Standard 7.1 Communication

All students will be able to communicate in at least one world language in addition to English. They will use language to: engage in conversation, understanding and interpret spoken and written language, present information, concepts and ideas while making connections with other disciplines, and compare the language/culture studied with their own.

Big Idea: Communication is the ability to understand and be understood in real world contexts.

7.1 A. Interpretive Mode

Essential Questions

Enduring Understandings

- How do I develop communicative competence?
- How do I know that I am getting better in using language in real-world situations?
- What strategies do I need to communicate in linguistically and culturally appropriate ways?
- When does accuracy matter?
- How does the content of the world languages classroom help me understand who I am and the world in which I live?
- How does content help me respond to important questions that extend my learning beyond the classroom?
- Why do people from different cultures sometimes say, write and do things differently from the way I do them?

- Successful communication is knowing how, when and why to convey a message to different audiences.
- Language learning involves acquiring strategies to fill communication gaps.
- The content of the world languages classroom encompasses the entire learning experience.
- Learning a different language/culture leads to greater understanding of one’s own and other languages/cultures and why people think and act in different ways.

Cumulative Progress Indicators

Comments and Examples

2.         Compare and contrast the use of verbal and non-verbal etiquette in the target culture with their own culture to perform a variety of functions.

●        Persuading, negotiating, offering advice

4.         Synthesize information from oral and written discourse dealing with a variety of topics.

●        Television and cinema presentations

●        Teen and adult social interactions 

●        Trends in education and business

5.         Apply knowledge and skills gained in other core content areas to interpret information on topics related to the study of the target language and culture.

●        Grade level appropriate social studies topics and career education and consumer, family and life skills (e.g., drawing conclusions about political, economic and societal patterns in the target culture country through the use of technological data obtained using authentic sources in the target language)

6.         Analyze and critique readings from authentic texts and/or from a variety of art genres.

●        Main ideas, theme and supportive details

●        Roles and significance of main characters

●        Use of figurative language (e.g., symbolism, connotation and denotation)

7.         Analyze elements of the target language and comparable linguistic elements in English.

●        Influence of languages on each other

●        Syntax and morphology

7.1 B. Interpersonal Mode

Essential Questions

Enduring Understandings

- How do I develop communicative competence?
- How do I know that I am getting better in using language in real-world situations?
- What strategies do I need to communicate in linguistically and culturally appropriate ways?
- When does accuracy matter?
- How does the content of the world languages classroom help me understand who I am and the world in which I live?
- How does content help me respond to important questions that extend my learning beyond the classroom?
- Why do people from different cultures sometimes say, write and do things differently from the way I do them?

- Successful communication is knowing how, when and why to convey a message to different audiences.
- Language learning involves acquiring strategies to fill communication gaps.
- The content of the world languages classroom encompasses the entire learning experience.
- Learning a different language/culture leads to greater understanding of one’s own and other languages/cultures and why people think and act in different ways.

Cumulative Progress Indicators

Comments and Examples

1.         Give, respond, and ask for clarification on detailed oral and written directions, commands, and requests.

3.         Ask and respond to questions as part of group discussion on topics of personal, academic or social nature.

●        Grade level appropriate health topics (e.g., explaining and supporting an opinion on a societal issue such as violence or driving under the influence of controlled substances; participating in a panel or debate on a school-wide problem such as harassment due to gender or sexual orientation)

4.  4.    Engage in oral and/or written discourse in a variety of time frames on topics of personal or social interest, or on topics studied in other core content areas.

●      Grade level appropriate career education and consumer, family and life skills activities (e.g., college and job interviews; transactions and negotiations: filling out a business form in the target culture, asking for telephone service to be connected, demonstrating the ability to seek and apply for a job, compromising with a parent over a weekend curfew)

●        Grade level appropriate health topics (e.g., social issues: dating, behavior at school and non-school events)

●      Grade level appropriate social studies topics (e.g., analysis of the economic, scientific and political factors that led to the age of European exploration and the commercial revolution)

5.         Analyze and critique a variety of culturally authentic selections.

●        Reflection of target culture in text

●        Purpose, message and style of the author

●        Use of figurative language

●        Political or social impact and relevance to self

6.         Use language in a variety of settings to further personal and/or career goals.

●        Grade level appropriate career education and consumer, family, and life skills activities (e.g., participation in career exploration, competitive events in the target language, community service, or school-to-work projects that use the target language and knowledge of its culture)

7.1 C. Presentational Mode

Essential Questions

Enduring Understandings

- How do I develop communicative competence?
- How do I know that I am getting better in using language in real-world situations?
- What strategies do I need to communicate in linguistically and culturally appropriate ways?
- When does accuracy matter?
- How does the content of the world languages classroom help me understand who I am and the world in which I live?
- How does content help me respond to important questions that extend my learning beyond the classroom?
- Why do people from different cultures sometimes say, write and do things differently from the way I do them?

- Successful communication is knowing how, when and why to convey a message to different audiences.
- Language learning involves acquiring strategies to fill communication gaps.
- The content of the world languages classroom encompasses the entire learning experience.
- Learning a different language/culture leads to greater understanding of one’s own and other languages/cultures and why people think and act in different ways.

Cumulative Progress Indicators

Comments and Examples

1.         Create and perform stories, poems, short plays, or oral reports based on personal experiences and/or exposure to perspectives from the target culture.

●        Grade level appropriate health topics (e.g., problems and issues encountered in late adolescence)

●        Grade level appropriate language arts literacy topics (e.g., themes found in fiction and nonfiction such as hope, death, love, loyalty, honor, courage)

●       Grade level appropriate career education and consumer, family, and life skills activities (e.g., media presentation to “teach a class” about a specific topic related to other core content areas and/or the target culture)

2.         Use language creatively in writing for a variety of purposes.

●        Grade level appropriate language arts literacy activities (e.g., writing a letter to the editor, an editorial or an op-ed piece in the target language for a newspaper or magazine; writing a research paper using target language sources)

3.         Explain the structural elements and/or cultural perspectives of authentic selections. 

●        Grade level appropriate language arts literacy activities (e.g., summary or retelling the selection with substantive description and detail; analysis of character, theme and setting and how it reflects the target culture)

4.         Explain the perspectives of the target culture(s) as evidenced by their products and practices and compare those with home cultural perspectives.

●        Grade level appropriate social studies topics (e.g., attitudes and beliefs of the culture that influenced the development of its products or practices: esthetics, concept of time, sex roles, rights and duties, etc.; how a particular product or practice of the target culture compares with a similar product or practice in the U.S.)

●        Grade level appropriate science topics (e.g., impact of the environment and natural resources on the development of the products and practices of the target culture)