ACTFL The study of a World Language is no longer limited to vocabulary lists and food days. It is not just a class to take in school but rather an essential life skill! The world we live in has changed tremendously and we can no longer look to just the boarders of our own country for products, services and information. The future of our economy, military, and intellectual understanding depend on our ability to access information from around the world in an accurate manner. Language comprehension, however, is not enough; we must also understand the cultural context of the interaction. We must take into consideration not only what people say but what they do and why they do it!

The PSD World Language teachers create a learning experience where students participate in the 5 C’s of language learning:

• Communication: in many forms for varied audiences
• Culture: understand products and practices from a lens of cultural perspective
• Connections: math conversions, reading strategies, writing skills, history, geography, art, food science, etc.
• Comparisons: compare and contrast own language and culture to that of target language
• Communities: use language outside of class, music stations, TV channels, DVDs, grocery stores, etc.