How to Bring Our Schools Out of the 20th Century - Guilderland ...

Table of Contents
FLES Committee Membership ..................................................... Page 1
Introduction ................................................................................ Page 2
Executive Summary ..................................................................... Page 3
Guilderland FLES Philosophy Statement ..................................... Page 4
FLES Program Goals .................................................................. Page 4
Rationale ..................................................................................... Page 5
Curriculum Development for the FLES Program ......................... Page 9
Staff Development for FLES Program ......................................... Page 9
Program Design .......................................................................... Page 10
FLES Sections 2007-08 ............................................................... Page 12
Sample Schedules ........................................................................ Page 13
Parent/Community Involvement ................................................... Page 13
Assessment .................................................................................. Page 13
Timeline for Implementation of FLES ......................................... Page 14
Impact Analysis ........................................................................... Page 15
Elementary Language Summary of Budget Projection ................. Page 15
FLES Research, Journal Articles, Publications Reviewed
and Internet Sources ..................................................................... Page 16
APPENDIX A: Minutes of Meetings .......................................... Page 24
APPENDIX B: Articles ............................................................... Page 36
1

FLES Committee Membership
Co-Chairs 2004-05, 2006-07:
Nancy Andress
Assistant Superintendent for Instruction
Al Martino
Supervisor of Foreign Language and ESL
2004-2005
Cathy Beadnell
Martha Beck
Beth Bini
Karen Covert-Jones
Amy Daley
Marian DeSantis
Debbie Drumm
Barbara Fraterrigo
Martha Kemp
Lynn Cipriano
Wendy Meola
Lisa Peck
Jennifer Politano
Anna Russo
Stephanie Sakmar
Karen Shields
Dianne Walshhampton
Mary K. Weeks
2006-2007
Trish Abatto
Raegan Barlow
Cathy Beadnell
Martha Beck
Peter Brabant
Lynn Cipriano
Karen Covert-Jones
Amy Daley
Jim Dillon
Debbie Drumm
Barbara Fraterrigo
Laura Germano
Jen Karins
Jennifer Politano
Shannon Tougher,
Dianne Walshhampton
Mary K. Weeks
Grade 1 Teacher, Guilderland Elementary
Principal, Pine Bush Elementary
Grade 2 Teacher, Altamont Elementary
Parent, Pine Bush Elementary
Foreign Language Teacher, Farnsworth Middle School
Parent, Pine Bush Elementary
Principal, Westmere Elementary
Board of Education Member
Parent, Lynnwood Elementary
Grade 3 Teacher, Pine Bush Elementary
Parent, Westmere Elementary
Parent, Altamont Elementary
ESL Teacher, Westmere Elementary
Parent, Altamont Elementary
Parent, Lynnwood Elementary
Grade 4 Teacher, Lynnwood Elementary
Principal, Guilderland Elementary
Art Teacher, Altamont Elementary
Grade 1 Teacher, Altamont Elementary
Foreign Language, High School
Grade 1, Guilderland Elementary
Principal, Pine Bush Elementary
Principal, Altamont Elementary
Grade 3 Teacher, Pine Bush Elementary
Parent, Pine Bush Elementary
Foreign Language, Farnsworth Middle School
Principal, Lynnwood Elementary
Principal, Westmere
Board of Education Member
Grade 3, Pine Bush Elementary
Foreign Language, Farnsworith Middle School
ESL Teacher, Westmere Elementary
Grade 3, Lynnwood Elementary
Principal, Guilderland Elementary
Art Teacher, Westmere Elementary
1

