The Grade 5 Exploratory Program Provides Every Student with the Opportunity to Explore

Course: Grade 5 Exploratory Language Program

Course Description: The grade 5 exploratory program provides every student with the opportunity to experience three languages –French, Italian, and Spanish – prior to the beginning of formal language study in French, Italian or the continued study of Spanish. Thematic units of study integrate simple communicative skills with cultural experiences and practices of the target cultures. The purpose of the exploratory program is to:  create an awareness of language as a vehicle for communication,  present the sound systems of another language,  instill an appreciation of other peoples and cultures,  provide motivation to continue learning another language, and ,  expose the students to various languages so that they may make an informed decision as to which language to study as they continue in the program. Our Exploratory Program precedes formal language study in grade 6 and serves as a transition into the sequential language program in grades 6-12. Each student will spend one trimester in each of three languages, French, Italian, and Spanish. This experience should help each child to make an informed choice as to which language study, to begin the study of French, Italian or to continue in the study of Spanish.

Course Proficiencies: The following is a list of standards-based proficiency statements that the student will be exposed to throughout the course. The student will be able to:

Communication

Interpretive Mode (Understanding and interpretation of spoken or written communication)

1. Demonstrate comprehension of simple, oral directions, commands and requests through appropriate physical response. (7.1.A1) 2. Recognize common gestures, intonation, and other visual or auditory cues of the target culture. (7.1.A2) 3. Identify familiar people, places, and objects based on oral and/or simple written descriptions. (7.1.A3) 4. Comprehend brief oral exchanges on familiar topics. (7.1.A4)  Wellness, feelings and emotions 5. Connect the learning of the target language to information studied in other core content areas. (7.1.A5)  Use of numbers to count, measure, label or locate  Map skills express location of target language country or countries in relation to the United States and New Jersey 6. Listen to simple passages from age-appropriate, culturally authentic selections for enjoyment and information. (7.1.A6) 7. Recognize spoken or written familiar words and phrases related to targeted themes contained in culturally authentic electronic information sources such as Podcasts, video clips, online videos, online audio clips, or other online products (7.1.A.2, A.5, A.6)

Interpersonal Mode (Direct oral or written communication)

1. Give and follow simple oral directions, commands, and requests for participating in age- appropriate classroom and cultural activities. (7.1.B1) 2. Imitate appropriate gestures and intonation of the target culture during greetings, leave-takings, and daily interactions. (7.1.B2) 3. Ask and respond to simple questions, make requests, and express preferences using memorized words and phrases. (7.1.B3) 4. Exchange information using words, phrases, and short sentences practiced in class on familiar topics or topics studied in other core content areas, such as map skills and numerical operations including simple addition and subtraction, counting and performing simple computations.(7.1.B4) 5. Exchange basic information at the word and memorized phrase level related to self and targeted themes using digital tools appropriate to the grade level. (7.1.B.4)

Presentational Mode (Spoken or written communication for an audience)

1. Imitate, recite, and/or dramatize simple poetry, rhymes, songs and skits. (7.1.C1) 2. Copy/write words, phrases, or simple guided texts on familiar topics. (7.1.C2)  Calendar/time; color/shape/size of objects  Observations related to science concepts 3. Present orally or in writing information from age-appropriate, culturally authentic selections. (7.1.C3)  Contributing to teacher-directed shared writing activities  Illustrating stories or drawing and labeling pictures, charts, or diagrams 4. Name and label tangible products and imitate practices from the target culture (7.1.C4)  Musical instruments, foods, clothing, toys, games, etc.  Participation in culturally authentic experiences (folk dances, preparing and eating meals and snacks, holiday celebrations) 5. Use basic information at the word and memorized phrase level to create a multimedia rich presentation, containing a combination of text, audio, still images, video, interactivity, and animation, on targeted themes to be shared virtually with a target language audience. (7.1.C.1, C.2, C.3, C.4)

CULTURE

Interpretive Mode (Understanding and interpretation of spoken or written communication)

1. Compare daily practices of people in the target culture(s) with their own. (7.2.A1) 2. Identify basic geographical features and some common landmarks in countries where the target language is spoken. (7.2.A2) 3. Identify aspects of the target culture presented in photographs, children’s books and plays. (7.2.A3) 4. Identify distinctive cultural products of the target culture. (7.2.A4)

Interpersonal Mode (Direct spoken and written communication)

1. Imitate culturally appropriate etiquette in verbal and nonverbal communication during greetings, leave-takings and daily classroom interactions. (7.2.B1) 2. Participate in a variety of oral and/or written activities after listening to age-appropriate, culturally authentic selections. (7.2.B2)

Presentational Mode (Spoken and written communication for an audience)

1. Reproduce a variety of tangible products typical of the target culture(s). (7.2.C1) 2. Identify and reproduce expressive products typical of the target culture. (7.2.C2) 3. Participate in age-appropriate activities related to special events celebrated in the target culture. (7.2.C3)

Assessment Criteria

Students are assessed on their participation in class activities.

The following grading scale is used P+ = Outstanding P- = Satisfactory P- = Unsatisfactory

Participation includes the following: o Completion of teacher assigned activities, projects and assignments o Interpersonal communicative activities during class o Performance-based assessments