NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING
The national standards for Foreign Language Learning as per the American Council of Teaching of Foreign Language (ACTFL) include the 5 C's:
Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities.
COMMUNICATION: Communicate in Languages Other than English
- Standard 1.1: Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.
- Standard 1.2: Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics.
- Standard 1.3: Students present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.
CULTURES: Gain Knowledge and Understanding of Other Cultures
- Standard 2.1: Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied.
- Standard 2.2: Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture studied.
CONNECTIONS: Connect with Other Disciplines and Acquire Information
- Standard 3.1: Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language.
- Standard 3.2: Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the foreign language and its cultures.
COMPARISONS: Develop Insight into the Nature of Language and Culture
- Standard 4.1: Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.
- Standard 4.2: Students demonstrate understanding of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.
COMMUNITIES: Participate in Multilingual Communities at Home and around the World
- Standard 5.1: Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting.
- Standard 5.2: Students show evidence of becoming lifelong learners by using the language for personal enjoyment and enrichment.