Foreign Language Association of Missouri

FOREIGN LANGUAGE
ASSOCIATION OF MISSOURI


Missouri Show-Me Standards
for Foreign Language


Show-Me Foreign Language Standards Placemat

RATIONALE FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE STUDY

  • Missouri children need second language fluency in order to be competitive in the 21st century

  • students of foreign languages score statistically higher on standardized tests conducted in English. Students who averager 4 or more years of foreign language study scored higher on the verbal section of the SAT than those who had studied 4 or more years in any other subject area. (1992 report consistent with College Board profiles of previous years.)

  • students of foreign languages have access to greater number of career possibilities and develop a deeper understanding of their own language and other cultures.
  • some evidence also suggests that children who receive second language instruction are more creative
    and better at solving complex problems.
  • benefits to society are many: Missourians fluent in other languages enhance our economic competitiveness abroad,improve global communication, and maintain national, political, and security interests.


NATIONAL STANDARDS
FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING

*Communication
Communicate in Languages
Other Than English

Standard 1.1: Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.
(Goal 2; CA6,SS6, HP7)

Standard 1.2: Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics.
(Goal 1; CA5, MA3, SC8)

Standard 1.3: Students present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.
(Goal 3; CA6, SS6,FA3)

* Cultures
Gain Knowledge and
Understanding of Other
Cultures
Standard 2.1: Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied.
(Goals 2,2; CA7, SS5,6, FA2, HP2,3)

Standard 2.2: Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture studied.
(Goal 3; SC8, SS4)

* Connection
Connect with Other
Disciplines and Acquire
Information
Standard 3.1: Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language.
(Goals 1,2,3,4; All subject area goals)

Standard 3.2: Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the foreign language and its cultures.
(Goals 1,2,3,4; CA1, SS 3,7, FA5)

*Comparisons
Develop Insight into the
Nature of Language and
Culture
Standard 4.1: Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.
(Goals 2,3,4; CA1,2,3,4, SC7, FA2,4 )

Standard 4.2: Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.
(Goals 2,4; CA7, SS3,6, FA4, HP4,6 )

*Communities
Participate in Multilingual
Communities at Home &
Around the World
Standard 5.1: Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting.
(Goals 2,3,4; CA6, MA2, HP7 )

Standard 5.2: Students show evidence of becoming life-long learners by using the language for personal enjoyment and enrichment.
(Goals 1,2,3,4; CA2,3,4, MA1, SC3, SS2, HP3,5,6 )

Curriculum
Integration
It is apparent that the study of foreign languages is an integral part in teaching across the curriculum as demonstrated by cross-referencing the Show-Me Standards with The National Standards for Foreign Languages Learning.
Goals = The Show-Me Standards CA= Communication Arts, MA= Mathematics, SC= Science, SS= Social Studies, FA= Fine Arts, HP= Health/Physical Education
(from The Show-Me Standards for content areas).

The correlations listed are descriptive not exhaustive.

 

As a blueprint, we consider this to be a work in progress that will evolve and guide teachers to provide instruction so that students will:
  • learn to communicate in a language other than English
  • understand the culture of language
  • compare the differences between languages and cultures
  • connect with other disciplines
  • extend the learning of language beyond the classroomto the community

 

Missouri Department of Economic Development 1997 report:
  • sales of Missouri products to world markets topped $7.5 billion in 1996
  • Missouri is ranked 23rd nation-wide in terms of export volume
  • an estimated 139,000 Missouri jobs are supported by foreign sales
  • Missouri products are sold in 179 countries
  • the largest industrial category of foreign sales is chemicals

 

  Knowledge + Performance = Academic Success  
KNOWING HOW, WHEN, AND WHY TO SAY WHAT, TO WHOM

*THE SHOW-ME STANDARDS*

* Goal 1
Students in Missouri public schools will acquire the knowledge and skills to gather, analyze and apply information and ideas.
Students will demonstrate within and integrate across all content areas the ability to:
  1. develop questions and ideas to initiate and refine research
  2. conduct research to answer questions and evaluate information and ideas
  3. design and conduct field and laboratory investigations to study nature and society
  4. use technological tools and other resources to locate, select and organize information
  5. comprehend and evaluate written, visual and oral presentations and works
  6. discover and evaluate patterns and relationships in information, ideas and structures
  7. evaluate the accuracy of information and the reliability of its sources
  8. organize data, information and ideas into useful forms (including charts, graphs, outlines) for analysis for presentation
  9. identify, analyze and compare the institutions, traditions and art forms of past and present societies
  10. apply acquired information,ideas and skills to different contexts as students, workers,citizens and consumers
* Goal 2
Students in Missouri public schools will acquire the knowledge and skills to communicate effectively within and beyond the classroom.
Students will demonstrate within and integrate across all content areas the ability to:
  1. plan and make written, oral and visual presentations for a variety of purposes and audiences
  2. review and revise communications to improve accuracy and clarity
  3. exchange information, questions and ideas whilerecognizing the perspectives of others
  4. present perceptions and ideas regarding works of the arts, humanities and sciences
  5. perform or produce works in the fine and practical arts
  6. .apply communication techniques to the job search and to the workplace
  7. use technological tools to exchange information and ideas
* Goal 3
Students in Missouri public schools will acquire the knowledge and skills to recognize and solve problems.
students will demonstrate within and integrate across all content areas the ability to:
  1. identify problems and define their scope and elements
  2. develop and apply strategies based on ways others have prevented or solved problems
  3. develop and apply strategies based on one's own experience in preventing or solving problems
  4. .evaluate the processes used in recognizing and solving problems
  5. reason inductively from a set of specific facts and deductively from general premises
  6. examine problems and proposed solutions from multiple perspectives
  7. evaluate the extent to which a strategy addresses the problem
  8. asses costs, benefits and other consequences of proposed solutions
* Goal 4
Students in Missouri public schools will acquire the knowledge and skills to make decisions and act as responsible members of society.
Students will demonstrate within and integrate across all content areas the ability to:
  1. explain reasoning and identify information used to support decisions
  2. understand and apply the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in Missouri and the United States
  3. analyze the duties and responsibilities of individuals in societies
  4. recognize and practice honesty and integrity in academic work and i the workplace
  5. develop, monitor and revise plans of action to meet deadlines and accomplish goals
  6. identify tasks that require a coordinated effort and work with others to complete those tasks
  7. identify and apply practices that preserve and enhance the safety and health of self and others
  8. .explore,prepare for and seek educational job opportunities

Click here for a printable copy of the Show-Me Foreign Language Standards Placemat.

Click here for the complete Show-Me Foreign Language Frameworks document.


For further information contact:
Carrol Lund
3253 E. Southern Hills Blvd
Springfield, MO 65804
clund43@mchsi.com
Sponsored and funded in part by The Foreign Language Association of Missouri and a grant from The Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages

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