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What is FLES? It's an acronym for Foreign Language in the Elementary School. It is a model for teaching world languages in the elementary classroom. We take a balanced approach in our pedagogy, combining elements of second language acquisition and elementary education best practices.
Students learn several characters each lesson, simple sentences, learn about Chinese culture, compare Chinese culture with other cultures, learn songs in Chinese, play games and create projects.
In a traditional world language class, where students meet everyday for an entire school year, students are expected improve their proficiency by one ACTFL proficiency level each year. In FLES programs such as ours, students approach the Novice Low level by grade 4.
POB Elementary FLES Program
Grades 1 - 4: Mandarin Chinese
Classes meet once on a six (6) day cycle
Total language instruction: 30 days annually
Common terms in World Language Instruction
FLES (Foreign Language in the Elementary School): Provides quality language instruction in foreign languages to children in pre- to middle school grades. Concentrate on listening, speaking skills and cultural awareness. Ultimate goal is functional proficiency in a foreign language (according to NYSAFLT)
FLEX (Foreign Language Exploratory Program): Focus on multicultural awareness. Taught in English, proficiency not achieved (according to NYSAFLT)
Immersion: Immersion programs are the most intensive, in that all or part of the curricular content is learned in the target language. Students spend 50–100% of the school day learning subject matter in the target language, which becomes acquired as it is used for learning, exploring, presenting, and discussing subject matter content (according to ACTFL)
ACTFL - American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages: founded in 1967. Providing vision, leadership, and support for quality teaching and learning of languages, ACTFL is an individual membership organization of more than 13,000 language educators and administrators from elementary through graduate education, as well as government and industry.
NYSAFLT - New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers: founded in 1917. Its purpose was, and remains, to serve the needs of the profession dedicated to the development of second language skills and cultural awareness among students. The creation of NYSAFLT marked an important step in enabling schools to give their students an informed and sensitive global perspective in an era of international turmoil.
NYSAWLA - New York State Association of World Language Administrators: is a professional organization that supports World Language leaders with professional development, advocacy efforts, access to resources and the development and administration of Regional Checkpoint A and B Language Exams. Its members traditionally have been World Language Supervisors, Chairpersons or other school administrators.
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