World Languages - Standards
On This Page: State Standards | National Standards
State Standards
Maine's 2007 Learning Results: Parameters for Essential Instruction identifies the knowledge and skills essential to prepare Maine students for work, higher education, and citizenship. This document establishes parameters for essential teaching and learning in grades pre-kindergarten through diploma across eight content areas and supports the goals outlined in the Guiding Principles. High school, middle school, and elementary school programming in Maine’s publicly supported schools must be aligned to the knowledge and skills described in this document.
The World Language Standards from the 2007 Maine Learning Results are available in PDF and RTF formats.
The Revised Maine 2007 Learning Results Glossary, which includes items from all eight content areas, is available in PDF and RTF formats.
Supporting Materials for Implementing Maine's 2007 Learning Results
World Languages PowerPoint - Provides an introduction
to the Learning Results revision process, changes in structure and content for World Languages standards, and potential considerations for implementing the revised standards.
Podcast - This program is also available as a Podcast on iTunes-U. (iTunes software is required - click here to download for free.)
Narration Notes to the World Languages PowerPoint/Podcast in PDF and RTF (text only) formats.
National Standards
3rd Edition Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century, Revised and including Arabic Standards
Click here for information on ordering.
Click here for an Executive Summary.
Statement of Philosophy
Language and communication are at the heart of the human experience. The United States must educate students who are linguistically and culturally equipped to communicate successfully in a pluralistic American society and abroad. This imperative envisions a future in which ALL students will develop and maintain proficiency in English and at least one other language, modern or classical. Children who come to school from non-English backgrounds should also have opportunities to develop further proficiencies in their first language.
The Common Core State Standards Initiative
The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a joint effort by the National Governor’s Association (NGA), the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), and a majority of states to establish a single set of clear educational standards for English-language arts and mathematics that states can share and voluntarily adopt. These standards are designed to ensure that students graduating from high school are prepared to go to college or enter the workforce, and that parents, teachers and students have a clear understanding of what is expected of them. Other content areas have begun to work on the development of Common Core Standards and it is anticipated that preliminary discussion about world languages will occur at the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) 2010 Convention held in Boston, MA in November.
Linking the Standards for Learning Languages with the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Mathematics (11/14/2011)
The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) has announced a process to revisit the National Standards for Foreign Language Learning. The intent is to make explicit the link of the standards for learning languages with the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Mathematics and the Partnership for 21st Century Skills.
Click here to read the article.
For more information or questions about information contained on this website, contact:
Don Reutershan
World Languages Specialist
Maine Department of Education
don.reutershan@maine.gov
Tel.: 207-624-6826
Fax: 207-624-6821
Note: Many of the documents provided on this website are in PDF format. In order to access these materials, you will need the Adobe Reader program installed on your computer (we strongly recommend that you use either versions 7.0 or 8.1). Your District Technology Coordinator should be able to help you if you have any questions about using Adobe Reader. For further information, or to download Adobe Reader for free, click on the Adobe Reader icon below.
Updated 1/31/2012-pb
