Elementary Foreign LanguageElementary Foreign Language Implementation Recommendations Elementary Foreign LanguageElementary Foreign Language Implementation Recommendations

Western Springs School District 101

January 2009

Western Springs School District 101

January 2009

A Brief History A Brief History

Board of Education Decisions Made in the Spring 2008 Foreign Language to begin in 2009-10 in grades 1-6 As part of the regular school day Extended student instructional day to begin 2008-09 Instruction will be based on FLES Model (Foreign Language

in Elementary Schools) & Best Practice research Implementation recommendations to be made to the Board

by an Internal Foreign Language Implementation Committee

Board of Education Decisions Made in the Spring 2008 Foreign Language to begin in 2009-10 in grades 1-6 As part of the regular school day Extended student instructional day to begin 2008-09 Instruction will be based on FLES Model (Foreign Language

in Elementary Schools) & Best Practice research Implementation recommendations to be made to the Board

by an Internal Foreign Language Implementation Committee

The Committee The Committee

Brian Barnhart, Superintendent Sal Pienschke, Elem. Art

Dan Chick, McClure Carrie Prevolos, Forest Hills

Courtney Douglas, McClure Brad Promisel, Field Park

Ann Fehser, Laidlaw Jen Rieck, Field Park

Mike Fustin, Asst Superintendent Lisa Schindler, Laidlaw

Dana Karney, McClure Marc Shulman, Laidlaw

Lori Melhart, Field Park/Laidlaw Ben Skoda, McClure

Nicole Modaff, Forest Hills Deb Spartz, Laidlaw

Mary Noe, Laidlaw Amy Wilkin, McClure

Suzanne Penn, McClure Julie Wilton, Laidlaw

Brian Barnhart, Superintendent Sal Pienschke, Elem. Art

Dan Chick, McClure Carrie Prevolos, Forest Hills

Courtney Douglas, McClure Brad Promisel, Field Park

Ann Fehser, Laidlaw Jen Rieck, Field Park

Mike Fustin, Asst Superintendent Lisa Schindler, Laidlaw

Dana Karney, McClure Marc Shulman, Laidlaw

Lori Melhart, Field Park/Laidlaw Ben Skoda, McClure

Nicole Modaff, Forest Hills Deb Spartz, Laidlaw

Mary Noe, Laidlaw Amy Wilkin, McClure

Suzanne Penn, McClure Julie Wilton, Laidlaw

The IssuesThe Issues

Time - Days per week and instructional minutes Space - Logistics of delivering instruction Personnel - Hiring and scheduling considerations Curriculum - Development, articulation, language

choices, grading/assessment, and homework Student Issues - Reading interventions and other

special considerations High School - Articulation, coordination, and

communication issues Communication - To various constituencies

Time - Days per week and instructional minutes Space - Logistics of delivering instruction Personnel - Hiring and scheduling considerations Curriculum - Development, articulation, language

choices, grading/assessment, and homework Student Issues - Reading interventions and other

special considerations High School - Articulation, coordination, and

communication issues Communication - To various constituencies

The Recommendations The Recommendations TIMETIMEGrades 1-5Grades 1-5

Three Spanish sessions per week, thirty minutes per session First-grade Spanish should begin second semester

Grade 6Grade 6 Five weekly sessions, forty-two minutes per session Exploratory Elective…

One semester of Spanish and one semester of Study Skills One semester of French and one semester of Study Skills One semester of Spanish and one semester of French No foreign language; Study skills for full year

Grades 7 & 8Grades 7 & 8 Five sessions per week, forty-two minutes per session Spanish & French…Standard and Advanced Placement

TIMETIMEGrades 1-5Grades 1-5

Three Spanish sessions per week, thirty minutes per session First-grade Spanish should begin second semester

Grade 6Grade 6 Five weekly sessions, forty-two minutes per session Exploratory Elective…

One semester of Spanish and one semester of Study Skills One semester of French and one semester of Study Skills One semester of Spanish and one semester of French No foreign language; Study skills for full year

Grades 7 & 8Grades 7 & 8 Five sessions per week, forty-two minutes per session Spanish & French…Standard and Advanced Placement

The Recommendations The Recommendations SPACE AND PERSONNELSPACE AND PERSONNELPersonnelPersonnel

Spanish instruction personnel in the amount of 2.7 to 3.0 FTE necessary (range is based on scheduling annually)

