Michigan Merit Curriculum

World Languages Requirement

August 2009

Class of 2011 and beyond

Mathematics

English

Science

Social Studies

Phys Ed/Health

Visual, performing, applied arts

Online experience

4 credits

4 credits

3 credits

3 credits

1 credit

1 credit

Class of 2016 and beyond

(6th graders in 2009-2010)

All students will be required to demonstrate

proficiency in a language other than English.

Earn 2 “credits” of a single language in grades 9-12

Demonstrate proficiency at “Novice High” level in a language other than English at any point K-12

What is a “credit”?

The local school’s definition of a “credit” will be accepted by the state IF THE

STATE BENCHMARKS FOR NOVICE HIGH ARE MET WITHIN TWO

CREDITS AT THAT SCHOOL.

What is “novice high” proficiency?

The learner: can ask and answer SIMPLE questions can read, write, say, and understand

MEMORIZED words, phrases, and sentences can carry out EVERYDAY tasks in

DAILYsituations involving home, family, school, and community

can communicate about PRESENT and FUTURE events

is intelligible to native speakers USED TO DEALING WITH FOREIGNERS

makes FREQUENT ERRORS in pronunciation and grammar even in common and simple contructions.

How long does it take a motivated adult learner with average aptitude

to get to “novice high”? Group 1 (French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Swedish, +)

240 hours

Group 2 (German, Greek, Farsi, +) 480 hours

Group 3 (Czech, Hebrew, Russian, Thai, +) 500 hours

Group 4 (Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, +)

720 hours

About how many hours per year is a THS student learning in a single class?

128 hours= 256 hours over two years

For French and Spanish, most students should be able to reach “novice high” in

two years at THS!

The Test-Out Option

The school district must provide a means for the student to demonstrate proficiency at the novice-high level in ANY language.

If the student does demonstrate proficiency at the novice-high level, he/she will be exempt from the courses provided by the district for the MME language requirement.

A student has the right to fulfill the language requirement by demonstrating proficiency in

a language other then English

Michigan Benchmarks for World Languages

Based on the national

standards which are organized

around “the 5 Cs”

Include the three “communicative modes”:

Interpersonal

Interpretive

Presentational

Incorporates the “functional tri-section”:

Functions

Contexts

Accuracy

Impact on our district Staff

Currently 10 sections Levels I – IV/AP

Under the new law14 sections of Levels I and II only (low estimate based on 225 per

class)Additional sections needed for Levels III and IV/AP

Elective courses at THSSince the law will require two credits of a second language, time slots available to students for taking other electives will be reduced.

Upper-level language classesWill TPS offer these classes in the future since additional staffing will be needed for the required Levels I and II?

Recommendations Offer the opportunity for students to fulfill part or all of the

WL requirement before grade 9. Continue to offer the opportunity for students to study a

single language during all four years of their high school experience.

REPEATEDLY and IN VARIOUS MODES, provide information to students and parents about the MMC and about the importance and rationale for L2-learning

Provide current materials, technology, and instructional methodology for students in our language classes.

Be prepared with test-out options for second languages. Consider attending an informational meeting about the L2

segment of the MMC on October 28 at the Ingham County ISD.

Further information? Michigan World Languages Association

www.miwla.org American Association on the Teaching of Foreign

Languages www.actfl.org Michigan Department of Education

www.michigan.gov/mde Dr. Anne M. Hooghart, Siena Heights University TPS World Languages staff

Thank you!Merci beaucoup!

¡Muchas gracias!

Danke schön!

Doumo arigatou!