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World Languages and Cultures

Toni Theisen

Toni Theisen
Dual Language Immersion/ World Language TOSA

World Languages and Cultures Statement of Philosophy

ACTFL Proficiency Pyramid

Language and communication are at the heart of the human experience. The Thompson School District aims to educate students to become communicatively proficient and globally competent in English and at least one other language in order to participate successfully in the globally interconnected world in their academic studies, future careers, and life experiences. These statements envision a future in which each student can have opportunities to develop and maintain proficiency in English and at least one other language, modern or classical. Students who come to school from non-English backgrounds also need opportunities to develop further proficiencies in their first language. The goal is to prepare learners to apply the skills and understandings measured by the World Language and Cultures Standards to become world ready.

  1. Communication: Communicate effectively in more than one language in order to function in a variety of situations and for multiple purposes.
  • 1.1: Learners interact and negotiate meaning in spoken, signed, or written conversations to share information, reactions, feelings, and opinions. (Interpersonal Mode)
  • 1.2: Learners understand, interpret, and analyze what is heard, read, or viewed on a variety of topics. (Interpretive Mode)
  • 1.3: Learners 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. (Presentational Mode)
  1. Cultures: Interact with cultural competence and understanding.
  • 2.1: Learners use the language to investigate, explain, and reflect on the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the cultures studied.
  • 2:2: Learners use the language to investigate, explain, and reflect on the relationship between the products and perspectives of the cultures studied.
  1. Connections: Connect with other disciplines and acquire information and diverse perspectives in order to use the language to function in academic and career-related situations.
  • 3.1: Learners build, reinforce, and expand their knowledge of other disciplines while using the language to develop critical thinking and to solve problems creatively.
  • 3.2: Learners access and evaluate information and diverse perspectives that are available through the language and its cultures.
  1. 4. Comparisons: Develop insight into the nature of language and culture in order to interact with cultural competence
  • 4.1: Learners use the language to investigate, explain, and reflect on the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.
  • 4.2: Learners use the language to investigate, explain, and reflect on the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.