Portland Public School Foreign Language Task Force Report Findings to the School Committee 2.11.09

1. Portland Public School Foreign Language Task Force Report Findings to the School Committee 2.11.09 Portland Public Schools

2. Motion for Foreign Language Task Force Motion and action to consider directing the Superintendent and staff to create a “Foreign Language Reinstatement Task Force” The task force, to be named as soon as possible, will be charged with researching the components necessary for the reinstatement of foreign language curriculum and instruction back into the primary grades at all Portland elementary schools; and reporting back their findings to the Portland School Committee by November 30, 2008. ‣ The task force will be charged with addressing: ‣ Foreign Language curriculum needs, and instruction strategy ‣ Foreign Language staffing needs (with a K-5 option and a 3-5 option) ‣ Costs associated with both ‣ Possible funding sources

3. I. Definition of our Charge from the Superintendent • Research components necessary for the reinstatement of foreign language curriculum and instruction to include the primary grades at all Portland elementary schools • Research and recommend foreign language approaches and instructional strategies • Research and recommend foreign language options K-12 and report the pros and cons of a program that exposes students to foreign language or one that is designed for proficiency in a second language at the end of grade 12 • With regard to our culturally and linguistically diverse students, research and improve proficiency in their native languages while developing English proficiency • Determine feasibility and estimating costs associated with each option

4. II. Task Force Members The World Language Task Force consisted of the following members: Carlos Gomez – Teacher at Deering High School Deborah Davidson – Teacher at Riverton Elementary School Frank Troyan – Teacher at Casco Bay High School Grace Valenzuela – Asst. to Superintendent – Multilingual Janet Zidle – Teacher at Longfellow Elementary School Jill Blackwood – Assistant Superintendent Kathleen Quinn – Teacher at Lincoln Middle School Lisa Thomas Prince – Community Member / Teacher Sandi Goodman Brown – Parent Representative Susan Steinkeler – Teacher at Lincoln Middle School

5. III. Our Work Included • Two Summer Day-Long Meetings • Four School Year Meetings • Outside Reading by All Group Members • Outside Research by Individual Members • Presentation to the Policy Committee

6. IV. Results of Research / Recommendations As a result of our research, the World Language Task Force makes the following recommendations: • Develop a coordinated, sequential, cumulative and continuous World Language Curriculum grades K-12 to be implemented district-wide with the goal for each student to achieve proficiency in a second language. 2. Start World Language instruction as early as possible and as close to age 6 as is financially and programmatically feasible. 3. Anticipate and plan for the impact of elementary instruction on the middle and high school programs and plan for explicit transitions between grades 5  6 and grades 8  9. Make accommodations for students new to the district in the upper grades. 4. Allow for flexibility in the World Language program for ELL students. Create co-curricular options for ELL students to achieve proficiency in their cultural language.

7. IV. Results of Research / Recommendations (cont…) As a result of our research, the World Language Task Force makes the following recommendations: • Identify and confirm proficiency standards at each benchmark level of World Language instruction. 6. Expand opportunities for students to study other World Languages in high school. Consider expanding instruction in critical languages (such as Mandarin, Arabic, Russian and Hindi) at the high school level. • Establish systematic professional development for staff and regular program evaluation. 8. Establish a District-wide coordinator of World Language.

8. V. Background - Where have we been Where has PPS been? • Several attempts at elementary world language instruction over the past 20 years with short term success; middle school world language instruction in place for two decades • Elementary world language instruction for grade 5 cut from budget in the mid 1990’s • Instruction in Spanish or French phased in in grades 3, 4, 5 beginning in 1998. Fully implemented in 2000-2003. Gradually reduced in scope until cut from budget in FY 2005.

9. VI. Background- Where are we now Current Efforts to provide WL instruction in Portland Public Schools

10. VII. Background- Where are we now Current Efforts to provide WL instruction in Portland Public Schools Private Portland schools:

11. VIII. Critical findings that led to our recommendations • L2 enhances skills and cognitive development in other curricular areas • L2 accelerates proficiency in L1 and in turn in other languages • Learning early develops neural pathways that are difficult if not impossible to develop later in life • Research (using brain scanning) demonstrates that the brain is best able to learn a second language between the ages of 6 and 13 and then the ability to do so rapidly tapers off.

12. VIII. Critical findings that led to our recommendations (cont…) • The early creation of neural pathways in the process of learning a second language facilitates the learning of additional languages at a later age. • L2 students improve mental flexibility, creativity and divergent/higher order thinking – and these results have been substantiated independent of IQ • The United States (and Maine, too) is an economic participant in the global economy — L2 has intrinsic value in maintaining a competitive advantage (reference: National Security Language Initiative & State Department websites)

13. VIII. Critical findings that led to our recommendations (cont…) • Learning a foreign language helps to develop cultural understanding and convey respect for other cultures • Students who learn another language perform better on standardized tests in other content areas • Completing four years of world language study in high school is a strong predictor of student success in college. • Students proficient in a second language maintain sustainable competitive advantage in college acceptance and the workforce

14. IX. Other Considerations • To retain students in PPS who might otherwise opt for private schools or residence in neighboring communities where world languages are offered at the elementary level, such as Waynflete (K-5), Breakwater (pre K– 5), Falmouth ( 1-4) and Cape Elizabeth (3-5) • The reinstatement of elementary foreign language is a parental priority, as evidenced by frequent requests and by extra-curricular programs begun at all 9 elementary schools when foreign language was eliminated • In order for all of our students to achieve the proficiency level expected by the Maine Learning Results, we must start in elementary school