Introduction
This report results from work in 2004-2005 and 2006 by a committed group of teachers,
parents, supervisors and administrators in the Guilderland Central School District. The Foreign
Language Early Start Committee met on a monthly basis in 2004-2005 and again in 2006 to meet
the following goal:
To investigate foreign language instruction at the elementary level and to make
recommendations for the teaching of foreign language K-5.
In response to an interest expressed by parents and teachers in developing a Foreign
Language Early Start (FLES) program, a committee was formed in the spring of 2004. FLES is
the commonly used acronym for Foreign Language Early Start. Committee members were
selected by PTA’s and the Guilderland Teacher’s Association. In addition to the meetings,
individual committee members and subgroups gathered and shared research, visited existing
elementary second language programs, and talked with experts in the field. The committee
members made site visits to the following schools to observe FLES programs:
Bronxville - Westchester County
Howe Magnet - Schenectady
Montessori Magnet - Albany
Edgemont - Westchester County
Washingtonville Schools - Connecticut
All schools have successful programs and have seen positive impact on language
acquisition skills, social and listening skills of children.
In the course of its work, the FLES Committee identified essential features of a high
quality program. These include:
• Clear goals that embrace both high expectations for the development of
language skills, as well as the growth of cultural awareness;
• Literacy connections between second languages and classroom teachers; and
• Strong parental involvement and support.
“Learning to speak another’s language means taking one’s place in the human
community. It means reaching out to others across cultural and linguistic boundaries.
Language is far more than a system to be explained. It is our most important link to the world
around us. Language is culture in motion. It is people interacting with people.”
Savignon, 1997
This revised 2007 proposal is a response to the Board of Education’s goal and attempts to
integrate these features into a program philosophy, design, and budget.
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Executive Summary
• The Guilderland Foreign Language Early Start program in Spanish, will begin in 2007-08
beginning in kindergarten to second grade and will provide both language proficiency and
cultural awareness. In the 2008-09 school year the program will be extended to grades 3 to
5. As defined in this report, “proficiency is the ability to effectively communicate in a second
language with a native speaker in real-life situations.” (Page 4.) Spanish was chosen
because it represents the largest and fastest growing minority in the United States and is
considered an unofficial second language. It will not interfere with first language
acquisition.
• Summer curriculum work in 2007 will focus on the development of learning objectives and
knowledge and skill outcomes for students by grade level. Both primary and supplementary
instructional materials will also be developed and curriculum maps completed using Rubicon
Atlas Software.
• The Guilderland FLES program will be a content-coordinated thematic approach designed to
enrich the existing elementary curriculum program. It will be based on New York State core
curricula and district curriculum in content areas.
• Classroom teachers and Spanish teachers will be partners in order to reinforce the learning
connections with other language learning experiences. Instruction by the Spanish teacher
will occur in the regular classroom with the classroom teacher present. The classroom
teacher will not be responsible for children’s assessment in Spanish. Like enrichment,
Spanish will not be individually assessed on the progress report.
• Effective elementary second language teachers will require knowledge and skills in both
early childhood education and Spanish. These positions will require either a combination of
elementary education and secondary Spanish certificate, or a secondary Spanish certificate
with an elementary extension.
• Staff development for both classroom teachers and elementary Spanish teachers will be well
planned and supportive, overseen by the Supervisor for Foreign Language and ESL Services.
• A systematic program of parent communication, including informational newsletters and
presentations will occur.
• Program assessment will be ongoing and continuous.
• The estimated cost of the program will be approximately $128,060 for the first year. (See
budget on page 15.)
• The foreign language supervisor has spoken with other schools regarding FLES
implementation and its impact on language choice at the middle level. Students in grade 6
will still have a choice. As in other schools, many will choose another language. Currently
in sixth grade the breakdown is as follows:
71% in Spanish 23% in French 6% in German
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Guilderland FLES Philosophy Statement
Guilderland Central School District envisions a future in which all students are
prepared with the knowledge and skills to live and prosper in our global community. Language
study has been related to the success of the United States in the international marketplace and to
success in a future of increasing global interdependence. This program will open the door to
other cultures and help children understand and appreciate people from other countries.
Becoming a global student and language instruction was the focus of a recent TIME Magazine
article, “How to Build a Student for the 21 st Century” (December 18, 2006) this is attached.
In order to empower students to live fully and work effectively in our interconnected
and diverse world, the Guilderland Central School District has organized a foreign language
Early Start program in the elementary schools (FLES).
“The primary goal of the FLES model is language acquisition and
learning about the culture of the language studied.”
(Audrey L. Heining-Boynton,
President-Elect, American Council on the Teaching of Foreign
Languages, 2004)
The FLES Program will enable students to acquire language skills essential to language
proficiency and will foster the development of higher-order thinking skills, encourage divergent
thinking, and stimulate the creativity of all students. The FLES Program is based on
Guilderland’s district priorities on communication and a student-centered approach to learning.
FLES Program Goals
The goals of Guilderland’s Foreign Language Early Start Program are to:
• teach all students to communicate beyond their native language so that they can participate
effectively in the world.
• establish standards consistent with those set by New York State.
Standard 1: Students will be able to use a language other than English for
communication.
Standard 2: Students will develop cross-cultural skills and understanding.
Proficiency is the ability to effectively communicate in a second language with a native
speaker in real-life situations. It is the ability to socialize, provide and acquire information,
express personal feelings and opinions, and get others to adopt a course of action.
Proficiency enhances the likelihood that students will attain fluency in the future. The
acquisition of language develops along a continuum, therefore it occurs over time. The
integration of meaningful second language experiences and expressive opportunities will
increase the chances of fluency. Fluency will fluctuate based on the degree of exposure (Curtain
& Pesola, 2004: Lipton, 1998: Rosenbusch, 1995).
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• Enable students to recognize that which is common to all human experience and to accept that
which is different.
• Enhance students’ abilities to analyze, compare and contrast, synthesize, improvise, and
examine culture through a language and perspective other than their own.
• Begin language study as early as possible in an interdisciplinary environment in which all
students are included.
Rationale
Starting instruction early does more than allow students to develop proficiency through
their years of study. Recent research shows that it facilitates learning at a time when their brains
are most readily adaptable to the task (Steir, Washington Post). “The research is clear that any
language a child learns through age 10 is stored in one part of the brain where it can be
distinguished early. After that it gets stored in a different part.” (Tollefson, ASCD Curriculum
Update). This is why high school students have to switch back and forth translating from
English to the foreign language being studied (Robinson, 1998). Dr. Susan Curtis, professor of
linguistics at U.C.L.A. has found that, “the power to learn language is so great in the young
child... they can learn as many spoken languages as you can allow them to hear systematically.
Children just have this capacity. Their brain is just ripe to do this.” (Curtis, 2004) When
language begins earlier, it allows for more practice, thus leading to greater fluency and
understanding.
The Guilderland program will be designed to meet the characteristics of effective
elementary school foreign language programs:
1. Access and Equity
All students, regardless of learning styles, achievement levels, race/ethnic origin,
socioeconomic status, home language, or future academic goals, have opportunities
for language study.
2. Program Goals and Program Intensity
Program goals are consistent with the amount of time actually provided for
instruction. The desired program outcomes determine time allocations for
elementary school programs. FLES programs are designed to provide a sequential
language learning experience aiming for some degree of language proficiency.
3. Extended Sequence
Elementary and middle/junior high school foreign language programs are the
foundation for a long, well-articulated sequence of carefully developed curricula
that extend through grade 12. Students in such programs can develop increased
language proficiency and cultural competence.
4. Articulation
Articulation of the extended sequence is both vertical and horizontal, including the
elementary school, the middle/junior high school, and the high school. This
articulation is the result of consensus, careful planning, and monitoring among
language teachers, administrators, and parents at all levels. Students in these
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programs achieve outcomes that are consistent across grade levels.
5. Curriculum
Human, fiscal and time resources are available for systematic curriculum
development. The curriculum review cycle provides for assessment.
6. Instruction
Will be appropriate to the developmental level of the students and consistent with
program outcomes and current professional practices.
7. Materials
Materials appropriate for students’ developmental level, rich in authentic culture
and language, and related to the curriculum are key components in elementary
school foreign language programs. The main focus of all materials, both print and
non-print, is the teaching of communication.
8. Evaluation
Processes for evaluating both student proficiency and program success are in use.
Evaluation processes are appropriate to the goals, objectives, and teaching strategies
of elementary school foreign language programs, as well as to the developmental
level of children.
9. Staffing
Programs are staffed by certified teachers who have completed preparation in
methods and materials for elementary school foreign language instruction,
developmental characteristics of the elementary school learner, and the nature of the
elementary school curriculum. Modern foreign language teachers should have a
high level of language and cultural competence.
10. Professional Development
An ongoing program of professional development should allow teachers to advance
in their levels of language, culture, and instruction.
11. School and Community Support and Development
The foreign language teachers work with the entire school community to integrate
the foreign language curriculum into the school educational program. The
elementary school foreign language program shows responsibility for and makes
effective use of parent and community resources and of school board and
administrative staff.
12. Culture
The connection between language and culture is made explicit, and foreign
language instruction is implemented within a cultural context. Cultural awareness
and understanding are explicit goals of the program. The program collaborates with
other cultures and countries (exchange programs, pen pals, etc.) to assure language
learning within a context of cultural experiences. We believe the emphasis on
cultural understanding fits very well with our bullying prevention efforts.
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The study of a second language will enhance learning in other areas of study, including
reading, listening skills, social studies, and mathematics. It does not come at the expense of
basic skills (Armstrong & Rogers, 1997; Curtain, 2004; Garfinkel & Tabor, 1991; Robinson,
1998).
The study of a second language will help students develop a clearer understanding of the
English language and greater sensitivity to structure, vocabulary and syntax (Bialystock, 1997:
Met, 2004; Puhfaht, 2001: Rosenbusch, 1995).
The study of a second language will help students develop a greater awareness of and
deeper understanding of other cultures and increases the likelihood of their developing more
interactions with persons from other nations (Curtain & Pesola, 2004; Cutshall, 2004: Howard,
2004; Met, 2004; National Standards in Foreign Language Education, 1995; President’s
Commission on Foreign Languages and International Studies, 1979). The U.S. starts foreign
language at a later age than any other country. It is clear that we do not begin awareness of other
cultures early enough (see chart).
Country
1st Foreign
Language
Starting
Age
Additional Languages
Australia French 6 German, Greek, Italian, Japanese
Austria English 6 French, Italian
Brazil English 11 or 12 Spanish, French, German
Canada French 10 German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese,
Mandarin Chinese, Punjabi
Chile English >12 French, German, Italian
Czech
Republic
English and
German
9 French, Russian, Spanish
Denmark English 10 German, French, Spanish
Finland English or other 9 Swedish, Finnish, German, French,
Russian, Spanish, Italian
Germany English or other 8 French, Spanish, Russian, Italian,
Turkish
Israel English 10 Hebrew, French, Arabic
Italy English 8 French, German, Spanish, Russian
Kazakhstan English 10 German, French
Luxembourg
Morocco
German and
French
French and
English
6 or 7 English, Italian, Spanish
9 or 10 Spanish, German
Netherlands English 10 or 11 German, French
7

