Arlington has a robust performance-toward-proficency world languages program with thematic units that spiral from grades 6-12. Students have the choice of learning to communicate in French, Latin, Mandarin Chinese, or Spanish beginning in grades 6; Italian is an additional option at Arlington High School. 

Second Language Acquisition research has shown that learners need to be engaged in active, purposeful use of the target language in order to develop proficiency. For that reason, teachers use the target language for 90% or more of classroom time and progressively expect students to build that same capacity, at developmentally-appropriate levels.  Courses are therefore designed around cultural themes rather than around grammatical structures. See ACTFL for more information.

Our goals are aligned with the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for World Languages (2021):

Students will:

• Understand, interpret, and analyze what is heard, read, or viewed,

• Interact and negotiate meaning in spontaneous signed, spoken, or written conversations,

• Present information, concepts, and ideas,

• Interact appropriately with others in and from another culture,

• Gain cultural competence and understanding,

• Develop insight into the nature of language and culture,

• Connect with other disciplines and acquire information and diverse perspectives,

• Engage and responsibly collaborate with a variety of multilingual communities,

• Develop and employ social and emotional skills,

• Serve and lead in the community.

World Languages is a major academic area at the middle and high schools and is a core subject [MGL Part 1, Title XII, Ch. 69, Part 1D].

Modern language courses stress a communicative, proficiency-oriented approach in which interpretive, presentational, and interpersonal communication are the primary goals. While English may be necessary on occasion, the target language is the language of communication in these courses. Latin courses also deal with oral aspects of the language, but greater stress is on reading, grammar, and vocabulary development.

But, which language is right for me?