World Languages & Multilingual Learner Education
"The sum of human wisdom is not contained within any one language" Ezra Pound
ORCHARD HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
SUPERVISOR OF WORLD LANGUAGES AND MLed, ALMA REYES
OUR MISSION is ... to foster life-long learners who have a positive impact on the world by exploring interculturality through discourse about different languages, cultures and real life experiences. Our world languages family promotes acceptance, compassion, respect, equity and social justice. We envision a world of respectful and globally-minded citizens who think critically, embrace diversity and strive to build just societies that are free of fear and hatred of the unknown other.
ESTABLISHED GOALS: STATE AND NATIONAL STANDARDS
The curriculum uses the Understanding by Design (UbD) approach and is organized in thematic units to provide meaningful context for academic and cultural content, address national and state standards and assure that students are 21st century college-, careers- and world-ready. We offer World Cultures to all first- and second-grade students at Orchard Hill Elementary School. Forty-minute classes meet regularly once in a cycle of 6 school days.
The World Cultures class is designed to expose students to the richness of global diversity while affirming their own cultural identities. The course meets NJSLS 7.1. For World Languages by targeting language proficiency level Novice-Low, as indicated by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and NJSLS.
Novice Low learners recognize and respond to a few memorized words and phrases using heavy support such as visuals, gestures, and repetition, Three(3) thematic units, each focusing on a different world region, guide students through an exploration of cultural PRODUCTS (e.g. language, daily life objects such as calligraphy brushes and steel tiffins), PRACTICES (e.g the Chinese "Gong Shou" salute or the Indian "Namaste”) and PERSPECTIVES (e.g. familismo in Hispanic cultures and demonstrating respect for elders in Indian cultures).
These World Culture units meet the NJSLA goals for World Languages by providing exposure to languages, prioritizing comprehension over production, and increasing cultural awareness. While exposed to the target language of different regions of the world, students build global competence and learn how language and culture interact, affirming cultural diversity.
FACULTY