Modern Language
Philosophy
At ISD, the Modern Language Department provides a dynamic and comprehensive language program. We believe that learning another language and culture is essential for well-rounded education and is needed to live and participate in a pluralistic society. It allows for the development of higher-level thinking skills, reinforces skills learned and knowledge acquired in all content areas, and opens up a wider perspective on the world as a whole.
Guiding Principles:
We believe that effective modern language education is:
- relevant, stemming from students’ personal interests and experiences,
- engaging and interactive, emphasizing student involvement and discourse,
- coherent and standards-based, across the K-12 curriculum,
- authentic, utilizing immersive activities that are modeled after real life situations,
- dynamic, allowing for flexibility of learning pace and style,
- challenging, offering students opportunities to extend and enrich their skills and fluency,
- inspiring, fostering a love of multi-lingual living,
- collaborative, allowing for teamwork and group-based projects,
- open-minded, encouraging an appreciation for diverse cultural and linguistic heritage.
Essential Questions
- Why learn another language? How will learning another language enhance my life?
- How can I use my existing communication skills to learn a new language?
- How does learning another language help me make connections with others?
- In what ways do languages convey meaning?
- How does language change in different situations?
- How does the structure of language affect the message conveyed?
- How can I learn to listen, speak, read and write in another language?
- What are the connections between my native language and my second (or third) language?
- How are language and culture linked?
- How can cultural awareness enhance my language learning?