Michigan Standard 1: Communicate in Languages Other than English

1.1 Interpersonal Communication Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.

1.2 Interpretive Communication Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics.

1.3 Presentational Communication Students present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics. 2 - C:

FL4K:

Provides opportunities to compare, connect, and communicate through cultural contexts using authentic resources and offers ideas for teachers and students on how to interact with local and international communities.

FL4K fosters an acquisition process with proficiency targets that lead to a student feeling comfortable and confident with the target language, with the goal of reaching a Novice-High or higher level of proficiency. Provides an engaging and fun language acquisition and intercultural awareness program possible for today’s student so that they can communicate naturally and spontaneously, including Interpretive, Interpersonal, and Presentational skill-building with a complete video program interwoven with an intercultural curriculum, reading program, hands-on activities, online practice questions, and games specifically designed to build oral proficiency

Students will reach an intermediate level by the end of the program units and be able to:

• Identify main ideas, supporting details and various elements such as point of view, intended audience, and purpose from the authentic cultural themes and topics within the nine levels that include 11 Hispanic countries.

• Comprehend and react to content presented through multiple media sources.

• Identify cultural perspectives represented in the source material.

• Present about people, activities, events and experiences.

• Express needs and wants via the multi-media and multi-leveled formats in FL4K that include polling, written/oral feedback for opinions/preferences and differentiated student abilities.

• Present songs, short skits, or dramatic readings using the authentic resources, dialogues, songs, and art included in FL4K.

Standard 2: Gain Knowledge and Understanding of Other Cultures

2.1 Practices and Perspectives Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied.

2.2 Products and Perspectives Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture studied.

FL4K:

• Seek opportunities and interact with people who speak other languages and who have different cultural practices and perspectives.

• Observe patterns of behavior typical of one’s peer group in the culture such as observing how different ways of greeting and leave-taking reflect on the relationships between people in the target culture.

• FL4K brings students experience with products of the target cultures such as stories, poetry, music, paintings, dance, drama, etc., and explains the origin and importance of these products in today’s culture.

• Compare how buying and selling products and services reflects local and community customs.

Standard 3: Connect with Other Disciplines and Acquire Information

3.1 Knowledge - Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the world language.

3.2 Point of View - Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the world language and its cultures.

FL4K:

• Provides opportunities for collaboration, promoting leadership, critical thinking and problem solving, decision-making, developing technology and media literacy skills, encouraging accountability and responsibility, and developing interculturality and global citizenship. Aligns with ACTFL 21st Century World Readiness Standards.

• The FL4K culture component is relevant and provides high interest topics that allow students to make comparisons between cultures. Students become aware of global concerns with examples of climate change, lack of resources, changes in habitats and well-being of citizens across the globe.

Standard 4: Comparisons: Develop Insight into the Nature of Language and Culture

4.1 Comparing Languages Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.

4.2 Comparing Cultures Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.

FL4K:

• Recognize that vocabulary and grammatical structures reflect culture and use this knowledge to adjust language accordingly and strengthen the understanding of both languages

• Presents products, practices, and perspectives of 11 Hispanic cultures with opportunities for investigation and interaction. The program includes cultural comparisons, reflection questions, polls, and opportunities for critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making with regard to the following topics: geography and climate, citizens, languages, sites of interest, transportation, animals, food, lodging, nature, adventures, contemporary topics, and the arts.

Standard 5: Participate in Multilingual Communities at Home and Around the World

5.1 Use of Language Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting.

5.2 Personal Enrichment Students show evidence of becoming life-longlearners by using the language for personal enjoyment and enrichment.

FL4K:

Offers Can-Do Statements with built-in recording features for students to provide evidence of what they can do as they progress on a continuum of proficiency according to skill in an interwoven language and culture program with a multi-level intercultural curriculum for differentiation including heritage speakers

Michigan Seal of Biliteracy:

Standards lead to the Seal of Biliteracy Achievement.

FL4K:

Mirrors the format for the national tests used for the Seal of Biliteracy to provide a comfort level from the lowest level to the intermediate level. The objective for learning is to scaffold language in context as students achieve higher proficiency levels in each mode. Feedback to students is personalized. Student content can easily be differentiated for learner needs.