World Language
Coordinator of World Language
Dr. Vilma Bibeau
Email:
vbibeau@medford.k12.ma.us
The World Language Program at the Medford Public Schools provides students with the necessary tools to become global citizens and learners committed to understanding and appreciating their own culture as well as the culture of others. The program strives to empower students by broadening their perspectives, applying their language and presentational skills to real-life situations and nurturing empathy for others. Furthermore, the program is committed to inspiring all students to find joy in language learning and applying their knowledge to other disciplines. As a result, students will develop the skills to be successful in today’s job market and feel fully competent and well-adjusted in today’s diverse world.
Seal of Biliteracy
Every year Medford Public Schools offers the Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy. The State Seal of Biliteracy and the State Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction is an award to qualifying students upon their high school graduation to indicate that they have attained a high level of proficiency in English and at least one other world language. The Seal of Biliteracy is for any student in their senior year who demonstrates proficiency in English and another language, whether they speak the non-English language at home or learned it at school or in the community. The State Seal of Biliteracy aims to:
(a) Encourage students to study and master languages;
(b) Certify attainment of biliteracy skills;
(c) Recognize the value of language diversity;
(d) Provide employers with a method of identifying people with language and biliteracy skills;
(e) Provide universities with a method to recognize and give credit to applicants for the attainment
of high-level skills in languages;
of high-level skills in languages;
(f) Prepare students with skills that will benefit them in the labor market and the global society; and
(g) Strengthen intergroup communication and honor the multiple cultures and languages.
To earn the Seal of Biliteracy, students will:
(a) Demonstrate a level of proficiency in the English language criteria by earning a score of 472 or higher on the Grade 10 English Language Arts (ELA) Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) test or retest. Students who earn a score of 501 or higher on the Grade 10 ELA MCAS test or retest satisfy the English language criteria for the State Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction.
(b) Demonstrate a high level of proficiency in a world language by attaining a minimum score equivalent to Intermediate-High on a state-approved assessment through the AAPPL/STAMP/ALTA test aligned with the ACTFL standards.
We will be administering the AAPPL/STAMP/ALTA Tests on Monday, March 13, and Tuesday, March 14.
Massachusetts World Language Framework Structure
Acquisition and Progression of Skills
The 2021 Standards for World Language Practice describe the processes and skills students acquire as speakers/signers of world languages throughout the elementary, middle, and high school years to proficiently navigate a linguistically and culturally diverse world. Five of these practices - communications, cultures, comparisons, connections, and communities - appear explicitly in the content standards. The two final practices - social-emotional well-being and social justice - are implicit and woven through all the standards.
These practices are based on the standards presented in the 2015 World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages, the 2017 CASEL Social and Emotional Learning Competencies, and research into the interconnectedness of language acquisition and social justice. The domains listed below are grouped by the role they fulfill in allowing students to demonstrate proficiency in the language.
Domain 1
The communication practices - speaks to how students communicate in languages other than English.
Domain 2
The linguistic cultures practices describe what students must know about various cultures to effectively communicate.
Domain 3
The connections, communities, social emotional, and social justice practices - expresses why students communicate in languages other than English. The practices, by necessity, appear simultaneously as students acquire language. The practices from the individual domains do not develop in isolation from one another. Students should develop them concurrently, and not focus upon one to the exclusion of the others
Massachusetts World Language Framework Structure
The Massachusetts Curriculum Framework provides a structure, standards, and practices intended to guide the selection, development, and evaluation of world languages curriculum and programming that builds students’ linguistic and cultural proficiency. It primarily does this through the Standards for World Language Practices, specifically the development of world language proficiency to:
- Understand, interpret, and analyze what is heard, read, or viewed.
- Interact and negotiate meaning in spontaneous signed, spoken, or written conversations.
- Present information, concepts, and ideas,
- Interact appropriately with others in and from another culture.
- Gain cultural competence and understanding.
- Develop insight into the nature of language and culture.
- Connect with other disciplines and acquire information and diverse perspectives.
