GRADE SEVEN WORLD LANGUAGE

 Seventh grade students at Daniel Wright participate in Spanish language classes daily. The curriculum addresses each of the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages — communication, cultures, connections, comparisons and community.  The current middle school program is in process of revision as students arrive from K-6 with increasing levels of proficiency in Spanish.  The middle school program continues to develop skills in each mode of communication – interpretive, interpersonal and presentational with the intent of developing the skills that students will need to articulate to a high school language program. Students who successfully complete the K-8 program of language study will place into level 2 high school classes allowing them sufficient time in their high school program to complete the AP Spanish Culture and Language course.

Spanish classes focus on communication and cultural awareness. Students learn to speak, listen, read, and write through paired practice, small group work, and role-plays. Emphasis is placed upon being able to use language in meaningful, real-life situations. The focus is on what students can do with the language and languages classes are taught almost entirely in Spanish. By the end of the year, students will have been introduced to skills, knowledge, and attitudes that will help them live and work in an increasingly global society.

Performance Goals – Novice High/Intermediate Low

By the end of seventh grade, students will be able to communicate using sentences and strings of sentences on familiar topics.  They will understand the Spanish that their teacher uses when speaking about familiar topics, but will also begin to understand the main ideas of authentic written texts or conversations with short, simple messages that focus on familiar topics.  They will be able to handle short social interactions by asking and answering questions.

Unit 1: My World

Essential Question: Who am I?

Students will be able to introduce themselves to others commenting on who they are, where they live, their age and other aspects of their unique identity. They will also be able to discuss their likes and dislikes with others.  

Unit 2: School Days

Essential Question: What does school look like around the world?

Students will learn about school in their community and in other cultures. They will consider what students learn in school and will be able to compare what schools are like in their community and in other places.

Unit 3: Food as Culture

Essential Question: What is the role of food in our lives?

Students will consider foods that are commonly eaten for different meals in other cultures.  They will compare their shopping habits for food to those of other cultures. They will also consider how food choices impact health.

Unit 4: Making Plans

Essential Question: How do people around the world spend their free time? 

Students will consider the types of activities that they do and will compare how they spend free time to how those is different cultures spend their free time. They will engage in conversations with others to make plans compromising when necessary and negotiating details such as time and place.