Current Feature on Standards and/or Advocacy

WHAT ARE PEOPLE IN PA SAYING ABOUT

the recent vote by the PA State Board of Education

to not include world languageson the list of required K-12 standards?

Most language teachers would decry the State Board's decision in light of the growing demand for citizens and workers who know at least one second language and who have a deeper understanding of the cultural similarities and differences of at least one other nation.

So we are very happy to see that some newspapers are letting their readers know what is happening. In Pittsburgh, the Post Gazette has championed world language study through several articles and an editorial. Also The Patriot- News wrote a very insightful article.

Please note that the standards vote is not yet written in stone! There will be hearings and time for comment before the final vote. However, unless the people of PA find out about it-- the Board will make that vote without adequate input. Most people in Pennsylvania are not aware of what is happening and even if they do know, they don't really understand the ramifications.

Therefore, PSMLA will post the related news articles as they come to our attention. To read the articles please click on the links below. We hope that PSMLA members will use the information to inform people in their communities. As it stands now, the only subject area without standards will be World Languages!

PEHRSON

Sunday, May 27, 2007

BY JUDY PEHRSON, The Patriot-News

This was the first article to come out against the recent vote:

http://www.pennlive.com/columns/patriotnews/review/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1180020320183040.xml&coll=1

State board refuses to require foreign language studies because of high cost
Monday, June 25, 2007
By Eleanor Chute, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

This is a good overview of the issues and current state of affairs:
http://postgazette.com/pg/07176/796928-298.stm

No comprendo: Pennsylvania keeps language a foreign affair

Monday, July 02, 2007, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

This was the lead editoria l

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07183/798618-192.stm

One person's Pittsburgh

After six years in town, I love the flowers; the parking not so much

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

By Dan Simpson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Mr. Simpson is a columnist for the PG and former U.S. Ambassador

One of the first items he is upset about is PA's stand on world language standards!

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07185/799197-374.stm

CLICK HERE to see a list of multilingual translations of the European motto:

"Unity in Diversity "

World Language Advocacy

The following links show advocacy efforts from around the globe. PA isn't alone in this effort!

Parents vocal on language teaching
The Age - Melbourne,Victoria,Australia

July 12, 2007

PARENTS have mounted a pre-election push to make languages a core part of the school curriculum amid growing fears Australian students will be unable to compete internationally unless a "crisis" in language education is addressed.

A nationwide survey

released today found that 90 per cent of parents and 70 per cent of students believed learning a language would help their understanding of the world, ... see
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/parents-vocal-on-language-teaching/2007/07/11/1183833599448.html

Georgia's school requirements: Some improvement, but more is needed
By Bob Zaslavsky

?The Georgia Department of Education has posted a draft of a plan (Rule 160-4-2-.48 ) to toughen the requirements—effective July 1, 2008—for high school graduation. The purpose of the plan is to prepare all students equally for college or the workplace in recognition that the workplace—today more than ever before—needs individuals who are prepared for college-level work, even if they have no immediate, post-high school intent to attend college.

The plan is meant to apply to all students, except those with "significant cognitive disabilities." The plan is simple, a shade more demanding than the current plan but less rigorous than what would have been called the academic curriculum when I was in high school.

In basic terms, the new requirements are four years each of English/language arts, mathematics, and science; three years of social studies; seven years of electives; and one year of health/physical education. Included in the category of electives is "modern language/Latin," of which two years of the same language "are required for any students planning to enter a University System of Georgia Institution or other post-secondary institution" but are not required for other students. See following for complete article:
http://www.sundaypaper.com/CurrentArticles/tabid/98/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/354/Default.aspx

PA PROPOSES A REVISION TO THE CHAPTER FOUR WORLD LANGUAGE REGULATIONS

In May, 2007 the PA Board of Education voted to accept the following draft (as published on the PDE website http://www.pde.state.pa.us/stateboard_ed/cwp/view.asp?a=3&Q=127158 ). This version is not yet written in stone but will be voted on in the next 6 or 7 months. Please note that this draft includes the designation of American Sign Language as a world language. (Underlining and capitalizations are from the PDE version)

Proposed PA Chapter Four Regulations

§ 4.25. Languages.

(a) World language programs must prepare students to be proficient in meeting the World Language Standards issued by the Department and available on its web site. Every school district shall provide planned instruction in at least two languages in addition to English, at least one of which shall be a modern language, and at least one of which shall be offered in a minimum 4-year sequence in the secondary program (middle level and high school).

(b) World language planned instruction under subsection (a) may be offered beginning at any grade level, including the elementary grades.

(c) World Language Standards issued by the Department will address the ability of students to communicate in a language other than English, including the ability to understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics and to develop knowledge and understanding of other cultures.

(D) AS USED IN THIS SECTION, THE TERM World language shall mean The study of the language, cultures, traditions and histories of different communities of people who communicate in languages other than English. American sign language is a world language.

Colorado entrance requirements get tougher

(But world language requirements are lowered!!)

July 14th, 2007 by Reecy

Taylor Nelson reported on Colorado.com that the Colorado Commission on Higher Education refused to postpone the new requirements, which will start with the high school graduating class of 2010. But commissioners agreed to ease up slightly on their rigor - dropping one of two years of foreign language and removing the stipulation that all four years of math be advanced.

http://www.thecollegeblog.com/?p=28

Updated July 25, 2007