New Zealand French >12 Japanese, Maori, German, Spanish
Peru English >12 French, German
Spain English 8 French, German, Italian, Portuguese
Thailand English 6 French, German, Chinese, Japanese,
Arabic
United States Spanish 14 French, German, Japanese
Source: Pufahl, Rhodes, & Christian (2000). Reprinted with permission.
Source: Pufahl, Rhodesd & Christian (2000). Reprinted with permission
Educational Leadership/December 2004/January 2005
The study of a foreign language at an early age will provide greater opportunity for the
development of proficiency and fluency. Young children are naturally curious and
developmentally ready to learn (Curtain, 1997; Howard, 2004; Marcos, 1998; Met & Rhodes,
1990; Nanduti, 2004; Robinson, 1998).
The study of a foreign language fits the key principles of child development for the early
learner.
Key principles of child development for the early learner:
• The physical, social, emotional and cognitive domains of child development are interrelated.
Development in one domain influences and is influenced by the development in other
domains.
• There are variations in the sequence of development; individual children may develop more
rapidly in one area than in another.
• Optimal periods exist for certain types of development and learning to occur. The prime time
for the acquisition of language and literacy development is during the early years.
• Children are active learners drawing on direct physical and social experience as well as
culturally transmitted knowledge to construct their own understanding of the world around
them.
• Play is an important medium for children’s social, emotional and cognitive development.
• Development advances when children have opportunities to practice newly acquired skills as
well as when they experience a challenge just beyond the level of their present mastery.
• Children develop and learn best in the context of a community in which they feel safe and
valued, their physical needs are met, and they feel psychologically secure.
Adapted from: Preschool Planning Guide,
New York State Education Department
Source: NAEYC/DAP in Early Childhood Programs
The study of a foreign language will enhance the future employability of students
(Curtain, 2004; Met, 2004). As American society becomes more diverse, more jobs need people
who can communicate in two languages. Jobs will require interaction with a multiethnic
business community.
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The study of a foreign language will enable students to develop more flexibility in
thinking processes through problem solving, conceptualizing and reasoning; improved memory,
greater analytic and interpretive capacities; greater creativity; and divergent thinking capacity
(Curtain, 2004; Landry, 1993; Margarita, 2003; Rosenbusch, 1995).
The early study of foreign language facilitates the learning of additional foreign
languages (Lipton, 1992).
The choice of Spanish as the second language to be learned in elementary school will
enhance the opportunities for our students to thrive in an increasingly multilingual society
(Curtain, 1997).
Additional claims stated in professional journal articles, but not supported by specific
research citations, include: enhanced performance in verbal areas on entrance exams such as
ACTs, SATs, MCATs, and LSATs; enhanced self-esteem; increased appreciation for the
aesthetics of literature, music and art; improved knowledge of geography; greater opportunity for
career exploration; greater likelihood of earning college credits while in high school; and,
increased opportunities to conduct research and/or study in a foreign country.
Curriculum Development for the FLES Program
The FLES curriculum development will focus on three areas:
1. A Foreign Language Steering Committee comprised of foreign language teachers,
classroom teachers and administrators will be formed to provide on-going planning,
coordination and support for the program. Curriculum development will be the
responsibility of appropriate staff members.
2. The summer curriculum writing project will focus on the development of learning
objectives and outcomes by grade level. On-line curriculum maps will be designed.
Language skills on an appropriate communicative level will be integrated with grade
level content. A resource list will be published for teachers.
3. Evaluation and modifications of existing curriculum for each grade level will be based on
the results of annual program assessment overseen by the Supervisor of Foreign
Language and ESL.
Staff Development for FLES Program
The Guilderland Central School District will provide the resources needed to empower
both classroom teachers and Spanish teachers to successfully implement the FLES Program. It is
our expectation that all affected staff members (which could include administrators, aides,
support staff, special education teachers and others) will participate in a variety of these
opportunities in order to attain the skills and knowledge needed to provide the reinforcement
activities required by the program design.
9

