The work of the South Burlington World Language Task Force was framed by the following national, state, and local guidelines:

NATIONAL

Communication is a necessary and natural part of the human experience. The United States must educate students who are linguistically and culturally equipped to interact successfully, at home and abroad as citizens in the global community. This imperative envisions a future in which ALL students will develop and maintain proficiency in more than one language, modern or classical. Children who come to school to learn English should also have opportunities to develop further proficiencies in their first language. Source: National Standards in Foreign Language Education (1994).

STATE

Using a non-native language, each student demonstrates a common core of knowledge and skills: -communicates with others in everyday life, in both formal and informal settings -speaks and writes using appropriate vocabulary, structure, and usage of a non-native language -reads and listens in a non-native language to gain understanding -demonstrates understanding of another culture and insight into one's own Source: Content Standards for Vermont's Common Core Framework for Curriculum and Assessment, Working Draft (1995).

LOCAL

World language study at a very young age promotes critical thinking and the basic skills necessary for successful problem solving in all subjects. Learners who complete K-12 world language proficiency training will enrich our intellectual community. Children who are fluent in a second language early or children who are bilingual perform better on measures of verbal and nonverbal intelligence than monolinguals, and generally demonstrate more diversified mental abilities. (Boston Globe, 1994). South Burlington graduates who are proficient in a world language ensure local and national prosperity through increased job opportunity and heightened global awareness. Source: Strategic Plan, South Burlington School District.

Language Standards

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