World Languages
The mission of the Region 10 World Language department is for students to communicate effectively in another language and deepen their understanding of and appreciation for cultures other than their own. We believe that the study of a world language contributes to the district’s vision to develop inquisitive learners, innovative leaders, and responsible citizens. Furthermore, in Region 10, we believe that every student can and should be prepared to make connections in the multilingual and multicultural world that we all live in. In World Language classes, students focus on literacy, real-world applications, and 21st century skills. Students are prepared to interact globally with communities at home and abroad. World Language instruction revolves around the 5 C's: Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities. As they gain proficiency, students demonstrate their ability to communicate in the interpersonal mode (exchanges, both written and spoken/signed), interpretive mode (understand written text and spoken/signed language), and presentational mode (creating messages to inform, explain or persuade). Throughout their study of language, students investigate, reflect and explain how cultural perspectives and language influence our ideas and beliefs. Moreover, students are asked to critically think and problem-solve as they apply their language skills and cultural knowledge to navigate a variety of situations. Additionally, students are offered opportunities to use their language and cultural knowledge to make connections with students in multiple countries and settings, providing authentic experiences. During instruction, teachers use theme-based instruction and comprehensible input as often as possible to contextualize learning, while at the same time helping students recognize language patterns.
Region 10 is committed to the importance of learning a second language as supported by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language (ACTFL) Guiding Principles which can be found here: https://www.actfl.org/educator-resources/guiding-principles-for-language-learning.