Early in the year a presentation will be made to teachers regarding goals for the program,
and implementation for teacher involvement. On an annual basis, new teachers will be given an
orientation to the FLES program.
Summer 2008 inservice workshops will be offered to all staff members presently
involved in the program. Inservice courses will include, but not limited to:
Introduction to Spanish
How to Integrate a Second Language Into Your Classroom
Program Design
1. The program will utilize the FLES design.
A. FLES refers to Foreign Language Early Start, which offers sequential foreign
language instruction and cultural awareness. The program goals are centered on
language proficiency and cultural issues. Contact time is once a week for a minimum of
20 minutes per week.
2. The FLES program will use an interdisciplinary approach to language learning and will be
content and skills based. Instruction will be tied to the content, skills, and topics from
specific grade level subject areas. For example, in grade one, the focus may be on simple
addition and subtraction. The Spanish teacher will incorporate the teaching of numbers along
with addition and subtraction. Another example is a science lesson that focuses on
butterflies. The Spanish teacher would demonstrate this concept by using examples in the
target language.
3. The program will begin by introducing Spanish instruction next year in kindergarten through
grade 2. The spiral approach in the curriculum will integrate new knowledge and skills with prior
learning.
4. The FLES Program will use a “push-in” model. The language specialist will come to the
regular teacher’s classroom to provide the Spanish lessons. The classroom teacher will be
present.
5. Instructional strategies for FLES teachers may include:
• Authentic literacy materials such as signs, ads, magazines, and menus in learning
centers and other class activities.
• Create learning centers that can be left behind after a FLES lesson; these can help to
provide continuous independent learning in the absence of the FLES teacher.
• Allow students different points of entry for any project or activity.
• Allow children to work at their own pace on projects and activities.
• Provide opportunities for the children to talk with peers or adults as they work
through projects or activities.
• Provide opportunities for the student to learn about the sounds of the target language.
• Read picture books aloud in the target language.
• Tell stories that have a clear beginning, middle and end.
• Design lessons that require physical movement.
• Provide opportunities for native speakers of the Languages Other than English,
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including family members, to share ideas and experiences with the students.
• Include lessons that provide opportunities for students to ask questions, make
observations, predict outcomes of events, and draw conclusions.
• Use wordless books, predictable texts, and repetitive stories.
• Include opportunities for dramatic play and role-play to add meaning to learning
experiences.
• Provide small motor coordination activities such as drawing, coloring and painting.
• Provide activities that allow students to use all of their senses to understand and
communicate their experiences.
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FLES Sections
2007-2008
Altamont
Grade # sect. FLES
classes
Times/wk
Min.
K 3 3 1 20
1 3 3 1 30
2 2 2 1 30
Actual instructional time: 210 minutes
With passing time between classrooms:
250 minutes*
Guilderland
Grade # sect. FLES Times/wk Min.
classes
K 4 4 1 20
1 4 4 1 30
2 5 5 1 30
Actual instructional time: 350 minutes
With passing time between classrooms:
415 minutes*
Lynnwood
Grade # sect. FLES Times/wk Min.
classes
K 4 4 1 20
1 3 3 1 30
2 5 5 1 30
Actual instructional time: 320 minutes
With passing time between classrooms:
380 minutes*
Pine Bush
Grade # sect. FLES Times/wk Min.
classes
K 4 4 1 20
1 4 4 1 30
2 4 4 1 30
Actual instructional time: 320 minutes
With passing time between classrooms:
380 minutes*
Westmere
Grade # sect. FLES Times/wk Min.
classes
K 4 4 1 20
*The teacher will need approximately
5 minutes to collect materials and
move to the next classroom.
1 4 4 1 30
2 4 4 1 30
Actual instructional time: 320 minutes
With passing time between classrooms:
380 minutes*
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1
GRADE
TIME
K 8:20---9:35
1 9:50—11:35
Lunch
2 12:05—1:15
----------planning time ---------------
Sample Schedules: Altamont
2
GRADE
TIME
2 8:20—9:25
1 9:40—11:25
Lunch
K 12:00—1:15
----------planning time----------
Parent/Community Involvement
• An informal questionnaire was sent to parents to gauge interest in FLES in 2004 which showed great
interest.
• An informational letter will be sent out to our parents and community outlining the FLES Program.
Information will also be posted on the district website.
• The parents of k-2 students have an opportunity to attend a presentation regarding the FLES Program
during Open House in September.
• The FLES teacher will provide communication to parents regarding the FLES Program and school
and classroom activities through school newsletters and the school’s webpage.
• Parent workshops will be made available to enable parents to incorporate learning strategies into their
children’s education experience.
Assessment
The FLES Program and the achievement of students will be assessed annually, based on
expectations established in the New York State Learning Standards.
Standard 1: Communication Skills
Listening and speaking are primary communicative goals in modern language learning.
These skills are used for the purposes of socializing, providing and acquiring information,
expressing personal feelings and opinions, and getting others to adopt a course of action.
Students can:
• Comprehend language consisting of simple vocabulary and structures in face-to-face
conversation with peers and familiar adults
• Comprehend the main idea of more extended conversations with some unfamiliar
vocabulary and structures as well as cognates of English words
• Call upon repetition, rephrasing, and nonverbal cues to derive or convey meaning from a
language other than English
• Use appropriate strategies to initiate and engage in simple conversations with more fluent
or native speakers of the same age group, familiar adults, and providers of common
public services.
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This is evident, for example, when students:
• Exchange simple greetings and answer questions about self and family.
• Listen to various media broadcasts and answer questions about main ideas.
• Speak in complete sentences, using present tense and, occasionally, markers for past
and future tenses.
• Ask for information or directions.
• Discuss classroom activities with a peer.
• Use appropriate body language and gestures to supplement the spoken word.
Standard 2: Cultural Understanding
Effective communication involves meanings that go beyond words and require an
understanding of perceptions, gestures, folklore, and family and community dynamics. All of
these elements can affect whether and how well a message is received.
Students can:
• Use some key cultural traits of the societies in which the target language is spoken.
This is evident, for example, when students:
• Recognize cultural patterns and traditions of the target cultures in the target
language;
• Understand the cultural implications of the spoken language and the dynamics of
social interaction; and
• Correctly use and interpret cultural manifestations, such as gestures accompanying
greeting and leave taking and the appropriate distance to maintain.
Questionnaires will be provided to students, parents, teachers and administrators to obtain
feedback about the FLES Program near the end of each school year. The end-of-year survey will
then allow us to measure any observable changes in attitude over time.
Timeline for Implementation of FLES
Spring, 2004
May, 2004
May, September, 2004
October, 2004
November, 2004
December, 2004
January 6, 2005
Form a planning committee composed of teachers, Board of Education
member, supervisor, principals and parents.
FLES Committee meets and establishes a goal and timeline for
implementation of the program. Implementing Successful FLES
Programs by Dr. Elaine Margarita is used as a resource.
FLES Committee reviews research and approaches for integrating
language and culture into the elementary program.
FLES Committee members visit four successful FLES programs and
report back to the committee.
FLES Committee selects Spanish as the language to be taught K-5 and
agrees on a tentative schedule.
FLES Subcommittee writes the FLES Proposal.
FLES Committee meets to review FLES Proposal.
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January 18, 2005
September, November, 2006
January 2007
May, 2007
June, July, 2007
September, 2007
Presentation to Guilderland Board of Education of FLES Program.
FLES Committee reconvenes and revised FLES proposal for Board of
Education.
Interviewing, hiring of Spanish teachers for FLES Program.
Summer curriculum writing for FLES Program.
FLES Program begins K-2. Steering Committee formed.
Impact Analysis
An introduction of the FLES Program in kindergarten through grade 2 in September, 2007 is
based on current projected classroom sections and staffing needed. The budget represents a best estimate
for staffing the FLES Program.
Elementary Language Summary of Budget Projection
2007-08
# OF
TEACHERS
COST
2.00 Salaries & Benefits $120,000
Supplies & Instructional Materials $4,000
Teacher Travel $2,000
Summer Curriculum
2 Teachers X 5 Days ($206) $2,060
TOTALS $128,060
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FLES Research, Journal Articles, Publications Reviewed Internet Sources
A National Survey of Foreign Language Instruction in Elementary and Secondary Schools: A Summary
Center for Applied Linguistics, 1998
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages: www.yearoflanguages.org
Announcing the Nandu Listserv on Early Foreign Language Learning, Center for Applied Linguistics,
1999
Armstrong, Kimberly M.;Yetter-Vassot, Cindy, Transforming Teaching Through Technology, Foreign
Language Annals, 1994
Boston, Carol, Federal Support for Foreign Language Education, The ERIC Review; 1998
Branaman, Lucinda; Rhodes, Nancy; Rennie, Jeanne, A National Survey of K-12 Foreign Language
Education, The ERIC Review, 1998
Christian, Donna; Pufahl, Ingrid; Rhodes, Nancy, Language Learning: A Worldwide Perspective,
Educational Leadership, Dec. 2004, Jan. 2005
Curtain, Helena, How to Start a K-8 Program: Selecting a Language, 1997
Curtain, Helena; Dahlberg, Carol Ann, Languages and Children: Making the Match, Allyn & Bacon,
2004
Cutshall, Sandy, Why We Need the Year of Languages, Educational Leadership, Dec. 2004, Jan. 2005
Developing Language Proficiency and Connecting School to Students’ Lives: Two Standards for Effective
Teaching, ERIC Digest, 1998
Fostering Second Language Development in Young Children, ERIC Digest, 1995
Garfinkel, Alan; Tabor, Kenneth, Elementary School Foreign Languages and English Reading
Achievement: A New View of the Relationship, Foreign Language Annals, 1991
Howard, Elizabeth; Christian, Donna; Genesee, Fred, The Development of Bilingualism and Biliteracy
from Grade 3 to 5, Center for Research on Education, Diversity and Excellence, 2004
Howard, Elizabeth R.; Loeb, Michael, In Their Own Words: Two-Way Immersion Teachers Talk About
Their Professional Experiences, ERIC Digest, 1998
Lipton, Gladys, What Strategies are Useful When Advocating for the Initiation of Program?, 1998
Marcos, Kathleen, Parent Brochure: Why, How and When Should My Child Learn a Second Language?
Center for Applied Linguistics, 1998
Marcos, Kathleen M., Second Language Learning: Everyone Can Benefit, The ERIC Review, 1998
Margarita, Dr. Elaine, Implementing Successful FLES Programs, Margarita Publications, 2003
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Marcos, Kathleen M., Starting a Foreign Language Program, the ERIC Review, 1998
Met, Myriam, Improving Students’ Foreign Language Capacity I, Phi Delta Kappan, November, 2004
Nanduti: Early Foreign Language Learning, Center for Applied Linguistics, 2004
New York State, Foreign Languages Curriculum Framework, Content Standards, 1997
Pufahl, Ingrid; Rhodes, Nancy; Christian, Donna, Foreign Language Teaching” What the United States
Can Learn From Other Countries, Washington, D.C.: Center for Applied Linguistics, 2001
Robinson, Deborah W., The Cognitive Academic and Attitudinal Benefits of Early Language Learning,
Critical Issues of Early Second Language Learning. Addison Wesley, 1998
Rosenbusch, Guidelines for Starting an Elementary School Foreign Language Program, ERIC Digest,
1995
Rosenbusch, Marcia, J., Nanduti, ERIC Digest, 1995
Savignon, Sandra J.,Communicative Competence. Theory and Classroom Practice: Texts and Contexts in
Second Language Learning, 2 nd Edition, New York: McGraw-Hill, 1997
Sparks, Richard L,; Ganschow, Leonore; Artzer, Marjorie; Patton, John, Foreign Language Proficiency
At-Risk and Not-At-Risk Learners Over 2 Years of Foreign Language Instruction: A Follow-Up Study,
Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1997
Speak Out for Language Learning, Center for Applied Linguistics
Spotlight on FLES Programs, Glastonbury, Connecticut, The ERIC Review, 1998
Teel, Jean; Smith, Melissa, Why is the Study of Foreign Language Necessary? Foreign Languages:
Elementary Core Curriculum Guide Preview, 1998
Tollefson, Anne, ASCD Curriculum Update, Fall, 2004
www.cal.org/earlylang/
17

