What are the benefits of being multilingual?
Language learning is a core component essential in the education of every student and develops essential 21st century skills as learners:
- Participate in face-to-face interactions via technology, internships and volunteer opportunities in the community.
- Apply their competence in a new language to their career and personal goals, broadening their thinking beyond self-serving goals.
- Become more adept in understanding diverse cultural perspectives and their own identity.
These benefits are essential for and are within reach of all learners. An early start to learning a second language and sustained learning sequences show strong results in helping all learners achieve these results. All learners benefit from programs that support them as autonomous learners and that provide engaging and motivating activities and assessments (ACTFL 2023). Read the full ACTFL statement.
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What are Ohio's Learning Standards for World Languages and cultures?
Ohio’s Learning Standards for K-12 World Languages and Cultures were adopted in March 2020. The revised standards integrate intercultural, communication and literacy skills into proficiency levels from Novice Low to Advanced Low.
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What are the modes and skills of communication?
Learners communicate through the interpretive skills of reading, listening and viewing; the interpersonal skills of conversing with written, spoken or signed language; and the presentational skills of writing, speaking or signing.
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What is the purpose of the Model Curriculum?
The model curriculum is a framework of resources that assists teachers and districts in creating the most appropriate content and coursework for their learners' needs, and provides instructional supports and strategies for teachers when implementing the standards.
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How do Ohio's proficiency standards impact instruction?
The focus on intercultural, communication and literacy skills emphasizes that the overall goal is for learners to move beyond memorized vocabulary and grammar. Rather, as global citizens, learners use language to communicate in real-world, authentic situations in culturally appropriate ways.
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How do teachers set proficiency targets for learners?
Learners are assessed based on the level of communicative proficiency that they have attained, aligned to the guidelines recommended by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). For common languages such as French, Spanish, German, Italian, Latin and American Sign Language, the suggested target proficiency goals are as follows:
- By the end of level 1: Novice Mid
- By the end of level 2: Novice High
- By the end of level 3: Intermediate Low
- By the end of level 4: Intermediate Mid
- By the end of level 5/AP: Intermediate High/Advanced Low
Proficiency targets can vary based on individual districts and learners. Targets for more difficult languages such as Russian, Japanese, Chinese and Arabic are also available.
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How do I determine a learner's proficiency level?
The Ohio Department of Education has created rubrics that may be used to assess classroom proficiency and performance on summative assessments, exams, pre/post-assessments and other types of performance assessments. The rubrics are aligned to the Ohio learning standards and to the ACTFL proficiency and performance guidelines.
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Who wrote Ohio's Model Curriculum for World Languages?
A committee of Ohio teachers assisted the Department with the development of the World Languages and Cultures Model Curriculum in 2020-2022. Committee members represented a variety of languages, grade levels and district typologies. These teachers worked diligently to create a vast array of tools to help educators design coursework and assessments and inform instruction. The Model Curriculum framework allows teachers at every level of experience to find resources that will help address the specific needs of their learners. Submit questions or requests for more information here.
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