Standard 1: Students engage in conversation, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions. (Interpersonal)
6.1.1 Express and exchange perspectives on a variety of topics, supporting and defending opinions to convince others.
Example: Write a persuasive essay on a topic of choice.
Example: Organize and carry out debates on issues of relevance to the foreign culture and of pertinence to students’ lives.
6.1.2 Use culturally appropriate language and demonstrate culturally appropriate behavior in diverse social settings.
Example: Use appropriate forms of courtesy and gesture in a variety of situations.
6.1.3 Analyze and react to people, places, and products of the foreign culture.
Example: Provide and describe a personal reaction to some aspect of the foreign culture, in response to a short article from a foreign culture magazine.
6.1.4 Propose and support solutions to issues and problems.
Example: Discuss possible solutions or achieve consensus on controversial issues.
Standard 2: Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics. (Interpretive)
6.2.1 Understand complex written and oral materials on a variety of topics.
Example: Demonstrate understanding of obvious and subtle differences in foreign culture media and the media of students’ culture (e.g., newspaper ads, obituaries, sport reports, international news) by writing a comparative composition.
6.2.2 Respond appropriately to mood and implied meaning (sarcasm, humor, irony) of written communication.
Example: Identify tone of a literary sample, using textual evidence as support.
Standard 3: Students present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics. (Presentational)
6.3.1 Write business letters and requests for information, and complete job applications, forms, and documents.
Example: Write business letters to a foreign company, ordering a product, such as a book or CD.
Example: Write a letter of application for a summer job in the foreign culture in response to an ad.
Example: Write to an embassy requesting information.
6.3.2 Give oral presentations including interpretation, persuasion, and/or critical analysis on a variety of topics.
Example: Research a specific artist representative of the foreign culture (e.g., visual artist, author, musician, poet) and share some examples of the artist’s work, presenting a brief commentary.
Example: Prepare a brief presentation on a selected piece of literature, comparing and contrasting the author’s perspective with students’ point of view.
Standard 4: Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied.
6.4.1 Compare, contrast, and analyze the effects of cultural practices among same-language cultures.
Example: Analyze cultural similarities and differences, based on a literary work of the culture, e.g., family roles and relationships, methods of conflict resolution, etc.
Example: Research and role-play celebrations of same-language countries to discover and illustrate similarities and differences.
6.4.2 Integrate cultural phrases and idiomatic expressions into everyday communication.
Example: Demonstrate appropriate use of idiomatic expressions in the foreign language, e.g., puns, double entendres, etc.
Standard 5: Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture studied.
6.5.1 Analyze how tangible and intangible products reflect the perspectives (meanings, attitudes, values, ideas) of the foreign culture.
Example: Explain the cultural importance of wine to a French meal, after conducting pertinent research, e.g., wine production in the different wine regions in France, etc.
6.5.2 Analyze the relationship between the products and perspectives of the foreign culture, drawing a comparison to that of the US.
Standard 6: Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language.
6.6.1 Locate foreign language resources in order to analyze and synthesize information for use in other disciplines.
Example: Read identified excerpts of Don Quixote and share insights gained from the Spanish text with English classmates.
Standard 7: Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the foreign language and its culture.
6.7.1 Use authentic sources to analyze and synthesize the perspectives of the foreign culture.
Example: Read age-appropriate materials intended for native speakers of the foreign language and identify adolescent values and behaviors.
Example: Use foreign language Internet search engines to conduct research for a presentation on AIDS in the developing world.
Example: Debate the use of nuclear energy using resources from the foreign culture as support.
Standard 8: Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.
6.8.1 Apply knowledge of sound-symbol correspondence, stress, and intonation patterns in spontaneous communicative situations.
Example: Determine the appropriateness of Hiragana or Katakana when writing a letter to a Japanese friend.
6.8.2 Speculate about what forces have led to cognates, loan words, and borrowed words and what changes may occur in the future.
Example: Discuss the Norman Conquest and its historical influence on the French language.
Example: Predict what language changes may occur in the future based on current trends or events.
Standard 9: Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.
6.9.1 Analyze and contrast the historical as well as present-day contributions of the foreign culture to the world-at-large with those of the US.
Example: Analyze and discuss the influx of the foreign population into various areas of the US, based on electronic research from the CIA Fact Book or an almanac.
Example: Compare/contrast the viewpoints found in foreign language and English newspapers.
Standard 10: Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting.
6.10.1 Participate in career exploration or school-to-work projects that are enhanced by knowledge of the foreign language and culture.
Example: “Shadow” a community member who uses the foreign language at work.
6.10.2 Use community resources to research a variety of topics related to foreign language and/or culture study.
Example: Create an informational brochure in the foreign language, e.g., about the local historical museum, medical services available in the community, etc.
Standard 11: Students show evidence of becoming life-long learners by using the language for personal enjoyment and enrichment.
6.11.1 Interpret and analyze cultural events.
Example: Attend a performing arts presentation representative of the foreign culture and voluntarily write a critique for the school newspaper.
6.11.2 Present, discuss, and suggest solutions for current issues/problems in the foreign culture.
Top | Content Standards | Home