At Hillside Elementary School

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FLES

• At Hillside Elementary School
• Presented by
• Colette Tutino Smith

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What is FLES?

• FLES stands for Foreign Language in Elementary
  School
• A FLES program allows students to learn a foreign
  language through the natural order of language
  acquisition comprehension, speaking, reading and
  writing.
• In FLES classes students learn grammar indirectly
  by using the language to communicate. They also
  become aware of Spanish-speaking cultures through
  a variety of lessons and activities in which they
  learn to compare, contrast and appreciate
  cultural differences and similarities.

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How are FLES classes taught?

• FLES classes at Hillside are taught for 30
  minutes each. Classes meet twice in the six day
  (A-F) cycle.
• A variety of activities are used to foster use of
  the target language and allow children the
  opportunity to experience both the Spanish
  language and culture.
• Students acquire and practice the language
  through the use of visuals, songs and
  manipulatives and by acting, listening, reading,
  writing, participating in peer conversations,
  role-playing, playing games, creating and
  viewing presentations and through TPR (total
  physical response).

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FLES Teaching Tools

• Visuals
• Actions
• TPR- total physical response
• Songs
• Conversations
• Dialogues
• Role-plays
• Games
• Puppets
• Smartboard Technology

• During each FLES lesson students are acquiring
  the language through a variety of visual,
  auditory, peer and kinesthetic activities.
• Students are always hearing and speaking the
  language and they begin to read and write in
  Spanish as they progress through the program.

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What is our goal?

• In keeping with the philosophy espoused in the
  New York State LOTE Syllabus, we believe that
  language is our connection to the community and
  to the world. Through language, we express
  concerns and dreams and share experiences and
  ideas. The benefits derived from the study of a
  second language are numerous. Empirical findings
  indicate that second language study
• fosters a sense of humanity and friendship
• increases students' adaptability to different
  environments and modes of acting and thinking
• furnishes the key to thinking patterns, cultures,
  and social institutions for other peoples
• provides insights into the human mind and
  language itself
• prepares students for a world in which nations
  and peoples are increasingly interdependent
• develops the skills and habits essential to the
  learning process, creative inquiry, and critical
  thinking
• helps students to increase their sensitivity to
  and understanding of the language, values,
  customs, and traditions of others
• enhances career and professional advancement
• We believe that all students should be exposed
  to world language learning beginning at the
  kindergarten level. The four communication skills
  of speaking, listening, reading and writing
  should be presented through a curriculum that
  integrates oral skills, accuracy of expression
  and cultural awareness. Our goal is for our
  students to acquire proficiencies in all aspects
  of the target language for meaningful
  communication as stated in the New York State and
  National Standards.

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What are the NYS LOTE standards?

• New York State Standards for
• Languages Other Than English (NYS LOTE)
• Standard 1 Students will be able to use a
  language other than English for communication.
• Standard 2 Students will develop cross-cultural
  skills and understandings.

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What are the National Standards?
The National Standards for Foreign Language
Education Five Cs of Foreign Language Education

• 1. Communication is the heart of second
  language study, whether the communication takes
  place face-to-face, in writing, or across
  centuries through the reading of literature.
• 2. Through the study of other languages,
  students gain a knowledge and understanding of
  the cultures that use that language and, in fact,
  cannot truly master the language until they have
  also mastered the cultural contexts in which the
  language occurs.
• 3. Learning language provides connections to
  additional bodies of knowledge that may be
  unavailable to the monolingual English speaker.
• 4. Through comparisons and contrasts with the
  language being studied, students develop insight
  into the nature of language and the concept of
  culture and realize that there are multiple ways
  of viewing the world.
• 5. Together, these elements enable the
  student of languages to participate in
  multilingual communities at home and around the
  world in a variety of contexts and in culturally
  appropriate ways.

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FLES from K-4th grade

• Kindergarten Units
• Getting to Know You
• Colors
• Numbers 0-10
• Family
• Pets
• Parts of the Body
• Mexico and
• Cinco de mayo

• First Grade Units
• Getting to Know You
• and review of K units
• Numbers 0-20
• Weather
• Clothing
• Fruits and Vegetables
• Beverages

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FLES from K-4th grade

• Second Grade Units
• Getting to Know You and review of K and 1 units
• Numbers 0-30
• Puerto Rico
• Clothing (extended from grade 1)
• Weather (extended from grade 1)

• Third Grade Units
• Review of grade 2 units
• Numbers 0-50
• Introduction to Latin America
• Chile
• Argentina
• Peru
• Costa Rica
• Ecuador

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FLES from K-4th grade

• Fourth Grade Units
• Review of Grade 3 units
• Numbers 0-100
• Spain
• Dominican Republic
• Mexico
• Pastimes and Sports

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FLES from K-4th grade
Throughout all grade levels and units of study
students are constantly reviewing Getting to
Know You questions and answers, numbers, colors,
weather and the calendar. In addition, to help
them reach cultural awareness, students are
studying important Holidays/traditions in
Spanish- speaking countries as they come about
during the school year. FLES lessons are also
tailored to make connections to previously
learned material as well as other subject areas
such as Math, Science, Art, Social Studies and
English.
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FLES Assesments

• Students are informally assessed based on their
  participation and comprehension of daily class
  activities.
• Students are formally evaluated, periodically,
  through oral and auditory assessments
  (conversations and listening activities).
• Students also complete written assessments that
  include projects such as the All About Me
  book/poster, passport project, travel brochure,
  group presentations and menu project.

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FLES in Action

• Please enjoy a sample Smartboard lesson
• and video clip of your students at work!