Use of target language to demonstrate knowledge of geography, history, belief systems, traditions, and customs
• Participate in activities which promote involvement in target language cultures

Colors	Seasons
Home/Rooms	Buildings
Clothing	Shopping, stores
Holidays and festivals	Geography
Basic clothing	Directions
Time expressions	Personal care
Calendar	Courtesy and manners
School	Foods/beverages
Family members	Emotions/feelings
Transportation	Body parts
Health	Professions
Numbers	Animals
Weather	People and places
Cities/towns	Restaurants
Furniture	Environment
Travel	Sports/music
Hobbies	Entertainment

The intermediate stage of a second (foreign) language consists of approximately 2 years of involvement with the target language. The student continues to develop communication skills to sustain meaningful conversations on a variety of topics. In addition, the intermediate stage includes continual development of reading and writing skills in appropriate cultural contexts.
 

STANDARD I: The student should be able to speak and understand the second (foreign) language, learning the target language as a result of various instructional strategies which focus on oral proficiency activities and facilitate use of the language in familiar and unfamiliar situations to enhance vocabulary development, fluency, and communication skills.

PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES

Upon completion of the intermediate stage Year 3 course, the student should be able to:

• Initiate questions and responses
• Comprehend short conversations and narrative passages based on familiar situations of increasing length and structural complexity
• Discuss simple topics related primarily to self and immediate environment
• Read aloud with accuracy of intonation, rhythm, stress, linking and pitch
• Understand a variety of speakers
• Use idiomatic expressions with increased facility
• Use of complex sentence patterns
• Create conversations and short narratives paraphrasing familiar material
• Formulate answers to questions based on reading selections as well as personal experiences
• Explain unfamiliar topics with good use to explain unfamiliar main ideas and supporting details
• Participate within a cooperative framework to practice content vocabulary and language structure
• Engage in communicative partner activities to practice proficiency structures

STANDARD II: The student should be able to interact with printed material appropriate to the level of study and provide written communications consistent with the oral proficiency skills acquired in the target language.

PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES

Upon completion of the intermediate stage Year 3 course, the student should be able to:

• Read selections and answer questions
• Determine the main idea of a paragraph
• Identify and use idiomatic expressions
• Write variations of patterns previously learned
• Summarize familiar events in writing
• Read a variety of materials such as essays, short stories, newspapers, and magazine articles in the target language
• Express opinions on a specific topic

STANDARD III: The student should be able to demonstrate an appreciation and understanding of the culture and people of the target language based on an increased knowledge of historical, social, economical, and political events and issues that impact one's cultural heritage.

PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES

Upon completion of the intermediate stage Year 3 course, the student should be able to: 

• Identify significant current events
• Describe the ethnic diversity represented in the target language cultures
• Give opinions and discuss target language culture
• Explain the importance of selected historical events
• Respond with understanding and sensitivity to multicultural diversity

STANDARD I: The student should be able to speak and understand the second (foreign) language, learning the target language as a result of various instructional strategies which focus on oral proficiency activities and facilitate use of the language in familiar and unfamiliar situations to enhance vocabulary development, fluency, and communication skills.

PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES
Upon completion of the intermediate stage Year 4 course, the student should be able to:

• Form and use a variety of questioning techniques
• Comprehend the target language spoken at normal speed
• Create meaningful conversations in a variety of situations
• Compare and contrast concepts and ideas as well as concrete images
• Narrate and describe in major tenses
• Describe self and daily events in sustained discourse
• Speak in the target language with increasing ease, fluency, and accuracy
• Speak using proper grammar and syntax
• Initiate and maintain conversation in daily life situations
• Give opinions in conversations deriving main idea and details
• Explain narrations in conversations with good control, and some repetition

STANDARD II: The student should be able to interact with printed material appropriate to the level of study and provide written communications consistent with the oral proficiency skills acquired in the target language.

PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES

Upon completion of the intermediate stage Year 4 course, the student should be able to:

• Read and comprehend literature from a variety of genres
• Use basic structures to write coherent essays
• Compare and contrast concepts and ideas
• Express viewpoints on unfamiliar topics
• Write short compositions

STANDARD III: The student should be able to demonstrate an appreciation and understanding of the culture and people of the target language based on an increased knowledge of historical, social, economical, and political events and issues that impact one's cultural heritage.

PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES

Upon completion of the intermediate stage Year 4 course, the student should be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of linguistic and social values of the target culture through behavior and speech, e.g.; forms of address, gestures, personal space, dress
• Compare and contrast target culture diversity
• Experience the diversity of target language cultures, e.g., music, art, geography, traditions, history, political systems

History	Community
Art	Literature
Current Affairs	Advertisements
Music	Architecture
Civilization	Contemporary social issues
Travel	Geography
Shopping	Multicultural diversities
Career Choices	Sports
Health	Media
School	Communication systems
Leisure activities	Environment

The advanced stages consist of an additional 2 or 3 years of involvement in the target language. The student develops and refines oral proficiency skills in order to be able to function in a variety of situations with a high degree of accuracy and fluency. In addition, reading and writing are expanded to include a variety of literacy genres and written experimentations. The student also acquires a refined cultural understanding to function appropriately in different cultural settings.
 

