Our learning community strives to develop students as global citizens who communicate in world languages; are curious to explore; and appreciate other cultures while embracing new challenges.
Ridgefield Public Schools Middle School World Language department offers French and Spanish in grades 6-8.
We believe in a holistic language learning experience for all students that includes study in: the target language, cultural context, and authentic experiences.
Communication/Language Acquisition
Embracing Cultures
Exploration
(https://www.actfl.org/sites/default/files/news/AligningCCSSLanguageStandards.pdf)
I. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (ELA) and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects
II. World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages
The Common Core strands of Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening are captured in the standards for learninglanguages’ goal area of Communication, by emphasizing the purpose behind the communication:
III. ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines
Many factors influence the rate of progress through these three proficiency levels and the level learners acquire by the end of high school. Chief among those factors are time and the degree of immersion in the second language. Students who begin study of a language in middle school or high school generally acquire an intermediate level of proficiency(https://www.actfl.org/sites/default/files/news/AligningCCSSLanguageStandards.pdf).
Common Core State Standards-ELA
Reading
1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text
2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize key supporting details and ideas
3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a text
World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages
Interpretive (Reading, Listening, Viewing)
Interpretive Communication
Cultures: Relating Cultural Practices to Perspectives
Cultures: Relating Cultural Products to Perspectives
Connections: Acquiring Information and Diverse Perspectives
Common Core State Standards-ELA
Reading
4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
5. Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text relate to each other and the whole.
6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.
World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages
Interpretive (Reading, Listening, Viewing)
Interpretive Communication
Cultures: Relating Cultural Practices to Perspectives
Cultures: Relating Cultural Products to Perspectives
Connections: Making Connections
Comparisons: Language
Comparisons: Cultures
Common Core State Standards-ELA
Reading
7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.
8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
9. Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take
World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages
Interpretive (Reading, Listening, Viewing)
Interpretive Communication
Cultures: Relating Cultural Practices to Perspectives
Cultures: Relating Cultural Products to Perspectives
Connections: Making Connections
Comparisons: Cultures
Communities: School and Global Communities
Common Core State Standards-ELA
Reading
10. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently
World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages
Interpretive (Reading, Listening, Viewing)
Interpretive Communication
Comparisons: Cultures
Communities: School and Global Communities
Common Core State Standards-ELA
Writing
1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well- structured event sequences.
World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages
Presentational (Writing, Speaking, Visually Representing)
Present information, concepts, and ideas to inform, explain, persuade, and narrate on a variety of topics using appropriate media and adapting to various audiences of listeners, readers, or viewers.
Comparisons: Language
Use the language to investigate, explain, and reflect on the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.
Common Core State Standards-ELA
Writing
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others.
World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages
Presentational (Writing, Speaking, Visually Representing)
Presentational Communication
Cultures: Relating Cultural Practices to Perspectives
Cultures: Relating Cultural Products to Perspectives
Comparisons: Language
Communities: School and Global Communities
Common Core State Standards-ELA
Writing
7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.
9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages
Presentational (Writing, Speaking, Visually Representing)
Presentational Communication
Interpretive Communication
Cultures: Relating Cultural Practices to Perspectives
Cultures: Relating Cultural Products to Perspectives
Connections: Making Connections
Connections: Acquiring Information and Diverse Perspectives
Comparisons: Cultures
Common Core State Standards-ELA
Writing
10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences
World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages
Presentational (Writing, Speaking, Visually Representing)
Presentational Communication
Cultures: Relating Cultural Practices to Perspectives
Cultures: Relating Cultural Products to Perspectives
Common Core State Standards-ELA
Speaking and Listening
1. Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, buildingon others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
2. Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
3. Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric
World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages
Interpersonal (Speaking & Listening; Reading & Writing)
Interpersonal Communication
Cultures: Relating Cultural Practices to Perspectives
Cultures: Relating Cultural Products to Perspectives
Connections: Acquiring Information and Diverse Perspectives
Comparisons: Language
Communities: Lifelong Learning
Common Core State Standards-ELA
Speaking and Listening
4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
5. Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.
6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and communicative tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages
Interpersonal (Speaking & Listening; Reading & Writing)
Presentational Communication
Connections: Acquiring Information and Diverse Perspectives
1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
3. Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening
4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate.
5.Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
6. Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when encountering an unknown term important to comprehension or expression