An Informational Update on Foreign Language in Arkansas Public Schools Dr. Laura Bednar Arkansas Department of Education December 7, 2011

Arkansas Standards for Accreditation Ark. Code Ann and Grades K Social Studies Grades Social Studies

Arkansas Standards for Accreditation Grades 9 – Foreign Languages 2 units of the same language Smart Core – Foreign Language is not a Smart Core requirement

Background Information The Lottery Scholarship utilizes the Smart Core as one option for eligibility; therefore, Foreign Language is not a requirement. Prior to the Lottery, the Academic Challenge did require students have Foreign Language to qualify for the state scholarship.

Foreign Language Curriculum Frameworks K-8 Foreign Language Experiences K-8 Foreign Language Acquisition Grades 9 – 12 High School Credit Courses Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Latin, Spanish (Additionally, ADE has approved a few Russian courses).

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Opportunities for ACTFL Companion Statement  Strong statement on the relevance of foreign language instruction to developing college and career ready students Foreign Language Standards Revision  Revision of Foreign Language standards to mirror structure and process of Common Core State Standards Instructional and Curricular Resources  Tools for foreign language teachers to understand how to support Common Core standards in their classrooms