One of the goals of the Coalition is the expansion of world language education, with an emphasis on early childhood education and improving second language proficiency outcomes. (See also the Resource page on Language Immersion.)

• Full-Day Kindergarten Resources
• Expanding Chinese Language Capacity in WA.

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Standards | Curriculum | Classes | Publications | Websites

National & State Standards

Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson in 2005 endorsed voluntary standards for World Languages in Washington state:

• OSPI > Voluntary Standards for World Languages

These content standards are based on the National Standards in Foreign Language Education Project, a collaborative effort of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages and a variety of language-specific associations (AATF, AATG, AATI, AATSP, ACL/APA, ACTR, CLASS/CLTA, & NCSTJ/ATJ):

• Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century (1999) (Executive Summary available on the ACTFL website)

Several states have developed standards and extensive curriculum frameworks based on the National Standards:

• Nebraska K-12 Foreign Language Frameworks (PDF)
• New Jersey World Languages Curriculum Framework

Here are two articles that are very helpful for connecting the national standards to the classroom:

• Bringing the Standards into the Classroom (or PDF)
  National K-12 Foreign Language Resource Center 
• State Standards: Connecting a National Vision to Local Implementation (PDF) by Paul Sandrock, ACTFL

The Washington State Coalition for International Education is working with OSPI (Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction) and WAFLT (Washington Association for Language Teaching) to promote the use of the standards, educate teachers and school districts about them, and develop further resources to support them. For more information, see World Language Standards Group or World Language Standards for Washington.

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Curriculum Planning & Development

Presentations by Dr. Myriam Met, Acting Director of the National Foreign Language Center, at 2003 Summit:

• Developing Curriculum (PDF)
• Novice Learner Range (PDF)
• Some Thoughts on Teaching Culture (PDF)
• When Should Language Learning Begin? (PDF)

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Classes & Presentations

• World Languages: Standards & Assessments
  offered in conjunction with 2003 Summit

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Publications

• Knowing Other Languages Brings Opportunities
  brochure from the Modern Language Association

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Websites on World Language

• ACFNewsSource http://www.acfnewsource.org/
  • Neuroscientists have discovered why children excel at learning languages.
    Adults and children use their brains differently to learn and process language.
     
• Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition
   
• Center for Applied Linguistics
  • Two-Way Immersion |  FAQs
     
• Circletime Kids
  Circletime Kids is a free multicultural World Library of bilingual children's resources designed to help parents, caregivers and teachers introduce their children to the cultures and languages of the world through traditional children's songs, food, activities and more!
   
• Language Bank Translated Materials
  American Red Cross disaster preparedness materials that are available in a variety of languages. Good resource for classroom teachers!
   
• Language Immersion
  Links to presentations and workshop materials by Michele Anciaux Aoki.
   
• Modern Language Association
   
• National Foreign Language Center
   

• Series on Foreign Languages on KPLU 88.5
  by Deborah Wang

  • Foreign Languages in Schools (9/12/2005)
  • Arabic in Schools (9/13/2005)
  • John Stanford International School (9/14/2005)
     

• Series on Foreign Languages on KPLU 88.5
  by Liam Moriarty

  • The French Connection Part 3: Foreign Language (3/1/2006)
     
• Washington Association For Language Teaching > Resources

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