- Engage and responsibly collaborate with a variety of multilingual communities.
- Develop and employ social and emotional skills,
- Serve and lead in the community.
Guiding Principles
Guiding Principals 1
Effective world language programs invite, include, support, and benefit all students. World language education is for all students, regardless of age, linguistic background, or ability.
Guiding Principals 2
Effective world language programs lift up all students and empower them to act with cultural competence and critical consciousness.
Guiding Principals 3
Effective world language programs produce high levels of linguistic and cultural proficiency in one or more world languages in their students.
Guiding Principals 4
Effective world language programs are communicative and support meaningful, authentic, and affirming interactions in the target language.
Guiding Principals 5
Effective world language programs measure linguistic proficiency.
Guiding Principals 6
Effective world language programs foster risk-taking and mistake-making toward growth in linguistic and cultural proficiency.
Guiding Principals 7
Effective world language programs deliver meaningful, relevant, and cross-disciplinary content to motivate students to acquire the language and build proficiency.
Guiding Principals 8
Effective world language programs differentiate instruction and content, so that they are accessible, rigorous, and appropriate for all students.
Guiding Principals 9
Effective world language programs connect students to their peers in the classroom, their community, and speakers/signers of the target language throughout the world.
Guiding Principals 10
Effective world language programs promote social and emotional growth.
Advanced Placement (AP) Courses
The AP courses prepare students for the Advanced Placement examinations in the target language. In addition to intensive speaking, reading, and writing practice necessary for the AP exam in the language, students will read newspaper articles, magazine articles and authentic literary works. This course is taught solely in the target language. Fluency in the language is the ultimate goal by the end of the year.
Students will engage in the following:
- Become accustomed to the format of the AP Exam and prepare for the exam.
- Refine one's writing style; use fluid sentences and paragraphs to express opinions, share personal reactions to authentic literary texts, and write reviews or reports.
- Identify key ideas and many supporting details when reading authentic materials or listening to audio, video, or conversations.
- Analyze input from the target language to make observations about the author, the culture, and make comparisons with one’s own culture. Complete the reading assignments suggested by the College Board for the AP Literature exam or other literary and historical texts as suggested by the instructor.
Testing dates:
Italian AP Exam: Friday, May 9, 2025
Spanish AP Exam: Thursday, May 16, 2025
French AP Exam: Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Online AP Exam Sign Up is Available.
Curriculum Overview
- French I CP, Italian I CP, Spanish I CP
- French II CP, Italian II CP, Spanish II CP
- French II Honors, Italian II Honors, Spanish II Honors
- French III CP, Italian III CP, Spanish III CP
- French III Honors, Italian III Honors, Spanish III Honors
- French IV CP, Italian IV CP, Spanish IV CP
- French IV Honors, Italian IV Honors, Spanish IV Honors
- French V CP, Italian V CP, and Spanish V CP
- French V Honors, Italian V Honors, Spanish V Honors
French I CP, Italian I CP, Spanish I CP
This introductory course is designed to cover the development of the fundamental skills necessary to build a strong foundation for further world language learning. The focus will be on the four skills in world language learning: listening, reading, speaking, and writing with an emphasis on oral skills. Students are also introduced to the culture of the country/countries where the language is spoken. It is intended for students who have no previous background in the language, or for those who need a thorough review before proceeding to the next level of the language.
Students will engage in the following:
- Use and recognize vocabulary on such topics as family, friends, likes and dislikes, school, leisure activities, clothes, health, geography, weather, seasons, and food.
- Use the present tense of regular verbs and some irregular ones.
- Address concepts of noun/ adjective agreement; masculine, feminine, singular and plural; some pronouns; interrogative words and contractions.
- Participate in short dialogues, and understand others when familiar details are given in clear, uncomplicated speech.
- Compose brief writing assignments.
- Read simple materials for meaning.
- Identify common daily routines, greetings, holidays and products of the target1 culture.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the geography of the target1 countries.
- Compare their own and the target1 language / culture.