Sunday, Dec. 10, 2006
18

How to Bring Our Schools
Out of the 20th Century
By Claudia Wallis, Sonja Steptoe
There's a dark little joke exchanged by educators with a dissident
streak: Rip Van Winkle awakens in the 21st century after a hundred-year snooze and is, of course, utterly
bewildered by what he sees. Men and women dash about, talking to small metal devices pinned to their
ears. Young people sit at home on sofas, moving miniature athletes around on electronic screens. Older
folk defy death and disability with metronomes in their chests and with hips made of metal and plastic.
Airports, hospitals, shopping malls--every place Rip goes just baffles him. But when he finally walks into
a schoolroom, the old man knows exactly where he is. "This is a school," he declares. "We used to have
these back in 1906. Only now the blackboards are green."
American schools aren't exactly frozen in time, but considering the pace of change in other areas of life,
our public schools tend to feel like throwbacks. Kids spend much of the day as their great-grandparents
once did: sitting in rows, listening to teachers lecture, scribbling notes by hand, reading from textbooks
that are out of date by the time they are printed. A yawning chasm (with an emphasis on yawning)
separates the world inside the schoolhouse from the world outside.
For the past five years, the national conversation on education has focused on reading scores, math tests
and closing the "achievement gap" between social classes. This is not a story about that conversation.
This is a story about the big public conversation the nation is not having about education, the one that will
ultimately determine not merely whether some fraction of our children get "left behind" but also whether
an entire generation of kids will fail to make the grade in the global economy because they can't think
their way through abstract problems, work in teams, distinguish good information from bad or speak a
language other than English.
This week the conversation will burst onto the front page, when the New Commission on the Skills of the
American Workforce, a high-powered, bipartisan assembly of Education Secretaries and business,
government and other education leaders releases a blueprint for rethinking American education from pre-
K to 12 and beyond to better prepare students to thrive in the global economy. While that report includes
some controversial proposals, there is nonetheless a remarkable consensus among educators and business
and policy leaders on one key conclusion: we need to bring what we teach and how we teach into the 21st
century.
Right now we're aiming too low. Competency in reading and math--the focus of so much No Child Left
Behind (NCLB) testing--is the meager minimum. Scientific and technical skills are, likewise, utterly
necessary but insufficient. Today's economy demands not only a high-level competence in the traditional
academic disciplines but also what might be called 21st century skills. Here's what they are:
Knowing more about the world. Kids are global citizens now, even in small-town America, and they must
learn to act that way. Mike Eskew, CEO of UPS, talks about needing workers who are "global trade
literate, sensitive to foreign cultures, conversant in different languages"--not exactly strong points in the
U.S., where fewer than half of high school students are enrolled in a foreign-language class and where the
social-studies curriculum tends to fixate on U.S. history.
Thinking outside the box. Jobs in the new economy--the ones that won't get outsourced or automated--
19

"put an enormous premium on creative and innovative skills, seeing patterns where other people see only
chaos," says Marc Tucker, an author of the skills-commission report and president of the National Center
on Education and the Economy. Traditionally that's been an American strength, but schools have become
less daring in the back-to-basics climate of NCLB. Kids also must learn to think across disciplines, since
that's where most new breakthroughs are made. It's interdisciplinary combinations--design and
technology, mathematics and art--"that produce YouTube and Google," says Thomas Friedman, the bestselling
author of The World Is Flat.
Becoming smarter about new sources of information. In an age of overflowing information and
proliferating media, kids need to rapidly process what's coming at them and distinguish between what's
reliable and what isn't. "It's important that students know how to manage it, interpret it, validate it, and
how to act on it," says Dell executive Karen Bruett, who serves on the board of the Partnership for 21st
Century Skills, a group of corporate and education leaders focused on upgrading American education.
Developing good people skills. EQ, or emotional intelligence, is as important as IQ for success in today's
workplace. "Most innovations today involve large teams of people," says former Lockheed Martin CEO
Norman Augustine. "We have to emphasize communication skills, the ability to work in teams and with
people from different cultures."
Can our public schools, originally designed to educate workers for agrarian life and industrial-age
factories, make the necessary shifts? The Skills commission will argue that it's possible only if we add
new depth and rigor to our curriculum and standardized exams, redeploy the dollars we spend on
education, reshape the teaching force and reorganize who runs the schools. But without waiting for such a
revolution, enterprising administrators around the country have begun to update their schools, often with
ideas and support from local businesses. The state of Michigan, conceding that it can no longer count on
the ailing auto industry to absorb its poorly educated and low-skilled workers, is retooling its high
schools, instituting what are among the most rigorous graduation requirements in the nation. Elsewhere,
organizations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement
of Teaching and the Asia Society are pouring money and expertise into model programs to show the way.
What It Means to Be a Global Student
Quick! How many ways can you combine nickels, dimes and pennies to get 20¢? That's the challenge for
students in a second-grade math class at Seattle's John Stanford International School, and hands are flying
up with answers. The students sit at tables of four manipulating play money. One boy shouts "10 plus 10";
a girl offers "10 plus 5 plus 5," only it sounds like this: "Ju, tasu, go, tasu, go." Down the hall, thirdgraders
are learning to interpret charts and graphs showing how many hours of sleep people need at
different ages. "¿Cuantas horas duerme un bebé?" asks the teacher Sabrina Storlie.
This public elementary school has taken the idea of global education and run with it. All students take
some classes in either Japanese or Spanish. Other subjects are taught in English, but the content has an
international flavor. The school pulls its 393 students from the surrounding highly diverse neighborhood
and by lottery from other parts of the city. Generally, its scores on state tests are at or above average,
although those exams barely scratch the surface of what Stanford students learn.
Before opening the school seven years ago, principal Karen Kodama surveyed 1,500 business leaders on
which languages to teach (plans for Mandarin were dropped for lack of classroom space) and which skills
and disciplines. "No. 1 was technology," she recalls. Even first-graders at Stanford begin to use
PowerPoint and Internet tools. "Exposure to world cultures was also an important trait cited by the
executives," says Kodama, so that instead of circling back to the Pilgrims and Indians every autumn,
20

