Foreign Language Program Articulation: Building Bridges from Elementary to Secondary School.

Foreign Language Program Articulation: Building Bridges from Elementary to Secondary School. If you teach children foreign languages in elementary school, they probably will do better with the foreign languages in high school. It sure makes sense to me.



From the site:



Foreign languages are currently enjoying attention unparalleled since the heyday of the early 1960s. There is a renewed interest in and emphasis on elementary school programs that are generally referred to under the broad heading of Foreign Languages in the Elementary School, or FLES. The emphasis on FLES in the 60s did not lead to the anticipated proliferation of second language programs because of a lack of realistic program goals and adequate planning, inattention to sound curricula and appropriate instructional materials, and failure to place qualified teachers in FLES classrooms. It is crucial, therefore, that current attention focus on these elements which are so vital to successful FLES programs. Even with these elements carefully in place, articulation remains a critical factor in the development of a successful K-12 language program.



WHAT IS FOREIGN LANGUAGE PROGRAM ARTICULATION?



For the educational practitioner, articulation is the process of providing a smooth and logical transition from an elementary to a secondary program and ensuring continuity from one FLES classroom to another. This kind of academic sequencing provides opportunities for those students with both the interest and ability to continue their elementary school language study at the secondary level. Articulation can be viewed from two perspectives: horizontal and vertical.



"Horizontal articulation" focuses on outcomes, teaching strategies, materials, and evaluation within a course level. If language instruction is offered in more than one elementary school in a district, such instruction should be based on a common curriculum. Teachers from different schools (or classrooms) must address the same objectives at each course level, while utilizing similar strategies and instructional materials.