French II CP, Italian II CP, Spanish II CP
Instruction continues to develop language abilities acquired in the first level. Communication continues to be the focus improving competence of the four skills: listening, reading, speaking, and writing. Students will be able to express and articulate expressions in the past tense and will gain understanding of the products, practices, and perspectives of the culture(s) studied.
Students will engage in the following:
- Use and recognize vocabulary for professions, extracurricular interests, the home, and school/ vacation/meal schedules.
- Recognize and use past tense of the language.
- Identify and/or use indirect object pronouns, comparative forms of the adjective, and a variety of negative expressions.
- Write lists and simple sentences, often using a variety of learned expressions.
- Produce a letter or brief composition.
- Understand short strings of related sentences, questions & classroom commands.
- When speaking, use a limited number of simple sentences.
- Understand important ideas and some details of short narratives and poems as well as advertisements, brochures, and other media material.
- Demonstrate knowledge of cultural topics such as daily routines, the educational system, the variety of countries and cultures where the studied language is spoken, currency, distinctive products, and holidays.
- Develop greater awareness of the comparisons and contrasts between the second language and their own.
French II Honors, Italian II Honors, Spanish II Honors
Instruction continues to develop higher proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. Special emphasis is placed on the development of oral skills focusing on real life situations. Listening skills are sharpened through the use of films and audio resources. Further cultural topics are discussed. This course is conducted almost exclusively in the target language requiring students to have a strong and articulated knowledge and foundation in the target language.
Students will engage in the following:
- Use and recognize a greater variety of vocabulary.
- Form and use the basic past, imperfect, and future tenses, and some command forms along with other grammatical topics. Identify and/or use indirect object pronouns, comparative forms of the adjective, and a variety of negative expressions.
- Write letters and brief compositions of one or two paragraphs in length.
- When listening, understand strings of related sentences as well as questions and polite commands.
- When speaking, use a limited number of simple sentences.
- Understand important ideas and some details of short narratives and poems as well as advertisements, brochures, and other media material.
- Demonstrate knowledge of cultural topics such as daily routines, the educational system, the variety of countries and cultures where the studied language is spoken, currency, distinctive products, and holidays.
- Develop greater awareness of the comparisons and contrasts between the second language and their own.
- Become acquainted with several important historic, artistic, and/or literary figures.
French III CP, Italian III CP, Spanish III CP
This course provides a strong review of previously learned language structures. It continues to develop communication skills and improve fluency of the target language through a variety of activities. Students acquire more facts about the culture of the country/countries of the language.
Students will engage in the following:
- Use and recognize a greater variety of vocabulary. Form and use the basic past and imperfect tenses.
- Recognize the future tense and some command forms along with other grammatical topics.
- Write letters and brief compositions of one or two paragraphs in length.
- When listening, understand short paragraphs as well as questions and polite commands.
- Understand important ideas and many details of short selections of prose and poetry as well as advertisements, brochures, and other media.
- Become acquainted with several important historic, artistic, and/or literary figures.
- Develop language skills through interdisciplinary lesson plans and projects, accessing more materials in the world language.
French III Honors, Italian III Honors, Spanish III Honors
Students continue to build upon previously learned language structures through authentic literature, films, art, and cultural text. Emphasis is placed on composition and reading comprehension. Students will also gain greater fluency in speaking, as they learn to communicate in culturally appropriate ways.
Students will engage in the following:
- Use & recognize a greater variety of vocabulary.
- Form & use the basic past & imperfect tenses.
- Use the future tense and command forms along with other grammatical topics.
- Use conjunctions, relative pronouns, and other refinements particular to each language.
- Use object pronouns more comfortably.
- Use longer sentences when writing letters and brief compositions of several paragraphs in length.
- When listening, understand paragraph length utterances, as well as questions and polite commands.
- Understand most details of narratives and poems, including some literature written for native speakers, as well as advertisements, brochures, and other media.
- Develop language skills through increased use of interdisciplinary lesson plans and projects, accessing more materials in the world language.