children at Stanford do social-studies units on Asia, Africa, Australia, Mexico and South America.
Students actively apply the lessons in foreign language and culture by video-conferencing with sister
schools in Japan, Africa and Mexico, by exchanging messages, gifts and joining in charity projects.
Stanford International shows what's possible for a public elementary school, although it has the rare
advantage of support from corporations like Nintendo and Starbucks, which contribute to its $1.7 milliona-year
budget. Still, dozens of U.S. school districts have found ways to orient some of their students
toward the global economy. Many have opened schools that offer the international baccalaureate (I.B.)
program, a rigorous, off-the-shelf curriculum recognized by universities around the world and first
introduced in 1968--well before globalization became a buzzword.
To earn an I.B. diploma, students must prove written and spoken proficiency in a second language, write
a 4,000-word college-level research paper, complete a real-world service project and pass rigorous oral
and written subject exams. Courses offer an international perspective, so even a lesson on the American
Revolution will interweave sources from Britain and France with views from the Founding Fathers. "We
try to build something we call international mindedness," says Jeffrey Beard, director general of the
International Baccalaureate Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. "These are students who can grasp
issues across national borders. They have an understanding of nuances and complexity and a balanced
approach to problem solving." Despite stringent certification requirements, I.B. schools are growing in the
U.S.--from about 350 in 2000 to 682 today. The U.S. Department of Education has a pilot effort to bring
the program to more low-income students.
Real Knowledge in the Google Era
Learn the names of all the rivers in South America. That was the assignment given to Deborah Stipek's
daughter Meredith in school, and her mom, who's dean of the Stanford University School of Education,
was not impressed. "That's silly," Stipek told her daughter. "Tell your teacher that if you need to know
anything besides the Amazon, you can look it up on Google." Any number of old-school assignments--
memorizing the battles of the Civil War or the periodic table of the elements--now seem faintly absurd.
That kind of information, which is poorly retained unless you routinely use it, is available at a keystroke.
Still, few would argue that an American child shouldn't learn the causes of the Civil War or understand
how the periodic table reflects the atomic structure and properties of the elements. As school critic E.D.
Hirsch Jr. points out in his book, The Knowledge Deficit, kids need a substantial fund of information just
to make sense of reading materials beyond the grade-school level. Without mastering the fundamental
building blocks of math, science or history, complex concepts are impossible.
Many analysts believe that to achieve the right balance between such core knowledge and what educators
call "portable skills"--critical thinking, making connections between ideas and knowing how to keep on
learning--the U.S. curriculum needs to become more like that of Singapore, Belgium and Sweden, whose
students outperform American students on math and science tests. Classes in these countries dwell on key
concepts that are taught in depth and in careful sequence, as opposed to a succession of forgettable details
so often served in U.S. classrooms. Textbooks and tests support this approach. "Countries from Germany
to Singapore have extremely small textbooks that focus on the most powerful and generative ideas," says
Roy Pea, co-director of the Stanford Center for Innovations in Learning. These might be the key theorems
in math, the laws of thermodynamics in science or the relationship between supply and demand in
economics. America's bloated textbooks, by contrast, tend to gallop through a mind-numbing stream of
topics and subtopics in an attempt to address a vast range of state standards.
Depth over breadth and the ability to leap across disciplines are exactly what teachers aim for at the
Henry Ford Academy, a public charter school in Dearborn, Mich. This fall, 10th-graders in Charles
21

Dershimer's science class began a project that combines concepts from earth science, chemistry, business
and design. After reading about Nike's efforts to develop a more environmentally friendly sneaker,
students had to choose a consumer product, analyze and explain its environmental impact and then
develop a plan for re-engineering it to reduce pollution costs without sacrificing its commercial appeal.
Says Dershimer: "It's a challenge for them and for me."
A New Kind of Literacy
The juniors in Bill Stroud's class are riveted by a documentary called Loose Change unspooling on a
small TV screen at the Baccalaureate School for Global Education, in urban Astoria, N.Y. The film uses
9/11 footage and interviews with building engineers and Twin Towers survivors to make an oddly
compelling if paranoid case that interior explosions unrelated to the impact of the airplanes brought down
the World Trade Center on that fateful day. Afterward, the students--an ethnic mix of New Yorkers with
their own 9/11 memories--dive into a discussion about the elusive nature of truth.
Raya Harris finds the video more convincing than the official version of the facts. Marisa Reichel objects.
"Because of a movie, you are going to change your beliefs?" she demands. "Just because people heard
explosions doesn't mean there were explosions. You can say you feel the room spinning, but it isn't." This
kind of discussion about what we know and how we know it is typical of a theory of knowledge class, a
required element for an international-baccalaureate diploma. Stroud has posed this question to his class on
the blackboard: "If truth is difficult to prove in history, does it follow that all versions are equally
acceptable?"
Throughout the year, the class will examine news reports, websites, propaganda, history books, blogs,
even pop songs. The goal is to teach kids to be discerning consumers of information and to research,
formulate and defend their own views, says Stroud, who is founder and principal of the four-year-old
public school, which is located in a repurposed handbag factory.
Classes like this, which teach key aspects of information literacy, remain rare in public education, but
more and more universities and employers say they are needed as the world grows ever more deluged
with information of variable quality. Last year, in response to demand from colleges, the Educational
Testing Service unveiled a new, computer-based exam designed to measure information-andcommunication-technology
literacy. A pilot study of the test with 6,200 high school seniors and college
freshmen found that only half could correctly judge the objectivity of a website. "Kids tend to go to
Google and cut and paste a research report together," says Terry Egan, who led the team that developed
the new test. "We kind of assumed this generation was so comfortable with technology that they know
how to use it for research and deeper thinking," says Egan. "But if they're not taught these skills, they
don't necessarily pick them up."
Learning 2.0
The chairman of Sun Microsystems was up against one of the most vexing challenges of modern life: a
third-grade science project. Scott McNealy had spent hours searching the Web for a lively explanation of
electricity that his son could understand. "Finally I found a very nice, animated, educational website
showing electrons zooming around and tests after each section. We did this for about an hour and a half
and had a ball--a great father-son moment of learning. All of a sudden we ran out of runway because it
was a site to help welders, and it then got into welding." For McNealy the experience, three years ago,
provided one of life's aha! moments: "It made me wonder why there isn't a website where I can just go
and have anything I want to learn, K to 12, online, browser based and free."
22

His solution: draw on the Wikipedia model to create a collection of online courses that can be updated,
improved, vetted and built upon by innovative teachers, who, he notes, "are always developing new
materials and methods of instruction because they aren't happy with what they have." And who better to
create such a site than McNealy, whose company has led the way in designing open-source computer
software? He quickly raised some money, created a nonprofit and--voilà!--Curriki.org made its debut
January 2006, and has been growing fast. Some 450 courses are in the works, and about 3,000 people
have joined as members. McNealy reports that a teenager in Kuwait has already completed the
introductory physics and calculus classes in 18 days.
Curriki, however, isn't meant to replace going to school but to supplement it and offer courses that may
not be available locally. It aims to give teachers classroom-tested content materials and assessments that
are livelier and more current and multimedia-based than printed textbooks. Ultimately, it could take the
Web 2.0 revolution to school, closing that yawning gap between how kids learn at school and how they
do everything else. Educators around the country and overseas are already discussing ways to certify
Curriki's online course work for credit.
Some states are creating their own online courses. "In the 21st century, the ability to be a lifelong learner
will, for many people, be dependent on their ability to access and benefit from online learning," says
Michael Flanagan, Michigan's superintendent of public instruction, which is why Michigan's new high
school graduation requirements, which roll out next year, include completing at least one course online.
A Dose of Reality
Teachers need not fear that they will be made obsolete. They will, however, feel increasing pressure to
bring their methods--along with the curriculum--into line with the way the modern world works. That
means putting a greater emphasis on teaching kids to collaborate and solve problems in small groups and
apply what they've learned in the real world. Besides, research shows that kids learn better that way than
with the old chalk-and-talk approach.
At suburban Farmington High in Michigan, the engineering-technology department functions like an
engineering firm, with teachers as project managers, a Ford Motor Co. engineer as a consultant and
students working in teams. The principles of calculus, physics, chemistry and engineering are taught
through activities that fill the hallways with a cacophony of nailing, sawing and chattering. The result: the
kids learn to apply academic principles to the real world, think strategically and solve problems.
Such lessons also teach students to show respect for others as well as to be punctual, responsible and
work well in teams. Those skills were badly missing in recently hired high school graduates, according to
a survey of over 400 human-resource professionals conducted by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills.
"Kids don't know how to shake your hand at graduation," says Rudolph Crew, superintendent of the
Miami-Dade school system. Deportment, he notes, used to be on the report card. Some of the nation's
more forward-thinking schools are bringing it back. It's one part of 21st century education that sleepy old
Rip would recognize.
With reporting by Carolina A. Miranda
23

