Pittsburgh Public Schools

1
Pittsburgh Public Schools

• Strengthening
• World Language Programs

2
What is High School Reform?

• Raises standards for all students
• Encourages more in-depth study of a variety of
  subjects
• Helps to better prepare students for college

3
School districts must

• have high expectations for all studentswe should
  not leave non-college bound students, special
  education students, and students with
  deficiencies on the PSSAs behind.
• prepare students for the increasingly
  multi-lingual, multi-cultural world!
• support world language programs that are
  standards-based and sequential over a period
  years (it is not possible to reach standards in 2
  years of study).
• offer a variety of languages (not necessarily all
  in one school) that reflect the diversity of
  Pittsburgh and the greater society.

4
PPS from the Outside A Different Perspective

• PPS world language program is recognized
  regionally and nationally in the forefront of
  progressive districts in WL education
• PPS Orals Assessment
• First of its kind nationally
• Over half million spent in federal funds
• Effect felt nation-wide Districts interested,
  looking to emulate PPS

Photograph from Post-Gazette showing PPS students
taking PPS Orals
5
Why maintain a strong World Language Program in
Pittsburgh Public Schools?
6
Research shows

• a strong correlation between extended world
  language study (4-5 years) and improved SAT
  scores
• improved memory communication skills
• improved higher order thinking skills
• career enhancement (as a primary and secondary
  skill)
• "Linguistic and cultural competence will be the
  mark of the well-educated citizen of the 21st
  century.
• _____
• Genesee, F. and N. Cloud. (1998).
  Multilingualism is Basic. Educational Leadership,
  March, 62-65.

7
No Child Left Behind

• World Languages are a core subject under NCLB
• U.S. Department of Education has made foreign
  language education a national educational
  priority
• U.S. Secretary of Education
• "But we are ever mindful of the lessons of
  September 11th that taught us that all future
  measures of a rigorous K-12 education must
  include a solid grounding in other cultures,
  other languages, and other histories. In other
  words, we need to put the 'world' back into
  'world-class' education.
• Former Secretary of Education, Rodney Paige, in
  a speech to the States Institute on
• International Education in the Schools, November,
  2002.

8
Higher Education

• Harvard states that 4 years of one world
  language is considered ideal
• University of Pittsburgh At least 3 years of WL
  required
• Indiana University of Pennsylvania Accepting
  OPI speaking and writing scores (PPS Orals are
  based on the OPI) to earn up to 4 credits in
  Spanish.
• _____
• OPI Oral Proficiency Interview

9
Meeting National International Needs

• Congress designation for 2005
• Year of Languages
• National security defense
• Global peace diplomacy
• Federal jobs
• FBI, CIA, NSA, Dept. of Homeland Security and
  more
• Corporate jobs global markets

10
Meeting Local Needs

• Growing Latino population in Pittsburgh
• Large established Russian Italian populations
• Academic hub
• international faculty and students
• affects
• Businesses big small
• Police emergency workers
• Law offices
• Mission workers volunteers

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Leave No One Behind!Non-College Bound Students

• Laurel Willingham-McClain
• Mission Volunteer
• Friendship Community Church
• Speaks French
• We can have the best intentions a servant
  heart, a call to missions, expertise in leading
  non-profit agencies but if we don't seriously
  attempt to learn to speak with others in their
  own languages, then American imperialism remains
  front-center in what we do. 

12
Leave No One Behind!Non-College Bound Students

• Lon Durban
• Whole Foods cheese department
• Former restaurant owner
• Best New Chef in Pittsburgh 1999
• Speaks German, some French, Spanish, Italian
• Youd have to be crazy not to recommend
  learning a language to someone whos going into
  cooking! Culinary terms, wine names, the chance
  to learn from the best chefs in countries like
  France and Italy come on! And who do I work
  with in the back of the house? Latinos,
  Moroccans, people of all different backgrounds.
  Being able to speak even a little French or
  Spanish has saved my butt in the kitchen many
  times!

13
Recommendations to Consider

• Require the study of at least one world language
  for all high school students.
• Consider invigorating the program by requiring
  three to four years of language study in high
  school.
• Reinstate world language instruction in all
  middle schools (3 times / week sequential
  program starting in grade 6)
• Reinvigorate the elementary IS program and extend
  programs to other elementary schools.
• Publicly encourage all students to learn a
  language.
• _____
• At the very least, consider awarding an
  academic seal for the diplomas of PSP and CAS
  students who challenge themselves with extended
  study (3-4 years) of at least one WL or who
  attain the district proficiency standard.
• These are questions of equity for improved
  test scores (both literacy and math) and will
  lead to higher level WL proficiency

14
Merci! ?????! C??????!Danke!???a??st?e?!Grazi
e! ?? !Gracias!
to the PPS high school teachers who created this
great PowerPoint!