Our Mission: To create globally literate citizens, who are able to communicate successfully and respectfully with others from diverse cultures, and who demonstrate a deep understanding of and appreciation for, both the common as well as the unique products, practices and perspectives that define those diverse cultures in today’s interconnected global society.

The Three Modes of Communication in World Languages

Interpretive Mode

Students demonstrate under-standing of spoken and written communication within appropriate cultural contexts. Examples of this kind of “one-way” reading or listening include cultural interpretations of printed texts, videos, online texts, movies, radio and television broadcasts, Podcasts and speeches. Beyond the Novice level, “interpretation” differs from “comprehension” because it implies the ability to read or listen “between the lines” and “beyond the lines.”

 

 

 

Interpersonal Mode Students engage in direct oral and/or written communication with others. Examples of this “two-way” communication include conversing face-to-face, partici-pating in online discussions and Blogs or video conferences, text messaging and instant messaging, and exchanging personal letters or e-mail messages.

Presentational Mode Students present, orally and/or in writing, information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers with whom there is no immediate interaction. Examples of this “one-to-many” mode of communication include delivering a presentation to a group, posting an online video or webpage, creating and posting a podcast or videocast, writing an article for a newspaper, and writing a poem or short story for a magazine.

INSIDE THIS NEWSLETTER   Modes of Communication

Proficiency Level Descriptors

WL Program Mission

Making an informed WL

choice

WL Website Information

 World Language Choice & Level

Important Considerations:

The degree of language proficiency gained is determined by the frequency and intensity of the program: Students who continue to study the same language for several years are more likely to attain a higher level of proficiency in that language; A student’s interest and motivation often play a critical role in his/her success in the target language; sometimes, trying a different language benefits the student. A student’s level of proficiency may vary among the different modes of communication, just as it does in English: Some students speak better than they write. For others, writing is their stronger skill. Proficiency in a world language is a skill, much like playing a musical instrument; the more you practice, the better you get. The most successful students are those who are motivated to use, apply, and practice the target language beyond the classroom setting. Proficiency is determined by what you can do with the language – how you use it, rather than what you know about it.

Brief descriptors of the various proficiency levels

HS World Language Team: Kimberley OuYang, Mandarin; Fatiha Zaami, French; Sandra Kudron, Italian; Daniela Davidzon, Spanish; Monique Hoffman, French; Antonio Gaetano, Italian; Marie Concepción, Spanish; Giuseppina Della Pietra, Italian; Lorissa Clark, Spanish; Sonia Calamusa, Spanish; Mary Ferrnate, Spanish.

• Novice-Mid Level: Students communicate using memorized words and phrases to talk about familiar topics related to school, home, and the community. Focus is primarily on interpretive listening skills and interpersonal speaking skills.

• Novice-High Level: Students communicate using words, lists, and simple sentences to ask and answer questions, to handle simple transactions related to everyday life, and to talk about subject matter studied in other classes.

• Intermediate-Low Level: Students communicate using simple sentences to ask and answer questions, to handle simple transactions related to everyday life, and to talk about subject matter studied in other classes.

• Intermediate-Mid Level: Students communicate using strings of sentences to ask and answer questions, to handle simple transactions related to everyday life, and to talk about subject matter studied in other classes.

• Intermediate-High Level: Students communicate using connected sentences and paragraphs to handle complicated situations on a wide-range of topics.

• Advanced-Low Level: Students communicate using paragraph-level discourse to handle complicated situations on a wide-range of topics. Characteristics of Accelerated

Level World Language Courses

Higher level of proficiency expected in target language Greater focus on grammatical accuracy in speaking and writing More practice of language required beyond the classroom Interpretation of more complex texts Students work more independently Students expected to be more creative with the target language Students speak and write in the target language in greater contexts

For more detailed information on proficiency descriptors and examples, go to www.actfl.org, click on publications – guidelines & manuals – ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines, select English in the left column, and click on the various skills. This is also accessible through the World

How our 9th Grade World Language courses align with the levels of proficiency: Level I Courses:

Novice-Mid Level II Academic Courses:

Novice-High Level II Accelerated Courses:

Intermediate-Low

Please visit our World Language Website for more detailed information about our World Language program, student placement and opportunities for students at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School:

www.spfk12.org Curriculum World Languages For Parents - Information & Resources