APPENDIX A
24

GUILDERLAND CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
MINUTES OF MEETING
NAME OF CABINET: FLES
DATE OF MEETING: December 7 th , 2006
MEMBERS PRESENT: Trish Abatto, Nancy Andress, Cathy Beadnell, Lynn Cipriano, Karen
Covert-Jones, Debbie Drumm, Barbara Fraterrigo, Al Martino, Jennifer
Politano, Shannon Tougher, Dianne Walshhampton, Jen Karins
CHAIR:
Nancy Andress & Al Martino
RECORDER:
Nancy Andress
ITEMS DISCUSSED BY TOPIC:
1. Welcome, introductions
2. Board of Education Goals
3. Plan for 2007-08 and Beyond
4. Next Steps
RECOMMENDATIONS OR DECISIONS MADE:
1. Welcome Introductions
Nancy Andress welcomed the group. Introductions were made.
2. Board of Education Goals
Nancy Andress and Barbara Fraterrigo shared the Board of Education’s goal on an
implementation plan for FLES.
3. Plan for 2007-08 and Beyond
The FLES Committee talked about these options for FLES implementation:
• Original Plan – Full implementation
- K-5 implementation, 3 FTE’s Spanish
- K – 20 minutes 1 time per week
- 1-5 – 30 minutes 1 time per week
• Gradual implementation options
- Grade 5 only – preparation for FMS
- Grades 3, 4, 5 – Teacher committee members feel difficult due to teacher
concerns about time, testing and curriculum demands
- K, 1, 2 – This will have the support of teachers k,1,2
• This will give 3, 4, 5 teachers more time to understand how the program
works.
• This would establish the program and gain parent support
• This would give us time to build the quality of the program
There’s been a concern about linking committee on the School Day to FLES. Our planning does
not require the school day to be extended.
There is a concern about talking to parents about the implementation plan – especially parents of
students in grade 3, 4, and 5. An explanation of the implementation plan should be sent to
parents.
The committee talked about offering optional courses on Spanish for teachers and teaching
assistants as the program is implemented.
25

4. Next Steps
• The committee came to consensus on a 2 year implementation of FLES.
• 2007-08 – K, 1, 2
• 2008-09 – 3, 4, 5
• Two FTE’s – Spanish teachers will be hired.
• Presentations to staff of the plan: Principals and committee would present at January
staff or curriculum meetings. At grade level meetings, Al could be invited to speak.
• “Talking Points” developed by Nancy and Al for staff to explain the program for
principals and committee members to use.
• February submit report / recommendation.
NEXT MEETING DATE: January 22 nd at 3:45 p.m. at the Guilderland Elementary Staff Room
26

GUILDERLAND CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
MINUTES OF MEETING
NAME OF CABINET: FLES
DATE OF MEETING: October 17, 2006
MEMBERS PRESENT: Nancy Andress, Cathy Beadnell, Martha Beck, Lynn Cipriano, Karen
Covert-Jones, Amy Daley, Jen Karins, Barbara Fraterrigo, Al Martino,
Wendy Meola, Dianne Walshhampton, Mary K Weeks, Trish Abatto
CHAIR:
Nancy Andress & Al Martino
RECORDER:
Nancy Andress
ITEMS DISCUSSED BY TOPIC:
1. Welcome, introductions
2. Committee Goal
3. Factors influencing FLES
4. Review of Plan
5. Next Steps
RECOMMENDATIONS OR DECISIONS MADE:
1. Welcome Introductions
Nancy Andress, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction and Al Martino, Supervisor of Foreign
Language & ESL, welcomed the group. Introductions were made.
2. Committee Goal
Nancy shared the committee’s goal:
To review our FLES plan for the teaching of foreign language K-5.
Barbara Fraterrigo explained about Board of Education goals and FLES moving to the top of their
list. Nancy and Al explained that we need to review our plan for the future.
3. Factors Influencing FLES
• Length of the school day – Martha Beck reported on the School Day committee and its plan.
• Availability of teachers – Al spoke about the work of finding an appropriate teacher in a time of
shortage. But there has been a growth in some state college foreign language programs. Al
explained certification requirements.
• Teacher support - Teachers are concerned about time. Last year with testing, it would have
been too difficult to add a new program. This remains a concern.
• Concern was expressed about FLES addition versus teachers’ health insurance. Barbara
Fraterrigo addressed this and shared ideas the Board of Education is exploring regarding health
insurance. She said that the idea has not been to cut benefits. They were looking at
competitive bidding.
4. Review of Plan
• Delivery of services. The group discussed provision of services. The group discussed whether
the program should be in phases or implemented k-5.
• The group discussed partial implementation. Al explained a partial implementation from grade
5 on. Proficiency in a language depends on a long range program.
• There’s a need to help intermediate teachers understand how instruction would fit in their day.
27

• We can update budget.
• Video of sample lesson to show teachers
NEXT MEETING DATE: December 7, 2006 from 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
AGENDA:
1. FLES budget planning
2. Changes to the plan
28

GUILDERLAND CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
MINUTES OF COMMITTEE MEETING
NAME OF COMMITTEE: Foreign Language Early Start Committee
DATE OF MEETING: November 15, 2004
MEMBERS PRESENT: Nancy Andress, Cathy Beadnell, Martha Beck, Karen Covert-Jones, Amy
Daley, Debbie Drumm, Barbara Fraterrigo, Martha Kemp, Lynn Luffman,
Al Martino, Wendy Meola, Jennifer Politano, Stephanie Sakmar, Karen
Shields, Dianne Walshhampton, Mary K. Weeks
CHAIR:
Nancy Andress and Al Martino
RECORDER:
Dianne Walshhampton
ITEMS DISCUSSED BY TOPIC:
1. Nancy Andress welcomed the group. Introductions were made.
2. Visitations were discussed by teams. Reports were distributed.
A. Bronxville
Traditional foreign language program - Spanish Grades 1-5. Started grades 1-3. 1.8 teachers
for grades 1-5, about 600 students.
B. Edgemont
Grades 1-3 Spanish. 2 X 30. Support regular content as well as teach Spanish proficiency.
C. Howe
Traditional foreign language program. K-2 Spanish 20 minutes. 3-5 French 22 minutes.
D. Albany Montessori Magnet
Start PreK - K French through grade 6. Connected to classroom curriculum.
3. Steps
The committee all agreed to go forward with developing a plan to present to the Board of Education
at the January 18, 2005 School Board Meeting.
A. All agreed on presenting Spanish as the language.
B. The plan is to connect teaching of language to curriculum.
C. One possible plan for K-5. K-1 once a week. 2-5 two times per week.
D. Classroom teachers and foreign language teacher support each other in the foreign language
class session. Foreign language teacher prepares lesson and classroom teacher co-teaches.
E. Schedule in collaboration time with grade level at grade level meetings.
We will organize presentation to staff in December. Get staff input about amount of time and
coordination with foreign language teacher.
A parent survey will be sent out. Wendy Meola will coordinate.
NEXT MEETING DATE: Thursday, January 6, 2005, Guilderland Elementary Staff Room at
4:30 p.m.
AGENDA:
1. Welcome, introductions
2. Parent Survey Results
3. Plan - Reactions, Revisions
4. Board of Education Report
29