- When speaking, use simple sentences, compound, and some complex sentences. Identify themes in readings and relate them to personal experience.
- Become acquainted with important historic periods, artistic and/or literary figures, and other topics.
French IV CP, Italian IV CP, Spanish IV CP
The course continues with the study of the language and culture of the countries involved by means of the four language skills of speaking, writing, reading and listening. Students will advance their abilities to speak, read, write, and listen by writing simple compositions and letters, reading a variety of texts, listening to authentic material, and speaking in everyday situations.
Students will engage in the following:
- Build on knowledge of vocabulary.
- Perfect and amplify understanding of the past, future and conditional tenses.
- Write and use some subjunctive and command forms of the verbs.
- Use conjunctions, relative pronouns, and other refinements particular to each language.
- Use object pronouns more comfortably.
- Use longer sentences when writing brief compositions of several paragraphs in length.
- When listening, understand paragraph length utterances, as well as questions and polite commands.
- Understand most details of narratives and poems, including some literature written for native speakers, as well as advertisements, brochures, and other media.
- Develop language skills through increased use of interdisciplinary lesson plans and projects, accessing more materials in the world language.
French IV Honors, Italian IV Honors, Spanish IV Honors
This is an advanced, proficiency-based course that is taught exclusively in the target language. Students will continue to enhance their oral communication, linguistic skills and knowledge of literature and culture of the target language. Students who take this course should be motivated to become fluent in the target language.
Students will engage in the following:
- Learn vocabulary in context; it will be more abstract than in previous levels and tied to such topics as history, cultures, social issues, future plans, careers, government, and belief systems
- Refine the use of language, acquiring expressions and grammatical constructions which expand one’s ability to express oneself.
- Read authentic materials and comprehend narratives in all tenses.
- Use strings of fluid sentence-length messages to express opinions, share personal reactions to authentic literary texts, and/or write letters.
- Identify many key ideas and some supporting details when reading and listening.
- Acquire new information from authentic texts.
- Study history, the arts, literature, current affairs and civilization in the target language.
French V CP, Italian V CP, and Spanish V CP
This course is taught exclusively in the target language and students are expected to interact with their teacher and peers using the language. This course is for students who have successfully completed four years of high school language and wish to deepen their fluency and knowledge of the language. Students will enhance their oral and written proficiency aiming towards fluency. Advanced cultural topics are studied through literary works and films.
Students will engage in the following:
- Expand vocabulary to express thoughts with precision.
- Use and understand language which is intended to persuade, to support an opinion, to identify feeling and mood, or to explain.
- Refine writing styles; develop a deeper understanding and use of the subjunctive mood.
- Write and speak in fluid sentences and paragraphs to express opinions, share personal reactions to authentic literary texts, or write letters & reviews.
- Identify key ideas and many supporting details when reading authentic materials or listening to audio, video, or conversations. Study history, art, literature, music, current affairs & civilization in greater detail in the target language.
- Use foundation knowledge to analyze topics and to make comparisons.
French V Honors, Italian V Honors, Spanish V Honors
This course is taught exclusively in the target language and students are expected to interact with their teacher and peers using the language. It is an alternative to the AP course for students who have successfully completed four years of high school language and wish to deepen their fluency and knowledge of the language. Students will enhance their oral and written proficiency aiming towards fluency. Advanced cultural topics are studied through literary works and films.
Students will engage in the following:
- Expand vocabulary to express thoughts with precision.
- Use and understand language which is intended to persuade, to support an opinion, to identify feeling and mood, or to explain.
- Refine writing styles and develop a deeper understanding and use of the subjunctive mood.
- Write and speak in fluid sentences and paragraphs to express opinions, share personal reactions to authentic literary texts, or write letters & reviews.
- Identify key ideas and many supporting details when reading authentic materials or listening to audio, video, or conversations. Study history, art, literature, music, current affairs & civilization in greater detail in the target language.
- Use foundation knowledge to analyze topics and to make comparisons.