This document outlines factors that influence how much Spanish a learner will know at the end of PreK-12 education. These factors include learner characteristics, program design, curriculum quality, and teaching methods/activities. Program design considers factors like class length and frequency in elementary, middle, and high school. Curriculum quality looks at alignment with standards and proficiency. Teaching methods consider whether they are varied, student-centered, and use the target language.

1. The Road to Learning Spanish
What determines how she much Spanish
she will know at the end of a PreK-12
Sequence?
12th grade
PreK
The Road=
Learner Characteristics X
Program Design
Curriculum Quality End
Teaching Methods and Activities

2. Learner Characteristics
The Road
 Developmental Levels
 Language Experience
 What we know about the BRAIN
 Multiple Intelligences
 Student interests, hobbies, etc.
 Background knowledge
 Motivation
 Parent support
 etc.!

3. Program Design The Road
 Elementary School Models
( Page 420 in Languages & Children)
• minutes per class?
• classes per week?
• program goals and purpose?
• content-based or content-related?
• immersion or FLES model?

4. Program Design The Road
 Middle School Models
• Exploratory
• 2/3/4/5 times per week?
• Block scheduling

5. Curriculum Quality
 Standards-based? The Road
 Proficiency-oriented?
 Aligned with school goals in other
subject areas?
 Spiraled?
 Articulated?
 Taught as written?
 Efficient?

6. Teaching Methods
and Activities The Road
 Are they flexible? For the teachers and
students?
 Are they informed by research and best
practices?
 Are they varied?
 Are they student-centered?
 Are the scaffolded? Are they spiraled?
 Do teachers use the target language often?
 Are they efficient?

7. References
 References
 Curtain, H. & Dahlberg, C. (2004). Languages & children:
Making the match, 3rd ed., Boston: Pearson Education,
Inc.
 Glisan, E.W. & Shrum, J.L. (2005). Teacher’s handbook:
Contextualized language instruction, 3rd. ed., Boston:
Thomson Heinle.
 McTighe, J. & Wiggins G. (2005). Understanding by Design,
2nd. ed., Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision
and Curriculum Development..
 Sandrock, P. (2002).Planning curriculum for learning world
languages. Madison, WI: Wisconsin Department of
Public Instruction.
 Standards for foreign language learning in the 21st century.
(1999). Yonkers, NY: National Standards in Foreign
Language Education Project.

8. The Road to Learning Spanish
What determines how she much Spanish
she will know at the end of a PreK-12
Sequence?
12th grade
PreK
The Road =
Learner Characteristics X
Program Design
Curriculum Quality End
Teaching Methods and Activities