STANDARD I: The student should be able to speak and understand the second (foreign) language, learning the target language as a result of various instructional strategies which focus on oral proficiency activities and facilitate use of the language in familiar and unfamiliar situations to enhance vocabulary development, fluency, and communication skills.

PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES

Upon completion of the advanced stage Year 5 course, the student should be able to: 

• Speak in the target language with increased ease, fluency, and accuracy
• Analyze and report on media presentations, social and political issues, and literary selections
• Initiate and participate in casual and formal conversations related to current events and routine situations
• Respond coherently and spontaneously to prompts and unexpected situations
• Sustain discourse on familiar and unfamiliar topics
• Discuss solutions to a variety of situations

STANDARD II: The student should be able to interact with printed material appropriate to the level of study and provide written communications consistent with the oral proficiency skills acquired in the target language.

PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES

Upon completion of the advanced stage Year 5 course, the student should be able to:

• Write proficiently using the target language in a variety of situations
• Apply grammatical conventions in complex exercises
• Write a composition based on a given topic
• Interpret the content of a written passage on an unfamiliar topic
• Analyze poetry and literary selections
• Compare and contrast themes from various selection of literature

STANDARD III: The student should be able to demonstrate an appreciation and understanding of the culture and people of the target language based on an increased knowledge of historical, social, economical, and political events and issues that impact one's cultural heritage.

PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES

Upon completion of the advanced stage Year 5 course, the student should be able to:

• Perform functions of the previous stages
• Defend cultural differences
• Describe the impact of the target cultures on other cultures of the world
• Discuss similarities and differences among cultures
• Discuss the impact of economics and politics on cultures

STANDARD I: The student should be able to speak and understand the second (foreign) language, learning the target language as a result of various instructional strategies which focus on oral proficiency activities and facilitate use of the language in familiar and unfamiliar situations to enhance vocabulary development, fluency, and communication skills.

PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES

Upon completion of the advanced stage Year 6 course, the student should be able to: 

• Speak in the target language with increased accuracy
• Create stories orally from pictorial cues
• Respond with fluency and accuracy to oral questions on familiar and unfamiliar topics
• Interpret the content of an oral presentation on an unfamiliar topic
• Distinguish among dialects of the target language
• Understand native speakers in various situations
• Interpret media presentations, such as lectures and films
• Discuss and interpret a variety of literary works
• Support and defend opinions

STANDARD II: The student should be able to interact with printed material appropriate to the level of study and provide written communications consistent with the oral proficiency skills acquired in the target language.

PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES

Upon completion of the advanced stage Year 6 course, the student should be able to:

• Apply grammatical conventions in complex exercises
• Write a detailed composition based on a given topic
• Interpret the content of a written passage on an unfamiliar topic
• Analyze poetry and literary selections
• Compare and contrast themes from various selections of literature.
• Read for knowledge in the foreign language
• Select reading materials written in the target language and related to individual interest
• Write reports and creative selections in the target language
• Translate, summarize and interpret literature in complex texts and in a variety of publications

STANDARD III: The student should be able to demonstrate an appreciation and understanding of the culture and people of the target language based on an increased knowledge of historical, social, economical, and political events and issues that impact one's cultural heritage.

PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES

Upon completion of the advanced stage Year 6 course, the student should be able to: 

• Analyze, appreciate, and interpret artists and their works
• Appropriately interact with people of the target culture
• Interpret world renowned authors, characters, or works of literature from the countries of the target language culture

STANDARD I: The student should be able to speak and understand the second (foreign) language, learning the target language as a result of various instructional strategies which focus on oral proficiency activities and facilitate use of the language in familiar and unfamiliar situations to enhance vocabulary development, fluency, and communication skills.

PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES

Upon completion of the advanced placement course, the student should be able to: 

• Speak in the target language with accuracy
• Create stories from pictorial cues
• Respond with fluency and accuracy to oral questions
• Interpret the content of an oral presentation on an unfamiliar topic
• Extract main ideas from formal presentations and be able to discuss and defend opinions
• Comprehend formal and informal spoken language
• Participate actively in discussions and lectures

STANDARD II: The student should be able to interact with printed material appropriate to the level of study and provide written communications consistent with the oral proficiency skills acquired in the target language.

PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES

Upon completion of the advanced placement course, the student should be able to: 

• Apply grammatical conventions in complex exercises
• Write a composition based on a given topic
• Interpret the content of a written passage on an unfamiliar topic
• Analyze poetry and literary selections
• Compare and contrast themes from various selections of literature

STANDARD III: The student should be able to demonstrate an appreciation and understanding of the culture and people of the target language based on an increased knowledge of historical, social, economical, and political events and issues that impact one's cultural heritage.

PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES

Upon completion of the advanced placement course, the student should be able to:

• Perform all functions of the previous stages
• Interpret world-renowned authors, characters, or works of literature from the countries of the target language culture

Art	Community
Politics	Famous people and places
Economics	Geography
Environmental issues	Architecture
Current affairs	Media
Music	Communication systems
Health	Advertisements
Multicultural diversities	Literature
Sports	Leisure activities

Updated November 16, 2001