Increase from the 2.5 FTE projected last year during planning No additional French instructional personnel are necessary

Space ConsiderationsSpace Considerations Elementary foreign language will take place in students’ regular

classroom Junior High languages will be scheduled as in the past

SPACE AND PERSONNELSPACE AND PERSONNELPersonnelPersonnel

Spanish instruction personnel in the amount of 2.7 to 3.0 FTE necessary (range is based on scheduling annually)

Increase from the 2.5 FTE projected last year during planning No additional French instructional personnel are necessary

Space ConsiderationsSpace Considerations Elementary foreign language will take place in students’ regular

classroom Junior High languages will be scheduled as in the past

The Recommendations The Recommendations CURRICULUM ISSUESCURRICULUM ISSUESGrading/Assessment PracticesGrading/Assessment Practices

Grades 1-5: Rubric-based feedback to students and parents, based on foreign

language standards, cultural understanding, and student effort. No letter grades to be included on quarterly grade cards.

Grades 6-8: Standards-based reports, with letter grades for exploratory, standard,

and advanced placement level classes. Teacher recommendation should be part of sixth-grade assessment

practices for level placement as students enter seventh-grade.

CURRICULUM ISSUESCURRICULUM ISSUESGrading/Assessment PracticesGrading/Assessment Practices

Grades 1-5: Rubric-based feedback to students and parents, based on foreign

language standards, cultural understanding, and student effort. No letter grades to be included on quarterly grade cards.

Grades 6-8: Standards-based reports, with letter grades for exploratory, standard,

and advanced placement level classes. Teacher recommendation should be part of sixth-grade assessment

practices for level placement as students enter seventh-grade.

The Recommendations The Recommendations CURRICULUM ISSUES (cont.)CURRICULUM ISSUES (cont.)Homework RecommendationsHomework Recommendations

Grades 1-5: No homework, with rare exceptions Grade 6: Minimal homework expected, with an emphasis on

practice/reinforcement of skills, in lieu of homework to be “turned in.” Grades 7 & 8: Homework should parallel other core academic

classes at these grade-levels, based on Standard or Advanced Placement levels.

Development and ArticulationDevelopment and Articulation To begin immediately thru Assistant Superintendent’s office, including

present foreign language staff and new personnel to be hired Attention must be given to the fact that curricular expectations must

necessarily change annually for the first several years of implementation, due to students’ varying experience levels

CURRICULUM ISSUES (cont.)CURRICULUM ISSUES (cont.)Homework RecommendationsHomework Recommendations

Grades 1-5: No homework, with rare exceptions Grade 6: Minimal homework expected, with an emphasis on

practice/reinforcement of skills, in lieu of homework to be “turned in.” Grades 7 & 8: Homework should parallel other core academic

classes at these grade-levels, based on Standard or Advanced Placement levels.

Development and ArticulationDevelopment and Articulation To begin immediately thru Assistant Superintendent’s office, including

present foreign language staff and new personnel to be hired Attention must be given to the fact that curricular expectations must

necessarily change annually for the first several years of implementation, due to students’ varying experience levels

The Recommendations The Recommendations SPECIFIC STUDENT ISSUESSPECIFIC STUDENT ISSUESStudents Receiving Reading Intervention ServicesStudents Receiving Reading Intervention Services

Tier III Interventions Students will receive their Tier III intervention services (up to 150

additional minutes, weekly) in lieu of foreign language in grades 1-5. Formal declination of reading intervention services is the final decision of

parents, as is presently the case. All Other Students….

All students not receiving Tier III intervention services will receive elementary foreign language instruction.

SPECIFIC STUDENT ISSUESSPECIFIC STUDENT ISSUESStudents Receiving Reading Intervention ServicesStudents Receiving Reading Intervention Services

Tier III Interventions Students will receive their Tier III intervention services (up to 150

additional minutes, weekly) in lieu of foreign language in grades 1-5. Formal declination of reading intervention services is the final decision of

parents, as is presently the case. All Other Students….

All students not receiving Tier III intervention services will receive elementary foreign language instruction.

In Summary In Summary

The foreign language committee believes implementation guided by these principles will allow for a smooth and meaningful implementation of elementary foreign language, while maximizing the continued effectiveness of the present curricular offerings.

Questions?

The foreign language committee believes implementation guided by these principles will allow for a smooth and meaningful implementation of elementary foreign language, while maximizing the continued effectiveness of the present curricular offerings.

Questions?