Securing and Maintaining a Foreign Language Program in your Community

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Securing and Maintaining a Foreign Language
Program in your Community

• October, 2008 VFLA KMG

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Do Your Research
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Get Some Allies
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Check the Front Door
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Bang on the Front Door
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Check the Roof
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Vermont State Board of EducationFebruary 21,
2006

• All Vermont children will begin the study of a
  foreign language in the primary grades(PK-4), and
  they will meet a minimum of novice middle
  proficiency by the end of eighth grade. All
  Vermont school districts will coordinate the
  foreign language curriculum within their own
  district from primary grades through high school.

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Check the Back Door
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Check the Neighbors They Might Have a Key
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• Parents push for foreign language classes
• By Molly Walsh
• Free Press Staff WriterEvery Friday, the
  students at Brewster-Pierce Memorial school in
  Huntington have a special treat class with
  French teacher Evelyn Germain.Although the
  sessions take place only once a week, that's more
  foreign language instruction than most public
  elementary school students receive in Chittenden
  County. Small, rural Brewster Pierce is one of
  few grade schools in the area to offer such
  instruction to children as young as kindergarten.
  Most public schools in the region don't give
  students a chance to try French or Spanish or
  other languages until middle school.As research
  mounts to extol the benefits of foreign language
  study, especially starting at a young age, some
  parents are asking school administrators to
  consider giving children an earlier start. In
  Jericho, parents are lobbying the Jericho
  Elementary school to incorporate foreign language
  starting in fall 2006.Karen Glitman, a
  consultant and Jericho mother of two, is leading
  the push. The diplomat's daughter attended grade
  school in Paris and grew up speaking French and
  English. Her experience convinced her that
  language study offers tremendous academic and
  social benefits. These beliefs grew stronger as
  she delved into research on the advantages of
  language study."It's more than just sort of a
  gut reaction. There's a lot of science behind
  it," she said.

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Community Survey Results

• 74 (134) would support the inclusion of foreign
  language in the elementary school curriculum.
• Only 7 (13) of survey respondents think that
  foreign language instruction should begin in 7th
  grade as our school district does now.
• Over 71 (118) people said they would support
  adding foreign language even if it meant an
  increase in cost.
• The responses were nearly evenly split 50/50
  (84/82) from people with and without kids at JES.

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Teacher Survey Results

• Do you think that incorporating International
  Education, including Foreign Language
  instruction, into the Jericho Elementary School
  curriculum would be beneficial to our community?
  
• What would be the greatest challenge to adding
  Foreign Language to your day?
• What would be the greatest benefit to adding
  Foreign Language to your day?
• What questions do you have about introducing
  Foreign Language to your day?

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Main Questions

• How much would it cost?
• How would we fit it in the school day?

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JES Public Outreach effort

• Public informational meeting
• Newspaper articles
• Public survey
• Town Meeting Day table
• Business locations
• Town Hall
• Libraries
• Publish survey results in newspaper
• Presentation to all staff
• Survey of all staff
• Presentations to the School Board
• Developed and offered, Gateways to Foreign
  Cultures after school program

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Have the Issue Surround the Decision Makers