GUILDERLAND CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
MINUTES OF COMMITTEE MEETING
NAME OF COMMITTEE: Foreign Language Early Start Committee
DATE OF MEETING: September 13, 2004
MEMBERS PRESENT: Nancy Andress, Cathy Beadnell, Martha Beck, Amy Daley, Marian
DeSantis, Debbie Drumm, Martha Kemp,Lynn Luffman, Al Martino,
Wendy Meola, Karen Shields, Dianne Walshhampton, Mary K. Weeks
CHAIR:
Nancy Andress
RECORDER:
Nancy Andress
ITEMS DISCUSSED BY TOPIC:
1. Welcome
Nancy Andress and Al Martino, Supervisor of Foreign Language, welcomed the group and
introductions were made. Nancy reviewed the agenda.
2. Review
Nancy reviewed the FLES Committee’s goal and outline of work:
Goal: To investigate foreign language instruction at the elementary level and to make
recommendations for the teaching of foreign language K-5 for the 2005-06 school year.
Committee Tasks:
• review research base
• examine models of delivery
• visitations
• planning
• budget/staffing
• committee report to Superintendent of Schools, December, 2004
The next step will be to do visitations.
3. Visitations
Al explained that finding a list of FLES programs was difficult. At State Ed, this list is developed
from BEDS data. Al selected the following schools to possibly visit:
Albany Montessori Magnet (French)
Academy of the Holy Names (French)
Schenectady - Howe School (Spanish)
Edgemont
Bronxville
Tuxedo
Menands
Al and Nancy will set up the visitations for the month of October. They will contact committee
members with dates of visits.
The group reviewed the questions to be used for the visitation. These will be retyped and sent to
committee members who will be on the visitation.
Nancy and Al will set up the visits and e-mail information and directions. The list of questions
will be used as a guide.
30

4. Next Steps/Plan
• Some parent members will attend the October 5 Budget Hearing to advocate for this program
• Visitation
• Next meeting - November 15 4:30 - 5:30 at Guilderland Elementary, after visitations
• BOE Presentation - January 4, 2005 Board of Education Meeting
NEXT MEETING DATE: Monday, November 15, 2004 from 4:30 - 5:30
in the Guilderland Elementary Staff Room
AGENDA:
1. Review of Visitations
2. Next Steps
31

GUILDERLAND CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
MINUTES OF COMMITTEE MEETING
NAME OF COMMITTEE: Foreign Language Early Start Committee
DATE OF MEETING: June 15, 2004
MEMBERS PRESENT: Nancy Andress, Cathy Beadnell, Martha Beck, Mary Helen Collen, Karen
Covert-Jones, Marian DeSantis, Debbie Drumm, Barbara Fraterrigo,
Martha Kemp, Lynn Luffman, Al Martino, Wendy Meola, Jennifer
Politano, Stephanie Sakmar, Karen Shields, Dianne Walshhamton
CHAIR:
Nancy Andress
RECORDER:
Mary Helen Collen
ITEMS DISCUSSED BY TOPIC:
1. Welcome
Introductions were made. Handouts were distributed: LOTE NYS standards, Basic Structures of
FLES, National Standards for Foreign Language.
2. Discussion Groups on Reading
Group work - 10 minutes, discussion.
Each table assigned a section:
Section 2: Background - History
Section 3: Rationale for Early Second Language Study
Section 4: Augmentation for Implementation
Questions:
• most important points of section?
• What questions do you have?
Each group reported on these questions.
Section 2:
Important Points
• Important in a global economy
• sensitivity to other cultures
• 1999 Education Excellence for All Children Act - 25% of elementary schools with a foreign
language program by 2005
• 2000 Educate America - All students will leave grades 4, 8 and 12 with a demonstrated
competency in foreign language
Questions:
• How supportive?
Section 3:
Important Points
• FLES tied to cross-cultural understanding and attitudes toward others.
• 10 years - critical period for attitude development
• ELL students taught in (native) primary language first. Ownership own language first.
• Learning cannot be isolated needs of society
• Paradigm shift: melting pot - pluralistic society
• Children started FLES earlier age = higher 2 nd language achievement over long-term
• Studies done on aphasic people - children regain speaking ability where adults can’t
32

Questions
• What are “pathological” studies? - Lennenberg
• What is the appropriate age to start?
• How much exposure?
• What is the cultural make-up of Guilderland CSE?
Section 4:
Important Points
• Critical age for making impression on children regarding foreigners age 10 - 5 th grade does
intense study of USA and other countries
• Starting a FLES program early “may” improve self-concept
• “The ability to attain native-like phonological abilities in a 2 nd language begins to decline by
age 6 in many individuals and beyond anyone beginning later than age 12.”
• Critical age hypothesis
Questions
• What does this tell us about how we will “phase-in” a program? Start at K and go up or start
at grade 5?
After discussion, the group came to consensus. We should move ahead to develop a proposal for a
FLES program in 2005-06.
3. The Ideal FLES Model
Al reviewed Dr. Elaine Margarita’s 18 components of an Ideal FLES program.
Other areas discussed:
• This will not be an add-on for elementary teachers.
• Parent concern - their child may not be part of the program with a partial phase in.
• Choice of language - how does it impact instruction later on?
• We are planning for a proficiency model.
4. Fall Visitations
Al will make arrangements for teams of committee members to visit schools with FLES programs.
He distributed a sampling of programs from Long Island districts.
The committee will meet September 13 and visitations will be assigned.
NEXT MEETING DATE: Monday, September 13, 2004 from 4:30 - 5:30
in the Guilderland Elementary Staff Room
AGENDA:
1. Update/Sharing
2. Schedule for Visitation
3. Plan for 2004-2005
33

GUILDERLAND CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
MINUTES OF COMMITTEE MEETING
NAME OF COMMITTEE: Foreign Language Early Start
DATE OF MEETING: May 10, 2004
MEMBERS PRESENT: Nancy Andress, Cathy Beadnell, Martha Beck, Karen Covert-Jones, Amy
Daley, Marian DeSantis, Debbie Drumm, Mary K. Weeks, Martha Kemp,
Lynn Luffman, Al Martino, Wendy Meola, Jennifer Politano, Anna
Russo, Stephanie Sakmar, Karen Shields, Dianne Walshhampton
CHAIR:
Al Martino and Nancy Andress
RECORDER:
Nancy Andress
ITEMS DISCUSSED BY TOPIC:
1. Welcome, Introductions
Nancy welcomed the group, introductions were made, and a brief history of FLES in the district
was given.
2. Committee Goal
Al Martino, Supervisor of Foreign Language, gave the committee goal:
To investigate foreign language instruction at the elementary level and to make
recommendations for the teaching of foreign language K-5 for the 2005-2006 school
year.
Committee Tasks:
• review research base
• examine school models of delivery/evaluation
• visitations
• planning/piloting
• staffing, budget
• Committee report to Superintendent of Schools with recommendations in December 2004
3. Vision of an Elementary Foreign Language Program
The committee formed triads and did a placemat activity on their vision of a successful
elementary foreign language program.
Common elements were:
• Start in kindergarten - level of enthusiasm
• Cultural/Language - side by side respect
• Choices - Languages - parents - how to present to them
• Kindergarten immersion through play, activities
• Scheduling
• Which languages? Choose language representative of students in district
• Begin in kindergarten, early childhood brain research
• Cultural awareness - extend building wide (e.g. bilingual signs, activities)
• Interactive program, hands-on
• Important as Americans - global perspective, knowing languages
• Benefits for students with English reading and writing
• K-5 to start
• Language/culture - connect to curriculum

• Conflicted - days of week
• Start with Spanish, incorporate all three middle school and high school languages
• Grade 5 - exposure to all three languages
4. What is FLES?
Al presented 3 basic structures of FLES:
1. Thematic Units
2. Content-coordinated Units of Instruction
3. Content-coordinated Thematic Units of Instruction (this is the preferred method of FLES
instruction)
5. Next Steps
The committee was given a packet on the history and research done on FLES programs from
Implementing Successful FLES Programs by Dr. Elaine Margarita.
NEXT MEETING DATE: Tuesday, June 15, 2004 in the Guilderland Elementary Staff
Room at 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
AGENDA: 1. Agenda Overview
2. Discussion of Reading
3. Models
4. Visitations in Fall
35

APPENDIX B
36