limbing toward Knowledge and Global Understanding: Standards for Success in a Foreign Language represents a cooperative effort. Teachers from all levels (K - 12) and languages (Latin, Spanish, German, and French) taught within the South Burlington School District were involved in drafting this document. The final product is a generic guideline for all languages - the ones that exist in our district today and those that may be taught in the future.
The standards contained in this document are consistent with national, state, and local initiatives for the improvement of foreign language education. For the student, they chart out the first phase of a journey, a first step towards mastery. They focus on demonstrating proficiency at the survival level. Our standards underscore the idea of language as living communication. The survival skill tasks represent situations from everyday life, in school, in the community, traveling at home and abroad. It is our hope that after reaching survival level proficiency, the student will continue to the advanced level of proficiency.
We realize that people learn at different rates and it is understood that students will meet different standards at different times. Continual practice is an essential ingredient to success. The standards are challenging, but after completing the required tasks, the student will be able to look back with a feeling of accomplishment.
This manual is the first step in designing a fully articulated proficiency -based, standards-driven curriculum. A forthcoming component of this process will be the establishment of assessment guidelines.
We liken our work with students to the nurturing of a growing tree. We attempt to give the students a solid foundation with strong roots. Then it is up to each individual to climb and branch out into the rich experience life provides through the use of other languages.
All theory, dear friend, is grey, but the golden tree of actual life springs ever green. (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)