15. IX. Other Considerations (cont…) • Maine Learning Results and ACTFL guidelines imply an instructional program designed for proficiency rather that for exposure. An elementary program designed for exposure does not provide sufficient hours of continuous instruction/study at the ages when the brain is ripe for L2 learning to reach proficiency. • A solid elementary program should be designed with outcomes and assessments that help students reach the ACTFL benchmarks of: • Novice “mid “ at the end of Elementary • Intermediate “low” at the end of Middle Where is proficiency level? • Pre-advanced at the end of High School

16. X. Inverted Pyramid Representing the ACTFL Rating Scale Superior (ACTFL) Advanced (ACTFL) Converses more than 50% of time in paragraph length discourse using connector words, narrates and describes in past, present, and future time, uses comparative expressions, some success with a complicated situation, many concrete topics, understood by person not accustomed to learners, fewer errors IntermediateHigh Expanded vocabulary, creates complex sentences with dependent clauses, present tense, can be understood by native speaker who is accustomed to learners, survival topics, variety of social situations, errors Intermediate Mid Variety of simple sentences that show creativity, ask 3-4 questions, give simple directions, present tense, some subject verb agreement, many errors, survival topics Intermediate Low Creates sentences 50% present tense, can be understood by sympathetic listener, many errors, and topics: self, kin, likes, dislikes Novice High 50+ words, memorized phrases, and sentences; lists; present tense; difficult to understand even by a teacher; many errors, basic contexts (food, clothes, sports, etc.) Novice Mid Novice Low 15+ words, lists, memorized, present tense, can hardly be understood by the teacher, desperate “10” topics NO Rating

17. X. World Language Instructional Types

18. X. World Language Instructional Types (cont…)

19. X. World Language Instructional Types (cont…)

20. XI. World Language Instruction Types • % of time spent in World Language per Week

21. XII. World language instructional models Of the various instructional models two are a good fit for Portland Public Schools: FLES CONTENT-BASED FLES Rationale: *Best bang for the buck *Can support regular classroom instructional topics *Provide a pathway for students to reach ACTFL proficiency at the low-intermediate to mid-intermediate levels by the end of 8th grade

22. XIII. How many languages should we teach at elementary? Pros of teaching only One Language: 1. Easier to staff and schedule 2. Provides continuity when students change schools 3. Simplifies planning for the impact on secondary instruction 4. Less expensive to purchase materials which can be more easily shared. 5. Experiences of Glastonbury, Connecticut Considerations of teaching only One Language: 1. Disappoints some stakeholders 2. Impacts instruction and class enrollments at middle and high school

23. XIII. How many languages should we teach at elementary? • Pros of offering two languages - More balanced impact on middle- and secondary- level programs - Provides multiple offerings - Provides opportunity for parental choice for elementary instruction - Allows for exposure to a wider variety of cultures - Less likely to disappoint stakeholders • Considerations of offering two languages - More difficult to schedule and staff - Provides less continuity when students change schools - Complicates planning for the impact on secondary instruction - More expensive to purchase materials

24. XIII. Which languages should we teach at elementary? Spanish - most prevalent second language in the US, most prevalent language in the Americas - least difficult to staff - availability of positions may attract minority instructors to our district - similar phonemic and alphabetic structure to English French - strong Franco-American tradition in Maine - geographic proximity to Francophone regions of Maine and Canada - strong economic ties between Maine and Francophone countries - similar alphabetic structure to English Spanish & French - mirrors current middle and high school programming

25. XIV. Grades 3-4-5 sections needed

26. XIV. Grades 3-4-5 sections needed (cont…) • Instructional Hours Per day = 5 hours x 5 days = 25 hours/week • - 3 x 45 min planning = 2.25 hours 22.75 hours/week • If 45 min periods = 22.75 ÷ .75 = 30 class periods/week • If 30 min periods = 22.75 ÷ .5 = 45 class periods/week • on a 30 min schedule for grades 3/4/5 • 216 classes per week ÷ 45 min per teacher = 5 teachers • on a 45 min schedule for grades 3/4/5 • 144 classes per week ÷ 30 min per teacher = 5 teachers • (If one language and with very tight schedule due to travel) • Recommendation for full implementation: 5-6 teachers

27. XV. Staffing Options Grade 3/4/5 Feasible School Pairings – One Language

28. XVI. Cost Analysis Grade 3/4/5 Cost Analysis – Menu of Options

29. XVII. Possible K - 2 Options Similar implementation to grades 3, 4, 5 with similar costs OR A scaled down “early adapter” format

30. XVIII. Possible Phase-In One Language – Sample phase-in estimate:

31. XIX. Additional Option: Early Adaptor Program for Primary Grades 2. “Early Adapter” Program (20 minutes twice per week) With the following additional costs: Approximately 27 classrooms or 54 class periods of 20 min. each per week needed for each grade level = 18 instructional hours per week. or 1 additional teacher for each primary grade level.

32. XX. Possible Funding Source: • The Grant Sources that were available between 1999-2002 have dried up. • The Federal DOE website has not been updated since 2003. • All funding will no doubt be local.

33. XXI. Some Critical Decisions if the School Committee Decides to Implement • One Language or Two? • If one, which one? • Phase in or fully implement? • Scope of ELL options? • Need for co-ordination and integration with middle and high school – stipend or full-time? • Early Adapter program, too?