This document discusses the benefits of teaching languages in K-12 education. It notes that learning languages facilitates learning other skills, helps students understand other cultures, breaks down language barriers, and widens career opportunities. Learning languages is important because it adds diversity, builds on a globalized world, and allows collaboration and connectivity. The document also provides an example history lesson on World War I where students are split into groups representing different countries involved in the war. They research their country's role and present information on cultural aspects, propaganda, and translated letters from citizens during the war to better understand the perspectives of others.

1. Languages

2. 21st Century Learning is
project-based
Flexible and creative
Brings the students into
the equation
Addresses communication
and critical thinking
Addresses the 6 pillars.

3. Defined as the process
used by humans to
acquire the ability to
understand language
and to produce and
use words and speech
to communicate

4. Facilitates greater
learning of other skills
Helps kids to understand
other countries and
cultures
Breaks down the language
barrier
Widens career
opportunities
Adds versatility

5. Important because…
Adds Diversity
Builds on a Globalized
World
Allows Collaboration-
Connectivity
Practical

6. Learn through application
Languages learned
through projects and are
student driven
Material is focused on real
applicable tasks
Provides connections and
broadens knowledge and
skill set

7. • History—High School
• Activity: World War I
• The students are learning about the beginnings of
World War One. Some of the students don't quite
understand some of the cultural aspects that
played a part in the lead up to the start of the war.
To help them understand you have the students
split into groups and are assigned a country. Each
group is to give a presentation explaining their
countries involvement in the war. The students
should include in their presentation they should
analyze and explaining some of the war
propaganda used. They will also use letters written
about the war by their countries citizens during the
war. Try to read it in the letters original language
and write their own translation, to be used in their
presentation.

8. Watching videos on
YouTube about the
culture and place you
are studying.
This allows the
students to see how
people interact and
how they speak to one
another.

9. Play interactive
games on the smart
board. This allows
the students to
compete against
one another and by
active in the
classroom. They
also can imagine
that they are
actually in that
country.

10.  Blanco, H. (n.d.). 21st Century
PowerPoint. Muonline. Retrieved April
20, 2014, from https://marshall-
bb.blackboard.com/webapps/portal/fra
meset.jsp?tab_group=courses&url=%2F
webapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2
FdisplayLearningUnit%3Fcourse_id%3D
_46905_1%26content_id%3D_933744_
1%26framesetWrapped%3Dtrue
 actfl.org. (n.d.). Standards For Foreign
Language Learning. actfl.org. Retrieved
April 20, 2014, from
http://www.actfl.org/sites/default/files
/pdfs
 What is 21st Century Education. (n.d.).
What is 21st Century Education.
Retrieved April 29, 2014, from
http://www.21stcenturyschools.com/W
hat_is_21st_Century_Education.htm