Canton schools to explore elementary language program
By Mike BergerCanton Public Schools PreK-12 World Languages Coordinator Heidi Olson told the School Committee last week that she plans to cautiously move forward in planning for an elementary language curriculum and is also planning to develop the program at the middle school level for the next school year and beyond.
Regarding the future of the elementary program and even potentially a Pre-K program, Olson said the next steps are to develop best practices, do the research, and “build a program that works for us.”
After completing the first year of a multi-year curriculum review, the World Language Department has a new vision statement, which is to build “curious, compassionate, confident and autonomous learners who demonstrate a high level of communicative proficiency in at least one language other than English.” Other than language proficiency, Olson said the goal for students is to learn the products, practices and perspectives of multiple cultures and compare their own languages and cultures with those of other target communities.
Some of the recommendations of the curriculum review are to implement grade 6 world languages instruction for the 2022-23 school year, and identify updated curriculum materials for grades 6-8 that are culturally relevant and align with the Massachusetts World Languages Curriculum Framework.
With a major renovation of the Galvin Middle School now in the planning stages, Olson said there is a need for a dedicated language laboratory at GMS that will allow students to practice speaking regularly so they can build confidence in the target language.
Expansion of the world languages program for next year includes the introduction of Italian at the high school, backed by an anonymous donor. Olson said they also plan to gauge the interest of adding German at the middle school and hopefully decrease some of the larger language classes at CHS.
Olson said it was disappointing to lose American Sign Language as a sustainable program at CHS due to COVID-19 and challenges finding qualified staff to continue the program.
In other news from the May 11 School Committee meeting …
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Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=111035
Posted by Mike Berger
on May 19 2023. Filed under News, Schools.
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